Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/220

190 COLONEL YEA'S ATTACK. CHAP. VII. under a searching (ire. ' The En- ' gineer ' officer ' at the Abattis. Tho state of the 'ladder- ' party.' ing himself within the limit of the partial cover thus formed. But, standing up on the top of the parapet with a boldness that our people admired, Kussian infantry quickly saw down into all the slight hollows, and searched each with a power not only increased, but increasing ; so that what little shelter there had been became less and less every minute. The commanding Engineer, A'Court Fisher, had come unscathed through the fire, and being now close to the Abattis he knew of course that in virtue of his position as commanding Engineer, he might have to give counsel. He found that on being examined, the Abattis showed scarce a sign of having been damaged at all by the yester- day's bombardment, and also saw plainly that no such engineering operation as that of opening the work by grapnels was feasible under the torrent of grape-shot and musketry -fire pouring down from the Great Eedan ; but on the other hand he found here and there in the work some gaps, or rather weak places through which men might push their way. His next thought turned to the ladders. Of these not one could be seen in course of beiii' r brought up. They were, all of them, lying on the ground, some close to the Abattis, others less far advanced. There were some that had no bearers near them. Others had at their sides men sitting or lying on the ground, and towards one of these ladders — a ladder manned by sailors —A'Court Fisher made his'way. Accosting ono