y Women in Egypt. Captain Newbold on the Egyptian
Gipsies.

Since writing the foregoing pages, and only a day or two after one of the
incidents therein described, I went to Egypt, passing the winter in Cairo
and on the Nile. While waiting in the city for the friend with whom I
was to ascend the mysterious river, it naturally occurred to me, that as
I was in the country which many people still believe is the original land
of the Gipsies, it would be well worth my while to try to meet with some,
if any were to be found.

It is remarkable, that notwithstanding my inquiries from many gentlemen,
both native and foreign, including savans and beys, the only educated
person I ever met in Egypt who was able to give me any information on the
subject of its Gipsies was the Khedive or Viceroy himself, a fact which
will not seem strange to those who are aware of the really wonderful
extent of his knowledge of the country which he rules. I had been but a
few days in Cairo when, at an interview with the Khedive, Mr Beardsley,
the American Consul, by whom I was presented, mentioned to his Highness
that I was interested in the subject of the Gipsies, upon which the
Khedive said that there were in Egypt many people known as "_Rhagarin_"
(Ghagarin), who were probably the same as the "Bohemiens" or Gipsies of
Europe. His words were, as nearly as I can remember, as follows:--

"They are wanderers who live in tents, and are regarded with contempt
even by the peasantry. Their women tell fortunes, tattoo, {189} and sell
small-wares; the men work in iron (_quincaillerie_). They are all adroit
thieves, and noted as such. The men may sometimes be seen going around
the country with monkeys; in fact, they appear to be in all respects the
same people as the Gipsies of Europe."

This was all that I could learn for several days; for though there were
Gipsies--or "Egypcians"--in Egypt, I had almost as much trouble to find
them as Eilert Sundt had to discover their brethren in Norway. In
speaking of the subject to Mr Edward Elias, a gentleman well known in
Egypt, he most kindly undertook to secure the aid of the chief of police,
who in turn had recourse to the Shekh of the Gipsies. But the Shekh I
was told was not himself a Gipsy, and there were none of his subjects in
Cairo. After a few days, three wanderers, supposed to be Rommany, were
arrested; but on examination they proved to be ignorant of any language
except Arabic. Their occupatio