THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



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wark that protected Poland and Lithuania 

 from the Tatars, Turks, and other mi- 

 grating Orientals. As a result it has had 

 cruel taskmasters. 



The native population was largely Cos- 

 sacks — a wild and unruly people at that 

 time. They were not originally a tribe, 

 but were men who went forth into the 

 wilderness to find freedom. The vast 

 steppes, covered with grass to the height 

 of a horse, within which a multitude of 

 game lurked, lured them on. 



There were Poles and Lithuanians and 

 Russians and even Turks among them. 

 They became marvelous shots, riders, and 

 swimmers ; their horses were famous for 

 their swiftness and endurance. Their 

 differences gradually blended in a unity 

 of purpose and principle. 



PRIMITIVE GOVERNMENT REPUBLICAN IN 

 FORM 



The name Zaporogians was applied to 

 the community that was the heart and 

 soul of the great Ukraine. Their govern- 

 ment was crude, but very republican in 

 form. Each year the old officers laid 

 down their duties in the presence of a 

 general assembly, even in that day called 

 the Rada, and new ones were then chosen. 



As any member of the tribe could be 

 elevated to the highest office, it permitted 

 each one to aspire to this dignity. The 

 highest official was known as the "het- 

 man." If unpopular, he was sometimes 

 choked to death — an effective, if cruel, 

 displacement. 



They carried on an intermittent war- 

 fare with Tatars on the east, stealing 

 their cattle and occasionally sacking the 

 unprotected towns. Again, their warring 

 excursions would be directed against the 

 Turks to the southeast, in the Balkans. 

 When tired of this they turned north- 

 ward to the Slavonic population. 



These early Ukrainians were ever at 

 war with somebody and for somebody. 

 They fought with Poland against Russia, 

 with Russia against Poland, with Poland 

 against Turkey, with Turkey against the 

 Tatars. They assisted in placing an un- 

 frocked monk upon the throne at Mos- 

 cow. They were simply natural warriors 

 who rejoiced in that occupation. The 

 warrior shaved his head except for a wisp 



on the crown, which was allowed to grow 

 long enough to wind around the ears. 



Although professing the Orthodox 

 Greek faith, they were the brigands and 

 the corsairs of Christianity. Though 

 nominally subjects of Poland for a long 

 time, the Ukrainians were constantly in- 

 volving Poland in trouble with the Tatar 

 and Turkish rulers. At times they even 

 captured Polish peasants and sold them 

 as slaves to the Tatars, who in turn 

 passed them on to Persians. 



CHMIEENICKI'S TERRIBLE REBELLION 



The most serious conflict waged by 

 Poland with her rebellious Ukrainians 

 was during an insurrection under Chmiel- 

 nicki, in 1649. The massacres and cruel- 

 ties perpetrated by the half-civilized 

 hordes from the Ukraine were as bar- 

 barous as those of the American Indians 

 during the onward march of the whites. 

 The conditions existing here are vividly 

 set forth by the famous Polish novelist, 

 Henryk Sienkiewicz (who wrote many 

 other splendid books besides "Quo 

 Vadis," for which he is best known 

 among Americans), in his novels covering 

 different periods in Polish history. 



Upon the failure of his rebellion 

 Chmielnicki offered the annexation of 

 Little Russia to Moscow. This offer was 

 accepted in 1653, when it came under 

 "the suzerainty of that growing empire." 

 Always striving for complete independ- 

 ence, the Ukraine was never quite able 

 to achieve it. Two wars with Poland re- 

 sulted from that action. 



It was more than a century after its 

 incorporation before the entire province 

 was brought into complete subjection by 

 the developing Russian Empire. The 

 "hetman" was maintained for some time ; 

 but this office was abolished by the vig- 

 orous Catherine the Great, and under her 

 it became an integral part of the Empire. 



The Ukraine's experiences with war 

 and disaster would long ago have broken 

 the spirit of a race gifted with less elastic 

 temperament. There are elements in his 

 temperament that enable him to stand 

 much oppression without revolt. This 

 characteristic may help the German in his 

 attempts to make the Ukraine a subject 

 nation. 



