The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-04-29

every mile Of the beautiful scenery
they traverse in this headlong race
with death is rich in world renouned
n emories
But both captain and crew have
other things to think of, for the storm
Of war which they have defied is ~now
gathering around them in earnest. All
along the hills on either side, red-cap
ped soldiers are hurrying to aud fro,
bsyonets glittering. sabres flashing.
artillery wheels throwing up clouds Of
| dust. while cries of mingled rage and
terror come family to their ears as they
| sweep by. But the crack of cannon
| shot which they ,nomentarily expected
never comes. Turkish neglect has done
its accustomed work. Honeycombed
guns, rickety carriages. crumbling
earthworks, sanded gunpowder, balls
that will not fit the bore of their
pieces what can be done with means
like these? And if the Turkish squad
ron be destroyed (as it must be. or the
Russian flag would not be flying here
! what resistance can we make to the
enemy's whole feet:
So argue the faint-hearted among
the defenders; but there are men there
of another cast-men for whom it suf-
fees that the enemy is before them, and
that they are Turkish soldiers AS the
adventurous ship sweeps round the
sharp curve that hides Abydos from
sight, Lieutenant Dugdale, looking up
In bis leaders face, sees 1t harden sud-
denly like CONCEALED metal as the ready
spygIass turns up huge gray mass OF
bare rovk that looms out some distance
ahead Of them.
"See those red caps bobbing In and
oot of the rock like rabbits: They re
going to give u, shot in passing. sure
teries / spoke of, and if one of those
300 pound shot hits us to the bottom
we go, every man Set the stunsais.
boys-we'll run past and chance it
Onward sweeps the noble vessel be-
fore the freshening breeze; but keen
eyes are watching her from behind
those frowing crags, and just as she
comes opposite the fatal spot, the match
is applied to the powder. For one mo-
ment the life of every man on board
hangs by q hair; but the discharge
"balks" an instant. and the instant is
sufficient to save them. The next mo-
ment comes . crash as if the earth were
rent asunder-a sheet OF flame spouts
from the black. yawning mouth-then
there is a deafening splash, and tor
rent of water bursts over the stern,
drenching ali who stand near it. The
ball, huge mass Of stone weighing
over three hundred pounds, has fallen
barely ten feet behind them
Near shave. that !" says the captain,
coolly; but miss is as good as a mile.
anyhow :"
Away, away. past green sunny slopes
checkered with massive buttresses of
gray rock; past steep crumbling ridges,
on which tiny black goats are hanging
like flies; past cool sheltered inlets
sleeping in floating shadow; till at
length the Struggling white streets and
tumble down Notifications of Gallipoli
start up suddenly along a grassy head
land in front Of them. in the glory of
the evening sunlight.
A wild clamor of mingled outcries
along the shore--a passing vision Of
dark. fierce faces and hurrying figures.
and weapons brsndished in vain menace
an Intellectual cackle Of musketry
from the nearest angle of the wall
and then the last peril is past. and be
fore them lies the open sea As they
round the point, the English cabin boy
"a lad after Capt. Maryatt's own heart
--sprang up on the bulwarks, and. put
ting his thumb to his nose in o vulgar
bat expressive gesture, sho,.ts to the
baffied assistants:
Good by, Johnny, Any message for
Constantinop!e?"
And the daring band, echoing the
tsunt with shout of laughter. sweeps
up towards the point where. opening
out broad and bright between the reced
ing shores, lies the smooth surface of
the sea of Marmora.
Night overtakes them as they enter
it; but Captain Elphiutone is not here
for the first time; he holds his course
unswervingly through the darkness,
with one thought upon his mind-to
reach Constantinople. All night the
brave southwesterly wind fill. their
sails. as if cheering them on; and with
the first CLEAN Of sunrise they passed
the green curving shores Of princes
Island" and see before them outspread
for many miles along the blue, shining
sea, the serried roofs and tall white
minarets and stately mosques and count
less palaces Of imperial Constantinople.
At this early hour but few persons
are vet abroad. but the sight of the
terrible Russian flag suffices to arouse
the whole capital. Not gun mounted
on the seaward bat.eries-not regi-
ment in fighting order-the enemy's
first ship already in sight. and the rest
doubtless close behind-well may Con-
stantinople tremblel Within less than
half an hour every street leading down
To the harbor Is one roaring sea OF
struggling figures and convulsed faces,
liyid with fear or black with rage; and
n mingled uproar of cries of dismay.
savage curses on the "Moscov.' wild
PRAYERS to Allah and the Prophet. and
the boodthirsty yells for the heads OF
the Grand Vizicr and his officers rend
the very air.
And then, in the midst of all the
maddenng din. are heard the quick.
stern tones of Captain Elphins,one's
voice:
.Nikolai. bring ME up bottle of
rum and some sugar and hot water
sharp"
The Greek steward, himself an old
priva.eersman, obeyed with a grin of
unfeigned delight on his Scared face.
and the crew. clustered on the forecss-
tie. bend forward TO see their leader