Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-10-15
UNDER SUN-COD,
CROSS And CRESCENT.
Lconor4 Beck EiIs in the illustrator.

history, one hnds himself turning uhcer-
tainly from biblical lore to antique le-
gncd; for the ill-starred land of Haiku
is strange, strong link between the two.
a little later, Greek and Oriental colors
are curiously interviewer in the warp and
wool of her destiny, and we scarcely know
how to name the fabric. From first to last
there is doubt as TO Armenia's true place
among countries, races, religions, and gov
ernmentnl allegiances. Locate her as
exactly as you may in one generation, yet
you cannot affirm yourself sure of her
position in the next. In each age, you
must ask again: Bends her knee to Jeho-
yah or Baal?- to Christ, 0rmuzd, or Mo-
hammed? Does she wear uneasily the
yoke of her own Arsacid. acknowledge the
tiara of Byzantium, or pay her tribute to
Persian satrap or Osmanli beg?
Certain it is that among these muta-
tions.-which have not sprung wholly from
inherent weakness, hut often from eXtran-
eOus forces too powerful for even great
or country to grapplc with and MASTER
Assyrian, Persian, Macedonian, Roman,
Byzantine, Cnliph. Scljuk, Tartar, and
Ottoman, have wrought their worst upon
her. Fated to be battle ground for all
these, her soil has drunk enough blood to
make it bear heroes.
Nor have her people heen cowardly. or
utterly supine. Originally as courageous
us their more war-loving neighbors, the
Carduchians or Kurds. they have been
broken by defeat. by centuries of subjuga-
ton, and by disintcgration of land and
race, until to-day they are peaceful as the
grave and patient as destiny; but they
should moi be called craven in spirit even
now. You cannot call handful of men
towards because tiCy do not rise and mas
ter armed thousands.
To trace her history from the morning
mists until this. surely her sorrowful night,
TO examine her geographical situation
with its few advantages and grave draw
backs, to study the character of her neigh
bors and her relations with them. to note
her position, physical and moral, between
the mighty warning powers of Europe and
| Asiu.-is to read by no uncertain light
plain reasons for her failure. despite cour-
age and effort, to establish and maintain
independence, national prosperity and
racial unity.
of Armenia Major.with its fifteen flour
isling provinces in days of strength. and
its numerous populous and beautiful
towns: of Armenia Minor, with its wealth
| and power, nothing can now he found but
an added slice to Russia's unwieldy ter
| ritOry, another Incorporated with Persia
and the remainder with Turkeys Asiatit
possessions. There has not been for four.
teen hundred years nm integral Armenia, Il
separate existence for the land whose SOW.
ereigns were once allies of Cyrus the
Great, Trajan, and Diocetian.
In its widest extent, the kingdom
reached from the Caucasus ON the north t.
the mountains of Carducheia in the south
from the Caspian Sea in the east to Asia
Minor in the west: an extensive territOr,
as large, indeed, as Persia when she crap
pied with Rome and captured an cmpero
and general or dictated terms to another
at Dura. Thus fortified by mountain,
and sea, the country is moreover admira
bly, irrigated the Euphrates, Tigris, Aras
and Kur having their sources within i'll
limits; and, as is the nature in mountain
Gus regions. an abundance of picturesqu
lakes adding to the physical advantage
and the beauty of the landscape. Practi
cally plateau-land, being seven thousan,
feet above sca-leyel, it was yet originate
very fertilt, producing grains, fruits an,
cotton in abundance; but its soil has beer
for countless ages SO neglected that at tn
present time its husbandmen are poo
wretches who wiring the barest subsis
tence from mother earth. Its pasturag
continues good. and the Kurdish and Par
see herdsmcn need not he SO impoyerishe
as to go foragng and Strengthening anon
their Aryan brethren in occupation.
Few countries surpass this in romantic
ally beautiful scenery. The Tyrol of Asi
, in charms of mountain, glen and valley
with more hall0wcd associations thu
even the TyrOl, il has been the bourne q
many drcnmer's wandcrings. Noun
Ararat, the highest peak within its limit,
still lifts its sublime head with the sam
, placid oblivion to human cries and pane
that it showed when NOalI's ark. iloatin
over troubled world submerged, foun
resting-placc here while his dove brougl
. back the sweet green token. Would tina
the mourning land could show such cain
ing token to-day!
From Ararat, the elevated surface sinl
|, gradually To the plans of Iran in the Eas
Moses of khOrenc and Lazarus of Pharl
h with true patriotic ardor of feeling an
I glow of dictiOn, having given us pictui
o after picture of this surprisingly fair r,
glon, while from numherlcss pages {
/. ttesias, Herodotus, NenophOn and ByzaI
a tlne chronirlers, there starts some yiyj
v bit of Armenian scenery or life.
{ The past of these people has. been 4
O picturesque and Interesting as their scpI
l. cry. Their legends take us back to IL
/. founder of the race and country, Hail
q who was but three, removes from the arr
. as he was the son of Togarmah, gran,
son of Japhet. This Haik, unab
to endure the arrogant tyranny of h
suzerinn, Belus of AsSyra. fled aero
q PAIN and mountain, carry with him fan
;, lily, kinsmcn. and retaincrs, househo
10 goods. cattle, and the ancient worship ,
a his fathers. coming ut last to fair lar
o Of rivers and lakes. Claiming and SO
$ ting this, he named it Haiku, from hin
d self; and here he established a pure wo
d snip and patral cllal government.
10 II the legend stands on truth, the orr
10 Arlnrnians were Aryans of unmiycd hloo
n AMI not of Aramirr descent; and ccrtai
,. ~ the beautiful fragments remaining
their antique speech and literature be;
eloquent testimony to the genuneness
II their traditional history.
y Descending few ages from Noab's r
!" voting PROSPERITY, we find that the s,l
10 crSSnrs of Ilaik soon made their land ri,
J. ana lair enough to provoke the greed
u avarlrinus Assyriu, who reached out
d mothers hand, she claimed, TO clash In
u daughter colony. The Armcniaus ayo
}, without shame that the beautiful. sen
p mythical Scmiramis conquered their con
y try, built the city of Van, and estahljshr
ia no.