526 
THE SHIPKA PASS. 
suddenly to the left, becomes narrow, and at a second bend to the right 
rises gradually up the slope of a considerable mountain for a verst, 
with a deep wooded gully on the right. The guns went up one by one, 
the teams were put into their collars, and our good horses, urged to a 
gallop by the cries of their drivers, easily drew the guns up the slope, 
and then went along the short level at a quiet walk; a distance of 
10 sagenes was kept between each gun. We had more trouble with 
the wagons, and the detachments had to push behind to help the horses, 
while the carriages, constantly stopping, had often to be scotched up 
with stones. 
The guns had got a long way ahead when we got the last wagon up, 
but the most difficult part of the march was over, as there were no more 
such ascents, and the road rose very gradually. For half a verst the 
road was level, but rose again, though slightly, in the next verst. 
Before reaching this latter rise, we halted to rest the men and horses. 
The sun had not yet gone down, so to profit by the light we soon 
moved on again in the same order as before. The men, who had left 
their packs behind, marched with ease, but the horses soon began to 
show signs of exhaustion. The road now ran along a terrace, and 
turned to the right along a ridge with a deep valley on both sides. 
Hitherto the road had been comparatively deserted, but we now began 
to meet military carts coming down filled with sick and wounded, 
Bulgarians with their asses or oxen, and Cossacks going down to 
Gabrova. Then the road grew pretty level, and we found ourselves in 
front of the Corps Commander. Here were bivouacked sappers, rifle¬ 
men, the ammunition park, and the field hospital, on a broad part of 
the ridge. Taking advantage of an open space, we here formed up 
the guns, watered and fed, and awaited the arrival of the wagons, 
which appeared sooner than we expected. 
"We remained halted till sundown, and at 7 p.ru., started again on a 
most difficult road. At the telegraph station (a verst from the head 
quarter camp) the road again ran up a steep ascent. The guns got up 
it, but the wagons stuck. The road gradually bore off to the left and 
at a steep rock, at the foot of which was pitched the tent of the Corps 
Artillery Commander, it made an abrupt turn in that direction. This 
officer came out to meet us and gave us directions as to our further 
advance. Up to this point we knew the road; on the 16th the battery 
had moved thus far up the Pass, but here had received the order, “ To 
send one division, with its wagons, up to the position, and to return 
with the rest of the battery to the bivouac at Gabrova, and remain at 
the disposal of the Commander of the Corps Artillery.” 
Here, on a small plain, was the second bandaging station. The 
repressed groans and cries shewed us that we had already entered the 
position, and wounded men coming down the road said that Mount St. 
Nicholas was not far off. It began to grow dark. By the twilight we 
could see the mountain standing out from the dark mass of surrounding 
hills. We soon had to halt again to close up the guns. The ascent 
became steeper and steeper, and finally reached a plain on which was 
bivouacked a sapper battalion. Here the road turned sharply to the 
