The British Expedition to the CrimeaRussell, William Howard, Sir
History
The British Expedition to the Crimea
Russell, William Howard, Sir
Crimean War, 1853-1856
At daylight next morning, Falconero was north, and Milo south. The
clouds were black and low, the sea white and high, and the junction
between them on the far horizon of a broken and promiscuous character.
The good steamer had run thirty miles to leeward of her course, making
not the smallest progress. Grey islets with foam flying over them lay
around indistinctly seen through the driving vapour from the Ægean. To
mistrust of the pilot fear of accident was added, so the helm was put
up, and we wore ship at 6.30 A.M. in a heavy sea-way. A screw-steamer
was seen on our port quarter plunging through the heavy sea, and we made
her out to be the _Cape of Good Hope_. She followed our example. The
gale increased till 8 A.M.; the sailors considered it deserved to be
called "stormy, with heavy squalls." The heavy sea on our starboard
quarter, as we approached Malea, caused the ship to roll heavily; the
men could only hold on by tight grip, and they and their officers were
well drenched by great lumbering water louts, who tossed themselves in
over the bulwarks. At 3.30 P.M., the ship cast anchor in Vatika Bay, in
twenty fathoms. A French steamer and brig lay close in the shore. We
cheered them vigorously, but the men could not hear us. Some time
afterwards the _Cape of Good Hope_ and a French screw-steamer also ran
in and anchored near us. This little flotilla alarmed the inhabitants,
for the few who were fishing in boats fled to shore, and we saw a great
effervescence at a distant village. No doubt the apparition in the bay
of a force flying the tricolor and the union-jack frightened the people.
They could be seen running to and fro along the shore like ants when
their nest is stirred.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account