Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-03

son or Mithridates, A. D. 63, was in COM
mand OF the forces that were whipped by
Caesar so easily at the battle of Zelah
as to cause him to send his famous dis
patch to the Roman senate: ''Veni, vidi.
vici!'
Another of the kings Of the Crimea.
Poiemo ii, pagan, married the daugh-
ter of King Agrippa of Bible fame and
adopted the Jewish faith, which. he after
ward renounced when his wife deserted
him.
The Tartar khanate. which dates from
1880. had its capital at Baghtchasarai
about thirty miles northeast of Sebastopol
and the same distance northwest OF
Yalta- The Khan Sarai. or palace. was
restored and refurnished according to the
original style by Prince Potemkin for the
reception of Catherine the Great when
she visited the Crimea In 1857. 1t is a
and it is said to be described in the
famous poem "LaIlah Rookh." The Rus
sion poet. Pushkin. rhapsodizes over it's
beauties in some pretty verses of de-
scriptfon. 1t Is by no means as beautiful
or as extensive as the Alhambra, in Spain.
but resembles It In the arrangement and
the decoration of the apartments.
There are several well preserved tombs
OF the khans VINO reigned between 1880
and 1873. including a graceful mausoleum,
similar to those at Delhi, outside the
walls. in which repose the mortal re-
mains OF Deliarah Bikeh, the beautiful
Georgian wife of Khan Krim Geyrey. Her
original name was Maria Pototzka. She
was the daughter Of a Georgian chief
tain. a Christian by birth and training,
and refused to change her religion. In
one of the apartments Of the palace Is a
fountain which her husband, kfim Gey-
rey. erected In her memory as a symbol
OF the tears he shed after her death. 1t
Is called The flood OF tears" Outside
the walls. In an octagonal mausoleum
with a dome, she Is buried and over the
door Is written. In Tartar characters:
This Is the tomb Of Deliarah Bikeh.
beloved wife Of Krim Geyrey; died 1746
A. D. She was Christian"
The fountain bears the same date.
About four miles from the town. upon
the crest Of a lofty crag called Chufut
Kaleh. ("Jewish rocky. is another stately
tomb. 1t Is regarded as one OF the finest
istence. and was erected in 1897 In honor
OF Jewess. Meme Kejeh. queen of Tok-
tamysh. Khan of the Golden Horde.
Jews Among Ancient Settlers.
There are many Jews in this part of
the Crimea whose ancestors came here
eight centuries before the Christian era
They are OF the Karaim sect and follow
the Mosaic laws strictly.
They are supposed to have many old
manuscripts Of priceless value. but the
Russian government has never been able
TO secure any of them for the imperial
library at st. Petersburg, although re-
peated attempts have been made. The
museums at St. Petersburg have collec-
tons OF great value and interest illustrat-
Ing the arts industries, habits and Gus
toms OF the early occupants of the Cri-
mea peninsula. There are also many in
teresting chronological and archaeological
examples In pretty little museum at
Odessa, but only a few of the ruins of
ancient cities have ever been excavated,
and many tumuli remain UNEMPLOYED. 1t
is q popular impression that the manu-
scripts carried from Jerusalem at the
time OF the captivity and brought to the
Crimea shortly after are numerous and
of the greatest value. but the rabbis as
sert that they know nothing of them.
The Karaims In the Crimea have en-
joyed fun rights and privileges of citizens
Of Russia since 1902 and have never suf-
fered from the restrictions and persecu-
lions Of their race elsewhere. They live
in a suburb Of Baghtchasarai, from
name means The stronghold OF Israel
and II has been the headquarters of the
community for twenty-five hupdred years.
From this stronghold the sons of Karaim
have scattered over the peninsula and
along the northern coast of the Black
sea In pursuit OF trade. and. like most Of
their brethren, they are Industrious. en-
every business In which they engage.
Their synagogue stands upon a. hill
called Mount Zion: their cemetery Is in
the Valley of Jehosephat, where thou
sands Of tombstones bear Hebrew in
scriptions. The most ancient epitaph
that can be deciphered commends the vir-
tues and piety of rabbi. Moses Levi.