The long gun at the bow sends a shot in reply which goes right into them this time, at 1700 yards, and the " Spitfire" follows the example. Whiz! whiz! two shot, one after the other at the " Stromboli," one dashing the water up in a pillar close to her sides, the other cutting the jib foot-rope. The smoke obscures the view, but it is quite clear that the Russians are keeping close behind their works. The last reply from our guns was nearer and better directed than the first. However, there was no object to be gained by continiung a contest in which it would have been pitiable indeed to lose one man. That there was no intention of going up to Nicholaieff" with a steam-sloop, a survepng sloop, and two small gun-boats, I need not say, and had the enemy been driven out from the point ten times a-day they could have returned at any time, and have constructed just such another flying defence as that with which we were engaged.
Indeed, the Admu-al would not have replied to the enemy's fire at all, but that Jack is dissatisfied if not permitted to return a shot whenever one is sent at him. It would never have done to turn back without any reply at all, but, having gained the only object in view — that of ascertaining how far small vessels could go up the river without opposition to take soundings, &c. — Sir Houston Stewart resolved to return, and, with a parting salute fi'om our guns, the " Stromboli" set her jib, slewed round, and steamed slowly down the river. The enemy fired two guns one after the other, but the "Spitfire," "Grinder," and "Cracker" soon silenced them, and a parting salute from the latter, a shell, fell right into the earthwork, burst, and appeared to do the Russians a good deal of mischief.
As we returned, the " Spiteful," "Triton," and "Arrow," which had remained off" the mouth of the Bug — an unpleasant position, which will be appreciated by London lodgers — were seen steaming full butt up to us, as they apprehended they could do some good and help us out of a scrape; but their zeal was not gratified, and the emulative gunners had not a chance of doing anything. The little flotilla returned to its anchorage off the Bug, and remained there for the night, witliout the smallest apprehensions that the enemy could do us any hai-m from Nicholaieflf. Mr. Brooker, one of the active and intelligent officers of the " Spitfire" — and that is indeed saying much, where all are so ahle and so willing — volunteered to go in one of the small gun-boats (the " Cracker") right up to Xicholaieff, after dusk, to ascertain the force and position of the enemy's batteries; but it was judged inexpedient to hazard the loss of a gun-boat, which would be made a subject of great rejoicing and triumph to the enemy, while the success of the experiment would not be of much importance, inasmuch as we were not in a position to attack and occupy Nicholaieff.
Had Marshal Pelissier listened to the eai-nest demands of Sir Edmund Lyons for 15,000 or 20,000 men, there v/onld, indeed, have been some utility in such a reconnaissance, for the operations of om* steam iioet might have mystified the enemy so completely as to enable us to land a force and by a coup de main to destroy, though not to occupy, Xicholaieif. It appears that from the Spit below the confluence of the Ingul and Bug the town is 5000 yards distant, and is invisible, so that it would be necessary for a fleet showing a very narrow fi'out and in very shoal and difficult water to force batteries, booms, sunken vessels, gun-boats, and get round into the Ingul itself, before they could fire a shot on the place; and in the mean time every vessel ■would have to rim the gauntlet of high banks lined with riflemen which thenguns could not reach.
Sir Houston Stewart, under any circumstances, would scarcely have been justified in allowing an experiment of the kind, more especially as its success could not have led to any gratifying result; but it would not have been in his province to give permission, inasmuch as Sir Edmund Lyons was almost within sight. Soon after the flotilla anchored, a large convoy was observed parallel to the river, proceeding along the east bank towai'ds Nicholaiefi", and the " Spitfire" signalled for permission to go in and shell them. In the absence of the Admiral, who had not yet cast anchor, the request was not complied with, and, indeed, the evening had advanced too far to permit of her doing any good. The night passed quietly, all the ordinary precautious in presence of an euemy being strictly adhered to.