Kureni, i.e. the town itself, separated from the pier-suburb by an outpost guarded by a small guard, usually lounging on the ground with cradles in their teeth and passing the time mostly in chatter and “zharty”, i.e. jokes, and observation of those who professed and passed on the other side of the outpost.
In Sjchi itself and its outskirts, a multitude of all kinds of people in the most bizarre, often rich clothes, or even without any at all, were pushing, shouting, singing, selling, drinking, working and loitering idle; They had nothing except a piece of canvas covering their nakedness and a hat; by this high and dashingly twisted cap with a red top, which invariably stuck out like a shock, one could always immediately recognize a Cossack; He never and nowhere parted with his hat, a sign of his Cossack dignity.
The full costume of a Cossack consisted of a shirt and wide trousers, the width of which was similar to a skirt and trousers; belt, covering his waist several times, behind which stuck out a tuck. those weapons: a knife and a pistol; attached to the belt was a cradle with a frame and a flint; the feet were shod in chebots (a type of boot), and a curved saber rattled along them; the shoulders were covered with a scroll or zhupan with laces and other decorations.
The Cossacks shaved their heads, leaving a long tuft of hair in the front - a forelock, wrapped behind the ear; they did not wear beards, like the “Muscovites”, i.e. Great Russians, a. they let their long mustaches point downward.
Most of the Cossacks were tall and healthy men, black hair, with stern, tanned faces, often bearing traces of the blows they received in battle, with keen eyes under thick, dark eyebrows.
Scrolls, trousers, belts, boots were all colors, shades and qualities and without regret they were smeared with tar or something else: it was a shame for the Cossack to value his decoration as an empty thing, while weapons often shone with self-made stones and expensive notch.
This multitude of people, naked, half-dressed and dressed in flaming colors, presented a beautiful and unique picture. In this motley crowd, the completeness immediately caught the eye. absent women; not a single n-face! Only forelocks, mustaches, and peaked hats stuck out all around.
On pain of death, all “womanism” was prohibited at SJchi, and not a single woman was allowed there; only a single person could be a Cossack; but still, some of them secretly married their wives and daughters, whom the swindler sometimes abused.
On these trips, with their stories about sea voyages, about skirmishes with the Tatars and about the fun of living in Sjchi, the Cossacks kindled the blood of young people, and, thanks to them, many went there to learn the battle of evil, to see the world and live as a free will.
She welcomed everyone cordially, without asking: who is he, why did he come, and therefore anyone who wanted to hide their past could easily do so.
When the Koshevoy Ataman arrived for the first time, he only asked: “Hello! What will you put into Christ?”— “Into the Holy Trinity?”—“And into the Holy Trinity?”—“Into the Holy Trinity?” - “Do you go to church?” - “I’m walking, dad.” - “Come on, cross yourself!” The newcomer crossed himself. “Well, okay,” said the Koschevoy, “go to the smoking area you know.” The whole was divided into several parts, or kurens; their there were from 20 to 40, depending on how many people were in Zaporozhye.
Each kuren has its own name, its own ataman and a separate, low, long barn for 100 or 150 people, built of brushwood, coated with clay and covered from the weather with turf or horse skins. Cossack goods were kept in the kurens and handed over to the ataman for safekeeping; He also managed the food supply for his comrades, running a smoking farm.
Military goods: treasury, guns, etc. were stored in treasuries, i.e. a cache hidden in a thicket of reeds somewhere near the shore, sometimes even under water.
In Sjchi, everyone was considered equal, the atamans were elected: the kurens - by their “comradeship”, and the koshevoy - by the rada, i.e. Let's gather together (gathering) all the Cossacks. The Koshevoy was elected for a year, at the end of which he gave a detailed report on his management; if they were dissatisfied with him, then they chose a new one, and if bad deeds were discovered behind him, then they immediately brought him to trial; The important thing for Sasha Rada decided herself.