The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-09-01 00:00:00

TM E COSSACS.

(From the 4sintic Journal.i
The origin ar.d early history of this remarkable race of
people, like that of most other nations, are enveloped in total
darkness. Karamsin tin his History of the Russian Em-
pite) endeavours to throw sot light on this subject ; and
as this author's grat work is but little known in England,
we shall extract the whole of his observations:—

" We observe that the annals of the times of Wassily I
the Dark, in the year 1444, mention the Rjasan Cossacs,
a peculiar kind of light troops. who have rendered them-
selves so famous in modern times. Thus we find that the
Comics were not exclusively in the Ukraine, where their
name occurs in history about the year 1507 ; but it is pro-
bable
that their name is older in Russia than Ilatu's
irruption (1441-4), and belonged to the Torks or Thren-
tieji, who dwelt on the banks oi the Dnieper, below Kiev.
There we also find the habitations of the Cossacs of Little
Russia. The Torks and Beredeji were called Cherkeasi ;
so were the Comes. If we call to mind the Cassogi, who,
according to our annals, dwelt between the Caspian and
Black Seas, it will naturally bring us to the Kaesaciiie,
placed in that country by the Emperor Porphyrogenita.
The Osacts still call the elietkessi Kassachs : all which
circumstances lead us to conclude, that the Torks and Be-
rendeji, who called themselves Cherkessi, were also called
Cossacs; that some of them lived, protected by their rocks,
red', and marshes, on the islands of the Dnieper, inde-
pendent of the yoke of both Tartars and Lithuanians ; that
many Russians, flying from their oppressors, joined them
there, and, together, formed the nation of the Cossacs, which
the more readily became Russian, as their forefathers, w Ito had
lived in the territory of Kiev since the tenth century, had
themselves nearly become Russians. Increasing in num-
bers, and nourishing a spirit of fraternity and love of inde-
pendence, they formed a republic of Christian warriors in
the southern parts of the Dnieper, where they built villages
[ and towns in a country laid waste by the Tartars, and be-
came the defenders of Lithuania against the Crimeans and
Turks: For these services they obtained many privileges
' and immunities by Sigismund. I, who also granted them
lands above the falls of the Dnieper, where they gave their
name to the town of Cherkassy. They divided themselves
into hundreds and regiments, whose chiefs, or Hettnans,
obtained front the polish King, Stephen Bathory, as a mark
of particular esteem, a royal standard, a bc:se's tail, a emu-
inander'a staff and seal. 1 t was these warriors, burning fur
liberty and the Greek church, who, daring the first half of
the 17th century, freed Little Russia from its foreign oppres-
sors, and restored the province to its lawful sovereigns. The
Cossaca called Saporogi (dwelling below the waterfalls)
formed a part of those of Little Russia: their ssjetsha
(mud forts) were originally the rendezvousjof unmarried
Cossacs, who had Ito other trade but war and plunder ; but
subsequently they settled in theta. It was probably from
the example of the Ukraine Como, who were constantly
armed and prepared to receive the enemy, that the northern
cities caught the idea of forming a similar militia. The
territory of Iljasan, which was most exposed to the attacks
of the nomade robbers, wanted this kind of defenders more
than any other; and the immunities offered, and the pro-
apect of booty, induced many young men without property
to enlist themselves as Cossacs. In the history of subse-
quent periods, we find horde-Cossaca, Assovian,and Nogaian
Comes : the name at that time implied volunteers, par-
tisans, or adventurers, but not robbers, as some pretend,
referring us to the sense which the word bears in the
Turkish language. It cannot be a term of insult--since
warriors, who died for their liberty, country, and religion,
called themselves thereby." • .
By this short sketch, it appears evident that the Cossacs
have not only originated in different tribes, but that many
of them are a mixture of different races, of which the real
Russians form no small proportion ; a supposition rendered
the more probable from their great conformity with that
nation in features, language, religion, and habits. But
still there is a difference in their capacities and feelings,
which is perhaps more owing to the peculiar mode of life
they have been pursuing for several centuries past, than
to a natural difference of disposition. They are by far
more active, intelligent, and enterprising than the other
Russians in private life, as much as in war; :.nd although
fierce towards an enemy, they are of a gentle and tractable
disposition, and candid, upright, and hospitable to the
stranger who sojourns in their land. What distinguishes
them above all from the rest of their countrymen, is their
spirit of independence and love of liberty.
They have proved of incalculable service to the Russian
government, not only in actual warfare, but also in guard-
ing its extensive frontiers, in the south and east; against the
predatory tribes which hover around them—in protecting
mercantile caravans and political missions over Mount
Caucasus, and through the steppes of the Kirghis—in con-
veying government orders, escorting prisoners, Fire. ; their
activity and strength, courage, vigilance, and fidelity being
proof against the severest trials. Armed with his pistols
and lance, tend seated on a pony as nimble and as indefati-
gable as himself, the Cossac will travel for hundreds of
miles with scanty food, and without any other rest than a
few short snatches of sleep taken on the hard ground, and
under the canopy of heaven, while his faithful animal is
grazing near. him ; and never he satisfied till his commis-
sion, whether it he the simple conveyance of a letter, or
the intercepting of a convoi, be fulfilled.
There is still another circumstance in which they have
been very useful to Russia, and under which they arc least
known in this country, viz. as discoverers. The vast!
countries of Northern Asia, situated between the Ural'`
mountains and the Eastern Ocean, the Arctic Sea anti the I
river Amoor, now known by the general name of Siueria,
were all discovered and rendered tributary to Russia by
Cossacs ; and that at a period, when the monarchy itself
(during the 17th century), struggling against the imbecility"
of its rulers and the rude attacks of foreign invaders, was on ii
the point of being dissolved. A few of tht se adventurers:,
encouraged by some Russian merchants, and followed by
some hundreds of vagabonds from all parts of the country,
[ conquered the country as far as Tobolsk, before they re-
.
r coved any aid from government. A few hundred of them
even effected a settlement on the banks of the Amoor,
1 bearding the power of tkonsands of Chinese and Tartars,
and would perhaps have extended their conquests far into
Mongolia, had they been properly assisted. In short, we
may say---as Providence bestows on every country that
which its climate and situation seem most to require, so it
gave to Russia her Cossacs, without whom she would have
remained a prey to the Tartars, and could even now scarcely
subsist as an empire.

CORN EXCHANGE, WED;EBDAT, Ave. 31.

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