ninety kopecks for four months' service (about 38.), of which, however, he never gets more than sixty sixty kopecks, nor even that if his Colonel has thought his diet required improvement. The rest of the money goes for various stoppages: there is 1 kopecks for the barber of the company; about three kopecks for an image of some saint belonging to the regiment, before which a lamp is supposed to be continually burning; then the men have to find their own caps, and they are charged a percentage for changing the money, which is usually paid in twenty-five or fifty rouble notes. Besides this he gets ninety kopecks a year to supply himself with the necessary things to clean his arms and accoutrements. A corporal receives one rouble fifteen kopecks (about 3s. 10d.) every four months, and a sergeant-major three roubles (about 10s.), of course subject to the same stoppages as the soldier. Besides their pay, each soldier receives the leather for two pairs of boots a year, but he must make them himself or pay for the making; a suit of uniform every two years, and a grey great-coat every three years; coarse linen for three shirts every year, and for the lining of their uniform; this linen of the worst possible quality. All the articles of clothing provided by the Government must be worn the full time,

and, to enable the men to keep their things in order, a certain sum is allowed every year to the men for repairs; but during the four years I served in the Russian army, I never saw or heard of a soldier receiving this money. What then becomes of it? is the natural question. It goes into the Colonel's pocket. If a man in charge of a company should ever dare ask about all these things, he will soon find himself struck off the list of captains, and turned adrift.

I cannot help relating here a circumstance that occurred, and which will show the way in which peculation is carried on. In the Commissariat stores at Sevastopol there was a large quantity of salt beef, that, on account of the length of time it had been in salt and the little care that had been used in salting, had become totally unfit for human food. The naval authorities of the town refused to receive it for their men, and in consequence it was thrown upon the hands of the Commissariat officers, for in Russia nothing belonging to the Government is supposed to be spoilt. The Colonel of our regiment, for his own profit, ordered a board of officers to report that the said salt beef was fit for food; which of course was done, and this beef that had been condemned by the naval authorities was given to our men. When it was cooked not a soldier would even

try it, as the smell was overpowering, so that I could not approach the camp-kettle in which it was boiled. The next day the soldiers were minus their dinner and supper, till at last, conquered by hunger, they ventured to eat it, and we sent per company to the hospital from three to five men daily, who were suffering from diseases caused by the use of unwholesome food. The Colonel tried to soak it in water, but it was of no avail; he then tried vinegar, with the like results; till at last he was obliged to order it to be thrown away and to make good the deficiency out of his own pocket; but even then I doubt whether he was a loser by the transaction.

This is the way the poor soldiers are treated, and it is not to be supposed that the case is different under the very nose of the Emperor; though with a good commander the men are better treated. The poor fellows suffer in silence their hard fate, trusting in God, and saying that, if they are called upon to undergo hardships, they still form part of the Army of the Cross. Sometimes, however, when the Colonel of a regiment or his officers wear out the patience of those most patient of all creatures their soldiers, they will in times of peace rush from the ranks and tear the epaulets off their shoulders, or even strike them; of course these men are made ex

amples of, but their tyrant is disgraced. From the same cause the Russian officers fall victims in action, not to the balls of the enemy, but to those of their own men, which will account for the losses of the Russians in officers in all their battles (one regiment at Inkerman lost fortyfive officers, having only five left in the whole regiment).

On the 15th of June I saw for the first time a slight engagement at sea, though at a great distance from us. Every day six ships cruised outside the harbour of Sevastopol, and in case of a calm or contrary wind steamers were despatched to tow them into the harbour. No ships ever remained outside the harbour but once, and then a vessel got aground in Sandy Bay, where she lay two days till steamers got her off. On the day in question three screw steamers were seen on the horizon to the eastward, when the following five steamers were ordered to get up steam, viz. "Vladimir," "Gromonosetz, "Elbrouz," "Danube," and "Khersonese," and give chace; the steamer "Odessa" was already at sea. The other vessels outside the harbour also bore down upon the three strangers. The whole of our encampment was out upon the hills above the village of Utchkuevka, while the boulevard near the monument of Kosarsky and every other available spot

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were crowded with spectators; Prince Menschikoff was on the library. Admiral Panfiloff was intrusted with the command of the expedition.

The "Vladimir" outstripped her companions, and consequently was the first to receive the fire of the enemy; the others however coming up, a general cannonade appeared to begin, but the vessels edged away towards the north, and the great distance prevented our seeing anything more of the affair. At last our vessels were seen returning, followed by those of the enemy. I heard that the "Vladimir" lost ten men and received three shots through the sides; of the others I heard nothing, as in Russia it is very difficult to know what is passing around one. I heard, however, from some naval officers, that the Admiral lost his self-command, and tried to fire through the "Vladimir." The Prince had ordered them to go at full speed on leaving Sevastopol, and that ship being the fastest soon outstripped the others, while the Admiral ordered his vessel to slacken speed. They also told me that the firing of the English ships was better than that of the French. On the heights every one began to rejoice, saying that our ships had taken those of the enemy, which they were towing into the harbour; but as they approached we found the reverse to be the true state of the case, as evi