This view, which is taken from the Camp of the Marines situated on an eminence above Balaklava, which from its commanding height was generally known as the " Crow's Nest," is very interesting, as presenting at a glance the whole of the plateau occupied by the Allies on the South side of Sebastopol, the fields on which three important battles were fought, and the line of defences protecting the position in the rear. The peculiar form of the Heracleotic Chersonese, and the frequent undulations of the ground, made it always difficult from the valley to realize correctly the bearings of many of these points; but from an altitude such as this the case is difierent, and the reader, who will have the patience to accompany us in the following explanation of the elaborate details of Mr. Simpson's drawing, will obtain a more accurate notion of the conformation of the country, than is possessed by many who passed months in the Camp. Starting then from the extreme right of the drawing, the first object which arrests our attention is a conical-shaped hiU, under the shoulder of which nestles the picturesque little village of Kamara, occupied by the Sardinians from the date of the Allied advance on the Tchernaya. Below the village, and almost in a line with it to the left, are the peculiar-looking hillocks or mounds on which were erected the redoubts captured from the Turks at the commencement of the battle of Balaklava. Behind the right-hand one of these hiUocks winds the road leading to Mackenzie's Farm, and which crosses the valley of the Tchernaya. Between the road and the redoubts is the ground of the Light Cavalry charge. Just in front of the left-hand redoubt is the point at which the 93d Highlanders received the Russian Cavalry in line. In a straight line from this, but considerably more to the left, is the ground of the Heavy Cavalry charge. StiU more to the left, and on the side of the opposite range of hiUs, is the camp of the 93d, forming two sides of a triangle, and defended by a breastwork. Immediately below, and slightly to the left, lies the village of Kadikoi, past which winds the road from Balaklava to the front. The Genoese fort on the extreme left marks the position of Balaklava itself, and nearly in the centre of a line drawn from hence to the tents of the 93 d is seen a
French camp. Returning now to the valley of the Tchemaya, the ground on this side of the river rises gradually towards the left, till it reaches the abrupt shoulder of the cliff at Inkermann, in front of which, and stiU following the same direction, is the field of that great battle. Further on in the same line the Woronzoff Road leads up to the heights before Sebastopol, the precise situation of which may be determined by carrying a line fi-om a point slightly to the left of Kadikoi to the horizon. Sebastopol itself is nearly in the centre of the belt of smoke on the sky-line. The extreme north-western projection of the plateau to the sea is Cape Fiolente. The foreground is occupied by the Camp of the Marines, protected by powerful batteries, no less than by the natural strength of the heights; and between the Marines and the 93d are descried the Camps of the 42d and 79th Highlanders.
" There can be no doubt that the remains here represented are those of a church, the plan of which, running east and west, can be clearly seen; the arch on the right must have formed one of the transepts. The external front has fallen down, but in parts, towards the outside, the arches, and in some places the mouldings upon them, can be easily traced. One of the side-chambers stiU bears evidence of having been decorated with paintings. These caverns are in the hands of the French, who have built up walls in the openings, and left loop-holes in them, from which they keep up a constant fire on the Russians, who are similarly fortified in the caves on the opposite side of the river. One of these loop-holed walls has been thrown up where the front of the church formerly stood, and the Chasseurs de Vincennes keep sentry at the spot. In the view, looking out of the church, the Inkermann West Lighthouse is almost visible; it is on the southern extremity of the most distant ridge of land. Across the flat ground is the road which passes the head of the harbour; the stream running by it is the Tchemaya." Dr. Koch visited a crypt on this side of the river which he was informed had been a church, but does not seem to have found any traces of sculpture or other ornaments, — a fact which he accounts for from the quality of the stone, which he states to be the same soft marl out of which a portion of the tunnel of the aqueduct is excavated, and which would therefore soon yield to the destroying influences of time. It is probable, however, that he never saw the subject of this drawing, and only entered another portion of the caverns.