Lieutenant-General Kiriakoff, came up to us; our Colonel asked him what was going on yonder, pointing to the allied fleets. The General said that about 8000 men had been disembarked, and that he had asked permission of the Prince to drive them into the sea with his brigade. He spoke loud that the men might hear him, and they said among themselves, "What a fine fellow is our General of Division !"-but, alas! when proved, he was found wanting. About the village of Bourliouk there were a great many vineyards and orchards with the fruit just ripe, to which the soldiers helped themselves very liberally, for in Russia grapes are unheard-of luxuries among the lower orders.

On the 16th we still occupied the same position. In the evening an artilleryman of our brigade, 5th light field battery, brought a report to General Kiriakoff that in the village of Ulukul there was a party of the enemy's marauders, whom he had seen himself while on a foraging party. Kiriakoff ordered our Colonel to furnish a party consisting of one subdivision and twenty-four riflemen. All the officers of the regiment crowded round the General and Colonel to learn the particulars from the artilleryman, who was relating the strength and position of the enemy. When the Adjutant of the regiment announced

to the Colonel that the men were ready, he turned to us and asked who would volunteer for the service. I answered to the call, and Lieutenant K was ordered to join the party, as he belonged to the rifles of the battalion.

The orders we received were to take as many prisoners as possible. The village was about eight versts from the position we occupied, and close to the shore. I started with my command about a quarter past six, with the artilleryman for a guide, who was on horseback. The village in question had been deserted by its inhabitants. I advanced cheerfully towards my object, and considered myself very fortunate in having the command of this small expedition, as success would place me high in the opinion of my commanding officers. Notwithstanding the distance, which was not small, we rapidly approached the village, where we remarked lights in several of the huts; these, our guide assured us, were the lights of the marauders, as there were no inhabitants in the village, and these lights could proceed from no one but the enemy. My heart beat high at this moment, and I considered the victory already mine. We reached the first village. There were three of the same nameupper, middle, and lower. Nothing disturbed The stillness of the night but the dreadful howl

ing of the dogs that had remained about their old haunts, deserted by their Tatar masters. The night was so dark that a man could not be distinguished at the distance of three paces. We advanced to within two musket-shots of the lights, when I stopped and threw out skirmishers. We then began to move on with all possible caution, so that the enemy might not remark our approach, as I wished to fulfil my orders and take them all alive. We moved on for another thousand yards, when I resolved to call a council of war as to the best mode of proceeding. Lieutenant Kwas of opinion that it would be better to open fire upon two sides of the village, while the cadet B- who was promoted to the rank of officer for the battle of Inkerman, advised

to open fire upon the village, and then charge into it. I overruled these opinions in consequence of the orders I had received to make prisoners and not kill the men. To carry out this, I advised that one of us, with a few men, should advance to reconnoitre and ascertain whether or not this was really a party of the enemy. Should it prove to be, he was to retire and give information to the rest of our party, that we might concert measures. If the reconnoitring party were discovered, a shot fired was to be a signal for the rest to advance and begin a hand-to-hand

combat. This appeared to me the best way to perform my duty. I then proposed to the officers with me that one should undertake this duty. As nobody seemed willing, I resolved, after some little consideration, to go myself. I gave the command to Lieutenant K- in case I should not return, with orders to advance at the first shot fired. Our hesitation at this time is not at all extraordinary, considering that not one of us had ever seen a shot fired in earnest, and now we were rushing on an unknown and unseen danger, feeling that if we were overpowered we had no one near to support us. I picked out two men that I considered the most to be depended upon. We began to descend the slope towards the village, crawling on our bellies, and I must confess that I felt a strange sensation of cold; my heart beat faster at the thought that in a few minutes we should be engaged in a mortal struggle. I tried, however, to hide this feeling, of which I was ashamed, from my men. After all, I don't think it was cowardice-it might have been the effect of the cold night-dew through which we were crawling. We approached nearer and nearer, till at last I observed the shine of a bayonet through the darkness, that appeared to belong to a sentry evidently posted near a house, from the windows of which

we could see lights. What could this mean ? had the enemy occupied the village in force? This 1 thought was not possible, as our General ought to have known it, and sent a stronger party. Again, it could not be a single company that thus ran the risk of being cut off; yet I could not imagine that if they were simply marauders they would have posted a sentry at the entrance of the village. I did not know what to do. I could not return, for in that case I should be obliged to confess that I ran away from one man, for I could see no more through the darkness, and whether he was an Englishman, a Frenchman, or a Turk, I could not tell. To return would stamp me for a coward, and I would never give a Russian an opportunity to call a Pole a coward. While I was thus reasoning with myself, one of the men with me, as we were lying on the ground, said, "If you'll allow me, sir, I'll go and see who they are in the village." I told him that if he would remain quietly in his place I would go myself, for, as an officer, I thought it my duty to go first; but when I had crawled a short distance I trembled from head to foot, as I heard footsteps approaching, and tried to conceal myself behind a bush. As the man approached I saw a sentry—of what nation think ye?-Russian! I could hardly