CHAPTER XXL 0PP0ETITNITIE3 NEGLECTED. Strength of the Russian position on the North side — Apathy of the allied generals — On the fall of Sebastopol the Russians prepared for a general retreat — Our inaction their opportunity — Fort Constantine — Fortifications on the North side — Sad effects of our negligence — Destruction of the trenches — Mistakes — Sick officers — Urgent private affairs — Affair at Kertch, in which the 10th Hussars were engaged — Rumour of a conflict between the French and Russian Cavalry at Eupatoria — Plunder — Delicacies — Some of the Land Transport Corps fall into an ambuscade — A good skull — Positions of the armies — General Pelissier resigned to inactivity. Before Sebastopol, September 29. The contrast between the actual proceedings of tlie aUied armies since the 9th of this month and the fevered dreams in which the public at home, as represented by the press, are indulging, is as striking as it is painful.
The Russians, so far from ilj'ing in discomfort over boundless wastes, are calmly strengthening their position on the north side. The face of the country bristles with their cannon and their batteries. As I wi'ite the roar of their guns is sounding through our camp, and occasionally equals the noise of the old cannonades, which we fondly hoped had died into silence for ever. There is no sign, of any intention on their part to abandon a position on which they have lavished so much care and labour. They retired from the south side when it became untenable; it was shaken to pieces by a bombardment which it is impracticable for us to renew. They have now between themselves and us a deep arm of the sea, a river, and the sides of a plateau as steep as a wall.
We permitted them to get off at their leisure, and looked on, much as we should have gazed on the mimic representation of such a scene at Astley's, while the Russian battalions filed over the narrow bridge, emerging in unbroken order out of that frightful sea of raging fire and smoke, which was tossed up into billows of flame by the frequent explosion of great fortresses and magazines. At what moment our generals woke up and knew what Avas going on I cannot tell, but it is certain they did not, as a bod}', distress themselves by any violent efforts to get a near view of the enemy's movements earli/ in the morning. It was late in the day when Fort Paul blew up. At about 5.30, as well as I can now recollect, tliat magnificent work was shaken violently, heaved upwards, seemed to tiy into pieces — the breaking masonry and embrasures emitting sheets of white smoke, lighted up by fire — and then collapsed, as it were, into ruins.
The mine missed in the first instance; but, so cool were the enemy, so perfectly satisfied of our inaction were they, and so convinced they had awed us by their tremendous energy in destruction, that they sent a boat across with a few men in her, about half-past four o'clock in the evening, and they landed quietly and went into the fort, and were seen by several people in the act of entering, in order to prepare for the explosion which followed immediately after they had retired. Spies have, however, informed the authorities in the most positive manner that the Ilussians were prepared to retreat, and had all in readiness to cover a retrograde movement, in case the fleet succeeded in forcing a passage, and the allies evinced a determination of throwing theii* whole force against the north side.
Their field guns and guns of position were all in readiness, and were strengthened by a very large corps of cavalry, which would hold our infantry in check, and om' cavalry could not, of course, get over the water in less than several days, nor could it gain the heights of Mackenzie unless the infantiy had previously established themselves there. Everything was foreseen and provided for, and the Russians were in hopes that they might catch us at a disadvantage amid some of tbeir fortified positions in a diflicult country, and retrieve theiipast disasters, or, at all events, make a masterly retreat. But when they saw that all was hesitation, if not confusion, in the army of the allies, they recovered their courage, stared the situation in the face for one moment, and the next were busily employed in making the best of it; the consequence is that they have now erected such batteries as to shut up the harbour to our present navy, and to render any attempt to cross it as rash as it would be undesu-able.