" Suddenly, at about a quarter past five o'clock, three guns wei-e fired from our left attack. In a second afterwards, running up and down the line, from the little mounds and hillocks near Inkermann — from the broad commanding positions of Chapman's and Gordon's batteries — from quiet, picturesque ravines where no one dreamed of guns lurking — high from the rear on steep and lofty ridges — and away down to the left, where the French works stretch out over low marsh -lands to Kamiesch — from every point of our lines, came a hundred streaks of flame and masses of smoke. For a minute after there was silence, and then the great concussion came rumbling on, slowly mastering both wind and rain, and swelling into a roar that seemed to fill the heavens and earth. The shells and balls of the first discharge made of themselves a perfect uproar, as they fell like iron hail full on the enemy's batteries. Some shot were short, and went bounding towards the works, scattering the earth like water; some were too high, and passed clear over everything into the town; but the great mass were well-aimed and true, and passed full
N THE CRIMEA, 27
into the embrasures, clearing all before tliem. The shells burst everywhere about like crackers, and the stunning explosions of the great mortars made themselves conspicuous over every other noise, as the huge bombs rushed through them, carrying death and destruction into the Mamelon and Malakoif. After this first tremendous volley each gun worked as it could, anda regular file fire of mortars and heavy guns commenced upon the place.
" From a little after nine till past three all in the camp were left to their own conjectures as to the progress of the bombardment. The mist and rain were so dense, that it was difficult from the heights to distinguish the fire even of our nearest batteries; not only was it impossible to see what we were doing, but even to hear was difficult. The wind swept from the camp towards Sebastopol, and this, with the thickness of the atmosphere and rush of the rain, drowned almost every sound, except the dull and apparently very distant concussion of the large mortars.
" So perfect was this quietness, that it seemed quite impossible to realise in the deserted aspect of our camp that a struggle on which not only the reputation but the very existence of the troops engaged depended was taking place within half a mile of our lines, and that 154 English, nearly 200 French, and between 400 and 500 Russian guns and mortars were firing away almost as fast as they could be loaded.
" The storm of missiles from the Allied batteries continued without intermission during the whole of the 9th, nor did the men who were working the guns slacken in their efforts or show any symptoms of fatigue, in spite of the increased difficulties and the augmented labour imposed on them by the deep and muddy condition of the trenches. Considerable impression was made on several of the Russian works; the Mamelon Avas for a time silenced entirely, one face of the Redan was reduced almost to the same condition, while the French succeeded in inflicting serious iujuiy on the Bastion du Mat. At night however the Russians succeeded once more in repairing the injuries sustained in the day, and the next morning they reopened fire with con-- siderably increased energy. The morning was hazy, and for some time there was a drizzling rain; towards afternoon the weather cleared, a change which both actors and spectators hailed with delight. During the day the Naval Brigade, who suffered throughout the second bombardment in an excessive ratio compared with their military comrades, lost the services of Lieutenant Twyford, a highly distinguished young officer, who was killed by a shot, which also wounded and for a time disabled another energetic and valuable officer, Captain Lord John Hay. The practice on both sides