Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-10-01

Htistrlloncous.
Prom the British journal.
SOME ACCOUNT OF A SINGULAR PEOPLE
by cAPrArN MArNE REID.

man, here and thtrt, who had ever heard of their
existence. And yet this is people worthy OF
being known especially ut the present time, as, in
the event of a war between Turkey and Russia or
between the former power and Austria this people
small though their numbers. aud but little known
MS they are would form an important element in
the contest. If such do take place. il is not
unlikely that in the yaor and spirit Of the Seeker
nation tho Turks may find their irmcst point dop-
pui
Sstkcand is but q small spot upon the greatmop
Ut the wOrld-a "cOnNr among the Ulrpathau
mountains. Four coioitols about as big as the
average size Of English counties, constitute the
country Of the Seekers These Comitats are in
Transylvdnia--at its eastern end. The main range
of the Carpak (Carpatans) divides Szckcrland from
the province Of Modayiu. a few difficult pas scs
alone enables you TO enter it from that side Spurs
rf the same mountains trayersc tht four counties,
and one of them is completely muuutain-Cckcd,
forming u sort Of natural amphthcatrc. Several
peaks, like great watch-towcfs lock over the land
Some of these lead the eye thousands of feet up.
into the htavcns and for three parts of the year
carry snow. In juno and Juy the sun often CLAM
ecs upon their snow-covcrel submits although the
latitude is only lG'-47o.
The country Of the Seekers is. therefore noun
tain-land though far from being barren. Extensive
tracts of "foot-hs" (pjedmoH0 lie along the foot
of the mountain ranges, and broad valleys skirt
the streams that, rising in the Carpathians, take
their course to the yellow Thesis aud the Danube.
These foothills and river valleys are fertile. The
mrzc plant fourishcs, and the smaller ccrcqiia-
N,heat; barley, and oats-yicld in abundance
Melons cutiyatcd-the common potato, and the
tobacco-pnnt, with hemp and flax. The finest
timber is produced-thc oak upon the hills and the
cohifeyte-pinos, frs and larches-upon tho sides
of the mountains. The domestic animals thrive
well. The horses both native and imported breeds,
are celebrated throughout Eastern Europe. Sheep
are numerous; and the beautiful black variety Of
"Wallachians" is found upon the pastures Of Sick
lcrand. The wild boar ranges through the hills,
the great brown bear makes his lair in the wooded
mountains aud the pme chlmois bounds along
their high cliffs. The region is rich in minerals.
Copper and iron mines arc extensively worked
Gold and silver are crushed from the quart-zosc
rocks of th" Crrpathiuns. Mineral Spings of many
kinds abound; and the salt is quarricd in hhgcl
cubic masses from the solid rock. Such is the
Szekicridnd.
Upon this land dwell the Seeker people. j0O,-
600 souls They are the Sic1Ia beyond II doubt
that is, their descendants. They call themselves
,Szcteiy, the Romans call them Sicuii. The orthm-
ny is almost the same. the photography only differ
cnt They speak the Magyar language, thcirl
Philologsts say, purer than the Mogyars them
selves; but there is not much difference in therl
dialects. Both people from the same stock Il
but whence came both? Their history does not
clearly tel us Ii states that they are Tartars, of
the race of Atilla and his Huns, and that they
came from the East-irom Asia. The Magyars
cfme last and found the Szckly already settled in
their present home in Pennsylvania. This part of
their history is but tradition, and among themselves
does not obtain universal credit It'll still "ques-
ton" Of the ehnologist. Ii may yet be settled in
O satisfactory manner.
The Seekers are dark-haired race, the hair
oftener dark brown than black. Their eyes are
usually bluish-grey sometimes with that Obliquity
that distinguishes the Tartar race. Their features
are finely cut, and regular and their forms are
medium size, well knit and capable of great action.
The women beautiful and virtuous, distinguish
Gd by those traits that characterize the faithful wife
md fond mother. The men are handsome beyond
what is common. Their figures fine, and their
faces full Of expression They resemble the Mag
vars so much that you cannot distinguish them from
each other Like the latter ALL both rich and poor,
wear the mustache Vanity, which in other coun-
tries prompts many persons 10 the cultivation OF
this appcndage, has nothing to do with the fashion
among the Seekers; it is simply habit TO which
both they and the Magyars have always been ac-
customed. That it is not vanity on the part OF
Che Seekers is evident from their mode of dressing
In this they observe the greatest simplcity dan
dy is n rarity among them. They are even ultra
careless in dress, and on this account are often
subjected to raillery by the more elegant Magyars
of the large cities They are altogether, people
of simple tastes and habits-in other words, an
uncorr,pted race. Theyarc far from being perfect
of course, but hold them to be as near perfection
both physically and morally, an any other people
upon the face Of the earth. Perhaps this eulogy il
not high enough; perhaps they are a finer rac'
than any existing.
Tho Szeklers exhibit in their minds and persons
tho effects of freedom As far their hisior,
extends back they have been n democratic people
among them an aristocracy of mangates, scconc
class of lesser mobiles, and peasant people. On
the contrary the Seeker were all equal, both il
law and reality.
In all countries yet known the IDEAS Liberty
Equality, Fraternity" have been more boast thar
real existence. They have place in the boasteC
freedom of western Europe, nor in America, with
its three million of negro bondsmen. In little
of the earth alone has true liberty resisted
the encroachments of despotism--n the land of the
Seekers, l make bold to affirm that, up to q late
period, when the Austrian government iched from
it its constitution, there existed in that little state
greater amount Of political liberty and equality
than in any country on the globe In tho latter
times the house Of ilapsburgh by every vile means
made encroachments upon their free constitution
and to stay the progress Of these was the cause o.
the late MngyAr-Szekler war. Alas. its liberty il
now chrushed; its rights trodden beneath til,
iron heel Of the Austrian trooper!
The Seekers have never been q warlike people
mean, people desirous OF war, or ambitious o
its red glories. They have always been the advo
Gates Of peace, and the assduous cultivators of it
arts. Their well-tilled fields and we-built house
the splendid roads that in all directions eros
their country-tho signs of intelligent industry ant
respectable prosperity, that greet the traveller a
every turn prove the correctness of this assertion
Yet are these same Seekers most warlike peopl
when war is no longer to be avoided. They Gav
ample proofs of this in their late struggle for lber
~. During that period they fought fights that, fo
intelligence, stratagy and wild yalor ON their part
have but few paraels in the history Of war. Th'
details have yet to be written, When that is done
she story of leondas and his three hundred Spar
tans will lose half Of its interest
Gal Sander, one of their bravest men, becam,
their chief leader. This young general, at thu
beginning of the war, was commissioned by tn
Hungarian Government TO organize the Sickle
army aided by Berzcnczy. lie summoned tn
people to an assembly ON the day following. Thirt
thousand men to the ground and so enthusiast
were these hitherto pacific people for the deienc
Of their liberties, that the wole mass, with seareel
an exception, not only enrolled themselves as yo
unteers upon the spot, but actually took the .fel
sifiota returning 10 their honest Nino-tenths
them were without arms other than their peaceft
implements of agriculture, the ptehfork and til
scythe yet did not their brave leader despair Wit
unparalleled energy and courage he led them agani
Azziee their nIIInher and pe