LA　RAIZ　DEL　BUEN　BARON；　OR　THE　ROOT　OF　THE　GOOD　BARON。　…　On　this
  subject　we　cannot　be　very　explicit。　　It　is　customary　with　the
  Gitanas　to　sell；　under　this　title；　various　roots　and　herbs；　to
  unfortunate　females　who　are　desirous　of　producing　a　certain　result；
  these　roots　are　boiled　in　white　wine；　and　the　abominable　decoction
  is　taken　fasting。　　I　was　once　shown　the　root　of　the　good　baron；
  which；　in　this　instance；　appeared　to　be　parsley　root。　　By　the　good
  baron　is　meant　his　Satanic　majesty；　on　whom　the　root　is　very
  appropriately　fathered。
  CHAPTER　VII
  IT　is　impossible　to　dismiss　the　subject　of　the　Spanish　Gypsies
  without　offering　some　remarks　on　their　marriage　festivals。　　There
  is　nothing　which　they　retain　connected　with　their　primitive　rites
  and　principles；　more　characteristic　perhaps　of　the　sect　of　the
  Rommany；　of　the　sect　of　the　HUSBANDS　AND　WIVES；　than　what　relates
  to　the　marriage　ceremony；　which　gives　the　female　a　protector；　and
  the　man　a　helpmate；　a　sharer　of　his　joys　and　sorrows。　　The　Gypsies
  are　almost　entirely　ignorant　of　the　grand　points　of　morality；　they
  have　never　had　sufficient　sense　to　perceive　that　to　lie；　to　steal；
  and　to　shed　human　blood　violently；　are　crimes　which　are　sure；
  eventually；　to　yield　bitter　fruits　to　those　who　perpetrate　them；
  but　on　one　point；　and　that　one　of　no　little　importance　as　far　as
  temporal　happiness　is　concerned；　they　are　in　general　wiser　than
  those　who　have　had　far　better　opportunities　than　such　unfortunate
  outcasts；　of　regulating　their　steps；　and　distinguishing　good　from
  evil。　　They　know　that　chastity　is　a　jewel　of　high　price；　and　that
  conjugal　fidelity　is　capable　of　occasionally　flinging　a　sunshine
  even　over　the　dreary　hours　of　a　life　passed　in　the　contempt　of
  almost　all　laws；　whether　human　or　divine。
  There　is　a　word　in　the　Gypsy　language　to　which　those　who　speak　it
  attach　ideas　of　peculiar　reverence；　far　superior　to　that　connected
  with　the　name　of　the　Supreme　Being；　the　creator　of　themselves　and
  the　universe。　　This　word　is　LACHA；　which　with　them　is　the　corporeal
  chastity　of　the　females；　we　say　corporeal　chastity；　for　no　other　do
  they　hold　in　the　slightest　esteem；　it　is　lawful　amongst　them；　nay
  praiseworthy；　to　be　obscene　in　look；　gesture；　and　discourse；　to　be
  accessories　to　vice；　and　to　stand　by　and　laugh　at　the　worst
  abominations　of　the　Busne；　provided　their　LACHA　YE　TRUPOS；　or
  corporeal　chastity；　remains　unblemished。　　The　Gypsy　child；　from　her
  earliest　years；　is　told　by　her　strange　mother；　that　a　good　Calli
  need　only　dread　one　thing　in　this　world；　and　that　is　the　loss　of
  Lacha；　in　comparison　with　which　that　of　life　is　of　little
  consequence；　as　in　such　an　event　she　will　be　provided　for；　but　what
  provision　is　there　for　a　Gypsy　who　has　lost　her　Lacha？　　'Bear　this
  in　mind；　my　child；'　she　will　say；　'and　now　eat　this　bread；　and　go
  forth　and　see　what　you　can　steal。'
  A　Gypsy　girl　is　generally　betrothed　at　the　age　of　fourteen　to　the
  youth　whom　her　parents　deem　a　suitable　match；　and　who　is　generally
  a　few　years　older　than　herself。　　Marriage　is　invariably　preceded　by
  betrothment；　and　the　couple　must　then　wait　two　years　before　their
  union　can　take　place；　according　to　the　law　of　the　Cales。　　During
  this　period　it　is　expected　that　they　treat　each　other　as　common
  acquaintance；　they　are　permitted　to　converse；　and　even　occasionally
  to　exchange　slight　presents。　　One　thing；　however；　is　strictly
  forbidden；　and　if　in　this　instance　they　prove　contumacious；　the
  betrothment　is　instantly　broken　and　the　pair　are　never　united；　and
  thenceforward　bear　an　evil　reputation　amongst　their　sect。　　This　one
  thing　is；　going　into　the　campo　in　each　other's　company；　or　having
  any　rendezvous　beyond　the　gate　of　the　city；　town；　or　village；　in
  which　they　dwell。　　Upon　this　point　we　can　perhaps　do　no　better　than
  quote　one　of　their　own　stanzas：…
  'Thy　sire　and　mother　wrath　and　hate
  Have　vowed　against　us；　love！
  The　first；　first　night　that　from　the　gate
  We　two　together　rove。'
  With　all　the　other　Gypsies；　however；　and　with　the　Busne　or
  Gentiles；　the　betrothed　female　is　allowed　the　freest　intercourse；
  going　whither　she　will；　and　returning　at　all　times　and　seasons。
  With　respect　to　the　Busne；　indeed；　the　parents　are　invariably　less
  cautious　than　with　their　own　race；　as　they　conceive　it　next　to　an
  impossibility　that　their　child　should　lose　her　Lacha　by　any
  intercourse　with　THE　WHITE　BLOOD；　and　true　it　is　that　experience
  has　proved　that　their　confidence　in　this　respect　is　not　altogether
  idle。　　The　Gitanas　have　in　general　a　decided　aversion　to　the　white
  men；　some　few　instances；　however；　to　the　contrary　are　said　to　have
  occurred。
  A　short　time　previous　to　the　expiration　of　the　term　of　the
  betrothment；　preparations　are　made　for　the　Gypsy　bridal。　　The
  wedding…day　is　certainly　an　eventful　period　in　the　life　of　every
  individual；　as　he　takes　a　partner　for　better　or　for　worse；　whom　he
  is　bound　to　cherish　through　riches　and　poverty；　but　to　the　Gypsy
  particularly　the　wedding　festival　is　an　important　affair。　　If　he　is
  rich；　he　frequently　becomes　poor　before　it　is　terminated；　and　if　he
  is　poor；　he　loses　the　little　which　he　possesses；　and　must　borrow　of
  his　brethren；　frequently　involving　himself　throughout　life；　to
  procure　the　means　of　giving　a　festival；　for　without　a　festival；　he
  could　not　become　a　Rom；　that　is；　a　husband；　and　would　cease　to
  belong　to　this　sect　of　Rommany。
  There　is　a　great　deal　of　what　is　wild　and　barbarous　attached　to
  these　festivals。　　I　shall　never　forget　a　particular　one　at　which　I
  was　present。　　After　much　feasting；　drinking；　and　yelling；　in　the
  Gypsy　house；　the　bridal　train　sallied　forth　…　a　frantic　spectacle。
  First　of　all　marched　a　villainous　jockey…looking　fellow；　holding　in
  his　hands；　uplifted；　a　long　pole；　at　the　top　of　which　fluttered　in
  the　morning　air　a　snow…white　cambric　handkerchief；　emblem　of　the
  bride's　purity。　　Then　came　the　betrothed　pair；　followed　by　their
  nearest　friends；　then　a　rabble　rout　of　Gypsies；　screaming　and
  shouting；　and　discharging　guns　and　pistols；　till　all　around　rang
  with　the　din；　and　the　village　dogs　barked。　　On　arriving　at　the
  church　gate；　the　fellow　who　bore　the　pole　stuck　it　into　the　ground
  with　a　loud　huzza；　and　the　train；　forming　two　ranks；　defiled　into
  the　church　on　either　side　of　the　pole　and　its　strange　ornaments。
  On　the　conclusion　of　the　ceremony；　they　returned　in　the　same　manner
  in　which　they　had　come。
  Throughout　the　day　there　was　nothing　going　on　but　singing；
  drinking；　feasting；　and　dancing；　but　the　most　singular　part　of　the
  festival　was　reserved　for　the　dark　night。　　Nearly　a　ton　weight　of
  sweetmeats　had　been　prepared；　at　an　enormous　expense；　not　for　the
  gratification　of　the　palate；　but　for　a　purpose　purely　Gypsy。　　These
  sweetmeats　of　all　kinds；　and　of　all　forms；　but　principally　yemas；
  or　yolks　of　eggs　prepared　with　a　crust　of　sugar　（a　delicious　bonne…
  bouche）；　were　strewn　on　the　floor　of　a　large　room；　at　least　to　the
  depth　of　three　inches。　　Into　this　room；　at　a　given　signal；　tripped
  the　bride　and　bridegroom　DANCING　ROMALIS；　followed　amain　by　all　the
  Gitanos　and　Gitanas；　DANCING　ROMALIS。　　To　convey　a　slight　idea　of
  the　scene　is　almost　beyond　the　power　of　words。　　In　a　few　minutes
  the　sweetmeats　were　reduced　to　a　powder；　or　rather　to　a　mud；　the
  dancers　were　soiled　to　the　knees　with　sugar；　fruits；　and　yolks　of
  eggs。　　Still　more　terrific　became　the　lunatic　merriment。　　The　men
  sprang　high　into　the　air；　neighed；　brayed；　and　crowed；　whilst　the
  Gitanas　snapped　their　fingers　in　their　own　fashion；　louder　than
  castanets；　distorting　their　forms　into　all　kinds　of　obscene
  attitudes；　and　uttering　words　to　repeat　which　were　an　abomination。
  In　a　corner　of　the　apartment　capered　the　while　Sebastianillo；　a
  convict　Gypsy　from　Melilla；　strumming　the　guitar　most　furiously；
  and　producing　demoniacal　sounds　which　had　some　resemblance　to
  Malbrun　（Malbrouk）；　and；　as　he　strummed；　repeating　at　intervals　the
  Gypsy　modification　of　the　song：…
  'Chala　Malbrun　chinguerar；
  Birandon；　birandon；　birandera　…
  Chala　Malbrun　chinguerar；
  No　se　bus　trutera　…
  No　se　bus　trutera。
  No　se　bus　trutera。
  La　romi　que　le　camela；
  Birandon；　birandon；'　etc。
  The　festival　endures　three　days；　at　the　end　of　which　the　greatest
  part　of　the　property　of　the　bridegroom；　even　if　he　were　previously
  in　easy　circumstances；　has　been　wasted　in　this　strange　kind　of　riot
  and　dissipation。　　Paco；　the　Gypsy　of　Badajoz；　attributed　his　ruin
  to　the　extravagan