hich potatoes predominated, forming a sort of stew,
which an epicure might have praised. I had a long conversation with
Melchior in the evening; and, not to weary the reader, I shall now
proceed to state all that I then and subsequently gathered from him and
others, relative to the parties with whom we were associating.

Melchior would not state who and what he was previous to his having
joined the fraternity of gipsies; that he was not of humble birth, and
that he had, when young, quitted his friends out of love for Nattee, or
from some other causes not to be revealed, he led me to surmise. He had
been many years in company with the tribe, and although, as one received
into it, he did not stand so high in rank and estimation as his wife,
still, from his marriage with Nattee, and his own peculiar
qualifications and dexterity, he was almost as absolute as she was.

Melchior and Nattee were supposed to be the most wealthy of all the
gipsies, and, at the same time, they were the most liberal of their
wealth. Melchior, it appeared, gained money in three different
characters; as a quack doctor, the character in which we first saw him;
secondly, as a juggler, in which art he was most expert; and, thirdly,
as a fortune-teller, and _wise man_.

Nattee, as I before mentioned, was of very high rank, or caste, in her
tribe. At her first espousal of Melchior she lost much of her
influence, as it was considered a degradation; but she was then very
young, and must have been most beautiful. The talents of Melchior, and
her own spirit, however, soon enabled her to regain, and even add still
more to, her power and consideration among the tribe; and it was
incredible to what extent, with the means which she possessed, this
power was augmented.

Melchior had no children by his marriage, and, as far as I could judge
from the few words which would escape from the lips of Nattee, she did
not wish for any, as the race would not be considered pure. The
subdivision of the tribe which followed Nattee consisted of about forty
men, women, and children. These were ruled by her during the absence of
her husband, who alternately assumed different characters, as suited his
purpose; but in whatever town Melchior might happen to be, Nattee and
her tribe were never far off, and always encamped within communication.

I ventured to question Melchior about the little Fleta; and he stated
that she was the child of a soldier's wife, who had been br