sk, Vodnia, and Glofira.
Strange as it may seem, considering that the places had before been
attacked, the Russians had accumulated along the shore in their
neighbourhood enormous rows of stacks, several miles in extent. They
had, however, four thousand troops to protect their property, while they
were aware of the small force possessed by the English, who could not
muster more than two hundred men for boat service. The larger vessels,
from want of water, had to remain in the offing, while the gunboats
towed the other boats as near as possible to the shore, and then covered
them by their heavy fire. They pulled in, when their crews, springing
to land, drove back the enemy, and set fire to the stacks in succession;
proving that it is much easier to commit harm than to prevent it.

These attacks being made simultaneously at different points, so
distracted the enemy, that they knew not in which direction to proceed;
scarcely had the flames burst out at one point than they saw fires
blazing up at several others. The stores at Vodnia and Glofira having
been destroyed, the squadron proceeded off Gheisk. Here, for full four
miles, stacks of corn and hay were arranged close to the water's edge;
while under the protection of the forts around the town were vast piles
of timber, cured fish, naval stores, and a number of boats. Here again
the shallowness of the water prevented the larger vessels from
approaching; even the gunboats could not get in nearer than long range;
such boats as could carry heavy guns, being distributed in four
divisions, were sent in to cover the landing-parties in the smaller
boats, about a mile from each other. As they approached, they saw that
the Russians had thrown up light breastworks along their front, from
which they kept up an unremitting fire on their invaders. Fortunately
the wind blew on shore, and carried the smoke from their own and the
British guns in their faces; the landing-parties, rapidly advancing,
sprang on shore, and, dashing with bayonet and cutlass over the Russian
breastworks, speedily put the enemy to flight.

The stacks along the whole of the line, being simultaneously lighted,
blew so dense a cloud of smoke into the eyes of the Russians, that,
though they rallied and opened a hot fire, they were unable to take aim
or ascertain what their persevering foes were about. In six hours every
stack, as well as the timber and naval stores and boats, were destroyed,
with no other