DON COSSACKS. 
365 
them are exceedingly costly. Great part of their 
regalia was burned in one of the terrible confla- — 
grations to which their town has been exposed ; 
and among the things then lost, were some 
presents from Peter the Great. There still 
remained one of his gifts, very characteristic of 
that extraordinary man. Among the rich staves 
of ebony, silver-headed, and magnificently 
adorned, which different sovereigns have sent 
to be borne by the Ataman, there appeared 
one which was destitute of any other ornament 
than what Nature had bestowed. Of this they 
were more proud than of all the rest. It was 
like the club we see usually represented with 
the Figure of Hercules ; that is to say, of plain 
unadorned wood, although covered with sturdy 
knots, and calculated for the hands of a giant. 
In the same church was also suspended the 
singular picture of “ The Virgin with the Bleeding 
Cheek," but with a remarkable addition to the 
usual representation. Below the figure of the 
Virgin, a hand appeared painted of the natural 
size, as if it had been cut off and fastened to 
the picture : a knife also was placed by the hand. 
They related, that a priest having struck a 
picture of the Virgin, wounded her in the cheek, 
which ever afterwards continued to bleed; but 
immediately the blow was made, the hand of 
