Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-12-01
What is the Crimea,

What is the Crimea.
Homer calls it the land of the Lsetobrygon-
ians. who were giants and ate mems flesh and
from whom the much enduring" Ulysses escap-
ed with some difficulty. The Crmea is also
known to tragedy as Tauris, and the custom Of
sacrificing all strangers upon its affairs, which
then prevailed, shows that from the earliest ages
ii was a dangerous place for foreigners. Then
it was called Cimmerla, the land of darkness.
To the sun-oving islander Of Egean, night and
storm and eternal winter dwelt beyond that Eu-
kline sea which only few adventurous marin
| ers dared to penetrate. Cimmeria, there is
meaning in that name. It is only Crimea in its
full development. 1t was one of the halts of
the Caucasian tribe in their first western migra-
ton. The Tartars (Scythians they were then
caled) drove them out these wanderings CHM
merians They called themselves Cimbri when
they arrived in Europe. A portion of them in
Wales, with fantastic legends of the fall Of Troy
in their early and mythycal history, are still
known as the Cimbri but they are the parents
of all the race of the Celts; and now the inva-
ders, English French, Scotch, and Irish are on
! ly seeking their ancestral place and making
themselves ut home after a tolerably long alb
| sence. They have found their old Scythian
| tribe who rejected them. To be sure their for
| mer conquerors have not been in possession the
| whole time, nor very much of it. Little more,
in fact, than half century is it since they fin
ally took it into their keeping; for, after driv-
ing out the Cimmerians, they (these Scythian
Tartars,) were themselves expelled: but they
have come back and got the start, after near
two thousand years, have just returned to look
after the homestead.
| There is another little association with the
Crimea that to US Americans is interesting. One
John Smith, the John Smith, the adventurous
captain Of Virginia, was also warrior against
| the Turks or Tartars. He cut off several Mos
| lem turbans with heads inside of them, but was
unluckily captured and sold as slave.
l He Was carried up the straits of Kertsch and
iufothe sea Of Azof Somewhere in the Cri-
mea 81 Whereabouts his captivity ceased. He
killed his master. seized his horse and clothes,
and road for dear life and the nearest Russian
spot, at that time to him nearly SYNONYMOUS
ideas. He was kindly received, and passed
along from one Muscovite station to another
back to friends and civilization. With every
stepa new instalment of gratitude became due
from him, which he duly discharged through
heirs and assigns for he founded Virginia.
Virginia, one day. with her sister colonies, be-
came the United States of America. England
was at war with France and her own reVolted
colonies. The house of Guelip had no leisure to
| look eastward. In fact, there was not an 'Eas.
tern question at all. Catherine of Russia step
| ed in with her armies, and the Crimea was hers.
France came to the rescue only too late. En-
glish country gentleman were too full of the
Middlesex election and the American war, the
ono popery'' riots and the national debt, to
think much of the schemes of the Czarina. The
Indian empire was but just beginning, and nc
L,1 81, ,1,~n -
chalic of Egypt to the overland route to the
East. The fall of the Crimea was but the an
| nexation of barren Chanat, a revolted State Of
Turkey. The Austrian Empire could hardly
have taken more interest in the annexation Of
Texas than England then did in the Crimean
| transfer to Russia. The seeds of future calam
ity are sown in silence. s'The tempest is fore
told by q little cloud no bigger than mans
| hand" which comes out of the sea but to-day
the Crimea is the center of the worlds gaze, and
what is now passing on its soil may be changing
| the whole visible current of affairs.
| We have made in the foregoing, large draughts
On very entertaining and able article in the
North American for October.
[N,ac Redtord Mnrcavy
PRETTY WoMEN-The following is doubtless
correct description of pretty women, as one OF
| that kinda very pretty one-fequests US to
publish it.:
| pretty woman is one of the constitutions "
of the country-an angel in dry goods and
glory. She makes sunshine, blue sky, Fourth
of July, and happiness wherever she goes.
Her path is one of delicious roses perfume and
beauty. She is q sweet poem, written in rare
curls and choice calico, and good principles.
Men stand up before her as SO many admiration
| points, to melt into cream, and then butter
| Her words float round the ear, like music, birds
of Paradise, or the chimes of the Sabbath bells.
Without her, society would lose its truest at
| traction, the church its firmest reliance, and
young men the very best of comforts and COM
pany. Her influence and generosity res
train the vicious, strengthen the weak, raise
the lowly, flannel shirt the heather, and
strengthen the faint hearted. Wherever you
find the virtuous woman, you also find pleasant
tireside, bouquets, clean clothes, order, good
living, gentle hearts, piety, music, light and
model institutions generally. She is the
| flower of humanity, very Venus in dimity,
and her inspiration is the breath of Heaven.
The "Little Giant"