The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1912-06-07
KN0UT And NAME
About All That Now Remain OF
the Original Cossacks.
CODE OF THE FIRST TRIBES.
One Class Lived In tho Villages, tho
Other In q Sort Of Monastery, and All
Were Free Warriors, Self Appointed
Guardians Of the People.

Guardians Of the People.
Wherever Russia has fight on hand
there bobs up promptly to do her bid.
ding the Cossack. This right arm OF
the car has not the best Of reputa-
tions. Illustrated papers picture him a
savage scarecrow mounted on wiry
looking animal, and his chief occupa-
ton is apparently the knitting and
knoutng of harmless people. Yet he
comes of good stock.
Once upon time there drifted into
southwest Russia tribe of runaways
who called themselves "Kossaki,'
which Is Tartar for free men. free
warriors or guardians. Seemingly
they lived up to the name. They pro
tected from the Tartars the peoples In
the countries which they originally had
fed from and saved thousands Of Rus
sian women and children from slavery
In Turkey. Growing In numbers and
Importance, these self appointed guard
ian angels became everywhere feared
and respected. Their military service
especially were In request Any nation
could command their help II its cause
appealed to the Kossaki code OF honor
The tribe had gradually resolved IT.
self into two classes-the village KOS
saki, who lived In their own settle
ments all over southern Russia, and
the inhabitants OF the "Setch beyond
the rapids" The former had the ad.
vantage over other country folk, as
neighboring governments were too
afraid to tax them. Between wars, to
which the call came from the Setcbr
the village Kossah titled the land. Of
an altogether different character was
the organization Of this Setch. com.
munity of about 1900 men with per
manent headquarters In a movable
settlement 0he exact location was
changed eight times In two centuries),
usually on an unapproachable Island
on the lower course of the Dnieper
The Turks once tried to rush the place
but got caught In the maze Of Islands
like rats I'm trap.
The Setch In one respect resembled
monastery. No woman was allowed
inside II. A man might not even bring
his mother or his sister. IL he did he
was hanged. Here, eager to lead the
tree and simple life among their
equals, came all sorts and conditions
OF men. Indeed, owing to the law
enjoining celibacy, the colony depend
ed for Its numbers on newcomers. al
though the village Kossah contributed
recruits. Any one could join, as rank
and riches were desplsed, and all he
had to do was to submit to laws as
follows: Chastity, the orthodox creed.
allegiance to Russia and the south
Russian dialect No reference or In
convenient questions of his past were
asked of the intending Kossak He
simply went to the elected chief and
after a brief greeting, was shown 10
his place in one of the "kureni," or
big huts. Here is thy home, three
PAGES long and two PAGES wide, and
when thou shalt die we will make it
smaller"
They had good times, though, In the
Setch. There were no maneuvers, no
organized training, no compulsory
drill. Men lay or slept In the leveled
spaces between huts. enjoying. gypsy
fashion, the freedom Of the open air.
Drink was plentiful and also tobac-
co. Great songs were sung, and there
was much playing Of stringed instru-
ments. Throughout the place a spirit
Of good comradeship prevailed. A
popular pastlme was dancing. no easy
task I'm cumbersome high boots. Cos
tunes were OF picturesque variety
The Kossak wore a mustache and on
the crown OF his head q lonesome wisp
of hair. both being worn long to en-
able him TO wind the three ends round
his ears. Each man went armed to
the teeth, and the majority carried
''nagaikas" (whlps which are still
used).
In wartime things were different
To drink was crime. Food always
plain. consisted of rations of uncooked
horseHesh Military organization was
by election OF leaders, one To every lO0
men, with n colonel In command OF Il
regiment These officers had absolute
power, but authority for only one cam
paign. Such war spells were of FIRE
Quent occurrence, so much so that the
fighting business led to the extinction
OF the tribe. Peter the Great laid
waste the Setch. Mazeppa made him
self unpleasant The Setch was again
bombarded and ruined when Its In
habitants became. some OF them. plow'
men, while others were shipped to
the orient True. there was brief re-
appearance Of the Setch. but under
different auspices and nothing like in
old times. Finally the Kossaki lands
were coniscated, and the tribe and Its
institutions gave place to serfdom and
the creation OF new nobility. The
Cossack OF today inherits little OF the
IL 49,. I.,a h. md tha