COSSACKS are certain Russian tribes who inhabit the southern and eastern parts of the empire. They are a species of military democracy, being independent of the imperial government in their internal administration, and paying no taxes into its treasury, but performing the duty of soldiers instead, in which capacity they guard the frontiers upon which they reside. Nearly all of them belong to the Greco-Russian church. Both on account of their descent and their present condition, they have been divided into two principal classes, the Cossacks of Little Russia (Malo-Russia), and those of the Don. Both classes, but especially the latter, have collateral branches. From those of the Don, who are the most civilized, are descended the Volgaic, the Terek, the Grebeskoik, the Uralian, and the Siberian Cossacks. To the other race belong the Zaporogians or Haydamaks, who are the wildest and most barbarous of all. As to the origin of the people or their name, writers are by no means agreed. Some derive both races from the province of Coschizia. In the Turkish language cazak signifies a robber; but in the Tartar tongue it simply means a soldier lightly armed for rapid motion. Their origin is very probably Russian, and their language is fundamentally so, although mixed with Turkish and Polish words. The Cossacks of Little Russia took their rise in the fourteenth century, when the invasion of Russia on the part of Poland forced numbers of the inhabitants to migrate to the banks of the Dnieper, where they gradually established themselves, and spread in the direction of the Bog and Dniester. The Polish king Stephen Bathory consolidated the constitution of these warlike tribes, and formed them into regiments under a commander-in-chief, entitled a Hetman or Headman. Some attempts to abridge their liberties, and introduce the Catholic religion, drove them in 1654 under the protection of Russia, from which they revolted in 1708, a considerable body of them joining the standard of Charles XII. under their hetman Mazeppa, whom Lord Byron has immortalized. This act drew down upon the whole people the vengeance of the Czar Peter I., who, after the battle of Poltava, ordered them to be exterminated. With this branch of Cossacks was formerly united the Haydamaks, who, instead of propagating their race by marriage, perpetuated themselves as a nation principally by kidnapping children. They are still a rude uncivilized race. The Cossacks of the Don have been in the service of Russia since the sixteenth century. They occupy an extensive territory on both sides of the Don, living in villages, and supporting themselves while at home by fishing and the breeding of cattle, in preference to agricultural pursuits, for which they have little inclination. Their capital, Tscherkask, is a sort of Tartar Venice. It is situated on some islands in the Don; the houses are built on high wooden piles, and connected with one another by small bridges. It contains about 15,000 inhabitants; and, besides numerous churches, richly adorned with the precious metals and gems, it possesses a regular theatre, and a school where several languages and sciences are taught. As this city is very unhealthy, from the overflowing of the river, another called New Tscherkask has been recently built, to which the inhabitants are gradually removing. For further particulars respecting the Cossacks, see RUSSIAN EMPIRE.

COSATO, a town of Italy, in the province of Biella, and kingdom of Sardinia. It is situated on the canal of Santhia, and contains 2470 inhabitants, whose chief pursuit is the cultivation of vineyards.