Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/122

 78 THE BATTLE OF INKERMAN. CHAP, form of the ground, and the work at this spot, ' whilst having (as elsewhere) a face towards the north, had also a face — with room for three guns — looking towards the north-west, in other words, looking straight along the Saddle-top Eeach, and directly fronting Shell Hill. At that north-west face, and there only, the embankment had a thick- ness of several feet ; * but height was wanting, for it seems that the work at this part rose little more than two feet above the ground.f Elsewhere, the embankment was far more slender, but also, at some places, higher. Towards the left, this crest -work was a con- struction so slight, and so rude, that by many whose tents stood close under, it was never so much as observed ; but on the right of the road, the growth of the humble rampart was more often remarked, and men called it the Folly of this man, or the Folly of that one, uniting it with the name of any officer to whom, for the moment, camp satire might chance to impute the design. Yet, despised as it had been, and slight as it really was, the work proved to be of great service in the battle ; for it not only fulfilled its main l)urpose by giving at least some cover to the artil- proved to be of great advantage in the battle — belonge<l to Captain Gubbins. t Indeed it is the imjiression of General Collingwood Dickson (who brouglit liis two 18-pounders into batter}' at this part of the work) that the height was mueh less than that above stated; but he nevertheless bears witness that the number of miasiles stopped by this dwarf bank was very great.
 * The merit of giving solidity to this part of the work — it