_Euryalus_ joined company. Came to, per signal, off Nargen Island. [Sidenote: Nargen Island, Oct. 10.] 2 P.M.--Arrived _Bulldog_ with mail. Dressed ship with masthead flags, and fired a royal salute in commemoration of the victory gained by the Allied Army at Alma on September 20 in the Crimea. [Illustration: _The Battle of the Alma._] [Sidenote: Oct. 23.] Came to in Kiel Harbour. Received the following interesting letter from my nephew, Augustus Stephenson:-- ROOKSBURY, _October 12, 1854_. MY DEAR UNCLE--We have this day received your letter of October 3, and are delighted at so good an account of yourself. We hope before you receive this that little Harry will have rejoined you. By your letter I suppose you have heard of the false news we received here in England of the taking of Sevastopol. The news was false at the time; though I believe it was only premature, as before now, I trust, we are in the possession of it. The papers of to-day say that the bombardment commenced at 5 P.M. on the 4th of this month. You say you now receive no newspapers, though before you receive this you will no doubt have heard of the glorious victory of the Alma, on the 20th. The despatches are too large to put into this letter, and, moreover, you must get them before you receive this. It seems to have been a wonderful affair. Menschikoff, whose private papers, carriage, etc., were taken by the French, had written to the Emperor to say he could hold the position for three weeks at least. It was stormed in three hours! Poor Wenny (Coke), after all his trouble to be in time, was left in charge of the baggage at Varna! We had a letter from him, written in the highest spirits; he was to have embarked (as he then thought) on the following day. Our friends in the Fusilier Guards have been sadly knocked about. Chewton is reported as having died since. That report is now contradicted, but he is fearfully wounded. He was bayonetted on the ground and has eleven wounds. Haygarth was lying with his leg broken, and a Russian, attempting to blow his head off, shot away the upper part of his shoulder. He, however, has got as far as Malta on his way home. Astley, I hear, has written home for all his friends in hospital. He himself is shot through the neck, but says he would not have been altogether missed on any account! Buckley very badly shot. Eumismore many wounds. Black Dal, but slightly wounded in the knee. Hepburn lost an arm. Bulwer hit in the head only. I believe you know most of these men. You remember Hugh Drummond at Woolmer; he is reported to have bagged three Russians, who came at him after his horse was shot, with his revolvers! Burghersh, who brought home the despatches, says that the pluck of our troops was perfectly wonderful.