Show CZARS BEST HOPE IN COSSACKS cruel troops form most formidable figure on rulers side in the bloody riots at moscow the most formidable figure on the govern ments side was the cossack with saber and knout this sanguinary de fender of the czar Is endeavoring to beat down a fanatical populace ace into subjection when sword and whip do not suffice the cossack uses his great revolver with deadly effect but straight and unerring as the cossack Is as an equestrian sharpshooter his firearm probably Is less dreaded than his knout the cossack s whip is an instrument of torture and it la used by these semi barbarian followers of the czar with wonderful expertness generally the whip has but one thong or lash oc casio nally it has two or three the end of each thong Is loaded with a bit of iron or lead to render the pain and wound inflicted more intense A cossack has been known to pick an eye from a man s face with a blow of his knout he can split an apple on a man s head with a cut of the lash and he can snip off the burning end of a match held in a corn rades fingers but no thoughts as to accuracy of stroke govern him when confronted with a vengeful howling mob then he simply lays about him with the full strength of his lusty arm and the recipient of the blows will remember for a lifetime that he has had ai en counter with these dreaded hireling of absolutism the cossacks are said to be of tar tar origin they generally inhabit the steppes of russia about the lower don and but are bound in lesser numbers in eastern russia caucasia Cau casia and siberia ethnologists are tain as to their origin but their nude us is supposed to have consisted of refugees from the ancient limits of cussia forced by hostile invasion to adoption of military organization and later into a more or less free tribal existence they have indulged in many unsuccessful revolts against the czars ending in their subjection but they retain various privileges with regard to their military prow ess they were surrounded with a tain amount of romance like the french zouave and the prussian uhlan but the war with japan has tended to dispel much of the that attend ed their alleged exploits the cos sack was supposed to be unparalleled as a scout in tact he was supposed to be the eye and soul of the czars legions but the unpretentious caval ryman of the mikado has shown that as a scout and fighter he ranks as high it not higher than the vaunted cossack the cossack generally Is armed with a rifle without bayonet and with a sword which has no scabbard the front ranks of most cossack regiments also carry lances at the beginning of the war with japan it was eselma ted that there were regiments of cossacks of six qua drons each and eighteen of four squadrons besides fifty three independent squadrons I 1 army service with them begins at the age of 18 and lasts tor twenty years seven of which is in actual service and generally they provide most of their own equipment |