Perhaps he was thinking hov/ they might run for a marine Cesarewitch. It might, indeed, have been after all only a Governor of Cherson whom we saw, but about mid-day there certainly did appear, on the east bank of the Bug, some great man on a big, dark horse, followed by ten or twelve officers, mounted, and some few orderlies. This august personage rode over to the Cossack post, dismounted, and honoured us by a minute inspection, which he interrupted from time to time by a few words to those around him. Presently a Cossack came galloping across the steppe at full speed, right to the group of cavaliers. AVlien he approached he dismounted, and, walking to the great surveyor of our navy, knelt down, and appeared to kiss his feet, as he handed him a despatch.
The great man read the missive, mounted his horse, and rode off to a neighbouring post, followed by his suite. The next time we saw him he was visiting the Cossack post higher up the river, after which he proceeded along the road towards Nicholaieff. Some time alter the French boats retired, the English gun-boats came in sight, and in the early evening tliey anchored in their old place, and Admiral Stewart left the " Cracker," and returned to the " Stroinboli." At niglit strict watch was kept on board the little deet. Fire-ships are not much to he feared by steamers, but still the wind was strong down from Nicholaieft*, and the Eussians for once might attempt to do something, and so there were look-out men placed fore and aft, and armed sentinels, and loaded carronades, and with these precautions we went to sleep — in the Avaters, for the time being, of Her Majesty the Queen and of His Imperial Majesty Louis Napoleon.
October 22. The wind chopped round and blew from the westward, and somewhat from the southward up the Bug. At ten o'clock Admiral Stewart went on board the " Spitfire," and proceeded southwards, towards the Kinbiu-n Spit, to look out for the troops, and to discover the cause of the fires, which were still blazing along the horizon. As he bore away on his course, a French gun-boat came close to him with a despatch for the Admiral, from Admiral Pellion, in which he very politely and handsomely placed at the disposal of Sir Houston Stewart several chaloupes cannon ierex lying off the mouths of the Dnieper, in case the latter felt inclined to destroy certain large boats on the beach below Stanislaff. The tone and spirit of Admiral Pellion's letter were admirably polite and considerate.
The French officer who brought it stated that in the little affair between the gun-boats and earthwork yesterday they had dismounted one gun, and suffered no loss; and he proceeded on his way in his boat to rejoin his chaloupe, after a hearty shake of the hand from the Admiral. As the "' Spitfire" was forging ahead on her course, a small craft, witli an admiral's flag red at the mizen, was seen at the horizon. It could be no other than Sir Edmund Lyons. The dull echo of the guns, and the distant scent of gunpowder, had enticed him into our waters to see what was going on, and his flag was flying in the little "Danube." IMany of the captains of the fleet were with him — Sir T.
Pasley, (^aptain Jones, Captain Mends, Captain King, Captain IM'Cleverty, Captain Talbot, Captain Hastings, Captain Edgeil, Captain Loring, Captain Hay, Captain Goldsmith, Captiiin Inglefield, Captain Buckle, Captain Giflard; his secretary, Mr. Cleeve; his Flag-Lieutenant Lyons, &c. The Admiral sent off his barge to the " Spitfire," and Sir Houston Stewart, Captain Spratt, Commander Cowper Coles, Mr. Brooker, &c. went on board the " Danube,"' Avhich immediately went away towards Kin'ourn Spit, aceompanied by the " Spitfii-e." They went within half-a-mile ol' the marais, whieh binds the coast with a belt of long deep rushes, but not a soldier was visible, with the exception of one solitary Cossack. At 2'30 the admirals returned from theucruise, and stood in towai'ds Stanislaff, which the French admiral is anxious to burn, particidarly on account of the posts on the beach.