Year: 1865

ttening attentively, I did not hear it re-
peated. The black birds were numerous,
and it was probable that it was one of
them [ had heard However, | thought
i righ. to be prudent. and paced slowly
back over the ground by which had
advanced, SO as to shorten the distance
between the boat and me.


Just at this juncture hare started
from nearly under my feet; | turned,
took aim, fred, and poor puss dropped
over; but before [ could secure my
prize, I heard the low signal whistle
within few yards of me. | could not
relinquish the hare, but as soon as | had
secured her, [ returned to the spot
whence the whistle had proceeded, and
there I found my friend.


'.Do you see those Cossacks up yon-
der - said be.


"No: where 2"


"Why up there on the cliff


On looking more closely. | could dis
tinguish some forms between the bushes


so there are we had better retire.
Yes, I fancy we had I have been
whisting for you ever so long. and just
now I think [ heard voices near u.s.


"Well, then, we had better get to the
boat


And so off we went, scrambling
through the bushes, perhaps rather fast
er than we had come Still we did not
see any immediate danger, as the en-
envy were long way off, and, as we
ina agined, out Of shot On arriving at
an open space on the top of the mound,
we determined to reconnoitre but we
bad scarcely emerged from the bushes,
when, on looking up to the cliff, we saw
distinctly, three puffs Of white smoke,
and before we could hear the report of
the pieces. several branches were cut off
the bushes in our Immediate neiehbor-
hood. The peculiar ping Of the ball
told us that our enemy was armed with
the rifle We were soon down, fcourse.
and hidden by the rising ground. Here
we held council OF war the result Of
which was that, considering that the
people on the cliff had seen US, it was
probable they had been watching, and
| they~might have sent some men down
near US. M had heard a noise in the
bushes and as he thought, voices too
To make for the boat, without knowing
whether we might not be intercepted,
was not to be thought Of; so we agreed
to gain another height, and look around
US. and If we saw any one near We were
to 60 direct for the beach To deceive
the enemy. we thought it better to ap-
proach than get away from their position;
So on hands and knees, we scrambled up
height and looked around.


Here they are, sure enough" said
NJ, ''off with you..'


| looked around, at about two hundred
PAGES, as I could judge, some six or
eight Russians were seen.


To rush down the side of the steep,
and jump into the thiclet in the wake
Of NJ. was the affair of moment. But
rapidly as the movement was effected
the Russians had seen US and had time
to fire. A whole volley Of shots whist
led over our heads !; but this time they
were not rife balls. NJ. made straight
for the shore, lcaping from crag to crag
with the agiltyof a goat; nor was [
slow in following him. Unfortunately
on nearing the beach, we found ourselves
on precipice, the height Of which pre-
cluded all possibility Of escape and it





was far too precipituous to slip.


Here was position What was TO
be do .? We stood still to listen, i'm
agining the enemy was close behind
but we could hear nothing Evidently
they were coming on cautiously, imag gin
ing US more numerous than we we're
Go On to the boat we must : it was not
far; but to get down to the beach we
must come out from the bushes and ex
pose ourselves, On bare spot to be once
more shot at. unless we retraced our
steps: but then we should risk meeting
the enemy face to face. So there was
no help for it, and out we went. We
were seen, of course, and fred at; two
balls struck the ground within two feet
of each other and of US. One false step
and we were lost. We gained the ra-
vine. which was awfully steep, but down
we plunged. NJ, in his precipitation
lost his footing, fell, and rolled to the
bottom bis gun went off by the
shock, and for moment | fancied he
was killed | shall never forget the
horror of that moment. rushed to the
sea, moistened my handkerchief, and ap-
piled it to his temples. He slowly re-
vived, opened his eyes, took a dram of
spirits and sat up. Fortunately no bones
were broken.


We were now, [ felt assured, within
short distance of our boat, but had
not had time to look after her, and did