Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/111

 THE SINKING OF THE SUITS. 81 moved to a ground outside, ^v]lich Avas called the chap. Koolikoff field. There they bivouacked. ^^' III. At four o'clock iu the al'tenioon, the ships of The doomed the fleet, includiug those which were doomed, be- * '^^' gan to move into their places, and at half-past ten at night all were there. Early in the morning of the next day (the 22d), the top-gallant masts of the condemned ships were struck, and their sails unbent. Descrying five ships and two frigates ranged across the en- trance of the roadstead, and either not seeing that the sails were unbent, or failing to observe the change in the way that leads to inference, the French were led to imagine that the enemy was coming out to give battle, and, accordingly, there was a joyous expectation that day on board their fleet. All that day, the condemned ships remained in their places across the mouth of the roadstead. Korniloff had not yet absolutely despaired of Farther saving the ships, and he again pressed Prince Komiiofr Mentschikoff to spare them. The Prince, how- thesiiips; ever. Lad by this time made up his mind to that flank march of which we shall presently speak, and he conceived that the sinking of the ships was an essential part of the plan to Avhich he meant to resort. According to that plan he was its faiiura to remove the army from Sebastopol, abandoning to the seamen the charge of the land defences ; VOL. IV. F