The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-06-27

ground IN Iur klSn fashion,.
From this Uspenski Monastery, Cor
Church of the Ascension) as We were
informed it was called, we rode up
the Valley of Jehoshaphat (for the
Caraim Jews have so named it); and, |
ascending a steep rocky height, came |
to the foot of high bluff, and appar-
emily impossible, rock barrier; but |
turning sharp corner our guide rode |
into an arched opening, and, emery
ing. we found on the bluff, the town
of the Cariam Jews.
We were at once conducted to the
Rabbini, as he called himself, or the
octogenarian, Abraham Fircovitsch,
the head Of the Caraim Jews. Find
ing he spoke German, although i'm
perfectly, after recording our names
and giving small gratuity to the Ii
brary, we obtained valuable informa-
ton regarding the sect and its ancient
manuscripts, which am told by 9TH
ers, will become the property of the
Emperor of Russia, by purchase;
nearly all, except the ancient leader,
and few of his immediate followers,
having deserted the locality. In the
library are kept chiefly the less an.
cient writings; but In their museum
they have besides parchments, long
rolls of common sheepskin leather,
covered with Hebrew writing, one
dating back to 124 years B. G. That
was the oldest, while others on leath-
er or parchment, either in Chaidean,
| Syriac, Hebrew or Arabic, were usual
| ly some centuries later. A stitched
parchment book containing the en-
| tire writings of Moses, IN large quarto
| Bible form, on parchment, is nearly
thousand years old, and is naturally
very highly priced by them.
| After the venerable head Of the sect
had exhibited his ancient possessions,
| / requested him to write his name on q
leaf of my memorandum book, which
he did in Hebrew, beginning on the
right. l then took a book from my
pocket and showed him his name in
connection with the account he pre-
pared. by order of the Emperor, ira
cling the historical Wanderings and
describing the popularity Of his sect.
Knowing that we were Americans
and seeing his name printed 10 one of
our works { although in reality this
was a Leipzig edition,) he was much
gratified and explained to his follow
ers, that, Notwithstanding our being
almost their antipodes, (Which In parts
of California would approach some
what to the facts) we had heard OF
Abraham Fireovitsch. AT leave ia
king, he seized successfully the hand
of each of US in both his, and gave
us tender embrace. His venerable
beard, a fine countenance, retaining
at 50 much youthfulness. his spright-
| - nA~Th Tod
to photograph deeply on our brain
album of choice portraits, that of the
noted Rabbini, Abraham Fircoviteh.
His sect, according to the most au-
thentic records, did not return to Pal
estine, after the Babylonian captivity,
but during Camoyses' reign gradual
ly reached Armenia, and in later
years the Caucasus region; whence all
all those wandered to the Crimea
| who refused to accept the Talmud,
which they claim was an innovation
brought about by the influence of the
conquering nations in Palestine,
There are perhaps, in all, but about
one thousand Caraites now remaining,
and they are considerably scattered.
They have the reputation Of being
honest and intelligent.
Of the Talmud accepting Jews, we
saw something while at Yalta. En-
tering their Synagogue on our Sun
day, we found them singing from
books, one Of which they handed to us
and we observed prayer. ehieaT f-CnI
to Psalms. printed - one column 10
German and on the opposite In He
brew. They all wore their hats,
and after chanting these prayers
on arriving at what seemed a cho-
rus, they struck little punches oil
willows (Which all carried as memo.
rails In their hands,) against win.
dows, doors, books and on each
, other, until among the junior part oil
! the congregation there was quite az
excitement.
sEBAsToPoL IN PARTICULAR, AND
OF THE CRIAIEA IN GENERAL.
, liking boat we had pleasant sail
the ancient Chersonesus Taurica
walked across, In about half an hour
, The relics of the ancient ruins. left
there by the Tauri, from early Gre.
clan times, were very interesting
bricks, tiles, hard mortar, broken
/
scattered in confusion. Over the site
of the ruined church in which Vladi'
, mer was baptized, there is being
J erected fine church. preserving the
! old altar In the crypt of the modern
} structure. Close by is a Monastery
the intelligent Prior of which showed
US many ancient Greek and later rel
les found in digging: several coins
bearing the heads of Constantine and
Irene, also, some of the ancient heath
en- household gods, small figures in
netal of birds, &C., as their protective
penates.
Thus this point, close to Sebastopol
is interesting as having been the
/ scene of early Greek colonial settle
ments, probably Cimmerian and Tau
rian, while Balaclava, near by. (be'
sides its modern glory, as the valley OF
the splendid Light Brigade charge),
is thought by some authorities to be
the locality described in Homer's
Odyssey. as receiving the companions
of Ulysses in their wanderings into a
harbor safe from wind only to expose
them to the cruelty of the Lastrygo-
mes, from which his ship alone escap
ed. At subsequent periods the Soy.
| tnIdDs. mltnIloaIesa Ln0 huns huA-
sars, Genoese and Tartars in 1897,
and the Turks In 1475, were. according
TO some writers, successfully masters
of the soil.
When the Tartar hordes under Dgin-
giss Kahn ESQ the Tartars write the
name), separated into the greater and
the lesser, the former made Casan, on
the Wolga their capital and the lat
ter settled in the Crimea. the
Kahns residing at the canital Rakk.