THE BATTLEFIELDS. 487 



we saw everywliere proofs of a carelessness and neg-lect 

 which are discreditable to the English nation. 



The battlefields of Balaclava and Inkerman are marked 

 by simple stone obelisks. It is difficult to recognise the 

 ' Valley of Death ' in a slight depression between two grassy 

 knolls ; the heights of Inkerman are more like what fancy 

 pictures them, and the ravine up which the Russians came 

 to the assault is striking, apart from its associations. On 

 a sloping hill, above the forts on the northern side of the 

 harbour, is the great Russian cemetery. The simple fact, 

 that from 250 to 300 dead lie under each of the large 

 nameless tombstones that line the central avenue, gives 

 some idea of the numbers buried there. Prince Gortscha- 

 koff's monument stands at the top of the enclosure ; 

 though he survived the siege for several years, the inscrip- 

 tion states that he wished to ' lie with those brave com- 

 panions in arms, by whose valour the enemy was prevented 

 from penetrating further into fatherland.' On the brow 

 above the cemetery, a handsome memorial chaj)elhas been 

 erected. The building is an attempt, not wholly success- 

 ful, to unite a monument and a chapel ; externally it 

 has the form of an irregular pyramid surmounted by a 

 large cross. The interior, a Greek church of the usual form, 

 is in course of decoration with a series of frescoes by native 

 and Italian artists, which seemed to us of considerable 

 merit. 



English travellers are strangely indifferent to the at- 

 tractions of the Crimea. Setting aside for the moment 

 natural beauties, its historical interest well repays the 

 trouble of a visit. Whatever monuments may be raised 

 elsewhere, Sevastopol itself will for many years to come 

 remain the greatest memorial of the struggle which 

 centred round it. Great battles are fouo^bt, and little 



