Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/448

 404 THE BATTLK OF INKERMAN. CHAP, victory, the Allies, though since hardly attacked, ! had come to be on the brink of disaster. &th Period. V. The enemy'' inaction. Encour- agement derivable from the continued success of the Euglisli Aspect of things or. Home Ridge. What reason there was for despondency stood based, after all, upon a fear that the enemy must be pei-ceiving his opportunity and preparing to seize it. With every minute of his continued inaction the peril grew less, and it might cease altogether if the French should but wait for plain signs of the apprehended pursuit before lapsing into further retreat. And, fur any among Canrobert's people who could read the dim features of this Inkerman battle, some comfort might be found, after all, in the actual state of the fight ; for on the part of the English there was a continuance, nay, a further development of the power we saw them exerting at the close of the Fourth Period. The two eighteen-pounders were exercising an almost uncontested dominion over the opposite batteries, and it was only on ground yet un- searched by these powerful guns that the enemy with any advantage still used his artillery arm At the Barrier too, all remained well. And the aspect of 'things on Home Kidge was such, on the whole, as might tend to put down despondency. It is true that the English com- mander could point to no organi.'^ed and collected battalions in proof of his yet remaining strength, could show of fresh troops little more than 200