242 THE OPENING OF THE SIEGE. CHAP, the Russians had begun to appreciate the fact ' that, after all, they were once more the masters u^rnXor"^ — ^^^^ undisturbed masters — of the Mackenzie Mackenzie I'iinge, Including every road, every pathway which heigi.ts; connected it with the valley of the Tchernaya. So now, at last, their Commander accepted the priceless dominion of territory which had been given up to him by the Allies some ten days before, and not only resumed the full ownershi]) of those Mackenzie Heights which secured his communications with Sebastopol and the interior with horse- of Ptussia, but pushcd his reconnoitring forces puns "thrown dowu iuto the plain, and home even to the banks the plains of the stream where the English horsemen patrol- T.;hernaya. led. It was a patrol uudcr Cornet Fisher which lirst felt the presence of the enemy in the eountiy of the Tchernaya. The Cornet was surprised in the early morning by finding himself in contact with part of a powerful force which had come down into the valley;* and three of his men wei'e made prisoners. The garrison At this time, morcover, it began to appear that coinlngtnore the forccs which Constituted the garrison of Se- bastopol were daily becoming more bold ; for (supporting them in some instances by field-guns) the enemy now kept his outposts so firmly on ' Prince Mditscliikoff began to coneentrat<' liis army on the
- north side of Sebastopol.' — Toilleben, p. 208. To understand
the full force of this statement, any one not accurately carry- ing in his mind the features of the country should glance at the map. • A whole division of cavalry, supported by several bat- talions of infantry and three batteries.
