The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-08-01
The Crar's wild Cavalry.

! A Kesche aesf correspondent writes;
The Cossacks are divided Into sew.
eral corps-the Cossacks Of the Don,
the Cossacks of the Ukraine, the Cos
sacks of the Caucasus, etc. Each OF
these divisions has q chief. who ia
called an ataman and holds the rank
Of general, and all the Cossaeks of
the empire are united under a single
chief, who has the title of "ataman
general" This latter title always
devolves upon the hereditary grand
duke. The Cossack clothes and
equips himself, and his uniform and
his horse belong to himself. He
wears a large, round, low cap made
of skin from Astrakan. wide panta-
loops, stuffed into his boots and reach.
ing Just below his knees, the whole
covered by a kind of overcoat, but.
toning on the back, and having three
long flaps reaching to the feet and
fastening on the full length. On bis
breast, to the left and right in yerti-
cal cases, be carries six cartridges at
each side. In his belt be carries a
poniard. A baldr:ck hangs from his
right shoulder and passes to the lief.
side, where it supports a long saber,
in q leather scabbard. Ga bis back,
hanging from a bandoleer and wrap
ped in a case made of goats skin, he
carries his rifle. The Cossack al
ways carries in bis hand q whip, with
a short lash, which he calls kinjal.
His horse is small and rather ugly,
and, though be is made of good stuff,
his form is somewhat angular. To
form an idea of the Cossack saddle,
imagine an ordinary saddle upon
which would be fastened by a strap
a square leather cushion about four
inches high. This is the reason that
at FIRST sight one is so much surprised
to see this curious looking cavalier
perched up 50 high on his saddle.
He sticks on bis horses back by stick
ing his knees into the animals sides
with all his strength, which gives his
legs the appearance Of pair of pinch
ers. The stirrup is an equally curl
Gus thing. The bottom is thick and
round enough, but from that up it re-
sembles very much one Of those tin
boxes in which preserves are sold.
1t has been already said that the
Cossaek's horse is his personal prop
erty, and it may be added that be
turns il TO business account by hiring
it out. Since the arrival Of the troops
at Kiscbeneff they have been the de-
light Of the collegians. who for q rou-
BILE an hour, have been enabled TO
make ~promcnades on horseback in
bands Of these valiant little animals.
At the time of my arrival the squad
ron of Cossacks was massed in q heap
in a corner. One of them started at
a gallop and threw his cap into the
middle of the square. Immediately
ell the others precipitated themselves
forward at a headlong gallop and en-
deavored to pick up the cap either
with the hand or the whip or by
Jumping to the ground. 1t was q
scene of general confusion, during
which the eye could scarcely distin.
guish horses from men. All this is
accompanied by cries which do not
cease until some horseman by an
adroit maneuver has managed to OBJ.
tain possession of the trophy. Then
they all start of again, flashing their
horses with all their might for it is a
curious fac. that during the whole
time the Cossack is mounted be beats
his horse without q moments cessa-
ton. The reader must not suppose
that it is necessary tina. the Cossack
must form n Of a band in order
that he may give play to his fanta-
sizes. Sometimes when he is alone he
lets himself run into certain eccentric
tiles, Of which | will give an exam
pie.
| was break fasting in a restaurant
when all on q sudden the door open
ed with a loud noise and a Cossack
rushed in like a hurricane. After
promenading noisily around the tables
he pulled up bis horse before one Of
the guests and placed the animals
nos on q plate of green salad which
had just been brought out and which
the horse ate with great celebrity.
Then man and horse departed just as
they came, without any person, not
even the proprietor of the establish
ment, saying Q single word. Per-
haps 1t was because the Cossack held
in his hand a kinjoi, whose strokes
would cost him nothing. Later on /
spoke Of this incident to the aid-de-
camp of an stsmsn, wbo simply
laughed AID said: "What surprises
me is that the Cossack did not make
his horse get up on o table" Seeing
that | vas astonished he called al
Cossack who was waiting 10 the yard.
The soldier came in on horseback
without hesitating. The officer spoke
but a single word and in less time
than it takes me to write it the Co.'S
sack made his horse mount the bill.
lard table. 1 insisted on no more.
for this experience was enough to edi-
fy me. AS much will be said of Cos
Jacks in this war it may be we'll to
give an account of this peculiar cav
airy. However astonishing may be
the acts attributed to them the read
er may accept the statement with
confidence for the truth OF the sto-
ries can be established by good evil
dence. Already they have made
hitherto unhesrd ofmarches, and they
win be the'feal heroes of the events
about to commence.
The reader has observed. no doubt.
thst in every wal attention is concen-
tfated on some one fact. In the Cri.
mean war the Zouaves were the
startling novelty. In 1859. in Italy,
1t was riAed cannon. IL 1870 the
Ublans. In the Bulgarian insurrec-
ton of last yeaf the Bashi- Bazouks
were the feature Of great interest.
This year the Cossacks win play
.lesdilg part. They siu sneountes
the f4Boss BashiHssouks, whom the
Turks vili rot fsil 70 put in the i'd
vance guards. We shall then zoe III
the Turkish irregulars exhibit As