Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/81

OF THE ALMA. 01 Careening Bay, and tlic deep ravine at its head, ciiAP. that, in that quarter also, the dominion of the ' water by the Kussians was an obstacle to any attack. Thus relieved from apprehension of attack from the side of the Avater, the garrison would be enabled to bring almost their whole strength to bear upon the land defences. Of such of those land defences as covered the north of Sebastopol from attack on the side of the Belbec we have already spoken ; * and what we now have to observe is the strength of the ground Avhich hemmod in on the landward side not oidy the town of Sebastopol but also its Karabel faubourg. On the western side of the town of Sebasto- Tiiegroumi , , -111 • • on the south pol there was a wide and deep I'avme, running par- side of allel with the boundary of the place, which could not but be a grave obstacle to besiegers ; and, upon the whole, the configuration of the ground was of such a kind that works on a moderate scale might suffice to prevent an enemy from choosing, in that direction, his point of attack. It was towards the south and south-east that the defenders of the place were least helped by nature. Even in those quarters, however, the configuration of the ground was in some respects favourable to the defence: for the ravines descended into the place in a way which laid them open to the fire of the garrison, especially to fire from the ships ; and every one of the intervening ridges along which the assailants could best come to push • 'Invasion of the CiiniM,' CaLinct F.ditinn, vol. iii. cliap. v.