Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-10-31
NO. L..
What 10 the Crimsns

| TFOH L1s 1teC 0ey0Tu DfGcvy.
Honor calls it the and of the Lesbrygonians,
who were giants and ate mems flesh, aud from
whom the "much- enduring" Ulysses escaped
with some difficulty. The Crimen is also known
to tragedy as Tauris, and the custom Of ,acrif-
cling all strangers upon its altars, which them
prevailed, shows that from the earliest ages it
was dangerous place tor foreigners. Then il
was called Cimmeria, the land Of darkness. To
the sun loving islanders ef the Egan night and
storm and eternal winter dwelt beyond that Eux-
inc sea which only few adventurous mariners
dared to penetrate. Cilnmera there is m saning
in that name. II is only Crimea in its full de-
veopment. II was one of the hals of the Cau-
casan tribe in their first western migratlon.-
The Tartars (Soythians they were then called)
drove them out, and on they went, these wander
ing Cimmerians. They called themselves Cim-
bri when they arrived in Europe. A portion of
them in Wales, with fantastic legends Of the fall
of Troy in their early and mythical history. are
still known as the Cymbri; but they are the pa
rents of all the race of the Celts; and now the in
vaders, English, French, Scotch and Irish, are
only seeking their ancestral place and making
themselves at home after toleraby long absence.
They have found there the old Scythian tribe
who elected them. To be sure their former con-
querors have not been in possession the whole
time, nor very much of it. Little more in fact
than half century is it since they finally took it
into their keeping for, after driving out the Cim-
merians, they (these Scythian Tarars) were
themselves expelled; but they lave come back
and got the start OF the original owners, who now.
after near two thousand years, have just returned
to look alter the old homestead. Fas
There is another little association with the Cri-
mea 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 Moslem
turbans with heads inside oi them, but was un-
luckily captured and sold as a slave. He was
carried up the Straits Of Kertsch and into the Sea
of Azof. Somewhere in the Crimea or therea-
b"uts his captivity ceased. He killed his master,
seized his horse and clothes. and rode for dear lite
and the nearest Russian post, at that time 70 him
nearly synonymous ideas. He was kindly re-
ceived, and passed along from one Muscovie sta
iion to another, back TO friends of civilization
With every step new enstallment Of gratitude
became due from him, which he duly discharged
through his heirs and assigns; for he founded Viz
gna. Virginia one day. with her sister colonies,
became the United States of America. England
was at war with France and her own revolted
colonies. The house OF Bourbon and the house
of Guelph had no leisure to look eastward. In
fact, there was not an eastern question" at all.
Catharine of Russia stepped in with her armies.
and the Crimea was hers. France came to the
rescue only too late. English country gentlemen
were too full of the MiddIesex election and the
American war. the "no popery" riots and the ma
tsnal debt to think much of the schemes Of Ca
rna. Their Indian empire was just beginning,
AMI no Napoleon had taught them the value Of
the paschaIik OF Egypt to the overland route to
the East. The fall Of tho Crimea was but the
Of a barren Knanet, 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 calamity
are sown in silence. 1.-The tempest is foretold by
a little cloud no bigger than mans hand"
which comes out Of the sea but to day the Cri-
mea is the centre Of the worlds gaze, and what
is now passing on its soil may be changing the
whole visible current of affairs.
We have made, n the foregoing, large draughts
on very entertaining and able article in the
North American for October.