Chapter COSS to COSSID of C by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

COSSACK, s. It is most probable that thi s Russian term for the military tribes of various descent on what was the S. frontier of the Empire has come originally from kazzak, a word of obscure origin, but which from its adoption in Central Asia we may venture to call Turki. [Schuyler, Turkistan, i. 8.] It appears in Pavet de Courteille’s Dict. Turk-Oriental as “vagabond; aventurier…; onagre que ses compagnons chassent loin d’eux.” But in India it became common in the sense of ‘a predatory horseman’ and freebooter.

1366.—“On receipt of this bad news I was much dispirited, and formed to myself three plans; 1st. That I should turn Cossack, and never pass 24 hours in one place, and plunder all that came to hand.”—Mem. of Timur, tr. by Stewart, p. 111.

[1609.—In a Letter from the Company to the factors at Bantam mention is made of one “Sophony Cosuke,” or as he is also styled in the Court Minutes “the Russe.”—Birdwood, First Letter Book, 288.]

1618.—“Cossacks (Cosacchi)…you should know, is not the name of a nation, but of a collection of people of various countries and sects (though most of them Christians) who without wives or children, and without horses, acknowledge obedience to no prince; but dwelling far from cities in fastnesses among the woods or mountains, or rivers…live by the booty of their swords…employ themselves in perpetual inroads and cruisings by land and sea to the detriment of their nearest enemies, i.e. of the Turks and other Mahometans.…As I have heard from them, they promise themselves one day the capture of Constantinople, saying that Fate has reserved for them the liberation of that country, and that they have clear prophecies to that effect.”—P. della Valle, i. 614 seq.

c. 1752.—“His kuzzaks…were likewise appointed to surround and plunder the camp of the French.…”—Hist. of Hydur Naik, tr. by Miles, p. 36.

1813.—“By the bye, how do Clarke’s friends the Cossacks, who seem to be a band of Circassians and other Sarmatians, come to be called by a name which seems to belong to a great Toorkee tribe on the banks of the Jaxartes? Kuzzauk is used about Delhi for a highwayman. Can it be (as I have heard) an Arabic Mobaligh (exaggeration) from kizk (plunder) applied to all predatory tribes?”—Elphinstone, in Life, i. 264.

1819.—“Some dashing leader may…gather a predatory band round his standard, which, composed as it would be of desperate adventurers, and commanded by a professional Kuzzauk, might still give us an infinite deal of trouble.”—Ibid. ii. 68.

c. 1823.—“The term Cossack is used because it is the one by which the Mahrattas describe their own species of warfare. In their language the word Cossâkee (borrowed like many more of their terms from the Moghuls) means predatory.”—Malcolm, Central India, 3d ed. i. 69.

COSSID, s. A courier or running messenger; Arab. kasid.

1682.—“I received letters by a Cossid from Mr. Johnson and Mr. Catchpoole, dated ye 18th instant from Muxoodavad, Bulchund’s residence.”—Hedges, Diary, Dec. 20th; [Hak. Soc. i. 58].

[1687.—“Haveing detained the Cossetts 4 or 5 Daies.”—Ibid. ii. lxix.]

1690.—“Therefore December the 2d. in the evening, word was brought by the Broker to our President, of a Cosset’s Arrival with Letters from Court to the Vacinavish, injoyning our immediate Release.”—Ovington, 416.

1748.—“The Tappies [dâk runners] on the road to Ganjam being grown so exceedingly indolent that he has called them in, being convinced that our packets may be forwarded much faster by Cassids [mounted postmen⁴].”—In Long, p. 3.

c. 1759.—“For the performance of this arduous…duty, which required so much care and caution, intelligencers of talent, and Kasids or messengers, who from head to foot were eyes and ears…were stationed in every quarter of the country.”—H. of Hydur Naik, 126.

1803.—“I wish that you would open a communication by means of cossids with the officer commanding a detachment of British troops in the fort of Songhur.”—Wellington, ii. 159.