of shell on the town and troops. In spite of all opposition, thus
protected, the brave lieutenant set fire to seventy-three vessels and
several corn-magazines. On returning to their ship, the party
discovered that some of the vessels had escaped the conflagration; on
this, Captain Lyons despatched a second expedition with three other
officers, Lieutenants Buckley and Burgoyne, and Mr Roberts, a gunner of
the _Ardent_. On approaching the shore, and discovering that the enemy
were prepared to give them a warm reception, the three latter officers
determined to land by themselves, so that their men might escape the
risk of being cut off; while Mackenzie undertook the destruction of the
shipping. The vessels were quickly set on fire, and the magazines had
shared the same fate, when a troop of Cossacks bore down on the three
officers who had landed. They, accordingly, had to take to their heels;
and, keeping well ahead of their pursuers, were received in safety by
Mackenzie on board the boats, which pulled back to the ships without the
loss of a single man, one only having been slightly wounded.

Thus he went on from place to place, destroying stores and vessels in
the same daring manner, his two lieutenants frequently landing in a
four-oared gig, and setting fire with their own hands to different
Government buildings. Taganrog, a place of great strength, was
attacked, and though the town was protected by some heavy batteries, and
above three thousand troops, who kept up a hot fire on the ships and
boats, every Government building and magazine was destroyed. In this
way Captain Lyons sank or burnt upwards of two hundred and fifty vessels
laden with supplies and provisions and stores, to the value of many
thousands of pounds, and at the present juncture of immense importance
to the Russian army and the beleaguered city. His brave career was,
however, drawing to a close; rejoining the squadron off Sebastopol, at
the end of a fortnight, he was shortly afterwards struck by a shell,
while running into harbour at night to annoy the enemy, and in a few
days breathed his last at the hospital at Therapia, to which he had been
removed.

He was succeeded in the command of the squadron by Captain Sherard
Osborne, an officer of equal determination, courage, and sagacity, who
was not likely to leave any of the work he had undertaken undone, or
half-done. Our three commanders proceeded in the same spirit to the
execution of thei