Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-10-28
The Crimea,

The Crimea.
The expedition of the Allied fleets to THU
peninsula, with q view to the destruction O
sebastopol, the station of the great Black Ses
fleet of the Russians gives unusual interest t.
its history. The Crimea is a quadrangulal
figure in the Black Sea, and contains {. 900
square miles-nearly the size of Massachusetts,
1t is connected, at the northerly point of thu
quadrangle, with Southern Russia by neck o.
land about twenty miles long and at its narrow
est part FIVE miles broad. Across the neck O
deep trench was dug by the Turks during the
last century about seyenty-two feet wide anG
twenty-five feet deep walled rampant was
built along this trench of free stone, dotted will
batteries, Of which there are five still in toler-
able preservation. The water from the sea
flows through the trench, which is crossed by
draw-bridges. Sebastopol is over one hundred
and twenty miles from this trench, near the
southern point Of the quadrangle, and is the
finest harbor in the Black Sea- The bay on
which it is situated extends about five miles
inland and is nearly mile wide. The build
ings rise above each other, with the eminence
on which they are located presenting from the
land side an imposing view. The population Of
Sebastopol exclusive Of the army, is over ten
thousand. The public buildings, the admiralty,
the arsenal, the barracks, the hospitals, the
lazaretto and other public structures-such as
the docks and dock yards-are on the most ex-
tensive scale, no labor or expense having been
spared upon them. The material is of white
calcareous stone, obtained in the neighborhood
of the town. 1t resembles the shell limestone
Of which Odessa is built, and is extremely per-
ishable as we see in the houses of Odessa, which
fall to pieces of themselves. The population of
Sebastopol is purely Russian, with small ad-
admixtury of Greeks. The population of the
peninsula of the Crimea, or Grim Tartary, an
GENTLY the Chersonesus Tdurica is about 900, 0OO
composed two-thirds of mixture Of Mongols
and Turks, called Tartars, the residue of Rus
SLAMS, Germans, and Greeks. But little regard
seems to have been paid to this native popua-
ton in the estimate of its strength formed by
the Allied Powers.
Demosthenes, in one of his orations, mentions
that Athens imported from the Crimea annually
between 300, 900 and 400, 900 medimni of grain.
1t was considered the granary of Greece.
!" This peninsula has been known for more
than three thousand years, since the first naval
expedition of Argonauts; story which, though
mixed with fable, is yet well founded in its
principle facts. The mountainous parts were
inhabited by the Tauri, probably colony of
Scythians; while its coasts on the west, the east
and the south were occupied by Greeks. The
Scythians we're driven out by Mithridates; the
Greeks by the Sarmatians; and these again by
the Alani and Goths, northern horde of Soy
thians The Hungarians, the Cossacks, and
Tartars succeeded in their turn and the Genoese
in the twelfth century held temporary and
precarious possession of the sea- ports, which
they were obliged to yield to the Turks in 1475.
At the peace of IVA the Tartars of the Crimea
were declared independent, and in 1888 this
peninsula was defnitively united to the Russian
empire"
HONORABLE CoURTsHIP.-We heard very
pretty little incident the other day, which we
cannot help relating. A young lady from the
South, it seems, was wooed and won by youth
full physician living in California. When the
engagement was made the doctor was rich, hav-
ing been very successful in San Francisco. 1t
had not existed six months, however, when, by
an unfortunate investment, he lost his entire
cheap" This event came upon him, it should
be added, just as he was about to claim his
bride. What does he do? Why, like an hon.
orable and cbivalrous young fellow as he is, he
sits down and writes the lady every particular
of the unhappy turn which has taken place in
his fortunes, assuring her that if the fact pro-
duced any change in her feelings towards him,
she is released from every promise she has made
him. And what does the dear, good girl? Why,
she takes lump Of pure gold, which her lover
had sent her in his prosperity as. . keepsake,
and having it manufactured into ring, for
wards it to him, with the following Bible in
scription engraved in distinct characters on the
outside -" Entreat me not to leave thee, or to
return from following after thee for whittier
thou goest will 90, and whittier thou lodgest
will lodge; thy people will be my people, and
thy God my God; where thou diest will I die !;
and there will / be buried the Lord do SO TO
me, and more also, if aught but death part me
and thee" The lover idolized his sweetheart
more than ever when he received this precious |
evidence of her devotion to him both in storm |
and sunshine. We may add, that fortune soon
again smiled upon the young physician, and |
that he subsequently returned to the North to
wed the sweet girl he loved, and who loved him |
with such undying affection. Reader, this is all |
true. Young ladies who read the Bible AS |
closely as the heroine of this incident seems to |
have done, are pretty sure to make good sweet
hearts, and better wives.
who had painted the /" Fall of the great Angels"
thought he was haunted by the frightful devils
which he had depicted. He was rendered SO
miserable by this halucination that he destroyed
himself An artist, who was much engaged in
painting caricatures, became haunted by the |
listored faces he drew and the deep melancholy /
md terror which accompanied these appara-
ions, caused him to commit suicide
Muller, who executed the copper plates of the
sixtine Madonna, had more lovely visions.
Towards the close Of his life, the Virgin appear
ID to him, and thanking him for the affection |
le had shown towards her, invited him to fol-
ow her to heaven. To accomplish this the ar
isl starved himself to death. Beethoven, who
became completely deaf to the decline Of life,
'ften heard his sublime compositions performed
distinctly. Il is related of Ben. johnson, that
lie spent the whole Of night in regarding his
yreat toe, around which he saw Tartars, Turks,
Romans and catholics climbing mp, and strug-
fling and fighting. Goethe; when out riding
me day, was surprised to see an image Of him
elf on horseback, dressed in light colored
'oat, riding towards him.
MISS CooPER's Tribute 70 HER CoUsrRYMEH.
The authorizes Of that charming book, Rural
Yours, the daughter Of J.. Fehimore Cosper, thus
peaks Of her ccuntrymen:
We American women certainly owe ! debt Of