304 FORTIFICATIONS OF RUSTCHUCK. 



objects, but neither having any very distinct no- 

 tion of what he is running about for, the red-hot 

 iron runs against the one who is carrying a car- 

 tridge, knocks him down, narrowly escapes ex- 

 ploding the charge in his hand, and whilst they 

 are favouring each other with every compliment- 

 ary epithet the Italian language affords, and con- 

 signing each other to places unmentionable, a 

 third, with another iron, tumbles over both of 

 them, and their zeal to accomplish the saluting 

 is for an instant overcome by their rage and con- 

 fusion. The captain begins to despair, scolds, 

 swears, threatens, and beseeches. At last, more 

 by good fortune than good management, the ob- 

 stinate gun does go off, and the captain looks 

 happy for an instant. Alas ! for human nature ! 

 this prosperity does not long continue : something 

 else goes wrong, the gun is again obstinate • and 

 after this has been repeated till at last the pre- 

 scribed number of guns (twenty-one) has been 

 fired, the pasha is a good many miles down the 

 river. 



The fortifications of Rustchuck, which are on 

 a very extensive scale, are in a dilapidated, and 

 I might say, ruined state. Like Silistria, Rust- 



