in　the　animals；　with　the　view　of　receiving　money　for　curing　them
  upon　offering　their　services；　the　poison　is　generally　administered
  by　powders　cast　at　night　into　the　mangers　of　the　animals：　　this　way
  is　only　practised　upon　the　larger　cattle；　such　as　horses　and　cows。
  By　the　other；　which　they　practise　chiefly　on　swine；　speedy　death　is
  almost　invariably　produced；　the　drug　administered　being　of　a　highly
  intoxicating　nature；　and　affecting　the　brain。　　They　then　apply　at
  the　house　or　farm　where　the　disaster　has　occurred　for　the　carcase
  of　the　animal；　which　is　generally　given　them　without　suspicion；　and
  then　they　feast　on　the　flesh；　which　is　not　injured　by　the　poison；
  which　only　affects　the　head。
  The　English　Gypsies　are　constant　attendants　at　the　racecourse；　what
  jockey　is　not？　　Perhaps　jockeyism　originated　with　them；　and　even
  racing；　at　least　in　England。　　Jockeyism　properly　implies　THE
  MANAGEMENT　OF　A　WHIP；　and　the　word　jockey　is　neither　more　nor　less
  than　the　term　slightly　modified；　by　which　they　designate　the
  formidable　whips　which　they　usually　carry；　and　which　are　at　present
  in　general　use　amongst　horse…traffickers；　under　the　title　of　jockey
  whips。　　They　are　likewise　fond　of　resorting　to　the　prize…ring；　and
  have　occasionally　even　attained　some　eminence；　as　principals；　in
  those　disgraceful　and　brutalising　exhibitions　called　pugilistic
  combats。　　I　believe　a　great　deal　has　been　written　on　the　subject　of
  the　English　Gypsies；　but　the　writers　have　dwelt　too　much　in
  generalities；　they　have　been　afraid　to　take　the　Gypsy　by　the　hand；
  lead　him　forth　from　the　crowd；　and　exhibit　him　in　the　area；　he　is
  well　worth　observing。　　When　a　boy　of　fourteen；　I　was　present　at　a
  prize…fight；　why　should　I　hide　the　truth？　　It　took　place　on　a　green
  meadow；　beside　a　running　stream；　close　by　the　old　church　of　E…；　and
  within　a　league　of　the　ancient　town　of　N…；　the　capital　of　one　of
  the　eastern　counties。　　The　terrible　Thurtell　was　present；　lord　of
  the　concourse；　for　wherever　he　moved　he　was　master；　and　whenever　he
  spoke；　even　when　in　chains；　every　other　voice　was　silent。　　He　stood
  on　the　mead；　grim　and　pale　as　usual；　with　his　bruisers　around。　　He
  it　was；　indeed；　who　GOT　UP　the　fight；　as　he　had　previously　done
  twenty　others；　it　being　his　frequent　boast　that　he　had　first
  introduced　bruising　and　bloodshed　amidst　rural　scenes；　and
  transformed　a　quiet　slumbering　town　into　a　den　of　Jews　and
  metropolitan　thieves。　　Some　time　before　the　commencement　of　the
  combat；　three　men；　mounted　on　wild…looking　horses；　came　dashing
  down　the　road　in　the　direction　of　the　meadow；　in　the　midst　of　which
  they　presently　showed　themselves；　their　horses　clearing　the　deep
  ditches　with　wonderful　alacrity。　　'That's　Gypsy　Will　and　his　gang；'
  lisped　a　Hebrew　pickpocket；　'we　shall　have　another　fight。'　　The
  word　Gypsy　was　always　sufficient　to　excite　my　curiosity；　and　I
  looked　attentively　at　the　newcomers。
  I　have　seen　Gypsies　of　various　lands；　Russian；　Hungarian；　and
  Turkish；　and　I　have　also　seen　the　legitimate　children　of　most
  countries　of　the　world；　but　I　never　saw；　upon　the　whole；　three　more
  remarkable　individuals；　as　far　as　personal　appearance　was
  concerned；　than　the　three　English　Gypsies　who　now　presented
  themselves　to　my　eyes　on　that　spot。　　Two　of　them　had　dismounted；
  and　were　holding　their　horses　by　the　reins。　　The　tallest；　and；　at
  the　first　glance；　the　most　interesting　of　the　two；　was　almost　a
  giant；　for　his　height　could　not　have　been　less　than　six　feet　three。
  It　is　impossible　for　the　imagination　to　conceive　anything　more
  perfectly　beautiful　than　were　the　features　of　this　man；　and　the
  most　skilful　sculptor　of　Greece　might　have　taken　them　as　his　model
  for　a　hero　and　a　god。　　The　forehead　was　exceedingly　lofty；　…　a　rare
  thing　in　a　Gypsy；　the　nose　less　Roman　than　Grecian；　…　fine　yet
  delicate；　the　eyes　large；　overhung　with　long　drooping　lashes；
  giving　them　almost　a　melancholy　expression；　it　was　only　when　the
  lashes　were　elevated　that　the　Gypsy　glance　was　seen；　if　that　can　be
  called　a　glance　which　is　a　strange　stare；　like　nothing　else　in　this
  world。　　His　complexion　was　a　beautiful　olive；　and　his　teeth　were　of
  a　brilliancy　uncommon　even　amongst　these　people；　who　have　all　fine
  teeth。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　coarse　waggoner's　slop；　which；　however；
  was　unable　to　conceal　altogether　the　proportions　of　his　noble　and
  Herculean　figure。　　He　might　be　about　twenty…eight。　　His　companion
  and　his　captain；　Gypsy　Will；　was；　I　think；　fifty　when　he　was
  hanged；　ten　years　subsequently　（for　I　never　afterwards　lost　sight
  of　him）；　in　the　front　of　the　jail　of　Bury　St。　Edmunds。　　I　have
  still　present　before　me　his　bushy　black　hair；　his　black　face；　and
  his　big　black　eyes　fixed　and　staring。　　His　dress　consisted　of　a
  loose　blue　jockey　coat；　jockey　boots　and　breeches；　in　his　hand　was
  a　huge　jockey　whip；　and　on　his　head　（it　struck　me　at　the　time　for
  its　singularity）　a　broad…brimmed；　high…peaked　Andalusian　hat；　or　at
  least　one　very　much　resembling　those　generally　worn　in　that
  province。　　In　stature　he　was　shorter　than　his　more　youthful
  companion；　yet　he　must　have　measured　six　feet　at　least；　and　was
  stronger　built；　if　possible。　　What　brawn！　…　what　bone！　…　what　legs！
  …　what　thighs！　　The　third　Gypsy；　who　remained　on　horseback；　looked
  more　like　a　phantom　than　any　thing　human。　　His　complexion　was　the
  colour　of　pale　dust；　and　of　that　same　colour　was　all　that　pertained
  to　him；　hat　and　clothes。　　His　boots　were　dusty　of　course；　for　it
  was　midsummer；　and　his　very　horse　was　of　a　dusty　dun。　　His　features
  were　whimsically　ugly；　most　of　his　teeth　were　gone；　and　as　to　his
  age；　he　might　be　thirty　or　sixty。　　He　was　somewhat　lame　and　halt；
  but　an　unequalled　rider　when　once　upon　his　steed；　which　he　was
  naturally　not　very　solicitous　to　quit。　　I　subsequently　discovered
  that　he　was　considered　the　wizard　of　the　gang。
  I　have　been　already　prolix　with　respect　to　these　Gypsies；　but　I
  will　not　leave　them　quite　yet。　　The　intended　combatants　at　length
  arrived；　it　was　necessary　to　clear　the　ring；　…　always　a　troublesome
  and　difficult　task。　　Thurtell　went　up　to　the　two　Gypsies；　with　whom
  he　seemed　to　be　acquainted；　and　with　his　surly　smile；　said　two　or
  three　words；　which　I；　who　was　standing　by；　did　not　understand。　　The
  Gypsies　smiled　in　return；　and　giving　the　reins　of　their　animals　to
  their　mounted　companion；　immediately　set　about　the　task　which　the
  king　of　the　flash…men　had；　as　I　conjecture；　imposed　upon　them；　this
  they　soon　accomplished。　　Who　could　stand　against　such　fellows　and
  such　whips？　　The　fight　was　soon　over　…　then　there　was　a　pause。
  Once　more　Thurtell　came　up　to　the　Gypsies　and　said　something　…　the
  Gypsies　looked　at　each　other　and　conversed；　but　their　words　then
  had　no　meaning　for　my　ears。　　The　tall　Gypsy　shook　his　head　…　'Very
  well；'　said　the　other；　in　English。　　'I　will　…　that's　all。'
  Then　pushing　the　people　aside；　he　strode　to　the　ropes；　over　which
  he　bounded　into　the　ring；　flinging　his　Spanish　hat　high　into　the
  air。
  GYPSY　WILL。　…　'The　best　man　in　England　for　twenty　pounds！'
  'THURTELL。　…　'I　am　backer！'
  Twenty　pounds　is　a　tempting　sum；　and　there　men　that　day　upon　the
  green　meadow　who　would　have　shed　the　blood　of　their　own　fathers　for
  the　fifth　of　the　price。　　But　the　Gypsy　was　not　an　unknown　man；　his
  prowess　and　strength　were　notorious；　and　no　one　cared　to　encounter
  him。　　Some　of　the　Jews　looked　eager　for　a　moment；　but　their　sharp
  eyes　quailed　quickly　before　his　savage　glances；　as　he　towered　in
  the　ring；　his　huge　form　dilating；　and　his　black　features　convulsed
  with　excitement。　　The　Westminster　bravoes　eyed　the　Gypsy　askance；
  but　the　comparison；　if　they　made　any；　seemed　by　no　means　favourable
  to　themselves。　　'Gypsy！　rum　chap。　…　Ugly　customer；　…　always　in
  training。'　　Such　were　the　exclamations　which　I　heard；　some　of　which
  at　that　period　of　my　life　I　did　not　understand。
  No　man　would　fight　the　Gypsy。　…　Yes！　a　strong　country　fellow　wished
  to　win　the　stakes；　and　was　about　to　fling　up　his　hat　in　defiance；
  but　he　was　prevented　by　his　friends；　with　…　'Fool！　he'll　kill　you！'
  As　the　Gypsies　were　mounting　their　horses；　I　heard　the　dusty
  phantom　exclaim　…
  'Brother；　you　are　an　arrant　ring…maker　and　a　horse…breaker；　you'll
  make　a　hempen　ring　to　break　your　own　neck　of　a　horse　one　of　these
  days。'
  They　pressed　their　horses'　flanks；　again　leaped　over　the　ditches；
  and　speedily　vanished；　amidst　the　whirlwinds　of　dust　which　they
  raised　upon　the　road。
  The　words　of　the　phantom　Gypsy　were　ominous。　　Gypsy　Will　was
  eventually　executed　for　a　m