condescended to
accept as a Sebastopol memorial; an old cracked China teapot, which in
happier times had very likely dispensed pleasure to many a small
tea-party; a cracked bell, which had rung many to prayers during the
siege, and which I bore away on my saddle; and a parasol, given me by a
drunken soldier. He had a silk skirt on, and torn lace upon his wrists,
and he came mincingly up, holding the parasol above his head, and
imitating the walk of an affected lady, to the vociferous delight of his
comrades. And all this, and much more, in that fearful charnel city,
with death and suffering on every side.

It was very hazardous to pass along some of the streets exposed to the
fire of the Russians on the north side of the harbour. We had to wait
and watch our opportunity, and then gallop for it. Some of us had
close shaves of being hit. More than this, fires still kept breaking
out around; while mines and fougasses not unfrequently exploded from
unknown causes. We saw two officers emerge from a heap of ruins,
covered and almost blinded with smoke and dust, from some such
unlooked-for explosion. With considerable difficulty we succeeded in
getting into the quarter of the town held by the French, where I was
nearly getting into serious trouble.

I had loitered somewhat behind my party, watching, with pardonable
curiosity, the adroitness with which a party of French were plundering
a house; and by the time my curiosity had been satisfied, I found
myself quite alone, my retinue having preceded me by some few hundred
yards. This would have been of little consequence, had not an American
sailor lad, actuated either by mischief or folly, whispered to the
Frenchmen that I was a Russian spy; and had they not, instead of
laughing at him, credited his assertion, and proceeded to arrest me.
Now, such a charge was enough to make a lion of a lamb; so I refused
positively to dismount, and made matters worse by knocking in the cap
of the first soldier who laid hands upon me, with the bell that hung
at my saddle. Upon this, six or seven tried to force me to the
guard-house in rather a rough manner, while I resisted with all my
force, screaming out for Mr. Day, and using the bell for a weapon. How
I longed for a better one I need not tell the reader. In the midst of
this scene came up a French officer, whom I recognised as the patient
I had taken to Spring Hill after the battle of the Tchernaya, and who
took my part at once, and ordere