Beauplan.
[How the Cossacks choose their General.]
_(page_21_crop).jpg)
It remains that we perform what we promis'd before, which is, how the Cossacks choose their General, as also how they make their Excursions, crossing all the Black Sea even to Anatolia, to make War upon the Turks. Thus it is they choose their General: when all the old Colonels and antient Cossacks, who are in efteem among them, are assembled together, every one gives his Vote for the Man he thinks fittest for the Employment, and he that has most Voices carries it. If he that is chosen will not accept of the place, excusing himself as being incapable of it, or for want of Experience, or his great Age, that does him no good, for they make no other answer, but that he is not worthy of that Honour, and immediately kill him upon the spot as a Traitor; and it is they themselves that are treacherous in so doing, which you may remember I said they were when I spoke of their Manners and frequent Infidelity. If the Cossack elected accepts of the Generalship, he thanks the Assembly for the Honour done him, tho unworthy and uncapable of that Post, yet protests he will use his utmost Endeavours to become worthy to serve them either in general or in particular, and that his Life shall be always expos'd for the Service of his Brethren (so they call one another): Having spoke these words, they all shout, Vivat, vivat, &c. then they go in order to pay their Respects to him, and the General gives them his Hand, which is the manner of saluting one another among them.
This is the manner of choosing their General, which is often done in the Desert Plains. They are very obedient to him, and in their Language he is call'd Hettman. His Power is absolute, and he can behead and impale those that are faulty. They are very severe, but do nothing without the Council of War, which they call Ruds. The General may fall into Disgrace if he have not such Conduct when he leads them out to War that no Disaster befal them, and if he does not appear brave and politick upon any unexpected or unlucky Accidents; for if he commits any act of Cowardice, they kill him as a Traitor. Immediately they choose another among themselves in the usual manner, as was said before. It is a troublesom Employment to lead and command them, and unfortunate to him it falls upon; for during seventeen years I serv'd in the Country, all that had this Post dy'd miserably.
[How the Cossacks go out to rob on the Black Sea.]
When they intend to go to Sea, it is without the King's leave, but they take it of their General, and then they hold a Ruds, that is, a Council, and choose a General to command them during that Expedition, observing the same Ceremonies we have mention'd in the Election of their great General, but this now chosen is but for a time. Then they march to their Sczabeuisza Worskowa, that is, their place of rendevouz, and there build Boats about 60 foot long, 10 or 12 foot wide; and 12 foot deep; these Boats have no Keel, but are built upon Bottoms made of the Wood of the Willow about 45 foot in length, and rais'd with Planks 10 or 12 foot long, and about a foot broad, which they pin or nail one over another, like the common Boars upon Rivers, till they come to 12 foot in height, and 60 in length, stretching out in length and breadth the higher they go. This will be better understood by the rough Draught I have inserted here.You
