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
