Part 18

[Footnote 7: A _cossackin_ means a Cossack's dress, which is a coat fastened by hooks down the middle of the breast, and fitting closely to the figure. It is furnished with skirts which never descend lower than the knee.]

[Footnote 8: This is a Russian custom still observed. Before a departure every one present sits down for a minute or two in silence; then all rise at once, making the sign of the cross, and invoking the protection of Heaven on the intended travellers.]

[Footnote 9: _Voevoda_, governor of a city or province.]

[Footnote 10: The pupils intrusted to the care of the _consuls_ (or elder pupils).]

[Footnote 11: A species of guitar.]

[Footnote 12:: A verst is about two-thirds of an English mile.]

[Footnote 13: Dwellings.]

[Footnote 14: _Rada_, general assembly of the Cossacks, in which every one had a voice, and which was summoned on important occasions, such as declaration of war, conclusion of peace, or the election of the _koschevoï ataman_, supreme head of the Zaporoghian commonwealth.]

[Footnote 15: Supreme chief of the Zaporoghian Ssiecha.]

[Footnote 16: The elective chief of the kooren, subordinate to the Koschevoï Ataman.]

[Footnote 17: General assembly or council.]

[Footnote 18: Different sorts of guitars, common in Little Russia.]

[Footnote 19: The Russians adorn their church images with metallic (_i.e_., copper, silver, and golden) covers, which reproduce, in basso-relievo, the painting which is placed under them, and of which nothing but the flesh parts of the painted saint (_i.e_. the face, the arms, hands, and sometimes the feet) are left visible. Some of the metallic cloths, as they are called, are very heavy and costly; upon some of them may be seen precious stones of great value.]

[Footnote 20: That is, in the western part of Little Russia, subjected to Poland and governed by an elective prince _(hetman_), confirmed in his office by the King of Poland.]

[Footnote 21: These statements, as well as the subsequent, are strictly historical. The vexations inflicted by Polish lords upon persons professing the Russian-Greek faith--not only at the times spoken of in this tale, but even within the present century--account sufficiently for the inveterate and indelible hatred with which Russians look upon Poles.]

[Footnote 22: Truly historical.]

[Footnote 23: The costume of the Polish Jews consists of a coat which goes down to the heels. On their feet they usually wear slippers. Their head is covered with a closely fitting skull cap, from beneath which on either side hands a long lock of hair which, together with their beard and mustachios, form the _sanctum sanctorum_ of their persona.]

[Footnote 24: Common people in Russia, even now, use no socks or stockings; but strips of linen, in which they wrap their feet.]

[Footnote 25: A proverbial expression still used by Russians.]

[Footnote 26: _Voevoda_--governor of a city or province.]

[Footnote 27: A dish somewhat like starch, much used in Russia by the common people.]

[Footnote 28: The catacombs of the _Peckerskoï_ (_i.e_., of the caverns) cloister at Kieff, were, like those of Rome, the places of worship and of burial of cenobites, whose relics are still preserved there by the Russians.]

[Footnote 29: The Polish Jewesses, when married, follow very strictly the prescription of their law to hide their hair and their ears; but, as a compensation for not showing their beautiful hair, and wearing no earrings, they wear wigs on their head, and pieces of cloth adorned with jewels over their ears.]

[Footnote 30: The _Ssiem_ was one of the most incongruous phenomena of the Polish administration. Every landed proprietor had a voice in this assembly, which was convoked on every important occasion: such as the election of a king, the declaration of war, the conclusion of peace, &c., &c. The _veto_ of a single member was, _de jure_, sufficient to put a stop to any political or administrative measure proposed to these assemblies; _de facto_, however, the king availed himself of the support of some powerful magnates to enforce the execution of his will; but as this was only an infringement of the law, so it never failed to excite the opposition (very often, armed) of the malcontents. No wonder, then, if the _Ssiems_, forming the supreme constituent power in the state, brought upon Poland the miseries of which the history of that country is one long and uninterrupted story.]

[Footnote 31: Polish cuirassiers wore brass helmets adorned on each side with small wings, like those allotted by mythology to the travelling cap of the Greek Hermes. Some of them, also, wore large wings fastened to their cuirass behind their shoulders.]

[Footnote 32: The ancient fashioned Polish overcoats were put on over a sleeve coat, from Which they were distinguished by their colour, and had sleeves hanging behind the shoulders, and sometimes hooked together on the back for convenience' sake.]

[Footnote 33: A very frequent practice of the Turks with their Zaporoghian prisoners was, to cover them with tar and then burn them alive.]

[Footnote 34: The _arkan_ of the Cossacks is like the lasso of the Mexicans--a rope with a running slip-knot, which is thrown over the object of the Cossack's chase (a wild horse or an enemy). The Caucasian mountaineers make use of the same instrument, and, like the Cossacks of yore, often drag their prisoners at their horses' heels with the knot round their neck or their waist--the other end of the _arkan_ being tied to the saddle. This practice involuntarily reminds one of Achilles dragging the body of Hector tied to his chariot.]

[Footnote 35: Gentlemen Officers.]

[Footnote 36: The Nakaznoï or temporary Ataman was elected for ope single campaign, during which he had the full power of the Koschevoï, and at the conclusion he resigned it to the latter.]

[Footnote 37: In the original, there follows here a list of Cossacks' names, perfectly uninteresting: and almost unpronounceable to an English reader. In several other places they have also been omitted.]

[Footnote 38: Constantinople.]

[Footnote 39: This is a usual phrase in Russian tales of olden times, when recording the deeds of knights fighting (for the most part singly) against swarms of infidels.]

[Footnote 40: The Zaporoghians had their trowsers made (when they had the means to do so) of the most costly cloth, especially red, and to express their contempt of luxury, besmeared them with tar. The _nagaïkas_ is the Cossack whip, a weapon the impression of which many a Frenchman bore on his back, after the invasion of Russia by Napoleon the Great. Its handle is not more than half a yard long, the lash, of the same length, consists of an iron wire, plaited all round with leathern thongs, terminating in a square piece of leather, about an inch in width. A blow of the nagaïka may break a bone, and a well-aimed stroke of its square end may cut out a piece of flesh.]

[Footnote 41: Heydukes (properly haydooks) formed a select body in the Polish army, and were recruited among the tallest and strongest men.]

[Footnote 42: For an account of the Sseim, see the note at page 163.]

[Footnote 43: The introduction of Popish rites into the Greek Church.]

[Footnote 44: _Boonchook_ is the name of a Turkish standard, consisting of a horse-tail nailed to a pole. The Cossacks also used them besides banners, which bore the image of the Saviour or the Virgin.]

[Footnote 45: All this is truly historical, and will be readily believed by any one in the least acquainted with the national character of the Poles.]

FINIS.