the zincali-第41章
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The Madrilenian Gypsy women are indefatigable in the pursuit of
prey; prowling about the town and the suburbs from morning till
night; entering houses of all descriptions; from the highest to the
lowest; telling fortunes; or attempting to play off various kinds
of Gypsy tricks; from which they derive much greater profit; and of
which we shall presently have occasion to make particular mention。
From Madrid let us proceed to Andalusia; casting a cursory glance
on the Gitanos of that country。 I found them very numerous at
Granada; which in the Gitano language is termed Meligrana。 Their
general condition in this place is truly miserable; far exceeding
in wretchedness the state of the tribes of Estremadura。 It is
right to state that Granada itself is the poorest city in Spain;
the greatest part of the population; which exceeds sixty thousand;
living in beggary and nakedness; and the Gitanos share in the
general distress。
Many of them reside in caves scooped in the sides of the ravines
which lead to the higher regions of the Alpujarras; on a skirt of
which stands Granada。 A common occupation of the Gitanos of
Granada is working in iron; and it is not unfrequent to find these
caves tenanted by Gypsy smiths and their families; who ply the
hammer and forge in the bowels of the earth。 To one standing at
the mouth of the cave; especially at night; they afford a
picturesque spectacle。 Gathered round the forge; their bronzed and
naked bodies; illuminated by the flame; appear like figures of
demons; while the cave; with its flinty sides and uneven roof;
blackened by the charcoal vapours which hover about it in festoons;
seems to offer no inadequate representation of fabled purgatory。
Working in iron was an occupation strictly forbidden to the Gitanos
by the ancient laws; on what account does not exactly appear;
though; perhaps; the trade of the smith was considered as too much
akin to that of the chalan to be permitted to them。 The Gypsy
smith of Granada is still a chalan; even as his brother in England
is a jockey and tinker alternately。
Whilst speaking of the Gitanos of Granada; we cannot pass by in
silence a tragedy which occurred in this town amongst them; some
fifteen years ago; and the details of which are known to every
Gitano in Spain; from Catalonia to Estremadura。 We allude to the
murder of Pindamonas by Pepe Conde。 Both these individuals were
Gitanos; the latter was a celebrated contrabandista; of whom many
remarkable tales are told。 On one occasion; having committed some
enormous crime; he fled over to Barbary and turned Moor; and was
employed by the Moorish emperor in his wars; in company with the
other renegade Spaniards; whose grand depot or presidio is the town
of Agurey in the kingdom of Fez。 After the lapse of some years;
when his crime was nearly forgotten; he returned to Granada; where
he followed his old occupations of contrabandista and chalan。
Pindamonas was a Gitano of considerable wealth; and was considered
as the most respectable of the race at Granada; amongst whom he
possessed considerable influence。 Between this man and Pepe Conde
there existed a jealousy; especially on the part of the latter;
who; being a man of proud untamable spirit; could not well brook a
superior amongst his own people。 It chanced one day that
Pindamonas and other Gitanos; amongst whom was Pepe Conde; were in
a coffee…house。 After they had all partaken of some refreshment;
they called for the reckoning; the amount of which Pindamonas
insisted on discharging。 It will be necessary here to observe;
that on such occasions in Spain it is considered as a species of
privilege to be allowed to pay; which is an honour generally
claimed by the principal man of the party。 Pepe Conde did not fail
to take umbrage at the attempt of Pindamonas; which he considered
as an undue assumption of superiority; and put in his own claim;
but Pindamonas insisted; and at last flung down the money on the
table; whereupon Pepe Conde instantly unclasped one of those
terrible Manchegan knives which are generally carried by the
contrabandistas; and with a frightful gash opened the abdomen of
Pindamonas; who presently expired。
After this exploit; Pepe Conde fled; and was not seen for some
time。 The cave; however; in which he had been in the habit of
residing was watched; as a belief was entertained that sooner or
later he would return to it; in the hope of being able to remove
some of the property contained in it。 This belief was well
founded。 Early one morning he was observed to enter it; and a band
of soldiers was instantly despatched to seize him。 This
circumstance is alluded to in a Gypsy stanza:…
'Fly; Pepe Conde; seek the hill;
To flee's thy only chance;
With bayonets fixed; thy blood to spill;
See soldiers four advance。'
And before the soldiers could arrive at the cave; Pepe Conde had
discovered their approach and fled; endeavouring to make his escape
amongst the rocks and barrancos of the Alpujarras。 The soldiers
instantly pursued; and the chase continued a considerable time。
The fugitive was repeatedly summoned to surrender himself; but
refusing; the soldiers at last fired; and four balls entered the
heart of the Gypsy contrabandista and murderer。
Once at Madrid I received a letter from the sister's son of
Pindamonas; dated from the prison of the Saladero。 In this letter
the writer; who it appears was in durance for stealing a pair of
mules; craved my charitable assistance and advice; and possibly in
the hope of securing my favour; forwarded some uncouth lines
commemorative of the death of his relation; and commencing thus:…
'The death of Pindamonas fill'd all the world with pain;
At the coffee…house's portal; by Pepe he was slain。'
The faubourg of Triana; in Seville; has from time immemorial been
noted as a favourite residence of the Gitanos; and here; at the
present day; they are to be found in greater number than in any
other town in Spain。 This faubourg is indeed chiefly inhabited by
desperate characters; as; besides the Gitanos; the principal part
of the robber population of Seville is here congregated。 Perhaps
there is no part even of Naples where crime so much abounds; and
the law is so little respected; as at Triana; the character of
whose inmates was so graphically delineated two centuries and a
half back by Cervantes; in one of the most amusing of his tales。
(44)
In the vilest lanes of this suburb; amidst dilapidated walls and
ruined convents; exists the grand colony of Spanish Gitanos。 Here
they may be seen wielding the hammer; here they may be seen
trimming the fetlocks of horses; or shearing the backs of mules and
borricos with their cachas; and from hence they emerge to ply the
same trade in the town; or to officiate as terceros; or to buy;
sell; or exchange animals in the mercado; and the women to tell the
bahi through the streets; even as in other parts of Spain;
generally attended by one or two tawny bantlings in their arms or
by their sides; whilst others; with baskets and chafing…pans;
proceed to the delightful banks of the Len Baro; (45) by the Golden
Tower; where; squatting on the ground and kindling their charcoal;
they roast the chestnuts which; when well prepared; are the
favourite bonne bouche of the Sevillians; whilst not a few; in
league with the contrabandistas; go from door to door offering for
sale prohibited goods brought from the English at Gibraltar。 Such
is Gitano life at Seville; such it is in the capital of Andalusia。