"No. 12. The Admiral holds the captains responsible for there being no firing, unless the men can distinctly see the objects they are directed to fire upon.
"Triton and Beagle to attend St. Jean d'Acre. Each ship's boats to land her own troops. Reserve ammunition for the Marines to be landed with them. Spiteful and Furious, assisted by Triton, to land 21 cavalry horses, 7 staff horses, 27 regimental staff horses from No. 197, and 60 Sappers, with tools, c.
"The captain of each ship is to be responsible for the disembarkation of his own troops and baggage.
"PROCEEDINGS OF THE ADVANCED SQUADRON FOR BUOYING THE DANGERS.
"The ships denoted in the margin, piloted by the Spitfire, are to start at 1 P.M. and anchor in the following position, as shown in the chart No. 2,201, from Odessa to Knieper Bay: —
"The vessels anchored at C, D, and E, on the north side of the passage, are after sunset to show a red light to the west, and those at F, G, and H, are to show green lights in the same direction, as guides for the fleet on passing through during the night. The vessel at A, Valorous, to show lights vertical over the side, screened from NW. round by E. to S., and seen to the W. only. The four gun-boats Clinker, Cracker, Grinder, and Fancy, accompanied by four French gun-boats of shallow draft of water, will proceed, after the former vessels have anchored, to the rendezvous, at 8 P.M., near the Valorous, anchored at A. The four English gun-boats to be provided with buoys (white). The vessel at No. 2 A to provide two boats, that are to be despatched and anchored upon the SW. extremity of Oczakoff Bank, in four fathoms, to be a guide, by showing lights for the French gun-boats to commence buoying the edge of that bank with black buoys. The two boats on their return{409} to the Valorous to place a white buoy on the end of Kinburn Spit, in five fathoms water.
"The Spitfire, assisted by the boats of the Dauntless, at B, will mark the edge of the bank — ere landing — west of Kinburn, with small white flags, placed in five fathoms.
"N.B. All white buoys are to lie on the south side of the channel, and black buoys mark the north edge of it, and are consequently to be left on the port hand in passing to eastward."
The evening of the 11th was unsettled — wind from SW. and S. On the 12th the weather was again unfavourable; on the 13th it blew briskly, sending in a heavy sea; but the wind abated towards night, and orders were given to prepare to weigh at dawn next morning. On the morning of Oct. 14, the fleet weighed and stood along shore towards the Liman of the Dnieper. The weather was beautiful, and we could admire at our leisure the numerous clean-looking, snug villages, the immense flocks and herds, and well-filled farmyards, which met the eye along the steppe. The fleet anchored three miles west of Kinburn Fort at three o'clock. On the 15th the troops landed about four miles below the fort, without the smallest opposition, or even the appearance of an enemy, in the order already indicated. The 17th Regiment was the first to land, and the French were, for a wonder, behind us. The weather continuing fine, the troops set to work, intrenching themselves on the sandy spit; only a few Cossacks were visible all that day, but in the afternoon, as a few French troopers were patrolling in front of our lines on the plain towards Cherson, they came upon a picket, which consisted of eight men, hid in some brushwood. They charged the Cossacks at once with great gallantry, killed two, and took two prisoners out of the party.