264 



COSSACKS. 



Co<s:\ck' 



Women. 



Manners 

 and cus- 

 toms. 



engaged, they put it under the arm, and direct it with 

 great dexterity; when retreating, they rest it on the 

 shoulder, opposing its point to the pursuing enemy. 

 The Cossacks are well adapted for desultory warfare. 

 They are very hardy, contented with scanty subsist- 

 ence ; and can take the field every day without inter- 

 mission. They are encumbered neither with artillery, 

 baggage, nor store-waggons. A piece of felt serves 

 for their cloak, their tent, and their bed, and they feed 

 their horses upon whatever they can find. They are 

 seldom disciplined to attack in squadron, but act only 

 as skirmishers, and are indefatigable in harassing the 

 enemy. The}' particularly excel as patrols, are remark- 

 able for their vigilance in outposts and their knowledge 

 of the country ; and from habit and practice they can 

 discover the movements of the enemy far beyond the 

 reach of usual observation, and by applying their ears 

 to the ground, can distinguish the approach of an army 

 at a very considerable distance. Indeed the Cossacks 

 constitute the most useful and effective troops in the 

 Russian armies ; and, when let loose on a flying enemy, 

 are most destructive. In the Austrian campaign of 

 1805, seventy-two regiments of 560 men each, under 

 General Platof the Ataman of Tcherchaskoy, were or- 

 dered to join the armies, but they arrived too late for the 

 battle of Austerlitz. There were present in that battle 

 O'OO Cossacks, who suffered dreadfully, as they were 

 for some time the only cavalry with the Russian army; 

 and, before the Emperor joined Kutusof, had lost almost 

 all their horses with fatigue. In the campaign of last 

 year (1812), however, they have been more successful, 

 and greatly contributed to the destruction of the French 

 army. See Russia. 



The Cossack women are in general beautiful, but ra- 

 ther singular in their dress. Matrons wear an immense 

 cap, resembling the mitre of a Greek bishop, bespan- 

 gled with jewels, or covered with flowers, with the hair 

 tucked under it; but girls have merely an Indian hand- 

 kerchief wrapped round the head, with their hair plait- 

 ed and hanging down the back. They all wear trow- 

 sers which reach to the ancles, and over them a silk or 

 cotton tunic. In their domestic employment they go 

 barefooted, but when in full chess they have slippers 

 and stockings of yellow morocco. White linen is scarce- 

 ly used, except among the poor, the shifts of the rich 

 being commonly made of dyed cotton or Asiatic silk- 

 stuffs, either of a yellow or blue colour. Other parts 

 of their dress that are seen, are generally of muslin. 



The Cossacks have been long considered by the other 

 inhabitants of Europe as semi-barbarians, both in their 

 manners and dispositions ; and, indeed, they are still 

 represented in that light by the Russians, who, envious 

 of their privileges, attempt by every means to vilify 

 and degrade them to strangers. Professor Pallas has 

 even imbibed much of the Russian prejudice with re- 



gard to this people, and has given a very melancholy Cossacln. 

 picture of the state of society in their capital. Mr — "V" ,/ 

 Tooke also describes their countenance and character as 

 entirely Russian, but rendered, by their education and 

 course of life, only more bold and resolute than the 

 Russian vulgar. Dr Clarke, however, has completely 

 removed these aspersions, and has established their 

 character as very superior indeed to any of the na- 

 tives by whom they are surrounded. In his progress 

 through their country, he met with the greatest at- 

 tention and politeness. He travelled with greater 

 security, and was less exposed to impositions and 

 insult than ever he had experienced among the Rus- 

 sians. At the first stanitza which he visited, the 

 Ataman gave up his own house entirely to his use, 

 which was well stocked with provisions and luxuries of 

 every kind ; and when he offered some remuneration 

 for the accommodation which he had received, he was 

 told that " Cossacks do not sell their hospitality." He 

 every where found a brave, lively, and hospitable peo- 

 ple, was pleased with their appearance, and admired 

 their independence. " Polished in their manners, in- 

 structed in their minds, hospitable, generous, disinte- 

 rested, humane and tender to the poor, good husbands, 

 good fathers, good wives, good mothers, virtuous daugh- 

 ters, valiant and dutiful sons ; such," says he, " are 

 the natives of Tcherchaskoy. * In conversation the 

 Cossack is a gentleman ; for he is well-informed, free 

 from prejudice, open, sincere, and honourable." — " The 

 manners of the people," says Mr Heber, " struck us, 

 from then- superiority to the Russians, in honesty and 

 dignity. A lieutenant at Petersburgh, once begged 

 alms from us, bowed himself to the ground, and knock- 

 ed his head on the floor. A lieutenant here, (Tcherchas- 

 koy), who was imprisoned, and also begged, made 

 the request in a manly and dignified manner, and thank- 

 ed us as if we had been his comrades. They are, how- 

 ever, indolent, and fond of pleasure ; violent when ir- 

 ritated, and vehement in their amusements. Some of 

 them live in great affluence, and enjoy the refinements 

 and luxuries of the most polished and civilized nations. 

 The custom of drinking toasts, and of rising to pledge 

 the security of the cup-bearer, as also the more ancient 

 one of bowing and congratulating any one who hap- 

 pens to sneeze, are very prevalent among this people ; 

 and though the poorer classes have plenty of excellent 

 food, and as much brandy as they can drink, yet the 

 greatest order and harmony are maintained in their 

 stanitzas. In Tcherchaskoy, the inhabitants are very 

 gay and social. They have frequent balls and parties 

 of pleasure ; and they had once a theatre, but it is now 

 prohibited. The Cossack dance resembles very much 

 the English hornpipe, but it is accompanied by whist- 

 ling, and by short and sudden shrieks. They move 

 the head from one shoulder to the other, whUe the 



" Professor Pallas, who spent only one day at Tcherchaskoy, has given us a very different account of its inhabitants. " I oannot 

 speak favourably," says he, " of the moral character of its inhabitants, whether male or female. A continual habit of good living, 

 indolence, and debauchery, the natural consequences of the superfluity which the excellent possessions of this free militia afford, have 

 thoroughly corrupted their manners, and their ancient simplicity has been almost entirely superseded by luxury. Here, as in other 

 countries, the capital is the seat of corruption, which gradually infects the mass of the people The distinctions and privileges, which 

 have in later times been too liberally granted to the higher ranks, have rendered these, as well as the people, proud and insolent. 

 The former, who have established villages on the beautiful tracts of land granted to them on the eastern bank of the Don, and en- 

 couraged vagrants to settle there, endeavour to oppress the poorer class of inhabitants, by imposing upon them all the burthens of 

 military duty ; though they spare the more wealthy, whose common interest it is to deprive the latter frequently even of the pay- 

 ments due for their services. The discontent resulting from this conduct is construed by their superiors, into want of obedience and 

 mutiny, so that it is productive of additional oppression. Thus a people naturally well disposed, and who have hitherto been very 

 useful to Russia in furnishing the empire with light troops, are continually more injured in their free constitution, and daily shew 

 greater aversion to military service; while their affluent governors lire in the most voluptuous indolence and immorality." PallaS 

 ■ J'rux: vol. i. p. 4C9. 



