Tent life with English Gipsies in Norway

CHAPTER VII.

“Gipsies, although long forgotten, and despised, have claims which we must not resist. Their eternal destinies, their residence in our own land, point us to a line of conduct we ought to pursue. They show that God expects us, to be interested for them, and to impart to them, the crumbs which fall from our table.”
“The Gipsies.” By a Clergyman of the Church of England.

THE VICTORIA HOTEL—THE GIPSIES’ FRIEND—THE PASSE-PARTOUT—PRESTEN EILERT SUNDT—THE CHRISTIANIA RAILWAY—OUR DONKEYS APPRECIATED—GIPSY SPIRIT—THE “TOLK”—NORWEGIAN MONEY—LINGUISTIC DIFFICULTIES—GIPSY AUTHORS—GIPSY NUMERALS—DEPARTURE FROM CHRISTIANIA.

There is often a pleasant sociability at a table d’hÔte. Mr. T. was there, the invalid barrister, the tall Scotchman, and other travellers. Nor was the Birmingham bagman absent, as the background to throw out the lively tints of life’s experience. Mr. T. and the barrister sat near us. Mr. T. was delighted with our plan of seeing Norway, saying it was just what he should like. Time passed quickly. We hastily terminated our dinner, with some excellent ChÂteau-de-la-Rose claret, and then bade our fellow-travellers farewell. As we left the table, we saw the Birmingham bagman mournfully contemplating his fork. Whether he was going to use it as a toothpick, or whether he was calculating its cost, or whether he was hesitating, as to the possibility of sleeping in a tent without a bed, we know not. Whatever his thoughts may have been, we could have no unfriendly feeling at parting, especially after his extreme anxiety for the comfort of our donkeys, his admiration of Esmeralda’s dark eyes, and his liberal offer, to take two copies of our book. Be this as it may, we trust by some mysterious method of calculation, he will make a handsome profit to himself.

We found that Presten Eilert Sundt had not yet removed to Eidsvold. The Chevalier kindly gave us a letter of introduction to him, and we drove at once to his residence in the suburbs of Christiania, which we reached at about four o’clock. Ascending a large staircase, in a few minutes we were shown into Presten Sundt’s sitting-room. The “gipsies’ friend” was seated at his writing-table, with his books, papers, and various accessories, indicating active, and literary tastes. We met as two spirits, who, though taking far separate paths in life, had the same results in view—the same end to accomplish. Nor could we help being impressed with the energy written so strongly on his countenance. His forehead surmounted by thick, bristly hair, gave additional determination, to an expressive look, tempered by gleams of strong feeling. Then we discovered the combination of great energy, with a deep interest in the welfare of his fellow-men. When Presten Sundt had read the Chevalier’s letter, we at once explained that our time was limited, and we should shortly take the train from Christiania to Eidsvold. Many were his inquiries about the English gipsies. The Norwegian gipsies, he said, were difficult to meet with. Presten Sundt, said a traveller had called upon him last year when he was from home; Mrs. Sundt received the visitor, who said he was much interested in gipsies, and before he left gave the name of Viscount Monroe. Presten Sundt showed us the works he had written, and their practical value cannot be too highly estimated. Foreseeing the many difficulties, our small gipsy party might encounter, in a strange country, Presten Sundt wrote out, signed and sealed a document which he delivered to us. It was a kind of passe-partout, requesting his countrymen at all times to give us aid and assistance, and a kindly reception was ensured. The name of Presten Eilert Sundt, was so well known, in the length, and breadth, of Norway’s land, that a few words were the “open sesame” of our excursion, and possessed a talismanic value, we must always appreciate. Presten Eilert Sundt introduced us to Mrs. Sundt and his son. Coffee was brought in, but, alas! our time had expired. Preston Sundt regretted our hasty departure, and suddenly decided to accompany us to the station and bring his son. We all stepped into the carriage, still in waiting, and drove towards the station. En route our conversation was continued upon the subject of gipsies. We suggested, that in order to utilise the energy, and ability of the gipsy race, those paths in life, should be selected, in harmony with their previous habits. The descendants of generations of tent-dwellers, could not be turned into kairengroes, or house-dwellers, by a wave of the hand. Their employment must be consistent with their inborn, and inherent attachment, to the pure air of heaven. The rain poured down in torrents, as we drove up to the station, and entered the salle d’attente. At first we could not see anything of our people, though the hour of departure was near at hand. As we waited in the salle d’attente, Presten Sundt pointed to a map of Norway, hanging on the wall. It was the “Reisekart over Norges,” in two sheets. Presten Sundt recommended the map, as being coloured to indicate the cultivated, and inclosed portions of the country, so that we could distinguish with tolerable accuracy, the wild and open districts, likely to form our most convenient camping-grounds. Whilst there was yet time, Presten Sundt’s son kindly purchased one for us.

At length we found our cicerone in the left-luggage office. He had acted the part of pilot, to enable the gipsies and donkeys to reach the station. The donkeys had been the centre of considerable interest to the inhabitants of Christiania that day. Multitudes thronged on board the Albion steamer. The deck was trodden and tramped by an animated people, anxious to inspect the new arrivals. The gipsies must have felt some slight degree of envy upon the occasion. This curiosity of the inhabitants was only natural, when we consider that they had never seen any donkeys before, and they were quite as likely to excite special interest, as the hippopotamus we well remember in the Zoological Gardens, Regent’s Park. Can we forget the intensity of the moment, when it rose to the surface of its tank, and its nose, was distinguished for a few moments above water? Can we forget the satisfaction of impatient crowds of visitors, when such an event occurred? If we could know the discussions respecting our donkeys, they would doubtless be most instructive—a tome of literature, added to the natural history of the animal kingdom. The animals were pulled about from nose to tail. Their ears were pulled—a particular part of the back, was pressed with the thumb, to gauge their strength; their mouths opened, their teeth examined, their fore-legs smoothed down with many hands. One of the sailors being asked what he called them, answered, “Rabbits,” and pointing to the “Puru Rawnee,” informed them that she was the mother of all rabbits. No rest had the animals, and sorely puzzled they must have been, to make out what it was all about. The sailors could with difficulty manage to wash the decks. At length, one, either by accident, or intention, gave the crowd a sudden shower-bath with the ship’s hose, bringing forth ejaculations, which my gipsies did not understand. Multitudes of pocket-handkerchiefs, removed the moist results, as our friends precipitately left the vessel.

Our time had been so occupied, that we could not return to the steamer before the evening train. The gipsies had remained on board during the day in charge of the donkeys. They expected us from hour to hour. Esmeralda informed us afterwards, that they had almost given us up, we were so long. Before they left for the railway-station, Mr. T. and the invalid barrister had been to the steamer to inquire after their master, and joked them about our absence. “What shall you do, now your master is gone away?” Upon which Esmeralda answered, “My word, I shall let him know what it is staying in this way; I shall speak my mind.” “You must keep your master under,” said Mr. T. “Yes, I will,” said Esmeralda, with assumed indignation, which caused much laughter. Yet, with all her wild spirit, we had no cause to complain of want of obedience in Esmeralda. Many long, long miles, we afterwards walked together, and we must always remember her willing attention, in our hours of camp life. When our gipsies saw us at the station, their eyes lighted up with a thousand smiles.

On board the Albion, a young man offered his services as an interpreter, or “Tolk,” as they are designated in Norway. We were afterwards accosted in the street, by a smart-looking fellow, much more fit for a butler, than a campaigner, who also wished to accompany us. We declined their aid, preferring for the present to trust to our own resources, rather than make any addition to our party.

Our donkeys, notwithstanding the various opinions expressed, were allowed to land without any duty being charged. Mr. Bennett kindly arranged for the railway tickets, and procured for us the amount of small money we required. Every traveller is obliged to take a good supply of small coin. It is not very easy to get change out of large towns in Norway. Mr. Bennett’s Guide Book gives complete information as to the various small coins in circulation, and their actual value. Some are depreciated, to less than the amount marked upon them. Thus: eight-skilling pieces, with the crown and ‘F.R.VI.’ on the reverse, are now only worth six skillings; and four-skilling pieces, with the same reverse are only worth three skillings. This is often perplexing at the commencement of a Norwegian tour.

NORWEGIAN MONEY.

1	skilling	equals nearly a halfpenny.
24	skillings	equal a mark or ort, or 10¾d.
5	marks or orts	equal a specie dollar or 4s. 5¼d.

There are dollar notes. One (een), variegated coloured paper; five (fem), blue; ten (ti), yellow; fifty (femti), green; one hundred dollars (hundrede dollars), pink.

Immediately Presten Sundt caught sight of our gipsies at the station, he commenced speaking in the Romany language. He tried their knowledge of Romany numerals. Noah, we believed, failed at five or six. Their reckoning powers are not of high order, especially as they are unable to read and write.

Baudrimont, in his work containing a vocabulary of the gipsy language, spoken by gipsies wandering in the French territory of the Basque Provinces, says, the gipsy women he questioned say “jec” for one, “doui” for two, and they did not know any higher numeral, using beyond two, “b8ter” (bouter) signifying “much.”22

It is curious to notice, even in one word, the different methods of spelling, adopted by each author. The Romanes, not being a written language, and the opportunities of obtaining it from these wanderers over the world, being few, each author has struggled into print, with a vocabulary formed on some phonetic system of his own. Again, what a different sound, may be given to a word, by some slight modification of accent, depending upon the education, and temperament, of the individual speaking. For instance, if a stranger, unacquainted with English, but taking an interest in the language, came to England, for the first time, and wrote down in his note-book, English words spoken by the less educated natives, of Hampshire, Staffordshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Derbyshire, or Dorsetshire, what a variation he would find, in the spelling, and pronunciation, of many words, so collected. It is not, therefore, singular that gipsy philologists, should differ in their spelling. It is only extraordinary, that the accuracy of sound, distinguishing each word, has been so well conveyed. For example, take the word “much.” Baudrimont gives b8ter (bouter); Bryant’s collection, published 1785, gives “bootsee;” Borrow gives Spanish gipsy “buter” and “butre,” signifying “more.” Most of the other philologists give “but.” Presten Eilert Sundt gives “but” in his extensive vocabulary of the Norwegian Romany. One author (Dr. Bath C. Smart) gives “booty” and “boot,” and also “kissy.” Our own gipsies give “koosee” as the Romany for “much.”

At page 25 of his work,23 M. Baudrimont says: “The gipsies have without doubt forgotten the numerals, for the women I questioned, only knew two.” Mr. F. Michel gives five;24 Mr. Balby gives ten. Baudrimont has collected 245 Romany words, which, with those taken from the vocabulary of Mr. F. Michel, increase the number to 352. We notice some repetition of words in his vocabulary, which reduces the actual number.25

Our gipsies seemed to interest Presten Sundt. Noah and Zacharia were not so dark, as he expected to see them; Esmeralda seemed quite equal to the standard of gipsy type. Their ages, and a variety of questions, were asked in a very short time. Presten Sundt is a man of much energy, and rapidity of manner, and he was conversant with the English language.

We were sorry Presten Sundt had not an opportunity of seeing our tents; they were the same kind as those used by the gipsies who travel England. Esmeralda and Zacharia took their places in the second-class compartment, of the same carriage in which we travelled. Noah went in the same van with the donkeys.

Presten Sundt and his son, Mr. Bennett, Mr. T., the invalid barrister, and our active cicerone sent by the Chevalier, were assembled on the platform, and wished us bon voyage, as the train moved out of the station. Was not one wanting? He may have missed his road. He was not there—the Birmingham bagman had been left behind.

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