COSSACKS, tribes who inhabit the south ern and eastern part of
Russia, paying no taxes, but performing instead the duty of
soldiers. Nearly all of them belong to the Graeco-Roman Church,
to which they are strongly attached, and to the observances of
which they are par ticularly attentive. They must be divided
into two principal classes, both on account of their descent and
their present condition — the Cos sacks of Little Russia and
those of the Don. Both classes, and especially those of the Don,
have collateral branches, distributed as Cossacks of the Azov,
of the Danube, of the Black Sea, of the Caucasus, of the Ural,
of Orenberg, of Siberia, of the Chinese frontiers and of As
trakhan. Writers are not agreed as to the origin of this people
and of their name, but they are believed to be of mixed
Caucasian and Tartar race. In personal appearance the Cossacks
bear a close resemblance to the Russians, but are of a more
slender make, and have features which are decidedly more
handsome and expressive. Gen erally