CHAPTER VIII. THE FIASCOS OF PELISCHAT AND LOVTCHA. A Circassian and a Pig--A Call on Olivier Pain--His Photographs surprise me--A View of Sydney Harbour in Plevna--The Story of a French Journalist--A Lonely Death in the Soudan--"The Butter-making Prince"--Bulgarian Fleas--The Expedition to Poradim--Going to the Front--An Ambulance at Work--Capture of Russian Guns--A Diabolical Circassian--Attack on a Redoubt--A General Retreat--Wounded Men left in the Redoubt--I help them to escape--An Exciting Moment--My Horse has to carry Double--Death takes one of the Riders--Battle of Pelischat--The March to Lovtcha--A Scrimmage in a Wheat-field--Sleeping in a Wheat-stook--Weinberger and I are apprehensive--A Delightful Surprise--Drawing a Covert--Lovtcha in the Distance--A Council of War--An Appalling Sight--Our Mutilated Comrades--The Sergeant and his Cigarette--A Night Alarm--Ammunition Boxes blow up--A Disastrous Explosion--Lauri and Drew Gay. My own Circassian servant, Ahmet, was an excellent attendant, and I seldom had any trouble with him. Once, however, an incident occurred through which I nearly lost him. It all arose through a pig. Next door to my quarters, and between them and the house occupied by Dr. Robert, was the residence of a Bulgarian, who was rather more affable than most of his compatriots, and who allowed me to use a right-of-way through his place to get to Dr. Robert's, so as to avoid the necessity of going a long way round. I often saw this Bulgarian as I went through his garden, and one day he told me that he was going to kill a pig, and that if I sent Ahmet in to him he would give him some fresh pork for me. When I conveyed my wishes to Ahmet, I was met by an unexpected obstacle. Ahmet was a good Mussulman, and hated pork as the devil hates holy water. He refused to touch the accursed thing, and it was in vain that by turns I bullied and entreated, threatened and cajoled him to fetch the material for an appetizing plateful of pork chops. He positively refused, and at last I told him that if he would not obey my orders I would have to send him back to his regiment. This was an unpleasant alternative, for with me he had light duties, comfortable quarters, plenty to eat and drink, and no fighting, whereas if he were sent back to his regiment he would have to spend long hours digging in the trenches, with the certainty of being sent under fire on the first reappearance of the Russians. In spite of all this he steadily refused to fetch the pork, and I admired his steadfastness so much that at last I went and fetched it myself. I took it over to Dr. Robert's, and we had a splendid dinner.