218 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



One hot day, in the beginning of June, we were 

 encamped at a small village a few miles to the 

 westward of Rustchuk, when a V^'allachian gipsy 

 spy brought in a report that the Russians, fearing 

 that Odessa was about to be attacked by the Allies, 

 were abandoning the line of the Danube, and re- 

 tiring into Bessarabia. The bearer of this news also 

 stated that he had seen a long train of arabas laden 

 with military stores, escorted only by a couple 

 of squadrons of Hulans and some Cossacks, within 

 three miles of our camp, on the opposite bank of 

 the river. 



Old Iskinder's one eye glistened at this news, 

 and assembling about four hundred of the best 

 mounted men in his force, in less than an hour we 

 were wending our way towards a bend in the river 

 where some boats were secreted. This spot had 

 for some days been selected as the most suitable 

 place for crossing, the stream not being very rapid ; 

 and a masked battery of field guns had been con- 

 structed on a slight eminence, so as to command 

 the approaches to the river on the opposite side, in 

 case of our having to retire and recross in the face 



