Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/75

 OF Tin: ALMA. 45 Balaclava. The Ifuiiitli c.f tlio ])lat('au, from it.s CHAP. . III. eastermost side to Cape Chersonese, is about ten '. — miles. Throughout its extent the plateau is scarr(!d by ravines. Some of these are deep and precipitous. They run up, for the most part, in a direction from the north-west to the south-east, and several of them are prolongations of the openings ■which form the many creeks and bays indenting the north and north-west of the plateau. Of these creeks there is one which, stretching TheM.-m- of-war deep in from the roadstead in a direction from Harbour, north to south, had become the port of Sebasto- pol, or, as the English used to call it; the ' Man- of-war Harbour.' This port offered perfect shelter to the enemy's squadrons, and its waters were so deep even home to the shore, that the seamen of his linc-of-battle ships could pass from their decks to their barracks without taking to boat. It was in this harbour, and upon the ground on either side of it, that the Allies had to seek their prey. Including that eastern suburb which is called r.isiuon of Seb.istDpoL the * Ivarabel faubourg, Sebastopol may be re- garded as standing upon a semicircular tract of ground, subtended by the great bay or roadstead, and split into two segments by the Man-of-war Harbour, in such manner that the western seg- ment included Sebastopol proper, with the Ad- miralty, the chief public buildings, the ai'senal, and town ; whilst the eastern segment — that is, the Karabel faubourg — contained, among other buildings, the docks, great Government store-