The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

THE DOX COSSACKS. 433families, Saxon and Swabian emigrants often becoming free lances of tlio desert inthe far East.As soon as their association was constituted the Cossacks recognised thesupremacy of Muscovy ;but although accepting the protection of Ivan IV. in1570, they long repeated their proverb, "The Czar reigns in Moscow, theCossack on the Don." Associated with all the vicissitudes of Eussian history,was they who, under Yermak, effected the conquest of Siberia, and stemmed theitadvance of the Turk in the south-east. Like those of the Dnieper, the DonCossacks, grouped here and there in stanitzas, had chosen for their rallying-pointsespecially those islands surrounded by shallows, sedge, and willow marshes, acrosswhich it was difficult to pursue them. But the Tatar stronghold of Azov was athorn in their side, preventing them from securely holding the islands of the Don.They seized it for a time in 1574 and 1637, and again, by the aid of Peter theGreat, in 1696. But now they fell into the hands of the Czars, who, ever mistrustfulof their power, founded in 1731 the fortress of Eostov in a district whichhas ever since remained detached from the Cossack territory. Even before thisevent they had already lost their independence, for Peter the Great, annoyed attheir reception of the fugitives from Central Eussia, crushed their revolt withpitiless severity. He razed their villages, " hewed down their men, impaledtheir chiefs," destroying 7,000, and driving large numbers to seek a refuge inthe Kuban district and Turkey.The customs of the various Don Cossack groups depend more on the differenceof their surroundings than on that of origin. Those dwelling north of the Donand Medveditza junction are nearly all settled agriculturists, for here are the rich" black lands " of Central Eussia. Those of the Lower Don, where the soil is lessfertile, limit themselves to the cultivation of their orchards and vineyards, orengage in fishing, horse-breeding, trade, industry, and salt mining. Amongstboth branches their original military organization grows yearly less suitable totheir present social pursuits. They are all grouped in regiments, being enrolledin their seventeenth year, or else taking part in the administration in accordancewith the military regulations.A large portion of the land stretching north-west of the Don Cossack territoryhad also a Cossack organization. This region comprises the actual governmentof Kharkov, with the adjacent parts of Kursk and Yoronej. Long forming partof the Muscovite states, these lands had remained almost uninhabited when theywere set apart as a place of refuge for the Little Eussian colonists fleeing from theirPolish masters. These colonists founded the " Cherkassi " Cossack slobodas,according to the still current Muscovite expression. They also enjoyed a certainautonomy, and were formed in regiments, but without any federal association.Their organization was abolished in 1765, when the Little Eussian Hetmanshipwas also suppressed. Many were even made serfs, and found themselves associatedwith the Great Eussian serfs introduced into the country by theirMuscovite masters. In many villages the two races are now found living inseparate quarters, which often present the most striking contrasts : on one side