time crossing themselves. I asked Calvert what it meant, and he said they were praying for us-their enemies-that God would drive our anger away from them and make us turn to their true faith and religion. We returned to our tents, much pleased with what we had seen and heard, and I promised myself an early repetition of a visit to the monastery of St. George.

A large body of Turks are being now employed in the construction of five small redoubts, to be armed with two iron guns each, in front of Balaklava, across the plain, at a distance of a mile and a half from the end of the harbour. Major Nasmyth, of Silistria, who is doing duty with the Royal Engineers, has the direction, assisted by a Prussian officer, Captain Wagman, attached to the staff of the army. These redoubts are to be garrisoned by Turks, and it was on this account that Major Nasmyth was selected for the duty, as he knows so well what kind of work is best suited for them. On the 12th Lord Raglan was out the greater part of the day, making careful investigation into the interior arrangements of the different camps, especially the

hospitals. There is still, I am sorry to say, a great deal of cholera in the army. The casualties from it are daily twelve or fourteen deaths, and from thirty to forty fresh cases brought into hospital. The casualties from the fire of the enemy, since our arrival at Balaklava to the present day (12th), have only been five killed and twelve wounded. I was sent down into the trenches, left attack, in the afternoon, with instructions from Lord Raglan to the colonel in command. It was anything but pleasant work, as the last two hundred yards before you get into the trenches are quite exposed, so, directly I made my appearance, some five round shot were sent at me, and I had to keep my eyes open to get out of their way. It has been observed that if an officer makes his appearance the enemy fires directly, but a private will probably be left alone; they must have good telescopes to be able to make out which is which at that distance. I got into the trenches just before dusk, and found all the men, with the exception of the sentries, lying close under the parapet, as the round shot came through the upper part, as it is not yet of sufficient thickness to resist

balls. The last quarter of an hour before dusk the Russians always appear determined to give us something to remember them for the night. This evening they poured dozens of shot at our works every moment, and, although many of us had dirt and stones knocked about us, not a soul was hurt. This cannonade did not last long, as directly it got dark they ceased firing almost entirely; so our men were immediately set to work deepening the ditch, and consequently making the parapet higher and thicker.

Soon after 4 this morning (13th) I got up and rode down to the trenches to see what work had been done during the night, and also afterwards to visit the out-pickets and try and get a sketch of the ground some way in advance of our trenches. It was pitch dark, and not very easy to find one's way; however, I arrived all right at our farthest out-lying picket, and then advanced on foot to our most advanced sentries. Knowing that before me there was somewhere a high rock, which I had observed the day before, I made a guess and fortunately came upon it, and, clambering to the top,

lay down to wait for daylight. In a quarter of an hour it came, and I found myself in a most commanding position for seeing the enemy's works; I was on a rocky excrescence, at the top of the ravine between the English and French attacks, but some five hundred yards in advance of both. I proceeded to make an eye-sketch of the enemy's batteries, and succeeded in some measure in doing so for some time, when I heard "ping, ping!" close to my ears, and found I had been discovered by some Russian sharpshooters on picket, who were now taking very deliberate aim at me. Of course I retreated as fast as possible, and fortunately escaped untouched to my horse, who was well concealed in a hollow. I rode home to breakfast at 8 o'clock, very well pleased with my morning's adventure. Since then I have employed my time in writing you this letter: I hope in my next I may announce the opening of our guns on the Russian works.

Sevastopol Malakoff tower - Redan - Bastion du Mât Garden Battery, &c.,- Statistics — English attacks French works Bombardment of 17th October Explosions French fire silenced Lancaster gun - Naval brigade Russian sortie - Artillery

Superiority of English engineering - Allied fleets - Admirals Hamelin and Dundas Bombardment by fleets Casualties French disasters Lord Dunkellin - Death of Colonel Alexander, R.E.

Captain Peel, R.N. "Vladimir " - British
Description of Russian fleet sunk.

daring

Head-quarters before Sevastopol, 18th October, 1854.

AT last we have begun in earnest to bombard Sevastopol. Yesterday morning saw the commencement of our fire on that unfortunate city. But I may as well finish my account of the preparations for the siege before giving you the details of our opening fire. On the 14th instant we received a considerable reinforcement to our army by the arrival of near 4000 Turkish troops. Although not of the best, they nevertheless appear a strong set of