that the governor of the town was absent, yet that an answer should be returned to the summons in half-an-hour; but that he might at once assure Captain Lyons that the terms would not be accepted.

afterwards released. On the 22nd of June, stood in for anchorage under Cross Island; left Cross Island on the 24th; on the 26th, anchored (with a strong current running towards Archangel) off the mouth of the river Dwina; at ten, P.M., in Archangel Bay, we were employed of July we weighed and proceeded for the Murin boats boarding several vessels. On the 5th man Channel off Dwina River, leading towards Archangel Bay; on the 9th, anchored near Tetrina, got under weigh, and proceeded for an

We

"I waited," said the last-mentioned officer in the despatch forwarded to the admiralty, "till daylight the following morning, when, no answer having been sent, and observing that the battery and other defences were manned, and everything pre-chorage at Cross Island; on the 18th, rounded pared for action on shore, I hauled down the flag of truce, and opened fire on the battery, stockade, and loopholed houses, which was instantly returned by guns and musketry. The guns were shortly dismounted, and the battery reduced to ruins; but, although our shells burst well into the loopholed houses and stockades, an obstinate fire of musketry was kept up from various parts of the town; this allowed me no alternative, and I was obliged to destroy it. It was soon in flames from our shell and red-hot shot, and burned furiously, being fanned by a fresh breeze. The ship, at this time, became critically situated; the violence of the tide caused her to drag the bower and stream anchors, and the two kedges laid out to spring her broadside; and the passage being too narrow for her to swing, she grounded at less than three hundred yards from the burning town, fragments from which were blown on board: however, by keeping the sails, rigging, and decks well wetted until the ship was hove off, no bad consequences ensued."

the island of Solovetskoi; when about 1,000 yards distant from the shore, our first lieutenant observed a number of soldiers with several field- 1 pieces in the woods. His glass and eye are first-rate. A gun was fired to dislodge them, and canister-a sharp shower. Lots of them which they quickly returned with shot, grape, | struck the ship. We kept up a sharp fire from the starboard broadside guns. The enemy retired into the brushwood in their rear. then anchored off Solovetskoi monastery at about midnight. On the next morning, the 19th, saw the soldiers employed throwing up temporary batteries. Our ship, with the Brisk in company, hoisted a flag of truce, and fired a blank gun. The Brisk sent a boat on shore with a flag of truce. The Russians sent a boat off to meet the flag of truce. The boat then returned on shore. At twenty minutes past eight weighed fire on the enemy's battery with long gun, anchor, hauled down flag of truce, and opened firing shot and shell, which was pretty smartly returned by the battery, and also from two towers of the monastery, and musketry from the shore. The Brisk also opened fire soon after. About twenty minutes past nine, a round shot from the battery killed King Marshall, an ordinary seaman and man of colour, formerly a Krooman, from Sierra Leone. Another shot wounded Stephen Hart, fracturing his right arm close to the shoulder. We then opened fire from 12lb. howitzers, and also from the tops and gangways, to dislodge the enemy from their cover of trees and bushes. At "Miranda left Sheerness on the 3rd of May, twenty minutes past eleven the enemy were under sealed orders; anchored at Spithead on seen deserting their batteries. They shortly the 4th, at six, P.M.; left Spithead on the 6th, again returned to their guns, and were again at one, P.M.; on that day chased several vessels, driven away by the precision of our firing. and proceeded again under sealed orders; re- We then commenced shelling the monastery turned to Spithead again on the 15th; on the from our pivot gun, at the same time keeping 17th victualled the ship; on the 19th left Spit-up a heavy fire from our broadside guns, also head; anchored in the Downs on the 21st; at two, A.M., weighed anchor and run through the Gullstream; proceeded north on the 24th; at eight, P.M., ran for Lerwick harbour; anchored at eleven, P.M., on the 26th; left Lerwick harbour on the 8th of June; anchored in Hammersfort Bay, having worked through the Sound, on the 10th of June; steamed through Rolffso Sound for sea; on the 19th of June, chased and captured the Russian schooner, which was

We have not the materials for any very explicit narrative of these events, the official despatches being meagre and uninteresting; and therefore think we cannot do better than give the following account of the proceedings of the Miranda, written by one of her

own officers:

with small-armsmen on battery and cover. We then proceeded, easily steaming up the inner passage, to outflank the battery, and also to close on the monastery. We then commenced firing red-hot shot on the monastery; silenced the fire of the enemy at about six, P.M., on the evening of the 19th. On the 31st, landed at Shayley Island, destroyed all the public buildings by fire, together with nine guns found on shore. We coaled on the 29th of July near

"Her majesty's ship, White Sea, July 6. "The - is now anchored off the bar of the river Dwina. The Russians have been making a great display of their force for the last two or three days, such as firing guns and rowing their gun-boats about, and their steamers getting up their steam, but none of their fine vessels have yet showed their figure-heads on this side of the bar. For the last one or two days we have kept ourselves in readiness to weigh at an instant's notice; the two steamers always keep their fires banked, so that they may be able to get up their steam quickly and take us in tow, should it fall calm, and the gunboats, taking advantage of the calm, come and attack us. The day before yesterday was quite calm, and oppressively hot. It was as hot as a summer's day in England, and every one was crying out for duck trowsers and white waistcoats, and some wanted to bathe. To-day the sun is hot, but there is a little breeze to oppose

Cross Island. On the 23rd of August, our These particulars were communicated after master, Mr. George Williams, succeeded with the return of the White Sea squadron to the boats to buoy a passage up to Kola. At Sheerness, where, on the 25th of September, thirty minutes past six, A.M., we anchored off she received orders to proceed to Portsmouth Kola in five fathoms water. We shortly after to make some slight repairs to her machinery observed a flag of truce coming off from the fort; we hoisted flag of truce in return. Our preparatory to her sailing for the Black Sea. third lieutenant, Mr. C. W. Buckle, went away Our readers will, however, probably feel an in the gig to meet the flag of truce with a letter interest in perusing the following letters in which, we understood from the quarter-deck from a juvenile officer serving in the squaofficers, an immediate surrender of the fort, dron, and written before its return :garrison, and government property was demanded. We could see the different forts with the men at their guns. We were kept at quarters during that night. No answer being returned in the morning, we hauled down flag of truce, and opened fire with grape and canister, to dislodge musketry from the batteries and stockades. Our ship was got up within 250 yards of the battery. Our first lieutenant, Mr. John F. C. Mackenzie, and Charles W. Manthorp, mate, accompanied us in command of the shore party. On landing, our gallant first lieutenant headed our party of blue-jackets and marines, who trotted up sword in hand to dislodge the enemy from the ruins of the batteries and to seize their guns immediately. Upon our pulling in shore, the enemy opened a sharp fire upon us from the different parts of the towers and the monastery. Our ship continued fire to cover us. It was about thirty minutes past two when we landed, headed by Lieutenant Mackenzie, who was the first into the battery, which we found completely de-it, which makes it very comfortable, and nice stroyed by the ships' fire. The enemy were going off beyond double quick time. We took on board one of the battery guns, which had been broken by a shot from our ship; all the other guns were completely buried in the ruins. All the government stores were destroyed. Our first lieutenant did honour to his little clan of the Miranda. During our fighting the enemy had been busily employed taking up all the buoys our master, Mr. Williams, had laid down for coming up the river, and he had all his work to go over again, to buoy the channel for our going down again. By half-past seven, A.M., on the 24th, we had destroyed the whole of the town. It was a tremendous scene of destruction; the buildings, stores, and monastery all in flames; and each bell, as their stupendous beams burnt through, fell to the bottom of the tower, tolling its last knell. There were seven bells. We made Flamborough Head light on the 22nd of September, and called at Yarmouth. We have a Russian boy, about ten years of age. He was taken out of a fishing lugger which had been deserted by her crew. The poor little fellow was found locked up in the hovel called a cabin, and if not taken must have been starved to death. It appears he had neither mother nor father. The crew of the Miranda have been remarkably healthy.

and cool, but in no way cold. I forget now whether I told you of our little prize-a little schooner which we found on the coast in our way here. She is a beautiful looking little thing, but, unluckily, very leaky; we are trying to stop ber leaking now by caulking her afresh. All the caulkers of the three ships have been at work on board of her for the last three days, and have almost finished her. We have got the skipper and mate on board us as prisoners; the rest of the crew are on board the Miranda. It does not look as if we should see much service if we continue in this way, standing still, and doing nothing. July 7.-Last night, about ten o'clock, without any one expecting it, the captain ordered the hands to be turned up, and the ship to be got under weigh, and the Brisk to take us in tow. Before long we were going through the water at the rate of five or six knots an hour, with fore and aft sails set. At ten o'clock this morning we cast off from the Brisk and made sail, and at about one, P.M., we arrived at a place called Cross Island. Our prize, the Volga, is anchored close alongside of us, and the Brisk a little way ahead. We have sent the boats away to get some water, but they have not returned yet, and it is coming on to blow. It is now six o'clock, and the boats have returned, except one (the pinnace) and

what remains in the collier. Our pinnace and that of the Brisk are ballasting the coal brig with stones, &c., and they continue going to and from the brig all the day long, except when they are having dinner."

she is a long way off astern to leeward, on the opposite side of the ship from which the wind blows, and she is drifting further away. Saturday, July 8.-It is twelve o'clock, and the pinnace has not yet returned. She has been cruising about all night, and I should think the crew were very tired and cold, for it is blowing of this expedition extracted from the Gazette We subjoin the following Russian account so hard that we have struck our topgallant-masts and yards. Six o'clock.-The pinnace has not du Gouvernement d'Archangel. If it does yet returned, and we have sent the Volga to not supply much intelligence that can be look for her. She is now running before the relied upon, it will at least excite astonishwind with only her jib set, and she has just ment at the different views which may be loosed her foretop-sail. We have very good fare taken of the same event. It must, however, here. At Hammerfest, we laid up a good stock we suspect, at least as far as all its high of reindeer meat, and it is not all gone. We get hot rolls for breakfast every morning, have specimen of that kind of historic romance colouring is concerned, be regarded as a pea soup for dinner every other day, and goose-writing for which Russian journalists have berry tart every Thursday and Sunday, with plum pudding on Thursday and rice pudding lately acquired so extensive a celebrity. on Sunday. We have also got lots of wine, but all our ale is gone, and we cannot get any more. Will you please ask them all to write a small note if they can hear of any ship leaving England for the White Sea?

"The recent naval proceedings of the English in the Baltic and Black Seas are sufficiently notorious, and in the opinion of all enlightened men, no matter what may be their country, are little calculated to reflect honour on the nation or its flag; but now, in the White Sea, they are found carrying out the same system of operations. Towards the early part of last June, English ships of war were encountered in that sea by the captains of foreign vessels and by our own sailors. On the 14th of that month, two English steam-frigates, and one sailing frigate arrived at the bar of the port of Archangel. Since then they have cruised about those waters in various directions, committing acts wholly unworthy of brave and honourable seamen.

"Cross Island, July 19th. "We are still at anchor between Cross Island and the main-land of Russia, but we expect to sail hence to-morrow; where, I do not know, but we rather expect to a place called Randalax, where I believe there are some large forts. I hope we shall, as I want to have something to do, instead of having to come home and say that we have done nothing. On Monday, July 18th, we sent ten seamen and ten marines, with some officers, to the Brisk, and ten seamen and ten marines to the Miranda, and the captain went on board the Brisk. As soon as the cap"Thus we have found them stopping even tain got on board, the two steamers got under the craft loaded with fish, in order to possess weigh, and went towards a place called Salretski, themselves of such poor spoils, after which they which is strongly fortified; this they bom- burnt or sunk the fishing-boats themselves. As barded; they commenced firing at eight, A.M., to the masters and the crews of larger vessels and finished at four, P.M.; but, as the walls (when their bravery exercised itself upon such), were ten feet thick, they could not make very they have been left to gain the shore by tramuch impression on them, so they left it and versing the swelling waves in frail boats and went to some other places, and the last one without provisions. They have also seized they went to they burnt, and took ever so various vessels laden with corn, and bound for many cows, calves, sheep, &c., and brought Norway from ports in the White Sea, in violathem on board the ships. We are going to tion of the solemn pledge made by their governhave our first veal dinner to-day since I leftment to that of Sweden-a pledge which guaEngland. We have been living on fresh salmon for the last five or six days certainly, but we have not had any fresh mutton or anything of that sort. The Brisk came back the day before yesterday, and the Miranda anchored yesterday, but in the evening she left again, and went out cruising so as to burn some of her coal, and to be able to fill up again with some coal brought from England by a collier for the steamers. The collier is almost empty now, having filled up the Brisk and Miranda once before, and, having about 100 tons over, and wanting to get rid of it, the Miranda has gone out to spend some of her's, and then fill up with

ranteed entire liberty of commercial intercourse between Russia and Norway, the latter, as is well known, receiving from us all her supplies. of wheat.

"Whenever they have seen defenceless villages on the coasts where they were cruising, they have made a pastime of pouring in shot and shell. Witness, for example, the village of Luzma. Not only so, but, without any sense of shame or decency, they have directed their piratical cannon against the monastery of Solovetskoi, known throughout all Russia, and held in the highest veneration. On the 6th and 7th of July, two steam-frigates poured a shower of

CHAPTER XVI.

STATE OF THE TURKISH ARMY IN ASIA; THE TURKS ADVANCE ON THE FORTRESS OF GUMRI; GREAT BATTLE AND RETREAT OF THE TURKS TO KARS; FURTHER REVERSES OF THE TURKS; CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES DURING THE WINTER; CRUISE OF ADMIRAL LYONS ALONG THE CIRCASSIAN SHORES, AND DESERTION OF THEIR FORTRESSES BY THE RUSSIANS; INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CIRCASSIANS; BATTLES OF OZURGHETTI, OF BAYAZID, AND KURAKDERE; DESCENT OF SCHAMYL FROM THE MOUNTAINS; DEFEAT OF THE RUSSIANS BY THE CIRCASSIANS.

Ir the reader will turn back to Chapter V. | horses are dying, but there are more to be of this work, he will find an account of the had; and many of the men have no saddles, commencement of hostilities between the but perhaps they ride better so. Go and Turks and the Russians in ASIA; of Schamyl, the hero and self-styled proplict of the Caucasus; of the capture of Fort St. Nicholas by the Turks; and of the defeat of the latter at the battles of Akhalzik and BaschkadyLar. This division of the narrative we now propose to resume.

best men of the army are so depraved, what can be expected of the rest!"

smoke.' All but a few persevering spirits have abandoned hopes of improvement, and the energies even of these are wasted in intrigues and quarrels amongst themselves. A bad system and bad examples corrupt all who are brought in contact with them. The profligacy of all ranks of officers is such, After the battle of Akhalzik, which oc- that even men of the world, who make no curred almost simultaneously with the pretences to morality, are disgusted and massacre at Sinope, the Turkish army in repelled. The energy and intellect of those Asia was in a frightfully demoralised and in command, both Turks and Europeans, confused state. It consisted, in fact, merely are destroyed by a practice which has grown of a great military rabble, and it was even re- up to a fearful height. The eating of ported that General Guyon, otherwise called opium, which prevails to a great extent in Kurschid Bey (a talented English soldier of the East, is universal at Kars, and many fortune, who had greatly distinguished him- hours of every day are passed by the officers self in the Hungarian war) had been mur-in a state of delirious torpor. When the dered by his own troops. The army was badly officered, and the greatest corruption prevailed in every branch of its service. A detachment of the Turkish army had "The pashas present with it," says a well- left its head-quarters at Kars, and marched informed writer, were numerous and towards Gumri (otherwise called Alexanneedy; contract bakers and butchers formed dropol), on the borders of Georgia, with the connexions with them on terms of mutual intention of besicging the powerful Russian advantage; and the unfortunate soldiers fortress there. This fortress was newly were not only left unpaid (to which they are built, and provided with everything; while accustomed), but they were left without the Turks had not a single piece of heavy food or clothing." The same writer, speak- artillery. Their army, however, consisted ing of Europeans in the Ottoman service, of 25,000 irregular infantry and cavalry. adds: "The task of the most well-meaning officer is difficult enough. He is perhaps desirous to drill a squadron of cavalry into a condition to meet the enemy. But such an improvement would involve some exertion on the part of other officers, who are fond of their ease, and care little about anything else. The troublesome improver is therefore The severity of the rapidly-approaching soon made to feel that he had best be quiet. winter induced the Turkish army to retire If he lets things take their course, his from Pahandir, with the intention of returnsuperiors will obtain his pay for him; if, on ing to Kars. On the second day of the the contrary, he bestirs himself, it is hinted retreat, the commander-in-chief and several that he will soon receive an order to retire other general officers rode on to Kars, altogether. Why should you trouble your- leaving the troops under the command of self and us?' he is asked. 'It is truc the! Ahmet Pasha, at the village of Yediclair,

They remained for twenty-five days at Pahandir, about an hour-and-a-half's march from the fortress. During this period the Russians issued from the fortress, and a fierce engagement took place, in which the Russians were worsted, and compelled to retire within the walls of the fortress.