ALAND THE BALTIC IN 1854. 211 



ours. Xortike had fallen to the great guns, as Tsee 

 had to the rifles ; it had cost fewer men, but suffered 

 greater damage. It was night ere our troops marched 

 down to take possession. A wild scene was that 

 night -march the men scrambling down the rocks 

 and through the trees the fort standing dark, gloomy, 

 and silent on its rocky ledge, with the calm waters 

 on either side then the surrender, the mustering of 

 prisoners, the hurrying to and fro, the confusion of 

 figures and voices. After the surrender, the prisoners 

 were marched out and the fort abandoned, as it and 

 its approaches were commanded. A forlorn and 

 melancholy group stood the 120 prisoners in our 

 camp, in the grey of the morning ; the long grey 

 greatcoats giving additional sombreness to their grave 

 expressionless physiognomies. They seemed apathetic 

 and indifferent, evidencing some little emotion only 

 when told that their families would be allowed to 

 accompany them. The few Finns among them showed, 

 in manner and aspect, like beings of a superior race. 



The outworks had fallen, and our strength was to 

 be concentrated on the citadel From the battery on 

 the ridge a clear survey could be obtained of the 

 scenes of the past and future attack. There were 

 Tsee and Nortike, on either side, in ruins ; in front 

 was Presto, engaged in an encounter apparently a 

 very equal one with the Leopard, Hecla, and a 

 French steamer ; and there were the ships in their 

 old places. Every day, especially since the fall of 



