They are gradually being more and more definitely organised, disciplined, and trained. Each man has to provide himself with clothing and equipment according to regulation, and with a horse, and keep them up during his time of service. The uniform consists in a short coat, “kasakin,” or a long one, “tcherkesska,” with a woollen shirt, “beshmet,” loose trousers, long boots, no spurs, and a fur-cap, “papasha.” Their chief weapon is a long pennonless lance, with sabre (“shashka”), pistol, or in the case of Cossacks of the Caucasus, long knives, “kinzhal,” and finally, a rifle of some sort. [Illustration: Officer of the Field Police (full dress).] [Illustration: Field Gendarme (service kit).] Their small insignificant-looking horses are not to be beaten for speed and endurance. A day journey of twenty hours is not too much for them; their hardiness is extraordinary, and the worst forage possible does not come amiss to them. [Sidenote: +Cossack Characteristics.+] A Cossack rides in the Oriental manner, _i.e._ with a loose rein, high saddle, short stirrup, and toes down; he is very fond of his horse and treats him kindly. [Illustration: Cossack of the Amour.] Their extraordinary mobility, endurance, and cleverness in getting over all obstacles of ground, particularly fit the Cossack troops for outpost and reconnaissance duty, for rapid raids and bold surprises, as well as for the pursuit of the enemy. What is also by no means their least advantage is that this mode of employing them in war would leave the regular Russian Cavalry free for actual combat in the field. The Cossack Army which best shows the Cossack peculiarities of character and organisation is that of the Don Cossacks, which numbers in peace-time, besides the Bodyguard Regiment of Cossacks, 15 regiments of Cavalry, 1 battery of Guard-Cossacks, and 7 batteries of the Line. In war-time these numbers can be considerably increased, and the whole Cossack Army would amount to 14 battalions Infantry, 136 regiments Cavalry, and 40 Horse Batteries (236 guns). This gipsy-like nation of horsemen, who eat, drink, sleep, live and die in their saddles, and, eager for plunder, either precede the Regular Army or attach themselves to it, is well known in Germany, where it appeared during the Wars of the Liberation (1806–1815). One might say with Schiller: “The rider and his swift horse are fearsome guests.” On the whole, it seems to be the fate of the Cossacks to be regarded with feelings of greater respect as enemies than as friends.