Others followed, some plunging into the earth near us, and some striking the rocks.

We were just in the range of the insurgents, who were fighting up hill on the farther side of the hill, round the summit of which was the circle of breastworks held by the doomed Turkish force, and the bullets of the assailants ranged over to us.

It was my first experience under a prolonged fire, though not of being fired at, and I must admit that it put me in a terrible funk.

I put the largest Montenegrin of the group which accompanied us between myself and the firing party.

I had not eaten a crumb since the day before, or taken even a cup of coffee, and my legs were in cramp from the hard walking for six hours in mud and snow, and I was ready to drop from fatigue and hunger.