In the struggle, if those who were disposed to revolt had not fled

before the opposition to their movement had time to become organized.

Mazeppa and those who adhered to him--about two thousand men in

all--went over in a body to the camp of the Swedes. The rest, led by

the officers that still remained faithful, marched at once to the

nearest body of Russian forces, and put themselves under the command of

the Russian general there.

A council of war was soon after called in the Russian camp for the

purpose of bringing Mazeppa to trial. He was, of course, found guilty,

and sentence of death--with a great many indignities to accompany the

execution--was passed upon him. The sentence, however, could not be

executed upon Mazeppa himself, for he was out of the reach of his

accusers, being safe in the Swedish camp. So they made a wooden image

or effigy to represent him, and inflicted the penalties upon the

substitute instead.

In the first place, they dressed the effigy to imitate the appearance

of Mazeppa, and put upon it representations of the medals, ribbons, and

other decorations which he was accustomed to wear. They brought this

figure out before the camp, in presence of the general and of all the

leading officers, the soldiers being also drawn up around the spot. A

herald appeared and read the sentence of condemnation, and then

proceeded to carry it into execution, as follows. First, he tore

Mazeppa's patent of knighthood in pieces, and threw the fragments into

the air. Then he tore off the medals and decorations from the image,

and, throwing them upon the ground, he trampled them under his feet.

Then he struck the effigy itself a blow by which it was overturned and

left prostrate in the dust.

The hangman then came up, and, tying a halter round the neck of the

effigy, dragged it off to a place where a gibbet had been erected, and

hanged it there.

Immediately after this ceremony, the Cossacks, according to their

custom, proceeded to elect a new chieftain in the place of Mazeppa.

The chieftain thus chosen came forward before the Czar to take the oath

of allegiance to him, and to offer him his homage.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE BATTLE OF PULTOWA.

1709

Invasion of the Swedes--Their progress through the country--Artificial

roads--Pultowa--Fame of the battle--Situation of Pultowa--It is

besieged--Menzikoff--Manoeuvres--Menzikoff most successful--King

Charles wounded--The Czar advances to Pultowa--The king resolves to

attack the camp--A battle determined upon--Military rank of the

Czar--His address to the army--The litter--The battle--Courage and

fortitude of the king--The Swedes defeated--Narrow escape of the

Czar--He discovers the broken litter--Escape of King Charles--Dreadful

defeat--Flight and adventures of the king--He offers now to make

peace--The king's followers--Peter's reply--Carriage for the

king--Flight to the Turkish frontier--Sufferings of the retreating

army--Deputation sent to the Turkish frontier--Reception of the

messenger--Boats collected--Crossing the river--Bender--Fate of the

Swedish army--The prisoners--Anecdote of the Czar--The Czar's

habits--Disposition of the prisoners--Adventures of the King of

Sweden--Military promotion of the Czar