e arrival of my squadron probably led to its
postponement until too late. To remove 4,000 men, bag and baggage, with
several batteries of field-pieces and a large amount of ammunition, was
no easy task with the small amount of transport at my command. I made,
however, what I considered to be the best disposition possible under the
circumstances.

The corvettes and the paddle transports were moored in as close to the
shore as possible, my intention being to cram them with men and stores
first, leaving my flagship free to the last to manoeuvre off the Russian
camp and shell it, should the slightest opposition be offered to the
embarkation. The work commenced at daylight, and was actively carried on
throughout the day and following night, the last batch of men coming off
at dawn. The men were taken away from under the very teeth, as it were,
of the Russians. The ships in shore were well within rifle range, and
the boats passing to and fro were exposed the whole time to a fire from
hidden foes. The enemy had been evidently overawed by my preparations,
and doubtless thought it would be better for them to allow the invading
force to retire unopposed. To avoid the chance of grounding, in case I
should have to use the frigate fire to cover the embarkation, a
volunteer crew had proceeded off the Russian camp during the night, and
laid down a line of buoys, to show the limit of distance to which the
shore might be approached with safety. These buoys, glistening in the
sunlight, doubtless suggested to the Russians that something dreadful
was in store for them if they attempted to fire a gun, and so they
contented themselves with watching from the trees, amongst the branches
of which we saw a number of them perched like so many birds of prey. The
whole credit of the embarkation is due to the efficient manner in which
the naval officers under my command carried out the instructions given
them, and the great docility of the Turkish soldiers. Soon after sunset
the general and staff left the shore, and their example was followed by
every military officer of any rank; so that the whole work devolved upon
those I had placed in command of the beach and the boats.

The men marched down quietly by themselves and everything went on like
clockwork. I must confess that I passed a most anxious night, as I knew
not but what at any moment the enemy might make a rush into the
entrenchments the Turks were abandoning, in order to claim a victory. My