Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-01

THE Russian cossack. that rider
| famed for his daring and his horse
| manship. is today the most unique
of the troops engaged in the titanic
struggle in Europe. And the history Of
his rise is as interesting as his per-
sonality.
| The birth of this unique organization
was in the seventeenth century. when
what is now Russia was a vast, wild
land, inhabited by peoples of various ma
| lions, these nations constantly warning
and the strong ever depressing the weak
The heaviest taxes were on the man with
| the hoe, and the mobiles ruled the peas
ants with rod of iron. Over the land
swept the raiding troops. and then came
| the despotism of national religion
religion which imposed upon the serf
hardships at which his manhood re-
belled And from this seething pot of
discomfort there arose kind Of Russian
iknighthood known the "Kossatchestvo."
Men came in from all points to Join
this new organization. Russians, Poles
and inhabitants of the smaller Slav
states. even some of the Tartars. They
called themselves "Kossaki." which
means free men, or free warriors.
word which is old the eleventh
century. Here in the south Of Russia
they took their stand. on the steppes
which abounded in fruit. fish and game.
To procure weapons, clothing and
horses they at first attacked the Tartar
camps, and. having obtained these things,
they turned themselves to perfecting the
arts of hunting, riding and swimming,
in which sports they became adopts. Their
1o,- f1Irn featS
such as are now seen in the circus, pick
ing up a handkerchief while at full gal
Iop. jumping to different positions and
standing upright in the saddle while
ing and dashing in their way. tearing
about madly as if they enjoyed the
chase. but hardy as a Shetland pony.
The Kossaki began to help those
the helpless and drive back Turk or Tar
tar Growing by the rapid influx of dis
contented men from all parts of Russia.
they soon became large body and d.
vided into two classes-the Kossah who
lived in villages and those men who
lived in a community known as "a
porojskoe. Those of the villages lived
in town which cultivated the surround
ing lands; they paid no taxes. but de
| clared that they were the guardians
their comrades Of the Zaporojskoe. When
a boy was born the father laid a sword
beside him in his cradle. saying: Little
Kossak, here is the only thing can
give you with which to take care of
me aid the others
The nucleus about which the system
revolved was called the "Setch," which
was wooded island in the lower part
of the River Dnieper. Here was the
home of the organized Kossaki. 1t was
composed of men only--men from all
parts of the world, some of learning,
others fugitives from justice. But all
met on common footing. The law was
that of celibacy, no women being al
lowed within the limits of the place.
and any Kossak who brought one in
was put to death. But 1t grew from
refugees. from men from all nations
and from the boys who were sent there
by the village kosSaki Schools were
conducted and a rigid code of morals
which was implicitly obeyed.
Each group lived in hut formed Of
PUSHES covered with thick layer of
clay. occasionally horse skim cover
ing the whole. 1t had one long room
capable of holding several hundred
men. dirt floor. a primitive fireplace.
at one end in which the cooking was
done. a long. narrow deal table by
which were hard wooden benches for
seats. Weapons adorned the walls and
there were also accommodations for
bedding. The food was mainly fish and
plain flour bread, a cruel of some
cereal and a sweet dish made of dried
conner received a new name. There was
no compulsory drill, only a few elected
officers. and over each hundred men was
one Kossak in command. These men
were famed for their honesty. which
soon became known throughout the
world
On the outer edge of the Setch was a
fringe of huts which was inhabited by
Jews and Tartars. who did most of the
work, such as sewing, baking. forging
and making ammunition. but even here
no woman was allowed. These traders
were not Kossaks, but hawkers who
swarmed to do the work which the war
riors disdafned. Drink was in album
dance, but never in war times, for then
drunkenness was crime. Scattered