As the cannonade increased instead of diminishing, this gave a kind of martial note of approval to our solemn and enthusiastic ceremony. We then left the spot, again to risk our noble selves, as I observed to our friend P. M. “Oh,” said he, “I shall run.” Upon this I observed, “You may do as you like; but you will thereby incur more danger, as they will take you for a deserter.” “Oh, that’s true again; well, but you may say what you like about bravery--let me tell you, Monsieur Soyer, that I did not bargain for being brave, and I think the sooner we get out of this the better. Only listen to the roaring of the cannon.” We all laughed heartily at his fears and wry faces. Such were never before seen in the Crimea. At last we regained the redoubt, quite safe and sound, which the French corporal on duty attributed to their not thinking it worth while to fire upon us, and partly to the presence of a lady. He remarked that ladies often came to this spot to get a view, and that he had never known the enemy to fire while they were present. “Well,” I replied, “we certainly cannot extol their gallantry too highly. But can they distinguish persons at this distance from their camp?” “Of course they can, from their advanced batteries. Persons coming this way can be seen plainly five minutes before they reach this spot, unless they come by the Woronzoff Road.” The sun was by this time fast sinking in the vast ocean in front of Sebastopol, giving us to understand that night was about to spread its gloomy wings over the camp, and that in less than two hours it would envelope us in its mysterious darkness, as well as the besieged and their assailants. Alas! how many of those brave fellows who saw that sun set never beheld it rise again. Such was the subject of our conversation while remounting our horses, with hearts full of emotion, and of the awful grandeur of this great war, which, instead of comprising four or five battles, might well be called a single one, or the hundred battle war, lasting nearly fifteen months without intermission, excepting only the few hours when the flag of truce was hoisted, in order that the last religious rites to the mortal remains of the noble departed might be performed. Oh war! war! where is thy fair side? Thou art only a paraphernalia of destruction and misery!