n was music and dancing "with a stick;" in
fact, they were performers in those curious and extremely ancient
Fescennine farces, or _Atellanae_, which are depicted on ancient vases,
and are still acted on the roads in Egypt as they were in Greece before
the days of Thespis. Then I was informed that Gipsies were often
encamped near the Pyramids, but research in this direction was equally
fruitless.

Remembering what his Highness had told me, that Gipsies went about
exhibiting monkeys, I one day, on meeting a man bearing an ape,
endeavoured to enter into conversation with him. Those who know Cairo
can imagine with what result! In an instant we were surrounded by fifty
natives of the lower class, jabbering, jeering, screaming, and
begging--all intent, as it verily seemed, on defeating my object. I gave
the monkey-bearer money; instead of thanking me, he simply clamoured for
more, while the mob became intolerable, so that I was glad to make my
escape.

At last I was successful. I had frequently employed as donkey-driver an
intelligent and well-behaved man named Mahomet, who spoke English well,
and who was familiar with the byways of Cairo. On asking him if he could
show me any Rhagarin, he replied that every Saturday there was a fair or
market held at Boulac, where I would be sure to meet with women of the
tribe. The men, I was told, seldom ventured into the city, because they
were subject to much insult and ill-treatment from the common people. On
the day appointed I rode to the market, which was extremely interesting.
There were thousands of blue-shirted and red-tarbouched or white-turbaned
Egyptians, buying or selling, or else merely amusing themselves; dealers
in sugar-cane, pipe-pedlars, and vendors of rosaries; jugglers and
minstrels. At last we came to a middle-aged woman seated on the ground
behind a basket containing beads, glass armlets, and similar trinkets.
She was dressed like any Arab woman of the lower class, but was not
veiled, and on her chin blue lines were tattooed. Her features and whole
expression were, however, evidently Gipsy.

I spoke to her in Rommany, using such words as would have been
intelligible to any of the race in England, Germany, or Turkey; but she
did not understand me, and declared that she could speak nothing but
Arabic. At my request Mahomet explained to her that I had travelled from
a distant country in "Orobba," where there were many Rhagarin who
declared that their fath