174 REMINISCENCES OF 



of Bell lasts us an hour or two. How is Cross ? I 

 hope my old friend ' Artist ' ^ has distinguished him- 

 self — not in the retrieving line only. How I wish I 

 could see you, even on a pony, and at Hams Hall — 

 although the foxes do go there in gigs,'- eh ! Jack ? I 

 can scarcely tell you anything about Sebastopol, for 

 one hears so many different stories in the course of 

 the day that it is very hard to know what to believe. 

 The latest ' shave ' is that the Russians are getting 

 their fleet ready for sea, and that they intend to run 

 the gauntlet of our ships and try to get away. ' I 

 tell you the tale as 'twas told to me,' but I cannot 

 fancy that it is at all probable. They say we can 

 take the lower town when we please, but that we 

 shall not do so until our own and the French rein- 

 forcements arrive. I wish they would make haste. 

 The Russian fire is nearly as strong as ever, so I 

 fear we have not finished our job yet, and I should 

 not be surprised if it lasted a good deal longer, 

 for all the strongest forts are on the north side 

 of the harbour, and we have not fired a shot at 

 them yet. Never mind, they say ' patience is a 

 virtue,' and you will probably consider yourself virtu- 

 ous if you manage to read my letter as far as this 

 without being disgusted at the want of news in it. 

 Good-bye. 



" Believe me, 



" Yours very truly, 



" Percy Smith. 



' A hound which was taught to carry a stick while a puppy. 

 ^ I believe a bag fox was turned out at Hams Hall. 



