Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-10
REMARKABLE RIDE
MADE BY COSSACKS
Troops Which Joined British on
Tigris Made Fast Time in
Enemy's Country.
MET WITH NO OPPOSITION

Correspondence of The Associated Press.)
Petrograd, July 29.-The remark
able ride by squadron OF Cossack.
who succeeded in effecting junctio,
between the Russian troops in tn,
neighborhood of Kermanshah and tn,
British on the Tigris, as has previous
ly been mentioned in these dispatches
was made at the rate of twenty-foul
miles a day, for seven and a half days
over 1870 miles of extremely noun
famous region which made tn,
achievement an exceptional one.
The squadron-or sotnia-consistet
of five officers. ITO men and Il;
horses, and left Mahidasht, twent,
miles southwest of Kermanshah, or
the evening of May 8 and arrived al
AID Charbi on the Tigris on the 18th
there having been, in addition to the
actual riding time, a two and hall
days halt.
The track was frequently Difficult,
even for pack-transport, and number
OF rugged passes--some OF them NOR.
than 5000 feet high-had to be negoti
ated; enemy forces were likely to be
met with at amy moment and the en-.
tire country traversed was infested
with war-like TRIBES whose attitude
at best was decidedly doubtful. Never,
theless no actual opposition was en-.
countered, though stray shots at long
range did occur, and on one occasion
the sotnia entered village just hall
an hour after superior hostile force
had left it. This force is said to have
numbered about $50 mounted tribes.
men accompanied by German officers
Three days rations we're carried to
start with, and. when these were con.
sumed, the troops lived entirely on
the country, purch sing barley, flour
rice and sheep from the villagers. No
sickness occurred among the men, but
two horses fell over precipies and five
Others died of exhaustion, or Of thirst
during the last twenty-five miles OF
desert between the foothills and the
River Tigris.
Cossaeks Are Hardy Riders.
Throughout the whole enterprise
mobility played role of paramount
importance, and the high degree OF
this quality displayed by the Cos
sack on this as on other occasions
may be ascribed to a variety of causes.
He is hardy man VII, has spent his
life roaming about the steppe on
horseback. This has taught him to
rough it, to look after himself and to
become an expert forager. He habi-
tually eats little and is accustomed to
long marches on short commons.
On his person he has his rifle, his
sabre, his water bottle, his haversack
and sixty rounds Of ammunition. His
great coat, watercoat, waterproof
sheet and horseblanket are carried
rolled behind the saddle, while the
food for his mount is contained in a
pair of wallets that will take fifteen
pounds of grain. The remainder Of
his outfit consists OF 240 rounds OF
ammunition, four horseshoes, one
days bread, three days groceries, one
pound of bully beef, shirt. pair of
drawers, a curry-comb and brush, all
OF which go into saddlebags attached
behind the stirrup-leathers.
He rides with straight leg on a
narrow saddle much lighter than or
binary. On the arrival at Ali Charbi
the Cossacks were warmly welcomed
by the British troops and made as
comfortable as the exigencies of war
permitted and il is noteworthy that
though they reached camp after night
fall, the Cossacks disported them
selves with song and dance till | a. m,
before seeking their rest.
After couple OF days respite from
their long journey, the commander of
the squadron and two of his officers
were invited to Basrah to meet Sir
Percy Lake, commanding the army in
Mesopotamia. During their stay at
Basrah the officers were decorated
with the British military cross by or
der of King George.