New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-18

Al<
MAGYAR CsIKOs. OR HORSEHERD.
frequently gives out. and he has to wait for
many days sometimes before the purveyor Of the
Csikos comes on his round TO replensh the stock
Of all the scattered members of this strange
brotherhood Notwithstanding these drawbacks.
the Hf.. on the puszta is possessed of a freedom
and a charm which true Magyar cannot resist.
The innate and romantic poetry of the immense.
nat landscape. green with grass with here and
there clump of low birch trees To vary it's mo-
notony il To the Csikos what the ever-rolling
waves are 70 the sailor-indispensable to his hap
plness. Courageous. robust. Indifferent to both
extreme cold and overpowering heat. the Csikos
IT, as rule Of middle height. with well cut fea-
lures a dark skin. bright and intelligent black
eyes and the ng-pointed moustache known
throughout all Europe as ia moustache Hon
grOise."
He Yields the Iasso with just rs much mastery
a. does the guacho. and To my mind surpasses
both the latter and the Western cowboy in
horsemanship. \ perfect rider he breaks in the
colts belonging 70 his herd without the assist
ance Of either curb saddle REIN bit or whip:
simply singing a rope halter over the young
animals head he conquers him by the iron pres
sure of his muscular legs and the magical skill
with which he poises his body on the back OF his
fretting curvettng steed. Hard. indeed Is the
destiny If the Hungarian Csikos. but fascinating
also in the extreme. \ little bread little salt
pork a flask Of wine. bag Of tobacco. and a
huge "pessc' made of sheepskn. the wool
being worn inside. and the exterior leather rchiy
embroidered in red. gold. yellow and blue. to
shield him from the cold winds OF the spring and
late autumn--these suffice for his comfort and
happness Nor should omit from the equip
ment Of his gypsy cart the piece OF mating
with which he shelters his fire on windy nights.
and his can Of paprika. or red pepper. with which
he eavors the national dish Of gulyas an abso-
hut. necessity to every true-born Magyar.
Passionatelv fond Of music. like all his race.
his greatest delight is when troop OF wandering
Tsigans comes his way; and an interesting
spectacle is presented when caravan of gypsies
strike a camp Of Csikos who probably understand
tn, Zingari character and ways better than
people who are not accustomed to the rowing
life 81 this plains Then is the time TO see the
Czardas or national dance in all its wild perfec-
tion The music begins with an adagiO in Hun
garian "lassie" fun Of dignity and statelness,
and ends in an allegro. "friss'' OF the utmost
preciptation not to say violence. At the outset
Of this extraordinary dance the dancer walks
about as If he were executing a minuet. oc-
casionaly bringing together with clash the
spurred heels OF his high boots; but when the
allegro commences he whrls about Wildly
emitting impassioned cries Of Ellen" and ends
bv STAMPING himself on the neck head. legs and
chest az If suddenly bereft Of his senses 1t Is
picturesque scene that is presented by a group
OF Csikos dancing to the music OF Zingari. or,
when tired out squatting on the dried-up grass
beside their horses listening TO the wailing melo-
dies horn I'm the. Tsigans' hearts-me,odies which
would make all the nightingales on earth burst
their little threats with envy could they but hear
them They play these Zingars. without effort.
without pause. blending the most inoongruous
harmonies into one stral ge bizarre. weird. yet
enhancing whole which holds one spelbound
until the hearers nerves seem to Jingle and strain
almost 10 the point of swapping like the over
strung strings OF the players volins. VINO mas
not heard the touching legend or Haikouha' the
fair Zngara girl. and of the great HeyduK
Rodoitza? This fierce Magyar warrior Is caught
by the Turks and in order to escape feigns to be
dead Suspicious Of fraud. the Moslems stick
daggers in his flesh light fire on his naked
breast and yet he does not stir nor Dreathe.
At last Haikouna the best dancer In hungary
IS sent for and with her are brought by force
fav Tsipans who are compelled to play thrill
ing Csardas When the first measures fall on
his ear. the IIeyduk opens his eyes and smiles
What fire and steel have failed TO do the music
of his country and the beauty OF woman nave
ACCOMPLISHED But 10! Hakouna sees first what
Is happening and in the whirl of her fantas'c
stems she throws her silken SCARF on Rodoit|ds
face thus saving him from cruel death
The EMPLOYERS of the Csikos are the Emperor
and the great mobiles One of the favorite pas
times Of the Austrian and especially of the Hun
garian. aristocracy is horse-breeding on MOST
extensive scale The example has been Followed
II IL true by French and also by English TERRI
toral magnates but still nowhere can one hhu
such superb private horsebreeding establishments
as In Austro- Hungary. Moreover, all the EoVerh-
mani Sind farms there are under the command
&c cavalry officers who are mostly members OF the
nobility and who conduct the art oi HORSE
breeding on scientific methods eXstihs "o""e'e
else than in the Dual Empire ABOUT iouf-ni'"'
az the horses of the imperial cavalry come iro"
Hungary and IL Is estimated that with the pres
ont breeding stock that country couIu export
,ron, 20 600 To GO 900 horses annually. Ihese
Hungarian horses are very strong, win great
Stamina and can stand fatigue combined WIFI
sbort rations hotter than most horses Dred else
,,hare whua 40 cavalry mounts they are I'M
osssd Hungary seems to have been ex-
..s,,. ora,,oa Cor the breeding and habitation
y, horses the country being almost entirely COM
posed of pine woods crossed ny '"ii-ooi ue'e'
sandy roads and OF endless stretches OF grass
land where one can gallop many and many mile
! without encountering any obstacle 70 cheek the