and another, showing that she had got the exact range. The
figures of men could be discerned scampering off, leaving their tents to
their fate. The engines being put in motion, the ship steamed on till a
body of horsemen were discerned, who had apparently come down to
ascertain the cause of the firing. Several shot were sent flying close
to them, making them wheel about; but before they had got out of sight
two other guns were fired, and a horseman was seen to drop from his
saddle. The rapid movement of the rest showed that they were wisely
anxious to avoid a similar fate.

Near the mouth of the Alma a considerable body of infantry were
observed; not being aware of the long range of the stranger's guns, they
stood watching her approach. Suddenly stopping her engines, she opened
on them with her whole broadside; two or three were seen to fall, but
still they stood their ground.

"They are waiting for orders to march," observed Higson; "they would be
wiser if they took ours." With considerable reluctance, Jack gave the
order to fire another broadside; he did not like shooting down men in
cold blood, but yet he must obey his superiors. Scarcely had the smoke
of the guns cleared away than the Russians were seen beating a rapid
retreat, though they still kept together. Three more shot had the
effect of making them increase their speed, and they disappeared behind
some rocky ground which afforded them shelter. Here and there some
tents were seen, as well as cavalry and infantry, who, however, moved
off as the warship approached, well aware, small as she looked, of the
mischief she could do them.

Returning to the fleet, where the landing was taking place, Jack found
that the greater part of the English infantry were already on shore.
From what he had seen, he made his report that the enemy was not likely
to make any immediate attack on the invading forces. Still a
considerable portion of the cavalry had to be landed; the weather
changed for the worse, and rain came down heavily, wetting the troops on
shore, who had no tents or protection of any sort, to the skin. Jack
received orders to send two of his boats to assist in towing one of the
rafts now alongside the transport to the shore. Green had charge of one
of them, and Tom and Archie the other. They found two heavy guns
already on the raft, with several horses. The detachment of
artillerymen belonging to the guns now came down the ship's side and
took thei