unities through
which we passed. The children, wherever we came, ran from the water's
edge screaming with fright; a pretty broad hint that our company was
not desired, at least by them.

We dined this day in a clean tidy little ale-house, the landlady of
which cooked our trout, and supplied us with bread and butter, and
beer. She was a member of what seemed to be a remarkably happy, as well
as primitive family, where three generations dwelt together in harmony;
the oldest and the youngest being, as she informed us, dependant on the
exertions of her husband, and the profits of the inn. Neither were we
without a trifling adventure, such as it was. While we were smoking our
pipes after dinner, a gypsy, or Torpinda, entered, and we had him up to
our table forthwith, that we might reconnoitre and catechise him. He
was a mere lad, apparently not more than sixteen or seventeen years of
age, though in costume, complexion, and expression of countenance, a
perfect specimen of his tribe. His dress was a broad-brimmed low hat, a
dark brown cloak with sleeves, and a solitary under-garment, which,
woven apparently without seam, served him for vest, pantaloons, and
stockings. The only apertures in these curious looking pantoufles which
we could detect, were from the heel to about midway in the calf of the
leg, and these were carefully laced-up with brass wires.

Under his cloak the youth carried a calf's-skin pouch, which was
suspended from a leathern belt that crossed his right shoulder; and we
observed that this latter piece of dress was ornamented with exceeding
care. It was indented all over with minute lines, not very unlike the
tatooing on a South Sea islander's face; and it bore, just over the
chest, a lion's head made of brass, from a ring attached to which were
suspended about twenty or thirty brass pipe-pickers. His avowed object
in entering the beer-house was to dispose of some of these latter,
which he offered for sale at three kreutzers a-piece; and I need
scarcely add that we became purchasers. But we were not content with
the pickers. Having questioned him as to the value which he put upon
his belt, I pulled out the money, and offered to purchase that too; but
he would not part with it; and to all our questions touching the
head-quarters of his tribe he turned a deaf ear. He either could not,
or would not, understand us; and made his escape on the first lull that
took place in our conversation.

There is no denying t