The Beaufort tribune and Port Royal commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1877-1879, 1877-06-28
THE CZAR'S WILD CAVALRY.
Freaks OF the Untamed COssacks-How they
Ride and Play-Horses that can Mount n
Table,

A Kischeneff correspondent writes
"The Cossacks are divided into several
corps-the Cossacks of the Don, the
Cossacks of the Ukraine, the Cossacks OF
the Caucasus, etc. Each of these divis-
ions has chief, who is called an ataman
and holds the rank of general, and all the
Cossacks of the empire are united under
single chief, who has the title of the
"ataman general" This latter title
always devoives upon the hereditary
grand duke. The Cossack clothes and
euuips himself, and his uniform and his
horse belongs to himself. He wears a
large, round, low cap made of skin from
Astrakan, wide pantaloons. stuffed into
his boots and reaching just below his
knees, the whole covered by kind of
overcoat, buttoning on the back, and
having three long flaps reaching to the
feet and fastened On the full length. On
his breast, to the left and right in vertical
cases, he carries six cartridges at each
side. In his belt he carries poinard.
A baldrick hangs from his right should
er and passes to the left side, where it
supports long saber in leather scab-
bard. On his back, hanging from ban
doleer and wrapped in case made of
goats skin, he carries his rifle. The
Cossack always carries in his hand a
whip, with short lash, which he calls
kinial. His horse is small and rather
ugly, and, though he 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 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 so high on
his saddle. He sticks on his horses
back by sticking his knees into the ami
mails sides with all his strength, which
gives his legs the appearance of q pair OF
pinchers. The stirrup is an equally
curious thing. The bottom is round and
thick 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 Cossack's
horse is his personal property, and it
may be added that he turns it to bust
ness account by hiring it out. Since the
arrival of the troops at Kischeneff they
have been the delight of the collegians,
who, for rouble an hour, have been
enabled to make promenades on horse
back in bands on these valiant little
animals.
At the time of my arrival the squadron
of Cossacks was massed in heap in
corner. One of them started at gallop
and threw his cap into the middle OF the
square. Immediately all the others
pyecipitated themselves forward at a
headlong gallop and cndeavored to pick
up the cap either with the hand or the
whip or by jumping to the ground. 1t
was scene of general confusion, during
which the eye could scarcely distinguish
horses from men. All this is accom-
panied by cries which do not cease till
some horseman by an adroit maneuvre
has managed to obtain possession of the
trophy. Then they all start off again,
lashing their horses with all their might,
forit is curious fact that during the
whole time that the Cossack is mounted
he beats his horse without moments
cessation. The reader must not suppose
that it is necessary that the Cossack
must form one of band in order that
he may give play to his fantasies. Some
times when he is alone he lets himself
run into certain eccentricities, Of which
[ will give an example.
I was breakfasting in restaurant.
when all on a sudden the door opened
with loud noise and Cossack rushed
in like O. hurricane. After promenading
noisily around the tables he pulled up
his horse before one of the guests and
placed the animals nose on plate OF
green salad which had just been brought
out and which the horse ate with great
celerity. Then man and horse departed
Just as they came, without any person,
not even the proprietor of the establish
ment, saying a single word. Perhaps
it was because the Cossack held in his
hand the kinjal, whose strokes would
cost him nothing. Later on spoke Of
this incident to the aid-de-camp OF an
ataman, who simply laughed and said (,
"What surprises me is that the Cossack
did not maze his horse get up on
table" Seeing that I was astonished he
called Cossack who was waiting in the
yard. The soldier came in on horseback
without hesitating. The officer spoke
but single word and in less time than
it takes me to write it the Cossack made
his horse mount the billiard table. L
insisted on no more, for this experiment
was enough to edify me. AS much will
be said of Cossacks in this war it may be
we'll to give an account of this peculiar
cavalry. However astonishing may be
the acts attributed to them the reader
may accept the statement with con-
fidence for the truth of the stories can
be establishe9by good evidence. Already
they have made hitherto unheard OF
marches, and they will be the real
heroes of the events about to commence.
The reader has observed, no doubt,
that in every war attention is concen-
trated on some one fact. Inthe Crimean
war the zouaves were the startling
novelty. In 1859, in Italy, it was rihed
cannon. In 1870 the Uhlans. In the
Bulgarian instruction of last year the
Bashi- -Bazouks were the feature of great
interest. This year the Cossacks will
play leading part. They will encounter
the famous Bashi-Bazouks, whom the
Turks will not fail to put in the advance
guards. We shall then see if the Turkish
irregulars exhibit as much readiness to
meet and destroy an armed enemy as to
butcher women and children.
The interesting thing about Miss Caroline
Sulivant, Boston bride, is given as follows:
"When the Grand Duke Alexis visited this