Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 8.djvu/86

54 KHKOULEFFS ATTACK. chap, part of the town he made only a feint — a feint ' very soon checked and stopped by the presence of the English ships, and the fire that poured from the ramparts. It was on the opposite — the eastern Hank that the General had by this time resolved to deliver his real attack ; and at length by a cir- cuitous march he brought down his left-hand column to ground on the shore of Lake Sassic some 900 yards from the town. . Omar Pasha perceiving all this, took care to strengthen his right with additional troops, and besides, asked Captain Hastings to send across his gunboat, the Viper, to the eastern side of the bay. The Viper moved thither accordingly ; and — along with the Veloce and the Shaffaer — was soon taking part in the combat. Whenever occasion allowed, these vessels of course brought their lire to bear on the enemy's troops ; but great would be the error of fancying that the value of this naval contribution to the defence of Eupatoria can be measured by count- ing the Eussians struck down by fire from the ships. The seamen did more than kill and wound. Because forcing the enemy to know or imagine what they could and would do against him, if seen by their gunners, they painfully cramped his movements ; and besides, kept him under that sense of being assailed by unassail- able adversaries which must and will always be hateful to even the most valiant men. In execution of his real attack General Khrou-