Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/386

 356 TFIE CANNONADH OF CfTAP. fiiim andsi/e, that it forced line-oF-battle ships at- '^"^' tempting an attack from the west to stand off to a distance of eleven or twelve hundred yards. To- wards the north-west, however, there was a bend in the form of the shoal of which we sliall pre- sently speak. The Allies had discovered the weak point which tended to mar the defensive powers of Fort Con- stantine; and with a view, if possible, to take advantage of the defect, it became important to know the boundary of the shoal with a greater exactness than that attained by the Admiralty charts. The exigency was no sooner felt than men came forward to meet it. On the night before the action, Mr Mainprise the master of the Britannia, Mr Noddall the master of the London, and Mr Forbes the master of the Sampson, volunteered to go in under cover of darkness and endeavour to take soundings. And this they did. Ap- proaching the shore in boats with muffled oars, they boldly penetrated within the line of the enemy's look-out boa':^ ; and although they were repeatedly hailed by the enemy, they yet, by their skill and coolness, succeeded in achieving their purpose. The result of this night's survey proved to be one of high interest to those who desired an at- tack on Fort Constantine. It turned out that, from a point opposite the Wasp Tower, and distant trom it some six hundred yards, the five-fathom line ran parallel with the coast till it came to a spot within eight hundred yards of Fort Constan-