At the distance of about three miles fi'om the town, we found the " Valorous " and " Furious" at anchor, and a French steam-squadron beside them of greater force, with an Admiral's flag flying from the "Asmodee;" indeed, the French vessels, to the number of four pendants from large steamers, and of ten pendants from gun and mortar vessels, had already arrived, or had preceded us. The esplanade was, as 1 have said, crowded with people. The city was as peaceful as a drop-scene at the theatre, but the operations of war were going on, nevertheless, and little could we tell what alarm, confusion, terror, and dread, dwelt within that beautiful city on which we gazed so placidly. As the first ship of the English squadron cast anchor, a long line of dust was observed rising over the hUly coast to the north of Odessa and by the beach, which is lined with trees and a thick hedge of bushes, and we soon made out bayonets glistening in the sun, and a strong body of Kussiau infantry, with field-pieces and baggage, consisting of some five or six thousand men, marching in all haste towards the city.
Two small camps could be seen on the hill-side towards the north, and a part of this column halted and encamped outside Odessa. A number of mounted officers accompanied the men, and some of them rode out through the gaps in the hedge, upon the beach, and reconnoitred the fleet, which was di-awing up towards the harbour. The eternal Cossacks were standing by their horses in groups of two or three, as videttes, beside the numerous signal and telegraph stations which line the coast at intervals, and are in connexion with a semaphore in Odessa, which was tossing about its arms like Niobe gone mad. Others were observed galloping over the fertile steppe, appearing and disappearing over the low lines of hills, and numerous herds of cattle all over the country afforded proof that we have exaggerated the general exhaustion of the enemy's resources, if any were needed in addition to the prosperous appearance of all the white farmhouses and hamlets, with their enormous stacks of hay and corn ai'ound the homesteads.
Some of the mhabitauts seemed to be moving away from the place by the north road, and many wagons and carts were visible going to and fro by the road to the northward. The French fleet approached towards their anchorage from the south at the moment that the top-gallant masts and smoke-wreaths of the British fleet peered above the horizon, and at 3-30 the " Eoyal Albert," followed at intervals by the rest of the ships, came up with signals flying for the anchoring of all at two cables' length, in order of seniority. This noble vessel let drop her bower iu 13 fathoms water, about three and a-half miles from Odessa, soon after four o'clock, p.m. The smaller steamers and gunboats were then disposed of, the tows cast loose and secui-ed, and with the beams of the bright setting sun lighting up the whole of this tremendous array of batteries, with their polished muzzles grinning from inmunerable ports, the people of Odessa saw the fleets of England and France anchor in their bay, and exhibit to them upwards of eighty vessels of war, ready at a moment's notice to lay theu' homes in the dust.
The evening passed quietly; the Admu'al made but few signals, but it was linown that to-morrow nothing would be done, and that till the work of soundmg ofi:' Kinburn and laying down buoys for the fleet had been accomplished, the attack would not come off. The " Viper " received orders to start at dawn for Kinburn, whither the " Spitfire" had ah*eady proceeded, for the purpose of making the requisite surveys. October 9. The wind came round from the S.S.W. this morning, a; d t2 brought with it clouds, fog, iind vapours, which quite shut out the sun from us. The shore could not be seen in detail, and the day was so murky that we were unable to ascertain if the inhabitants of Odessa were " flitting," as the more prudent would assuredly do, with such a tremendous armada floating before them.