CHAPTER V.

Historical sketch of the Slavonians-Character of the Servians -Their nationality-Present and future prospects-Affinity between the Servian and Anglo-Saxon races-Concluding remarks.

HAVING formerly visited a great part of Russia, Poland and Bohemia, and made myself tolerably conversant with the language, customs and manners of the inhabitants, I felt deeply interested in observing the traits which distinguish another member of the great Slavonian family; and I could not refrain from remarking how clearly the characteristics they displayed proved the descent of all from one common origin; even the idioms of the language I found identical with that of the Russian, the Pole and the Bohemian.

With respect to the origin of this, the most numerous of all European families, the piesmas of this people ascend high into the obscure regions of traditionary lore, and tell us that near the little town of Sagorie, in Croatia, we shall find a rock surrounded

by a ruin called Krapina (castellated fortress), the cradle of the Slavonian race. It appears that a mighty huntress, named Illyria, was driven from Asia by her more powerful rival Nimrod, and having wandered far and wide, at length found a refuge on this rock, where she built a castle, and being blessed with a husband, in the shape of one of those celestial beings, who, in days of yore, became captivated with the fair daughters of mortality, she gave birth to three sons, Tchekh, Lekh, and Rouss.

The heavenly parent, possessed of the wisdom of a higher race of beings, imparted to his sons a knowledge of the mysteries of religion, the sciences, and the useful arts, and sent them forth to seek their fortune.

Tchekh, the eldest, settled in Bohemia, where he founded a powerful empire, extending from the Rhine to the Baltic, and the German Ocean: this was partly destroyed, or divided into small states, by the inroad of a devastating horde from Asia, called the Allemani-the Germans of to-day. The descendants of Tchekh again became united under their leader Slavione (man of war). How great must have been the renown of this valiant chief, who thus gave his own name to the whole race of Illyria, and founded the empire of Moravia.

The Germans, under Arnolph, their Emperor finding they were unable to oppose so formidable an enemy, summoned the aid of the numerous horde, the Magyar, who, fierce and savage as the tiger of the desert, utterly ruined the empire of the Moravians. In the year 907, the last battle of the race of Tchekh, to secure

their independence, was fought under the walls of Presburg. With the exception of Bohemia, which for some time maintained itself as a kingdom, the Slavonians of this race have remained subject to the rule of the German and the Magyar. We may also be allowed to embellish our little historical sketch by alluding to a fact, which has recently taken place, in the relative position of these two opposing races, German and Slavonian. The wily German who, in this instance, preferred fighting by delegate, finding he could not subdue his old friend the fierce Magyar, whom circumstances had converted into an enemy, looks around, and summons to his aid the Rouss, who gladly took up the gauntlet, for years had not obliterated the memory of the devastation and wholesale slaughter inflicted by the fiery Hun on the unfortunate descendants of his brother Tchekh. Lekh, the second son, who adopted Poland as his home, also founded a powerful empire, and bequeathed his name to a people the most chivalrous and intellectual, and at the same time the most restless and turbulent, of all the sons of Illyria. Lekh has also been most unfortunate, since he has been obliged to bend the knee in slavery to his younger brother, Rouss.

Rouss, whose name now designates one of the most. powerful empires in the world, is presumed to have settled in those countries between the Don and the Wolga, where we find a Slavonian race, bearing from time immemorial the name of Mala-Rouss, to this day the most warlike of all the inhabitants of Russia. When

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the devastating horde of the wild Tatar overran the entire country, the Mala-Rouss disdaining to submit to the rule of the infidel stranger, and determining that the spot where their great progenitor had first pitched his tent should be for ever sacred to his race, here made their first resolute stand against the invader.

In order more effectually to protect themselves, they formed a confederacy; elected a Hetman, or chief; invited to their service all who were willing to combat the infidels and taking the name of Cossack (free soldiers), were long the terror of Turk and Tatar, whose total overthrow was mainly attributable to their prowess; and they may be said to have a second time established the sovereignty of the Rouss.

It appears from the traditions of the Illyrians, that Illyria and her celestia Ispouse founded an immense empire extending from Epirus in Greece, to the Danube and the Black Sea; and comprehending the whole of the maritime coast of Hungary to Venice and Trieste, with Istria, Carniola, Carinthia, Styria and Friouli. This empire is said to have existed previous to the arrival of Cadmus, in Greece. Neither tradition nor history informs us how it had been originally constructed; for we find it at a very early epoch broken up into a number of tribes, with their independent chieftains at war with each other, and only forming a confederacy when it became necessary to ward off some common danger.

History and tradition afford us many interesting details of the battles of the Illyrians with the ancient Greeks and Romans. During the reigns of Philip and

Alexander several of the tribes became incorporated in the Macedonian monarchy, and furnished some of the bravest soldiers in their armies; the piesmas and national songs of the Slavon-Illyrians in Austria and Turkey are still sung, and record the martial deeds of their fathers. The population in the present day amounts to about fourteen millions, forming a great moral unity in language, customs and traditions; at the same time the majority profess the Greek ritual.

Napoleon was well versed in the history of this people, when he flattered their national pride by reviving old associations in his proclamation of an Illyrian monarchy. Thus, by arming the hereditary bondsmen of Turkey and Austria, he made his enemies, their enemies, and gained a step forward in his march to univeral conquest.

After the overthrow of Napoleon, Illyria again fell to her old master Austria, who, however, found it expedient to flatter the national vanity of the people by preserving the little kingdom of Illyria, making Trieste and Laybach the capitals. Still, the pride of race and remembrance of ancient glory once awakened, is not easily forgotten. This feeling has been the cause of great uneasiness and vexation to the Austrian Government, and also to that of the Sultan. After a series of efforts, continued for nearly half a century, the propagandists of Illyrian panslavism have at length acquired the command of a powerful lever. A literature has been created, which circulates from the Adriatic to the Danube and the Black Sea, and thence through Bulgaria and Servia to the Bosphorus. Need I add that