_On their Food and Beverage_.
THOSE Gipseys who are more connected with civilised people are not
remarkable in their diet; though it is to be observed of them, that they
are by no means particular in their cookery. The others, on the
contrary, have their table furnished in a very irregular and
extraordinary way. Sometimes they fast, or at best have only bread and
water to subsist upon: at other times they regale on fowls and geese.
The greatest luxury to them is, when they can procure a roast of cattle
that have died of any distemper. It is the same to them, whether it be
the carrion of a sheep, hog, cow, or other beast, horse-flesh only
excepted: they are so far from being disgusted with it, that to eat their
fill of such a meal is to them the height of epicurism. When any person
censures their taste, or shews surprise at it, they answer, “The flesh of
a beast which God kills, must be better than that of one killed by the
hand of man:” they therefore embrace every opportunity of getting such
dainties. That they take carrion from the laystalls, as is affirmed of
the Gipseys in Hungary, is not probable, any more than that they eat
horse flesh. But if a beast out of a herd die, and they find it before
it become rotten and putrefied; or if a farmer give them notice of a cow
dead in the stable; they proceed, without hesitation, to get possession
of the booty. They are particularly fond of animals that have been
destroyed by fire; therefore, whenever a conflagration has happened,
either in town or country, the next day the Gipseys, from every
neighbouring quarter, assemble, and draw the suffocated, half consumed,
beasts out of the ashes. Men, women, and children, in troops, are
extremely busy, joyfully carrying the flesh home to their dwellings: they
return several times, provide themselves plentifully with this roast
meat, and gluttonise in their huts as long as their noble fare lasts.
Their manner of dressing this delicious food is curious:—they boil or
roast what is intended for the first day; if they have more than they can
devour at once, the remainder is either dried in the sun, or smoked in
their huts, and eaten without any further preparation.
Something might here be introduced concerning their relish for human
flesh, and the instances which some years ago happened in Hungary might
be adduced as proofs, {16} were it not likely to be objected, that these
examples are at variance with common experience, as well as with the old
accounts handed down to us concerning these people. We shall, therefore,
not insist on this accusation: but entirely give up the point of Gipseys
being men-eaters, except just hinting, that it would be expedient for
governments to be watchful. But the instances in Hungary do not appear,
by any means, so casual and uncommon as people may imagine.—What,
according to the strictest examination, has been done, not by _one_, but
_many_; not by _ten_, but even _two hundred_, and perhaps by _thousands_;
not _yesterday_ and _to-day_, but _many years back_; finally, not _by the
whole body together_, but _single parties by themselves_, _in different
places_: Shall these things be deemed only casual excesses? Should it be
asserted, in addition to this, that eating human flesh is in practice and
allowed, in the country whence they originate; we might with greater
probability mention this shocking fact, of feeding on human flesh, as a
prevailing custom among the Gipseys. This circumstance is expressly
mentioned in histories: which assure us, that among the particular class
of people from whom the Gipseys sprung, it is a long-established custom
for the nearest relations and friends to kill and eat each other. It is
unnecessary to bring proof of it in this place, as it belongs to the
second section: let it suffice just to have hinted the matter, in order
that it may be known towards what people we are to look for the origin of
the Gipseys. As to the objection, that among all the crimes with which
they have been charged, in the older writings, _eating human flesh_ is
not positively alledged against them, it may be obviated by more than one
answer. In the first place, let it be observed, history relates, and the
event in Hungary confirms, that they murder one another; further,
consider their wandering mode of life; lastly, that they generally abide
in byplaces: and all may be easily accounted for. A hundred fathers may
sacrifice their children to their voluptuousness, and the crime still
remain concealed. The absent person is not missed; as nobody watches
over a family continually in motion, and every-where a stranger. Just as
unlikely is it, that information should be given to government. There is
no reason to suppose any of their own people would think it their duty to
inform; as, not being contrary to their usual practice, they do not
esteem it wrong. It is very possible for them to have destroyed many
other people, without the circumstances being recorded in the courts of
justice, or noticed in the annual publications. Who ever thought to
enquire of them after any traveller that, far distant from his own
country, might have fallen into their hands and been cut off? Or how are
the remains of the poor victim to be traced, if they devour what is
eatable, and burn the bones? {19}
Those Hungarian wretches have, according to their own account, for twelve
years gratified their horrid cravings, undiscovered by the magistrates,
in a country where the police is by no means bad: perhaps they might have
continued unsuspected for ever, had they not laid their unlucky hands on
the people of the country, thereby bringing on a strict enquiry, and
rendering the discovery more easy. Nor do the older writings seem to be
entirely silent on this head; at least there is an appearance of
something of the kind in them. Many authors mention the Gipseys stealing
people, and accuse them particularly of lying in wait for young children.
Others again deny this, saying, that the Gipseys have brats enough of
their own, and therefore have not the least reason to covet strange
children. How does the matter look, if we suppose they did not want to
rear these children, but to sacrifice them to their inordinate
appetite?—and the Hungarian intelligence expressly says, they were
particularly fond of young subjects. What renders the truth of this
accusation in the old writings suspicious, is, that before even a single
Gipsey had set his foot in Europe, the Jews lay under the same
imputation. Perhaps in this, as in many other instances, the calumny
invented against the Jews might be afterwards transferred to the Gipseys.
This alone considered, the imputation of kidnapping children might become
doubtful; but then occurs the weighty circumstance, that it has been
judicially proved in England; and, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, an
act of parliament was passed on the occasion. Enough of this; let people
reason upon the cannibal appetite of the Gipseys as they please, there
will always remain ground for suspicion.
After having shewn how little delicate they are in satisfying their
appetites, we should scarcely expect to find them squeamish with regard
to articles of diet that are highly esteemed among civilised people. But
Griselini gives a long catalogue of things which, he says, are
disagreeable to a Gipsey’s palate; among which, he particularly mentions
beans and onions, red bream, pearch, lampreys, with every kind of
wild-fowl. Whereas the fact is, Gipseys not only eat beans and onions,
but are very fond of them; and as for the red bream, pearch and lampreys,
pheasants, partridges, &c. their only reason for abstaining from them is,
the difficulty of procuring them: in which they are not singular; many
other people being in the same predicament.
The Gipseys are not much accustomed to baking of bread; that is an
article which they usually buy, beg or steal, or go entirely without. If
by chance they do bake, the business is performed quite in the eastern
method:—a wood fire is made on the ground, which soon becomes embers; in
the mean time the mother kneads her dough, forms it into small cakes,
lays them on the hot ashes, and thus they are baked.
To eat with a knife and fork, is no part of a Gipsey’s politeness; nor is
a table or plate thought necessary: even a dish is frequently dispensed
with. The whole kitchen and table apparatus consists of an earthen pot,
an iron pan (which is also used as a dish), a knife, and a spoon. When
the meal is ready, all the family sit around the pot or pan, the boiled
or roast is divided into pieces, on which they fall-to; their teeth and
fingers serving them for knives and forks, as does the ground for table
and plates.
The common beverage of the Gipseys is water; now and then beer, when it
costs them nothing. Wine is too expensive, nor is it particularly
grateful to them. The case is very different when brandy comes in
question, of which they are immoderately fond. They feel great pleasure
in intoxicating themselves; which being easiest and soonest effected with
brandy, it is in their esteem the only liquor worth purchasing: all they
can earn goes that way: and whenever by chance they become possessed of a
penny, it is expended at the first house where brandy is to be met with.
Every christening, wedding, or other occasion of rejoicing, is solemnised
with brandy: if they have plenty of it, they, as it were, drive the world
before them; each trying, by screaming or holloing, to express his
felicity and consummate happiness.
But, however great the thirst the Gipseys have for brandy, it is even
exceeded by their immoderate love of tobacco. This is not, as might be
supposed, peculiar to the men; for the women sometimes exceed them in it:
and they not only smoke it, but chew and swallow the very leaves and
stalks, with great avidity. That it may sooner reach its place of
destination, and stimulate the gums and tongue more forcibly, they use a
pipe not longer than ones finger: this pipe is made of wood, for
economical reasons—as it absorbs the moisture, and thereby becomes a very
great Gipsey delicacy; for having smoked it as long as they choose, they
gnaw it with astonishing greediness, till not a splinter remains. It is
immaterial, whether the pipe be smoked by the person himself or another,
to bring it to the proper degree of perfection: he accepts it, as a
valuable present, from any body; and is so chary of it, that it
frequently lasts him many days. The Gipsey will abstain from food for
more than a day, when he can procure a leaf of tobacco, or a piece of his
pungent pipe, which he chews, drinks a little water, and is happy. This
surely exceeds every thing that has been related of the most famous
smoker!