The Russians are essentially a brave and noble people; it is impossible to live amongst them and not admire and like them. They love their sovereign with a personal devotion almost beyond bounds, and they can and have fought for their country to the death, but they know their system of government is very faulty. Late events especially have led them to see how the present system tends to much oppression and venality, and that though the Emperor really labours earnestly and unweariedly for the welfare of his subjects, yet it is impossible any one man can sufficiently superintend and legislate for so vast an empire. On the gentle slope of a pretty grass hill, where a flock of sheep were peacefully grazing, is the simple stone erected to the memory of the noble 23rd Welsh Fusileers, and a few feet from it are a number of long, narrow trenches, the edges roughly marked by stones, the graves of their gallant enemies. Many hundred Russians lie here, but neither cross nor monument records their names. In a few more years the stones will be all dispersed, and nothing will then mark the spot where so frightful an amount of human life was sacrificed. We again descended the valley to visit the tomb of Captain Horace Cust. It is owing to the kind care of our hostess that it is still in existence. When the family returned to Burlinck after the war, Madame B---- found the stone thrown down, defaced, and half buried in the earth, but she had it repaired and by a curious accident Captain Cust's brother arrived in Sevastopol and came to see the little monument only the day after it had been replaced. But for Madame B----'s kindness few of the graves would have been respected, for the Tartars are very destructive, and carry off everything that they think has any value. Count B---- has been a great sufferer from the war. His property near the Alma was worth about twenty thousand roubles a year. Now it barely yields enough to supply the family with more than simple necessaries. Formerly they spent the winter in the old Russian capital, Moscow, now they go for a few months to Simpheropol, and live here as simple farmers during the rest of the year, and a farm-life in the Crimea does not imply the comforts that are to be found on most English homesteads. Though our host has lost so much--for besides his house several farms were burnt, the cattle seized, and the vineyards and woods destroyed--there are very many others who have been still more unfortunate. For instance, his aunt, Mlle. M----, before the war began was the owner of a fine property with a large house in the valley of Tchernaia, but long ere the siege was over she found herself absolutely ruined.