Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/374

344 THE LANDING. CHAP, the coast-road with small bullock waggons. The ^^"- waggoners showed little or no alarm, and, knowing that they could not move off quickly with bul- locks, they did not attempt to get away. Ap- parently they were not struck with any sense of unfairness when they saw that the English took possession of the waggons ; and yet it could scarcely have been explained to them at that moment (as it afterwards would be) that every- thing taken by the English from private own- ers would be paid for at a just price. One of the waggons was laden with small pears, and the soldiers amused themselves with the fruit whilst the natives stood and scanned their in- vaders. After a while, many of the battalions which had landed were ordered forward to occupy the hill on our right ; and thenceforth, during all the day, the acclivity was sparkling with the bayonets of the columns successively ascending it. But what were those long strings of soldiery now beginning to come down from the hill-side and to wind their way back towards the beach ; and what were the long white burthens horizontally carried by the men ? Already? already, on this same day ? Yes ; sickness still clung to the army. Of those who only this morning ascended the hill with seeming alacrity, many now came down thus sadly borne by thair comrades. They were carried on am- bulance-stretchers, and a blanket was over them. Those whose faces remained uncovered were still alive. Those whose faces had been covered ovei