Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/376

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346 THE LANDING. CHAP, ter far heard — when, a.s though they were giant " ' maidens, the tall Highlanders of the 42d placed their hands in the hands of the sailor and sprang by his aid to the shore, their kilts floating out wide while they leapt. After mid-day the sea began to lose its calm- ness, and before sunset the surf was strong enough to make the disembarkation difficult, and in some degree hazardous. Yet, by the time the day closed, the French had landed their Ist, 2d, and 3d divisions of infantry, together with eighteen guns ; and the English had got on shore all their infantry divisions, and some part of their field-artillery. Wet nights Somc fcw of the English regiments remained on the beach, but the rest of them had been marched up to the high grounds towards the south, and they there bivouacked. At night there fell heavy rain, and it lasted many hours. The men were Avithout their tents.* Lying in w^et pools or in mud, their blankets clinging heavy with water, our young soldiers began the cam- paign. The French soldiery vere provided with what they call dog-tents — tents not a yard high, but easily carried, and yielding shelter to soldiei's creeping into them. It was always a question in the Frcaich army wlietluir these tents gave the men more liealth and comfort than they could find in the upon air.

  • This was because there were iio sufficing means of land-

transport for conveying the camp equipage towards Sebasto- pol. After the 14lh the tents were landed, but they weio after- wards reshipped.