THE SHIPKA PASS. 
527 
right ; a verst further on we reached the hamlet* occupied by the staff 
of the Briansk regiment., then, passing through a ravine, arrived at the 
foot of the two hills occupied by the 5th, 6th, and Round batteries. 
Here began the line of our lodgments. The infantry lining these 
trenches acted as covering parties for the batteries, the said lodgments 
being mere shelter trenches for one or two companies, some of them 
provided with cover from vertical fire. On the parapet of these trenches 
the rifles lay close together, so that at the first alarm a heavy fire might 
be opened. We soon reached the “ Red Hamlet,” where a bandaging 
station had at first been established, but they were now occupied by 
the staffs of the Jitonier and Yollugnian regiments, and by a collecting 
station for slightly wounded men. 
From here the road, bending to the left, crossed a neck of land 
commanded throughout by the woody mountain. The right slope of 
the neck was swept by the fire of the trenches near the i( Red Hamlet,” 
occupied by the Yollugnian regiment. The left slope, between the 
St. Nicholas and another hill, descends into a deep narrow gully covered 
with pine woods, which is swept by the fire of the circular battery. 
This fire could not reach the bottom of the ravine, on account of the 
great angle of depression, but defended the entrance into it from the 
Turkish side. The road kept gradually bearing off to the left after 
passing the neck, when it reached a level plateau, and began the ascent 
of Mount St. Nicholas, the extreme south point of the position from 
its left rear. 
At 10 p.m. we reached the summit of the mountain, halted on the 
road and unhooked, as the guns had to be run into the battery by 
hand. The work was accomplished with the greatest quietness ; there 
were neither noises nor cries, and all commands were given in a low 
voice : never had arrangements been made so perfectly, and never had 
they been executed with such exactitude as in this operation. All 
understood that a wrongly given order, a fault in execution, or the 
slightest carelessness, might lead to most serious consequence, and that 
a delay or want of punctuality might spoil the whole affair. We felt 
the proximity of the enemy. The relief had to be so arranged that 
the battery might be ready to open fire at any instant, and the guns 
were therefore withdrawn one by one, each piece being brought up close 
to the corresponding one already in the battery, which was then with¬ 
drawn, the new gun taking its place. Having put his gun in position, 
the No. 1 was informed by the No. 1 of the relieved battery how and 
when to fire, with what nature of ammunition, the height of the object, 
the necessary deflection, &c., all of which he was required to note down. 
The places from which wood and water were to be drawn were also 
pointed out, as well as other minor details. On their side, the officers 
learned from those of the 2nd Battery all the data necessary for the 
conduct of the firing. 
Within an hour all our guns were put in position, and those of the 
2nd Battery were started on their march down the mountain, horsed 
partly by their own, partly by our animals. Some of their ammunition 
* The Turkish Custom House. 
