68 Remarks on tfie Gypsies, 



nary phenomenon in social life, has existed nearly four centuries 

 in Europe ; and yet remains but imperfectly known. Neither 

 time, climate, politics, nor example, have produced any change 

 in their institutions, their manners, their language, or their reli- 

 gious ideas. The Israelites afre the only people^ who have 

 preserved, like them, their primitive character in foreign lands.* 



Different writers have assigned to these people a very dif- 

 ferent origin — one traces them from the eastern part of Tunis — 

 another from Zanguebar — one from mount Caucasus — one con- 

 siders them as German Jews — and others bring them from 

 Egypt, Colchos, the Ukraine, &c. 



We know of about three writers who have placed this ques- 

 tion in a true point of vrew. 'J'he two first, whose opinion is 

 admitted by the learned generally, are Grellman and David 

 Richardson, who consider India as the cradle of the Tzengaris 

 or Gypsies ,• Abbe Dubois places them among the Kouravers 

 of Mohissoun, while others trace them to the country of the 

 Mahrattas as their original position, where, indeed, they are still 

 found united in tribes. 



The primitive tribes of the Tzengaris is a subdivision of dif- 

 ferent tribes of Parias or men out of caste. The origin of Parias 

 is very ancient. This sub-caste is formed by the union of indi- 

 viduals driven from different castes for offences committed 

 against the religion and laws, and includes a great number of 

 tribes, among whom may be reckoned Vallouvers, the Chakalis, 

 the MoutcMerSy &c., and lastly the Tzerigaris, the primitive 



• Barnes by which they are Tcnmvn in the different countries in which they re- 

 side. — The Arabs and Moors call tfaem Harami, (robbers) ; the Hungarians, 

 Cinganys, and Pharaoh Nepek (people of Pharaoh ;) the latter name is also 

 given them in Transylvania ; the English have adopted the name of Gypsies., 

 an alteration of the word Egyptians ; the Scotch, that of Caird ; the Spanish 

 call them Gitanos ; the Portuguese, Ciganos ; the Dutch, ITeidenen, (idola- 

 tors) ; the Russians, Tezengani ; the Italians, Z^ngari ; the Swedes, SpaJcar.. 

 ing ; the Danish and Norwegians, Tatars ; the Wallachians, Bessarabians, 

 Moldavians, Servians and Sclavonians, Cigani ; the Germans, Zigeuner ; in 

 France they at first received the name of Egyptians and more recently that 

 of Bohemiens, because the earliest of the tribe came into France from Bohe- 

 mia. Historians of the middle ages designate them by the name ef Azinghans ; 

 the modem Greeks under that of Atinghans ; in Adzerbaidjan., they are called 

 Hindou Karuch, (black Hindoos) ; in Persia, Louri ; the Bucharians and in- 

 habitants of Turkistan, call them Tziaghi., which appears to be the root of 

 Tchingeni, the term given by the Turks to this wandering race. I have been 

 acquainted in Europe with three of their Rabers or chiefs, who assure me; that 

 they call themselves Roumna Chal. These two words belong to the Mahratta 

 language and signify men who wander in the plains. I consider Tzengaris as 

 their primitive name, and which is still preserved in their mother country. 



