Beyond was the wide rolling plain upon which the battles of Balaklava and Inkerman were to be fought.

Taken completely by surprise, the inhabitants of Balaklava had made no attempt to escape, but upon the arrival of the British general, a deputation received him with presents of fruit and flowers.
By this time the fleet had come round, and the sailors were soon hard at work assisting to unload the transports and get the stores and siege materials on shore.

It was reported that a marine battery was to be formed, and there was eager excitement on board as to the officers who would be selected.

Each of the men-of-war contributed their quota, and Lieutenant Hethcote found that he had been told off as second in command, and that he was to take a midshipman and twenty men of the "Falcon." The matter as to the midshipman was settled by Captain Stuart.
"You may as well take Archer," he said.

"You won't like to ask for him because he's your cousin; but I asked for his berth, you know, and don't mind doing a little bit of favoritism this once." And so, to Jack's intense delight, he found that he was to form a portion of the landing party.
These were in all 200 in number, and their work was, in the first place, to assist to get the heavy siege guns from the wharf to the front.
It is necessary that the position occupied by the Allies should be perfectly comprehended, in order to understand the battles and operations which subsequently took place.