CURIOOS CUSTOMS OF COSSACKS.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 85, 22 October 1877, Page 2

CURIOOS CUSTOMS OF COSSACKS.

These Cossacks have sotiitJ vfery curious customs. They are all comparatively young men and nearly oil married, of course to young wives. It often happens, as in the present instance, that they are away froni'home during war for oue or even three" or four years, and the natural result is that many of the \fivesleft behind do not prove to be Lucretiils. The Cossacks are qaite aware of this, and 'many of them upon starting home,- buy a white' scarf or handkerchief, which they tako' with them. Upon entering Iheir villages the whole population —women, • girls, old' men and children'— come out to meet them, including of course, the wives of the returning wanderers. Now those of jtoe wives who have been'uilfaithful to' .£bcir lords—of which there is ■ usually a considerable sprinkling —go'forward to' their husbands, kneel down before them in-'the road, put their face's in the dust and plttee their husband's- foot upon their necks. This hJra coiiffs^on of guilt an I' at she same time a prayer for forgiveness. If the husband then covefrhis wife's•head with the white scarf it means that he forgives her, asks no'questions, and obliterates tho past. In'this case no onrhas a Tight 16 reproach the w; fa with her' inconstancy, and if any-one should be rash . enougtfto do so he would have to. count-' with the husband, Who is the protector of his wife's honor. If, on tho contrary, the white Handkerchief is not produced, the' woman " returns straight to her father's dwelling withoutf'again entering her has-;" band's dwelling, and a divorce is pronounced. Although there is generally a' considerable sprinkling of' women who' code forward to kneel down and put their faces in the diist, it rarely happens that they are not forgiven. A'very Wagical caso, however, is reported, in*which the" reverse took place. A 'returning Cossack was informed by a maliciou^neighbour . before he readied his home that his 'wife | had been unfaithful 1, wtthbutf waiting to • j see whether the guilty wotnan would come" | forward and confess her sins. The com- '; rades of the Cossack perceived 'that he j had all bf a sudden taken to drink and j dissipation, although be" was not a man^ ! given to these Tices. When he reached^ his village his wife, as he feared,' came f forward, knelt dß«u, and put her (ace ia»| tho dust for a long 'time. Two or three f tiraeahe put; his band'in his breast for the? white handkerchief, as if he were going to|. cover the repentant? woman's head— »two;" or three times the movement- was re** strained. Finally, as if driven by&suddetj impulse, he at ouce drew his sniishka, and' with one stroke severed her head fresher body. Tbe punishmeut for the crime , was two months" imprisonment, while the malicious neighbour who had taken /he trouble to inform him beforehand of/ids wife's misconduct was sent to Siberia f" three years. / !