CHAPTER XIII.
LIEUTENANTS MOORE AND MALCOLMSON, AND THE VICTORIA CROSS.
Who among our readers has not been interested about Persia—that mysterious land in which such wonders have been said to exist? So many of the tales in the “Thousand and One Nights” refer to Persia, that most boys, at least, are well acquainted with some of the peculiarities of the people.
Although it is difficult to pronounce any decided judgment as regards the actual antiquity of any Eastern nation, yet there seems to be but little doubt that before England had even emerged from a condition of semi-barbarism, civilization had made considerable progress in Persia; and although that nation is principally famous to us on account of its tales of winged monsters, dragons, enchanters, and genii, yet this peculiarity may be in consequence of early travellers bringing to us that which was at the time the most acceptable; and as we in England can scarcely assume to have been lovers of science and truth during more than three hundred years, it is possible that any profound or philosophical truths brought from the East would have been formerly as little appreciated as a book of algebra would be in a nursery. The laws of the Medes and Persians are referred to in the Bible, and in the book of Esther reference is made to a King Ahasuerus, who it is said ruled over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, which then constituted the kingdom of Persia.
It is stated by some of the earliest writers that the Persians were a nation of shepherds, hardy and warlike, that they gradually increased in numbers and power, and conquered and brought under their rule less powerful nations, until they became almost the greatest people of the East.
The most celebrated of the ancient kings of Persia was Cyrus, who organized the Persians, gave them special laws for their guidance, political institutions, and established a well-disciplined army. This Cyrus not only became King of Babylon, Media, and Persia, but at length, by the right of conquest, obtained absolute dominion over the greater part of Asia.
Cyrus was succeeded by his son Cambyses, who was a man that delighted in war. He died in consequence of a hurt which he received while mounting his horse.
Following Cambyses was Artaxerxes; and we then come to Darius, who loved conquest better than had any of his predecessors. This king was desirous of obtaining the homage even of Greece, and sent heralds to claim it, but without success. He then raised a large army and invaded Greece, but the Athenians under Miltiades met him, and gained a great victory, known as the battle of Marathon, and fought two thousand three hundred and fifty-two years ago.
Xerxes succeeded Darius, and continued the attack on Greece. It was during this war that Leonidas, with his band of Spartans, defended the pass of Thermopylæ against such overwhelming odds—a deed which would certainly have gained him the Victoria Cross in modern times.