ALAND THE BALTIC IN 1854. 207 



with the actualities of war, but must ever add to 

 them some exaggeration of horror or disgust. 



During the previous night the sky was alive with 

 flashes, and the thundering of guns was incessant. 

 The great fort was cannonading a mud-battery on 

 the beach, in which a 10-inch gun had been planted ; 

 the ships were responding at a distance. Amid the 

 roar we were puzzled by the loud rattle of musketry 

 three or four volleys in succession. What this 

 meant remained a mystery until the morning. It 

 then came out that a company of chasseurs had been 

 sent to patrol the tower in order to prevent any out- 

 going or incoming; on their return they came sud- 

 denly on another company of a line regiment placed 

 as an outlying picket were fired upon by them, and 

 returned the fire. Some loss was occasioned ere the 

 mistake was discovered. The particulars were not 

 easily known, as our allies make little bruit of mis- 

 adventures. 



The remainder of this day was spent in preparation, 

 and was full of smaller events and incidents. The 

 French mortar - battery was to be moved forward 

 towards the main works ; the ground was to be 

 marked out for a breaching battery at a distance of 

 350 yards ; our guns were to be drawn up the ridge 

 to the battery, which was now to be turned against 

 Nortike. There are feats of war which, being marked 

 by no startling traits of heroism, no tale of slaughter, 

 are little known or noted, and which are strikingly 



