e
census-takers has never been stated, except that they looked upon it with
a superstitious regard and dislike, the same as they look upon
photographers, painters, and artists, as kind of _Bengaw_, for whom Gipsy
models will sit for _soonakei_, _Roopeno_, or even a _posh-hovi_. They
told me that during the day the census was taken they made it a point to
always be upon the move, and skulking about in the dark. The census
returns for the number of canal-boatmen gives under 12,000. The Duke of
Richmond stated in the House of Lords, August 8, 1877, that there were
between 29,000 and 80,000 canal boatmen. The number I published in the
daily papers in 1873, viz., 100,000 men, women, and children is being
verified as the Canal Boats Act is being put into operation.

At a pretty good rough estimate I reckon there are at least from 15,000
to 20,000 Gipsies in the United Kingdom. Apart from London, if I may
take ten of the Midland counties as a fair average, there are close upon
3,000 Gipsy families living in tents and vans in the by-lanes, and
attending fairs, shows, &c.; and providing there are only man, wife, and
four children connected with each charmless, cheerless, wretched abodes
called domiciles, this would show us 18,000; and judging from my own
inquiries and observation, and also from the reliable statements of
others who have mixed among them, there are not less than 2,000 on the
outskirts of London in various nooks, corners, and patches of open
spaces. Thus it will be seen, according to this statement, we shall have
1,000 Gipsies for every 1,750,000 of the inhabitants in our great London;
and this proportion will be fully borne out throughout the rest of the
country; so taking either the Midland counties or London as an average,
we arrive at pretty much the same number--_i.e._, 15,000 to 20,000 in our
midst, and moving about from place to place. Upon Leicester Race Course,
at the last races, I counted upwards of ninety tents, vans, and shows;
connected with each there would be an average of man, woman, and three
children. A considerable number of Gipsies would also be at Nottingham,
for the Goose Fair was on about the same time. One gentleman tells me
that he has seen as many as 5,000 Gipsies collected together at one time
in the North of England.

Of this 20,000, 19,500 cannot read a sentence and write a letter. The
highest state of their education is to make crosses, signs, and symbols,
and to ask people