Chapter IX: Language (3)

On another occasion, I fell in with another band of these vagabond thimble-men, on the Dalkeith road, near Craigmiller Castle. I asked the fellow with the thimbles, "Is that _gaugie a nawken_?" pointing to one of the gang who had just left him. The question, in plain English, was, "Is that man a Gipsy?" The thimbler flew at once into a great passion, and bawled out, "Ask himself, sir." He then fell upon me, and a gentleman who was with me, in most abusive language, applying to us the most insulting epithets he could think of. It was evident to my friend that the thimble-man perfectly understood my Gipsy question. So enraged was he, that we were afraid he would follow us, and do us some harm. My friend did not consider himself safe till he was in the middle of Edinburgh, for many a look did he cast behind him, to see whether the Gipsy was not in pursuit of us.[215]

[215] There is a Gipsy belonging to one of these bands, known by the
soubriquet of the "winged duck," from having lost an arm, of whom I
have often heard our author speak. He is what may be called the
captain of the company. A description of him, and his way of life, may
be interesting, inasmuch as it illustrates a class of Scottish Gipsies
at the present day.

About the year 1853, three young gentlemen, from the town of Leith,
had occasion to take a stroll over Arthur's Seat, a hill that
overhangs Edinburgh, on the east side of the city. In climbing the
hill, they observed, a little way before them, a man toiling up the
ascent, whom they did not notice till they came close upon him, and
who had evidently been laying off on the side of the path, and entered
it as they approached it. He appears about sixty years of age, is well
dressed, and carries a fine cane, which he keeps pressing into the
ground, to help him up the hill. Just as they make up to him, he
abruptly stops, and turns round, so as almost to touch them. "Hech,
how! I'm blown, I'm blown; I'm fairly done up. Young gentlemen, you
have the advantage of me; I'm getting old, and it is hard for me to
climb the hill." (Blown, done up, indeed! The fellow has stamina
enough to outclimb any of them for years yet.) An agreeable
conversation ensues, such as at once gains for him the confidence of
the youths. He appears to them so mild, so bland, so fatherly, so
worthy of respect, in short, a "nice old cove," who is evidently
enjoying his _otium cum dignitate_ in his old age, in some cottage
near by, upon a pension, an annuity, or a moderate competency of some
sort. During the conversation, he manages to ascertain that his young
friends have not been on the hill for some time--that one of them,
indeed, has never been there before. All at once he exclaims, "Ah!
what can this be? Let us go and see." Upon which they step forward to
look at a person like a mechanic playing at the thimbles. Placing his
arm around the neck of one of the young men, he begins to moralize:
"Pray, young gentlemen, don't bet, (they had not shown the least
symptoms of doing that;) it's wrong to bet; it's a thing I never do; I
would advise you not to do it. This is a rascally thimbler; he'll
cheat, he'll rob you." At this time there are three playing at the
board, winning and losing money rapidly. The "old cove" becomes
impatient to be gone, and motions so as to imply, "Boys, let us go,
let us go." Moving a few steps forward, he halts to admire the
scenery, (but casts a leering eye in the direction of the board.) "Ah!
there's another goose gone to be plucked; let us see what luck he
meets with."

Now thimble rigging is the game, of all others, by which the
uninitiated can be duped. They see the pea put under one of the
thimbles, (nutshells they are, indeed;) there seems to be no doubt of
that. The thimbles are then so gently moved, that any one can follow
them. The pea is not afterwards tampered with--that is evident. All,
then, that remains to be done, is to lift the thimble under which the
pea is, and secure your prize. But the thimble man, with his long
nail, and nimble finger, has secured the pea under his nail, or, with
the crook of his little finger, thrust it into the palm of his hand,
while he pretended to cover it with the thimble. An accomplice, to
make doubly sure of the pea being under the thimble, lifts it, and
shows a pea, which he, by sleight of hand, drops, and, while
pretending to cover it, as nimbly takes it up again.

Betting and playing go on as before. The player makes some fine hauls,
but loses a game. He swears that foul play has been used. An
altercation follows. The man at the board gets excited, and to show
that he really is honourable in his playing, exclaims, "Well, sir,
there's your money again; try another game if you have a mind." "Now
that is really honest, and no mistake about it," remarks the "old
cove." Then the thimbler averts his head, to speak to a person behind
him, and the "old cove" slyly lifts a thimble and shows the pea, and
whispers very confidentially to his friends, "Now, young gentlemen,
you can safely bet a few shillings on that." They shake their heads,
however, for they know too much about thimbling. The "old cove" now
gets fidgety, and, managing to edge a little away from the board,
commences, in a subdued tone, to speak, in a strange gibberish, to
another bystander; but, forgetting himself, drops a word rather louder
than the others, on which, as he turns round and catches the eyes of
his young friends, he coughs and hems. On hearing the gibberish, a
fear steals over the young men, on finding themselves surrounded by a
band of desperadoes, in so solitary a place, and they make haste to be
off. But the "old cove," to quiet their suspicions, accompanies them
to a convenient spot, where he leaves them, to go to his home, by a
side-path that soon leads him out of sight. On separating, he looks
around him at the scenery, now lets fall his stick, now picks up
something, that he may, with less suspicion, watch the movements of
his escaped victims. They feel a singular relief in getting rid of his
company, and, with tact, dog him over the hill, till they see him go
back to the thimblers. They then think over their adventure, and the
strange jargon they have heard, and unanimously exclaim, "Wasn't he a
slippery old serpent, after all!"

On this occasion, there were no less than fourteen of these fellows
present, some of them stationed here, some there, while they kept
artfully moving around and about the hill, so as not to appear
connected, but frequently approached the board, to contribute to and
watch their luck. They personated various characters. One of them
played the country lout, whose dress, gait, gape, and stare were
inimitable. On the slightest symptom of danger manifesting itself,
they would, by the movement of a hat, scatter, and vanish in an
instant.

Among the people generally, a mystery attaches to these and other
thimble-men. No one seems to know any thing about them--who they are
or where they come from--and yet they are seen flitting everywhere
through the country; but hardly ever two days together in one dress.
But the mystery is solved by their being Gipsies. They are dangerous
fellows to meddle with; yet they seem to prefer thimbling,
chain-dropping, card-playing, pocket-picking, in fairs and
thoroughfares, and pigeon-plucking in every form, to robbery on the
high-way, after the manner of their ancestors.

Thimble-rigging, according to Sir J. Gardner Wilkinson, was practised
in ancient Egypt. He calls it "thimble-rig, or the game of cups, under
which a ball was put, while the opposite party guessed under which of
four it was concealed."--ED.

The Gipsies in Scotland consider themselves to be of the same stock as those in England and Ireland, for they are all acquainted with the same speech. They afford assistance to one another, whenever they happen to meet. The following facts will at least show that the Scottish and Irish Gipsies are one and the same people.

In the county of Fife, I once fell in with an Irish family, to appearance in great poverty and distress, resting themselves on the side of the public road. A shelty and an ass were grazing hard by. The ass they used in carrying a woman, who, they said, was a hundred and one years of age. She was shrunk and withered to a skeleton, or rather, I should say, to a bundle of bones; and her chin almost rested on her knees, and her body was nearly doubled by age. On interrogating the head of the family, I found that his name was Hugh White, and that he was an Irishman, and a son of the old woman who was with him. I put some Gipsy words to him, to ascertain whether or not he was one of the tribe. He pretended not to understand what I said; but his daughter, of about six years of age, replied, "But I understand what he says." I then called out sharply to him, "_Jaw vree_"--("Go away," or "get out of the way.") "As soon as I can," was his answer. On leaving him, I again called, "_Beenship-davies_"--("Good-day.") "Good-day, sir; God bless you," was his immediate reply.

I happened, at another time, to be in the court-house of one of the burghs north of the Forth, when two Irishmen, of the names of O'Reilly and McEwan, were at the bar for having been found drunk, and fighting within the town. They were sentenced by the magistrates to three days' imprisonment, and to be "banished the town," for their riotous conduct. The men had the Irish accent, and had certainly been born and brought up in Ireland; but their habiliments and general appearance did not correspond exactly with the ordinary dress and manners of common Irish peasants, although their features were in all respects Hibernian. When the magistrates questioned them in respect to their conduct, the prisoners looked very grave, and said, "Sure, and it plase your honours, our quarrel was nothing but whiskey, and sure we are the best friends in the world;" and seemed very penitent. But when the magistrates were not looking at them, they were smiling to each other, and keeping up a communication in pantomime. Suspecting them to be Irish Gipsies, I addressed the wife of McEwan as follows: "For what is the _riah_ (magistrate) going to put your _gaugie_ (man) in _staurdie_, (prison)?" "Only for a little whiskey, sir," was her immediate reply. She gave me, on the spot, the English of the following words; adding, at the same time, that I had got the _Gipsy_ language, but that hers was only the _English cant_. She was afraid to acknowledge that she was a Gipsy, as such a confession might, in her opinion, have proved prejudicial to her husband, in the situation in which he was placed.

_Gaugie_, man.
_Managie_, woman.
_Chauvies_, children.
_Riah_, magistrate.
_Chor_, thief.
_Yaka_, eyes.
_Grye_, horse.
_Roys_, spoons.
_Skews_, platters.
_Mashlam_, metal.

I observed the woman instantly communicate to her husband the conversation she had with me. She immediately returned to me, and, after questioning me as to my name, occupation, and place of residence, very earnestly entreated me to save her _gaugie_ from the _staurdie_. I asked her, how many _chauvies_ she had? "Twelve, sir." Were any of them _chors_? "None, sir." Two of her _chauvies_ were in her hand, weeping bitterly. The woman was in great distress, and when she heard the sound of her own language, she thought she saw a friend. I informed one of the magistrates, whom I knew, that the prisoners were Gipsies; and proposed to him to mitigate the punishment of the woman's husband, on condition of his giving me a specimen of his secret speech. But the reply of the man of authority was, "The scoundrel shall lie in prison till the last hour of his sentence." The "scoundrel" however, did not remain in durance so long. While the jailer was securing him in prison, the determined Tinkler, with the utmost coolness and indifference, asked him, which part of the jail would be the easiest for him to break through. The jailer told him that, if he attempted to escape, the watchman, stationed in the church-yard, close to the prison, would shoot him. On visiting the prison next morning, the turnkey found that the Gipsy had undone the locks of the doors, and fled during the night. O'Reilly, the other Gipsy, remained, in a separate cell, the whole period of his sentence. When the officers were completing the other part of his punishment--"banishing him from the town"--the regardless, light-hearted Irish Tinkler went capering along the streets, with his coat off, brandishing, and sweeping, and twirling his shillalah, in the Gipsy fashion. Meeting, in this excited state, his late judge, the Tinkler, with the utmost contempt and derision, called out to him, "Plase your honour! won't you now take a fight with me, for the sake of friendship?" This worthy Irish Gipsy represented himself as the head Tinkler in Perth, and the first of the second class of boxers.

On another occasion, I observed a horde of Gipsies on the high street of Inverkeithing, employed in making spoons from horn. I spoke to one of the young married men, partly in Scottish Gipsy words, when he immediately answered me in English. He said they were all natives of Ireland. They had, male and female, the Irish accent completely. I invited this man to accompany me to a public-house, that I might obtain from him a specimen of his Irish Gipsy language. The town-clerk being in my company at the time, I asked him to go with me, to hear what passed; but he refused, evidently because he considered that the company of a Gipsy would contaminate and degrade him. I treated the Tinkler with a glass of spirits, and obtained from him the following words:

_Yaik_, one.
_Duie_, two.
_Trin_, three.
_Punch_, five.
_Saus_, six.
_Luften_, eight.
_Sonnakie_, gold.
_Roug_, silver.
_Vanister_, ring.
_Rat_, night.
_Cham_, the moon.
_Borlan_, the sun.
_Yak_, fire.
_Chowrie_, knife.
_Bar_, stone.
_Shuha_, coat.
_Roy_, spoon.
_Chauvie_, child.
_Gaugie_, man.
_Mort and kinshen_, wife and child.
_Klistie_, soldier.
_Ruffie lee ma_, devil miss me.
_Nasher_, deserter.
_Daw-douglars_, hand-cuffs.
_Staurdie_, prison.
_Lodie_, lodgings.
_Vile_, town.
_Yak_, eye.
_Deekers_, eyes.
_Shir_, head.
_Test_, head.
_Nak_, nose.
_Mooie_, mouth.
_Meffemel_, hand.
_Grye_, horse.
_Aizel_, ass.
_Dugal_, dog.
_Bakra_, sheep.
_Ruffie_, devil.
_Bing_, devil.
_Feck_, take.
_Ruffie feck ma_, devil take me.
_Nawken_, Tinkler.
_Baurie-dews, Nawken_, good-day, Tinkler.

This man conducted himself very politely, his behaviour being very correct and becoming; and he seemed much pleased at being noticed, and kindly treated. At first, he spoke wholly in the Gipsy language, thinking that I was as well acquainted with it as himself. But when he found that I knew only a few words of it, he, like all his tribe, stopped in his communications, and, in this instance, began to quiz and laugh at my ignorance. On returning to the street, I repeated some of the words to one of the females. She laughed, and, with much good humour, said, "You will put me out, by speaking to me in that language."

These facts prove that the Irish Gipsies have the same language as those in Scotland. The English Gipsy is substantially the same. There are a great many Irish Gipsies travelling in Scotland, of whom I will again speak, in the following chapter. They are not easily distinguished from common Irish peasants, except that they are generally employed in some sort of traffic, such as hawking earthen-ware, trinkets, and various other trifles, through the country.

It may interest the reader to know how the idea originated that the Gipsies, at all events their speech, came, or was thought to have come, from Hindostan. According to Grellmann, it was in this way:

"The following is an article to be found in the Vienna Gazette, from a Captain Szekely, who was thinking of searching for (the origin of) the Gipsies, and their language, in the East Indies: In the year 1763, on the 6th of November, a printer, whose name was Stephen Pap Szathmar Nemethi, came to see me. Talking upon various subjects, we at last fell upon that of the Gipsies; and my guest related to me the following anecdote, from the mouth of a preacher of the Reformed Church, Stephen Vali, at Almasch. When the said Vali studied at the University of Leyden, he was intimately acquainted with some young Malabars, of whom three are obliged constantly to study there; nor can they return home till relieved by three others. Having observed that their native language bore a great affinity to that spoken by the Gipsies, he availed himself of the opportunity to note down from themselves upwards of one thousand words, together with their significations. After Vali was returned from the University, he informed himself of the Raber Gipsies, concerning the meaning of his Malabar words, which they explained without trouble or hesitation."[216]

[216] "The opinion, that the Gipsies came originally from India, seems
to have been very early entertained, although it was again soon
forgotten, or silently relinquished. Hieronymus Foroliviensis, in the
nineteenth volume of Muratori, says, that on the 7th day of August, A.
D. 1422, 200 of the Cingari came to his native town, and remained
there two days, on their way to Rome, and that some of them said that
they came from India, '_et ut audivi aliqui dicebant quod erant de
Indiâ_;' and the account which Munster gives of what he gathered from
one of the Cingari, in 1524, seems to prove that an impression existed
amongst them of their having come from that country."--_Bright._--ED.

None of the Scottish Gipsy words have as yet, I believe, been collated with the Hindostanee, the supposed mother tongue of the Gipsies.[217] I showed my list to a gentleman lately from India, who, at first sight, pointed out, from among several hundred words and sentences scattered through these pages, about thirty-nine which very closely resembled Hindostanee. But in ascertaining the origin of the Gipsies, the traveller, Dr. Bright, thinks it would be desirable to procure some of the speech of the lowest classes in India, and compare it with the Gipsy, as spoken in Europe; for the purpose of showing, more correctly, the affinity of the two languages. He supposes, as I understand him, that the terms used by the despised and unlettered Gipsies would probably resemble more closely the vulgar idiom of the lowest castes in India, than the Hindostanee spoken by the higher ranks, or that which is to be found in books. The following facts show that Dr. Bright's conjectures are not far from the truth.

[217] Mr. Baird's Missionary Report contained a collation of the
Scottish Gipsy with Hindostanee, but that appeared considerably after
what our author has said was written.--ED.

I had occasion at one time to be on board of a vessel lying in the harbour of Limekilns, Fifeshire, where I observed a black man, acting as cook, of the name of John Lobbs, about twenty-five years of age, and a native of Bombay, who could neither read nor write any language whatever. He stated that he was now a Christian, and had been baptized by the name of John. He had been absent from India three years, as cabin boy, in several British vessels, and spoke English well. He appeared to be of a low caste in his native land, but sharpened by his contact with Europeans. Recollecting Dr. Bright's hint, it occurred to me that this Hindoo's vulgar dialect might resemble the language of our Scottish Gipsies. I repeated to him about one hundred and eighty Gipsy words and expressions. The greater part were familiar to his ear, but many of them that meant one thing in Gipsy, had quite a different signification in his speech. I shall, however, give the following Gipsy words, with the corresponding words of Lobb's language, and the English opposite.[218]

[218] Meeting a Bengalee at Peebles, begging money to pay his passage
back to India, I repeated to him, from memory, a few of the Gipsy
words I had collected a week before. After listening attentively, he
answered that it was the Moor's language I had got, and gave me the
English of _paunie_, water, and _davies_, day. I took the first
opportunity of mentioning this interview to the Gipsies, observing it
was the general opinion that their forefathers came from India. They,
however, persisted in their own tradition, that they were a tribe of
Ethiopians, which is believed by all the Scottish Gipsies. [See pages
113 and 315.--ED.]

SCOTTISH GIPSY. JOHN LOBBS' ENGLISH.
HINDOSTANEE.

_Baurie_, great,
grand, rich. _Bura_, Grand, good, great, rich.
_Been_, great, grand,
rich. _Beenie_, Grand, good, great, rich.
_Callo_, _Kala_, Black.
_Lon_, _Loon_, Salt.
_Gourie_, a man. _Gowra_, White man.
_Gaugie_, a man. _Gaugie_, or Rich man.
_Fraugie_,
_Mort_, a wife. _Murgia_, Dead wife.
_Chavo_, _Chokna_, A boy, a son.
_Praw_, _Praw_, Son.
_Prawl_, _Prawl_, Daughter.
_Nais-gaugie_, grand-
father. _Nais gaugie_, Old man.
_Nais-mort_, grand-
mother. _Nais mort_, Old woman.
_Riah_, _Riah_, A chief, a gentleman.
_Rajah_, a chief,
governor, _Rajah_, A chief, a lord.
_Raunie_, lady, wife
of a gentleman. _Raunie_, The wife of a prince.
_Been riah_, _Beenie riah_, The king.
_Been raunie_, _Beenie raunie_, The queen.
_Been gourie_, _Beenie gourie_, A gentleman.
_Bauree rajah_, _Bura rajah_, The king.
_Baurie raunie_, _Bura raunie_, The queen.
_Baurie forest_, _Bura frost_, _bura Great town.
malook_,
_Baurie paunie_, _Bura paunie_, The sea, the great water.
_Lon paunie_, _Loon paunie_, Salt water, the ocean.
_Grye_, _Ghora_, Horse.
_Prancie_, a horse. _Prawncie_, A gentleman's carriage.
_Gournie_, _Goroo_, A cow.
_Backra_, _Buckra_, A sheep.
_Sherro_, _Sir_, Head.
_Yak_, _Aukh_, Eye.
_Yaka_, _Aukha_, Eyes.
_Nak_, _Nak_, Nose.
_Mooie_, _Mooih_, Mouth.
_Chee_, _Jeebh_, The tongue.
_Chee chee_, _Choopra_, Hold your tongue.
_Femmel_, hand. _Fingal_, Ends of the fingers.
_Vast_, _Wast_, The hand.
_Peerie_, _Peir_, The foot.
_Gave_, _Gaw_, Village.
_Kair_, _Gur_, A house.
_Wautheriz_, _Waudrie_, A bed.
_Outhrie_, a window. _Outrie_, _Durvaja_, A door.
_Eegees_, bed clothes. _Eegees_, Bed curtains.
_Shuch-hamie_, _Shuamie_, A waistcoat.
_Jair-dah_, _Jairda_, Woman's apron.
_Gawd_, _Dowglaw_, A man's shirt.
_Teeyakas_, _Teeyaka_, Shoes.
_Scaf_, a hat. _Scaf_, a small piece of cloth tied around the
head, like a fillet.
_Skews_, _Skows_, Platters, jugs.
_Chowrie_, _Choree_, Knife.
_Harro_, _Dhoro_, Sword.
_Sauster_, iron. _Sauspoon_, Iron pot-lid, iron.
_Mass_, _Mass_, Flesh.
_Thood_, _Doodh_, Milk.
_Chizcazin_, cheese. _Chizcaizim_, Cheese-knife.
_Blaw_, meal. _Blaw_, Indian corn.
_Flatrin_, _Flatrin_, Fish of any kind.
_Shaucha_, broth _Shoorwa_, Soup.
_Molzie_, _Mool_, Wine.
_Romanie_, whiskey. _Rominie_, Spirits, liquor.
_Mumlie_, a candle. _Membootie_, Candles.
_Fluffan_, _Floofan_, Smoking tobacco.
_Yak_, _Ag_, Fire.
_Paunie_, _Paunie_, Water.
_Casties_, _Cashtes_, Fruit trees.
_Bar_, _Dunbar_, A stone.
_Sonnakie_, _Sona_, Gold.
_Roug_, _Roopa_, Silver.
_Chinda_, silver. _Chindee_, Silver, tin.
_Geeve_, _Guing_, Wheat.
_Mang_, _Chan_, _Jung_, The moon.
_Bumie_, _Boomie_, To drink.
_Mar_, _Marna_, To strike.
_Rauge_, _Rawd_, Mad.
_Choar_, _Chorna_, To steal.
_Chor_, _Chor_, Thief.
_Humff_, _Huff_, Give me.
_Moolie_, death,
to die, dead. _Moola_, Dead.
_Quad_, _Quid_, Prison.
_Staurdie_, prison. _Staurdee_, A prison, to confine, hold.
_Jaw vree_, _Jowa_, Go away.
_Auvie_, _Aow_, Coming, come here.
_Davies_, _Din_, Day.
_Rat_, _Raut_, Night.
_Pagrin_, _Pawgrin_, To break.
_Davies-pagrin_, _Dawis-pawgrin_, Day-break, the morning.
_Klistie_, a soldier. _Kleestie_, Black soldier, Sepoy.
_Nash_, deserter. _Natch_, To run away.
_Loudnie_, _Loonie_, A bad woman.[219]

[219] A lady who resided seventeen years in India, already alluded to,
mentioned to me that the pronunciation of the Hindoos is broad, like
that of the Scotch, particularly where the letter a occurs; and that
the Scotch learn Hindostanee sooner, and more correctly, than the
natives of other countries. For this reason, I am inclined to think
that the Scottish Gipsy will have a greater resemblance to Hindostanee
than the Gipsy of some other countries.

My informant understood, he said, two of the dialects of Hindostan, the one called the Hindoo, and the other the Moors' language. The former, he said, the English in India generally spoke, but understood little of the latter; and that he himself did not know a word of the language of the Brahmins. When he failed to produce, in the Moors' language, the word corresponding to the Gipsy one, he frequently found it in what he called the Hindoo speech. The greater part of the Gipsy words, as I have already mentioned, were familiar to his ear; but many of them that signified one thing in his speech, meant quite another in Gipsy. For example, the word _Graunagie_, in Gipsy, signifies a _barn_; with Lobbs, it meant an _old rich man_. _Coories_, bed clothes or blankets, signified, in Lobbs' dialect, _ornaments for the ears_. _Dill_, a servant maid, according to Lobbs, was a _church_. _Shan davies_, a bad day, was the Hindostanee for _holiday_. _Managie_, a woman, signifies the _name of a person_, such as John or James. _Chavo_, a son, meant a _female child_; and _Pooklie_, hulled barley, _anything fine_. The two Gipsy words _Callo_ and _Rat_ are black and night; but, according to Lobbs, _Callorat_ is simply anything dark.[220]

[220] In the report of the Fourteenth Gipsies' Festival, held at
Southampton, under the superintendence of the Rev. James Crabb, the
Gipsies' friend, on the 25th December, 1841, is the following
statement:

"The above gentleman, (the Rev. J. West, one of the speakers at the
festival,) with the Rev. Mr. Crabb, and two elderly Gipsies, who speak
the Gipsy language, called, the following morning, on a lady who had
long resided in India, and speaks the Hindostanee language; and it was
clear that many of the Rommany (Gipsy) words were pure Hindostanee,
and other words strongly resembled that language."--_Hampshire
Advertiser, 1st January, 1842._

This statement, made some years subsequent to the period at which I
took down the words from Lobbs and the Gipsies in Scotland, is nearly
in my own words, and proves that my opinion, as to the close affinity
between Hindostanee and the Scottish Gipsy language, is correct.

To confirm my collection of Scottish Gipsy words, I will collate some of those which I sent to Sir Walter Scott, for examination but not for publication, with those to be found in Mr. Baird's report, a publication which I first saw in 1842.

SCOTTISH GIPSY. YETHOLM GIPSY. ENGLISH.

_Gaugie_, _Gadgé_, Man.
_Managie_, _Manishee_, Woman.
_Mort_, Wife.
_Chavo_, (_chauvies_, _Shavies_,
children,) children, Son.
_Praw_, _Gouré_ a boy, Son.
_Prawl_, _Racklé_, a girl, Daughter.
_Riah_, _Rai_, a gentleman, A chief.
_Rajah_, Governor.
_Baurie_, _Baré_, Good.
_Sherro_, _Shero_, Head.
_Yak_, _Yack_, Eye.
_Yaka_, Eyes.
_Nak_, _Nak_, Nose.
_Mooie_, _Moi_, Mouth.
_Vast_, _Vastie_, Hand.
_Grye_, _Gr[=a][=i]_, Horse.
_Bashanie_, _Basné_, Cock.
_Caunie_, _Kanné_, Hen.
_Drom_, _Drone_, Road.
_Gave_, _Gaave_, Village.
_Graunagie_, Barn.
_Graunzie_, _Gransé_, Barn.
_Kair_, _Keir_, House.
_Outhrie_, Window.
_Yag_, _Yag_, Fire.
_Thood_, _Thud_, Milk.
_Mass_, _Mass_, Flesh.
_Peerie_, (or
_blawkie_,) _Blakie_, Pot.
_Paunie_, _Pawné_, Water.
_Paurie_, Water.
_Molzie_, _Mul_, Wine.
_Roy_, _Roy_, Spoon.
_Nab_, Horn.
_Chorie_, Knife.
_Chowrie_, _Chouré_, Knife.
_Shuha_, _Shohé_, Coat.
_Scaf_, (or _gogle_,) _Gogel_, Hat.
_Harro_, Sword.
_Beerie_, Ship.
_Bumie_, _Peevan_, drinking, To drink.
_Choar_, To steal.
_Chor_, _Tschor_, Thief.
_Staurdie_, _Stardé_, a jail, Prison.
_Moolie_, _Moulian_, dying, Death.
_Moolie_, _Moulé_, to kill, I'll kill you.
_Bing_, _Bing_, The devil.

The following Scottish Gipsy words appear to have some relation to the Sanscrit:

SCOTTISH GIPSY. SANSCRIT. ENGLISH.

_Yag_, _Agnish_, Fire.
_Paurie_, _Varni_, Water.
_Casties_, _Cashth_, Wood.
_Duff_, _Dhupah_, Smoke.
_Sneepa_, _Sweta_, White.
_Callo_, _Cala_, Black.
_Sherro_, _Sira_, The head.
_Rajah_, _Rajah_, Lord.
_Vast_, _Hastah_, The hand.
_Praw_, _Putra_, Son.
_Gave_, or _Gan_, _Gramam_, A village.
_Mar_, _Mar_, To strike.
_Loudnie_, _Lodha_, loved, A whore.

In order to show the relationship of the language of the Gipsies in Scotland, England, Germany, Hungary, Spain, and Turkey, and the affinity between it and the Persian, Hindostanee, Sanscrit, Pali, and Kawi, I append a table containing the first ten numerals in all these tongues:

TABLE OF THE FIRST TEN NUMERALS IN VARIOUS GIPSY DIALECTS, COMPARED WITH THOSE IN OTHER ORIENTAL LANGUAGES.

++------++-----------+--------+------------+-------+--------+-------+
|| || Scottish |English | German |Hunga- |Hunga- |Turkish|
|| || Gipsy. | Gipsy. | Gipsy. | rian | rian | Gipsy.|
|| Eng- || | | | Gipsy.| Gipsy. | |
||lish. ++-----------+--------+------------+-------+--------+-------+
|| || W. S. |HOYLAND.|GRELLMANN. |BRIGHT.|BORROW. |HOYL'D.|
|| || | | | | | |
++------++-----------+--------+------------+-------+--------+-------+
||One ||Yaik |Aick |Ick, Ek |Jeg |Jek |Yeck |
||Two ||Duie |Dooce |Duj, Doj |Dui |Dui |Duy |
||Three ||Trin |Trin |Trin, Tri |Tri |Trin |Trin |
||Four ||Tor |{Shtar, |Schtar, Star|Stah |Schtar |Shtiar |
|| || |{Staur | | | | |
||Five ||Punch, Fo |Panji | {Pantsch, |Paunch |Pansch |Panch |
|| || | | {Pansch | | | |
||Six ||Shaigh |Shove |{Tschowe, |Schof |Tschov |Shove |
|| || | |{Schow, Sof | | | |
||Seven ||Naivairn |Heftan |Efta |Epta |Efta |Efta |
|| ||[221] | | | | | |
||Eight ||{Naigh, |. . . |Ochto |Opto |Ochto |Okto |
|| ||{Luften | | | | | |
||Nine ||Line |Henya |Enja, Eija |Ennia |Enija |Enia |
||Ten ||Nay |Desh |Desch, Des |Desh |D[=o]sch|Desh |
++------++-----------+--------+------------+-------+--------+-------+

++------++--------+--------+-------+---------+---------+-------+-------++
|| ||Spanish |Persian.|Vulgar |Sanscrit.|Sanscrit.| Pali. | Kawi. ||
|| || Gipsy. | | Hindo-| | | | ||
|| Eng- || | |stanee.| | | | ||
||lish. ++--------+--------+-------+---------+---------+-------+-------+|
|| ||BORROW. |BORROW. |JOHN |POLOCK. | BORROW. |POLOCK.|POLOCK.||
|| || | |LOBBS. | | | | ||
++------++--------+--------+-------+---------+---------+-------+-------++
||One ||Yeque |Ek |Yek |Eka |Ega |Ekka |Eka ||
||Two ||Dui |Du |Doh |Dui |Dvaya |Di |Dui ||
||Three ||Trin |Se |Tin |Tri |Treya |Tri |Tri ||
||Four ||Estar |Chehar |Char |Chater |Tschatvar|Chatwa |Chator ||
|| || | | | | | | ||
||Five ||Pansche |Pansch |Paunsh |Pancha |Pantscha |Pancha |Pancha ||
|| || | | | | | | ||
||Six ||Job, Zoi|Schesche|Shaiah |Shat |Schasda |Cho |Sat ||
|| || | | | | | | ||
||Seven ||Hefta |Heft |Saut |Sapta |Sapta |Sap |Sapta ||
|| || | | | | | | ||
||Eight ||Otor |Hescht |Aut |Ashta |Aschta |At-tha |Asta ||
|| || | | | | | | ||
||Nine ||Esnia |Nu |Nong |Nava |Nava |Nowa |Nawa ||
||Ten ||Deque |De |Dest |Dasa |Dascha |Thotsa |Dasa ||
++------++--------+--------+-------+---------+---------+-------+-------++

[221] The four last of these numerals, in the Scottish Gipsy language,
differ very considerably from the corresponding ones in the Table. I
leave the matter to be settled by philologists.

That the Gipsy language, in Scotland, is intermixed with cant, or slang, and other words, is certain, as will appear by the specimens I have exhibited.[222] I am inclined to believe, however, that were the cant and slang used by our flash men and others carefully examined, much of it would turn out to be corrupted Hindostanee, picked up from the Gipsies. I have, after considerable trouble, produced, and, I may venture to say, faithfully recorded, the raw materials as I found them: to separate the other words from the original and genuine Gipsy, is a task I leave to the learned philologist. I shall only observe, that the way in which the Gipsy language has been corrupted is this: That whenever the Gipsies find words not understood by the people among whom they travel, they commit such to memory, and use them in their conversation, for the purpose of concealment. In the Lowlands of Scotland, for example, they make use of Gaelic,[223] Welsh, Irish, and French words. These picked-up words and terms have, in the end, become part of their own peculiar tongue; yet some of the Gipsies are able to point out a number of these foreign words, as distinguished from their own. In this manner do the Gipsies carry along with them part of the language of every country through which they pass.[224]

[222] It is remarkable, considering how much the habits and
occupations of the Gipsies bring them in contact with beggars,
thieves, and other bad and disorderly characters, how few of the slang
words used by such persons have been adopted by them.--_Rev. Mr.
Baird's Missionary Report to the Scottish Church, 1840._--ED.

[223] Of the Highland Gipsies, I had the following account from a
person of observation, and highly worthy of credit: There are many
settled in Kintyre, who travel through the Highlands and Lowlands
annually. They certainly speak, among themselves, a language totally
distinct from either Gaelic or Lowland Scotch.--_Blackwood's
Magazine._--ED.

[224] "There is reason for supposing that the Gipsies had been
wandering in the remote regions of Sclavonia, for a considerable time
previous to entering Bohemia--the first civilized country of Europe in
which they made their appearance; as their language abounds with words
of Sclavonic origin, which could not have been adopted in a hasty
passage through a wild and half populated country."--_Borrow._

That the Gipsies were, in some way, drawn together, at a very remote
age, and became amalgamated, so as to form a race, can hardly admit of
a doubt. But it is an opinion that has no reasonable foundation which
supposes that they suddenly took their departure from India, and
travelled together, till they entered and spread over Europe. They
may, as I have conjectured in the Introduction, have separated into
bands, and passed into countries in Asia, as they have done in Europe;
and existed in Asia, and Africa, long before they appeared in Europe.
For this reason, their language ought to vary in different countries;
and it would be enough to identify them as the same race, were the
substance of their language and their customs, or even their cast of
mind, the same. In speaking of the Hungarian Gipsies, Grellmann says,
that their speech contains words from the Turkish, Sclavonian, Greek,
Latin, Wallachian, Hungarian, and German; but that it would not be
absurd to pronounce that there remain more, or at least different,
Gipsy words among those residing in one country than another.--ED.

In concluding my account of the Scottish Gipsy language, I may observe, that I think few who have perused my details will hesitate for a moment in pronouncing that the people have migrated from Hindostan. Many convincing proofs of the origin of the race have been adduced by Grellmann, Hoyland, and Bright; and I think that my researches, made in Scotland alone, have confirmed the statements of these respectable authors.

The question which now remains to be solved is this: From what tribe or nation at present in, or originally from, Hindostan are the Gipsies descended? That they have been a robber or predatory nation, from principle as well as practice, I am convinced little doubt can be entertained. Even yet, the greater the art and address displayed in committing a dexterous theft or robbery, the higher is the merit of such an action esteemed among their fraternity. I am also convinced that this general, or national, propensity to plunder has been the chief cause of the Gipsies concealing their origin, language, customs, and religious observances, at the time they entered the territories of civilized nations, and up to this time. The intelligent old Gipsy, whose acquaintance I made at St. Boswell's, distinctly told me, that his tribe were originally a nation of thieves and robbers; and it is quite natural to suppose that, when they found theft and robbery punished with such severity, in civilized society, everything relating to them would be kept a profound secret.

The tribe in India whose customs, manners, and habits have the greatest resemblance to those of the Gipsies, are the _Nuts_, or _Bazegurs_; an account of which is to be found in the 7th volume of the Asiatic Researches, page 451. In Blackwood's Magazine we find the following paragraph relative to these Nuts, or Bazegurs, which induces a belief that these people are a branch of the Gipsy nation, and a tribe of the highest antiquity. They are even supposed to be the wild, aboriginal inhabitants of India.

"A lady of rank, who has resided some time in India, lately informed me that the Gipsies are to be found there, in the same way as in England, and practise the same arts of posture-making and tumbling, fortune-telling, stealing, and so forth. The Indian Gipsies are called Nuts, or Bazegurs, and they are believed by many to be the remains of an aboriginal race, prior even to the Hindoos, and who have never adopted the worship of Bramah. They are entirely different from the Parias, who are Hindoos that have lost caste, and so become degraded."

The Nuts, or Bazegurs, under the name of Decoits or Dukyts, are, it seems, guilty of frequently sacrificing victims to the goddess Calie, under circumstances of horror and atrocity scarcely credible. Now the old Gipsy, who gave me the particulars relative to the Gipsy sacrifice of the horse, stated that sometimes both woman and horse were sacrificed, when the woman, by the action of the horse, was found to have greatly offended.

In the ordinances of Menu, the Nuts, or Bazegurs, are called _Nata_. Now, our Scottish Gipsies, at this moment, call themselves _Nawkens_, a word not very dissimilar in sound to _Nata_. When I have spoken to them, in their own words, I have been asked, "Are you a _nawken_?" a word to which they attach the meaning of a _wanderer_, or _traveller_--one who can do any sort of work for himself that may be required in the world.