The William F. Cody Archive: Documenting the life and times of Buffalo Bill

THE FIERCE COSSACKS.

A Splendid Specimen of One of the Rough Riders of the East.

Among the most remarkable races in Europe are the Cossacks.

Both their origin as a race and the derivation of their name have been long a matter of discussion. They are a mixed race undoubtedly, and probably unite strains of the various races by whom they are surrounded. Tartars, Russians and Circassians probably amalgamated to bring forth a people who were first heard of as Cossacks in the tenth century.

They are essentially a warlike people, but of the guerrilla type and asdetached lightcavalry, have long formed a valuable adjunct of the [] A COSSACK SOLDIER. czar's army. Inured to hardship, brave though superstitious cruel and given to plunder they have still made a record for themselves for intelligence, sobriety and cleanliness far beyond that accorded their Russian neighbors.

They have too, inclined to democracy and their political constitution provided for elective officers. That of hetman was abolished by Emperor Nicholas and added to his imperial titles.

There are two great branches of the tribe, the Russian and the Don Cossacks. Living on the rivers Don and Dnieper and their islands they are expert sailors and fishers as well as horsemen. The Don Cossacks occupy a territory covering 41,886 square miles, and have nearly a million and a half of people. Some fine examples of this race were seen at Buffalo Bill's Congress of Rough Riders at the World's Fair. This series Types of the World is practically distributed free to the readers of this paper. It is only necessary to send the proper coupons and one dime to cover the cost of tubing, postage, handling, etc., and the portfolio is at the disposal of every reader.