Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-12-12
Ono Glass Lived In the Villages. the
Other In a Sort Of Monastery. and All
Were Free Warriors. Seit Appointed
Guardians Of the People.

which ia Tartar for free men. tree
warriors or guardians Seemingl,
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 ONE and children from slavery
in Turkey Growing in numbers and
Importance. these self appointed guard
ian angels became everywhere feared
and respected. Their military services
especially we're in request Any nation
could command their help If it's IN
appealed to the Kossaki code of honor
The tribe had gradually resolved H.
self into two classes-the village Kos
sak1. who lived in their own settle
ments all over southern Russia, and
the inhabitants OF the 'Setcb beyond
the rapids" The former had the ad-
vantage over other country folk, as
neighboring governments were too
afraid to tag them. Between wars, to
which the call came from the Setch,
the village Kossak1 titled the land OF
an altogether different character was
the organization Of this Setch. a COM
munity Of about $4,000 men with per
manent headquarters in a movable
settlement (the 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 in a trap.
The Setch in one respect resembled a
monastery No woman was allowed
inside it A mar might not even bring
his mother or his sister. If 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 it's numbers on newcomers. al.
though the village Kossaki contributed
recruits. Any one could join. as rank
and riches were despised. and all be
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 to
his place In one of the ''kureni," or
big butts. 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 pastime was dancing, nc easy
task in cumbersome high boots. Cos.
tunes were of a picturesque variety.
The Kossak wore a mustache and on
the crown OF his head a lonesome wisp
of hair. both being worn long to en-
able him to wind the three ends round
his ears. Each man vent armed to
the teeth, and the majority carried
~"nagaikas" whips which are still
used).
In wartime things we're different.
To drink vas a crime. Food. always
! plain, consisted of rations of uncooked
horse1esh. Military organization was
by election Of leaders, one to every 100
men, with a colonel in command of a
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. pillow.
men. while others were shipped to
the orient True. there was a brief re-
appearance OF the Setch. but under
different auspices and nothing like In
old times. Finally the Kossaki lands
were c~onfscated, and the tribe and it's
institutions gave place to serfdoH and
the creation of q new nobility. The
Cossack Of today inherits little of the
old traditions but the name and the
; whip.-Harper's Weekly.
This Life.
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