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THE PROCESSION.

There was a guard of honour, of one hundred men, over the body, furnished by the Grenadier Guards, with the regimental colour. On the hill opposite the house was a field battery, and nineteen guns were fired as the procession moved off. As it approached the French line, they fired minute-guns from a hill beyond the Quartier General. Before the

procession started, the principal authorities assembled at head-quarters. The coffin was brought out, and laid on a nine-pounder guncarriage, gun and all, and covered with the union-jack. The procession was headed by French mounted gen'darmes, followed by the French dragoons and chasseurs d'Afrique, Sardinian dragoons and lancers, English cavalry both heavy and light and some Turkish cavalry. The appearance of the latter was anything but smart. They wore white linen trousers, tucked into large slip

shod boots.

Next to the coffin rode the four commanders-in-chief, Simpson was on the left, and La Marmora on the right, leading, being the two juniors. Behind them was Omar

Pasha, on the left, and Pelissier on the right. Omar Pasha was splendidly dressed. His fez had a crescent of diamonds in front, and he wore a blue frock coat, edged and covered with lace, large epaulettes, and blue trousers, with a broad gold stripe. After them followed the staff of the allied armies-generals, pashas, &c., and an officer from each of our regiments.

It was a fine sight as a military spectacle, but was deficient in that excitement which hitherto has been always present in military spectacles in the Crimea; and the report of unshotted guns had a very mild and peaceful sound.

I first went to head-quarters, and then established myself near the Quartier-General to see the procession pass. I accompanied it about a mile, when many who formed part of it edged out, and returned. I followed their example, and rode home.

4th.-Went down to Balaklava, to remain until I could get a passage. So many are now wanting to go away, that it is difficult to obtain one without waiting some little time on

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LEAVE THE CRIMEA.

the spot. In such hot weather the atmosphere in the harbour is most oppressive, on account of its being shut in by hills on all sides.

6th.-I got an order for a passage to Constantinople in my old friend the Oscar, to sail to-morrow. She, however, does not go there direct, but makes a détour to take in coals at Kosloo, near Heraclea, on the Asiatic coast of the Black Sea-where the coal-mines are situated which are leased by the English Government from the Sultan.

This suits me very well, as I wished much to see them, which the reader may recollect I was unable to do when at Heraclea in February last.

CHAPTER IX.

COAL MINES OF KOSLOO.

July 7th.-ABOUT five o'clock p.m. we finally started, having been delayed some time in the bay by the rope getting entangled with the screw. The next day, about six o'clock in the afternoon, after a passage of more than usual dismalness, occasioned by the painful rolling of the ship, and the swarms of flies which infested every place, person, and thing on board, we entered the little bay, which, surrounde by high precipitous rocks, forms the shippingplace of the Kosloo mines.

house, or rather barrack, for

The principal

the workmen.

at the settlement, stands on the right side of the valley (which is not more than three hundred yards wide from the base of one mountain to the foot of the other), and is a conspicuous object from the sea, when ships are sufficiently near. To guide ships to the proper spot, from a distance, the face of the cliff, where most exposed, has been lavishly white-washed. This is necessary, on account of the many similar bays along the coast.

I at once went on shore to stay with Mr. Barkley, who, in conjunction with his brother (who I found was absent, owing to illness), has the management of the works for the Government. He sent the Oscar round to another bay to the eastward to coal, as the Severn and other vessels were coaling at Kosloo.

The evening was bright and fine; and the land breeze, already sweeping down the valley, afforded a pleasant, if dangerous, relief (being on this coast always charged with malaria), after being cooped up in a hot and rolling steamer. I could not help contrasting the beauty of the valley on this occasion with the