all craft, lay on the opposite side of
the channel.

Beyond the village of Jani Keni, and opposite the Sultan's valley, we
also found the Russian head quarters established, and a Russian frigate
occupying the berth in which the Actaeon had anchored twice before. We
therefore passed on, and dropped anchor a little a-head of a French
frigate, opposite Terapia, and close to the Russian camp. The usual
firing immediately commenced, but, by some oversight, the Russian
admiral's salute was returned with two guns less than the usual number.
In about an hour afterwards, he sent his flag lieutenant, who spoke
English, on board the Actaeon, to inquire why we had only fired fifteen
guns when he had paid the compliment of seventeen. The omission was
immediately acknowledged, the two remaining guns discharged, and the
gallant lieutenant rowed off again well satisfied. We soon ascertained
that this sensitiveness proceeded from their anxiety to convince the
Turks that no ill-will existed between England and Russia, and that no
insult was meditated by our ship, more particularly as the British
ambassador to the Porte, was known to be on board. I doubt much,
however, if the Turks, although quite _au fait_ to all matters of
ceremony, understood the firing of the two guns afterwards.

[Sidenote: FRENCH AND ENGLISH EMBASSIES.] The town of Buyukdere, or the
deep valley, off which lies the Russian fleet, is also the residence of
the Russian, Austrian, and German ambassadors; the very hotbed of plots
and etiquette. At Terapia the French and English embassies reside
alongside each other; indications of that perfect unanimity which ought
to subsist between these two great powers; and, if they remain true to
each other, I would confidently back Terapia politics and manoeuvres
against those of Buyukdere. The French palace is a spacious building,
with beautiful and extensive gardens. That inhabited by the English
ambassador, on the contrary, is small, comfortless, and with only a
small slip of ground.

[Sidenote: RUSSIAN MILITARY MUSIC.] This day was occupied in visits from
the secretaries of embassy of the different missions. As the plague was
in Terapia a few days since, that village is put in quarantine with the
palace; which also lies under the same regulations in respect to the
Actaeon: and as the Russian sentinels refused to allow any one to land in
the Sultan's valley, we had nothing to do but to watch their drills and
parade exercises,