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large and dreary, then over barren heaths, up low hills and through steep gorges, stumbling on in the darkness.

I could easily have escaped in the confusion, but the colonel had my money, and no loadstone had a surer attraction for iron than this gold for me.

We halted about one o'clock in the morning, and went to sleep without pitching tents. At six we were again on foot, not much refreshed. As day dawned we found ourselves traversing a highly cultivated country, with occasional villages and houses, all burnt and sacked, either by the retreating Russians or by our own soldiers. We halted for breakfast at eight, and resumed our march by ten, and in an hour after we arrived at the brow of a hill. Here a view burst on us which took every one by surprise. Sheer down below us was a sheet of water, apparently landlocked by precipitous hills, which I would have declared a lake had I not seen four or five steamers floating on its surface. At the top of this creek, or gully, was a small town, and encamped outside of it were masses of troops, which we could easily make out to be English. They had, during the night, preceded us in a march round Sebastopol to the north, and had, a few hours before we arrived, made themselves masters of the town after a slight resistance.

Balaklava, Wednesday, Sept. 27.

I made repeated requests to-day for an interview with the colonel, but although on account of my urgency a soldier communicated my request, the only answer was that he was too busy to attend to me, and that I must, on peril of being shot, keep within the tent till further orders. So all day I remained a prisoner. The time passed very heavily. I only saw the soldiers for half an hour at dinner, when they told me they were employed landing ammunition, and, from the sacrés! morbleus! and têtes bleues! they did not seem to like the employment.

Saturday, Sept. 30. Still a prisoner, but with this mitigation, that I have been allowed each day a short walk, attended by a soldier with a loaded rifle. I am very discontented, and curse my fate and the Russian trousers.

Sunday, Oct. 1.

By way of relaxation I was allowed to attend service to-day. The sermon was good and appropriate.

Monday, Oct. 2.

I have been interrogated by the colonel. He began by telling me that subterfuge was useless, as it was well known my name was Upton, and that I was a traitorous Englishman in the service of the Russians. That therefore I must give intelligence of the enemy as the only terms on which I could escape the fate of a spy. All this was said in such a severe, measured tone, and I was so struck with astonishment at my rebaptism, that it was some time before I could recover my self-possession. I repeated my former story, insisting that I was myself and not Mr. Upton, and conjuring him to take the simple step of confronting me with the officers of the 23rd. He answered, that I was an insolent acoundrel, and since I refused to avail myself of the only terms on which

I could save my life, I must be left to my fate. Accordingly, he ordered a file of soldiers to be ready. I do not know whether he really meant to carry his threat into effect or only to frighten me, but I thought at the time he was in earnest, and therefore submitted to my destiny, frankly gave up my identity, and professed my readiness to answer all questions.

He proceeded to my examination like an Old Bailey lawyer.

The first question was, "What is your name?" To which I replied, giving him the nom de guerre I had adopted on leaving the Waly I thought the worthy gentleman would have had me shot on the spot; indeed, he gave a very significant sign to the aide-de-camp, so I answered, eagerly, "Upton, Upton!"

"I was sure of it," said the colonel, giving a peculiar nod to the aide-de-camp, as if to say, "You see I am not the man to be humbugged. The aide-de-camp bowed his admiration. "Well then, Mr. Upton," continued the colonel, "what is your occupation?"

I was quite willing to be Mr. Upton's occupation, whatever it might be, rather than be shot, but I was totally ignorant on the subject; so, having all the world to choose for a profession, I dubbed myself a doctor of medicine.

"I thought so," said the colonel.

"I was sure of it," said the aide-de-camp.

"Do you practise in Sebastopol ?" continued the colonel.

"Yes," said I.

"When were you there last?"

"Three weeks ago."

"Where is your wife ?"

"At Odessa."

"How many children have you?" And the sagacious colonel took out the French letter to see if I answered correctly.

I forgot the precise number of Mr. Upton's family, though Mrs. Upton had given very minute information regarding each in the unfortunate letter; but I thought five a liberal allowance, so I answered, "Three boys and two girls."

"Liar!" shouted the colonel, "your wife speaks of her five darlings at home, and of Nicholas, Constantine, and Alexander besides."

"Well, sir," I replied, "she must know best; I must have eight children then."

"Take care, sir," continued the colonel, "if I find you out in another lie, I will have you shot. How many troops are there in Sebastopol ?"

I saw that my real ignorance, if confessed, might get me shot, so I made up my mind to go on; but I tried first to take advantage of my position. "I will tell you everything I know," said I; " upon my honour I will, provided you return me my money and my Vienna credit. "Oh!" said the colonel, "we have a surer way than that; we will have you shot if you do not answer our questions, and as for your honour, we would rather have as security your sovereigns and letter of credit, which I will return to you if you make a clean breast of it, otherwise they are confiscated to the band. So, sir, I repeat the question, how many soldiers are there in Sebastopol ?"

"Full forty thousand," I replied.

"That won't do; we have information they are not half so many."

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Very well," said I; "only I made a calculation on the spot, carefully pacing the ground they occupied, and allowing so many men for every square yard." This circumstantiality carried conviction; so down the garrison of Sebastopol went in the colonel's note-book at forty thousand.

"Who are the commanding officers ?" he continued.

"Prince Menschikoff and Prince Gortschakoff" (naming the only Russian generals whose names I recollected at the time).

"Impossible," said the aide-de-camp. "Gortschakoff is in Bessa

rabia."

"Young man," said I, with an air of injured innocence, "it is only from report you speak, whereas I saw the prince with my own eyes, General Lüders (as another Russian general occurred to me) is also there. He rides a tall black horse, and has lost an eye. The circumstance again carried it. Down went Gortschakoff and Lüders in the note-book as commanding in Sebastopol, the latter minus an eye.

It is needless to go on with the interview. I was in a rage at being forced to lie, so I gave it to them pretty strong and very circumstantially, and the colonel and aide-de-camp were delighted with the valuable information they had acquired. It was all reduced in my presence into writing, and the aide-de-camp was sent off with the despatch to Lord Raglan. I got back my money, but was remanded to the custody of the soldiers.

Tuesday, October 3.

I was sent for this morning by the colonel at ten o'clock. I found the aide-de-camp and an English officer with him, and in the latter I was delighted to recognise young Estcourt, whom, as a cornet of the Second Dragoons, I had some years before met in Birmingham, and with whose family I had been very intimately acquainted. I saw from his look that he half recognised me.

"So, sir," began the colonel, "it seems a brother of yours has been captured by the English; at least he is of the same name, though he denies any knowledge of you. But of course he is lying."

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"You know best, my dear sir," answered I. "You insisted yesterday on me being Mr. Upton. I am still ready to continue so, and will either admit or deny the fraternity of the other Mr. Upton, as you please." "Insolent scoundrel!" said the colonel.

"Stop, sir," I replied, "the joke has been carried far enough. I was willing to be anything rather than be shot, but I think I see an opportunity of being myself again. Estcourt," said I, addressing the dragoon, you can answer for me."

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"I thought so,” shouted the Englishman. "To be sure I can. Curse all Uptons! How are you, my boy?" and we shook hands cordially. "Colonel, this is some absurd blunder. I can answer for this gentleman not being Mr. Upton, and, further, that he is incapable of being a spy; but as to anything further, I would like to know how he came by his clothes."

This I explained, and the laughter of the colonel and aide-de-camp showed me I was believed this time.

"It is too ridiculous !" said the colonel; "but I owe the gentleman an apology for the language I have used, and beg him to consider that my observations were applied to his dress, and not to himself. Or," said he, more seriously, "if you are not satisfied, I consider myself bound to give you that satisfaction which we Frenchmen are not prevented from offering."

"Quite unnecessary," said I; "your apology is due to Mr. Upton and not to me, and I accept the amende honorable you have made to my coat and trousers. Besides, I have the best of it, since you thought proper to send off my valuable information to Lord Raglan."

"Morbleu!" said the colonel, "I am an ass."

"So am I," said the aide-de-camp.

The dragoon laughed, and I could not help joining him as I gazed on the mortified faces of my late interrogators.

"All right, gentlemen," said I. "My friend will convey another despatch to Lord Raglan, contradicting every word of the last. I suppose I may now go?"

"Not at all," said the colonel. Upton, or or whoever you may be, you are my guest for two or three days. I must have an opportunity of making some amends for the harsh treatment you have suffered; and you, sir, turning to Estcourt, you will honour me with your company to-day."

Estcourt had no objections; so we began the day by breakfasting, after which the colonel produced wine and cigars. Ultimately, we arranged ourselves into a whist party, and played without ceasing till five in the evening, when we dined; after which we had more wine, another two rabbers, supper, and then the dragoon left us; and shortly after I subsided into a sound sleep in the colonel's tent.

Wednesday, October 4.

I spent the greater part of the morning with the colonel. The debarkation of ammunition and guns has been briskly going on, and we have been down to Balaklava to see it, but the confusion and uproar are intolerable, and the squeeze dangerous.

We have a fine view of Sebastopol from a height. It certainly looks very formidable, and I much fear its capture will be more difficult than we anticipate. All sorts of rumours are current about what goes on inside. One report is that Menschikoff has committed suicide; another report describes Sebastopol as being in a state of festivity, balls and dinner-parties being the order of the day; but I am disposed to think all these reports are pure invention, as I am not aware that there is any communication between us and the garrison. One thing is certain-namely, that they have sunk six ships of their fleet at the entrance of the bay, thereby blocking up the channel, and preventing any attack from the

sea.

Saint-Arnaud is dangerously ill in Balaklava, and it is now certain he proceeds to France. General Canrobert has assumed the command. He is a favourite with the army, and, according to all accounts, a first-rate general.

October 10.

I have little to note since Wednesday. For the two or three first days the men were constantly occupied bringing up ammunition and

artillery, and since then they have been working hard at the trenches. On the sixth we received a reinforcement of nearly ten thousand men. The Russians, meantime, have not been idle. Entrenchments and earthworks are getting up betwixt us and them as if by magic. From the position we occupy we can easily see them at work, and with good glasses make out that men, women, and children all assist with the greatest energy. Nor have they confined themselves to the defensive: we have had several alarms, and have been well shelled and cannonaded, though with little injury now that the trenches are constructed. The men have got very expert in dodging all projectiles, the progress of which in the air they watch with the greatest coolness.

We command Sebastopol to the left and the British to the right, the two armies stretching in a semicircle for about eight miles, but separated by a ravine. The second division, to which I belong, occupy the centre of the French line, and are about two miles distant from Sebastopol. From a height a little to our rear we command a view of the whole investing force as well as of the besieged city.

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