The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-12-12 00:00:00

SKETCH OF A COSSACK CAPTAIN.

A gentleman who has been recently travelling in
gervia, sends the following account to the haat.
He says that it is a strict narrative of what iiccurre,l
We were dining at one of the few good inns in Servia,
when a figure of great prenortions entered the room with
the air of an emperor, and, after casting his eyes critically
over the various tables, hewed to us en grand seigneur,
made the usual salute, end took his seat without any
further introduction t.t the little table where we had
already begun our dinner. In an ordinary time or a
western country be would have it-en an object of
curiosity. Even in Servia, in the medley of all nation-
alities and of infinite eccentricities of said, that a military
and semi-military adventurer can affect, he was still •
figure of striking interest
A frame tall and powerful and somewhat portly, with
a full black beard a head small, but not ill-shaped ; eyes
black, and at tittles ferocious, though capable of much
humour ; his dress and accoutrements completed the
picture of • good-temperetl, but unscrupulous chief of
banditti. A sort of warm jacket, tipped with fur, girded
tightly round the Waist, displayed to the full his goodly
figure, and within his belt WM the receptacle for his
weapons. With these he Was more than amply garnished.
Such • store, indeed, it has never been my fortune to see
carried by living man. If his conduct in battle is aa
determined as his weapons are formidable, no one could
doubt that he would be a most dangerous fee. From
the tales of his exploits with which he regaled us the
Turks would probably give a very handsome reward for
his head.

As our friend took unmistakable pleasure in exhibiting
his magnificent armoury, I am betraying on confidence in '
giving a list of the individual pieces, in each of which he
felt an evident pride. There was, first and foremost, a
splendid sword with • gorgeously-worked hilt and
scabbard. This he drew forth for our gratification, and
whirled round his head with great dexterity. He re-
quested me to handle it, and certainly, for a weapon of
ita size and power, it was marvellously light and ,
exquisitely poised. It was about half-way between a long
English cavalry sabre and • Turkish scimitar, slightly
curved, with an edge keen as the swords of Japan.
Noticing that I held it as is usual in the West, he showed
me how the Cossacks bear their swords into action, with
the right hand over the left shoulder, and the naked
sword behind the back, so as to deliver the blow with the
utmost sweep and force. On my pointing out that this
would not allow the soldier to ward a blow with ease, he
said it did not matter to his countrymen; they were so
quick and sure in their movements that an attack could
be parried or an enemy disabled from this position as
well as by Western cavalry from their usual forward
guard. He showed me with pride a deep notch in
the blade, which lie said hail been got before Alexinatz,
where he cleft a Turk from head to sheulder with
one sweeping strike. I may have looked a little incre-
dulous, for he added to his statements " Ah, Monsieur,
fai heaucoun de force avee je yours astire,"
while regarding his powerful arms with a satisfaction
not disguised. Indeed, I fancied that he would not have
objected, in a thorough feeling of Irma" camaraderie.
to prove the truth if his remarks upon the listeners. The
! interest with which we examined his sword probably
induced our Cossack friend to volunteer a view of his
short sword er knife. This was still more richly enthroned
and engraved, and a truly alarming wespm, about 11
inches long, curved and double edges!, each edge as sharp
as a razor. Anticipating my cutionsitv, lie asked if I
ceutil guess what this was for. I replied that I could not
WU% 11111M1.1 as a weapon of general defence. " !" be
said, with a tone of great unction, "it is to scalp the
Turks." "Scalp the Turks r I repeated with incredulity,
"surely you do not mean to scalp the Turks really r
"Yes," he answered, "scalp thorn." Still doubting, as
we were speaking French, whether the wonl might not
hear another interpretation, I explained what was meant
by "scalping" among the North American Indians, and
asked it he meant that. " Certainly," he said, with great
decision, "it is to scalp the Turks. I have a hand of IO
Cossacks. who all have knives like this to scalp the Turks.
WI never take a Turk alive. We never." he repeated
with a glow of delight, "take a Turk alive." I did not
then remonstrate with the interesting specimen of
Russian civilization, for such a novel character sea+ beat
M,.`71 and enjoyed while pouring foi th uncherke.l the
feelings of his heart. The plea that lie mizht be testing
mv powers of belief occurred very stronely to me at tir-t ;
hut his whole manner was AO frank. germine, aril unroll-
strsined, and his subsequent words were so hi harmony
with it, that I f-lt convinced that, at all events, he meant
whet he said. The next instrument of destruction was a
1111 l Teurvis revolver with inietimualde chambers.-- I am
afraid to sac hoW many, but I think the number was Id—
which he handled with a freedom of action that was not
reassuring while the muzzle WM pointed at our heads,
and all the barrels were evidently charged. This, how-
ever, was not PO dear to him a.s a small, thickset English
weapon, which he preduced ith a loving regard, and
evidently elreCted it, to reeugnise awl appreciate when
he ...shied it the "11.4 Dog." Sr was this all, for he had
a still smaller one in the shape of a miniature pocket
?evolver, which, he Saiii,W3.4 not for wart ire. lint lust as •
little guardian in his adventures. in the less favoured
. . .

.. .
quarters of the cities of the world. With these less
favoured ousrters I afterwards found he had a large and
genial aolunintance. After dinner he drew f orth a spring
knife several inches long. which I thought was another
wear-on ; bat he used it as a toothpick with an ease and
rapidity which we thought most threatening to the safety
of his tongue. It was a source of evident chagrin to him
that he had not his rifle with him, that we might inspect
this as well. This must have been a elvf dcrurre, for he
had accomplished great deeds with it both against the
wild Nand& of Europe and Asia and the more dangerous
enemy that was invading Servia. It seemed to be his
great delight to prowl about the outskirts of the Turkish
camp, and there carry death and destruction among the
pickets and patrols. He assured me that his skill an •
marksmen was in no way inferior to his great strength
and dexterity in a hand-in-hand combat with the
cherished sabre.
But more interesting than the arms of this Cossack
hero were his views on the mission of his country and the
' political future of Europe. He had travelled much, had
visited the chief capitals of Europe, spoke three
languages with fluency—French and German as well as
Russian, and even a little English, for London had been
one of his experiences. He had to the full • certain
civilization which is not unconimon in the East among
the nations who have acquired somewhat of that kind of
_ _

polish that in conspicuous on the Boulevards, of Paris,
end of which a Turkish Pasha in, perhaps the hest
example. But that the education of nations in true
civilization in as much a matter of a long period of
atruggle and the task of generations is as evident as that
the real education of an individual doeg not consist in the
mere cram acquiaitions of a few months or years, but in
the steady permanent infitienoes which mould his whole
youth and early manhood. and fit him for general contact
with the dangers and viriggitudes of life.
He, at all events, had no misgivings as to the resistless
power of hit country to areeimilkh the end she had in
view. Turkey waste him hut a liogatelle. the preliminary
skirmish with which the great career of Russian conquest
MILS to he opened. A. he recounted the hundreds of
thousands of hie countrymen who he said where inasghtg
and only awaiting the order to launch themselves against
the Moslem, he evidently wondered how anyone, even the
Turk hintself, could venture to oppose such a power.
We have Z,llOO Cossacks, all armed with artillery—with
artillery," he RAW. " quite ready, quite ready." Alt, sir,
what can Turkey do with such a force? Why, they will
sweep the country from the Ihmoilie I,i/the Heiphorue in a
fortnight What can —here I expected him to inty
England, lint lie wag too polite —"Genitany ilo against
soch a fore. I Germany," be repeated, as Mad his wont
when he wished to accentuate any statement—" Germane.
what in Germany goisl fort The Germans think too much

......
of theinselvea flee-wage they have beaten France and
Austria but WO Will Met that right," As I .11.1 not quite
atsetit to thiA view of the mime with whieh Regain weal

..
settle with the German arniv, h.• explaine.l. "We shall
.on have three millions of nieu all ready for action.
When we have done with Turkey, we will just say to
Frans*. 'Let us divide Gemini) between its,' and that
will soon he done.Al,,' he went on "it is not the new

State* like Germany w orb er will rule the world.
It is the obi natiola the.p.latin% that have grown in
. . .

strength slowly, and— stea lily. like Englgunl. Sir—like ,
England and Ruasia." Whether this coupling; of England
with Russia was meant for • compliment or not I could
not be sure: lint, all eventsthe view of Germany's youth
and RossileN age was novel and interesting.
Ills views of the Servian people were not complimentary ,
and ho evidently felt that the intik:ion of tho Russian in
Servia was to fight the Turks, and make the inhabitants
whom lie thought no soldiers. work as active hewers of
wood and drawers of water. It would have done many a
traveller's heart icsal who may have suffered from the
elowness or nuleness of hotel pn.priet t—s and waiters to see
the mai aorilinary life and iamiplaisnnee which the require
ments and onlors of this Prinee of Doemeks infuse,' into
the host of the Servile inn and his attendants.
.Even our
dish,',, cause re rapidly anti e irefully after he penis! us.
This feature he also emideseamilingly explained. "Ito you
think." he said to Ire, "that I pay for what I "ricer
" Sever," Ile said. "never." I oonie to all li AA I :say to
the landlord, "Give the a goisl nom -your best." If
be hesitates, I know how to make him, looking signifis
eantly at his belt, bristling with its deadly inhabitants.
"I want dinner; I tinier this and that and all I want, and
if ha &ma not get it well "—looking dovntwards again.
" Pay ! I don't tiny a win : the Minister of War pays for
me. I requisition all I want." AN thrill nniitisitions are
to be paid for Icy the Government when the war is over, the
thane° of repayment at pn:sent seems nut mit.
Towards the ii.ase of .I,que.r he grew very goatial awl
friendly. "Do you intend." he asked tots "to pay for what
you have hover I repii.4, "Oh ! ye.; it i,, my intention
ti pay." "Ab !" he said. "whit folly, sk ! Met let me
tell the I ittillor.l that you are a fr;ell.l of seine, aiel you
shall pay nothine, not a sou." The offer was will Ineallt ;
in an English hotel it might have dm, the it„,ijord ;4,..1
to have received a little lestion in sulnui.sii.a, lint in poor
reasonable Servia we felt °biked to decline tlnt generous
offer with h gratitalle. Ile looked surprised, and evi-
dently wonikred how we e 'odd be such fools.
We parted from our meet interesting friend with reluct-
ance. fie lamented greatly that we were not going his way,
but fate ha.l set our lines in opposite directions, and we
never met again. lie told us, however, before we loft
that he was a lieutenant-colonel in the Itussian Army and
had the charge of several hundred transport wagons, some
of which were oven then slowly making their weary way
over the terrible reels sif S.:rvia, towards the Army of the
Moravia.

Theeeknihi are unable to take Corns heeatiae the
varietie4 :edit UR' aid taxi with Standi, under
1.. plea of ree.lrvlll4 then' soluble ; while redly sulking
them n Mirk, Aeary, and indigesf dole. The. may fe. ea.my
detected, .11,r if Cocoa lAiekews ii.lh • esip is pre.... tA,
aldifien of dorch. Causinitra t;ieson E.VCIII%, is genuine :
it is theinfore three times Ulu otreneth of theso Coyote,
and refreshing Beverage like Tea or
Luarounso NEw Pint —We are by the Architect of last
Saturvlay. that the eminent Engineer., Nfe..ra Brunlece
and m•Kerroe, .4 London, have Avoided for the use of
the Paiute of the Liverpool Silicate Paint Company, for
the seervatten of this structure now in coulee of

AIMS ! RUNS ! lIREVA'II-LOADERS, lIIIZZLE-IMA DERN,
17 RIFLFI4, REVOLVERS. -Why pay fabulous prices, rr
buy old, dam:croon 0111.10, whilst you an have New, -ale,
Close. and Stninzetoiotio.: GUNS from Et upwards. Dana
sent on opr.vd Illudritvil out ,n.lid CataJogues Pros.
J. P. CARR, Dundas Street, Itudilersliekl.
•
I.BERT CRAPE. one fohl of the new Patent ALIO=
it CRAPE Is as thick as two folds of the old make, is mush
cheaper and wiltrs better. Sold by all Drapers.
if / LICARI-INF:Si." W. G. RIVKIN Ratio MACE LEAD
In iii,orK for 1411,1,gI411,1,g sumo', ant all kind. of Iron-
work tuna' to inirnishol steel, without waste or dolt.
Sold evorywhere by nit Shop. vervni In
Id, •Al. and 4.1 ItlotAii, mid I, Ibistat.
Aiik for
W. C. 111 X Era MACK LEX
and on. that YOU Ilan, it. It, 5.41.....•111111,. London.
CAUTION.- -There ary Neveril boil:doom

iIIE DIAMOND 011. RLACKINO.---la the It kiwi tar keep-
lag soft and imPorting to Leather a la.titital Jot MA
row,. INVENTOR sad SOLE MANUFACTURER. W. Llama,
MANCHFItIitIi

I 'AUI /MS DAM. t„Nuimu au Iluuquat Small LOWDOS
IA for Sweat Broth, Clear Yoke, and India to
11,,am, &I, of all Clusmlst. Or HOWARD lad 00.
Grey LagliHrtroot, Loudon, Z.

TSSCE 0f,.00,000 of 6 per Cent. DEBENTURE BONDS
at nt 10a per .6100.
THE ASSOCIATION OF LAND FINANCIERS, LIMITED.
Invite aim imams for the above Bomb, bearing' intern.% at the
rate of PA per Cent per annum. payable half-yearly on the blh
April and sth October In oaah year, at the Bankers of the
Asocial°. in London. The Sonde are redeemable at par In
the year 1880.
The BMWs are aybble as follows, rig:—
£lO 0. On Application.
£2O On. One Month after Allotment.
£3O On. On the oth January. 18/7.
£32 Mit Ou the oth bomb, 18r7.

Total rill ins Per £lOO Ilona.
F.xintete trout the Pnw:wctus Certain purchases' of
Pnwhebi an.i other properties ems now he mule, on tertell
wlikb would *id considenthle itrength—in Un Int-maned ratio
—to the prewnt p 'onion of the Association: the whole afford-
ing Jointly a aubetantial security he income %el by ;nine—
roost an.ple hi Ita nature and character, rontrasting blantlrablY
with the fluctuations 01 moat ecUrities aifultal by political mad
timancint ilisiurbanere..

" The Asses of the Aseniation under spoeille valuation,
made by itnietsmde.it Surveyors amounted on the Slst January,
11170, to uow.ads 4 C 354,0010 —considerably over one-ha/f there-
of being Freehold properties—while the total Liabilities
attain:: all the Share and Debenture Capital) were under
=l,ols—thus showing a surplus value."

BANKERS.
Ilererit Rwwom, liouverie & Co., I, Pall Mall East. tomion.
PIWSPECTUSII3 oontalitlrg full particulars of this Issue
with applicsUon forms, will be forwunled oil application to tbie
Socretery, or to the bankers.

LANORIDOE, Secretary.
7, Whitehall Place, London. S.W.

PATTERNS FREE.

T ADIES •Ild their DRESSES Fincat French Merinos and
Li Velveteens ; ail the No 'alai.* for this
Romeo wear from t,, 1.. I; I. per yard. It .1(1M and
CRISP, 19S. Ilezeitt-ittrewt. London. N. Sil Q of •••ery
description from la. 61. or yard. Costume. and Mantles in
great variety.

_ -_—
r Amor lIINDEItn for Immediate we after AetNNYCII-
I/ NEM. 01114TETRIC It NltElt bi • Subatitun for *be
lowa generally mud immediately ober labour. It he made of
strong linen, and Mallen** with the canal pinning The they
advantage. are facility of application, ontibinod with comfort,
sand creator efficiency. Prim 74, 41., by poet 4.1. extra.
ANDEINON, Al OTT, and ANDEItSCIN, 111/N• RUMS
illanni•CieliUltl, Queen Vkborinottreet, City, E.C.

rniiMEIt'ANTILE MORTGAGE BANK
OF ENGLAND
Is prepared to receive DENSITS o letnand, and subject 10
notice, from 7I estembnir to 101 per Omit. Interest.

THE MERCANTILE MORTGAGE BANK
OF ENGLAND.
Inceptors and Capitalists 4.41 examine th• syntem ol Loam
on Mercantil° SocurHas, and road the Opinions of the Prom

eTHIEMERCANTItE MORTGAGE BANK
JO' ENGLAND.
makes advance+, on Sb.rttNotice to any amount en al
approved Mercantile Socurltlet, and every descriptinn o
tangible Security.

11IIE MERCANTILE MORTGAGE BANE
OF EVGLAND
undertakes the Sale and Purchase of all Stock Securities for
Conatituents at fired commiadona anti close market poem
Price Lista forwanlol on applie It ion
IMMEDIATE ATTENTIoN la given to all Lettent,
Orders and Enquiries, and even information afforded on
application.

Address, F. M. JORDAN, Manager.
MERCANTILE MORTGAGE BANK OF ENGLAND,
GRFEBIAM HOUSE, OLD BROAD-STREET, LONDON,

TOHN MITCHELL'S PENS,
SAME AS SUPPLIED
,p
TO THE (VEEN.
London Det7A-118. Chearside, E.C.
%Yorks—Newhall-Street, Itirraingnotn.

WANTED AGENTS (Pura ...Inc) for the (Guarantor'
TT Manures). Cattle and Poultry F.I, Nitrate, Soda, fee:
Holloway Manure Co. L., Carlisle. References required.

THE AGRICULTURAL lIALL, LONDON,
le now permanently Opened for the

SALE of HORSES,

PEDIGREE CATTLE,