Origin of the Cossacks—Derivation of the Name—Invasion of Batukhan—The Tatars—Difference between Russian and Polish Cossacks—The Cossacks of the Don—Their Arms and Mode of Warfare—The first Chief of the Cossacks of the Dnieper—Union of the Cossacks with Poland—Batory—His Policy respecting the Cossacks—Their Incursions—Boats—Cruises on the Black Sea—Dissensions between the Cossacks and the Poles—Revolt of the Cossacks—Their Defeat—Sahaydatchny—Decline of the Cossacks—History of Khmielnitski—Andrew Firley—His Defence of Zbaraz—Horrors of the Siege—The friendly Arrow—Battle of Zborof—Convention of Khmielnitski with the Poles—His treacherous conduct—Deliverance of Khmielnitski—His Invasion of Moldavia—Battle of Beresteczko—Defection of Khmielnitski—The Convention with Russia—The two wild Bulls—The dying words of Khmielnitski.
The immense solitudes which spread between the Volga, the Don, and the Dnieper, between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, appear to have been, from time immemorial, the fatherland of those wandering nations and barbarian hordes who, subsisting by rapine and pillage, thundered down upon civilized Europe like an avalanche; leaving in the rear of their destructive and fearful track nought save carnage, conflagration, ruin, and despair.
Confounded and intermixed, as regards their origin, the one with the other, these predatory tribes have passed, ever since the ancient Scythians, under different names; but all bear one peculiar, distinctive, and forcibly -impressed character, both individually and in common, too indelil?le to be either obliterated or mistaken: whii&t the general resemblance observable amongst them is so decided and striking, as to preclude their being confounded with any other races; notwithstanding that a few varying shades in individual character, attributable to slight differences or modifications of general climate — the moral results of successful or of unsuccessful wars — and other accidental circumstances influencing the destiny of so numerous and widely- extended a race of barbarian adventurers, may have caused some disparity in the general features of resemblance otherwise recognizable among them.
The origin of the Cossack tribes is lost in the obscurity of ages; and many celebrated historians are still divided in opinion as to whence the term Cossack, or rather Kosaque, is properly to be derived. This word, indeed, is susceptible of so many etymological explanations, as scarcely to offer for any one of them decided grounds of preference. Everything, however, would seem to favour the belief that the word Cossack, or Kosaque, was in much earlier use in the vicinity of the Caucasus than in the Ukraine.* It is possible that the Kotzagery and the Kosarts may claim some sort of affinity with the primitive ancestors of the ancient Kosaques, with whom they are occasionally confounded; nevertheless, it is not until long afterwards, that the Pelooses or the Komans can be reasonably considered as the true stock of the Kosaque race, from whom the Mamelukes also derive their origin. Sherer, in his " Annals of Russia Minor/' (La Petite Russicj) traces back the origin of the Cossacks to the ninth century; but he does not support his assertion by any facts clothed with the dignity of historical truth. It appears certain, however, that the vast pasture lands between the Don and the Dnieper, the country lying on the south of Kiow, and traversed by the Dnieper up to the Black Sea, was the principal birthplace of the Cossacks.
When, in 1242, Batukhan'' came with five hundred thousand men to take possession of the empire which fell to his share of the vast inheritance left by Tchingis V Khan, he extirpated many nations and displaced many others. One portion of the Komans flying from the horrors of this 'terrific storm, and arriving on the borders of the Caspian Sea, on the banks of the la'ik, (now Ouralsek,) turned to the left, and took refuge between the embouchures of that river, where they dwelt in small numbers, apart from their brethren, in a less fertile climate. These were, incontestably, the progeni- tors of the Cossacks of the laik, who are, historically scarcely important enough for notice; and who;, obscure and ignoble, were supported chiefly from the produce of their fisheries, and the plunder acquired during their predatory excursions. In religion they were rather idolaters than Christians.