Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-06-26

character. IL was
aforlorn hope, undertaken after grave de
liberation, as part OF general plan of re
sisting to the death enormous odds brought
against the Greclan nations by the power
full monarch Of the east, Xerxes
For seven years the Persans made war
like preparations to overrun Greece in re-
venge for their defeat by the Athenans at
Marathon, and because the conquest al
ureece would carry with it all Europe and
give Persia dominion from the rising Ia
the setting sun The whole empire of the
east was levied upon for troops. animals
provisions ships and general supplies.
In autumn 4Sl b c., Xerxes set out from
the eastern limits of Asia with host esti
mated at from l,0OO,0OO to 2,5OO. 900 fighting
men, including the crews of over | 900 war
ships. The Greek spies who were caught
IN MS camps were not put to death accord.
ing to custom, but were allowed to see the
vastness OF the Persian armament and re
turn to tell their people about it, in the he.
hef that the puny states of the little PENN.
sula would be overawed by the intelligence,
ana would submit without blow to the
summons Of the invading monarch.
The land force comprised the soldiers of
forty different nations. each contingent
having its own mode Of costume and arma
ment. But few of them were armed and
equipped as well as the Greeks. Many ma.
tons carried swords or scythes only. md
Others had simply slaves FIRE hardened at
the point. Among the irregular troops
there were many fierce bands whose meth.
DDS and whose armament were to the last
degree barbarous For instance. pomadic
tribe Of horsemen 5000 strong. carried
Vuh fah hav "a
the American lasso, to insnare a foeman
and then drag him from the field to be dis
patched at leisure with a dagger, the only
weapon used by these wild riders of the
desert. Another nation, Philippians, from
the head OF the Nile, had their bodies
painted half red and half white. wore the
skins OF wild beasts Of the jungle, and car
ried Jayeiins and bows with stone tipped
arrows
In order to feed his vast army Xerxes
ordered immense quantities of stores to be
gathered at points on the line of march
through eastern Asia, and the provinces
subject to his rule were compelled to con
tribute subsistence for the whole force,
which, with non com bataHts, is computed
at from 100000 to 100000 souls Any
lack OF war enthusiasm on the part Of the
PNSPlc was cruelty pUul1ueu. Ou one Oc-
casion father Of five sons pleaded that
the eldest might be spared while the other
four joined the invading army Xerxes
caused the son whose exemption had been
asked to be put to death and his body sew
cred into two parts and displayed along the
route Of march Of the soldiers as an ex
ample Of the memorable laws of subsection /
that would be enforced
In order p enter Greece by the paths
most favorable for his gigantic enterprise
Xerxes bridged the Heiiespont with a |
structure OF boats n mile long. and dug
ship canal for his fleet across the isthmus 1
to avoid the stormy cape of Mount Athos |
In Macedon and Thessaly he found willing /
allies, and in the course Of his magnificent /
and awe inspiring progress southwark the /
smaller tribes yielded their territory and |
offered their allegiance What else was
there 20 do when the Persians could pack |
n province with solid cohorts, covering
every foot Of the territory, and then have
an army remaining over to pursue and
punish the fleeing inhabitants3
The men Of Athens and of Sparta were
ruling spirits among those southern Greeks
who proposed to bid Xerxes come and take
the earth and water which he demanded
should be sent to him as a symbol Of sub
lection
The mountain chain bisecting the Gre
sian peninsula from northwest to south.
EAST, and approaching the sea on the east
At the head OF the channel Of Negropont,