Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-03-26

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forth in all their beauty. All around, tn
blue sparkling sea; sll above. the ricl
summer sky. To the west, the little
purple island of Tsnedos stands watcbip!
their advance, as it watched the coming
of Agsmemuon', fact against doome'
Troy, 5000 yesrs ago. Far 10 toe north
east, hanging like snowy cloud upoi
the sky, towers the great white dome o
Mount Olympus. On the right, beyonC
the wide belt OF level plain on which
Greek aud Trojan bsttled in the old fight
Iug avs. the distant mountains loom out
blue aG >hadnwy, along the eastern
horizon; ~ale right 10 front. the deeI
narrow channel ol the famous strait
curves outward to the sea, between the
bold ridges that flank it on either side.
We're lucky with the wind. Mr.. Dug
dale" says the Captain to his Eu list
second in command, as cheerily as if be
were going on picnic, instead OF into
the Jaws OF q naval Bslaklsvs. "This
breeze is Just what we want, Tor there'l
be pretty strong current against US in'
side"
"Mr. Turk seems to have taken the
alarm already" answers the Lieutenant
with chuckIe. pointing to group OF bur
ryiug 6gures just vanishing over the hill
top on the right. "Do you think. sir,
they I'll be able TO hurt us much? ?"
Cant say" replies the veteran,
coolly; "but should think not. myself.
You see. when they made these batteries,
they didn't arm them With regular guns,
but tunneled holes in the rocks them
selves, and crammed them with powder
and ball. like pack OF greenhorns as
they are; so, if We don't come right into
the line of fire. they can't alter the range
to hit us-,hsi's one good job. It's only
the movable guns that we need be afraid
OF. Starboard!'
"Startoard it is!" responds the deep
voice OF the steersman; and the gallant
ship sweeps rejoicingly into the fatal
channel, whence, If the Turkish batteries
be such as report speaks them. neither
ship nor crew will ever return.
Had the daring baud any leisure to
take note OF the surrounding landscape.
they would be well repaid, for every mile
of the beautiful scenery which they trav-
erse in this headlong race with death. is
rich in world-repowned memories.
But both Captain and crew have 9TH
ers to think Of, for the storm of war
which they have defed is now gathering
around them in earnest. All along the
hills on either side red-capped soldiers
are hurrying to and fro. bayonets glitter
ing, sabers flashing, sr,iIery-whees
throwing up clouds of dust. while erie,
Of mingled rage and terror come family
20 their ears as they sweep by. But the
crack of cannon-shot which they mo-
mentsrily expected never comes. Turk
ish neglect has done its accustomed
work. Honeycombed guns, rickety car
risges, crumblipg earthworks, sanded
gunpowder, balls that will not tt the
bore of their pieces-whst can be done
with means like these' And if the Turk
ish squadron be destroyed Gas it must be,
or the Russion Gag would not be flying
here). what resistance can we make to
the enemy's whole feet?
So argue the faint hearted among the
defenders; bot there are men there ot
another cass-men for whom il sullices
that the enemy is before them. and that
they ale Turkish soldiers. As the ad-
venturous sweeps round the sharp curve
that hides Abydcs from sight, Lieutenant
Dugdale locking up in bis leaders face,
sees it harden suddenly like CONCEALED
metal, as the ready spy glass turns up q
huge gray mass OF bare rock that looms
out some distance ahead of them.
"See those red caps bobbing in and out
OF the rocks like rabbits (? They're going
10 give US a shot IN passing. sure enough.
That's one ofthe tunnel batteries spok g
OF, ,and if one OF those 800 pound shot hit,
US. to the bottom we go, every man
Set the stunsails, 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
frowning crsgs, and just as she comes
opposite the fatal spot, the match is ap,
piled TO the powder For one momen,
the lite OF every man on board hangs by
q hair; but the discharge "bsulks" an
instant. and that instant is sufficient 10
save them. The next moment comes 8
crash as if the earth were rent asuuder-
q sheet Of fame spouts troin the black
Yawning mouth-then there is u deafen-
ing splash. and torrent of water bursts
over the stern. drenching all who stand
near it. The ball "a huge mass of stone
weighing over 800 pounds) has fallen
barely 10 ieet behind them
Near shave, that !" says the Captain.
coolly; "but miss is as good as mile.
anyhow"
Away. away, past green. sunny slopes
chequered with massive buttresses oil