The Tatars paid no tribute to the Porte. But in time of war, against what enemy soever, they were bound to join the Ottoman commanders with all their disposable troops, supplying themselves with provisions and accoutrements, for which service they had right and title to all the booty obtainable in the enemy's country. In consequence of this impolitic arrangement, they usually separated from the main body of the army, and divided into large freebooting parties, plundering wherever they came. No war was to be engaged in by the khans, and no peace concluded, without permission from the sultans. The latter maintained at their own expense a regiment of four thousand men to serve as the life-guard of their vassals, a menace as well as a protection. Turkish garrisons were likewise stationed at Perekop, Koslof, Arabat, Yenikale, Azof, Otchakow, and Kinburn. The two last-named points, on opposite sides of the mouth of the Dnieper, were strongly fortified. The more powerful khans could bring armies of 200,000 men into the field. The Tatar cavalry usually formed the right wing of the Turkish army. In early times the sabre, bow, and arrow, were the principal weapons; in later, the lance, buckler, and pistol. The lasso was thrown with admirable precision. Horns of cattle served as substitutes for the bugle, and made an indescribable clang, owing to their number. The distant sound was recognised at once by Poles, Hungarians, and Germans, as betokening the approach of the wild Tatars. In peace, the military spirit was fostered by martial games, and popular war-songs. Sham fights and mock sieges were common pastimes. On these occasions, to guard against feuds arising from inadvertent injúry, the contending parties were previously sworn on the Koran not to allow accident to give birth to resentment. The following has been given as the literal translation of a popular warsong: ·1 "Fling high! oh, fling high! To the bright blue sky, The banner that led Our forefathers dead. To battle! to battle! to battle! "Let the bones of the slain 66 Make white the broad plain, And earth be thou red With the blood that's shed. To battle! to battle! to battle! Bring here, oh, bring here, The sword and spear, The poniard and bow, We'll rush on the foe. To battle! to battle! to battle! "Hope, like a bright star, Their country to save. To battle! to battle! to battle! "May each glittering tear, On our heroes' bier, Gem the deathless crown Of their bright renown. To battle! to battle! to battle!" The Turks have their sacred national flag,-the Sandjak Sheriffe,- said to have come down from the founder of Islam, and only brought out on great occasions. So had the Tatars. This was an old moth-eaten standard, preserved with care, and specially venerated; for, according to tradition, it had once been borne before the great padishah, king of kings, Genghis Khan. In the Russian war, the banner was conveyed to the frontier under a guard of imans, and floated to the breeze from the lines of Perekop. As the chiefs of Islam, guardians of the holy places, and of the sepulchre of the Prophet, the sultans appointed the Mufti, or expounder of the Koranic law, who took rank with the princes of royal blood. The chief Cadi, or judge, who pro This nounced sentence according to the fetvas or decisions of the Mufti; and the Diwan Effendi, the secretary of state, who had charge of communications with the Porte, and the foreign correspondence, were likewise named at Constantinople. In the country villages, petty offences and disputes were summarily decided on the spot by the municipal chiefs and elders; in the towns, by inferior cadis. But grave affairs were referred to the high court of judicature at the capital. The hall of justice, where the supreme judge presided, remains in the palace at Bakchi-serai. is a lofty circular apartment, with a gilt ceiling, and a sombre aspect, owing to a paucity of windows. Even these were closed when the judge had to decide upon an important case, to give greater solemnity to the proceedings; and the chamber was feebly illuminated with artificial lights. Upon an accused person being found guilty, he was led out on the left hand to undergo summary punishment; if acquitted, he departed on the right. Sometimes the khans were present to satisfy themselves that justice was duly administered. They occupied a kind of sidegallery, enclosed by lattice-work, so that neither judge nor criminal was aware of their presence. The family of a murdered man had the option of executing the murderer, or of accepting the price of blood,—a sum as large as he was supposed to be capable of raising. Grievous bodily injuries might also be similarly compensated. Our Anglo-Saxon forefathers had the same arrangement. All other officers of the court and government were appointed by the khans. First, in point of dignity, was the Kalga-sultan, or lieutenant of the khan, who represented him when absent with the army, conducted the government on his decease till a successor was confirmed by the Porte, and resided at Akmetchet. The office was usually filled by the presumptive heir. This functionary, at the time of the Russian occupation, as the first subject, was facetiously called by the new-comers, Cream of Tartar. Next was the Nour-ed-sultan, the lieutenant of the Kalga, always a prince of the blood. The third dignitary was the Or-beg, who commanded at Or-Gapy, the Royal Gate of the peninsula, otherwise Perekop. This post was sometimes held by nobles of the Shirin family who had married princesses. Besides the ordinary ministers who constituted the divan, the khans retained professional astrologers in their service for state purposes, a universal practice with the potentates of bygone times, whether Mohammedan or Christian, -wearing the turban, the crown, or the tiara. The office of these men made |
