Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/419

THE 17TH OF OCTOBER. 389 To bring the jib-boom of the Eodney out of reach chap. of the Agamemnon's jib-boom, the Eodney, by a l_ back-turn of her steamer's engine, was so made to veer that — still moving, of course, stern fore- most — she glided on to the southward, where the edge of the shoal was awaiting her. All this while, the soundings were being taken incessantly, not only from the Eodney herself, but also from the stern of the Spiteful ; and, by the orders of Kynaston (the ofhcer in command of the Spiteful), the result of each cast of the lead that he caused to be made from his vessel was so chalked up on a board as to be easily visible from the deck of the Eodney. This board, when the anchor went down, gave ' six fathoms ' and a half; ' but whilst the ship was yet veer- ing the board showed ' four and a half ; ' and in the next instant the heel of the Eodney was Tue Rodnfj cast upon the shoal with a force which threw over '°°""' ■ the four men at the wheel. With her heel — and only her heel — hanging thus on the shoal, the Eodney, although held fast, was held fast, as it were, to a pivot — to a pivot on which she could swing. Her bow swung to starboard ; and, the distance to which she had veered not sufficing to keep the ships clear, her jib-boom fouled the jib-boom of the Agamemnon, and so caused the bow of the flag- ship to move some few feet towards the shore. The people of the Agamemnon had sought to avoid this contact by hauling astern on their stream cable; but when the movement of each