A RUSE. 229 



In the shed I had observed a large heap of straw 

 and refuse that had been protected from the rain 

 by the remains of the broken roof; and this, after 

 a little difficulty, I managed to ignite. When I 

 saw that the flame was not likely to be extin- 

 guished, I threw on a quantity of wet straw and 

 brushwood, which caused a column of dense black 

 smoke to rise that must attract the enemy's atten- 

 tion from a considerable distance. This done, we 

 jumped on our horses, and gave leg-bail, galloping 

 off at right angles from our former route, and 

 making a detour, thus hoping to rejoin our people, 

 whom we knew were far away by this time. We 

 were not, however, destined to get off thus easily, 

 for hardly had we emerged from the cover than a 

 continuous blazing of carbines was heard in our 

 rear, and a hundred and flfty Cossacks and Hulans 

 wer^ yelling like demons on our track, whilst the 

 pm^ of their leaden messengers sounded closer to 

 our ears than was agreeable. A sharp burst, how- 

 ever, took us out of range, and then commenced 

 the chase in earnest: we were riding for our lives, 

 and nothing but the goodness of our cattle would 



