Historic Sketches.

Otago Witness, Issue 1489, 29 May 1880, Page 25

Historic Sketches.

By R. N. Adams,

THE MIGRATIONS OF THE

CYMRY.

The people of Wales do not call themselves Englishmen. Nor do they acknowledge the name by whioh we usually distinguish them from the other families who have populated the British Islea. The Saxon word "Welsh " bears a meaning analogous to the Roman "Barbarian " or the Greek " Scythian," and conveys the impression of " a stranger " or " a foreigner "—one outside "our" nation. The Welsh, however, claim the more ancient deignation "Cymry," which ia pronounoed as if spelled Khumree. From this word oomes the term "Cambrian," vwhloh is a Latin form, and also the word "Cumberland," a portion of the territory they once occupied. The Kymry or Cymry are amongst the oldest' of the inhabitants of Britain ; having apparently been preceded, by the Gaels or Celts, who seem to have come by way of Spain and Ireland, from the east. Of all the peoples of Europe the Cymry are possessed of the most ancient traditions and literature. They are acknowledged to be a very old and distinot family. But of the period, manner, and circumstances of their arrival in Britain history is not by a&y means complete. Yet there are plain facts and unequivocal indioacations which careful and discreet manipulation has already done much towards weaving into a satisfactory and conclusive story. About 18 months ago I had the privilege of contributing six essays to these columns on a sister sabjjeot to the present — the source of the great Saxon emigration — since then my reading has led me farther in the same fruitful field, and I now presume to ask the Indulgence and patience of the readers of the Witness while I again attempt to lead them in paths somewhat apart from those common to the compilers of popular histories. The present effort shall be simply devoted to the collection of a number of facts, and plaoing them in such an order and relation as shall show what recent research has brought to light. Thomas Stephens, in his work on " The Literature of the Kymry." says "they are the last remnant of the Kimmirioi of Homer, and of the Kymry (Cimbri) of Germany. From Oimbric Ohersonesus (Jutland) a portion of these landed on the shores of Northumberland, gave their name to the country of Cumberland., and in process of time followed the Bhore to their present resting place, where they still call themselves "Kymry," and give their country a similar name. Their history, clear, concise, and authentic, ascends to ajhigh antiquity. Their language was embodied ia verse long before the languages now spoken rose into notice ; and their literature, cultivated and abundant, lays claim to being the most ancient in modern Europe."

Professor Rawlinaon, whose erudition and caution few will dare to impugn, admits that " the identity of the Oymry of Wales with the Cimbri of the Romans seems worthy of being accepted ;" and further writes " that a people'known to their neighbours as Cimmerii, Ginriri, or probably Gomerim, attained a considerable power in Western Asia and Eastern Europe withia the period indicated by the date B O. 800-600, ia a faot whioh can scarcely be said to admit of a doubt." . . «' It will be interesting to trace the history and migrations of these Oimmirians— a people whioh has antiquity of above 2500 years, and has spread from the Steppes of the Ukraine to the mountains of Wales." In these remarks Professor Rawlinßon followfl the conclusions of Niebhur and Arnold, who both have oarefully, and w\tk, much labour, successfully followed the wandering people from the east to their north-western home.

But our knowledge is not very greatly benefited by simply learning that the Oymry are the progeny of the ancient Olm • mirlans who dwelt on the Steppes of the Ukraine. And it is more than idle curiosity which impels us to endeavour to go still further back in history to discover the original family of the human raoe from whioh they sprang. To do this we have no longer the daiislo Wfltoriww of Greece and Rome to

guide üb. We have to traverse a period and a region with which those writers, who have preserved to us so many treasures of the past, were but little acquainted. More enduring, though less convenient records must be consulted. Books whioh have been recovered from obscurity by the pick and the Bhovel from their long and silent burial in the mounds of Assyrian ruins, and translated by a persevering labour no less toilsome, and an enthusiasm descriptive of energy and skill— books which were written before tho use of the Papyrus was fashionable, but when the sun-dried brick was the oommon tablet and the Imperial Blue Book, Amongst other inscriptions thus brought to the light of day, and which have thrown light upon our knowledge of those far distant times, is the "Nimroud Obelisk," now in the British museum. It records the annals of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, whose rule was between 858,823 8.C., and this is one of the items of its story — " The tribute of Jehu, the son of Omri (Yahua-AMI Khumree), silver, gold, bowlß, vessels of gold, &c, with sceptres for the king's hand, all these have I received." Another set of inscriptions which tell the story of Tiglath-Pileser's reign, gives us the following unfortunately broken re« oord, yet sufficient for our present purpose:— "The land of Samaria {Beth Khumree) . . . the population ... the goodß of its people . . . I sent to Assyria. As they had Blain Pekah, their king, I appointed Hoaea over the kingdom." The palaoe walla of Sargon, the suocessor of Tiglath-Pileßer, display these words, "By the aid of the Ban I captured.the city of Samaria {Khumree), and carried into captivity 27,580 of ita inhabi* tants."

With reflpeot to the inscription on the Nimreud Obelisk, Sir Henry Kawllnson, whose fame 1b as wide and extensive as the oiroulation of English literature, on account of his skill and success as an explorer and decipherer of many ancient remains, says :— > "Jehu is usually oalled in the Bible the son of Nimahi— although Jehosaphat was his father, but the Assyrians taking him for the legitimate successor to the throne, named afl his father, or rather ancestor, 'Omri, the founder of the Kingdom of Samaria; Omri'g name being written on the Obelisk as it is in the Inscriptions of Shalmaneser, where the kingdom of Israel Is always oalled the oountry of Beth 'Omri. The King of Syria is also named on the Obelisk Khzail, which is exactly the equivalent of " Hazael" of 2 Chron. xxii. 6, who was the contemporary of Jehu. And in the inscriptions of the Obelisk-King's father there is also notice oilihbaal, King of Sidon, who was the father of Jezebel the wife of Ahab, and a contemporary of Jehu, These three identifications constitute a synchron. ism on which we may rely ; especially as all the collateral evidence comes out satisfactorily." It will be observed that these are not the words of a man with a theory to support, but of one who has a reputation tosustain.

After the days of Solomon 'Omri was the most celebrated and suoceßsful king of the house of Israel } and it 1b moat probable that with the Assyrians his name would be ÜBed as a' synonym for that of his people. He. built the renowned city of Samaria, and! transferred thither the seat of government? from Terzah, £the site of which waa more beautiful, but less capable of being made to re* sist a siege, than the mount whioh Omriohosej, and purchased from Shemer for two talents of silver (£700). The name by which the city is known in history is its Greek form ".Samaria." The Hebrew word was "Shemron," and its Assyrian representative was Khumree. Professor H. B. Haokett, in " Smith's Dictionary of the Bible," says ; "In the Assyrian inscriptions. Samaria i* found designated as Beth Khumri, that is, the house or palaoe of Omri." fl* Hinoka observes that the title " son of Omri " (Abil Khumree) is equivalent to that of King oi Samaria, the oity which Omri built, and whioh was known to the Assyrians as Beth 'Omri or Khumri," The Rev B. W. Savile, M.A., says : "We meet with the name off Beth Khumri in many of the cuneiform in« scriptions, all showing the perfect harmony between the Assyrian monuments and tho Soripture history of Israel." Some persons may be inclined to regard these facts as mere coincidents. If suoh » one reads this sketch, will he considerately suspend his judgment for a little, for I have more to say whioh may possibly give a higher colour to my story. If merely a ooincidence, to me it is one of the most wonderful nature.

Soripture records the captivity of the people oE Samaria by Assyria prior to the yea? 721 8.0. Assyrian inscriptions bear witness to* the same event, and plainly show that this people was called Khumri, and that they were settled in the cities of the Medea, History finds in that very locality a people oalled Kkumree, who at a very early period come westward, and continue their progress until finally they halt in Wales, and tenaciously cling t& the ancient name oi Khumree. In another sketch I shall produce the evidence supplied by history and archoßology bearingjuponjthe identity of the Khumree of Wales, and the Khumree of Samaria