526 Colonel Hahriot on the Oriental Origin of the Gypseys. 



They have no fixed habitations ; speak a dialect peculiar to themselves ; 

 are notorious for kidnapping and pilfering, and have a chief or king to each 

 troop. The Luri keep bears and monkies, which they teach to perform 

 grotesque tricks ; profess divination and fortune-telling, that is, the sciences 

 of 'Ramal and Karaa,' which obtain them a ready admission into every 

 society ; but their most favourite pastimes are dancing, music, and drinking. 

 They dress preposterously with feathers, skins, berries, shells, and baubles ; 

 are immodest, addicted to sensuality, and are said never to marry. The 

 religion this tribe professes is Mahometanism ; but they appear indifferent 

 to it, and, according to convenience, conform to the opinions of any other 

 sect. So far Lieutenant Pottinger, who travelled through the southern 

 part of Persia for the purpose of gaining information, as to the political 

 state of the country.* 



Hasan, an intelligent native of Mekran in Belochistan, whom I met in 

 my journey from Bombay through the province of Malwah, described the 

 Luri, or Gypsey, of his country, in nearly the same terms as Lieutenant Pot- 

 tinger does ; but with this addition, that they are Lohcir or Lohdri by 

 profession, that is, iron-smiths or tinkers ; and adds, that they derive the 

 name of Luri by contraction from Lohdr. According to his account, they are 

 a roaming tribe who reside in temporary sheds, or under a small sheet or tent, 

 are notorious for their bad habits, and live chiefly by smithery and music. 



This account of the Luri of Belochistan approaches so near to the Ltili 

 of Irak-Ajami, and Curdistan, that they may, without fear of mistake, be 

 classed together as part of the same original tribe ; but, whether they 

 entered Persia at the same time, or in union with the northern KauU from 

 Kabul, or separately, and at a different age, we require otiier data to enable 

 us to determine. In the eastern province of Chorasan the Gypseys are said 

 to be very numerous, and bear the name of Karashmar. 



In regard to language, all I could learn was, that the Luli or Luri, the 

 Kauli, and Karachi, names by which, in different provinces of this extensive 

 country, the Gypsey tribe is known, possess a distinct dialect or speech, that 

 is unintelligible to the natives of Persia ; and that the words thus used by 

 them, as for instance, Pila, drink — Pani, water — Turn, you, &c. resemble in 

 a very striking manner the common Hindi language. 



* Vide Travels in Belochistan, by Lieutenant Pcttinger, A.D. 1809. Sir John Malcolm, in 

 a note to the second volume of his History of Persia, observes, "Small encampments of Gypseys 

 are frequently met with in Persia ; the habits and occupations of the families which we saw in that 

 country appeared very similar to those of the vagrant tribes who wander over England." Vide 

 p. 396. 



