Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/83

 THE RENEWED EXPEDITION TO KERTCH. . r )3 When the Kertch deputation had left his head- chap. . iv. quarters, Sir George was informed that some boats'-crews, both English and French, had been getting into the town, and doing there even more mischief than the people called 'Tartars.' He therefore determined to send — on the morrow — an infantry regiment accompanied by twenty Hussars to the Quarantine Station near Kertch, with orders to send detachments patrolling into the town, and, if possible, to restore order by giving countenance and support to such pro- visional authority as might be established.* On the same day, however, Sir George received a letter from Captain Loaring, commanding the Furious — the vessel sent into the bay — which stated that the uproar in the town was worse than ever, and called for immediate assistance. Sir George thereupon sent off a body of twenty Hussars with orders to go to Kertch, and there ' see what was the matter ' ; but he had conceived the idea that the attack by the so-called ' Tartars ' was almost 'a revolt of the Tartar population' with which he ought not to meddle, and this so much the more since he thought that the aeKressors — described to be ' Tartars ' — were — not enemies to the Allies but — their friends, who indeed more than once had captured and brought in Piussian prisoners from even great distances ; and he determined not to interfere ' further than ' to protect the weak from outrage.' t t Ibid.
 * Sir George Brown to Lord Raglan, 27th and 28th May.