CHAPTER XXIX.
THE BEGINNING OF THE SIEGE.
BALACLAVA itself Jack found but a small, uninteresting place; but the harbour was remarkable, insomuch that looking down upon it from the precipitous hills by which it was surrounded, it looked like a small mountain-lake, the entrance being completely masked by a projecting headland. A vessel might sail past the entrance a hundred times without suspecting the existence of a harbour. Once inside, however, the biggest vessels could ride securely at anchor within a stone’s-throw of the shore, which rose abruptly from the water’s edge, leaving only a narrow ledge on which the town was built.
The little valley leading from the plain to the head of the harbour was full of gardens, vineyards, and orchards. The streets of the town itself were narrow and crooked; the houses built of loose stones, with wooden verandas and balconies. There were, however, one or two public buildings which were soon turned to account as hospitals and so on.
The town of Sebastopol seemed to lie at the feet of the Allies, and many wondered why they did not walk in and drive out the Russian garrison; but these forgot that the town was dominated by the forts and by the ships in the harbour, and that although the Allies might get in easily enough they would be unable to remain there.
The rumours of carrying the place by assault soon died away, and it became evident that a siege was intended, though the place could not be completely invested. The task of landing siege-trains and stores was begun, and these had to be hauled up six or seven miles from Balaclava to the front. There was an almost utter absence of wagons or horses, and every old ammunition-cart and beast capable of work was pressed into the service.
From the fleet large numbers of sailors were landed, and these, with the reckless jollity and hearty go that distinguish sailors, dragged their great guns up into the batteries that were being formed. Often the ship’s fiddler would sit astride the gun as his messmates hauled on to the ropes, and to some chanty, with many strange phrases and nautical expressions, dragged their guns along at a great pace. The infantry regiments were assigned to their different positions, and early in October the first trenches were opened.
The Russians began to regain something of their confidence, and made several sorties at night, in some of which they achieved a measure of success.
Jack was kept busy with his regiment, amongst which, as amongst the rest of the army, cholera was still raging and claiming many victims.
Enormous exertions were made by the French and British, and by the middle of October they had between them a hundred and twenty-six pieces of artillery in position.
On the morning of the 17th, while Jack and his comrades were ‘standing to their horses’ as usual an hour before daybreak, with an absolutely deafening roar the French and English batteries opened fire. The first great bombardment had begun. Every now and then a sixty-eight pound shot came plump down into the ground just behind the cavalry, who were presently dismissed to their lines.