eight o'clock in the morning of the 14th of September
No more imposing sight was ever seen than that witnessed by the bands of Cossacks on the low shores of the Crimea , when the allied fleets anchored a few miles south of Eupatoria . The front extended nine miles in length , and behind this came line after line of transports until the very topmasts of those in the rear scarce appeared above the horizon . The place selected for the landing-place was known as the Old Fort , a low strip of bush and shingle forming a causeway between the sea and a stagnant fresh-water lake , known as Lake Saki . At eight o'clock in the morning of the 14th of September , the French admiral fired a gun , and in a little more than an hour six thousand of their troops were ashore , while the landing of the English did not commence till an hour after . The boats of the men-of-war and transports had already been told off for the ships carrying the light division , which was to be the first to land , and in a wonderfully short time the sea between the first line of ships and the shore was covered with a multitude of boats crowded with soldiers . The boats of the `` Falcon '' were employed with the rest , and as three weeks had elapsed since Jack had received his wound , he was able to take his share of duty , although his arm was still in a sling . The ship to which the `` Falcon 's '' boats were told off lay next to that which had carried the 33d , and as he rowed past , he exchanged a shout and a wave of the hand with Harry , who was standing at the top of the companion-ladder , seeing the men of his company take their seats in the boats .