Eastern times., 1856-01-03


senger Of destruction and death; and lucky
did he think himself who was nearest to it
when it buried itself in the ground, perhaps
just beneath his feet. At first, in their haste
and inexperience, those amateur crickeiers oc-
casionally made the important mistake of run
ming for shell instead of round shot; and
have heard, in the excitement of the moment,
burst of laughter and shout Of merriment
echo through the air from their comrades,
when the error has been pointed out BY half
a-dozen Of the adventures being knocked over
upon their backs, MANNED and bleeding from
the bursting of deadly missile.
After few weeks practice, the men be-
came very expert in distinguishing shells by
their flight through the air, and took pretty
good care not to run after them, when they did
not present themselves unsought. But they
still made very little OF them when they did,
just casting themselves fiat on the ground until
the explosion was over, and the fragments
were scattered. There was one huge shell.
however, they never could get used to, which
was fired from particular mortar this
shell measured sixteen inches across, and con-
| tanned eighteen pounds of gunpowder in It's
mischievous cavity. II was emitted from
raft that lay floating in the harbor, and occu-
pied some forty seconds in its flight first, a
very perceptible Whit of white smoke burst
out from the raft then, on came the ponder
Gus missile, turning over and over in its flight
-whish-whish-wh an intermit-
ting whistling sound at last, down it pitched
on the ground with the force of fifty tons con-
centrated in its impact, bursting with tre-
mendous explosion at the instant. The frag-
ments of this shell were scattered, when it
burst, more than 800 yards in all directions !;
it therefore never could be looked upon in the
light OF an agreeable neighbor-a quarter of
mile was by no means respectable as dis
tance from it, In consequence of its whist
ling note, this monster horrendum nairdJile was
chrstened Whistling Dick; and waichmen
were set TO look for the white Whit of smoke
from the fioatlng-raft, whenever parties were
engaged upon the works within lis range
The instant this was noticed the alarm was
raised, and the men rushed 10 the shelter OF
the nearest hole or embankment within their
reach.
A hole or pit dug hastily into the ground is
the first rudiment of protective work. Sew
eral such Judgments are made during the hours
of darkness, in advance of the foremost trench ;
and from four TO six rihemen are sent to occu-
py each. One of these men is kept constantly
on the lookout, above the edge of the pit,
ready to take aim at any chance object that is
presented to his eye; the rest of the party
while away the hours, in the absence of any
stirring excitement got up in their behalf by
the enemy, the best way they can. They are
completely sheltered from the effects of round
shot, and even shells fall and burst within a
yard of their lurking-place without working
them any harm. If, however, one of these
explosive spheres lights, by an uulucky chance
quite within the pit, it is is certain destruction
10 the whole. Yet the watching the descent
of the shells that fly in their direction, seems
TO afford rather pleasurable excitement than
otherwise. | have often heard remarks of a
speculative kind ventured with the most per-
feet nonchalenee, which had for their point the
probable safe arrival of one of those deadly
missiles, that seemed TO be coming straight for
the speculator down from the clouds. 1t is no
unusual thing for small bets in tobacco to be
laid as to how far off some shell will fall
Wagers as TO the course overhead of round
shot were amongst the common resources to
which the little garrisons of these rihe-pits
turned for amusement. The passage of ball
TO the right or left of the vertical often deter
mined the pipe in which last charge of the
precious weed should be smoked. The scenes
in these holes are, however, sometimes of the
most painful kind. | remember once to have
made one of party Of four in pit as large
as round-tabe, and six feet deep, and which
was entirely isolated from ali friendly aid dur
ing the continuance of daylight. OF this par
ty, two were suffering from severe dysentery,
a third was supporting a shattered arm, and
the fourth had had his eye knocked out by a
splinter produced by cannon-ball.
Upon one occasion ! chanced to be in pit
advanced to within 80 or 100 yards of one of
the Russian works. At this time our behav-
ior was SO carefully watched, that the top of
feather could not be shown for a moment
above the embankment without a-dozen rifle
balls whizzing past it. There was an officer
with the party, but he was suffering SO severe
ly from dysentery, that he lay for long THE
in fainting state, with his head on the knees
of one of the men. While in this sad predic-
ment, the fancy seized him that if he could
have some hot coffee it would at once revive
him. He expressed his wish; and it was
found there was coffee in store, but no wood
at hand for the fire. Observing this difficulty,
one of the privates remarked that he would
SOON furnish the wood. He seized a pckaxe
which had been used in the construction of the
pit, and in an instant jumped from the hole.-
Without the slightest harry in his department,
he took his way to tree that was PROSTATE
on the ground about forty yards to the rear of
the position, and, with his back 10 the Rus
SLAMS, began leisurely to pick off chips with
his axe. The enemy appeared 10 be staggered