The Portland daily press., 1877-06-04
The March OF the Cossaeks.

The bucharest correspondent of the London
standard, who has been giving US the liveliest
pictures of that luxurious and immoral town,
oescrloes turnout of those legendary horse
men, the Cossacks of the Don, the other day.
at Tue Ohausee near the city. All Bucharest
was there TO see. The Cossacks usually march
under nags OF their own, dedicated to certain
saints, but when the faith is menaced they
bring out the holy banner, and delare jebad
or religious war. This they have now done.
and all the sotnias marched under the Greek
cross upon ground of different colors. After
the Cossacks in this days parade came the
Demldott Huzzars, the regiment of which the
Prlncess Demidof is colonel. She rode at the
head of the regiment and was accompanied by
young girl in full sol1ier's uniform, the Prin-
cess wearing skirt. BY the side of the ladies'
rode the acting colonel, and they created
great sensation. Bat we must quote what the
correspondent says of the Cossacks and the Blu.
charest ladies':
The Chaussee was crowded with pretty wo.
men, chattering gaily from carriage to carriage
across the avenue. Gentlemen filled the side
paths, making innumerable cigarettes and gos-
siping in the shade. A charming sight it was
as drove up, the brilliant summer toilettes
hoWlng down to the very carriage wheels, the
Whlte necks soutstretched in pretty impatience
70 oehold the coming lines. chequers of hot sun
SHINE falling upon eager faces through the pale
lines above, and the strawberries on either side
all pink with blossom. Our brief spring is
ended almost before it had begun. A fortnight
since ladies still shivered in fur, whilst to-day
they are wearing low dresses of muslin and
ianguldly bemoaniug the heat. No spectacle
less interesting than real sotnia of Cossacks
could nave tempted the indolent beauties of
Roumsnia out of doors betwixt sunrise and
L Wnathpr Wa hon haa
than tropical to expect hencaferward which
VIII last probably till the middle of October-a
parched, 0reathless, down pouring of sunshine
under which green dries into yellow and disap-
pears, dust lies six inches thick for yards along
the roadside and the muddiest water has its
value Thls dreary forecast of summer divides
conversation with the Cossacks At least a
dozen times one hears the sigh of resignation,
;.t Nola uonG les chaleurs qui recommencentp'
instantly followed by vivacious change of SUBJ
Jecr, Ill parait que les Cossaques sont tres gen.
ills garcons heinz"
In process of time, at the end of the long ay-
enue lined with carriages, sharp eyes behold a
denser column of dust arising. 1t thickens and
draws nearer smartly. A cry of delight and
impatlence passes all along-ladies eagerly
stand up, favored gentlemen climb upon the
eoach-box and the wheels. The column of
gust approaches and presently the Cossack
lances pierce it, glttering in the sun. Dark
and coloress masses loom through IT, and wa
become aware of a strange but stirring music.
Inc famous horsemen are almost among us be.
lore we see them, SO neutral are their colors,
andso thick the dust alseady Not a sonnd ia
heard even while they pass, except that martial
war song of the bards who head each sotnis.
and the shrill accompaniment of whistles mod
ulated to weird harmony. No rattle of accou-
trements Detrays the Cossack; his very horse
seems trained to move with silent activity
With that pae an in ones ears, and the whistles
screaming through it, one beholds without
astonlshment these warriors glide past, stealth
lily and swift One recognizes the surviving
race OF an earlier time. To the same war sonS
perhaps, marched the ancestors of these people
When they oVerran Russia. The Bucharest
ladies were little impressed and not little
frightened. They looked at each other blankly
with little shrugs of the shoulder to express
amaze and dlstaste. One of them afterwards
confessed to me that her Muscovite syupathes
vanished at sight of the first Cossack, SO ugly
and SO dirty was he. L could not agree with
her. Soldiers and officers too, are dirty on
campaign, and Antinous himself could not be
prepossessing if black with dust and bedabbled
with perspiration. But the Cossacks are by no
means so ugly as is additionally believed. A
great number have fair hair, and the NOUS
tache OF nearly all is bleached white by the
sun. Many have good features, of an English
rather than German type, and though L OBJ.
served the Tartar cheek bone to be more com.
mon than in other regiments have seen, it
was very far from being rule. AS soldiers,
tue men appeared to me most promising-tall,
well set up, full of life and spirit. They looked
about them as they went with free but not
lnsoient curiosity. Discipline was evil
IDENTIFY lax, so far as order and regu-
larity are concerned, but / should think the
men were perfectly under command. The un-
lfnrm iSss.varu Tlnlu Irae,>- sh-~.v<.
hideous ingenuity to stand nearly straight from
the back of the head, is set sideways kind of
unornamented shake, covered with torn oilskin
and provided with peak. Nothing so ugly as
this has been devised by the military tailor in
our epoch The tunic and breeches we're blue
once, L suppose, but now their color is rust
Very clumsy boots the Cossacks wear. They
have each long lance with Triangular blade,
tulwar and carbine; a certain number also
have revolvers. They carry tentes Garbri, fod-
der, ratioDs, water bucket and their very SIM
pie kit. Some were loaded up like market
women, and all had half fdozen sacks at least
hanging round their saddle Their ponies
would not hastily criticise. They do not out
wardly show those qualities with which eyery-
body credits them, and until able to speak by
experience shall not offer an opinion. They
areiridden without a curb Like all OrientalS.
the Cossack sits upon his horses shoulders,
with knees very high. The attitude looks
clumsy and uncomfortable to us, but we know
that it commends itself to some of the best
horsemen in the world