The Town of Plevna--A Natural Stronghold--_Le Petit Village_--The Gypsies' Warning--Dr. Robert--An Expatriated Bacchanalian--We attend a Banquet--The First Battle of Plevna--An Artillery Duel--Surgical Aid to the Wounded--A Gunner's Death--The Zacuska--Arranging the Hospitals--Disposition of the Turkish Line of Defence--Commencement of the Battle--Fighting on the Janik Bair--Arrival of the Wounded--Sufferings in the Arabas--Variety in Gunshot Wounds--Some Extraordinary Recoveries--Turkish Fortitude--Objections to Alcohol--And to Amputation--Berdan v. Krenke Bullets--A Man shot through the Brain--Rapid Cure--An Erratic Rifle-ball--Remarkable Example of Vitality--A Missile in the Heart of a Living Man--My Second Hospital--A Turkish Colonel's Wound--Insufficient Beds--Mangled Wretches lying on the Floor--Two Russians wounded--They both die--The Shambles in the Mosque--Our Open-air Operating Theatre--Calling the Faithful to Prayer 114 CHAPTER VI. THE INTERVAL BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND BATTLES. Sending away the Wounded--Osman Effendi--We perform Operations--Amputating Fingers--A Warning to Malingerers--Trial and Execution--Discipline in the Town--Round the Bazaars after the Battle--Some Pathetic Souvenirs--The Punishment of Looters--Circassian and Bulgarian--A Cold-blooded Murder--The Work of Fortification--Out with the Burial Parties--A Walk over the Battle-field--Fresh Reinforcements arrive--The Lovtcha Expedition--Rifaat Pasha's Success--My Quarters near the Hospital--I have a Flitting--Arrival of Olivier Pain--A Pretty Bulgarian Girl--Limitations of a Vocabulary--Hospital Routine--Soldier Nurses 142 CHAPTER VII. THE SECOND BATTLE OF PLEVNA (JULY 30).