The coast is steep and bold, the rocky cliff rising sheer up from the water's edge to heights varying from 400 to 2000 feet.

A vessel coasting along it would not notice the narrow passage, or dream--on entering--that a harbor lay hidden behind.

On either side of the harbor inside the hills rose steeply, on the left hand, so steeply, that that side was useless for the purposes of shipping.

On the right hand there was a breadth of flat ground between the water and the hill, and here and upon the lower slopes stood the village of Balaklava.

The valley extended for some distance beyond the head of the harbor, most of the ground being occupied with vineyards.