,illustration3 ,the ,author4 ,from a ,photograph by ,bingham1 7,paris7 ,,soyer',s ,,culinary ,,campaign4 ,,being ,,historical ,,reminiscences ,,of ,,the ,,late ,,war4 ,,with ,,the ,,plain ,,art ,,of ,,cookery ,,for ,,military ,,and ,,civil ,,institutions1 ,,the ,,army1 ,,navy1 ,,public1 ,,etc4 ,,etc4 ,,by ,,alexis ,,soyer1 ,,author ,,of 8,,the ,,modern ,,housewife10 8,,shilling ,,cookery ,,for ,,the ,,people10 ,,etc4 ,,london3 ,g4 ,,routledge ,,co41 ,,farringdon ,,street4 ,,new ,,york3 #ah1 ,,beekman ,,street4 #aheg4 ,the right of translation is reserved4 ,,london3 ,,savill ,,and ,,edwards1 ,,printers1 ,,chandos ,,street4 ,,to ,,the ,,right ,,honourable ,,lord ,,panmure1 ,k4,t4 ,,etc4 ,,etc4 ,,etc4 ,,my ,,lord1 ,grateful1 indeed1 do ,i feel for the unlimited confidence reposed in me by your ,lordship during my late ,mission in the ,east1 and especially so for your kind condescension in permitting me to dedicate to your ,lordship this work1 which at once puts the final seal to your ,lordship's appreciation of my humble services4 ,with the most profound respect1 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,my ,lord1 ,your ,lordship's most humble and dutiful ,servant1 ,,alexis ,,soyer4 ,,preface4 ,the ,author of this work begs to inform his readers that his principal object in producing his 8,culinary ,campaign0 is to perpetuate the successful efforts made by him to improve the dieting of the ,hospitals of the ,british army in the ,east1 as well as the soldiers' rations in the ,camp before ,sebastopol4 ,the literary portion the ,author has dished up to the best of his ability2 and if any of his readers do not relish its historical contents1 he trusts that the many new and valuable receipts1 applicable to the ,army1 ,navy1 ,military and ,civil ,institutions1 and the public in general1 will make up in succulence for any literary deficiencies that may be found in its pages4 ,at the same time1 the ,author takes this opportunity of publicly returning his most grateful thanks to the late authorities at the seat of war for their universal courtesy1 friendship1 and great assistance1 without which success would have been an impossibility4 ,,contents4 ,,chap4 ,,page ,,introduction4--,a ,,supper ,,at ,,the 8,,albion10 ,,and ,,its ,,consequences #a ,i4 ,,by ,,rail ,,and ,,coach ,,to ,,virginia ,,water #ac ,,ii4 ,a ,,summons ,,to ,,stafford ,,house #bi ,,iii4 ,,off ,,to ,,the ,,war #cf ,,iv4 ,,delights ,,of ,,travel #di ,v4 ,,comfort ,,on ,,shore ,,and ,,penance ,,at ,,sea #eg ,,vi4 ,,the ,,land ,,of ,,the ,,moslem #gj ,,vii4 ,a ,,bird',s-,,eye ,,view ,,of ,,constantinople ,,from ,,pera #hc ,,viii4 ,,first ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,scene ,,of ,,action #ia ,,ix4 ,,commencement ,,of ,,the ,,culinary ,,campaign #aja ,x4 ,a ,,tour ,,round ,,the ,,kitchens #aaa ,,xi4 ,,first ,,operations #abd ,,xii4 ,,the ,,scutari ,,mission ,,accomplished #acd ,,xiii4 ,,departure ,,for ,,the ,,crimea #adg ,,xiv4 ,,commencement ,,of ,,my ,,campaign ,,in ,,the ,,crimea #afj ,,xv4 ,,the ,,english ,,and ,,turkish ,,commanders-,,in-,,chief #ahj ,,xvi4 ,a ,,new ,,enemy #aia ,,xvii4 ,,reception ,,at ,,english ,,and ,,french ,,head-,,quarters #bjj ,,xviii4 ,a ,,universal ,,calamity #bac ,,xix4 ,,haps ,,and ,,mishaps ,,in ,,camp #bbg ,,xx4 ,,expeditions ,,on ,,horse ,,and ,,on ,,foot #bci ,,xxi4 ,,matters ,,grave ,,and ,,gay #bej ,,xxii4 ,,preparations ,,for ,,another ,,trip #bff ,,xxiii4 ,,our ,,steam ,,voyage ,,in ,,the 8,,london0 #bhi ,,xxiv4 ,,three ,,weeks ,,at ,,scutari #big ,,xxv4 ,,festivities ,,at ,,scutari ,,and ,,visits ,,to ,,french ,,hospitals #cae ,,xxvi4 ,,my ,,second ,,trip ,,to ,,the ,,crimea #cbe ,,xxvii4 ,,camp ,,life ,,at ,,head-,,quarters #ccd ,,xxviii4 ,,my ,,great ,,field-,,day #cej ,,xxix4 ,,the ,,eighth ,,of ,,september #cfd ,,xxx4 ,,fall ,,of ,,the ,,doomed ,,city #cge ,,xxxi4 ,,illness ,,and ,,change ,,of ,,scene #che ,,xxxii4 ,,camp ,,of ,,the ,,fourth ,,division #djj ,,xxxiii4 ,,hostilities ,,at ,,table #dae ,,xxxiv4 ,,crimean ,,festivities #dcc ,,xxxv4 ,,last ,,days ,,of ,,british ,,occupation ,,of ,,the ,,crimea #dei ,,xxxvi4 ,,last ,,scene ,,of ,,our ,,strange ,,eventful ,,history #dhd ,,addenda #eac ,,errata4 ,in page #f1 for 8,little ,jack10 read 8,little ,ben40 ,page #cb1 line #ab1 for 8,i think10 read 8,she thinks40 ,a ,,culinary ,,campaign ,,by ,a4 ,,soyer ,,illustrated ,,by ,h4 ,g4 ,,hine4 ,illustration3 ,title ,page ,,introduction4 ,a ,,supper ,,at ,,the 8,,albion10 ,,and ,,its ,,consequences4 ,old ,drury--,juvenile mirth--,a sudden arrest--,an invitation--,no excuse--,getting home--,mind your pockets--,a trip to the 8,wellington0--,an intelligent waiter--,reading the news--,a sudden inspiration--,letter to the ,times--,the stupid waiter again--,little ,jack--,supper fare--,receipts--,tough kidneys--,how to cook them--,kidneys la ,roberto ,diavolo--,kidneys la brochette--,new bill of fare for ,london ,suppers4 8,hurrah6 hurrah6 bravo6 bravo60 ,for a few minutes rounds of applause and shouts of laughter from the juveniles were heard and loudly re-echoed throughout the vast cupola of ,old ,drury1 sending home the delighted spectators1 in fits of sneezing and coughing1 through a variegated atmosphere4 ,sir ,henry ,w----1 turning to me1 exclaimed1 8,hallo1 ,mr4 ,soyer1 the pantomime is over early this evening60 and looking at his watch1 continued1 8,why1 it is only half-past eleven o'clock40 8,yes1 ,sir ,henry2 but quite late enough for children1 who after this time begin to mingle gaping with laughter40 8,true enough10 replied ,sir ,henry2 8it is painful to see those dear cherubs kept at the theatre till midnight1 or even later4 ,have you been long here80 8,no10 ,i replied1 8only a few minutes2 just time enough to witness the grand finale1 and to hear the screaming and laughter of the children1 which to me is always very amusing40 8,very true1 very true2 ,i am of your opinion1 and never tire of children's mirth40 ,in a few minutes the theatre was nearly emptied of spectators1 but still full of smoke4 ,considering myself that evening as free as a butterfly on a spring morning1 though unable1 like that light-hearted insect1 to flit from flower to flower1 ,i was trying to escape1 with the swiftness of an eel1 down the gigantic and crowded staircase1 hoping to get off unobserved1 as ,i had to start early in the morning for the country1 when suddenly a friendly hand pressed me forcibly by the arm4 ,the owner of the same cried1 8,stop6 stop6 my friend2 ,i have been hunting all over the theatre for you40 ,i at once recognised an old ,devonshire acquaintance1 whom ,i was indeed much pleased to see1 having received a most kind reception from him at my last visit to that delightful county--so justly named the garden of ,england4 8,well1 my dear sir10 said he1 8myself and several acquaintances of yours are here for a few days1 and have ordered a supper this evening at the #8,albion4' ,we heard you were at ,drury ,lane1 and ,i have come to ask you to join us40 8,i must say it is very kind of you1 ,mr4 ,turner2 but you must excuse me1 as ,i am going as far as ,st4 ,james's-street1 by appointment2 besides1 ,i leave for the country early to-morrow morning4 ,but ,i shall be happy to spend to-morrow evening with you and your friends2 therefore1 ,i beg you will apologise for me40 8,to-morrow very likely we shall be off again2 we only came for a couple of days1 to breathe the ,london air1 and then return40 8,i beg your pardon--you mean ,london fog1 not air40 8,why1 yes1 fog should be the word2 but for all that1 ,i love ,london in any season2 so no excuse--,i shall not leave you2 you must join us1 or your friend the squire will be greatly disappointed4 ,he came from the ,great ,western ,hotel this evening on purpose to see you40 ,finding it almost impossible to get out of it1 and my friend having promised we should break up early1 ,i accepted1 saying1 8,you must allow me to go as far as the #8,wellington1' as ,i have an appointment there2 ,i will be back in about half-an-hour40 ,my incredulous country friend would not grant permission till ,i had assured him that ,i would faithfully keep my promise1 and return4 ,this dialogue took place in the entrance of the vestibule1 where a number of ladies and children were waiting--some for their carriages and broughams1 others for those public inconveniences called cabs4 ,this bevy of beauty and group of children1 the pride of young ,england1 seemed to interest my provincial friend so much1 that ,i had some trouble to get him out4 ,it was then nearly twelve o'clock4 ,the front steps were also crowded2 the weather was chilly and damp2 a thick yellowish fog1 properly mixed with a good portion of soot1 formed a shower of black pearls1 which1 gracefully descending through the murky air1 alighted1 without asking permission1 upon the rosy cheeks of unveiled fair dames1 spotting their visages1 if not la ,pompadour or la ,watteau1 at least la ,hogarth4 ,a few steps lower we entered a dense crowd--a most unpicturesque miscellany of individuals1 unclassically called1 the ,london mob4 8,mind your pockets10 said ,i to my country friend4 8,by ,jove1 it's too late10 said he1 feeling in his pocket--8my handkerchief is gone60 8,is that all80 ,i inquired4 8,well1 let me see10 he observed1 feeling again3 8yes1 thank ,god6 my watch and purse are quite safe40 8,ah10 ,i continued1 laughing1 8the old adage which prompts us to thank ,god for all things is quite correct2 for you are actually thanking ,him for the loss of your handkerchief40 8,not at all10 he replied2 8,i was thanking ,him for the safety of my watch and purse40 ,after a hearty laugh we parted1 he going to the 8,albion10 and ,i to the 8,wellington40 ,on my arrival there1 ,i found that my friend had been and was gone4 ,my intelligent cabby soon brought me back through the dense atmosphere to that far-famed temple of ,comus1 at which crowds of celebrities meet nightly--some to restore themselves internally1 others to sharpen their wits at that tantalising abode of good cheer4 ,upon entering1 ,i inquired of a waiter1 a stranger to me1 if he could inform me where my six friends intended to sup4 8,yes1 sir1 directly40 ,speaking down the trumpet3 8,below6 a ,welsh rabbit and fresh toast--two kidneys underdone--scalloped oyster--a chop--two taters6 ,look sharp below60 ,to the barmaid3 8,two stouts1 miss--one pale--four brandies hot1 two without--one whisky--three gin--pint sherry--bottle of port60 8,what an intelligent waiter60 thought ,i1 8to have so good a memory40 ,having waited till he had given his orders1 ,i again said1 8,pray1 my fine fellow1 in which room are my friends going to sup8 ,they have a private room1 no doubt80 8,yes1 sir1 a private room for two40 8,no1 not for two--for six40 8,oh6 ,i don't mean that1 sir3 ,i want a rump-steak for two10 said he2 8stewed tripe for one--three grogs--bottle pale ,bass40 ,and off he went to the coffee-room4 8,plague upon the fellow60 said ,i to myself4 ,as the barmaid could not give me any information upon the subject1 and ,i perceived through a half-opened door on the right-hand side of the bar a table laid for six1 ,i went in1 making sure it was for my friends1 and that they had not yet arrived4 ,indeed1 ,i had myself returned from my appointment much sooner than ,i had expected4 ,i sat down1 and was reading the evening paper1 when a waiter came in4 8,after you with the paper1 sir40 8,i have done2 you may take it40 8,there's the ,times1 sir1 if you have not seen it40 8,no1 ,i have not2 let me have a look at it40 ,after reading one of the leaders1 my attention was drawn to a long article written by the ,crimean correspondent of that journal4 ,when ,i had read it carefully a second time1 a few minutes' reflection on my part enabled me to collect my ideas1 and established in my mind a certain assurance that ,i could1 if allowed by ,government1 render service in the cooking of the food1 the administration of the same1 as well as the distribution of the provisions4 ,these were matters in which ,i could detect1 through the description of that eye-witness1 the writer of the above-mentioned article1 some change was much needed4 ,i therefore wrote the following letter to the ,times1 it being then nearly one o'clock in the morning3-- ,,the ,,hospital ,,kitchens ,,at ,,scutari4 ,to the ,editor of the ,times4 ,,sir1--,after carefully perusing the letter of your correspondent1 dated ,scutari1 in your impression of ,wednesday last1 ,i perceive that1 although the kitchen under the superintendence of ,miss ,nightingale affords so much relief1 the system of management at the large one in the ,barrack-hospital is far from being perfect4 ,i propose offering my services gratuitously1 and proceeding direct to ,scutari1 at my own personal expense1 to regulate that important department1 if the ,government will honour me with their confidence1 and grant me the full power of acting according to my knowledge and experience in such matters4 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,sir1 ,your obedient servant1 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,feb4 #b1 #ahee4 ,after despatching this letter1 ,i again inquired about my friends and my anticipated supper1 which for some time had escaped my memory4 8,did you ring1 sir80 8,no1 ,i did not1 sir1 but the bell has20 recognising my stupid waiter4 8,oh1 sir6 are you here80 8,of course ,i am2 don't you see me80 8,well1 sir1 your friends have had supper2 they inquired everywhere for you2 ,i told them you could not wait1 as you had two ladies to see home as far as ,brompton40 8,you foolish fellow6 ,i never spoke to you about ladies1 ,brompton1 or any such thing2 ,i merely asked you where my friends were to sup2 to which you replied1 #8,rump-steak for two1 tripe for one1 two taters1 pat of butter1 one pale ,bass1 and three kidneys for a gentleman1 underdone4'0 8,no more you did1 sir4 ,it was number three who told me to say so2 not you1 sir2 you're quite right1 sir60 8,i am sure ,i am right2 but as for you1 your head is quite wrong60 8,well1 ,i assure you1 sir1 we have so much to do at times1 we hardly know what we are about40 8,i don't think you do10 said ,i1 sharply4 8,but ,i tell you what1 sir1 they are there still1 and you had better go to them40 8,no1 it is too late now2 give them this note from me when they go out2 and here is sixpence for yourself1 for through your mistake you have after all rendered me a service4 ,i did not wish to come here this evening1 as ,i have an early engagement for to-morrow1 so ,i will have a bit of supper and go home40 8,well1 do1 sir2 ,i thank you1 and am very glad ,i have given you satisfaction at last40 8,send ,little ,jack here2 he knows what ,i like for supper40 8,hallo1 ,mr4 ,soyer1 everybody in the coffee-room has been inquiring after you this evening10 said ,little ,jack upon entering4 8,i know2 but that foolish waiter who was here just now made such a mull of everything1 that he quite upset our party2 ,i could not get any answer from him1 so ,i made sure this table was laid out for us1 and here ,i stuck40 8,no1 sir1 your friends supped in the coffee-room1 and are still there1 if you like to have your supper near them40 8,no1 no2 give me what you like here40 8,what shall it be1 sir8 oysters1 broiled kidneys1 chops1 steaks1 stewed tripe1 broiled bones80 8,have you nothing else80 8,yes1 sir1 grilled fowl and scalloped oysters2 only they will take some time preparing40 8,well1 give me scalloped oysters1 and my favourite ,welsh rare-bit1 made in my style--you know2 a pint of port wine1 and fresh toast for the rare-bit40 8,yes1 sir2 the cook knows--,i'll tell him it is for you40 8,but how is it you never vary your supper bill of fare8 it is very scanty of choice for such a large tavern as this4 ,i do not mean to complain1 but give a little change now and then1 by introducing a few new dishes40 8,ah6 you're right1 sir2 it would please the customers1 and be much better for us waiters1 to have something new to offer2 but1 bless you1 sir6 ,i have been many years in this place1 and it was always the same2 and no doubt will remain so for as long again1 unless a gentleman like you takes it in hand--they would then attend to it2 but1 of course1 you have something else to do40 8,so ,i have2 yet ,i don't see why1 in my next book upon cookery1 ,i should not devote a few pages to the ,london suppers4 ,i intend doing so1 and1 when published1 ,i shall be happy to present you with a copy40 8,that will be first-rate1 sir2 ,i thank you1 and wont ,i recommend the new dishes la ,soyer1 as some of our customers call them60 8,well1 my man1 upon second thoughts1 as you seem so anxious about it1 and ,i am not going to join my friends1 give me a pen and ink1 and while supper is preparing1 ,i will write a few practical receipts1 which can be easily introduced without interfering with your duty or the kitchen2 they will1 no doubt1 prove agreeable to your customers1 who are in general a class of bon vivants1 fond of good things as well as of variety in the bill of fare40 8,here is the pen1 paper1 and ink1 sir40 8,thank you2 come again in about twenty minutes1 and they shall be ready2 or1 if you are not in a hurry1 stay40 8,no1 sir1 ,i am not2 our supper business is over40 8,well1 now listen3 first1 ,i do not intend to criticise your bill of fare1 which is as much varied1 if not more so1 than that offered at other large taverns1 and it is quite as well executed4 ,now1 respecting kidneys--you consume a large quantity of them80 8,so we do1 sir40 8,then ,i will give you a receipt or two for dressing them3-- ,no4 #a4--,take two kidneys1 split them lengthways as close to the sinew as possible without parting them2 remove the thin skin1 lay them flat upon the table1 and season rather highly with salt and pepper2 then run them crossways upon a wooden1 metal1 or silver skewer1 forcing the sinew upwards2 this will prevent their curling up again while cooking4 ,next dip them in some well-beaten eggs1 to which you have added about a table-spoonful of dissolved butter2 or rub them over with a paste-brush1 which will do it more equally2 roll them in fine bread-crumbs1 and slightly beat them on both sides with the flat of your knife to cause the #8crumbs to stick to the kidneys4 ,put them upon the gridiron1 over a sharp fire1 at a proper distance2 they will require from five to eight minutes doing1 according to size4 ,for the uninitiated1 the following plan is the best to ascertain when they are properly done4 ,press with the prongs of a fork or the point of the knife upon the thick part of the kidney2 if done through1 it will feel firm and elastic to the touch4 ,when the kidneys are done1 slip them off the skewer on to a hot dish1 and place in each a piece of butter1 la matre d'htel1 about the size of a small walnut2 send to table1 and by the time it reaches the guest1 the butter will be half melted2 quite so when the kidney is cut by the customer1 who1 by turning the pieces and blending the butter with the gravy1 will make a rich sauce1 and partake of a delicious as well as a wholesome dish4 8,partaking of overdone kidneys at night is the forerunner of the nightmare40 8,you're right1 sir2 that it is10 said ,little ,jack2 8for at times we have some left1 and keep them warm for supper2 and they get as tough as pieces of leather1 when after eating three or four--and ,i am always very tired at night--,i never can sleep4 ,now ,i think of it1 the tough kidneys must be the cause2 and if ,i do sleep1 ,mr4 ,soyer1 ,i have such awful dreams that ,i feel more fatigued when ,i rise than when ,i go to bed40 8,of course10 ,i replied1 8,i am well aware of that2 they cannot digest2 therefore1 you see the importance of having them properly done40 8,very much so indeed2 ,i quite understand it now1 and perceive that if they cannot at all times be done to perfection1 underdone is much preferable to overdone4 ,i perfectly understand you1 sir2 but you see we require such a quantity40 8,well1 ,i have only given you the receipt for two4 ,i will now1 if you like1 give you the receipt for a hundred40 8,do1 sir2 that will suit us better40 8,i suppose they are most in request for supper80 8,indeed they are1 sir40 8,then1 in the course of the day1 the cook should prepare a hundred precisely as the first--viz41 ready for cooking4 ,they should be put upon skewers1 two1 three1 or four in a row2 so that1 when called for1 he has only to remove them from the larder to the gridiron4 ,about two pounds of butter la matre d'htel should be prepared and kept in a cool place to be ready when required4 ,by following this plan1 you could easily cook several hundred during the evening1 if called for4 ,should any remain unsold1 they will keep till the next day1 and will only require rolling in the crumbs again previous to broiling40 8,i see1 sir2 it will save a great deal of time by having them prepared beforehand40 8,but suppose you had none prepared beforehand1 a dozen can soon be got ready by an active cook4 ,the addition of the dissolved butter to the eggs keeps the kidneys fresh and moist1 and inserting them upon the skewer retains them flat1 and they are cooked more regularly in half the time2 while without the skewer they curl up1 and are frequently underdone on one side and cooked too much on the other40 8,i plainly understand what you mean40 8,these details upon the same subject are perhaps tedious to you40 8,not at all1 sir2 ,i see the importance of them40 8,well1 the other receipts will come quite plain and easy to you4 ,to tell the truth1 ,i have had those overdone kidneys upon my conscience for some time4 ,mind1 ,i do not intend to erase the plain broiled kidneys from the supper bill of fare1 for ,i am very fond of them when properly cooked40 8,they are very good2 and many gentlemen will not have them any other way40 8,well1 ,i do not blame them1 for they are both agreeable and nutritious that way2 but here is another appetizing receipt1 which we will call la ,roberto ,diavolo40 ,no4 #b4--,put two plain kidneys upon a skewer1 and with a paste-brush butter them over4 ,set them upon the gridiron as near the fire as possible1 for they cannot be done too fast2 turn them every minute1 and when half done season with salt1 pepper1 and a small spoonful of cayenne2 chop some gherkins and a little green chillies1 if handy2 or1 instead of either1 a table-spoonful of chopped picolilli with the liquor4 ,put these on a hot plate1 with a tea-spoonful of lemon-juice and a pat of butter4 ,take up the kidneys1 and slip them burning hot from the skewer to the plate2 turn them round four or five times in the mixture1 and serve immediately4 ,a small piece of glaze added to the butter will prove a great addition4 ,three1 four1 or five minutes will do them1 according to the size4 ,kidneys la brochette1 ,paris fashion4 ,the ,parisian gourmet would not eat a kidney if it was not served upon the silver skewer2 the only merit of which is1 that they keep hot longer and look better than when the skewer is omitted2 as they often shrink1 especially if the sinew has not been properly divided in the splitting of them4 8,as1 no doubt1 you have something to do1 you had better leave me2 ,i will write a few more receipts4 ,bring me my supper in a quarter of an hour1 and they will be ready40 8,very well1 sir2 ,i will give a look round and order your supper40 ,to the minute ,little ,jack walked in with the scalloped oysters1 which ,i must admit looked remarkably tempting4 ,he handed me my supper1 but upon reflection ,i did not hand him the receipts1 only a list of their names1 intending to put them into the cookery-book ,i had promised him1 knowing well enough that it was not in his power to bring them out4 ,he thanked me for my lecture on cookery1 as he called it1 and the following bill of fare4 ,i paid my bill1 and left4 ,new ,bill of ,fare for ,tavern ,suppers4 ,rump-steak and fried potatoes2 ditto with shalot1 pimento1 and anchovy butter4 ,relishing steak1 fillet of beef1 la ,parisienne2 ditto la ,chateaubriand4 ,mutton chops la bouchre2 ditto semi-provenale2 ditto ,marseilles fashion2 ditto with relishing sauce4 ,plain cutlets with fried potatoes1 la matre d'htel1 la ,sultana1 semi-provenale4 ,lamb chops la boulangre1 l',amricaine1 la printanire4 ,pork chops with pimento butter1 la ,tartare2 ditto camp fashion4 ,veal cutlets en papillote2 with matre d'htel butter2 with relishing butter2 with fried potatoes4 ,kidneys on toast1 semi-curried2 ditto with sherry or port2 ditto with champagne4 ,for kidneys la matre d'htel1 la brochette1 and la ,roberto ,diavolo1 see ,receipts1 page #aj4 ,stewed and curried tripe2 ditto ,lyonnaise fashion4 ,lobsters au gratin in the shell2 scalloped ditto2 curried on toast2 lobster cutlets2 new salad1 ,tartar fashion2 plain salad with anchovies2 crabs au gratin in the shell2 crab salad with eggs4 ,grilled chicken and ,sultana sauce2 la ,roberto ,diavolo1 with relishing sauce2 new broiled devil1 ,mayonnaise sauce2 chicken1 ,american fashion4 ,stewed oysters on toast2 ditto ,american fashion1 au gratin2 fried oysters4 ,omelettes with fine herbs1 mushrooms1 sprue grass1 ham1 and parmesan2 poached eggs with cream2 ditto with matre-d'htel sauce2 semi-curried1 with ham or bacon4 ,buttered eggs with mushrooms1 sprue grass1 ham with shalots1 parsley1 and chervil4 ,mirrored eggs with tongue1 ham1 or bacon2 curried eggs2 ditto with onion sauce and tomato sauce4 ,rarebit la ,soyer with sherry or champagne4 ,fried potatoes in slices2 ditto with matre-d'htel butter2 ditto with ,cayenne pepper4 ,cold asparagus salad1 while in season2 new potato salad1 ,german fashion2 ditto1 ,french and haricot beans4#a ,for receipts in ,bill of ,fare1 see ,addenda4 ,a ,hansom cab was waiting at the door1 so ,i jumped in4 8,beg your pardon1 sir1 ,i am engaged10 said cabby2 8but if you're not going far1 ,i think ,i shall have plenty of time to take you40 8,do so1 my man2 ,i live close by1 in ,bloomsbury-street1 ,bedford-square4 ,here's a shilling for you--go ahead1 cabby40 ,pst6 pst6 and off we were4 ,in a few minutes1 thanks to the evaporation of the thick fog and its having left only a feeble skeleton of its former substance1 ,i found myself at my street door1 and was trying for some time to open it with the wrong key1 all the while thinking to myself what an extraordinary and uncomfortable evening ,i had passed to return so late4 ,perceiving my mistake1 ,i changed the key2 opening and shutting the door violently1 ,i rushed up stairs with the intention of booking that evening in my daily tablet as one of the most tedious and uncomfortable ,i had spent throughout the series of cheerful years granted to me by a ,supreme ,power4 ,the fire was out1 the supper divided between my two friends the ,angola cats1 the servants in bed1 the gas turned off1 and the lucifers1 ,i believe1 gone to their ,mephistophelian domain4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,by ,,rail ,,and ,,coach ,,to ,,virginia ,,water4 ,an early visit--,virginia ,water--,an eccentric friend--,rail v4 coach--,humour of the road--,the old coachman--,the widow--,sally's trouble--,another surprise--,the 8,wheatsheaf0--,beautiful scenery--,letter from the ,duchess of ,sutherland4 ,a most curious dream haunted my mind throughout the night1 one of those indescribable phantasmagorian illusions which set all the vibrations of the heart at work without moving the frame1 or in imagination only1 quite depriving our senses for the time of the true sense of existence4 ,scarcely had the first gleam of ,aurora peeped through my curtains1 than a double knock was heard at the street door1 apprising me that the time for rising had come1 and forthwith brought back my wandering senses to the realities of human life3 a minute after1 a friend popped into my dressing-room1 exclaiming1 8,hallo6 so you are going to the seat of the war1 ,i hear40 8,the seat of the war6 who told you so80 8,why1 the ,times1 to be sure2 ,i have just read your letter1 which1 at all events1 is very likely to carry you as far as ,constantinople40 8,you don't say so6 ,what6 is my letter in the ,times to-day80 8,of course it is10 he replied4 8,i sent it so late last night1 ,i did not suppose it could appear till to-morrow1 if at all40 8,they would not have inserted it1 arriving so late1 ,i assure you1 had they not thought it of great importance1 and that you were likely to improve the hospital diets4 ,no doubt you will soon set them to rights4 ,i read the article1 and must say ,i was much pleased when ,i saw your letter1 and that is what brought me here so early3 but mind1 it is a long journey1 and rather a dangerous one40 8,well1 my dear friend1 if ,government honour me with their confidence1 ,i shall be happy to start immediately1 and rough it for a short time--say a couple of months1 which will be about the time required40 8,my opinion is1 that you will soon hear from the authorities40 8,i say again1 they are perfectly welcome to my humble services40 8,are you going out this morning80 8,yes1 ,i am2 excuse my shaving40 8,oh1 by all means2 which way are you going80 8,anywhere but to a wintry place40 8,where's that--,gravesend or ,margate80 8,oh dear1 no--,virginia ,water40 8,to stay80 8,no2 only to settle a few important matters there1 prior to my departure for ,paris40 8,you were there the best part of last summer40 8,so ,i was2 who told you that80 8,don't you recollect the party you gave there1 when ,messrs4 ,r---- and ladies were present1 with myself1 my wife1 and two daughters8 ,we never enjoyed such a day in our lives2 it really was a splendid affair altogether2 and what an excellent dinner you gave us in the open air1 in the long avenue of beech trees facing the lake6 ,i shall not forget it as long as ,i live--,i may say we1 for my young ones often talk about it4 ,there were about twenty-four guests--you recollect1 of course80 8,certainly ,i do now1 and what a lovely day it was60 8,never saw a finer10 said my friend2 8the ladies walked round the lake without their bonnets1 and with nothing but their parasols to screen them from the sun4 ,but ,i tell you who was most amusing amongst the party--that old ,yorkshire farmer40 8,ha1 ha6 old ,lawrence--he is a squire now1 if you please1 and has retired4 ,he was very kind to me on the occasion of the grand agricultural dinner at ,exeter2 the ox ,i roasted whole upon that occasion came from his farm2 it was roasted by gas1 and in the castle yard40 8,ah1 ,i recollect seeing an engraving of it in the ,illustrated ,london ,news2 ,i can't help laughing when ,i think of the old man1 for at every fresh dish of which he partook--and he tasted a good many--he exclaimed--#8,well6 hang me1 if ,i know what stuff ,i am eating1 but it's precious good6'0 8,i know he is very eccentric2 he stayed with me nearly a week1 and really made me laugh heartily with his genuine repartee4 ,he is a good and a charitable man1 ,i assure you4 ,i taught his housekeeper how to make cheap soup while ,i was at his residence1 and ever since the old gentleman has given it four times a-week to the poor round his small estate1 during the winter season40 8,i know the soup you mean4 ,i cut the receipt from the paper in the year #8#dg1 at the time of the famine in ,ireland1 when you were sent there by ,government40 8,exactly40 8,we tried it ourselves2 and my wife's mother has ever since given it throughout the winter to about twelve or fifteen poor people4 ,the old lady was at first obliged to make it herself1 her cook saying that no soup could be made with such a small quantity of meat4 ,she would not even attempt to make it40 8,i believe you2 but those people are not aware that in ,scotland1 where the strongest people in the ,british dominions are to be found1 and especially in the ,highlands1 they live principally upon oatmeal porridge and vegetables1 partaking of a very small portion of animal food2--and did you ever see a finer carnation cheek1 or purer blood1 than that which flows through the frame of a ,scotch lassie1 or in the veins of the descendants of the ,bruce80 8,no1 never2 not even on the ,continent4 ,but1 to return to the receipts3 ,i would advise you to publish them4 ,they would be eagerly purchased1 and would render greater service4 ,you must be aware that a slip from a newspaper is often lost40 8,very true2 and ,i intend to give a series of new receipts on food for the poor1 still more simplified40#b 8,with reference to our conversation about old ,lawrence3 no doubt he is a good fellow1 and a genuine rough diamond into the bargain40 8,yes10 said ,i1 8and you may add1 of the finest water4 ,by the bye1 didn't he go to bed rather top-heavy80 8,ah1 that he did1 and fancied himself at home blowing up his old woman1 as he calls her1 for having let the cat into the dairy1 and being unable to find his gun to shoot her4 ,what most astonished the old boy1 he told me on the coach next morning on our way to ,london1 was having no headache and feeling as hungry as a hunter--as ,i did myself4 ,he made sure1 after such a mixture of dishes1 wines1 liquors1 and spirits of all kinds1 that he should be ill and unable to eat anything for a couple of days4 ,quite the contrary1 however3 when at ,staines1 we made a hearty breakfast at the hotel2 and for my part1 ,i never felt better in my life40 8,and do you know10 ,i replied1 8,i should have been surprised if my dinner had produced the contrary effect2 rest assured1 that a dinner well conceived and properly executed1 coupled with well-selected beverages1 is more than half digested4 ,as ,hippocrates says1 very justly1 #8,what pleases the palate nourishes2' and we may add1 greatly helps to accelerate the digestion when properly cooked4 ,the palate alone can relish the charm of degustation1 and only feels satiated when the stomach1 being the working organ1 refuses to deal with improper food1 never failing to acquaint you physically of its ill treatment1 both as regards ill-cooked food or bad beverages4 ,now1 to illustrate this argument more forcibly1 ,i would wager that ,i could give a first-class indigestion to the greatest gourmet1 even while using the most recherch provisions1 without his being able to detect any fault in the preparation of the dishes of which he had partaken2 and this simply by improperly classifying the condiments used in the preparation2 thus deceiving the cleverest doctors and the finest palate by a mere counterbalance of unctuous seasoning1 which no doubt caused the celebrated ,leibnitz to say1 in his treatise upon the chemistry of food1 now translated into ,english1 and to which ,i have already referred in my ,shilling ,cookery ,book1 #8,that among all the arts known to man1 there is none which enjoys a juster appreciation1 and the products of which are more universally admired1 than that which is concerned in the preparation of our food4 ,led by an instinct which has almost reached the dignity of conscious knowledge1 as the unerring guide1 and by the sense of taste1 which protects the health1 the experienced cook1 with respect to the choice1 admixture1 and preparation of food1 has made acquisitions surpassing all that chemical and physiological science have done in regard to the doctrine or theory of nutrition4'0 8,well1 no doubt if the celebrated ,leibnitz1 who is considered one of the greatest authorities of the age1 says so1 you cannot be wrong1 having had so much practice in the culinary art40 8,i also maintain that with the simplest and cheapest of all aliments1 when in good condition1 ,i have turned out a most wholesome and palatable food1 quite worthy of the most refined palate1 or of that of the initiated epicure4 ,for instance1 if only first-class provisions could be converted into succulent dishes1 the gastronomic bill of fare of this sublunary world would indeed be so limited that more than two-thirds of its inhabitants would be classified as martyrs to the ,mageric art--or1 more plainly speaking1 martyrs to the science of cookery--a too often neglected art1 though of daily requirement2 for1 believe me1 the everlasting pleasures of the table1 which favour all ages1 are not only the basis of good health when properly managed1 but also the soul of sociability1 not merely in high circles1 but in every class of society1 no matter how humble1 the stomach of each individual having been nursed according to rank and wealth4 ,those most to be pitied are the real epicures of limited means1 or the wealthy man without appetite or of bad digestion4 ,the proverb is quite correct1 #8,what the eye does not see the heart cannot grieve2' and appetite being the best of sauce1 will cause the coarsest food to be digested with delight by a robust stomach4 ,by the same rule1 what is more relished by our noble epicure than a dry sandwich or a coarse crust of bread and cheese at a farmhouse after a hard day's sport80 8,upon my word1 you are perfectly right2 appetite is really the best of sauce1 for ,i often make a good and hearty supper upon baked potatoes1 a little salt1 and butter40 8,now1 my friend1 ,i am ready to start2 come with me--it is a fine frosty morning1 and will do you good--come on40 8,i wish ,i could1 but my ,city business is very heavy this morning1 so ,i must decline2 besides1 we have a railway meeting called for three o'clock at the ,london ,tavern40 8,master1 here's a ,hansom coming this way2 shall ,i call it80 8,yes1 ,annette1 that's a good girl40 ,i shook hands with my friend1 and jumped into the cab--8,i say1 coachman1 look sharp and drive to the ,windsor railway station2 ,i fear ,i shall miss the special train40 8,no1 you will not10 said my friend1 looking at his watch1 8you have full twenty minutes2 good-bye1 a pleasant journey40 8,well1 adieu6 ,i shall see you some evening at ,jullien's or ,drury ,lane ,theatre40 8,very probably40 8,stay a minute1 cabby20--to the servant--8,annette1 put any letters which may come on my desk2 if anybody calls1 say ,i shall be here to-morrow or next day at the latest40 8,very well1 sir1 ,i will do so40 ,on my arrival at the station1 ,i merely had time to take my ticket and run to the train1 which was just on the move4 ,in a few seconds we were flying over rows of houses like vampires1 leaving the then desolate ,royal property1 ,vauxhall tumble-down theatre1 with its skeleton firework frame1 on the left4 ,we passed through ,chiswick1 ,barnes1 ,mortlake1 ,kew1 with its toyish pagoda1 leaving to the left ,richmond1 with its picturesque banks1 cheerful villas1 heroine of the hill1 and its exquisite maids of honour2 at the same time crossing the ,thames1 cheerfully smiling beneath us in its serpentine bed4 ,its limpid currents flowed merrily downwards to the mighty ocean through green bushes1 aquatic plants1 and the alabaster-coloured plumage of hundreds of swans4 ,in twenty-five minutes we arrived at ,staines station4 ,i descended and immediately ascended again1 but on the top of the ,virginia ,water coach1 which generally waits for the special train4 8,very frosty this morning1 coachman40 8,hallo1 ,mr4 ,soyer6 is that you8 ,we have not seen you ,god knows how long4 ,i suppose you have left us for good now80 8,no1 not quite2 but your flat and unpicturesque country looks so dull and unsociable at this time of year40 8,then you prefer town just now80 said he4 8,i certainly do2 there is always something to be seen there1 and to keep one alive1 morning1 noon1 and night40 8,very true1 ,mr4 ,soyer2 we are very dull here in winter40 ,the top of the coach was loaded with passengers4 8,well1 boy1 what are you about below80 8,all right1 coachman10 cried the parcel-boy4 8,pst6 pst6 ,go it1 my ,britons60 ,we were now at full trot1 the north wind in our faces1 and a kind of heavy sleet1 which in a few minutes changed the colour of our noses to a deep crimson1 very much like the unfashionable colour of beet-root1 freezing our whiskers and moustaches like sugar-candy1 but by no means quite so sweet-tasted4 ,by way of a joke1 ,i said to the coachman1 8,this is the good old ,english way of travelling1 is it not80 8,that it is1 sir2 and ,i'm very glad to see you know how to appreciate it4 ,talk about your railways1 it's perfect nonsense compared with a good four-in-hand coach1 sir40 ,as he said this1 he whipped his horses1 8,pst6 go ahead1 my true blue6 ,i recollect the good old time when we took from fourteen to fifteen hours from ,london to ,dover1 changing horses and drinking your glass of grog at almost every inn on the road--in fact1 enjoying ourselves all night1 especially when the widow was out40 8,what widow80 said ,i4 8,the moon1 to be sure60 8,that is a bright idea of yours4 ,i was not aware the pale queen of night was a widow40 8,lord bless you1 sir1 she must be a widow1 for she always comes out alone1 and keeps very late hours2 a maid or a married woman can't do that1 you know10 said he1 laughing heartily4 8,if your remark is not correct1 it is at all events very original40 8,but to come back to coach-travelling--then you really knew if you were travelling or stopping at home2 while now they pack you up under lock and key1 in strong wooden boxes1 such as we keep our horses in at the stable2 and at the head of them they have a kind of long iron saveloy1 full of nothing1 which runs away with the lot like mad1 belching and swearing all the way1 taking sights at us poor coachmen just so10 putting his hand to his nose1 8when we go by1 as though we were a set of ragamuffins4 ,call that a gentlemanly way of travelling1 sir6 ,they make fun of all the passengers who are a little behind time1 saying the like of this3 #8,don't you wish you may get it8' ,if you drop anything by accident1 the deuce a bit will they stop to pick it up2 and you are no sooner in than they turn you out1 and pocket your money without blushing1 the same as though they had dragged you about from morning till night1 as we used to do in the good old time4 ,that was indeed money honestly earned1 sir60 8,there certainly is a great deal of truth in your argument10 said ,i1 laughing at his devotion to his old business4 8,is it not brimful of truth1 sir80 8,of course it is60 ,i was by this time about half frozen4 8,ah1 sir1 you're a gentleman1 and know life as well as ,i do4 ,depend upon it1 sir1 coach-travelling is the best after all--no danger of being smashed to pieces or of breaking your limbs4 ,not the slightest accident ever can happen4 ,hallo60 said he1 stopping the horses short1 8what the deuce is the matter with that horse8 ,look out1 ,bob60 8,yes1 sir2 the old trace is broke again40 8,the deuce it is6 ,well1 we must mend it40 8,you can't--it's broke in a fresh place1 and we have no rope here40 ,the coachman getting down1 unceremoniously threw the reins to me4 8,hold them fast1 sir40 8,well1 well1 my lad1 you must run back and fetch another40 ,the snow was then falling heavily1 and we had not got more than a mile on the road4 ,in about forty minutes the boy returned1 perspiring terribly1 though covered with snow4 8,i've not been long1 coachman1 have ,i80 8,not been long1 my lad--why1 my cargo is nearly frozen to death60 8,you're right1 coachman10 said an old gentleman4 8,and ,i promise you ,i will never travel by your coach again4 ,this is the second time this month40 8,well1 sir1 we are not travelling now--we are at a stand-still1 and no mistake40 8,you may joke1 but ,i don't like it40 8,no more do ,i10 said coachman2 8so we are of the same opinion40 ,at this we all laughed1 except the old gentleman4 ,in a short time all was right again4 ,the coachman had resumed his important position as well as the reins1 which ,i abdicated to my great satisfaction1 and we were on the move4 8,very slippery1 governor2 my horses can scarcely keep their feet4 ,thank ,god1 we are not in a hurry2 we can do the journey much more comfortably40 8,excuse me10 said ,i1 8if ,i do not hold exactly the same opinion as ,i did just now about the railway40 8,my dear sir1 are you in a hurry80 he asked4 8,yes1 ,i am1 and very cold besides40 8,what a pity you did not say so before6 ,i should have made my stud fly1 and beat to atoms that fussy stuff they call steam40 8,that's a good man2 show off a bit40 8,pst6 pst6 pst6 ,look out for a full charge1 ,cossack2 fly away1 ,cannon-ball4 ,pst6 pst6 that's it1 lads40 ,we were now nearly at a gallop4 8,coachman10 said ,i1 8,i see that your horses have martial names1 if they have not a very martial appearance4 ,pray1 who gave them such warlike titles80 8,the boys in the stable1 sir4 ,everybody dreams of war now1 sir2 the very air we breathe smells of powder4 ,don't you think so1 sir80 8,no1 ,i think it smells of cheese40 8,by-the-bye1 there's a basket of cheese for that foreign gentleman who lives at ,virginia ,water4 ,jump up1 boy1 and move that basket of cheese from here40 ,we arrived at ,wimbledon ,common1 and stopped to take up parcels and boxes1 during which time the coachman pointed out to the old country gentleman with whom he had the argument1 the window of the room where ,cournet1 the ,french officer of ,marines1 and the opponent of ,barthlemy1 who had just been hanged1 died after the ,windsor duel4 ,he was saying that since ,barthlemy had been hanged the house was no longer haunted1 and that the pool of blood1 which never could be washed out1 had suddenly disappeared4 8,marvellous60 exclaimed the old gentleman2 8,i never heard anything like that in my life40 8,no more did ,i10 said our witty coachman1 winking at me4 ,the boy now called over the various parcels1 and ,cossack went off as fast as a cannon-ball4 ,we made a few more stoppages at ,englefield ,green1 to deliver several scolding letters and parcels from mistresses to their servants having charge of the summer abodes of wealthy merchants who reside in ,london during the winter4 ,at one house1 during the unloading of two or three boxes and a child's cradle1 a tidy-looking girl1 who was waiting till they were taken in1 had opened her letter1 over which she appeared very sulky4 ,the coachman1 perceiving this1 said1 smiling--8,any answer1 ,sally80 8,no60 said ,sally4 8,oh1 yes2 tell the old lady that ,i will not live with her any longer20 and the girl cried4 8,what's the matter80 said the coachman4 8,she's an old plague6 there's my ,harry of the #dfth has not been here these four months1 and she writes to say she hears that he comes every day40 8,of course not--how could he8 he's been gone to the war with his regiment ever since last ,september40 ,sally1 crying still louder1 and wiping her eyes with her apron1 exclaimed1 8,perhaps the poor fellow is killed by this time1 and don't care a fig about me40 8,well1 well1 lass1 never mind that2 soldiers are used to it40 8,do you think ,i shall ever see him again1 ,mr4 ,coachman80 8,no doubt1 my lass1 but you must wait a little longer2 and when he does come back1 if he has distinguished1 instead of extinguished1 himself1 he will have the ,crimean medal1 and perhaps be made a colonel--captain--general--marshal--or even a corporal2 who knows8 in these war times1 every brave man has a chance40 8,thank you1 ,mr4 ,coachman1 you make me very happy--,i shan't cry any more40 8,but1 ,sally1 am ,i to tell your mistress what you said80 8,oh1 dear1 no6 because ,i should lose my place2 they are not such bad people after all1 and master is so very kind to me40 8,i shall say nothing about it40 8,pray1 say nothing40 8,pst1 pst6 now1 my true blues1 full speed for ,virginia ,water40 ,in twenty minutes we were before the very picturesque inn called the 8,wheatsheaf20 every living soul came out to welcome us1 thinking some accident had happened4 ,there was the landlord1 landlady1 thin and bulky barmaids1 house and kitchen maid1 cook1 pot and post boy1 and a number of customers4 8,what has happened that you are so late to-day80 said the landlord to the coachman4 8,nothing particular1 governor2 only a trace broke1 and we had to fetch another3 besides1 the roads are very slippery40 ,to the barmaid--8,give us a light1 girl1 and a go of keep-me-warm40 8,don't believe him1 sir10 exclaimed an old lady1 who1 upon the sudden stoppage when the trace broke1 had a quarrel with the coachman4 ,in opening the window violently1 she broke it in twenty pieces2 popping her head1 half of which was covered with snow1 out of the window--8,he is a perfect brute10 said she2 8he tried to upset us1 and then would not move for above an hour at least--see the state ,i am in2 is it not a great shame1 a woman like me80 8,well1 madam10 said the landlord1 8why don't you shut the window80 8,what's the use of pulling it up8--it's broken in a thousand pieces1 all through that nasty fellow60 8,i can assure you1 madam1 he bears a very good character with the gentry about here40 ,the coachman1 lighting his short pipe1 and coming near them1 said1 8,don't take notice of the old lady1 she means no harm40 8,don't ,i1 though6 ,i say again1 before everybody1 you are a brute and a villain60 8,go it1 marm1 go it10 said he1 getting up4 8,it's nothing new to me--my wife tells me that every day1 which is partly the cause we have no family40 ,the favourite horse language of the coachman was again1 heard--8,fly away to the assault like a set of ,zouaves60 and in a few minutes nothing but a small black spot1 resembling a fly crossing a sheet of paper1 was seen running up the snow-covered hill which leads to the small village of ,virginia ,water4 ,i speedily joined the worthy and well-known landlord of the 8,wheatsheaf0--,mr4 ,jennings1 and his cheerful wife and barmaid2 all of whom gave me a hearty country welcome1 shaking my hands and arms in every direction ad libitum1 in anticipation1 no doubt1 of my remembering them for a few days at all events4 ,at the close of this gymnastic exercise1 ,i requested them to give me some breakfast1 in the small pavilion near the garden2 also some pens1 ink1 and paper4 ,my request was at once attended to4 8,do you intend to stay with us a few days1 ,mr4 ,soyer80 asked the landlord4 8,no2 ,i shall try and get back this evening1 if possible--but to-morrow morning1 at the latest4 ,i only came to close a few pending accounts of my last summer's stay at your lovely ,virginia ,water1 and am going to ,paris for the ,exhibition1 having been offered the superintendence of a large establishment40 8,but ,i hear that the ,exhibition is postponed till next year40 8,so it is2 but this is to be quite a new building1 and erected close to the ,exhibition1 if we can get permission granted40 8,good morning1 sir2 ,i shall see you before you leave4 ,i am only going to the farm40 8,yes1 you will40 ,i was sitting down to my breakfast1 when1 to my annoyance1 as ,i had much business to transact1 some one knocked at the door1 and1 without waiting for the reply1 came in4 ,it was the landlord1 with a face full of anxiety and astonishment1 his glasses raised to his forehead1 a newspaper in his hand1 and looking as serious as if he had just been married1 or had lost one of his favourite pups4 8,i say1 master10 said he1 8do you mean it80 8,mean what1 man80 8,but now1 really6 do you mean it80 8,i'm puzzled to know to what you allude4 ,is it about my trip to ,paris80 8,paris6 no1 that has nothing to do with the letter of yours ,i have just read in the ,times of this day40 8,oh6 now ,i understand you1 and can easily account for your long face and evident astonishment40 8,now you understand me1 don't you80 8,of course ,i do40 8,well1 allow me to tell you frankly that you are very foolish2 you are not a military man1 and have made the offer1 it is true1 very likely in a moment of enthusiasm2 but plead any excuse you can to get out of it if you are sent for2 remain where you are--#8,good folks are scarce1' says the proverb40 8,thanks to the proverb first1 and you afterwards10 said ,i4 8,and if you do go1 it is a hundred to one against your returning40 8,many thanks for your frank advice2 but ,i am determined to go1 and if ,government send for me1 ,i wish to be ready at a day's notice2 so sure ,i am that ,i can render some services to my fellow-creatures by so doing40 8,i have no doubt you can--but you may catch the fever1 or ,god knows what besides6 ,why1 they are dying by fifties and sixties a-day in the hospital at ,scutari2 look1 here is the latest account1 the names of the poor fellows defunct1 and number of their regiments4 ,there is no mistake in that40 8,i am aware of all that2 but mind you1 my firm belief is1 that no fruit falls from the tree to the ground till it is perfectly ripe2 and ,i also believe that we are never gathered from this frivolous world till we are really wanted in the other40 8,such being your determination1 it is no use talking any more about it2 ,i only hope your health will not fail you1 and that you will return and keep us alive as you did last year4 ,i can assure you1 your joyful dinner party1 or #8feet shampeter1' as ,mary the barmaid called it1 and you used to say in ,french1 was the talk of the country round4 ,it is only three days ago that ,colonel ,cholmondeley was inquiring after you1 and asking whether you had left the neighbourhood40 8,ah1 really6 how is the ,colonel80 8,he looks remarkably well1 ,i assure you1 and will be very glad to see you40 8,when you see the ,colonel1 pray present my most sincere compliments40 8,so ,i will40 8,i'm off1 but hope to see you this evening2 good-bye1 in case ,i do not40 ,the days being short1 and my business more complicated than ,i had anticipated1 prevented my visiting my favourite summer spot1 the ,paradis ,champtre of ,england4#c ,i slept that evening at the 8,wheatsheaf20 ,i had given orders to be called the next morning at daybreak1 and was crossing the avenue of lime-trees leading to the lake1 in anticipation of witnessing1 as ,i was wont of a summer's morning1 its interminable sheet of silvery waters and green moss velvet banks1 sprinkled with myriads of daisies--or stars of the fields--intermixed with golden cups1 covered with pearly dew1 bordered also by mountainous trees forming a formidable forest2 the glittering ,chinese fishing temple1 ,corinthian ruin1 the flag floating on the castle tower1 8,royal ,george0 frigate and barks1 the swans1 and the music of thousands of birds with their notes of freedom so wild and full of nature4 ,alas6 all my illusions were dispelled1 as ,i could scarcely see a yard before me2 a thick veil1 caused by a severe white frost1 seemed to monopolise and wrap in its virgin folds the beauty of this lovely spot4 ,though greatly disappointed1 ,i was returning to the humble country inn with my soul filled by sublime reminiscences of that charming spot1 worthy of the enchanted gardens of ,armida1 when a deformed and awkward-looking lout of a stableman1 peeping from a clump of evergreens1 thus accosted me3--8,will you take a red herring for breakfast1 sir80 ,i leave my readers to imagine the effect produced upon my then exalted imagination4 ,pushing him violently from me1 8,away with you6 unsociable and ill-timed ,quasimodo60 ,i said4 ,having thus unceremoniously repulsed my evil genius1 and being by that electric shock entirely deprived of my appetite1 ,i ordered a post-chaise in lieu of breakfast1 and in a short time was at the turnpike-gate adjoining the inn1 waiting for change to pay the toll4 ,it was then about ten minutes to eight o'clock4 ,in three-quarters of an hour the post-chaise took me to the railway station1 and an hour after ,i was ascending my homely staircase1 when the servant apprised me that many persons had called2 some had left their cards1 and a mounted groom had brought a letter1 saying he would call at noon for an answer4 ,amongst the various letters ,i found upon my desk1 ,i recognised one in the hand-writing of the ,duchess of ,sutherland4 ,it was as follows3-- ,the ,duchess of ,sutherland will be much pleased to see ,monsieur ,soyer at ,stafford ,house at two o'clock this day2 or ten to-morrow morning1 if more convenient to ,monsieur ,soyer4 #gth ,february1 #ahef4 ,i had scarcely read this letter1 when a double knock was heard at the street door4 ,it was the footman from ,stafford ,house1 sent for an answer4 ,i at once informed him ,i was going to wait upon her ,grace2 but as he was there1 he might say that1 at two o'clock precisely1 ,i would do myself the honour of attending at ,stafford ,house4 ,concluding1 naturally enough1 that the summons had reference to my letter1 ,i immediately began to reflect how ,i should explain the plan ,i intended to adopt1 in case my services were required4 ,in the first place1 ,i had decided that the most important question of all would be the entire freedom of my actions when ,i arrived at ,scutari4 ,this1 of course1 could not be granted1 unless the ,government1 impressed with the importance of the subject1 thought proper to do so4 ,the active part would easily develop itself to my free and experienced mind4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,a ,,summons ,,to ,,stafford ,,house4 ,stafford ,house--,a distinguished circle--,the plan detailed--,its practicability admitted--,home again--,another summons--,the ,war ,office--,an appointment made--,second interview with the ,duchess of ,sutherland--,samples of hospital diets--,question of seasoning--,new system4 ,at ten minutes to two ,i entered the superb portico of ,stafford ,house1 and was shown to the ground-floor library by the ,duke's piper1 young ,mackenzie4 8,her ,grace will be with you presently10 said he4 8,walk in1 sir1 and ,i will apprise the ,duchess of your arrival2 who1 ,i am aware1 is anxious to see you40 ,i thanked him for his politeness1 and he left me alone4 ,i had scarcely time to cast a glance of admiration upon one of the chefs-d'uvre of ,landseer1 representing the juvenile ,stafford family1 when her ,grace entered1 followed by the ,duke and ,duchess of ,argyle1 the ,marquis and ,marchioness of ,stafford1 the ,marquis of ,kildare1 ,lord and ,lady ,blantyre1 her brother1 and the children--about eighteen in number--,lady ,grosvenor1 and others4 ,the ,duchess of ,sutherland introduced me to the noble circle1 and requested all to be seated1 which request was at once complied with2 and her ,grace addressed me in these terms3--8,monsieur ,soyer1 we have read with deep interest your letter which has appeared in the ,times1 and ,i cannot but express my admiration of your noble devotion when any good can be effected1 or the position of the suffering be relieved or ameliorated by your assistance4 ,the results of your interference would be very important--and especially at the present time--in our hospitals at ,scutari1 and in the ,crimea1 where1 in consequence of such unexpected calamities1 all is in the greatest confusion4 ,i shall also observe to you1 that ,i am well aware this offer is not your premier coup d'essai1 or first trial4 ,but ,i should advise you to consider the matter well1 in case the ,government accept your services4 ,judging from the tenor of the letters ,i receive daily from various departments at ,scutari1 ,i can perceive great difficulties1 of which you are perhaps not aware40 8,your ,grace10 ,i replied1 8is extremely kind to initiate me into the true position of the case2 and first of all1 ,i beg to observe that1 were there no great difficulties to surmount1 ,i should not have offered my services4 ,but will you permit me to set forth1 in a few words1 the plan ,i propose adopting if ,government should honour me with their confidence80 8,pray do10 exclaimed several of the circle1 especially the ,duke of ,argyle1 close to whom ,i was seated4 ,looking at his watch1 and addressing me1 the ,duke continued1 8,pray1 ,mr4 ,soyer1 give me a slight conception of your project1 as ,i have only a few minutes to stay4 ,the ,council of the ,ministry1 of which ,i am a member1 meet in about an hour1 and ,i must be there4 ,i should be very glad to submit your plans to them2 it might greatly tend to their adoption40 8,very true2 your ,grace shall judge if they are practicable or not4 ,first of all1 ,i should beg the entire confidence of the ,government relative to my actions concerning the culinary department of the hospitals--that is1 that they should grant me the power of obtaining the necessary articles of food already in the hospitals1 and other things which might require to be purchased by either the commissariat or purveyor's department1 without the slightest delay1 as the want of such power would tend to certain failure--which ,i wish to avoid2 while the possession of their confidence will ensure success4 ,i will then pledge my word to do everything in my power1 and with the greatest economy1 and1 if possible1 with the same quantity of provisions as at present allowed by ,government1 or even less1 which would be a source of high gratification to me2 and ,i sincerely hope to be able to do so after the inquiries ,i made this morning1 previous to attending your ,grace's appointment2 for ,i perceive1 in many instances1 that too much is given of one thing1 and not enough of another4 ,having1 therefore1 the power to vary the ingredients and quantity1 as well as to change inferior provisions for better1 when possible1 will greatly assist me in my undertaking40 8,i have no doubt10 said her ,grace1 8that what you request will be granted without the least hesitation40 8,my plan would also be1 never to act without the sanction of the doctor-in-chief respecting the diets ,i mean to introduce2 and ,i would not interfere in the slightest degree with any former department1 or displace a man from his duty except for incapacity1 insubordination1 or bad conduct2 for believe me1 if ,i am sent to ,scutari1 ,i go with the intention of doing all the good ,i can1 and simplifying my difficult undertaking in such a manner as to ensure success4 ,i should also claim the power of being able to condemn inferior provisions1 and to substitute better1 always without deviating from any army contract which has been1 or may be1 made by the ,government1 as ,i do not mean to hold myself responsible for the purchase of any provisions or stores1 but merely to give my approval or disapproval of them4 ,upon my arrival at ,scutari1 ,i propose at once to take two hundred patients1 and diet them for a week or more1 according to the doctor's approbation1 and then gradually increase the number1 till ,i have the whole under my direction1 if approved of by the chief medical officer4 ,such is the plan ,i propose adopting1 and ,i shall beg your ,grace to give me your opinion upon it40 8,the way you intend carrying out your plan seems very practicable40 8,well10 said the ,duke1 addressing the ,duchess of ,sutherland1 8you must excuse me leaving now1 as ,i have but a short time to get to ,downing-street4 ,mr4 ,soyer1 ,i shall have much pleasure in submitting your plan to the ,ministerial ,council1 and will report progress40 ,after the ,duke's departure1 a general conversation was opened upon the subject1 and having exchanged a few words with ,lord and ,lady ,blantyre and the ,duchess of ,sutherland1 who kindly promised to acquaint me with the result1 ,i withdrew1 and left ,stafford ,house4 ,no sooner home1 having obtained the correct ration-scale of provisions from ,dr4 ,andrews's office1 than ,i formed a very fair idea of what ,i could do for the best4 ,the next morning1 ,february #aath1 about ten o'clock1 ,i received the following communication from her ,grace3 ,the ,duchess of ,sutherland has just seen his ,grace the ,duke of ,argyle1 who has spoken to ,lord ,panmure upon the subject of ,mr4 ,soyer's offer4 ,i think ,lord ,panmure is willing to forward the humane and practical views of ,mr4 ,soyer1 and will see ,mr4 ,soyer at the ,war ,office to-morrow4 ,the ,duchess wishes to have the pleasure of seeing ,monsieur ,soyer after his visit to ,lord ,panmure4 ,upon receipt of this letter ,i immediately went1 as desired1 to the ,war ,department to see ,lord ,panmure's private secretary1 ,mr4 ,ramsay1 and inquire when and where ,i could see his lordship4 ,the hearty reception ,i met with from that gentleman was a most favourable augur1 and encouraged me to persist in the very precarious undertaking in which ,i was about to engage1 although many friends and near relations strongly tried to prevent me from pursuing it1 placing constantly before my eyes the most sinister pictures1 which1 ,i am proud to say1 never for a moment altered my mind4 ,having but one object in view1 ,i was determined to see only the best side of the medal1 and chance the rest4 ,mr4 ,ramsay having arranged my interview with ,lord ,panmure for the next morning1 ,i then retired1 thanking him much for his very kind and courteous reception4 ,i went home to test a few samples of diets and aliments ,i had prepared from the soldiers' rations2 placing the whole of them in small vases1 well packed1 ,i sent them to ,stafford ,house1 there to remain till my arrival4 ,in about an hour ,i had a second interview with the ,duchess of ,sutherland and a number of her noble family4 ,after speaking of my visit to the ,war ,office1 and my appointment with his lordship for the morning1 8,lord ,blantyre10 the ,duchess said1 8has some business at the ,war ,department to-day1 and ,i shall trouble his lordship to remit another letter from me on the subject to ,lord ,panmure1 who has1 at the present time1 so much to do that it is likely your interview might be postponed for another day40 8,i can assure your ,grace that the extreme interest you take in my behalf appears to me a good omen1 assuring me of success1 in case ,i should be sent to the seat of war4 ,i would also observe that1 being well aware of the value of ,lord ,panmure's time1 in a few minutes ,i shall be able to unfold my plan1 and he will no doubt at once perceive whether it is practicable or not1 and will give me a decided answer2 therefore1 to lose time1 on either side1 would be impolitic4 ,but1 before ,i leave1 will your ,grace honour me by inspecting a few samples of hospital diets which ,i have prepared as a test1 from the rations as at present given to the soldiers8 ,they will form part of my new system1 if approved by the medical officers40 8,have you some here1 ,mr4 ,soyer80 8,yes1 your ,grace1 ,i have2 one of the footmen has taken charge of them till required40 ,the order having been given1 a footman entered with the samples on a plateau1 with spoons1 c41 which were tasted by the select and noble party1 who at once pronounced them very palatable1 and to which ,i remarked1 that through the nature of the ingredients they could not fail to be nutritious and light4 8,it is to be regretted10 ,i said1 8that the cooks in many hospitals are not allowed to put the seasoning in the savoury diets1 which restriction will invariably produce very unsatisfactory results4 ,i will here repeat the saying of ,hippocrates3--#8,what pleases the palate nourishes4' ,if this great man has said so1 it is a pity that some of his modern disciples have altered or deviated from such an ancient and just maxim1 for ,i will vouch that a diet properly seasoned is far more generous and invigorating to the patient than the unpalatable food prepared without anything of the sort2 at the same time many maladies will require various degrees of seasoning1 as too much in some cases would prove equally if not more injurious than the want of it in others4 ,this point must be left to the doctor's discretion4 ,i am also aware that in some hospitals salt and pepper are allowed1 and1 ,i may say1 too abundantly2 and each patient is permitted to season his food1 not according to his taste1 but his judgment3 this is another evil1 as he is or may be at the time entirely deprived of either taste or judgment4 ,these remarks will be the first ,i shall submit to the notice of the principal doctor1 and ,i am morally certain he will agree with me as soon as they are properly explained40 8,a most important observation10 said the ,duchess2 8for1 even when in the enjoyment of good health1 what is more disagreeable than an insipid dish80 8,i have always1 madame1 maintained that the cook must season for guests or patients1 and not these for the cook40 8,in fact10 said ,i to the ,marquis of ,stafford1 who had tasted several of the samples1 8does not your lordship opine that salt and pepper should be almost excluded from the ward1 and that the cook should be as responsible for seasoning the food as the apothecary is for making up the doctor's prescription correctly80 8,certainly2 but can you persuade them to do so80 8,very easily2 by my system of diet1 every recipe will be printed1 framed1 and hung up in the kitchen1 so that any person1 even a soldier 7provided he can read71 will be capable of executing them well1 as each receipt will be comprised in a few lines40 8,ah6 that will1 indeed1 be most valuable1 and readily applied in every hospital40 ,during this conversation1 the ,duchess of ,sutherland and the ,marquis of ,stafford had tasted another kind of food which ,i had made for the camp4 ,it was prepared from peas-meal1 in which ,i had introduced a due proportion of salt and pepper1--called 8,symon's ground baked peas-meal10--and by pouring a pint of boiling water upon a good table-spoonful of it1 made a most excellent and thick pure of peas quite hot4 ,i one day1 as a trial1 ate nothing but that and a biscuit1 and did not feel the least inclined for anything else4 ,i do not mean to imply that such fare would do for a continuance1 but when nothing else could be obtained1 it certainly would be a great comfort for the troops to get a hot meal1 made in a few minutes1 and without trouble4 ,all present tasted this1 and expressed themselves very favourably about it4 ,having also left some samples of coffee1 ,i was retiring1 when the ,duchess of ,sutherland kindly reminded me that she should be happy to see me the morning after my interview with the ,minister-at-,war4 ,of course ,i should not have failed in presenting myself1 even without this kind invitation4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,off ,,to ,,the ,,war4 ,reception at the ,war ,office--,full powers granted--,the ,duke of ,cambridge--,his chef de cuisine1 ,comte--,model of a portable camp or field stove--,visit to ,lord ,shaftesbury--,dr4 ,andrews--,an encouraging porter--,phonetic experiments--,mr4 ,stafford's kind reception--,model of the stove inspected by the ,duke of ,cambridge and by ,lord ,panmure--,interview with ,mr4 ,brunel--,dr4 ,mayne--,question of patent--,sir ,benjamin ,hawes' office--,stafford ,house again--,letters of introduction--,honourable ,mrs4 ,herbert--,a recreant secretary--,quite at a non-plus--,a friend in need--,farewell at ,london ,bridge--,pavilion ,hotel1 ,folkestone4 ,at nine o'clock next morning ,i was at the ,war ,office by appointment4 ,lord ,panmure arrived at half-past1 and by the kindness of ,mr4 ,ramsay1 who had mentioned my arrival1 ,i was immediately introduced and most cordially received4 ,after a few words on my part1 as ,i had not had the pleasure of seeing ,lord ,panmure since ,i left the ,reform ,club1 he inquired what ,i proposed doing in respect to the cooking department of ,scutari ,hospital4 ,stating briefly that which ,i had previously explained in detail to the ,duke of ,argyle when at ,stafford ,house1 and with which ,lord ,panmure seemed to be perfectly acquainted1 he said to me1-- 8,you must1 after you have done there1 go to the ,crimea1 and cheer up those brave fellows in the camp2--see what you can do6 ,your joyful countenance will do them good1 ,soyer2 try to teach them to make the best of their rations60 ,i then observed that1 first of all1 ,i must try and succeed in the hospitals2 secondly1 that1 if the troops in the ,crimea had the same small tin camp-kettle ,i had seen in the camp at ,chobham1 it would be impossible for me to improve the style of cooking1 as they were much too small1 and burnt too much fuel1 more especially in the open air4 8,well10 said ,lord ,panmure1 8can you substitute anything more applicable for the camp1 and which can be easily carried with the regiments while on march80 8,i will set my head to work and try1 and if any plan which ,i consider practicable strikes me1 ,i will have a model of it made1 and submit the same for your lordship's approval40 8,well1 do40 8,with reference to the hospital at ,scutari1 ,i believe that is a permanent building1 situated near a large metropolis1 full of resources1 and ,i have nothing to risk going there and setting to work immediately4 ,i shall start in the full conviction of being able to do some good1 if your lordship honours me with your full confidence and grants me the power of acting according to my own judgment in a profession which ,i have successfully practised for upwards of twenty years40 8,very good1 ,soyer6 ,i shall give orders to that effect1 and furnish you with letters of introduction to every department40 8,now1 ,i hope you will do me the honour of accepting my services as ,i offered them1 through the medium of the public press2 such acceptance on the part of your lordship will1 ,i can assure you1 much facilitate the progress of my undertaking40 8,i understand your meaning1 ,mr4 ,soyer2 but ,i must make some arrangement for your expenses40 8,those1 of course1 ,i shall accept1 or ,i should be giving offence to your lordship as well as the ,government2 more especially as ,i am1 after visiting ,scutari1 to proceed to the ,crimea40 8,well1 tell me when you can start1--the mail leaves at noon to-morrow40 8,i should be most happy to leave to-morrow1 but previous to my departure for so long and unexpected a journey1 ,i have some important private affairs to settle2 it will therefore be impossible40 8,ah1 truly6 then ,i leave it to you1 ,soyer2 but the sooner you go the better40 8,your lordship may depend upon my anxiety and promptitude2 not a day1 or even a minute shall be lost40 8,fare you well1 ,soyer2 come and see me before your departure40 8,of course ,i will2 but1 begging your pardon1 to whom shall ,i address myself for any further information ,i may require80 8,to myself1 and no one else10 was ,lord ,panmure's reply4 8,i should be sorry to interrupt you in the incessant business you have from morning till night40 8,my secretary1 ,mr4 ,ramsay1 will always be here2 but do not hesitate1 if you require it1 to see me40 8,i certainly will not40 ,after a few words with ,mr4 ,ramsay upon the subject of my interview1 and what was decided upon1 ,i immediately went to inform the ,duchess of ,sutherland of the result of my visit1 at which her ,grace expressed her gratification1 and requested me to call again prior to my departure for the ,east1 stating that she would give me some important letters of introduction to persons at ,scutari1 which would be most useful to me4 ,after promising to do this1 ,i retired4 ,my intention was then to pay a visit to the ,duke of ,cambridge1 who at that time took great interest in the subject1 he having lately visited the hospital at ,scutari2 and made important observations upon the system of cooking carried on there4 ,as ,i was on my way to ,st4 ,james's ,palace1 ,i met his ,highness1 accompanied by the ,honourable ,james ,macdonald1 leaving the house2 and having paid my respects1 he inquired if ,i was going to ,scutari1 to which ,i replied in the affirmative4 ,in a few words ,i gave him the result of my interview with ,lord ,panmure1 and also spoke of the warm interest the ,duchess of ,sutherland took in the subject4 8,yes1 ,i am aware of it10 said he4 8,i had the pleasure of seeing her ,grace yesterday40 ,i then made a few inquiries respecting the state of the hospitals there1 which his highness very kindly described to me4 ,the ,duke remarked--8,your friend ,comte will be able to give you all the information you may require1 as he was with me at ,scutari1 and saw all the kitchen department in detail40 8,many thanks1 your highness2 ,i shall do myself the pleasure of paying him an early visit40 ,five minutes after ,i was with my friend ,comte1 the ,duke of ,cambridge's chef de cuisine1 who kindly initiated me into all the doings1 both in the camp and in the hospitals on the ,bosphorus4 ,this information was of great service to me4#d ,upon leaving my friend ,i hastily returned home1 intending to draw out the plan of a model for a portable camp or field stove1 which could also be applied to the use of the hospitals4 ,having heard that no regular kitchens had been established there1 ,i was anxious to have a simple apparatus to take out with me of which ,i understood the working1 and which might be put in action immediately on my arrival4 ,in a very short time ,i hit upon an idea which ,i thought could be easily carried out1 and would answer perfectly4 ,losing no time1 ,i jumped into a cab and immediately drove to the eminent gas engineers and stove makers1 ,messrs4 ,smith and ,phillips1 of ,snow-hill4 ,on submitting my plan to those scientific gentlemen1 they pronounced it practicable1 and promised me a model1 one inch to the foot1 to be ready in a day or two4 ,although the snow was falling heavily1 ,i paid an early visit to ,lord ,shaftesbury1 to whom ,i had the honour of being permitted to dedicate my last work--the 8,cookery for the ,people40 ,his lordship gave me a most cordial reception1 and was much1 pleased to hear of my intention of going to the ,east4 ,lord ,shaftesbury made several useful observations respecting the importance of my mission4 ,i bade him adieu4 ,his lordship kindly wished me all the success ,i could desire1 and said that he should be happy to hear of my proceedings1 of which ,i promised to inform him a short time after my arrival4 ,as ,i had a letter of introduction from ,mr4 ,ramsay to ,dr4 ,andrews1 ,i proceeded to that gentleman's office1 where ,i found several medical gentlemen waiting1 with some of whom ,i had the pleasure of being acquainted4 ,others were engaged testing samples of preserved milk in glasses2 and having asked me to test some1 ,i selected one which they all agreed was the best3 ,i believe it turned out to be ,gamble's preserved milk1 in tins4 ,my letter of introduction having been given to the doctor1 ,i had an immediate interview4 ,after listening to my few inquiries1 he kindly wrote me a letter of introduction to ,dr4 ,cumming1 the superintendent at ,scutari1 and all the hospitals on the ,bosphorus1 promising me his support1 and requesting that ,i might have all ,i required in my department upon application to the purveyor4 ,he then put me in communication with a gentleman in charge of the stores1 who would give me all the information respecting the kitchen utensils then in use in the hospitals4 ,having taken notes of everything1 ,i retired perfectly satisfied with the important information ,i had gathered in so short a time4 ,i was well aware of the multiplicity of business daily transacted by the doctor1 and the difficulty of obtaining a private interview with him1 even on business1 as one of the assistant porters told me when ,i called early one morning1 that ,i might call till doomsday1 and not be able to see him4 ,this1 of course1 ,i took for granted1 as no doubt the doctor would upon this solemn occasion be more engaged than ever4 ,i must1 however1 observe that he at first took me for a merchant who had been for several years trying to persuade the ,english faculty to sanction or adopt the use of leeches to the same extent as is done in ,france4 ,not much flattered by the comparison1 ,i wished him better manners for the future4 8,i beg your pardon1 sir2 but not being on the military list1 ,i did not know you4 ,why didn't you tell me you was ,monseer ,soyewere1 then ,i should have knowed you8 ,of course1 everybody knows you in ,england1 ,ireland1 ,wales1 and ,scotland40 8,well1 never mind2 but did ,i not give you my card80 8,of course you did2 but ,i could not make out the name of ,so-ye-were from five such letters as that10 said he1 showing my card to some one present4 8,soyer6 surely that never can be ,so-ye-were60 8,you spell and write admirably4 ,thank you for the wrinkle4 ,i shall have my card altered40 ,i told the cabman to drive me to the residence of ,mr4 ,stafford1 ,m4,p41 at whose chambers ,i had the day before left a letter of introduction from the ,duchess of ,sutherland4 ,i had the pleasure of a very interesting interview with that gentleman1 who had then just returned from ,scutari4 ,having given me the necessary details of what was most required1 and about the number of assistants ,i should take with me to insure immediate success1 he promised to furnish me with several letters of introduction1 if ,i would send or call for them before my departure4 8,i shall1 certainly10 said ,i1 8much prefer calling1 were it only to have the advantage of a little more of your valuable information upon any subject which may strike you after my departure2 and ,i thank you for your kind and valuable suggestions40 8,when do you think of starting80 8,in a couple of days at the latest40 8,very well2 the letters shall be ready without fail1 and two or three small parcels1 which you will be kind enough to deliver for me--one especially for ,miss ,nightingale1 rather fragile1 and which ,i cannot send by post40 8,i shall be most happy2 jusqu'au plaisir de vous revoir40 ,i devoted the rest of that day to my private affairs1 packing1 and paying farewell visits4 ,the next morning1 at half-past nine1 ,messrs4 ,smith and ,phillips1 according to promise1 brought me a most beautiful small model of the field-stove1 which they warranted first-rate1 and to be capable of working in or out of doors1 and in all weathers4 ,i immediately proceeded to the ,war-,office1 to show the model1 and explain the principle to ,lord ,panmure4 ,in the waiting-room ,i had the honour of meeting the ,duke of ,cambridge1 which gave me an excellent opportunity of explaining its merits4 ,the ,duke appeared to approve of it1 and particularly noticed the great economy of fuel consequent upon the construction and smallness of the furnace4 ,the ,duke made some important remarks1 and gave me a few hints upon the cooking regulations both in the hospitals and in the camps4 ,these ,i took note of1 and after explaining my plan of transport1 ,i was quite delighted at having had such an opportunity of conversing with the ,duke on a subject in which ,i was aware he felt particular interest4 ,mr4 ,ramsay1 the secretary1 having sent for me1 ,i quitted the ,duke2 and1 before leaving1 ,i informed him that ,i had seen my friend ,comte1 and that he had given me all the assistance in his power1 and had also told me that his highness had presented the hospital with a very nice petite batterie de cuisine1 which1 no doubt1 ,i should find very useful upon my arrival4 8,adieu1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i wish you well1 and hope you will succeed40 ,on reaching ,mr4 ,ramsay's office1 that gentleman kindly informed me that if ,i wished to see ,lord ,panmure ,i had better wait till he went to take his luncheon4 ,i then stated that my object was to show his lordship the model of a stove ,i had invented for the use both of the hospitals and the army4 8,walk into the next room2 ,lord ,panmure will be there in a few minutes1 and you will have plenty of time to show it without interfering with his business40 ,i had not waited ten minutes before ,lord ,panmure came in alone4 8,ah1 ,mr4 ,soyer1 what have you there80 8,the model of a stove ,i wish to submit to your lordship4 ,it is one which will1 ,i believe1 suit admirably for cooking both in and out of doors40 ,after closely examining it1 and listening to the details ,i had previously given to the ,duke of ,cambridge1 ,lord ,panmure approved of it1 and requested me to have another made1 which he might keep by him for inspection4 ,he then inquired how many cooks ,i should take with me4 8,only a few from ,paris10 ,i replied1 8as ,i wish to make a trial before engaging many people2 besides1 ,i hope to be able1 in a very short time1 to instruct the soldiers1 who1 being under discipline1 might prove as useful as any cooks40 ,lord ,panmure seemed pleased at my anxiety to instruct the soldiers2 and1 as he very justly remarked--8,we want them to learn how to cook their rations to the best advantage1 and that your instructions should remain for ever among them4 ,well1 ,i have settled all you wished me to do2 and my secretary1 ,mr4 ,ramsay1 will remit you all the letters you require4 ,when do you think of starting80 8,by the next mail40 8,well60 said his lordship1 shaking me heartily by the hand1 8,good-bye1 if ,i do not see you again before your departure40 8,it would only be troubling you2 ,i therefore beg to take this opportunity of thanking your lordship for the kind reception and encouragement ,i have received1 and1 still more1 for the confidence with which you have honoured me4 ,i assure you that it will cause me to be most careful and economical1 and it will be my pride to improve the diet without increasing the expense to ,government4 ,this may not be effected at first2 but when the system is once introduced1 and fairly established1 ,i will answer for both a great amelioration as well as a saving40 8,i am confident1 ,soyer1 that you will do your best40 8,your lordship may depend upon me for that1 were it only for my own sake40 8,well1 write as soon as you arrive1 and let us know how you get on40 ,upon leaving1 ,i met ,mr4 ,ramsay1 and related to him verbatim what had passed between ,lord ,panmure and myself4 ,i then showed him the model1 which he understood perfectly well1 and gave me the engineer1 ,mr4 ,brunel's1 address4 ,i called upon that gentleman1 and had the pleasure of an interview4 ,he at once gave his full and entire approval of the principle1 saying1 8,you really come at a most propitious time2 ,dr4 ,mayne and myself are actually busily engaged discussing a plan for establishing kitchens in the ,smyrna hospital4 ,yours will answer very well1 and assist us materially1 as it is always a tedious department to construct in order to be effective1 and work properly4 ,no doubt they will be applicable to every public institution2 besides1 what a small quantity of fuel they must consume40 8,very little1 indeed2 and with this simple regulator you may manage the ebullition to a nicety1 even in the open air4 ,i shall also beg to remark1 that they will be made of a beautiful metal1 that will never require tinning2 and the whole1 though light in weight1 will be extremely strong1 and will last several years without needing repairs1 or1 at least1 very trifling ones1 that will not interfere with their use for a single day4 ,they will take up but little room1 and may be easily kept clean4 ,no bricks are required1 no chimney to be swept1 and they can be as easily removed as any piece of furniture in your room40 8,you are perfectly right2 and ,i give you my candid opinion1 they are the very stoves required for the purpose4 ,i should like ,dr4 ,mayne to see it2 if you can1 call as you go to the ,war ,office1 and show him the model4 ,i can then speak with him upon the subject40 8,with the greatest of pleasure40 ,as ,dr4 ,mayne had not arrived when ,i called1 ,i went and fetched a passport for myself1 and one for my secretary4 ,upon my return1 the doctor had examined the model1 and seemed much pleased1 saying--8,it will answer very well40 ,i left the address of the manufacturers with him1 and then retired4 ,they were immediately adopted both at ,smyrna1 and later at ,rankioi4 ,a gentleman present1 who seemed to have taken a great deal of interest in our descriptive conversation1 followed me to the door1 and1 in a low voice1 asked if ,i had taken out a patent4 8,no1 ,i have not2 but ,i shall put my name and label upon them40 8,well1 if you were to take out a patent1 you would make a fortune40 8,you may be right2 but upon such an occasion ,i should fancy myself wrong4 ,i will therefore give it1 pro bono publico4 ,i am well aware that by making it more complete ,i could take out either registration or patent1 but ,i would not do that for the world2 as it would be immediately reported that ,i expected to be repaid for my services by the profits of the patent of the stove1 and upon these grounds ,i decline any such proceeding40 ,as it was then about three o'clock1 ,i went1 by appointment1 to ,sir ,benjamin ,hawes' office to bid that gentleman adieu1 and to receive his final orders1 showing him at the same time the model1 which he seemed to appreciate thoroughly4 ,he gave me the best advice1 and promised me his powerful support throughout my culinary campaign4 ,in return1 ,i engaged to communicate all my movements1 and retired4 ,at noon1 next day1 ,i again called at ,stafford ,house1 8not by appointment40 ,on being informed of my visit1 the ,duchess at once favoured me with an audience4 8,i am come10 said ,i1 8to announce my departure4 ,i wish1 ere ,i leave to-morrow1 to thank your ,grace1 and to show you the model of my new stove which ,i mean to introduce into the hospital kitchens40 8,ah60 exclaimed her ,grace1 8,i must go and fetch the ,duke4 ,he will be highly pleased with it1 and he wished very much to see you before your departure40 ,the ,duke soon entered the great hall1 with a large party1 to whom ,i explained the principle1 as ,i had before done to the ,duke of ,cambridge4 ,i also stated that the day previous ,i had had the honour of showing it to ,lord ,panmure1 and ,mr4 ,brunel1 the celebrated engineer1 all of whom were much pleased with its efficacy1 simplicity1 and economy2 more especially ,mr4 ,brunel1 who so highly appreciated the principle of its construction1 that he at once adopted it1 and applied it to the hospital kitchens at ,smyrna and ,rankioi1 which he was there about to fit up4 ,the ,duke made many remarks respecting the simplicity of its construction and the immense economy of fuel2 8the transport of which10 ,i observed1 8was so extremely difficult and costly40 ,i also remarked that one stove might be placed in a tent or hut containing fifty or sixty men2 and they could cook there without the smallest inconvenience or difficulty1 while it would throw out sufficient heat1 8being in use nearly all day1 viz41 for breakfast1 dinner1 and tea10 to warm the hut in winter1 while in summer it might be turned out of doors4 ,having been complimented by all present1 ,i was about to retire1 when the ,duchess observed that she had written several letters of introduction for me4 8,among the number10 said her ,grace1 8you will find one for ,miss ,nightingale40 ,i returned my sincere thanks to all present1 and in particular to the ,duke and ,duchess4 ,i assured them that the kindness and great encouragement ,i had received from them would be for ever engraved in my memory4 ,the ,duke remarked that he was very glad to see me in such high spirits4 ,i acknowledged this with a bow4 8,but1 ,mr4 ,soyer1 suppose you should be taken ill80 said the ,duchess4 8,well1 your ,grace--cela est la volont de ,dieu--at present ,i am happy to say ,i have not any fears on that head1 and am quite resigned to whatever ,providence may dictate4 ,once more ,i beg to reiterate my feelings of gratitude1 and bid your ,grace and your illustrious family adieu40 ,as it was nearly one o'clock1 ,i called upon ,mr4 ,ramsay1 who had all my letters ready4 ,he did me the honour to introduce me to ,general ,vivian1 of the ,turkish ,contingent1 and his brother1 ,captain ,ramsay1 the general's aide-de-camp4 ,anticipating the pleasure of meeting those gentlemen in the ,east1 ,i departed with the best wishes of all4 ,mr4 ,ramsay gave me a letter for the ,honourable ,mrs4 ,herbert1 to whom ,i was anxious to pay a visit1 well aware of the important information ,i could gather from that benevolent lady1 who was in constant communication with the hospitals in the ,east1 and also with ,miss ,nightingale4 ,i was very kindly received2 but1 instead of giving me an encouraging prospect of success1 that lady very candidly informed me that the number of letters she daily received were most unsatisfactory1 and that she did not think it possible for me to restore order in the cooking department at the great barrack hospital4 8,the difficulties you will encounter10 said she1 8are incalculable40 8,so ,i anticipate10 was my reply2 8but ,i must observe1 that ,i love difficulties1 in order to surmount them4 ,and with the power so graciously conferred upon me by ,lord ,panmure1 ,i cannot fail to do some good1 if my health does not fail me40 8,i hope10 said ,mrs4 ,herbert1 8you will succeed1 and shall be happy to hear of an amelioration4 ,when do you think of going80 8,to-morrow40 ,bidding her adieu1 and thanking her for her kind reception1 ,i retired4 ,on reaching home1 ,i found the promised letters from ,mr4 ,stafford1 all my luggage packed1 and was on the point of starting1 when ,i learned that the gentleman who was going with me as secretary1 and had his passport ready1 declined to accompany me4 ,his relations and friends had persuaded him not to go1 the fever being so bad there1 and so many deaths occurring daily4 ,i was thus placed in an awkward position1 and was1 moreover1 pestered at home by intrusive visitors1 and no end of ridiculous letters4 ,i thought of starting alone2 but1 upon reflection1 ,i decided upon passing the evening at the ,adelaide ,hotel1 at ,london ,bridge1 and in the morning looking out for another party2 thus1 to my great annoyance1 losing another day4 ,to start alone without a first-class companion for so long a journey was a sad affair4 ,i must observe that ,i had previously engaged two young men1 at high wages1 as cooks1 one of whom declined going to ,scutari1 but did not mind the ,crimea2 the other fell ill4 ,thus1 my prospects on the eve of my departure were anything but favourable4 ,next morning1 while driving along ,piccadilly1 ,i met a friend1 who1 in congratulating me upon my proposed journey1 and wishing me success in my undertaking1 said1 8,so ,mr4 ,l---- is going with you as secretary1 is he not80 8,no1 he is not6 he has left me in the lurch at the last minute2 and1 my dear fellow1 ,i can tell you what1 there is a chance for you--it is only for two or three months--you will be well paid1 and all expenses defrayed40 8,it is very kind of you to make me the offer10 he replied2 8but ,i cannot leave my business at a minute's notice4 ,how long could you give me to prepare80 8,oh6 ,i am off this evening by the mail40 8,i have no clothes ready for travelling40 8,never mind that2 you can get all you require in ,paris1 where ,i shall remain two days upon business40 8,indeed6 then in two hours ,i will give you a decided answer40 ,at the expiration of that time my friend made his appearance4 ,we drew up an agreement1 got his passport1 and started the same evening2 but not on the sly1 as ,i had anticipated4 ,having forgotten to warn ,t4 ,g4 not to mention the fact of our intended journey1 he had called upon several of his friends1 with some of whom ,i was acquainted1 and to my surprise1 when ,i reached the station1 ,i found about twenty assembled to bid us farewell4 ,if ,i mention this circumstance1 it is only to have an opportunity of publicly thanking those gentlemen for their hearty farewell1 and three cheers--the echo of which still vibrates in my heart1 and was through the whole of my culinary campaign a high source of gratification to my feelings4 ,that night we slept at the ,pavilion ,hotel1 ,folkestone4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,delights ,,of ,,travel4 ,the lost pocket-book--,found at last--,scene at a station--,caught in a fog--,arrival at ,boulogne--,the ,emperor's first valet-de-chambre--,an avalanche of earth--,table talk--,napoleon's projected trip to the ,crimea--,news of the death of the ,czar--,an incredulous auditor--,a bet quickly won--,paris--,lyons--,marseilles4 ,the ,boulogne steamer was to start at half-past seven in the morning2 the weather was anything but favourable1 as rain was falling in torrents1 and a thick fog coming on4 ,t4 ,g4 and myself were ready to start1 when a sad adventure occurred--my pocket-book1 containing the best part of my cash and my official letters1 was not to be found4#e ,as ,i recollected having put it safely in the side pocket of my great coat before leaving the ,adelaide ,hotel1 ,i feared that during the journey 7owing to the fatigues of the day ,i had slept some time in the train7 it might have been abstracted from my pocket4 ,after hunting in vain all about the room1 ,i informed ,mr4 ,giovanni and ,mr4 ,brydes1 the landlord of the hotel1 of my loss1 and those gentlemen immediately instituted inquiries4 ,the news was soon known all through the hotel1 and the crier was ordered to go round the town4 ,i also dispatched ,t4 ,g4 to ,london1 to make inquiries at the station and the hotel1 lest by chance ,i had taken it out during my short visit at the ,london ,bridge house1 where ,i had been surrounded by a number of friends4 ,while making a last search in the room1 by accident ,i shook the heavy wooden frame of the bed1 from which everything had been removed--bedding1 beds1 and all1 but without success--to my astonishment and delight1 ,i heard something fall4 ,it was my lost pocket-book4 ,i had thrown my great coat over me in the night 7the weather being cold71 and the book had worked its way out1 and got between the frame of the bedstead and the wall4 ,upon this discovery ,i immediately telegraphed for ,t4 ,g4 to return1 in these words3 8,stop a gentleman of colour--it's all right40 ,on the arrival of the train at ,tonbridge1 the cry of 8,stop the gentleman of colour0 was loudly shouted along the station4 8,all right1 all right10 cried ,t4 ,g42 8here ,i am40 ,he immediately jumped into the special down train1 and arrived time enough to save the steamer4 ,the quid pro quo of passengers as well as railway employs was1 that the thief had been captured1 and it served him right4 ,i heard afterwards this was the exclamation of many at the time4 ,t4 ,g4's devotion was certainly not repaid1 but1 when explained at the hotel1 the incident caused great mirth4 ,this was our first tribulation1 which1 though unpleasant1 had the merit of being the first germ of excitement4 ,the same morning1 in a rough sea and heavy rain1 we sailed for ,boulogne-sur-,mer4 ,the steamer was very much crowded with ,crimean passengers1 and almost every one paid the usual nautical debt to ,neptune1 looking more or less uninteresting4 ,the beauty of the female part of the passengers had faded1 and nothing but pale1 livid faces remained1 in place of the blooming1 peach-like countenances4 ,a very thick fog came on1 and the speed of the steamer was of course checked4 ,we progressed slowly through the opaque atmosphere and heavy rain4 ,after we had made all the signals required1 the steam-whistle was heard1 and we found ourselves going ahead towards the round tower on the right hand side of the port1 the sight of which seemed to astonish the crew of the vessel1 and more so one of the passengers1 an old gentleman1 who exclaimed1 8,we are in the same position as the ,amphitrite1 which was wrecked in #ahcc1 when above two hundred souls perished4 ,a fisherman named ,pierre ,hnin distinguished himself so greatly on that occasion1 that he was decorated by both countries--,france and ,england40 ,i observed1 that the sea must have been about three times as rough at that time1 and it was to be hoped1 in case of danger1 we should meet with several ,pierre ,hnins4 ,however1 by backing for about twenty minutes1 and the fog clearing off by degrees1 we arrived safely1 but too late for the train4 ,the jetty was rather crowded for that time of the year4 ,our delay and the fog had rendered our passage interesting--rather more so than pleasant4 ,my intention was to take the first train1 when1 on reaching the jetty1 who should ,i perceive but my friend ,m4 ,lon1 the ,emperor's first valet-de-chambre1 one of the persons that have been longest employed about his ,majesty's person1 having been with him above sixteen years4 ,he is much esteemed by his imperial master1 none but himself approaching his person while in his private apartment4 ,it is ,m4 ,lon who sleeps before the door of his illustrious master's chamber while travelling1 as the ,mamelouk ,roustan did before that of ,napoleon the ,first4 8,hollo60 he exclaimed1 8are you here1 my dear friend80 8,yes1 ,i am4 ,what brings you here at this season8 ,and where is his ,majesty80 said ,i4 8,you may depend upon it10 he replied1 8that if the ,emperor were not here1 ,i should not be at ,boulogne2 but we have only come for a few days4 ,the ,emperor is going to attend a review to-morrow4 ,i hear you are going to the ,crimea40 8,yes1 ,i am40 8,so we saw by the newspapers1 and the ,emperor was much pleased to hear it1 and expressed his satisfaction by no doubt thinking it was an excellent idea for you to be sent over there4 ,when do you start80 8,almost directly10 ,i replied4 8,stay here to-night4 ,i will tell the ,emperor you are here4 ,come and sup with me this evening40 8,thank you1 ,i will40 ,we then parted2 ,i sending some of my attendants on to ,paris4 ,the implacable douaniers then commenced their perilous sport2 and although1 thanks to a friend of mine1 ,i had an official passport from the ,french ,embassy1 signed by ,count ,walewski1 two of my boxes containing my ,shilling ,cookery ,books were confiscated till the next morning1 but eventually allowed to pass free of duty1 but not of trouble1 and would have been the cause of my losing a day for nothing1 had it not been that we were too late for the train4 ,at ten minutes to seven o'clock1 through a very heavy rain and a brisk gale1 we arrived at the 8,grand ,htel du ,pavilion10 which had just been finished1 and was inhabited for the first time4 ,this hotel is situated about five hundred yards from the ,etablissement des ,bains1 at the foot of the bank1 on the right hand side of that establishment4 ,any person who has visited ,boulogne must be acquainted with the spot4 ,it is rather remarkable that soon after the arrival of the ,emperor--in fact1 he only just had time to dress after his journey--an avalanche of earth fell from the top of the bank1 shaking the very foundations of the hotel4 ,at the back of the house the earth reached higher than the second floor1 breaking the windows4 ,some of the dbris actually fell into the ,emperor's dressing-room1 only a few minutes after he had left it4 ,the slip of earth was supposed to have been caused by the melting of the snow1 which had lain there for some time1 as well as the rain1 which had been pouring down1 night and day1 for a week4 ,my friend was just sitting down to supper1 when ,i joined them1 it being then eight o'clock1 heure militaire1 punctuality being the motto in every department in the imperial household4 ,having introduced my secretary1 ,t4 ,g41 the conversation turned upon the avalanche1 then upon the grand repas de corps1 as it is called in ,france1 or military banquet1 given that evening to the generals and officers of the ,camp de ,boulogne4 ,but the most important part of the conversation was upon the contemplated departure of ,napoleon for the ,east4 ,he was to travel from ,paris to ,marseilles incog41 with but very few of his suite4 8,everything10 said ,m4 ,lon1 8is packed and ready1 and we may start at an hour's notice4 ,your friend ,benoit has already sent his batterie de cuisine1 and a quantity of preserved provisions40 7,m4 ,benoit is the ,emperor's chef de cuisine47#f ,whilst we were conversing1 a footman entered1 in a state of anxiety and excitement1 and exclaimed--8,there is not a single cigar1 and the ,emperor has asked for some40 8,very well10 said the matre d'htel1 8go and buy some40 ,in about half an hour he returned with a square box1 three parts full of various kinds of cigars1 which he had no doubt purchased at all the nearest grocers' shops1 clearing out their stock of ,french ,havana cigars4 8,couldn't you get better ones than these80 said the matre d'htel4 8,no doubt ,i could1 but not near40 8,then1 take them up40 ,he despatched another servant to the ,rue de l',ecu for a box of good ones1 which arrived too late4 ,owing to a most unexpected circumstance1 the company only had the opportunity of partaking of a few of them1 for they scarcely had time to light cigars1 when a telegraphic dispatch arrived4 ,my friend ,m4 ,lon told one of the attendants to go and see if his ,majesty had left the banqueting-room1 and if he was in his cabinet4 ,while this was passing1 ,i took the dispatch in my hand1 and by way of a joke1 said to him1 8,as ,france and ,england are now allied1 and have the same policy1 ,i have here an official ,english ,government letter1 which1 if you like1 ,i will exchange for your dispatch40 8,it might be done10 said he1 laughing2 8but1 upon consideration1 the ,emperor would very likely prefer his own40 ,the servant returned1 and informed him that the ,emperor was still at table4 ,the dispatch remained about ten minutes longer near ,m4 ,lon1 when they came and apprised him that ,napoleon was in his cabinet4 ,m4 ,lon went up with the dispatch1 and in a few minutes returned1 saying to me1 8,do you know what the contents of the letter you wished to exchange for yours were80 8,certainly not10 ,i replied4 8,the contents are1 that the ,emperor ,nicholas is dead40 ,every one was thunderstruck by the unexpected announcement1 and we could hardly believe it4 8,if you come up quickly1 you will hear the ,emperor himself announce it to the company in the banqueting-room40 ,we obeyed1 but only arrived in time to hear the last words--8a cess de vivre40 ,special orders were then given that no demonstration should be made1 and a low and mournful conversational sound was alone heard amongst those assembled4 ,a few minutes after leaving the imperial palace1 a friend and myself were quietly taking our coffee at a celebrated establishment1 and in conversation said loud enough to be heard by our neighbours1 that certainly the death of the ,emperor ,nicholas was very likely to change the state of affairs1 as the present ,emperor1 ,alexander was1 so we had always heard1 rather a pacificator4 ,before we could finish the remark1 an elderly gentleman1 who was sitting near us1 exclaimed1 8,what do you say8 ,what do you say1 sir8--the ,emperor ,nicholas dead80 8,yes1 sir1 he is dead40 8,go to ----1 sir2 that's another ,crimean shave1 like the taking of ,sebastopol40 8,sir10 ,i replied1 8,i can vouch for this not being a shave1 and that his ,majesty1 the ,emperor ,nicholas the ,first of ,russia1 expired yesterday2 and what is more1 ,i will lay you a wager of it40 ,in a few minutes some jumped upon the chairs and benches1 others upon the billiard-table1 looking at me1 no doubt anxious to see whether ,i was intoxicated or mad4 ,one gentleman raising his voice1 said1 8,i'll bet anything this report is not true40 8,done for a dozen of champagne40 8,i take you1 and we will drink your health at your own expense40 ,we scarcely had time to deposit our money with the lady who presided at the bar of the establishment when mine was again in my pocket4 ,a number of officers who had returned from the banquet entered1 and affirmed the truth of what ,i had stated4 ,nevertheless1 no one could believe it2 so ,i proposed returning my money to the stakeholder till the next morning1 and turning the champagne into an early djeuner la fourchette4 ,at the custom-house the following morning ,i was detained1 and reached twenty-five minutes behind the time appointed by my friend1 and perhaps thereby lost the chance of a short interview with the ,emperor1 which made me bless the douaniers who were so long at their breakfast1 and longer still in clearing my luggage4 ,i found my friend ,m4 ,lon smoking his short pipe at the hotel door1 with his hands in his pantalon la cosaque1 a type de troupier well worthy of the past and present empire2 so ,i made sure his ,majesty was off4 8,oh1 here you are at last--a fine fellow truly1 and very punctual indeed6 ,why1 his ,majesty has been gone this half-hour4 ,i intimated you were still here1 and he would probably have seen you2 but mind1 if you don't look sharp1 we shall be at ,constantinople before you4 ,you are sure to see his ,majesty there1 for the first thing he will do will be to visit all the hospitals1 both ,french and ,english40 8,i am very glad to hear you say so1 for the loss is on my side2 but what can you do when you are in the hands of the authorities2 if you recollect1 the last time ,i was here1 ,i fared worse1 for ,i was locked up more than two hours for coming without a passport1 fancying myself a true ,briton1 as they are allowed to land without any40 8,then you really expect to go80 ,i again asked4 8,nothing can be more certain1 when ,i tell you that everything is ready for our departure4 ,i much regret missing so excellent an opportunity4 ,when do you leave80 ,this afternoon2 our places are taken by telegraph at ,marseilles through the ,war ,office2 and ,i shall only remain in ,paris twenty-four hours1 instead of two days1 as ,i had anticipated4 ,having related the scene at the caf the previous evening1 and invited him to the dejeuner1 he declined attending it1 on the ground that some unexpected news from ,russia might cause his ,majesty to return to ,paris immediately4 8,do you mean to say10 ,i exclaimed1 8that you had not heard of the ,emperor ,nicholas being indisposed previous to the arrival of the despatch which announced his death80 8,oh1 yes2 we did hear last evening4 ,this was the third dispatch we received yesterday1 but we never dreamed of his dying till that one came40 8,well1 many thanks for your kindness1 my dear friend2 and ,i hope to see you at ,scutari soon4 ,i shall pay you a visit there40 8,do10 said he2 8,i understand we shall have one of the ,sultan's palaces on the ,bosphorus4 ,adieu60 ,after the dejeuner1 and a protracted journey to the ,boulogne ,camp1 my friend and myself took the last train and arrived early in the morning at ,paris4 ,my first visit was to the military hospital of the ,val de ,grace1 the ,invalides1 the ,htel ,dieu1 c4 ,i was politely shown over each establishment by the authorities on duty1 and took notes of all the ingredients used for the preparation of the daily diets of both officers and soldiers4 ,we started the same evening for ,lyons1 stayed a few hours there1 and visited the military hospital at that place1 and took the steamer to ,avignon4 ,on board we found the ,smyrna ladies1 about thirty in number1 under the orders of ,mrs4 ,m4 ,cooke2 there were also many doctors4 ,i had seen them the day previous at the ,htel des ,princes1 ,rue ,richelieu1 but had not the slightest knowledge of who or what they were4 ,as the ladies were all dressed in grey1 ,i took them for ,quakeresses upon a pilgrimage4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,comfort ,,on ,,shore ,,and ,,penance ,,at ,,sea4 ,tour of inspection at ,marseilles--,the booking office--,sleeping upon deck--,places transferred--,the bouillabaisse--,the ,olio--,marseilles dishes--,a harrowing spectacle--,the ,simois--,a pleasant prospect--,good ballast--,the ,bay of ,ajaccio--,compagnons de voyage--,birthplace of the first ,napoleon--,la ,signora ,grossetti--,twenty minutes in the kitchen of the house of the ,emperor ,napoleon the ,first--,memorials of the ,emperor's childhood--,a charming evening--,once more afloat--,an enraged restaurateur--,struggle for a leg of mutton--,messina--,the ,pirus--,athens4 ,on arriving at ,marseilles1 ,i made inquiries at the ,station as to what provisions could be obtained for the army1 if required4 ,i bade my friends adieu1 in hopes of having the pleasure of seeing them on board the next day1 and in particular ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,cooke1 who really took their duty to heart1 and had a most difficult task to perform4 ,after viewing all the magazines of ,marseilles and its warehouses1 ,i perceived that my countrymen1 in the way of national business1 were very little boys1 who could hardly walk1 when compared with ,english commercial men and the houses of ,crosse and ,blackwell1 ,fortnum and ,mason1 ,hogarth1 ,gamble1 c4 ,having done my duty1 so far as the victualling department was concerned1 ,i found that with such a stock of provisions any ,government might keep its army in a state of perfect starvation--should the ,french ,government depend upon them--though at the same time the quantity and quality might have served very well for a dainty pic-nic of a couple of thousand epicures1 the price also being so high4 ,passing by the ,bureau des ,messageries ,impriales1 ,i called in to see about our places for the next day4 ,i found an old friend1 of fifteen years' standing at least1 at the head of that department4 8,ho6 pardieu10 said he1 8,i thought it was you1 having seen several paragraphs respecting your departure for the ,crimea4 ,i was afraid at one time you would have gone by sea4 ,i have two first cabin berths for you to-morrow2 but as you are a very gallant man1 you will not mind sleeping upon deck from here to ,smyrna40 8,sleeping upon deck6 what do you mean8 ,my places have been taken this week past40 8,i know that--,i have two first-cabin berths for you4 ,how many cooks and attendants have you got with you80 8,we are about eight in number40 8,oh1 ,i can manage them then2 although ,i assure you we are cramped everywhere40 8,what do you mean by my sleeping upon deck80 8,why1 because if you don't1 some of those ladies who are going to ,smyrna must4 ,four of them must sleep upon deck1 as all the places are taken2 and ,i am sure you are too gallant to allow them to sleep in the open air while you remain snug in your cabin4 ,tell me1 are you obliged to start with them80 8,certainly not40 8,then1 wait for the next boat2 it will not make forty-eight hours' difference1 and you will be very comfortable4 ,you will go by ,messina and ,athens1 and be there nearly as soon4 ,moreover1 you will be rendering a great service to those ladies2 besides1 we should pack five or six persons in your cabin40 8,very well1 transfer our places40 8,the next vessel is quite new1 and it will be her first voyage4 ,she is most handsomely fitted up1 and you will meet with capital company on board4 ,all the first cabins are taken by ,english and ,french officers2 you are sure to know some of them40 8,very well2 at what time shall we be here80 8,be ready the day after to-morrow1 about three ,p4,m41 at the ,htel d',orient1 where you are staying4 ,i will send some men with a few cabs4 ,mind you have all your luggage ready40 8,i will4 ,many thanks for your kindness40 ,the next day1 after visiting several public institutions1 ,i was very desirous to taste an excellent dish called the bouillabaisse1 which is exclusively a ,marseillaise dish1 as turtle-soup and roast beef and plum-pudding are essentially ,english4 ,i therefore invited a few friends to that far-famed place1 the 8,reserve40 ,among my guests1 ,i had the pleasure of numbering a most eminent1 amiable1 and gallant gentleman1 ,captain ,taunton1 who1 a few weeks previous1 ,i heard1 had the temerity to run his ship1 the ,fury1 so close to the port of ,sebastopol1 that a round shot passed through her beam4 ,the ,captain1 my friend ,m4 ,giraldo1 and myself1 formed the trio of degustators of the ,grand ,provenale dish called the bouillabaisse1 as well as another celebrated one called the olio4 ,the first one ,i1 with veneration and justice1 recognised as worthy of being immortalized in the archives of cookery4 ,the olio1 like many of its companions1 so admired by the ,marseillais1 is only to be appreciated by the inhabitants of that city1 who must have sprung from a bed of garlic1 instead of that more genteel and more sweetly-perfumed one1 the parsley-bed--so well known to the juveniles1 who are made to believe they were found ruralizing amidst that delicate aromatic plant4 ,the bouillabaisse pertains to ,marseilles1 as the whitebait to ,greenwich and ,blackwall4 ,even at ,marseilles it is only at a few houses that you can get it in perfection1 among which the celebrated 8,restaurant de la ,reserve0 ranks as ,a #a1 and next1 the 8,grand ,htel des ,colonies40 ,after all1 the 8,reserve0 is the principal place4 ,this beautiful and picturesque restaurant1 with its pavilion and slim turrets1 is gracefully situated on the top of the high rock at the entrance of the old seaport4 ,when required1 the proprietor procures the particular fish alive1 at the threshold of his door1 and shell-fish required for the composition of this dainty dish4#g ,in less than an hour--during which time we had partaken of a few small oysters1 and some shell-fish peculiar to ,marseilles--the bouillabaisse was upon the table1 smoking hot1 and perfuming the room with its aroma4 ,although the bouillabaisse can be made with any kind of firm fish1 in all countries1 and at all seasons of the year1 ,i should be deceiving my readers were ,i to say that it could be made in the same perfection as at ,marseilles2 nevertheless1 it can be made good if the receipt is closely followed4 ,the choice of fish for the purpose in ,england1 although not as suitable as those of the ,marseillaise coast1 being of a different nature1 will still produce an excellent1 dainty dish4 ,though this petit djeuner was very recherch1 the bouillabaisse threw all the accessory dishes into the shade4 ,the landlord1 who favoured us with his company at dessert1 informed me he made it himself2 and at my request1 favoured me with the receipt1 and the names of the fish composing it4 ,i returned my best thanks for the condescension and trouble on his part in so doing4 8,ah1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said he1 8you may thank your name for that4 ,i have often seen you mentioned in our papers1 and should have been sorry if you had left our seaport without tasting our national dish in perfection40 ,he observed1 in handing it to me1 8,you are1 of course1 aware that this dish cannot be made except at a seaport40 8,i am well aware of that fact10 ,i answered1 8and that this semi-soup and stew ought1 by right1 to be made at a seaport2 nevertheless1 the finest seaport ,i have ever seen in ,england1 and ,i might say in the world1 for fish1 is ,london2 therefore1 my dear sir1 give me the receipt1 and ,i shall1 no doubt1 fish out the fish from a good quarter40 ,,original ,,receipt ,,for ,,the ,,bouillabaisse ,a ,,la ,,marseillaise4 ,before entering upon details1 ,i will specify the different kinds of fish most applicable4 ,they are of two classes3 one acting as a mucilaginous agent1 the other merely imparting the flavour2 also an essential point4 ,the first class comprises--whitings1 loups or lupins1 red mullets1 soles1 and turbots4 ,the second--gurnets1 boudroies or boudreuils1 lobsters or cray-fish1 sea toads or rascasses1 galinettes1 limbers1 lazagnes or lucrces4 ,these latter are plentiful in the ,mediterranean seas4 ,as a general rule1 this ragot should be cooked in a stewpan1 rather broad than deep1 and of thin metal1 in order to the ebullition proceeding quickly4 ,those in tin or thin iron are the most appropriate1 as the concoction must be done in a few minutes1 and with such rapidity that the liquor must be reduced to the necessary point by the time the fish is cooked4 ,it should also be sent to table and eaten at once1 as the shortest delay will cause the quality to deteriorate4 ,the principal fish must be cut in pieces or slices sufficiently sized to serve each guest2 the others being merely accessories4 ,,receipt4--,slice up two large onions1 place them in a stewpan as before mentioned1 wide but not deep1 and of thin metal1 add a few spoonfuls of olive oil1 and fry the onions of a pale brown colour4 ,next1 place the pieces of fish in the pan1 cover them with warm water1 but no more than the depth of the contents2 add salt1 8in moderation10 half a bay leaf1 the flesh of half a lemon1 without pips or rind1 two tomatoes cut in dice1 after extracting the seeds1 a small tumbler of light white wine1 a few peppercorns1 and four cloves of garlic4 ,set on a fierce stove and boil for twelve minutes2 by this time the liquor should be reduced to a third of its original quantity4 ,add a small portion of saffron1 a table-spoonful of chopped parsley1 allow it to boil a few seconds longer1 taste1 and correct the seasoning1 if required1 and remove from the fire4 ,during this process you should have prepared two dozen of slices of light ,french bread or penny-roll1 about half an inch in thickness1 which place in a tureen or dish1 pour over them some of the liquor from the ragot1 let it soak a minute or so1 and again pour over in order to soak the top as well as the bottom of the layers of bread4 ,dish up separately the best pieces of fish with the remaining liquor1 and serve4 ,the variation called ,bourride1 differs in this only1 viz41 the addition of seven or eight yolks of eggs to a good portion of the liquor1 which is stirred quickly over the fire till of the consistence of a custard cream1 and then poured upon the slices of bread1 with the addition of a tablespoonful of eau d'ail1 or ayoli4 ,the eau d'ail or ayoli is prepared by crushing several cloves of garlic1 and saturating them with water2 adding the requisite quantity to the bourride4 ,my reason for printing this receipt1 although partly impracticable in ,england1 is1 that it is the original as given to me by the worthy host of the 8,reserve10 as so successfully made by him4 ,but as many of the fish required are not to be obtained in ,england1 and the quantity of garlic used would be objectionable to an ,english palate1 ,i beg to refer my readers to the ,addenda for a ,bouillabaisse l',anglaise1 which possesses two great qualities3--firstly1 to suit the palate of the gourmet2 secondly1 that of being very strengthening4 ,the broth is very generous and wholesome for the invalid1--for the authenticity of which assertion ,i appeal to the faculty4 ,giraldo now informed us it was past three o'clock1 and that we must be on board by half-past six at latest4 ,so shortly after1 much to our regret1 we left our worthy landlord and his sanctorum of good cheer1 and at half-past four left the ,htel d',orient to go on board the steamer1 accompanied by the gallant ,captain ,taunton1 ,mr4 ,giraldo1 and a few other friends4 ,upon arriving at the docks1 a most painful sight fell under our notice2 it was indeed a spectacle calculated to pain the soul of the greatest philosopher4 ,the quays round the harbour were thickly lined with sick and wounded4 ,there were about seven or eight hundred1 who had just been landed from two ,french steamers1 one from ,constantinople1 the other from the ,crimea4 ,some were placed upon straw1 others upon bedding1 until they could be removed to the hospital1 according to the nature of their cases4 ,their appearance1 ,i regret to say1 was more than indescribable4 ,all the afflictions so common to the fate of war seemed to have met and fallen at once upon those brave fellows1 who1 a few months previous1 were the pride of their country4 ,many of them1 to their sorrow1 had not enjoyed a chance of facing the enemy2 while those who were wounded looked joyful compared with those who were the victims of epidemics--typhus fever1 diarrha1 dysentery1 cholera1 or frostbites4 ,i conversed with several2 not one complained1 but merely regretted the friends who had died on the passage and those sick left behind1 and bewailed that they had done so little for their country in the campaign4 ,mr4 ,giraldo1 who had superintended the disembarkation1 informed me that such scenes were of daily occurrence at ,marseilles2 adding1 this must be very encouraging for you4 ,saying also in irony1 8lend soldiers to the ,turks--how well they thrive under the banner of ,mahomet6 ,well1 well1 my dear sir1 after all1 this is nothing more than the fortune of war3 #8 la guerre comme la guerre4'0 ,this was the first disastrous sight ,i witnessed in this great war1 and though anything but encouraging1 merely grated upon my sensibility1 without in the least affecting my mind4 ,i must say ,t4 ,g4 showed much firmness upon this solemn occasion1 which firmness rather failed him afterwards4 ,at five we were on the deck of the ,simois1 the name of our vessel4 ,it was her first trip1 she having only arrived a few days previous from ,liverpool4 ,all on board was in great confusion2 a part of the vessel had just taken fire1 and the sailors were engaged putting it out1 and cutting away the burning portions2 however1 it was soon extinguished4 ,we then learnt1 that upon coming into dock she had met with serious damage1 which they had scarcely had time to repair1 and the painters were still on board busily employed varnishing the first cabin4 ,i was next told that about four hundred troops1 who were expected1 had not arrived1 and that we should start without them4 ,a lady1 who was standing by1 exclaimed1 8,oh1 thank ,god for that6 ,i cannot bear soldiers40 8,i thought10 ,i said1 8it was a very bad job instead of a good one1 as the vessel would be crank1 through not being sufficiently loaded1 and would in consequence roll very much40 ,the weather being reported very rough outside1 we were in suspense as to whether we should leave that night or not4 ,on a sudden the screw slowly commenced its evolutions1 and propelled us1 not without difficulty1 from the narrow port to the wide ocean--passing amongst huge rocks1 on the very summit of which the furious waves were breaking4 ,the evening was fast advancing1 and the vessel was already rolling very heavily4 ,we soon made the rock of ,monte ,christo1 immortalized by ,dumas4 ,a yellowish sunset1 piercing the heavy rain1 faintly lighted the crest of this arid and uninhabitable spot4 ,shortly after1 all was darkness1 and many retired4 ,two or three remained till about ten o'clock1 when the steward cheerfully informed us1 that the weather was about the same as when the ,semillante was lost ten days before1 and not a soul escaped4 ,nearly five hundred troops1 besides passengers and crew1 were drowned4 8,was she bound eastward80 inquired a passenger4 8,yes1 sir1 she was2 we are steering the same course1 but there is another passage4 ,i hope we shall get through before night to-morrow1 and if the sea holds as rough as it is now1 no doubt we shall take the other40 ,we all turned into our berths1 laughing at his mournful tale4 ,before going1 ,i said3 8,believe me1 steward1 we are safer than ever1 for you seldom hear of two accidents alike40 8,very true1 sir2 but this boat seems unlucky4 ,i can't tell you all the mishaps we have had in her since ,i have been on board1 and that is only one month40 ,she was then rolling at a tremendous rate4 ,at each plunge1 a fearful noise was heard4 ,upon inquiry1 some one on board informed me that he believed they had projectiles for ballast1 and these were rolling and shifting at each plunge the steamer made4 ,such a cargo1 though quite in harmony with the martial trip1 was anything but pleasing4 ,everything rolled and tumbled about fearfully during the whole of the night4 ,at length day broke1 with a glowing sun and a heavy sea running mountains high2 so much so1 that it was dangerous to attempt the passage4 ,such must have been the case1 as the mail-boats are not allowed to stop except in cases of extreme danger4 ,our careful commander gave orders to bring up in the ,bay of ,ajaccio4 ,after sixteen hours' flirtation on the wild ocean1 we entered this calm and peaceable port1 much to the relief of all4 ,we then collected round the table2 and while partaking of a light lunch1 we had time to become acquainted with each other4 ,among our compagnons de voyage were ,general ,cannon1 ,captain ,arbuckle1 ,colonel ,st4 ,george1 of the ,artillery1 ,captain ,ponsonby1 ,major ,turner1 ,captain ,gordon1 ---- ,murrogh1 ,esq41 ---- ,ball1 ,esq41 the ,queen's ,messenger1 and three or four ,french officers1 among whom was ,captain ,boucher1 aide-de-camp to ,general ,canrobert1 and afterwards to ,general ,bosquet4 ,after some remarks upon our unfavourable start1 we all blessed our stars for the shelter we were then enjoying in the peaceable harbour1 so picturesquely surrounded by its beautiful petite ville1 the cradle of the first ,napoleon--,ajaccio--so well situated in that savage and energetic island of poetically ferocious heroism1 habits1 and eternal vendettas1 so interesting to all since the revival of that illustrious dynasty in the person of ,napoleon the ,third4 ,all of course were anxious to visit this celebrated spot2 and on inquiring of the commander1 he told us he should sail the next morning early if the weather was more favourable4 ,we formed ourselves into parties of five or six1 and as it was only three o'clock1 we had plenty of time before us3 our greatest anxiety was to visit the house in which the great ,napoleon was born4 ,our party arrived first1 as we had a very clever guide1 who promised if possible to introduce us to ,la ,signora ,grossetti1 saying we should have a great treat1 as the old lady1 who was then eighty-three years of age1 had been all her life in the ,buonaparte family in ,corsica4 ,we luckily met the old lady just coming out1 and upon being introduced1 she immediately returned to do us the honours of the house4 ,she has been housekeeper there for above thirty years4 ,after visiting the apartments which are always on view--viz41 the drawing-room1 dining-room1 concert and ball room1 library1 and the small bed-room in which that almost fabulous hero was born1 ,i asked the old gentlewoman1 as a special favour1 to show me the kitchen4 ,no one was ever more astonished than she appeared to be at my request4 8,why1 surely there is nothing to be seen there but ruins1 and ,i don't even know where the key is40 ,all this redoubled my interest4 ,we went up stairs1 and found in an old drawer three rusty keys1 which we brought down2 one of them opened the door1 which1 on being pushed rather forcibly1 fell from its hinges4 ,we then descended1 and opened the shutters1 which likewise tumbled from their fastenings4 ,after visiting the various departments which constitute a gentleman's kitchen1 ,i wrote upon the stove the following letter to the public press1 which1 through the mismanagement of my servant1 who threw it into the post without paying the postage1 never reached its destination3-- ,twenty ,minutes in the ,kitchen of the ,house of the ,emperor ,napoleon the ,first4 ,,mr4 ,,editor1--,it is an incontestable truism that 8,it is an ill wind that blows nobody good20 but in this case it will be found the reverse4 ,owing to most terribly rough weather1 in fourteen hours from our departure from ,marseilles1 en route to ,constantinople1 we are brought up here by our prudent ,captain1 sheltering us in the bosom of the harbour of ,ajaccio1 the birthplace of the alliance now existing between the two great nations of ,france and ,england4 ,such reminiscences of the first of the great ,napoleon's family caused the shore to be invaded in a few minutes by the numerous passengers1 particularly the distinguished military men of both nations4 ,many visited the ,htel de ,ville1 full of objects of interest1 reminding one of the late empire2 others1 the ,letitia ,house2 and some inquired1 with great coolness1 if it were possible to see either of the ,corsican ,brothers now in existence4 ,in a very few minutes my curiosity was gratified by a cursory examination of the above-mentioned interesting subjects2 and by a great deal of courtesy and perseverance1 ,i obtained from ,la ,signora ,grossetti 7who had been in the late ,emperor's family from her infancy7 the rusted key of the kitchen-door of that interesting and now deserted domicile--such a request having never before been made by the numerous travellers who daily visit it4 ,and it is1 ,mr4 ,editor1 while writing upon the stove in this celebrated kitchen--which first alimented the brain of that great hero--that ,i beg to address you the following few lines at random1 as the weather bids fair and our departure is immediate4 ,on my left hand is a well-constructed charcoal stove1 containing six nine-inch square cooking-places1 covered with glazed red tiles 7a piece of which ,i have procured1 and intend placing in my kitchen at ,scutari72 an oval one1 about eighteen inches long by about six inches wide1 on which the most delicious fish1 game1 meat1 and poultry1 were no doubt submitted to the highest perfection of the culinary art4 ,at the spot at which ,i am now writing1 the roasting by wood fire1 and the broiling by red ashes1 were carried on1 as ,i perceive1 by the remains of the hearth4 ,there is also the old ,jack1 with the pulley that supported the rope and weights4 ,on my right is an old semi-circular oven1 partly in ruins1 with an old-fashioned wrought-iron door1 in which no doubt the cakes and choice pastry were prepared to gratify the imperial infant's palate4 ,larders1 confectionery1 and all the requisite appointments of a kitchen are not wanting2 which1 though in a most dilapidated state1 still left an appearance of grandeur which none but a family of distinction could afford--very different from what has been often reported and believed by the vulgar--viz41 that this great man had his origin in the bosom of an indigent family4 ,with the highest consideration1 believe me1 ,mr4 ,editor1 yours very faithfully1 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,march #ac1 #ahee4 ,illustration3 ,,kitchen ,,at ,,ajaccio ,,of ,,napoleon ,,the ,,first4 ,the old lady seemed much pleased with the very extraordinary interest ,i took in the place1 and proposed to show us her private apartment at the top of the house1 which she assured us was full of reminiscences of the ,emperor's childhood4 ,his wooden arm-chair and desk1 inkstand1 and a few boy's toys--such as a small gun1 soldiers1 shako1 c4--are carefully preserved by the old and faithful servant of her illustrious master4 ,though of great age1 she was very animated1 and made all sorts of inquiries about the war1 and if we had seen the present ,emperor2 having satisfied her curiosity1 we retired1 highly pleased with our visit to ,ajaccio4 ,we were much indebted to ,la ,signora ,grossetti1 who had really shown us things that no former traveller could boast of having seen4 ,i could not part with the old dame without saluting her on both cheeks1 which she very kindly returned1 it being the custom of the country1 as she said4 ,this scene terminated1 much to the surprise and enjoyment of my compagnons de voyage--,captain ,gordon and ,mr4 ,munro of the ,ordnance1 with several ,french officers--our interview with that kind and extraordinary lady4 ,i had taken 7as ,i mentioned in my letter7 a piece of tile from the charcoal stove1 and a rough wooden meat-hook which ,i found in the larder1 dating1 as the ,signora told me1 from that epoch4 ,our time being short1 and the night rapidly approaching1 we re-embarked1 and related1 to the great delight of all1 our amorous adventure with the nurse of the first ,napoleon4 ,all regretted not having been of our party4 ,we spent a very charming evening on board1 each one relating what he had seen4 ,the ,town ,hall1 ,i must observe1 is very interesting1 being filled with relics of the ,buonaparte family1 with full-length portraits of the father and mother of the ,emperor4 ,i was also much pleased at seeing one of the best statuettes of the late arbiter elegantiarum1 the celebrated ,count ,d',orsay1 given by him to the present ,emperor for the town of ,ajaccio4 ,it is the well-known statuette of ,napoleon the ,first on horseback2 and in a frame beside it is the original letter of presentation written by the ,count himself1 which ,i can vouch for1 8having many of his letters in my possession40 ,the style is so charming1 that ,i regret not having had time to take a copy4 ,next morning1 with a fresh breeze1 bright sun1 and a clear sky1 we left this immortal and delightful spot1 where avenues of orange-trees1 loaded with ripe fruit1 ornament both sides of the streets2 and at the same time1 8by the bizarrerie of nature10 the chain of mountains which surround this romantic spot are always covered with snow4 ,in ten minutes we were again launched upon the wide ocean4 ,though the sea was not so rough1 the waves dashed about furiously1 and made the vessel roll even more than the day before4 ,this is always the case after a gale4 ,we were all much amused at the restaurateur of the steamer1 who kept cursing everybody1 because all his glass and crockery were smashed to pieces2 and all because1 as he declared1 the vessel had started before she had been properly fitted up4 ,the ,captain1 in trying to soothe him1 drove him raving mad1 and he commenced throwing overboard all the plates1 dishes1 and glass on which he could lay his hands4 ,at length he caught hold of a leg of mutton1 and was about to serve it in the same manner4 ,i happened to be near him1 and not quite approving of casting good victuals overboard while at sea1 ,i took upon myself to object to this part of his proceedings4 ,i was the more induced to do this because ,i had promised my illustrious compagnons de voyage to look after the cook and his cooking1 with which he really took much pains1 and gave us great satisfaction4 ,the infuriated ,marseillais poured a volley of the most foul language in his ,provenal dialect1 while he and ,i were holding the doomed leg of mutton4 ,he then asked me who ,i was8 8,a passenger10 ,i replied2 8and one who has a most decided objection to your feeding the fish--with legs of mutton10 ,i continued1 boldly4 ,he then gave it up2 and1 in acknowledging he was in the wrong1 exclaimed1 at the top of his voice1 8,i wish you no harm1 but ,i should be highly pleased if you and all in the steamer were at the bottom of the sea40 8,wherefore80 8,you ask me wherefore6 ,because ,i shall lose above a thousand francs40 ,illustration3 ,,cooking ,,on ,,the ,,magic ,,stove ,,in ,,the ,,acropolis ,,at ,,athens4 8,the directors will make that up10 ,i said4 8,not a sous10 said he4 ,the comical part of this scene was enhanced by the continual rolling of the ship4 ,this incident kept us alive till we reached ,messina4 ,the following letter1 addressed to the ,illustrated ,london ,news1 will explain my subsequent proceedings3-- ,,acropolis1 ,,athens1 ,march #ah4 ,having left ,marseilles1 on the #abth inst41 for ,constantinople1 in the prosecution of my mission to the ,hospital at ,scutari1 owing to a sudden and unexpected change from a beautifully calm to a rough and stormy sea1 ,m4 ,favre1 the captain of our vessel 7the ,simois71 was compelled to seek shelter in the peaceable harbour of ,ajaccio1 in ,corsica1 the birthplace of the immortal ,emperor ,napoleon ,i4 ,since our departure from that celebrated port1 a favourable breeze succeeding a most tempestuous gale1 soon brought us alongside the ,levrazzi ,rocks1 on which the ,french frigate ,semillante was wrecked a few weeks ago1 and all her passengers and crew lost4 ,at night we were gratified with the sight of a slight eruption of the ,stromboli ,mountain1 which rises immediately from the ocean to the height of several thousand feet4 ,next morning we arrived at ,messina1 the spring garden of ,sicily1 where1 in the open air1 orange and lemon trees were in full blossom1 and covered with delicious fruit4 ,lilies1 roses1 and violets perfume the air2 whilst peas1 beans1 artichokes1 and asparagus are gathered at the foot of the lofty mountains covered with snow4 ,although ,messina is well known to travellers1 yet they are not so well acquainted with the productions of its early spring4 ,after a few hours' ramble in this interesting city1 our party embarked1 and rapidly passed on our left the small but pretty town of ,reggio1 and on our right the mighty ,mount tna1 covered with deep snow4 ,in less than forty-seven hours the ,simois brought us before the ,pirus1 the voyage never before having been accomplished under fifty4 ,the ,simois is an ,english vessel1 built at ,liverpool by ,mr4 ,layward1 and recently purchased by the ,messageries ,impriales1 and this is her first voyage in this sea4 ,from the unexpected quickness of our passage1 we were allowed to remain at this port four hours1 and availed ourselves of the opportunity of visiting ,athens4 ,at the present time1 in the ancient ,parthenon1 ,i am cooking1 with my new camp-stove1 on a fallen capital of the stupendous ruins1 a petit djener la fourchette1 with ,greek and ,sicilian wines1 for my distinguished fellow-travellers2 amongst whom are ,general ,cannon 7,behram ,pacha72 ,colonel ,st4 ,george1 of the ,woolwich ,artillery2 ,captain ,gordon2 ,captains ,turner and ,ponsonby2 ,g4 ,munro1 ,esq42 ,w4 ,s4 ,ball1 ,esq41 ,q4,f4,m4,s42 ,captain ,arbuckle2 ,captain ,boucher1 ,aide-de-camp of ,general ,canrobert2 and ,signor ,pitaki1 the ,governor of the ,acropolis4 ,we shall speedily re-embark for ,constantinople4 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,land ,,of ,,the ,,moslem4 ,departure from ,greece--,amusements at sea--,the ,dardanelles--,gallipoli--,a philharmonic soire--,approach to the ,bosphorus--,first view of the ,scutari ,hospital--,reflections--,the deserted steamer--,the lady and her maid--,beautiful scene--,the ,golden ,horn--,castle of the ,seven ,towers--,kadikoi--,general and ,barrack ,hospitals--,grand panorama--,various edifices--,stamboul--,grand ,oriental pageant--,the ,sultan's kitchens--,the ,harem--,punishment for ,turkish ladies--,the ,leander ,tower--,a romantic tale--,on shore again--,the enchantment dissolves--,first glimpse of a pacha--,the terrace of my hotel4 ,on leaving the ,pirsus the weather was fine1 and the sea as smooth as a lake4 ,all our party were themselves again--jovial1 happy1 and talkative at meals2 reading1 writing1 games at cards1 draughts1 dominoes1 c41 filling up the time4 ,we were like one happy and united family4 ,i paid my daily visit to the restaurateur and his chef1 with whom ,i was soon on good terms4 ,towards evening1 we collected on the upper deck1 where many ,french sous-officiers from the second-class cabin joined us1 and sang most admirably1 from the simple ballad to the gay gaudriole1 the high operatic solo1 and comic or classic choruses4 ,next morning1 we passed the straits and town of the ,dardanelles1 where the ,allied flags were gaily floating from the houses of the respective ,consulates4 ,we made but a short stay in its cheerful and animated bay to deliver the mail4 ,the rapid current1 with the numbers of ,greeks1 in their gay costumes and slim caiques1 trying to sell the passengers all sorts of things1 and so do them out of a few piastres1 rendered our short stay at that place highly amusing4 ,our next and last stay1 before reaching ,constantinople1 was ,gallipoli1 where every one of our party landed1 and remained on shore about an hour4 ,general ,cannon had an excellent idea2 he sent some oysters on board1 which made a good addition to our bill of fare4 ,the ,gallipoli oysters are small and ill-formed1 but very sweet4 ,the same cannot be said of the town and its inhabitants--both extremely dirty4 ,indeed1 this first ,oriental seaport contrasts most outrageously with the grand paraphernalia of the 8,arabian ,nights40 ,the evening before our arrival1 to our sorrow1 we learnt from the ,captain that1 owing to the favourable winds we had experienced during the last sixty hours1 if nothing happened1 we should enter the ,bosphorus before daybreak4 ,thus all chance of the view of the grand panorama of ,constantine1 so highly praised by travellers1 and especially by poets1 which we had so long anticipated1 was entirely lost4 ,what can be more charming and refreshing1 after a long sea-passage1 where life has long been suspended in space between heaven and the mighty deep1 than the gradual development of a cheerful panorama1 a view of which we had been some time anticipating8 ,the first quarter of the moon1 forming the crescent--the favourite emblem of the ,moslem--was seen now and then peeping through the murky clouds1 which1 in their swift career1 cast a dewy shadow upon the ocean4 ,this did not1 however1 prevent our philharmonic party from mustering upon deck in greater numbers than on previous occasions1 probably because it was the last4 ,we kept it up till eleven o'clock1 and then retired perfectly delighted with our voyage1 having already forgotten our unfavourable departure1 and regretting nothing but our too-early arrival in the ,bosphorus4 ,the night was calm1 and1 on going on deck at daybreak1 ,i heard1 to my great satisfaction1 that we had proceeded very slowly all night1 there having been a thick fog1 which was slowly disappearing--8a thing10 said the ,captain1 8seldom seen in the sea of ,marmora40 ,i returned to my cabin1 and only lay down that ,i might be ready when ,constantinople came in sight1 as the ,captain had promised to send and let me know4 ,about eight in the morning every one was on deck1 and the crew busily engaged getting up the luggage1 as our arrival was fixed for nine o'clock4 ,we then commenced inquiring about the hotels4 ,all fixed upon ,messerie's hotel1 called 8,l',htel d',angleterre10 as being the best4 ,by this time1 we were slowly approaching the mouth of the ,bosphorus4 ,the weather was anything but favourable--rain kept falling--everything on deck was wet1 and the air very chilly4 ,general ,cannon said to me1 8,i am very sorry1 ,mr4 ,soyer1 for your sake1 and that of ,captain ,ponsonby and ,colonel ,st4 ,george1 that we shall not see the famed view of ,constantinople to advantage4 ,i have already witnessed it1 this being my third voyage4 ,however1 as the weather is very changeable here1 it may be a fine day after all40 ,the great ,oriental ,city was then opening to view1 but1 owing to the thick atmosphere1 appeared nothing but a confused mass4 ,twenty minutes later we were entering the ,bosphorus1 the grandeur and magnificence of which1 though often described1 ,i cannot pass without a few remarks4 ,my mind was quite overpowered when ,i learnt that the monster building before us was the ,scutari ,hospital--a town in itself--and ,i reflected that it was full of sick and wounded2 that each patient would require from three to four articles of diet daily1 making a total of several thousand per diem to be provided in some shape or other2 and that ,i had undertaken to reform and introduce a better organization in the cooking department1 where all was confusion1 in so strange a country4 ,i must confess that1 for an hour or so1 ,i was quite at a loss to think how ,i should commence operations4 ,i did not know one official there4 ,i had not the least idea how ,i should be received2 and1 after all1 ,i might probably catch the fever1 or some other complaint at the time raging within its walls4 ,suddenly ,i recollected the plan ,i had explained to the ,duchess of ,sutherland and her noble circle1 which was to be tried upon a hundred patients4 ,this had entirely escaped my memory2 and in a few minutes my puzzled brain was as clear as a bell1 and ,i felt confident of success4 8,if ,i succeed with a hundred10 said ,i1 8in a very short time ,i can manage a thousand1 providing ,i meet with proper support40 ,i afterwards learnt from the doctor on board1 that the large red brick building on the right1 about half a mile from the ,barrack ,hospital1 was called the ,general ,hospital1 in which there were at least five or six hundred patients4 ,my resolution as to how ,i should act was then fixed2 nothing appeared difficult to me2 and1 instead of fearing the undertaking1 ,i was most anxious to begin4 ,having been advised to call at ,pera1 to announce my arrival1 and pay my duty to ,lord ,stratford de ,redcliffe1 before going to ,scutari1 ,i ordered my people to go on shore as soon as possible2 for1 during my reverie upon hospital duties1 our good vessel had anchored4 ,there was only room at ,messerie's ,hotel for ,general ,cannon and his aide-de-camp4 ,he had bespoken his apartments4 ,two young gentlemen apprised us of the fact1 and recommended their hotel1 as we could not get accommodation at the 8,htel d',angleterre40 ,as ,i had a letter of introduction to ,mr4 ,messerie1 ,i directed my friend ,t4 ,g4 to call there and make inquiries2 and if he found that we could not be received1 to go to the 8,htel des ,ambassadeurs10 that establishment being the next in standing4 ,as ,i promised to remain on board till he returned1 ,i was left almost alone4 ,there was only a lady and her maid4 ,the former was going by a transport-ship the same evening1 to join her husband at ,balaklava2 she therefore had no time to go on shore4 ,colonel ,st4 ,george1 ,captains ,ponsonby and ,gordon1 ,mr4 ,ball1 and ,general ,canrobert's aides-de-camp1 and others1 had all left4 ,by this time the weather had assumed a most brilliant aspect--the morose and monotonous-looking clouds1 which before monopolised the region in the immediate vicinity of the famed city of ,mahomet1 had been chased away by a strong breeze2 the sun shed his golden rays in gorgeous streams from the purple vault of heaven1 and the utmost depths of the lucid waters of the ,bosphorus reflected his splendours4 ,the entrance of the ,corne d',or--so called1 no doubt1 because it takes the shape of a horn of plenty--is in truth a ,golden ,horn1 from the facilities it affords for maritime and commercial intercourse1 as well as navigation1 penetrating1 as it does1 into the very bosom of the imperial city4 ,constantinople1 like ,london1 has no quays2 and on every side this immense metropolis plunges its feet1 or banks1 into the ,bosphorus1 from which it rises1 offering to the view the most magnificent spectacle beneath the canopy of heaven4 ,this is particularly the case from the ,seraglio ,point1 where the real city of ,istamboul is seated4 ,the soil rises from the level of the water1 presenting a vast amphitheatre of myriads of houses1 mosques1 minarets1 and monuments of all descriptions1 intermixed with forests of sombre cypress trees4 ,a dragoman whom ,i engaged1 and who spoke very good ,english1 gave me a description of the surrounding scenery4 ,nothing can be more ravishing than the living panorama of the ,bosphorus1 covered with caiques and their caidjees1 darting about on all sides like water-flies4 ,the elegance of those frail barks1 and the cleanliness of the light and cheerful costume of their owners1 so well develops the ,oriental style1 that it cannot fail in forcibly striking every stranger4 ,numerous large sailing-vessels1 steamboats1 ,greek and ,turkish barques1 and even men-of-war 7many being then stationed in the ,golden ,horn71 made me forget for some time my mobile panorama1 to dwell upon the nautical one1 which1 so new to me1 unexpectedly attracted my attention1 when my dragoman informed me that it was near eleven o'clock1 and that my men had returned for the luggage4 8,very well10 said ,i2 8but pray explain to me the various places by which we are now surrounded40 8,certainly1 sir1 with great pleasure4 ,i know every spot1 palace1 and monument4 ,on entering the ,bosphorus this morning1 you passed before the ,castle of the ,seven ,towers1 where the ambassadors were formerly imprisoned4 ,those islands to the left are the ,isles des ,princes4 ,all the ,europeans go and spend their ,sundays there4 ,in summer many reside there1 and come to business in the morning1 returning at night40 8,those hills yonder1 ,i suppose1 are very pretty80 8,oh1 very much so indeed4 ,almost facing them is the ,asiatic shore3 that pretty place to the left is called ,kadikoi--a very pretty summer residence1 inhabited by rich merchants1 particularly ,greeks and ,armenians4 ,it is full of beautiful houses and gardens1 and is much celebrated for its fine fruits4 ,a little further this way is the ,general ,hospital--that red brick building40 8,that ,i am aware of4 ,and the other is the great ,barrack ,hospital1 with its hundreds of windows and four square towers4 ,they are full of ,english sick and wounded--that ,i of course knew40 8,next to it is a splendid mosque called the ,sultan's mosque4 ,it is frequented by his ,majesty when he resides at his summer kiosque of ,hyder ,pacha4 ,that forest of cypress trees is the grand ,champ des ,morts1 or the favourite ,turkish cemetery4 ,it extends several miles4 ,several generations are buried there40 8,well1 what follows80 8,this beautiful and picturesque spot1 sir1 is called ,scutari4 ,it is full of kiosques and ,turkish families1 pachas1 c4 ,it contains about a hundred thousand inhabitants1 almost all ,turks1 and extends beyond the front of the ,sultan's new palace of ,dolma ,bachi4 ,you can see it from here4 ,it is not quite finished1 and is constructed chiefly of white marble4 ,lower down is a palace inhabited by the ,sultan4 ,it is lighted by gas--quite a new thing in ,constantinople4 ,that large building above1 on the heights1 is the grand hospital of ,pera1 now used by the ,french2 and all the neighbourhood as far as the pointed tower is called ,pera1 the ,christian quarter1 where are the foreign embassies and foreign merchants' residences4 ,the large yellowish building with the colonnade you see facing us so boldly is the ,russian ,embassy4 ,they are about to convert it into a hospital for the sick ,french officers4 ,the beautiful mosque and large square you see at the bottom is called ,tophan4 ,it contains a large cannon-foundry2 and in the centre of the square is the kiosque belonging to the ,sultan's brother4 ,his ,majesty frequently visits this place when he attends his favourite mosque4 8,this large tower is called the ,galata ,tower1 and from the top the fire-signal is made2 and ,i can assure you that in the winter its guardians have something to do1 as there is a fire every day or night4 ,lower down1 towards the bridge1 is called ,galata1 where all mercantile and commercial1 as well as naval1 business is transacted4 ,every rich merchant of ,pera has a counting-house there4 ,the building at the bottom is the ,custom-house1 or1 as it should be called1 the confusion-house2 for if unfortunately you get goods in1 #8tis a hundred to one if you ever get them out again4 ,the rough bridge you see yonder has only existed these last twenty years4 ,before that was built1 people were obliged to cross from ,stamboul to the ,european shore in caiques2 and now1 when three or four large vessels have to pass through the bridge1 it remains open for several hours1 keeping passengers waiting for that time4 ,two more light bridges lower down cross the ,golden ,horn1 and the navigation terminates about two miles above the last bridge4 ,in caiques you can go as far as the sweet waters of ,europe1 which are about five miles further up40 8,thank you10 said ,i2 8pray be less prolix in your descriptions40 8,well1 now1 sir1 as we are come to ,stamboul1 or the real city of ,constantinople1 allow me to explain to you the names of some of those beautiful mosques with which you see this vast city is crowded4 ,the first and most important is the ,mosque of ,sultan ,bajazid1 very remarkable for the number of its volatile inhabitants1 consisting of several thousands of beautiful tame pigeons4 ,that high tower behind it is called the ,seraskier's ,tower1 and also serves the purpose of a signal-tower in case of fire1 the same as that of ,pera4 ,then follow the mosques of ,sultan ,selim1 ,mahomet1 ,sedya ,tamissi1 ,solimaniek1 ,bayazid1 ,osmanliek1 ,sultan ,achmet1 ,irene1 and the great ,saint ,sophia1 which ,i would in particular advise you to visit40 8,of course ,i shall do that1 you may be certain40 8,on the prominent part of this side of ,saint ,sophia the ceremony of the ,bairam is celebrated1 at the close of the great feast of the ,ramazan4 ,all the nobility of the ,empire are in duty bound to appear in new and most gaudy costumes at this magnificent ,oriental pageant1 which this year will take place at the end of ,june1 at about three o'clock in the morning40 8,what a singular hour for so great a ceremony60 ,i remarked4 8,oh1 that cannot be helped10 he replied1 8as it is regulated by the revolution of the moon4 ,an old ,turk1 with whom ,i am well acquainted1 told me that he recollected its having happened at twelve o'clock in the day1 and in the middle of winter40 8,a strange custom10 said ,i4 8,well1 sir1 if you feel interested in ,turkish habits and religion1 you should inquire about the six weeks of ,rhamadhan1 when they starve all day1 and get intoxicated to madness at night40 8,thank you for your information2 but pray continue your description40 8,i will4 ,near the very spot where this festival takes place is the ,sultan ,mahmoud's palace1 the top of which you can see through those high trees40 8,pray1 what are those rows of small domes1 like well-corked bottles80 8,they are the kitchen chimneys40 8,what1 all of them80 8,yes1 sir2 ,i have often been there1 and know well enough that1 although the ,sultan no longer inhabits it1 two or three hundred men-cooks remain in the kitchens40 8,for what purpose1 my friend1 if no one lives there80 8,oh1 somebody does4 ,i believe there is a college for some of the favourite sons of high ,turkish families4 ,here10 he continued1 8look at this uneven row of houses with lattices4 ,do you know what they are80 8,no2 pray what are they80 8,why1 ,sultan ,mahmoud's harem2 and it is most probably still inhabited by a few of his old favourites and their suites1 which are very numerous40 8,well1 upon my word1 those species of chlets put me very much in mind of chicken-cages40 ,the ,english officer's wife1 to whom ,i have before referred1 and with whom ,i had some conversation during the passage1 came upon deck while my dragoman was describing the surrounding scenery1 and listened with vivid interest1 taking notes of the most interesting passages4 ,the dragoman1 turning quickly round--8,madam10 said he1 8you see that colossal spout shooting out at a sharp incline towards the water4 ,that is the spot from whence1 if any of the ,turkish ladies prove disobedient or faithless to their imperial lord and master1 they are stitched up in a sack alive1 accompanied by a starving cat and a venomous serpent1 and shot into that mighty watery grave1 the ,bosphorus40 8,monsieur ,soyer1 do you think that is true80 8,i believe such things have been done1 madam1 for it was pointed out to me the first thing this morning as having been used for that purpose4 ,i recollect some years since reading the same tale either in a ,french or ,english work2 ,i believe it was ,french4 ,at all events1 ,european manners and customs are progressing throughout the world1 and have even reached ,turkey4 ,i hear from every one1 that the ,sultan is a most amiable and humane man4 ,i would therefore recommend you to reserve your look of horror and indignation for more modern calamities4 ,you may be certain1 if such things have happened1 they will never happen again1 for1 thank ,heaven1 we live in a civilized era40 8,we should1 perhaps1 doubt such reports40 8,you are quite right1 madam40 8,there is another curious tale related of the ,leander ,tower10 said the lady4 8,there is2 but my dragoman tells me the proper name for it is ,la ,tour de la ,jeune ,fille1 as they say in ,french1 or the ,maiden's ,tower40 8,i was here when a ,french tutor came to ,constantinople10 said my dragoman1 8and the first thing he asked me was--#8,where is the ,maiden's ,tower8' as the ,english call it4 ,at all events1 madam1 the story runs thus3--,a great beauty1 the daughter of some pacha1 had her fortune told by a celebrated gipsy1 who apprised her that she would never marry1 as she was fated to die young4 ,the girl1 terrified at the prediction1 ran1 and in tears related to her father the fatal destiny said to be in reserve for her4 ,he immediately sent for the old witch1 and she repeated the fatal prophecy1 adding1 moreover1 that the young girl would die from the bite of a serpent or some such venomous reptile4 ,the pacha having repeatedly asked the old woman if that was the only kind of speedy death with which his daughter was menaced1 and having received a reply in the affirmative1 parted upon very friendly terms with the hag1 who was possessed1 as he said1 by an evil spirit4 ,he then caused this tower to be built for his daughter's residence1 and for several years she lived in this picturesque place1 without being visited by any one but her father1 who continually supplied her with provisions of the most delicate kind1 and nosegays of the finest flowers4 ,it happened one day1 that1 on taking up one of the bouquets in order to inhale the perfume1 a small insect stung her on the lip1 and in a few hours she expired in great agony1 before any succour could be obtained1 as there was no communication with the land1 nor any antidote in readiness4 ,so awful an event1 in so secluded a spot1 had never been contemplated4 ,the pacha's intention had been to keep his daughter there till she was of age to be married1 and thus break the spell of the old sorceress4 ,the legend was thus related to me by an ,armenian gentleman who has lived here nearly all his lifetime40 8,well1 ,i admit that ,i have not only heard the story before1 but ,i recollect the incident of the death of the young girl1 from the bite of a reptile1 very well2 and ,i also heard that the name of the ,tower of ,leander is applied to it2 but it has not the least relation to the legend of the two lovers celebrated by ,lord ,byron1 who also swam from ,sestos to ,abydos40 ,as my people had returned1 and were waiting for me1 ,i bade my fair compagnon de voyage adieu1 expressing a hope to have the pleasure of meeting her in ,balaklava4 ,our two caidjees rapidly flew away with us from the side of the ,simois1 and soon landed us at the ,tophan tumble-down stairs4 ,we are now on shore2 but what a contrast6--the fairy scene has disappeared1 and we appear to be in the midst of a penny show4 ,the ,tophan landing place is nothing but a heap of rotten planks1 parts of which have given way1 and the holes are rather dangerous1 as one might easily slip and break a leg4 ,the very clean and picturesque caidjees are waiting amidst heaps of manure and the carcase of a dead horse1 which had been thrown into the ,bosphorus and had drifted on shore4 ,a number of ill-looking1 half-famished dogs were feeding upon that heap of corruption4 ,on inquiring of the son of the proprietor of the hotel1 who accompanied me1 he coolly told me that it had only been there a day or two1 and would probably remain for months--particularly the skeleton--when the dogs had devoured all the flesh4 ,the odour arising from the carcass1 and the filth daily cast into the water1 was very unwholesome1 and quite unbearable2 and very glad was ,i to quit the great landing-place of ,tophan--so called1 no doubt1 from the extraordinary amount of daily traffic between the shipping above and the ,asiatic shore4 ,about seventy or eighty caiques are always waiting there1 as it is the principal landing point at ,constantinople4 ,following my guide1 we passed through a number of dirty narrow streets1 full of a black liquid mud1 very ill paved--if they could be called paved at all1 amidst which numerous leperous and villanous-looking dogs were snarling and fighting4 ,donkeys loaded with tiles1 stones1 and long logs of wood filled up the filthy road2 besides gangs of powerful and noisy ,turkish hamals or porters1 carrying enormous loads upon long poles4 ,the enchanting mirage of the panoramic ,constantinople vanished rapidly from before my disenchanted eyes2 this ephemeral ,paradise of ,mahomet changing at once into an almost insupportable purgatory4 ,i could not imagine how such a mass of ruins and of miserable wooden houses could1 from so short a distance1 take such a brilliant aspect or create such ravishing sensations1 as the first view of ,constantinople had raised in my mind from the deck of the ,simois4 ,i now envied the fate of our fair fellow-traveller who so much regretted that she could not disembark--were it only for a few hours4 ,those few hours1 nay1 the first1 would have sufficed to break the spell4 ,reader1 though this is an exact description of our entrance into ,constantinople1 ,i reasoned thus--,it is an immense metropolis1 and no doubt something great exists within its walls4 ,i must wait patiently and try to find it out4 ,reproaching my dragoman for bringing me through such a vile part of the city1 he quietly replied1 in ,english1 8,there is no other road1 sir2 it has rained very much lately1 which is the cause of so much mud40 ,i now perceived1 that as far as the names of pavements go1 the difference between ,constantinople and ,london was not so great1--the former being muck-muddy-mised1 and the latter macadamised4 ,at this moment we were turning the corner of the ,grand ,mosque of ,sultan ,soliman2 and a pacha1 in all his obesity1 mounted upon an ,arabian horse1 and followed by his suite1 six in number1 rode full gallop through a pond of liquid slush1 splashing every one from head to foot on either side the narrow street4 ,an ,english soldier at once sent him his military blessing2 and the ,turk1 spurring his horse1 exclaimed1 8,not ,bono ,johnny2 ,not ,bono ,johnny20 that being the name given to the ,english by the ,turks4 ,after passing through several similar streets1 consisting of ruinous wooden shanties and shops of the lowest order1 8viz41 chibouque tube and pipe-bowl makers10 the interior of which were dirty and mean1 with scarcely any kind of stock1 we arrived at a fountain1 in front of which was a semi-perpendicular and narrow street4 ,my guide informed me that my hotel was at the end of this street4 8,it is10 he continued1 8the ,htel d',angleterre1 called by the ,english--,messerie's ,hotel40 8,thank ,god for that10 said ,i4 ,in about twenty minutes we arrived at the said hotel4 ,as ,i had sent my letter to ,mr4 ,messerie1 he soon appeared1 and very cordially shook me by the hand1 and politely expressed his regret at not being able to accommodate me4 ,he recommended the ,htel des ,ambassadeurs4 ,on my saying that ,i was going there1 he made me promise to call upon him the next morning1 the distance from his house being but a few paces4 ,when ,i arrived1 ,i at once retired to my apartment1 quite worn out with fatigue4 ,having taken some refreshment1 ,i made up my mind not to dine at the table d'hte4 ,i learnt that ,colonel ,st4 ,george1 ,captain ,ponsonby1 c41 had gone to the ,htel de l',europe1 and ,i therefore felt free for that evening4 ,about five o'clock1 ,mons4 ,pantaleone ,veracleo1 a young ,greek1 the son of the hotel-keeper1 came and informed me that the table d'hte would be ready at six4 ,thanking him for his attention1 ,i proceeded to ask several questions about ,constantinople1 and also the distance from the hotel to the ,british ,embassy8 8,not five minutes' walk1 sir10 said he2 8you can see it from the top of the hotel4 ,our house is the highest in ,pera60 ,we mounted to the terrace1 and my conductor pointed it out to me4 ,from this terrace ,i again beheld a similar panorama to that which ,i had witnessed on board the ,simois1 and by which ,i had been so much charmed4 ,in order to enjoy it fully1 ,i expressed my desire to remain a short time alone4 ,having directed my attention to the different points of view1 ,mr4 ,veracleo left me4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,a ,,bird',s-,,eye ,,view ,,of ,,constantinople ,,from ,,pera4 ,an accomplished linguist--,le ,petit ,champ des ,morts--,bird's-eye view--,breakfast table of the hotel--,english ,embassy--,interview with ,lady ,stratford de ,redcliffe--,the sanctuary of high diplomacy--,lord ,stratford de ,redcliffe--,signor ,roco ,vido--,his apartment--,importance of a good dinner--,lord ,stratford's diplomatic banquet postponed--,probable consequences--,quotation from the ,gastronomic ,regenerator4 ,the rays of the sun on that showery ,march day assumed1 towards five p4m41 in the regions of the ,west1 a most brilliant aspect4 ,the vaporous edges of the humid clouds seemed gilded with vermilion and silver tints4 ,the floods of light1 like living fire1 fell upon the rich masses of the domes of various mosques1 and hundreds of pointed and slender minarets4 ,while gazing in loneliness and contemplation1 from the terrace of the ,htel des ,ambassadeurs1 at this charming spot in the ,east1 to which the beautiful mirage of an ,oriental sunset lent an indescribable charm1 a shrieking voice was heard from the lower terrace1 saying1 8,il signor1 la table d'outre est servi6 et il se refroidit fortement6 ,la soupe il toit tout fait dmnage of the tureen60 ,looking over the railing1 ,i perceived the interpreter of the hotel1 who was unfortunately the possessor of several tongues1 addressing himself to me4 ,he1 no doubt1 meant to imply that the table-d'hte had been served1 and the soup already removed from the table4 ,this olla podrida of languages having produced no effect upon my mind1 half an hour after1 the son of the hotel-keeper made his appearance1 who1 though speaking ,french like certain horned beasts in ,spain1 clearly gave me to understand that ,i was too late for dinner4 ,taking advantage of his unexpected visit1 ,i inquired1 looking towards the arsenal1 8,what part of the metropolis is that opening near us80 8,le ,petit ,champ des ,morts1 or the ,small ,field of the ,dead1--so-called1 though nearly two miles in circumference1 which is now so full that no further interments are allowed within its area10--he replied4 ,by the aid of an opera-glass1 ,i plainly distinguished beneath us a large pile of irregular stones1 encircled by a railing4 ,i1 at first sight1 took this for the ruins of a kind of hippodrome which might have succumbed to an earthquake1 each stone having lost its perpendicular1 as though purposely to mock its fellow1 and not making the slightest attempt to perpetuate the grandeur of their solemn mission4 ,horses1 mules1 and donkeys1 were seen dragging loads of large planks to and fro1 six or eight on either side4 ,the ends of the planks kept cutting rather deep zig-zags into the soft ground1 and were continually catching against tombstones4 ,the whole formed a kind of gigantic ,american bagatelle board1 where1 when the ball is violently thrown to the top1 it descends by degrees1 catching the points in every direction in its way down4 ,next to it music was heard4 ,boys were romping1 some playing with marbles1 or five para pieces1 making use of the stones for their point of departure4 ,lemonade1 cakes1 raki1 and variegated bonbons1 oranges1 lemons1 c41 were briskly purchased by the promenaders1 who1 amongst this cohue-bohue of industry1 were seen gaily crossing and recrossing the green paths4 ,some reclined against the grave-stones1 forming1 as it were1 an arm-chair4 ,amongst them1 however1 were but few ,mussulmans1 some turning ,dervishes and ,howlers1 ,greeks1 ,armenians1 ,french1 ,perotes1 ,smyrniotes1 and here and there gazing with astonishing disapprobation1 some of the children of ,albion4 ,all excepting the latter might be seen gaily fluttering from tombstone to tombstone1 like busy bees from flower to flower1 in a perfumed pasture in summer4 ,here and there clumps of cypress trees looked like the mournful guardians of this desecrated spot4 ,some of the marble stones are still vividly stained with the blood of the haughty and rebellious ,janissaries1 whose crumbling bodies lay beneath4 ,such is the pious veneration of the ,oriental population for the remains of their ancestors in the ,petit ,champ des ,morts at ,pera4 ,the principal buildings which grace this foreign quarter are the ,english1 ,french1 ,austrian1 ,russian1 ,sardinian1 and ,prussian embassies4 ,the former1 called the ,palais d',angleterre1 now the residence of ,lord ,stratford de ,redcliffe1 interested me most1 as ,i was in duty bound to pay my humble respects to his lordship and her ladyship the next morning4 ,it brought to my mind from a distance the celebrated building of the ,reform ,club1 which gave ,barry his high reputation as an architect1 and where your humble servant passed above two lustres of his culinary career4 ,while the new moon was faintly shining through transparent clouds1 the hundred minarets of ,stamboul and its vicinity had been illuminated for a festival1 and their fiery collarettes la ,vandyke proudly carried those rings of diamonds high towards the heavenly sphere4 ,eight o'clock was striking at the ,catholic church of ,saint ,mary4 ,all was darkness and silence4 ,hastily retiring to my bed-room1 perfectly satisfied with having fed my mind1 although ,i had probably neglected internal restoration1 ,i soon fell into a most profound slumber1 in which ,i saw nothing but churchyards1 clumps of cypress trees1 mosques1 and illuminated minarets1 till ,i awoke at daybreak4 ,my wandering mind having fluttered all night about the ,oriental metropolis1 ,i was not in the slightest degree surprised to find myself in the morning in the land which had given birth to the ,arabian ,nights4 ,the sound of a cracked bell was heard from the bottom of the staircase1 inviting each traveller to his morning meal4 ,there was a goodly number present1 and we sat down about thirty-five4 ,the majority were military men1 of various ranks1 mostly ,french and ,english4 ,some expressed their regret at my absence the previous evening1 fancying--so much for imagination--the dinner would have been more choice had the landlord been personally acquainted with me4 ,at all events1 the breakfast-table was well supplied1 and ,i made a hearty meal1 amidst the buzzing of various languages4 ,as it was nearly eleven o'clock by the time ,i had finished1 ,i started for the ,embassy1 and after about twenty minutes of most laborious gymnastic exercise over the ill-paved ,rue 7,ruelle it should be called7 de ,pera1 ,i entered the small wooden gate at the grand entrance of the ,palais d',angleterre1 which is majestically located in a fine open space of ground1 encircled by a large terrace1 with parterres of shrubs and high trees1 from which spot a most favourable view of the rich mass of building around is obtained4 ,modest grandeur1 boldness1 and simplicity of execution1 seem to have been the architect's sole ambition4 ,i shall probably1 in another chapter1 describe the beauty and comfort of its interior4 ,the porter having taken my card1 ,i was immediately shown into the library4 ,a few moments spent in this sanctuary of belles lettres afforded me a fair opportunity of closely examining a very excellent and well-executed painting1 the style of which assured me that it was a good portrait of his ,sublime ,majesty1 the present ,sultan1 ,abdul ,medjid4 ,ten minutes had scarcely elapsed1 when ,lady ,stratford entered1 and addressed me in ,french1 with a smile of welcome difficult to forget4 8,well1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 we heard of your departure from ,england for the ,east40 8,no doubt you did1 my lady40 8,and ,i sincerely hope that you will succeed in your laudable undertaking4 ,i have no doubt your suggestions will prove highly beneficial1 and be well received by the authorities at the various hospitals1 which1 in your department1 are much in want of some kind of regulation4 ,i also hope that the ,minister-at-,war has invested you with power to act according to your own judgment40 8,i am happy to inform your ladyship10 said ,i1 8that her ,majesty's ,government has not only granted me the power required to superintend and1 if possible1 improve the diet at the ,hospital1 but have also honoured me with their full confidence as regards ordering anything extra which may be required1 so long as it tends to the comfort of the sick4' 8,well1 ,i am very happy to hear that such is the case10 replied her ladyship2 8for without such power your services would not have been so effective40 8,i can assure your ladyship that ,i would not have undertaken this task if such powers had not been granted to me by ,lord ,panmure4 ,i was well aware of the numerous difficulties ,i should meet with1 which are almost unavoidable in every kind of administration4 ,but so highly do ,i appreciate the honour conferred upon me1 that1 far from taking advantage of the unlimited confidence reposed in me1 it will be my pride to try and make all my contemplated improvements with the present governmental allowance2 and ,i have no doubt that in time1 by judicious organization and good management1 as well as by using everything to the best advantage1 ,i shall economize1 instead of increasing the expense to the nation4 ,having heard that your ladyship has1 from the commencement of this serious war1 devoted the best part of your time to the various hospitals1 in watching over the sick and wounded1 ,i shall esteem it a great favour if you will direct me how to act1 in order to insure prompt success1 and what articles of diet are most required for the patients40 8,it will afford me great pleasure1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 to give you the principal information2 but ,signor ,roco ,vido1 my head manager and cook1 will furnish the details1 as he daily prepares large quantities of comforts1--such as beef-tea1 mutton and chicken broth1 calves'-foot jelly1 c41 c41--and distributes them himself at the ,barrack and ,general ,hospitals1 also at ,hyder ,pacha1 where the officers are40 8,indeed1 my lady4 ,such information from ,signor ,roco would be invaluable to me40 8,very well2 ,i will send for him40 8,i beg your ladyship's pardon1 but ,i always understood that the hospitals were on the other side the ,bosphorus40 8,yes1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 the great military ones are2 but as at the beginning of the campaign1 after the battle of the ,alma1 none of them had extra diet kitchens1 we prepare food here and send it over40 8,i understand that the ,bosphorus is sometimes so rough that no one can cross it40 8,such is the case2 but we have a good-sized caique1 and ,i can assure you that1 although it is so very dangerous1 it has never missed going one day2 and since the battle of ,inkermann1 it often goes to ,kululee1 where we have opened another hospital1 nearly three miles from this4 ,before you see ,signor ,roco1 if you will follow me1 ,i will inquire whether ,lord ,stratford is disengaged1 as ,i have no doubt he will be pleased to see you40 8,i am your ladyship's most humble servant10 was my reply4 ,after walking over the best part of the grand square gallery1 and crossing before the magnificent marble hall and gigantic staircase1 we ascended to a loftier story4 ,a gentle tap at the door gained us admittance to the sanctuary of high diplomacy4 ,a plain screen was all the furniture to be seen4 ,a few words from her ladyship soon brought me in communication with his ,excellency1 who1 though much engaged 7being surrounded by mountains of official papers71 received me in a most cheerful and friendly manner4 ,after ,i had said a few words relative to the mission entrusted to me by the ,british ,government1 and her ladyship had briefly narrated our former conversation1 ,lord ,stratford kindly expressed the pleasure it would give him to hear of my success in that important department4 8,a good diet10 said ,lady ,stratford1 8being of paramount importance to every one in a state of debility4 ,monsieur ,soyer10 continued her ladyship1 8also wishes to see ,roco1 to learn from him1 as he has now had several months' practice making various aliments for the patients1 what kinds are most in request by the doctors40 8,no doubt10 ,lord ,redcliffe replied1 8,roco will be happy to give you all the information you may require upon the subject4 ,he is a very good man1 and exerts himself to the utmost for the hospitals40 ,lord ,stratford again expressed his good wishes and promises of kind support1 whereupon her ladyship and your humble servant retired4 ,the ambassadress then ordered the footman in waiting to conduct me to ,signor ,roco's apartment2 expressing her desire to meet me with him the next day at the ,kululee and ,scutari hospitals4 ,i promised to attend at those places on the following morning1 and took my leave4 ,a walk through the gallery and corridor of that noble mansion brought us to ,signor ,roco ,vido's door4 ,an indication on the outside apprised me that my cicerone was a child of la belle ,italie1 which at first caused me some fear lest this should create impediments and delay in our business transactions1 as ,i only understood the language of the ,italian opera4 ,a few words from the footman soon brought me in amicable contact with the major-domo of the ,palais d',angleterre1 who spoke excellent ,english1 and1 like his illustrious master1 was surrounded by archives1 but only of culinary and household affairs4 ,the contents of these1 though not so important to the world1 were nearly as substantial1 more especially the bill of fare1 which in itself is capable of influencing any diplomatic subject4 ,a good one gratifies the stomach and soothes the brain1 which is necessarily influenced by the quality1 succulence1 and scientific preparation of the aliments imparted to the first organ4 ,such was the important office entrusted to the guidance of ,signor ,roco ,vido4 ,and who can say1 after all1 that the late destructive war was not partly1 or even entirely1 caused by a dinner8 ,did not the ,french revolution of #8#dh emanate from a banquet8 and upon this occasion1 #ahed1 six years after1 a most unaccountable gastronomic event occurred4 ,lord ,stratford de ,redcliffe1 on his return to ,constantinople as plenipotentiary1 had for the first time invited his ,excellency ,prince ,menschikoff to a grand diplomatic dinner1 where all the representatives of the then united ,courts were to assemble4 ,the day was fixed for the #bast of ,march1 #ahed1 and the invitations were cordially accepted1 most especially by the representative of the ,czar2 he being1 no doubt1 anxious to read upon the brow of the diplomatist the political feeling of his nation4 ,that very day1 towards noon1 the ,sultan's mother died4 ,in the morning she had written a letter to his ,excellency1 expressive of her full confidence that he would study the future welfare of her son in his relations with the ,british ,government4 ,on account of this mournful event1 and with a most profound feeling of respect and veneration for the ,imperial mourner1 the dinner was postponed for a week2 and while the dark veil was laid over the banqueting-table1 and the black seal was set upon the batterie de cuisine1 and numerous bouches feu de l',ambassade britannique1 his ,excellency ,prince ,menschikoff was on board a ,russian man-of-war anchored at the mouth of the ,black ,sea1 waiting with all the dignity and defiance imaginable for the determination of peace or war4 ,the diplomatic banquet never took place6 the war did6 ,i consider a postponed diplomatic dinner to be an universal calamity1 especially when only a few hours' notice of the postponement is given2 and ,i cannot but quote the ,gastronomic ,regenerator1 page #cdb1 published in the year #ahdb1 in which ,i say-- 8,rien ne dispose mieux l'esprit humain des transactions amicales qu'un dner bien conu et artistement prpar4 ,lisez l'histoire1 et vous y trouverez que1 dans tous les temps et chez tous les peuples1 le bien qui s'est fait1 et quelquefois le mal1 fut toujours prcd ou suivi d'un copieux dner40 ,translation4--8,nothing can prepare the human mind for amicable intercourse better than a well-conceived and artistically-prepared dinner4 ,read history1 and you will ascertain that at all periods1 and amongst all nations1 the benefits1 and sometimes the evils1 they experienced1 were either preceded or followed by a good dinner40 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,first ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,scene ,,of ,,action4 ,cordial reception--,table-d'hte--,absence of the fair sex--,warlike sentiments--,toasts--,scene at the ,tophan landing-place--,a chorus of boatmen--,caiques and caidjees--,romantic illusions dispelled--,crossing the ,bosphorus--,the ,barrack ,hospital--,lord ,william ,paulet--,warm welcome--,dr4 ,cumming's apartment--,plans discussed--,melancholy sights--,return to ,pera--,another conversation with ,signor ,roco ,vido--,articles supplied by him to the hospitals--,wounded ,russians--,origin of the hospital--,an appointment4 ,the same day1 ,i despatched one of my men to the ,barrack ,hospital at ,scutari1 to inform ,lord ,william ,paulet--at that period ,brigadier-,general of the ,british army--of my arrival at ,constantinople1 and to inquire at what hour his lordship would favour me with an interview4 ,upon my return from the ,palais d',angleterre1 ,i found that my man ,julian had arrived from ,scutari1 much1 pleased with his lordship's reception1 but terribly frightened by his passage en caque across the ,bosphorus1 which that day was so rough that all his clothes were wet through4 8,the caidjee would not take me there and back for less than five shillings10 said he4 8,well1 never mind that1 so long as you have seen his lordship and are safe upon terra firma40 8,i must tell you1 sir1 that upon announcing your arrival1 his lordship seemed very much pleased1 and observed1 #8,so ,monsieur ,soyer has arrived6 ,where is he8' #8,at ,pera1 my lord1 at the ,htel des ,ambassadeurs4' #8,i had the pleasure of knowing ,m4 ,soyer1' said his lordship1 #8when he came to ,ireland in the year of the famine4 ,tell him ,i shall be happy to see him any time to-morrow between the hours of nine and four4' #8,thank you1 my lord4 ,i shall not fail to acquaint ,m4 ,soyer of the kind reception you have given me on his behalf4'0 ,highly gratified at the kind reception ,i had received from ,lord and ,lady ,stratford de ,redcliffe1 and fixing my visit to ,lord ,william ,paulet for nine or ten the next morning1 ,i then visited ,general ,cannon at ,messerie's ,hotel1 to inform him of the progress ,i was making1 and to tell him that all appeared encouraging4 ,i felt it my duty to do this1 as he and all the officers on board the ,simois expressed considerable interest in my undertaking4 ,as ,general ,cannon was out1 ,i had the pleasure of seeing his aide-de-camp1 ,captain ,harbuckle1 who promised to inform the ,general of the subject of my visit4 ,on inquiring for ,mr4 ,messerie1 ,i found him busily engaged in the entrance-hall4 ,he took me to his private room1 and we had a long conversation4 ,he very kindly gave me much valuable information respecting the products of the country1 which1 he stated1 differed much from those found in the ,english markets in quality1 though little in price1 as all kinds of provisions had risen to double1 and in some cases triple1 what they were before the commencement of the war4 8,that10 ,i answered1 8could not fail to be the case1 considering the immense influx of troops daily arriving at ,constantinople40 8,any information or assistance you may require1 ,monsieur1 ,i shall1 as a confrre1 be happy to give you1 and will also endeavour to render myself useful as well as agreeable40 ,i promised to pay him a visit now and then when ,i came to ,pera1 and we parted4 ,it would be difficult for any one to imagine the immense number of persons who daily went in and out of this large hotel4 ,the spacious hall was crowded with baggage4 ,in fact1 there is but one hotel in ,pera1 or we might say in ,constantinople1 and that is the one4 ,i next called at the 8,htel de l',europe10 to see ,captain ,ponsonby and ,colonel ,st4 ,george4 ,i found they had just before left1 with the intention of dining at the table-d'hte at the 8,htel des ,ambassadeurs40 ,upon my arrival there1 ,i found a number of my fellow-travellers1 all come1 as they said1 in expectation of finding a better dinner than at their hotel1 in consequence of my being there4 ,we certainly had a very tolerable dinner1 which stamped for a time the reputation of the hotel for having one of the best tables-d'hte in ,constantinople4 ,the room was very spacious and lofty1 the table well laid out1 ornamented with numerous fine bouquets of flowers1 and lighted with wax lights4 ,we sat down about forty1 principally military men4 ,over glasses of ,greek champagne and ,bordeaux wine1 several laughable anecdotes relating to our voyage were told4 ,expressions of admiration at the view of the ,moslem city from the ,bosphorus--of disappointment at the disenchantment experienced on landing--were freely uttered4 ,in fact1 we all seemed to enter upon our campaign with most flourishing prospects2 but we could not help remarking1 and feeling at heart1 the want of ladies at our board4 ,not one adorned our festival4 ,this gave us a sad prestige of the deprivation of female society we should be condemned to in the ,crimea4 ,such was to be our fate throughout the campaign4 ,at the time1 none seemed to feel the loss of those they loved or had loved so dearly4 ,no2 all were for war6 war6 and glory at any risk4 ,bloodshed1 epidemics1 destruction1 loss of life1 c41 were matters of little moment4 ,the very air we breathed seemed to smell of powder4 ,all these horrors had steeled men's hearts1 and in so doing1 seemed to have banished all rational feeling for home4 ,men seldom thought of their wives and families1 or at least never spoke of them2 and if a young and tender-hearted warrior did think of his anticipated fair companion or fiance1 he dared not talk of her--every one would have laughed at him4 ,in spite of this1 one member of the fair sisterhood1 and the ornament of her sex1 was not forgotten2 and when the health of ,victoria1 ,queen of ,england1 was proposed by a ,french ,colonel1 the shouts and hurrahs it elicited did not cease for many minutes4 ,why such enthusiasm8 ,believe me1 it was not in honour of her ,majesty's sex4 ,no6 it was an acknowledgment of the martial glory of the country2 for1 a few minutes after1 the same sentiment was expressed for the ,emperor of ,france2 and again1 for the union and alliance of the three nations4 ,this proceeding1 instead of opening the heart to feelings of love1 and of calling forth the last sentiment of the kind which might have lingered there1 aroused a sterner inspiration4 ,such are what ,i call the calamities1 if not the horrors1 of war2 where all is destruction1 and humanity is rendered inhuman4 ,this was the prevailing feeling of about forty well-bred and brave military men--fifteen of whom were ,french1 and the remainder ,englishmen--sitting at the table-d'hte of the 8,htel des ,ambassadeurs10 at ,pera1 on the #bjth of ,march1 #ahed4 ,of that company1 nearly a third1 a few months after1 had sacrificed their lives for the glory of their country4 ,the next morning1 at half-past eight1 ,i went with my dragoman to the horrid ,tophan landing-place4 ,there ,i was surrounded by at least twenty caidjees1 who added to the disagreeables of this spot an evil of which ,i was not aware at my first visit4 ,just fancy twenty ,turks screaming out their to me unknown language1 and performing1 at the same time1 a peculiar pantomime with their fists so close to your visage1 you might almost fancy they were telling you that1 if you dared to take any other caique than theirs1 they would punch your head for you1 or throw you into the ,bosphorus4 ,in such a scene of noise and confusion1 it is almost1 if not altogether1 impossible for one to make up one's mind whether one requires one caique or several4 ,the mistake occurs in this1 that they offer you a caique with one1 two1 or three caidjees4 ,as the ,bosphorus was very rough1 my man hired a craft with three pair of oars--the two and three-oared boats being the only ones that went out that day--the small caiques with one pair of oars seldom venturing out in such weather4 ,we soon stepped into the boat2 and1 to my delight1 we had no sooner set foot in the one we had selected1 than1 as if by a magic spell1 every tongue was silent4 ,about two minutes after1 just as we were pushing off1 two ,english officers made their appearance1 and experienced more trouble than ,i had done1 as ,i had with me a man who spoke their language4 ,we got afloat quickly enough1 and the short spiteful waves constantly dashed in our faces1 and rocked us about in all directions4 ,to my astonishment1 the rowers took quite a different direction to the ,barrack ,hospital1 which appeared to me close at hand4 ,on making a remark to this effect to my dragoman1 he told me the current was so strong that they were obliged to fetch up a long way to avoid being dashed against the ,seraglio ,point1 or the chains and hawsers of the vessels at anchor4 8,oh1 thank you10 said ,i1 8let them go as many miles round as they please1 especially as ,i have till four o'clock to see his lordship40 ,after a long pull we came close to the ,tour de la ,jeune ,fille1 and ,i told my man ,auguste to inquire respecting the truth of the tale narrated in a previous chapter4 ,the only reply he could get from the three caidjees respecting this wonderful story was1 that they knew of no young maiden who dwelt there2 but that1 on the contrary1 an old ,armenian woman1 in summer time1 sold bad coffee and worse tobacco4 ,a few weeks afterwards the caf was opened1 and1 instead of la jeune fille1 there was an obesity of about sixty years old--coiffe la grecque--fresh flowers ornamenting the remains of what1 no doubt1 was once a fine head of hair4 ,the current here is so strong and rapid1 that the waves inundate the best part of the tower4 ,auguste told me this place was at all times the most dangerous1 and that in bad weather a single-oared caique could not cross near it4 ,a few minutes after1 under shelter of the high ,scutari banks and out of the current1 we were1 comparatively speaking1 in smooth water4 ,but our poor caidjees were in a violent perspiration1 though the weather was rather cold1 and paused to take breath4 ,it took us above an hour to cross1 though you could see the hospital close at hand at starting4 ,at last we arrived at the landing-place1 which1 thanks to the ,english1 was far better than the ,tophan one4 ,the hospital being on an elevated spot1 and not more than a thousand yards distant1 appeared three times as large as it did from the deck of the ,simois2 and here again1 at sight of such a gigantic establishment1 my courage failed me1 and for the second time ,i regretted having undertaken such a difficult task4 ,i immediately went to the grand hospital entrance1 the residence of ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 thanking my stars that ,i had the honour of being known to him4 ,i was shown the general's quarters1 and sent in my card4 ,i was desired to follow1 and had no sooner entered1 than his lordship came to meet me1 and shook hands cordially4 8,monsieur ,soyer10 said he1 8we have not had the pleasure of meeting since #ahdg1 when ,i saw you in ,dublin1--the year of the famine in ,ireland40 ,these words recalled the scene to my mind4 8,i was at the ,royal ,barracks1 with the ,duke of ,cambridge1 when you opened your kitchen in the ,barrack ,square--in fact1 before our window4 ,the ,duke and myself paid you a visit the day the ,lord-,lieutenant opened it4 ,you had nearly a thousand visitors that morning1 and fed between four and five thousand poor people in the course of the day4 ,the samples of food prepared by you were excellent1 though made at such a moderate price1 ,i assure you10 his lordship continued1 speaking to some gentlemen present1 one of whom knew me while at the ,reform ,club4 8,indeed1 my lord1 you give me much pleasure by recalling reminiscences of my success at that period2 and ,i accept the same as a good omen for my present undertaking1 especially when taken in connexion with your valuable support40 8,monsieur ,soyer1 you may depend upon my support2 but ,i tell you beforehand1 you will have no end of difficulties40 8,well1 my lord1 with your support1 a good will1 and perseverance1 ,i have no doubt of doing some good40 ,i then presented ,lord ,panmure's letter respecting my mission4 ,while his lordship was reading it1 ,i was asked by several officers present1 8,what are you sent out for80 ,lord ,william ,paulet1 overhearing them1 replied1 8,to set us to rights in our kitchen department1 to be sure4 ,this letter from the ,minister-at-,war shall be closely attended to1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 and ,i will this day give orders to that effect40 ,from this ,i understood that ,lord ,panmure had given instructions for everything ,i might require4 8,well10 said his lordship1 8how many cooks have you brought with you80 8,four1 my lord40 8,only four6 ,i thought you would want many more than that4 ,however1 let me know what you require4 ,you are staying at ,pera80 8,yes2 but ,i intend coming over to-morrow1 to make a beginning40 8,i must get you a house in town2 we are so full here1 we have no room to spare40 8,i'm not sorry for that--it will be a change of air--though ,i shall require a small room in the hospital40 8,we'll see about that--but tell me1 of how many does your staff consist80 8,about seven or eight40 8,i'll try and get you a house to yourself40 8,many thanks1 my lord4 ,i assure you that the kind reception accorded to me will never be forgotten by your humble servant4 ,in order that no time may be lost--and ,i am aware that your lordship's is highly valuable--will you kindly instruct some one to show me ,dr4 ,cumming's apartment1 as ,i have a letter of introduction to that gentleman from ,dr4 ,andrew ,smith2 and ,i am anxious to confer with the ,doctor upon the subject of the new diets1 and submit them for his special approval40 ,his lordship then directed ,dr4 ,rutherford to show me to ,dr4 ,cumming's office1 which we reached through a long corridor lined with beds on either side1 and occupied by sick and wounded4 ,the apartment was full of persons waiting to see the doctor4 ,on sending in my card ,i was immediately admitted1 and very politely received4 ,dr4 ,cumming was1 of course1 full of business4 ,he read the letter from ,dr4 ,a4 ,smith1 and then said1 8,monsieur ,soyer1 you may depend upon it that ,i will do all in my power to assist you40 ,i then stated my plan of commencing with a hundred patients1 of which1 he highly approved4 8,the next thing10 ,i observed1 8will be to find a suitable place for a kitchen40 8,i think10 said he1 8the ,general ,hospital will be the best to begin at1 as it has always been used as an hospital4 ,you will find everything more appropriate there40 ,i expressed a great desire to commence with the ,barrack ,hospital1 to which ,dr4 ,cumming immediately consented4 8,dr4 ,rutherford1 you will perhaps be kind enough to show ,mr4 ,soyer over the hospital1 and assist him in selecting a suitable spot to commence operations40 ,doctor ,cumming again repeated his promise of giving me every support1 and said1 8,you know my office1 and ,i shall at all times be glad to see you upon matters of business40 8,you may depend upon it1 ,doctor1 that ,i shall only trouble you with indispensable matters1 and such with which it is most important you should be acquainted40 ,we then parted4 ,the ,doctor and myself walked round the whole of the corridors1 both sides of which were filled with patients4 ,the numerous wards round the barracks1 each of which held about thirty patients1 were also full4 ,these melancholy sights have been so often depicted in letters in the public press1 that it would only be reopening an old wound were ,i to dilate upon them4 ,there is a wide difference between seeing the thing upon the spot1 in all its painful and wretched truth1 and in merely reading a well-written description4 ,this fact all who have witnessed such spectacles have felt1 without being able or willing to describe4 ,i must say that1 in spite of the sang froid and energy ,i possess1 the sight of such calamities made a most extraordinary impression upon me1 and produced an effect which lasted for several days afterwards4 ,at length ,i found a place on one of the large staircases1 in which ,i could make an excellent model kitchen1 and of this discovery ,i at once informed ,dr4 ,cumming4 ,the afternoon was drawing to a close1 and being obliged to return to ,pera1 ,i was compelled to leave without seeing ,miss ,nightingale1 for whom ,i had brought several letters--one in particular1 from the ,duchess of ,sutherland4 ,in the evening ,i went to the ,british ,embassy to have a little conversation with ,signor ,roco ,vido1 respecting the ,kululee hospital1 and obtained from him a list of the various sorts of diets he had been supplying4 ,he then informed me that our visit to ,kululee with her ladyship was deferred for a day or two on account of so many visitors staying at the ,embassy on their way to the ,crimea4 ,this news ,i received with much pleasure1 being anxious to commence operations at the ,barrack ,hospital4 ,as it was near ,lord ,stratford's dinner-hour1 he requested me to sit down1 and gave me the book containing the account of all that he had supplied from the beginning of the war4 ,this ,i took for my guide4 ,the list of articles supplied by ,signor ,roco ,vido to the different hospitals is so various that it would fill several pages1 and would not be interesting or useful4 ,they consisted principally of beef-tea1 chicken and mutton broth1 calves'-foot jelly1 arrowroot1 semolina1 c4 c4 ,the supply commenced four days after the battle of the ,alma1 on which occasion several wounded ,russians were taken prisoners and brought to the ,barrack ,hospital4 ,they were about twenty in number1 among whom was ,general ,chekanoff1 who died seven days after from his wounds4 ,he had received three bayonet thrusts1 and two balls had passed through his body3 his age was sixty-five4 ,he lies in the ,cemetery near the ,general ,hospital at ,scutari4 ,a small piece of rotten plank marks the resting-place of this brave defender of his country's cause1 from which in a short time the inscription will probably be erased4#h ,signor ,marco ,vido1 brother of ,roco ,vido1 who afterwards acted as ,miss ,nightingale's interpreter1 informed me that at that time the barracks which were afterwards turned into an hospital were entirely destitute of beds1 sheets1 blankets1 chairs1 tables1 cooking utensils1 or food of any description2 the whole of which were supplied by ,lady de ,redcliffe2 the ,general ,hospital was then used by the ,turkish army4 ,this was the origin of the largest and most unique hospital in the world4 ,signor ,marco ,vido did not quit the general's side till he had expired4 ,the latter expressed his sincere thanks to him1 and also to her ladyship1 for the extreme kindness shown to him4 ,signor ,roco re-entered1 as ,i was about to leave1 having just written a few words of thanks4 ,he said1 8,i have told my lady you are here4 ,she will be glad to see you before dinner1 if you wish it40 8,no1 my dear sir1 ,i do not wish to disturb her ladyship2 but pray tell her that ,i am entirely at her orders respecting the ,kululee or ,hyder ,pacha ,hospitals40 8,by-the-bye1 ,i am going early to-morrow to ,hyder ,pacha1--perhaps you would like to come with me80 said he4 8,i shall be most happy1 if you go before twelve o'clock10 ,i replied1 8as at that hour ,i have several appointments at the ,barrack ,hospital40 8,we will start at eight o'clock1 if you like40 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,commencement ,,of ,,the ,,culinary ,,campaign4 ,good news--,first meeting with ,mr4 ,bracebridge--,the ,hyder ,pacha ,hospital--,bad cooking--,the ,general ,hospital--,meeting with ,miss ,nightingale--,plans discussed--,miss ,nightingale's anxiety for a change of system--,a visitorial pilgrimage--,miss ,nightingale's dietary kitchen--,bad charcoal--,extra diet kitchens--,question of seasoning--,the general kitchen--,imperfect arrangements--,an old acquaintance--,a promising commencement4 ,the next morning we started as agreed upon4 ,on arriving at ,scutari1 ,i met a soldier who informed me that a house in ,cambridge-street was being prepared for my reception4 8,it is not two minutes' walk from here10 said he2 8will you go and see it80 8,thank you1 not this morning2 my friend is in a great hurry4 ,when will it be ready80 8,to-morrow1 or next day1 at the latest40 8,that will do very well4 ,where can ,i find you if ,i want to see you80 8,at the ,engineers' office2 my name is ,corporal ,hardy40 8,i thank you40 ,on our way to ,hyder ,pacha1 we met ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 talking to ,dr4 ,mac,hree1 the head doctor at that hospital2 both of which gentlemen ,i very much wished to see4 ,upon being introduced to ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 ,i recognised him as an old acquaintance of my friend1 the late ,baronet ,sir ,george ,chetwynd1 of ,greedon ,hall1 ,staffordshire1 whom he frequently visited4 ,he informed me that ,miss ,nightingale had heard of my arrival1 and that she would be much pleased to see me4 8,i was going to pay my respects10 said ,i1 8to ,mademoiselle this afternoon after post-time40 8,oh1 that will do very well10 he replied3 8she will have great pleasure in seeing you40 ,as the ,doctor was on his way to head-quarters1 and ,mr4 ,bracebridge was going in another direction1 we continued our journey1 which1 though short1 was very fatiguing1 the roads being very bad in consequence of a continuance of heavy rain4 ,at last we arrived at the hospital1 which1 although the smallest1 is certainly the most elegant4 ,it was one of the ,sultan's ,kiosques1 and was divided into three departments--one for the officers1 and two for the men4 ,about three hundred and forty men and twenty officers were there at the time1 as ,i was told2 the latter complained very much about their cooking1 the inferiority of which was unavoidable1 as there was only a very small kitchen1 badly built1 which smoked all day1 and was without ventilation4 ,it was there that the ,duke of ,cambridge and staff remained during his indisposition2 but ,i must observe that the ,duke had a first-rate culinary artist1 who went through the campaign with him4 ,the ,duke was only attended by a few gentlemen1 and consequently it had not at the time of my visit twenty occupants4 ,nothing could be done properly for them1 till ,i had built a rough wooden kitchen1 and placed a civilian cook under the orders of the doctor and purveyor who had the regulation of the diets4 ,this hospital1 though very pretty1 was never considered healthy1 it being surrounded by gardens and marshy meadows4 ,after inspecting the mess-kitchen1 we retired1 and thence went to the ,general ,hospital4 ,the doctor-in-chief not being there1 we were shown round by a staff-doctor4 ,i found the kitchen very dark1 and badly built1 for such a number of patients2 but the distribution of food and the regulation of the same were on a much better footing than at the ,barrack ,hospital4 ,on noticing this to the head cook1 he gave the credit to ,dr4 ,o',flaherty4 ,upon being introduced to that gentleman1 ,i recognised him as one of my visitors in ,dublin1 at the same time as ,brigadier-,general ,lord ,w4 ,paulet4 ,i promised to have the kitchen altered as soon as it could possibly be done1 and started for the ,barrack ,hospital to visit ,miss ,nightingale4 ,as ,signor ,roco had settled his business1 he left me and returned to ,pera2 consequently1 ,i entered the great ,barrack ,hospital alone4 ,the entrance was crowded with officers of rank and medical gentlemen4 ,the ,high-street1 facing the ,general's quarters1 was literally crammed with soldiers1 more or less conscious of the state of warlike affairs4 ,most of them kept vandyking from the gin palace to their quarters1 their red jackets forming a strange contrast to the quiet dress and solemn air of the ,moslem soldiers upon duty4 ,after shaking hands with some officers and doctors whom ,i had the pleasure of knowing in ,england1 ,i inquired of a sentry for ,miss ,nightingale's apartment1 which he at once pointed out to me4 ,on my entering the ante-room1 a ,sur de ,charit1 whom ,i addressed1 informed me that somebody was with that lady4 ,she added1 8,i am aware that ,miss ,nightingale wishes to see you1 so ,i will let her know that you are here40 ,i hoped to have a few minutes to myself in order to take an observation of this sanctuary of benevolence2 but my project was defeated by my being immediately admitted2 and this compels me to trace this picture from memory4 ,upon entering the room1 ,i was saluted by a lady1 and not doubting that this was our heroine1 8,madam10 said ,i1 8allow me to present my humble respects4 ,i presume ,i have the honour of addressing ,miss ,nightingale40 8,yes1 sir4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i believe80 8,the same1 ,madam40 8,pray take a seat4 ,i hear you had a rough voyage out40 8,very much so1 especially from ,marseilles to ,ajaccio40 8,so ,i heard1 ,monsieur ,soyer40 8,i have brought several parcels and letters for you2 among the latter1 one from the ,duchess of ,sutherland40 ,after having perused this epistle1 ,miss ,nightingale remarked3 8,i believe her ,grace is right2 you will no doubt be able to render great service in the kitchen department40 8,for which ,i shall need the good-will and assistance of all the heads of this monster establishment2 and ,i must beg1 above all things1 that you who have already done so much for the sick and the wounded1 will be kind enough to give me the benefit of your valuable experience40 8,i will1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 but first of all1 ,i should advise you to see ,lord ,william ,paulet1 ,dr4 ,cumming1 and the ,purveyor-in-,chief1 ,mr4 ,milton40 8,many thanks for your kind advice4 ,i had the pleasure of seeing ,lord ,william yesterday1 as well as ,dr4 ,cumming4 ,to ,mr4 ,milton ,i shall pay my respects upon leaving you40 8,you had better do so2 for the principal part of your business you will have to transact with those gentlemen40 8,a very excellent remark1 which ,i shall not fail to attend to40 8,another gentleman you must see in the purveyor's department1 is ,mr4 ,tucker4 ,you will then be able to commence operations40 8,very true3 ,i shall not think of commencing before ,i am well acquainted with every one in each department that has reference to the cooking4 ,i shall submit every sample of diets1 with a statement of the quantity and kind of ingredients of which they are composed1 for the approval and opinion of the medical authorities2 as ,i shall have to deal with patients1 and not with epicures4 8,perfectly right10 said ,miss ,nightingale4 8,that no time may be lost1 ,i should very much like this afternoon to visit the kitchens now in use1 inspect the stores1 and procure a statement of the daily rations allowed to each patient1 if ,i can have one of the inspectors to go round with me40 8,certainly you can2 ,i will send for somebody who will be happy to accompany you40 8,perhaps you would favour us with your company1 as ,i should be most happy to attend to any suggestion you might like to make40 8,i will go with you with great pleasure2 but here comes ,doctor ,macgregor1 the under-superintendent1 who will be our guide4 ,he told me that he had met you before40 8,yes2 we met yesterday at ,lord ,william ,paulet's40 8,doctor10 said ,miss ,nightingale1 8,monsieur ,soyer wishes you to accompany him round the various kitchens and store-rooms40 8,i will do that with the greatest pleasure2 but he had better be introduced to ,mr4 ,milton and to ,mr4 ,tucker4 ,mr4 ,milton is out1 but ,mr4 ,tucker will do instead40 ,our visitorial pilgrimage then commenced4 ,we first visited ,miss ,nightingale's dietary kitchen1 in which ,i immediately recognised the whole of the little camp batterie de cuisine which my friend ,comte told me that the ,duke of ,cambridge had presented to the hospital4 ,justice was indeed done to it1 for every separate article of which it was composed was in use4 ,miss ,nightingale had a civilian cook as well as an assistant4 ,everything appeared in as good order as could be expected1 considering what there was to be done4 ,i noticed the very bad quality of the charcoal1 which smoked terribly1 and was nothing but dust4 ,of course1 this interfered materially with the expedition of the cooking1 which is a subject of vital importance in an hospital1 where punctuality is as essential as quality4 ,addressing the ,doctor1 ,i said1 8,suppose you have fifty or a hundred patients under your direction--according to the disease you vary the diet1 and according to the state of the patient you vary the hour of his meal40 8,of course we do40 8,then1 this defect1 simple as it may appear1 should be reported and immediately remedied40 8,the only excuse ,i can find for the rations and diets not being ready at the time required is entirely owing to the bad quality of the charcoal1 which1 as regards time1 would deceive the best of cooks1 and is quite sufficient to upset the best of culinary arrangements4 ,however1 ,i will take note of the various things which strike me as being out of order or bad1 and this will give me a good chance of effecting an immediate improvement40 8,you are perfectly right10 said ,miss ,nightingale4 8,i assure you that ,dumont1 my cook1 is always complaining of the charcoal1 which1 as you see1 is so full of dust that it will not burn2 and some days he cannot manage to cook at all with it40 8,well1 ,i will endeavour to remedy this great evil40 8,doctor10 said ,miss ,nightingale1 8you had better tell ,monsieur ,soyer to whom he is to apply in this matter40 8,oh1 ,mr4 ,milton or ,mr4 ,tucker will be able to give him the necessary information4 ,we will now visit another40 ,about half-way down the long corridor1 we found another extra diet kitchen1 managed by soldiers2 but it was far from being in good order--on the contrary1 all was in the greatest confusion4 ,the kitchen was full of smoke1 and everything was boiling too fast4 ,in consequence of the bad quality of the charcoal1 a wall of bricks had been raised round each stove1 and thus wood and charcoal were used ad libitum1 burning the rice-pudding1 and over-doing everything4 ,in fact1 everything had the disagreeable flavour of being burnt4 ,as ,i did not wish to alarm them1 ,i merely remarked that the fire was too fierce2 and1 on the following morning1 ,i took one of my men with me to teach them how to manage better4 ,we then visited several other kitchens1 all of which were1 more or less1 in the same state4 ,to this there was1 however1 a single exception1 to which ,i must do justice by observing1 that1 though not quite perfect as a model--being short of cooking utensils--still it was clean1 and everything we tasted was far superior in flavour4 ,nothing was burnt1 except a slight catch in the rice-pudding2 but this was a mere trifle1 compared with the way the viands were spoilt in the other places4 ,the beef-tea1 chicken-broth1 c41 were nicely done1 although they all wanted seasoning4 ,at my first visit to the various diet kitchens1 ,i tasted the soups made for the patients1 which ,i found quite free from the slightest suspicion of seasoning1 and consequently tasteless4 ,i then asked to have a couple of basins filled with this4 ,to one ,i added the requisite seasoning1 and requested ,doctor ,cumming to taste of both4 ,the ,doctor complied with my request1 and could scarcely believe it possible that such an improvement could be effected by so trifling an addition4 ,he then expressed his approval and decided that in future the cook should season the soup1 instead of leaving the same to the irregular tastes of the patients4 8,well10 said ,doctor ,macgregor1 8this is by the doctor's order1 you may be sure40 8,i have not the pleasure of knowing that gentleman1 yet1 though ,i admire his kitchen very much1 and must admit that he keeps it in good order1 ,i shall certainly tell him when ,i see him that ,i do not agree with his method of not seasoning the broths1 c41 while in course of preparation4 ,it is very true they ought not to be too highly seasoned2 but it is the province of the cook1 as ,i before said1 to season for the patient1 and not the patient for the cook4 ,instead of giving so much salt in the ward1 ,i would allow each patient but little or none at all2 because in all cookery it is the combination of good and wholesome ingredients properly blended which constitutes the best of broths or diets2 and this rule holds good for the bill of fare of all nations40 8,this seems logical enough10 said the ,doctor2 8nor do ,i approve of the quantity of salt and pepper given in the wards40 8,but1 ,doctor1 there is another evil2 some people are more partial to salt than others1 and1 only a few minutes ago1 ,i saw a patient begging his neighbour to give him a portion of his share40 8,i am aware they do that1 ,monsieur ,soyer40 8,be kind enough to favour me with the name of the doctor40 8,his name is ,dr4 ,taylor2 he will be glad to see you1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said ,miss ,nightingale1 smiling4 8,i can assure you he is a great cook1 and manages his own kitchen4 ,he comes down here two or three times every day4 ,he is attending a board this morning1 or he would certainly have been here40 8,if that is the case1 we shall have no difficulty in understanding each other4 ,i will do myself the pleasure of calling upon him40 8,you will be sure to find him in his office at nine o'clock to-morrow10 said ,dr4 ,macgregor4 ,we then crossed the yard to the general kitchen1 as ,miss ,nightingale called it4 ,upon entering it1 ,i found1 to my surprise1 a superb kitchen1 built1 ,i believe1 by the ,turks1 and fitted up with twenty copper boilers1 set in white marble1 holding about fifty gallons each4 ,about sixteen soldier cooks were employed cleaning the boilers1 to make the tea1 as the men's dinners had just been served4 8,this is a magnificent kitchen10 ,i observed to ,miss ,nightingale4 8,i was not aware there was anything of the kind here40 8,so it is1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 but see how badly everything is managed40 8,well1 this can be remedied40 ,on going to the top of the marble steps1 about eight in number1 ,i perceived that every boiler was made of yellow copper1 and screwed to its marble bed4 ,i immediately inquired about the tinning1 as ,i perceived the boilers were much in want of this4 ,copper is1 as ,i have before remarked1 the worst metal which could possibly be employed for hospital uses4 ,i took notes of all1 and having inquired of the men how they cooked the patients' dinners1 ,i told them to go on as usual2 and that ,i would be with them at seven the next morning1 to put them in the right way4 ,as it was getting late1 ,i was about taking my departure1 when ,miss ,nightingale informed me that there was a similar kitchen on the other side of the yard1 and advised me to go and see it4 8,like this one1 do you say1 ,mademoiselle80 8,yes1 exactly like it40 8,you astonish me4 ,of course ,i will go directly4 ,i shall1 however1 be sorry to trouble you to come so far40 8,oh1 no trouble at all1 ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,i am much interested in any improvement or amelioration which may be introduced in so important a department40 ,we did1 indeed1 find just such another kitchen as the last1 partitioned off in the centre4 8,this one10 said ,i1 8will be large enough for all that we require40 8,you don't say so10 observed ,dr4 ,macgregor4 8,quite large enough1 ,i can assure you2 the only inconvenience is its great distance from the building4 ,however1 ,i shall try and manage somehow4 ,this kitchen is cleaner than the other1 and the head man appears more intelligent2 still there is a great deal to be done1 in order to set the whole to rights40 8,i was certain you would say so10 ,miss ,nightingale observed4 8,oh1 but ,i am far from despairing4 ,indeed1 ,i feel confident that ,i shall succeed4 ,all ,i require is1 that they will go on just as if ,i had not arrived4 ,i shall come to-morrow at seven o'clock1 and watch their proceedings1 without removing any one from his post1 and have no doubt ,i shall be able to introduce a much better system40 ,after we had examined this kitchen1 ,miss ,nightingale prepared to leave us4 ,i promised to call upon her the following day1 to go round the wards1 and see the dinners served4 ,as the lady was leaving1 ,i said1 8,i have an appointment with ,lord ,w4 ,paulet at eleven1 and one with ,dr4 ,cumming at half-past--therefore ,i will afterwards do myself the honour of fetching you1 ,mademoiselle40 8,that will be the best plan2 and probably his lordship will come with us40 ,with this the lady withdrew4 ,dr4 ,macgregor and myself next went to the purveyor's department1 to see ,mr4 ,tucker1 whom ,i found to be an old ,london friend of mine1 of ten years' standing4 8,you are about the last person1 friend ,soyer10 said ,mr4 ,tucker1 8whom ,i should have expected to see here40 8,i am indeed in luck1 as ,i hear you are the gentleman from whom ,i shall probably require the most assistance40 8,anything you may require1 ,m4 ,soyer1 ,i have orders to let you have2 and you may rest assured that ,mr4 ,milton and myself will assist you to the utmost of our power4 ,there is another person here who knows you--,mr4 ,bailey1 the storekeeper40 8,these are indeed good tidings4 ,to-morrow1 ,mr4 ,tucker1 ,i shall be here early1 to see how they manage the cooking4 ,perhaps you will be kind enough to allow some of your men to show me the various store-rooms and the fresh provisions40 8,i will make that all right1 you may depend upon it40 ,as my house was not quite ready ,i crossed over to ,pera1 and in the evening went to the ,english ,embassy1 to settle some business with ,signor ,roco ,vido1 and to ascertain whether ,lady ,stratford had fixed the day for our visit to the hospital at ,kululee4 ,this was to be my last night in ,pera1 as my house at ,scutari was to be ready the following day4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,a ,,tour ,,round ,,the ,,kitchens4 ,inspection of stores--,methods pursued--,interview with ,lord ,w4 ,paulet--,scene in a kitchen--,terrible confusion--,only one plate--,underdone and overdone--,receipt for nourishing fare--,mr4 ,milton--,cordial reception--,plans for a better system--,dr4 ,taylor--,conversation upon cookery--,importance of culinary science in the medical department--,a pleasant night--,value of a greatcoat--,operations commenced--,question of copper vessels--,curious method of marking the lots--,a decent trick--,wilful waste--,experiments upon the extra diets--,my first-class interpreter4 ,at half-past six the next morning ,i was in the kitchen4 ,the soldiers were at that hour making the coffee and tea for breakfast4 ,i went with the serjeant on duty to inspect the quality of the meat1 the quantity allowed1 and the place of distribution4 ,i found the meat of a very inferior quality1 the method of distribution too complicated4 ,when the weight of the quantity allowed was explained to me ,i found it correct4 ,i was at first much puzzled at finding that some patients upon full diet received three quarters of a pound1 some half a pound1 and some a quarter of a pound of meat1 accordingly as they were placed upon full1 half1 or quarter diet allowance--a system unavoidable in a hospital1 but which would deceive the best cook4 ,on some days1 in providing for a hundred patients1 this would make a difference of from ten to twenty pounds of meat1 according to the number of half or quarter diets4 ,yet the same quantity of soup would nevertheless be required4 ,i made a note of this1 and next perceived that every mess took their meat separately4 ,some messes numbered fifteen1 twenty1 or even thirty4 ,the meat was spitted upon a rough piece of wood about two feet long1 and then tied as tight as possible with a strong cord4 ,although this was a very bad method1 ,i did not choose to interfere1 as it was important for me to show them the evil effects of their system1 and ensure a reform by pointing out a better4 ,we then went to the store-rooms1 and looked over what the contractor called the mixed vegetables1 though they were principally of one kind1 and half of these unfit for use4 ,after having seen the rations weighed1 ,i sent orders to the cooks not to commence operations until ,i arrived4 ,we examined all kinds of preserved meats1 soups1 sweetmeats1 c4 ,i next went to see the poultry1 which ,i found of very inferior quality1 consisting principally of old fowls1 badly plucked and drawn4 ,the gizzards1 heads1 and feet1 which make such good broth1 were thrown away4 ,mr4 ,bailey1 whom ,i had not yet seen1 then entered4 ,when ,i had explained what we had already done1 and the plan it would be most advisable to adopt for the future1 he promised to bring the contractor1 that we might talk the matter over4 ,i examined the bread1 which was very good indeed4 ,mr4 ,bailey accompanied me to the various kitchens1 where ,i had ordered the men to proceed as usual1 and the same in the extra diet kitchen4 ,during our progress ,i had the pleasure of meeting and being introduced to most of the medical gentlemen as they were visiting the patients in the corridors and wards4 ,having been informed that ,mr4 ,milton1 the purveyor in chief1 had arrived1 ,i called at his office1 but unfortunately he had just gone to some storeroom--no one could tell which4 ,i left my compliments1 and a message to say that ,i should call again4 ,i went to see ,dr4 ,cumming1 and report progress1 and engaged to let him taste some of my cooking the following day4 ,my next visit was to ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 whom ,i found surrounded by military gentlemen of all ranks4 ,he called me in1 and1 in a most good-natured manner1 introduced me to his visitors1 saying1 8,now ,m4 ,soyer is come1 ,i fear he will feed the sick soldiers so well1 that they will be sorry to recover and leave the hospital40 8,should such prove to be the case1 it will be the best of all bad complaints40 ,some of the company inquired whether ,i was going to the ,crimea4 8,i must first make my dbut here10 was my reply1 8and then we shall see40 8,monsieur ,soyer1 what can ,i do for you80 8,your lordship can do what ,i require in two minutes4 ,will you be kind enough to send me a carpenter or two1 and a bricklayer1 to do some little matters ,i wish to have attended to80 8,certainly2 ,i will drop a line to ,captain ,gordon1 the chief engineer1 to that effect4 ,his office is over the way--you had better go and see him40 8,captain ,gordon10 said a soldier1 who brought some letters1 8is gone to ,pera40 8,i am happy to be able to inform your lordship that ,i am progressing very fast1 and that every one is very obliging to me40 8,i am glad to hear that1 ,monsieur ,soyer40 8,i suppose you could not spare time about one o'clock1 to go round and see the meals served out80 8,i will try2 but ,i fear ,i shall hardly have leisure4 ,see what ,i have to do10 he continued1 pointing to a pile of letters which the soldier had just brought in2 8as ,doctor ,macgregor is going round with you1 he will give me an account of everything40 ,it was then noon1 and about dinner-time4 ,so ,i returned to the kitchen1 where all was in the greatest confusion4 ,such a noise ,i never heard before4 ,they were waiting for their soup and meat1 and using coarse language1 without making the least progress in the distribution4 ,the market at old ,billingsgate1 during the first morning sale1 was nothing compared to this military row4 ,each man had two tin cans for the soup4 ,they kept running about and knocking against each other1 in most admirable disorder4 ,such confusion1 thought ,i1 is enough to kill a dozen patients daily4 ,as a natural consequence1 several must go without anything2 as1 owing to the confusion1 some of the orderly waiters get more and others less than their allowance4 ,any attempt to alter this at the time1 would have been as wise as endeavouring to stop the current of the ,bosphorus4 ,as ,i did not wish to lose the chance of seeing the rations served out in the wards1 ,i went for ,dr4 ,macgregor1 and we called for ,mr4 ,milton--but the latter had not returned4 ,i then fetched ,miss ,nightingale1 and we went through the wards4 ,the process of serving out the rations1 though not quite such a noisy scene as that ,i had before witnessed1 was far from being perfect4 ,in the first place1 the patients were allowed to eat the meat before the soup4 ,as ,i was confident that this could not be by the doctor's order1 ,i asked the reason4 ,the reply was1 8we have only one plate40 7,what they called a plate1 was a round and deep tin dish1 which held a pound of meat and a pint of soup47 ,i therefore recommended them to cut the meat as usual into small pieces1 and pour the pint of boiling soup over it4 ,this method had the advantage of keeping the meat hot4 8,it will enable the patients10 ,i said1 8to eat both the soup and meat warm1 instead of cold--the daily practice1 in consequence of the slow process of carving40 8,very true10 said ,dr4 ,macgregor4 8,nay1 more1 the soup will comfort and dispose the stomach for the better digestion of the meat and potatoes4 ,when the men are very hungry1 they will often swallow their food without properly masticating it1 and the meat is also probably tough40 ,we then tasted both the soup and meat4 ,the former was thin and without seasoning2 the latter1 mutton1 tough and tasteless4 ,the potatoes were watery4 ,all these defects ,i promised to rectify the next day4 ,we proceeded to a ward where they complained bitterly that the meat was never done2 in fact1 it was quite raw1 and then of course the cook was blamed4 8,now10 said ,i to ,miss ,nightingale1 8,i will wager anything that we shall find some parts very well done1 and some1 no doubt1 too much done1 though it is all cooked in the same caldron40 8,how do you account for that1 ,monsieur ,soyer8 is it owing to the bad quality of the meat80 8,not at all2 that may come from the same sheep1 and yet vary40 ,at another mess1 the meat was well done2 a small piece at the end only being over-cooked4 8,i will explain this to you1 madam10 said ,i4 8,i remarked this morning that the man tied all the joints together very tight1 after having put them upon a #8skewer1' as he calls it1 almost as large as a wooden leg4 ,the consequence is1 that when the meat is thrown into boiling water1 it is not properly done2 the meat swells1 and it is impossible for the heat or the water even to get at it40 8,ah1 ,i noticed that several of the men did exactly as you say this morning10 said ,miss ,nightingale4 8,the parts which are well done were placed loose upon the stick2 and this explains the mystery--but ,i shall alter that to-morrow40 ,having afterwards inspected several extra-diet kitchens1 and tasted various things1 ,i perceived what ,i could accomplish1 both as regarded convalescents and extra diets4 ,miss ,nightingale having again offered to render any assistance in her power1 left us2 as she had a great deal to attend to4 ,i retraced my steps to ,dr4 ,cumming's1 and stated my opinion of the present system of cooking2 and explained what ,i proposed doing1 of all of which he approved highly4 ,i then returned to the kitchen1 and sent a requisition for six rations of everything allowed for making the soup4 ,i proceeded thus3-- ,to eight pints of water ,i put four pounds of meat1 a quarter of a pound of barley1 a little salt and pepper1 and the allowance of vegetables1 and in about an hour ,i produced a very good soup--some of which ,i sent to several doctors4 ,they tasted and praised it highly1 as being very nourishing and palatable4 ,i then carried some to ,dr4 ,cumming1 who approved of its composition2 but expressed his opinion that it would probably be too expensive4 ,i then informed him ,i had made it with the ration allowance1 taking the meat at half-diet scale4 ,he was much pleased with the meat1 which he pronounced highly palatable1 and thought that the seasoning should be put in with the other ingredients4 ,i explained that ,i could still improve it by the simple addition of a small quantity of sugar and flour4 8,the purveyor will not1 ,i am certain1 refuse that10 said he4 8,oh1 ,i am aware of that2 but ,i wish to manage it without increasing the expense4 ,i must accomplish that1 if possible40 ,miss ,nightingale and ,dr4 ,macgregor1 to both of whom ,i sent some1 praised it even more than the others had done1 particularly the meat1 which they stated to be of a very excellent flavour1 and they had the opportunity of tasting the former4 ,mr4 ,milton came in1 and though ,i had not had the pleasure of seeing that gentleman1 from the description ,i had heard of him1 and his pleasing manner1 ,i knew ,i was not mistaken in saying--8,mr4 ,milton1 allow me to have the honour of tendering my best compliments and thanks for your prompt visit40 8,no person could be more welcome here than you are1 ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,i only regret ,i was not in my office when you called4 ,i should have been happy to have accompanied you round the wards4 ,your very just remarks have been repeated to me and the plan you mean to adopt explained1 but ,i fear you will meet with so many difficulties that you will get tired before you have achieved much good40 8,not at all10 ,i replied2 8you will see a great change by to-morrow1 which must be attributed chiefly to the politeness and cordial assistance ,i have met with from the members of every department--especially your own--which to me is the most important40 8,i have given orders that everything you may require is to be placed at your disposal1 if in store2 and any alteration or suggestion which is likely to be beneficial will be immediately attended to4 ,you have only to ask for anything you need in the way of cooking utensils1 and it shall1 if possible1 be procured40 8,my great object and delight will be to effect a change with the daily allowance40 8,that would certainly be as well2 but ,i fancy it cannot be done4 ,the provisions here are of a quality very inferior to what we get in ,london40 8,you are quite right1 if they are all like those ,i saw this morning4 ,favour me by tasting these two soups4 ,julien6 please to give ,mr4 ,milton two small basins of soup--one of mine1 and one of that made at the hospital40 ,on tasting mine first he pronounced it very good and palatable1 and of an excellent flavour4 ,the other1 although made with exactly the same materials1 he could hardly swallow4 ,it had no seasoning1 had a blackish appearance1 and was quite tasteless4 8,there is no comparison10 said ,mr4 ,milton4 8,all the soup will in future be like the sample ,i have made1 and ,i can greatly improve it by the addition of a few pounds of brown sugar and a little flour extra40 8,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i beg you will not regard such trivial expenses1 at any rate for the present2 what is required you shall have40 8,i see the fresh vegetables are very bad--as you have a quantity of preserved ones1 ,i shall mix them40 8,in future we must try and get better meat1 poultry1 and eggs2 and1 above all1 charcoal4 ,i am aware you have justly complained of them4 ,have you seen our bread80 8,yes1 ,i have1 and very good it is too40 8,that is really all we can manage to my satisfaction4 ,as regards the meat and poultry1 ,i will send you the contractor2 but the charcoal is in the commissariat department4 ,i shall write an official letter respecting it4 ,i see10 he continued1 looking at some1 8it is all dust1 and seems quite wet40 8,pray send off a letter2 and if you will give me the name of the gentleman who is at the head of that department1 ,i shall be happy to make his acquaintance2 and beg of him not to allow any delay1 as ,i consider this the most important matter of all40 ,i repeated the reason for saying this which ,i have before mentioned4 ,after listening attentively to my remarks1 ,mr4 ,milton said3-- 8,you may well call it the most important1 and the sooner it is altered the better40 ,we parted4 ,i then told the soldier cooks to have the boilers thoroughly cleaned1 and everything in from the stores by eight o'clock the next morning1 as ,i intended making the soup myself4 ,i left ,julien1 my head man1 with them to superintend matters4 ,having called upon ,doctor ,taylor1 ,i had a long conversation with him upon cookery4 ,in the course of this he said1-- 8,on finding that the cooking was so badly done1 ,i took upon myself1 not only to superintend the men1 but also to cook and teach them2 and ,i must say ,i found them very willing4 ,how could ,i expect them to know anything about it8 they had never been taught to do it40 8,true1 ,doctor2 and1 as soon as they begin to know a little about it1 they are recalled to their regiments1 and replaced by new-comers as ignorant as they were themselves at first40 8,exactly2 and ,i tell you what1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 though we may be very good doctors1 and possess a thorough knowledge of medical science1 we still need the aid of culinary science2 for the one without the other will produce but very unsatisfactory results4 ,since ,i have turned my attention to it1 ,i am more and more fortified in the opinion which ,i have expressed before several medical boards1 that a doctor1 to be well qualified1 should have some knowledge of the art of cookery1 and this he ought to acquire in the first stage of his medical education40 8,indeed1 ,doctor1 it is not with the view of elevating my profession1 to which ,i have now devoted my attention for more than twenty-seven years1 that ,i say ,i am persuaded that this science has been too lightly treated4 ,in corroboration of your just remark1 ,i have1 as you will find1 already stated in my various works upon cookery1 that to make a good cook it is of paramount importance that a man should possess some chemical as well as medical knowledge40 8,i agree with you1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said he4 8,as soon as my kitchen is ready1 ,doctor1 ,i hope you will favour me with a visit40 8,with much pleasure4 ,let me know when it is finished40 ,to my great regret1 ,i was obliged to see about returning to ,pera1 some delay having taken place in the completion of my house4 ,on reaching the landing-place not a caique was to be had1 the weather was so bad they could not cross4 ,a friend offered me shelter for that night at a small restaurant kept by a ,greek called ,demetri4 ,there were seventeen of us lying on straw sofas1 with the privilege of covering ourselves with our great coats1 if fortunate enough to possess one4 ,rooms were at a premium in ,scutari4 ,it was also necessary for anybody who wished to have the benefit of his great-coat to keep awake all night2 for no sooner did you begin to doze than some of your sleeping partners1 who happened to be wide awake1 endeavoured to appropriate the coveted garment to their use2 and the weather being very chilly1 this proved anything but pleasant4 ,unfortunately1 after passing an uncomfortable night1 ,i did not feel much refreshed1 and was almost unfit to undertake the difficult task ,i had before me4 ,however1 ,i was up at six1 and in the kitchen by seven4 ,none of my orders had been attended to4 ,my own people were not there as they ought to have been2 and the men told me they could not get the rations till ten o'clock1 that being the usual time for issuing them4 8,really10 said ,i2 8and pray who told you so80 8,the serjeant and some of the orderlies10 was the reply4 8,we shall see all about that2 come with me40 ,the truth is1 ,i did find it very difficult to get anything2 but1 in less than half-an-hour after ,i had been to the purveyor's head-quarters my new regiment began to manuvre admirably under my command4 ,by eight o'clock everything was ready for the cooking1 except my cooks1 who had been sleeping in a store-room upon some straw1 and had a regular fray with the allied rats4 ,these animals1 it appears1 had come to welcome them to ,scutari4 ,upon inspecting the boilers1 my first fear was realized--there was nothing but copper--all the tinning had worn away4 ,and very difficult was it to ascertain this fact1 these immense and deep caldrons being securely screwed to the marble basement1 and extremely difficult1 not only to remove1 but also to tin when removed4 ,i consider it most advisable that all large establishments should have their cooking apparatus made of malleable iron1 which is extremely clean1 is much cheaper1 and does not require tinning3 the lid may be made of copper for appearance' sake1 but not so the boiler4 ,the kitchen battery of the wealthy alone should be copper1 as they can afford to employ professional persons for the preparation of their diet1 who never would attempt using them when coppery4 7,for my important visit to the ,consumptive ,hospital at ,brompton1 see ,addenda47 ,that day ,i was obliged to use them4 ,having put the proper quantity of water into each copper1 with the meat1 barley1 vegetables1 and salt and pepper1 we lighted the fires2 and after allowing the ingredients to simmer for two hours and a half1 an excellent soup was made2 ,i only adding a little sugar and flour to finish it4 ,the receipt for this excellent soup1 so highly approved of and immediately adopted by the medical men1 will be found in my ,hospital ,diets1 with a scale of proportions from ten to a hundred4 ,the meat was so poor that there was no fat to skim off the soup4 ,it was therefore served out at once1 as described in the receipt4 ,several doctors went round with me1 and asked the men how they liked it4 ,they were all highly delighted with it1 and praised it very much4 ,i also took care that the rations of meat should not be tied together on the skewer4 ,the orderlies were now ordered not to tie their rations of meat so tight4 ,upon inspection ,i found that they had a most curious method of marking their different lots4 ,some used a piece of red cloth cut from an old jacket2 others half a dozen old buttons tied together2 old knives1 forks1 scissors1 c41 but one in particular had hit upon an idea which could not fail to meet with our entire approval4 ,the discovery of this brilliant idea was greeted with shouts of laughter from ,miss ,nightingale1 the doctors1 and myself4 ,it consisted in tying a pair of old snuffers to the lot4 ,all this rubbish was daily boiled with the meat1 but probably required more cooking4 ,on telling the man with the snuffers that it was a very dirty trick to put such things in the soup1 the reply was--8,how can it be dirty1 sir8 sure they have been boiling this last month40 ,when all the dinners had been served out1 ,i perceived a large copper half full of rich broth with about three inches of fat upon it4 ,i inquired what they did with this8 8,throw it away1 sir40 8,throw it away80 we all exclaimed4 8,yes1 sir2 it's the water in which the fresh beef has been cooked40 8,do you call that water8 ,i call it strong broth4 ,why don't you make soup of it80 8,we orderlies don't like soup1 sir40 8,then you really do throw it away80 8,yes1 sir2 it is good for nothing40 ,i took a ladle and removed a large basinful of beautiful fat1 which1 when cold1 was better for cooking purposes than the rank butter procured from ,constantinople at from ten to fifteen piastres per pound4 ,the next day ,i showed the men how to make a most delicious soup with what they had before so foolishly thrown away4 ,this method they were henceforward very glad to adopt4 ,not less than seventy pounds of beef had been daily boiled in this manner1 and without salt4 ,it would hardly be credited1 but for its truth ,i can appeal to ,miss ,nightingale and others who were present4 ,nothing was needed but a sharp look-out after the cooks in order to ensure complete success4 ,the day after ,i had the coppers tinned4 ,the next thing was to have a charcoal stove built1 an oven1 a store-room1 and a larder partitioned off2 and a kitchen dresser and chopping-block made4 ,through the kindness of the ,chief ,engineer1 ,captain ,gordon1 these things were accomplished in a few days1 and at a trifling expense4 ,if not a very magnificent1 it was1 as will be seen1 a very spacious and handy kitchen4 ,in a few days ,i made experiments in small quantities upon all the various extra diets1 such as chicken1 mutton1 and veal broth1 the cooking of fowls1 beef and mutton tea1 c4 ,i did not forget the beverages1 such as rice water1 lemonades1 arrow-root1 panada ditto1 barley water1 sago jelly1 c42 rice pudding1 sago1 bread1 vermicelli and macaroni ditto4 ,the receipts will be found in the ,addenda1 under the head of 8,hospital ,diets40 ,a gentleman1 ,mr4 ,black1 who was a first-class interpreter1 was then introduced to me by the ,purveyor-in-,chief1 and appointed to assist me in any way ,i might require his aid4 ,he was highly recommended by ,miss ,nightingale1 and a number of first-class doctors1 as well as by ,lord ,william ,paulet4 ,it is with gratitude that ,i acknowledge the great assistance ,i received from that gentleman during his stay with me1 and the energy he displayed in procuring everything ,i required4 ,he spoke ,french fluently1 also the ,turkish1 ,greek1 and ,armenian languages4 ,this rendered him invaluable to me1 as ,i was obliged to employ people speaking those different languages in my numerous kitchens4 ,and what was more remarkable still1 he was the husband of the celebrated ,maid of ,athens1 whose company ,i had the pleasure of enjoying several times2 and although this interesting personage is now in her tenth lustre1 some remains of the eulogy of the great ,byron seem still engraved on the physiognomy of the once celebrated ,greek beauty2 and she informed me that when ,lord ,byron wrote his poem on her1 she was but ten years of age1 he at the time residing opposite the house of her parents at ,athens4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,first ,,operations4 ,plan of proceeding--,inconveniences--,too many cooks spoil the broth--,supplementary scale--,how to make tea--,the ,scutari ,teapot--,soyer ,house--,kululee ,hospital--,beautiful view of the city of ,constantine and the ,bosphorus--,lady ,stratford de ,redcliffe's arrival--,bad cookery--,general and ,riding-school ,hospitals--,miss ,stanley--,hit upon an entirely new plan--,temporary indisposition--,depression of spirits--,happy recovery--,opening day--,grand success--,lord ,w4 ,paulet's letter--,take one wing of the hospital--,the old system--,dissatisfaction of the patients4 ,in a short time1 and without much trouble1 ,i initiated the soldier cooks into my method1 and taught the serjeant to see it properly executed4 ,i shall here describe the process fully1 as it will be generally useful for hospitals or public institutions4 ,in the first place ,i drew up two receipts--the one by weight and the other by measure1 the former for beef and the latter for mutton soups4 ,mutton was the principal meat used for patients in a state of convalescence4 ,these receipts ,i had carefully copied and hung up in the kitchen1 at the same time supplying the cooks with weights and scales4 ,i also taught them how to stew the meat well1 and to manage the fires so as to prevent over-boiling or burning1 as well as to economize the fuel4 ,it was no longer a matter of much difficulty4 ,every soldier had become a cook2 and if in case of any of them being removed to their regiments1 one of the initiated1 under the direction of the above-mentioned serjeant1 who was not changed1 soon made a new recruit capable of cooking for any number4 ,so simple was this plan1 that it was as easy to cook for thousands as it had before been for hundreds1 and to do it to perfection4#i ,although this was as perfect as possible1 a great difficulty still remained1 as the number varied daily1 some days increasing1 others decreasing2 and as the whole was cooked by messes1 the same caldron1 was required to cook for two hundred and fifty persons one day1 and perhaps for one hundred and seventy the next4 ,this caused great confusion and delay1 as well as continual quarrelling1 among the cooks and orderlies1 the latter complaining of not getting their full share2 and if this happened1 it was a matter of vital importance to the patient1 who was thus deprived of the proper quantity of sustenance ordered by the medical man4 ,in fact1 it led to many very serious results4 ,i therefore settled that all the caldrons should be filled every day2 and as each boiler would cook for one hundred and fifty1 in one only was it necessary that the quantity should vary4 ,as it was most probable that this one would vary daily1 ,i made a supplementary scale for it1 from five diets to one hundred1 leaving only a few pounds to be guessed4 ,if any mistake occurred1 it could be of no material consequence4 ,i also had tinned iron1 skewers made1 with numbers to each1 to prevent the meat being mixed in the boilers1 as expedition1 cleanliness1 and proportion should be the motto of all such establishments4 ,this plan was followed to the last4 ,as all the boilers had been well tinned1 ,i showed the men how to make tea on a large scale4 ,their plan was to tie the tea in a piece of cloth1 and throw it into the boiling water4 ,in a few minutes the cloth had shrunk so much1 that the aroma of the tea1 instead of being diffused1 was retained in the centre1 the inside of the bag being scarcely soaked4 ,this ,i proposed to remedy by having fine nets made for the purpose4 ,miss ,nightingale immediately had this done1 and they were a great improvement4 ,this1 after all1 was not quite satisfactory1 as the tea had to be made in the same boilers as the soup and meat4 ,the coppers were fixtures1 and of such large dimensions1 that it was almost impossible to clean them properly4 ,i therefore invented my ,scutari ,teapot1 with its valuable and economical improvement upon the old system1 the model of which is given at the end of the book4 7,see ,addenda47 ,,description ,,of ,,teapot4 ,i had a large kettle made1 holding eight quarts1 and put a coffee filter to it4 ,i then placed the rations of tea for about twenty men in the filter1 poured in the boiling water1 and1 to my astonishment1 made about one-fourth more tea1 perfectly clear1 and without the least sediment4 ,four of these kettles made enough tea for all the hospital1 and this at once induced me to order some upon a smaller scale for the various wards1 where at night it is often of the greatest importance that tea should be prepared quickly1 in large quantities4 ,i cannot too strongly recommend it to large families1 institutions1 and other establishments1 for its economy of time1 and a saving of at least twenty-five per cent1 upon the quantity of tea required4 ,i tried it in ,miss ,nightingale's room at ,scutari1 before several persons2 and the ,reverend ,mr4 ,blackwood1 the chaplain1 persuaded me to bring them out for the benefit of the poorer classes1 as much for its cleanliness as its economy4 ,this1 reader1 ,i claim more as a happy thought than an invention2 but ,i always had an idea that tea should be suspended in the water1 instead of being allowed to fall to the bottom1 as is generally the case4 ,coffee may be made in these vessels1 as the construction is the same as that of a coffee-pot4 ,by this time my kiosque1 or1 as it was afterwards named1 ,soyer ,house1 was ready4 ,it was situated in ,cambridge-street1 near the ,scutari ,grand ,champ des ,morts4 ,thanks to this1 my daily trip across the ,bosphorus was at an end1 and as the ,march winds had a great influence upon its current1 ,i preferred terra firma1 to rolling about in its whimsical stream of daily pearls1 evening diamonds1 and shoals of immense porpoises1 which towards sunset commence to accompany you with their nautical summersaults4 ,these at first terrified the uninitiated1 who could not help fearing the sudden appearance of an unexpected passenger on board the caique4 ,the time having been fixed by ,lady ,stratford de ,redcliffe for our visit to ,kululee1 in company with a doctor from that hospital ,i rode over there4 ,it is about five miles from ,scutari1 along the edge of the ,bosphorus2 and from an ancient ,jewish cemetery on the top of one of the hills the beauty of the panorama is such as to defy description4 ,my opinion is1 that such another view does not exist in any other spot under the canopy of heaven4 ,under its inspiration ,i entirely forgot the annoyance ,i had endured in that labyrinth of ruin and filth4 ,from this spot the metropolis of ,constantine1 backed by a sky of fire1 presented so sublime and picturesque an appearance1 that in an enchanted dream alone could one hope to realize the effect of the mirage4 ,it embraced the city and the whole length of the ,bosphorus1 down to the entrance of the ,black ,sea4 ,leaving this beautiful landscape1 we passed through several dull1 though very pretty villages1 and shortly after arrived at the hospital and barrack of ,kululee4 ,it is surrounded by kiosques and country seats4 ,the country appears very rich and fertile1 but owing to the indolence of the inhabitants1 8which may be adopted as a proverb10 produces little4 ,although ,nature has done so much for the ,moslem race1 she seems also to have deprived them of the faculty of exertion1 and consequently of doing anything for themselves4 ,shortly after our arrival we saw1 through the golden rays of a dazzling sunlight1 several caiques gaily dancing on the turbulent waves of the ,bosphorus4 ,they darted swiftly towards us2 the caidjees wore white jackets with flowing sleeves4 ,in a few minutes ,lady ,stratford landed1 attended by several of her fair companions4 8,have you been over the hospital1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 said ,lady ,stratford1 on landing4 8,no1 ,i have not1 my lady40 8,i am glad of that1 as ,i wish to explain everything to you respecting the various kitchen departments myself4 ,you must know1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 that we have three separate hospitals here4 ,although they are under the direction of one doctor1 they form three distinct establishments4 ,we will now visit the ,barrack ,hospital1 as we are so close to it1 and then the other two40 ,several remarks were made upon the delightful situation of ,kululee4 ,lady ,stratford in the meantime sent ,signor ,roco to apprise ,dr4 ,humfries of our arrival4 ,we commenced visiting the store-rooms1 provisions1 kitchens1 larders1 c4 ,i found in the extra-diet kitchen several very good and well-prepared diets2 and amongst these some very nice calves'-foot jelly1 and excellent rice pudding made by the ,sisters of ,mercy4 ,i took notes of what was required in kitchen utensils--alterations and improvements in that department2 and as one of ,captain ,gordon's best men was with me1 our business proceeded very rapidly4 ,lady ,stratford proposed that we should next visit the principal kitchen4 8,i think1 from its appearance1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 that it is in a very bad state40 ,such proved to be the case4 ,it was in perfect darkness1 full of smoke1 and the stoves1 as large as those at ,scutari1 required considerable alterations1 the furnaces being inside1 instead of out1 as at ,scutari4 ,the brick-work was quite burnt out1 and all the smoke came in the kitchen1 blinding the men1 who could not support the extra fatigue caused by this nuisance1 even preferring their dangerous duty in the trenches to this kind of culinary inquisition1 as it might very justly have been called4 ,they were in consequence changed every week1 or even oftener4 ,the result of this was bad cookery and the consumption of about #agj per cent4 more wood than was necessary4 ,the men actually piled small trees1 cut into lengths of five or six feet1 upon the fires2 and when the soup boiled too fast they threw pailsful of water upon the burning wood1 thus filling the place with dust and steam4 ,as the boilers were screwed down in the same manner as those at ,scutari ,barrack ,hospital1 they had never been tinned since first used4 ,i at once had the furnaces put in order1 and the skylight over them repaired4 ,i gave them my receipts1 and sent one of my men over for a few days to teach them how to make the soup4 ,i also promised ,lady ,stratford1 who took so much interest in the success of that hospital1 to call as often as ,i could2 and1 after the opening of my kitchens at ,scutari1 to spend a few days there1 and superintend the cooking myself4 ,we then went to the ,general ,hospital1 on the top of the hill1 which contained three hundred patients4 ,having had the honour of being introduced to the ,sisters of ,mercy1 ,i took notes of all that was wanted there1 and we lastly proceeded to the ,riding ,school ,hospital1 appropriated to the convalescents4 ,there ,i had the pleasure of being introduced to ,miss ,stanley1 who had the superintendence of the ,sisters4 ,this establishment had neither kitchen nor cooking utensils4 ,however1 by the aid of the engineer who accompanied us1 everything was soon settled4 ,yet1 after all1 ,i ordered nothing that was not indispensable2 and ,i must remark that1 with all the power with which ,i was invested by the ,war ,department1 coupled with the willing assistance of ,captain ,gordon1 ,i found it a difficult matter to get a plank1 or even a nail1 fixed in any of the hospitals4 ,at the same time1 ,i may add1 with pride and gratitude1 that throughout the ,crimean campaign ,i was most highly favoured by every department2 for if anything ,i required was procurable1 ,i had it4 ,lady ,stratford and visitors having expressed their satisfaction at the success of our visit1 ,i was on the point of retiring with ,signor ,roco ,vido1 when ,lady ,stratford asked what day the kitchen at ,scutari would be opened4 8,on ,monday next10 was my reply4 8,i presume we shall be honoured with your ladyship's presence1 and that of your suite40--8,i shall not fail to attend1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 were her ladyship's words4 ,the ,sisters having thanked me1 we retired4 ,we returned in a beautiful ,oriental moonlight by the same road--the panorama of the morning being now tinted by the reflection of the soft rays of the moon4 ,just as ,i had set everybody to work in the various hospitals1 and my ,scutari kitchen was nearly finished1 an entirely new plan suggested itself to my mind4 ,it was as follows3--,instead of commencing with a hundred patients at a time1 as ,i had at first intended1 ,i changed my mind1 and preferred making a grand opening1 resolving to invite all the heads of the medical department in the various hospitals1 as well as some of the most eminent among the ,french and ,turkish medical staff4 ,this1 ,i was aware1 was a bold experiment2 for had ,i failed--and many unforeseen events might have caused such a result--my reputation would have suffered4 ,i was1 therefore1 well aware that ,i was risking the labour of twenty years against an uncertainty2 as all those ,i was about to invite would come to watch my proceedings with the eyes of ,argus1 and would judge of my plans accordingly4 ,at all events1 my sample trials had already given great satisfaction to two eminent doctors4 ,in pursuance of this plan1 ,i went to ,lord ,william ,paulet1 explained it1 and begged him to send1 or cause to be sent1 invitations to all the principal officers to honour me with their presence upon the occasion1 which his lordship kindly promised to do4 ,i also apprised the doctor-in-chief1 who promised to attend himself1 and invite the principal medical gentlemen to do the same4 ,the opening day was fixed for the following ,monday--it was then ,tuesday--leaving me till ,thursday to finish my preparations4 ,on the ,friday morning1 after having inspected several kitchens1 and gone through a number of wards1 ,i was suddenly taken ill4 ,i seemed to have forgotten everything1 and experienced at the same time a sensation of brain fever4 ,there were1 however1 none of its symptoms4 ,although ,i was quite conscious of what ,i had to do1 ,i was entirely incapable of doing it1 or of ordering anything or directing any one4 ,in fact1 ,i began to fear that all my former endeavours would prove useless1 and the opening of my kitchen be a marked failure4 ,the day appointed by ,lord ,paulet could not easily be changed1 and such a course would have caused the success of my project to be doubted4 ,though ,i had a couple of assistants1 neither of them could carry it out for me1 as they did not know my plans4 ,this sudden indisposition ,i only mentioned to my people and to ,doctor ,macgregor1 who told me to keep quiet1 and gave me some soothing medicine4 ,it was ,sunday afternoon before my head was clear1 and1 after a good night's rest1 ,i felt myself again1 and quite able to open my kitchen on the day appointed4 ,the doctor attributed this mental disorder to the effect produced by the immense number of sick and wounded ,i was in the habit of seeing daily1 and the numerous dead bodies passing before the windows to be buried4 ,i had also witnessed several cases of autopsy and some operations4 8,this10 he said1 8with the constant worry of business1 has unnerved you to that extent1 that had you unfortunately taken the fever1 you would perhaps never have recovered your senses40 ,however1 thanks to a kind ,providence1 ,i was able to open my kitchen at the appointed time4 ,it met with perfect success1 and the entire approbation of all the medical gentlemen and visitors present4 ,they all expressed themselves highly gratified1 and declared that the various samples of diets ,i then submitted for their opinion were much preferable to those produced under the old system1 besides having the merit of being concocted with the same ration allowance4 ,the plan ,i adopted was this3--my samples of diets and extra diets being prepared1 ,i arranged the basins containing the different diets on the table1 and in juxta-position ,i placed those prepared by the soldiers1 affixing a number to each1 to enable the people present to make a comparison4 ,all was ready by eleven o'clock1 and one being the time appointed for the arrival of the visitors1 ,i fetched ,doctor ,cumming1 and requested him to taste the several samples1 and give me his candid opinion2 observing that everything was made from the usual allowance1 and cost about the same1 or even less1 when made in large quantities4 ,no4 #a1 was beef-tea4 ,tasting my sample first1 ,doctor ,cumming pronounced it good2 the other1 without taste or flavour4 ,no4 #a was adopted4 ,then followed chicken-broth1 mutton-broth1 beef-soup1 rice-water1 barley-water1 arrowroot-water1 ditto with wine1 sago with port1 calves'-foot jelly1 c4 ,everything was found superior1 and so highly commended by the doctor-in-chief1 ,i no longer had any doubt of success1 nor of the general approval of all the faculty4 ,i promised to lay the recipes for my new diets before the doctor the next day1 and he retired4#aj ,about half-past twelve1 the kitchen was crowded to excess with military and medical men4 ,lord ,william ,paulet entered1 followed by his staff1 and accompanied by ,mr4 ,milton1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,bracebridge1 c4 ,they were much pleased with the cleanly appearance of the kitchen1 and equally surprised at the alteration which it had undergone in so short a time4 ,i then showed his lordship round1 carefully pointing out to him the simple but useful alterations ,i had effected2 and requested him to taste the various samples1 compare the one with the other1 and give his candid opinion thereupon4 ,having done this1 ,lord ,w4 ,paulet expressed his high satisfaction1 and to confirm it1 while in the kitchen1 wrote the following letter3-- ,lord ,william ,paulet to ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,it is with great pleasure that ,i state ,i have carefully viewed and tasted the new diets introduced by ,monsieur ,soyer in the hospitals this day2 and had ,i not seen and tasted them1 ,i could not have believed that such an amelioration could have been produced from the same materials as allowed by ,government4 ,w4 ,,paulet4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,barrack ,,hospital ,,kitchen1 ,,scutari4 ,above a hundred officials from the various hospitals were present1 and many of the ,sisters of ,mercy4 ,not one person had anything to say in disapproval2 but1 on the contrary1 praised everything4 ,this was sufficient to stamp it with success4 ,the only thing ,i regretted was1 that--owing to the rough state of the ,bosphorus that day--,lady ,stratford de ,redcliffe1 as well as a number of military men and medical officers from the ,french and ,turkish hospitals1 were not present4 ,however1 they visited my kitchen some days after1 and having inspected everything1 added their testimonials of approbation to those ,i had already received4 ,they were particularly struck with the cleanliness and order in a place where so much was done daily4 ,the day after the opening1 ,i proposed to ,doctors ,cumming and ,macgregor1 the superintendent1 to take one wing of the hospital1 which contained one-fourth of the patients1 and supply these with all which they might require4 ,this ,i did with the greatest ease1 and without the least confusion1 much to the satisfaction of the patients4 ,i continued to do this for three days1 and then took half of the hospital in hand4 ,as ,i wished fully to impress the patients with the superiority of my newly-adopted diets1 ,i then took the other half in hand1 and put the first back to the old rgime1 for a day or two1 as ,i was not quite prepared to undertake the whole at once4 ,the patients immediately became dissatisfied1 so ,i was obliged to go with ,dr4 ,macgregor to them and explain the reason of the sudden change1 which was only momentary1 three cheers from my numerous guests closing my laconic1 though effective1 speech4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,the ,,scutari ,,mission ,,accomplished4 ,the extra-diet kitchens closed--,one large kitchen--,plan for keeping the dinners hot--,general satisfaction--,the ,general ,hospital--,summons to ,kululee--,labours there--,palace and ,hyder ,pacha ,hospitals--,ordered to proceed to the ,crimea--,model field-stove--,conversation with ,lord ,w4 ,paulet--,a new ,purveyor-in-chief--,companions for the voyage to the ,crimea--,an evening at ,dr4 ,macgregor's--,return home--,a midnight scene--,the dying soldier--,the guardian angel--,mr4 ,robertson1 the new purveyor--,final tour of inspection--,general ,vivian and his aide-de-camp--,parting testimony4 ,a few days afterwards1 ,i closed all the extra-diet kitchens1 with the exception of the one under the direction of ,miss ,nightingale1 and another under the direction of ,dr4 ,taylor1 having discharged about twenty soldier cooks1 who consumed daily ten times more fuel than was required2 this at the same time much deteriorated the quality of the extra diets1 which required the greatest attention as regarded the regulation of the heat4 ,we prepared everything in the one large kitchen--viz41 breakfast1 dinner1 tea1 extra-diets1 the cooking for the orderlies1 c41 included4 ,having got all under my own eye1 ,i placed two civilian cooks in charge of the extra-diets1 with six soldiers to assist them1 who might at the same time be instructed1 instead of the twelve before required--thus simplifying the whole process4 ,the only difficulty that remained was1 how to send the dinners hot to the various wards1 on account of the distance being so great4 ,miss ,nightingale submitted a very excellent plan1 which was adopted with success4 ,it is very similar to that in use in the ,french hospitals1 with this difference1 that we introduced double cases in which to carry boiling water1 thus keeping the contents of the several divisions hot much longer4 ,two of these cases were sufficient for each ward1 and after they had been in use for a week1 no establishment could be in better order4 ,had there been room in the hospital we could have accommodated as many more patients with the greatest ease1 the receipts being regulated by weight and measure1 from an ounce for certain articles1 to seven or eight cwt4 for others4 ,i must also observe1 in thanking ,mr4 ,milton1 the purveyor1 that he rendered me the full amount of assistance he had promised1 and without such powerful aid1 as well as that of ,mr4 ,tucker1 it would have been impossible for me to have made so much progress in so short a period4 ,in the first place1 the provisions were improved--the old fowls got unexpectedly younger1 and the fuel was better4 ,i was thus perfectly satisfied1 and so was everybody else--medical officers as well as patients4 ,as soon as the alterations at the ,general ,hospital were completed1 and which made a very good kitchen1 being clean1 light1 and commodious1 instead of being ill-adapted for the purpose1 as ,i at first found it1 ,i paid a second visit to ,doctor ,lawson1 the chief medical officer of this hospital4 ,i then tried some experiments before him and numerous other doctors similar to those ,i had previously made at the ,barrack ,hospital1 and with the same success2 and ,i must say1 as far as the extra diet went1 in justice to ,doctor ,o',flaherty1 the under-superintendent1 with a great deal less trouble than ,i experienced at the ,barrack ,hospital2 ,doctor ,o',flaherty having carefully watched over and disposed of that very important department4 ,i next went to ,kululee1 then in charge of the new lady manager1 ,miss ,hutton1 who had replaced ,miss ,stanley4 ,i received the following letter from that lady1 and at once placed myself at her disposal4 ,,kululee ,,hospital1 ,april1 #adth1 #ahee4 ,,monsieur1--,i hear that you are on the point of leaving ,scutari4 ,when may we hope that you will come to ,kululee8 ,a few days of your instruction and superintendence might effect more good than ,i can express4 ,i am1 yours1 c41 ,,emily ,,hutton4 ,the day after the receipt of this ,i went to ,kululee1 where ,i had the pleasure of seeing ,miss ,hutton for the first time1 and met with a most gracious reception from that lady and her assistants4 ,we next visited the ,general ,hospital upon the heights1 where ,i was introduced to the matron and the ,irish ,sisters of ,charity4 ,these ladies were very anxious to obtain some utensils and have a new extra-diet kitchen built4 ,captain ,gordon's assistant made a small sketch of the place1 and undertook to have it done at once1 being aware of its necessity4 ,i left quite satisfied that it would be immediately put in execution4 ,it only remained for me to give a list of the utensils required to the purveyor-in-chief2 and shortly after1 in company with that gentleman1 ,i paid another visit to the hospital1 where1 thanks to his attention1 they had a most effective kitchen4 ,i regretted that the large kitchen for the convalescent belonged to the ,turkish authorities1 as it could not be altered to my liking4 ,nothing could be altered without an order from the ,turkish officials1 and to obtain this1 would have taken as long a time as the duration of the war4 ,upon leaving the ,general ,hospital1 we visited the ,barrack ,hospital1 where we found every department perfect--the orders given upon our former visit with ,lady ,stratford de ,redcliffe having been carried out to the letter4 ,i was now introduced to ,doctor ,humphrey1 who had been appointed in lieu of another medical gentleman4 ,he accompanied us round the hospital1 and kindly offered me a bed for the night1 which ,i accepted--having to cook for the patients the next morning1 as well as to instruct some soldier-cooks who were at the convalescent hospital1 called the ,riding ,school4 ,the next day ,i was in full action1 and received visits from every doctor and ,sister of ,charity1 who all approved of the diets1 as well as my new teapot1 in which ,i made in the space of ten minutes1 out of the ration tea1 enough strong tea for about thirty persons2 thus effecting a saving of at least ten per cent4 ,at the desire of ,miss ,hutton1 ,i afterwards sent a civilian cook to the ,barrack ,hospital1 to carry out the system1 and to set the various kitchen departments in order4 ,but ,i must observe in full justice to that lady1 who had succeeded ,miss ,stanley1 that since my last visit to these hospitals1 every department under her care was so much improved that hardly anything was required to perfect them4 ,although the hospitals were full of patients1 the lady assistants who attended this duty appeared to devote their utmost energies to the benevolent and humane cause for which they had left their native homes4 ,thence ,i went to the ,palace ,hospital1 ,hyder ,pacha1 and having had a new kitchen built for the use of the officers1 placed a good civilian cook in it1 and with the assent and assistance of ,doctors ,cumming and ,m',elray1 the doctor-in-chief1 composed a bill of fare for their mess4 ,having arranged everything in the various hospitals to my satisfaction1 ,i was honoured by several visits from ,lady ,stratford de ,redcliffe1 who expressed her own and ,lord ,stratford's approbation of my management1 and both afterwards took a most lively interest in the success of my proceedings4 ,i then was requested by ,lord ,panmure to proceed to the ,crimea for the same purpose1 and also to try and improve the system of camp cookery for the soldiers4 ,i therefore informed ,lord ,william ,paulet of my anticipated departure for the seat of war1 showing him1 at the same time1 my small model field stove4 ,having explained its principle1 he expressed his approval of its simplicity4 ,i said1 8,i expect ten of those stoves1 which1 upon arrival1 ,i wish to have forwarded to the ,crimea4 ,i have managed to make use of the ,turkish coppers at the hospital1 which answer perfectly well1 and of the existence of which ,i was not aware before leaving ,england4 ,they are the same as those adopted in the hospital at ,smyrna1 and1 although too large for camp use1 would do very well for my trial before the ,crimean authorities4 ,if these stoves are approved of1 those for the army on march or in camp can be made thus--viz41 two for a company1 both of which can be carried on the back of one mule1 with sufficient wood inside for two days4 ,when on march1 they will cook either under cover or in the open air1 and in all weathers1 and the quantity of fuel required will be a mere trifle compared with the present consumption4 ,thus you perceive1 my lord1 that two small ones will cook for a full company of a hundred or a hundred and twenty men1 though ,i am aware a company seldom exceeds a hundred in number4 ,this will not matter much2 and it is better to have them too large than too small4 ,we can also have smaller ones for picket and outpost duty40 8,you are right1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 and ,i must say your plan appears very sensible and well conceived4 ,i heartily wish you the same success in the ,crimea that you have met with here40 8,in order to prevent any inconvenience from my departure from the hospital1 ,i will put all in good trim1 and leave the whole under the superintendence of a corporal who is now well acquainted with my system2 and ,i shall request several doctors to send occasionally for soup1 broth1 pudding1 c41 unknown to the cook1 to see if any alteration takes place after my departure2 and perhaps your lordship would oblige me by doing the same4 ,this will make them attentive to the proportions required and the proper management of the cooking40 8,i assure you ,i often send for a basin of the soldiers' soup for my lunch1 it is so very good40 8,i do not think you will find any difference after my departure1 although1 many persons say that it is all very well so long as ,i am here1 but that as soon as my back is turned it will be as bad as ever4 ,colonel ,dennis1 in particular1 will not be persuaded2 ,i will vouch for the contrary1 as my receipts are all done by weight and measure1 and that causes much less trouble4 ,before ,i came they had never done working1 and all for want of a proper system of management4 ,doctor ,cumming and myself have talked over the subject1 and we have no fear of the result4 ,the only thing required is for the serjeant in charge to see all properly attended to in the morning40 8,i shall be happy to give you a letter to ,lord ,raglan1 with whom ,i suppose you are acquainted40 8,i am2 but it is above twelve years since ,i had the pleasure of seeing his lordship1 and that was at the ,reform ,club2 therefore a letter from your lordship1 in addition to one from the ,minister-at-,war1 cannot fail to be very acceptable40 8,it shall be ready for you to-morrow morning4 ,by the way1 ,i hope you do not intend to go before the new purveyor-in-chief comes4 ,it is most important that you should see him40 8,indeed6 ,i was not aware that we were to have a new purveyor-in-chief4 ,i very much regret it--but is ,mr4 ,milton going80 8,of course he is3 he only came out here till another could be appointed4 ,he cannot remain1 as he holds a very important appointment at the ,war-,office1 and his presence is required in ,london4 ,i should advise you to see him1 and mention about your stoves4 ,he will forward them to ,balaklava for you40 8,i will do so1 my lord4 ,i much regret taking up so much of your valuable time40 8,do not mention that1 ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,this is business1 and to my mind of great importance40 8,a fresh tribulation60 thought ,i2 8a new purveyor-in-chief1 who1 in my absence1 may upset everything ,i have done60 ,i went immediately to ,miss ,nightingale1 to inquire whether she had heard of this change4 ,i met ,mr4 ,bracebridge there1 and he told me that he had known it for some time4 ,he informed me that ,miss ,nightingale and himself were going to the ,crimea1 and proposed that we should all start together4 ,i1 of course1 was much pleased at the news1 as ,i knew that ,miss ,nightingale would be of great assistance to me in the hospitals in the ,crimea4 ,i then promised ,mr4 ,bracebridge to be ready on the day fixed for our departure4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge said1 8,miss ,nightingale is engaged at present4 ,do you wish to see her80 8,no2 ,i am going to ,mr4 ,milton1 to speak about the stoves ,i mentioned the other day1 and to inquire when the new purveyor-in-chief is coming40 8,oh1 ,i can tell you that--he will be here to-morrow without fail40 8,that will do nicely4 ,we shall just have time to become acquainted1 and settle everything before my departure to the seat of war40 ,i found ,mr4 ,milton preparing for his departure4 8,well1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 have you any message for ,london80 said he1 with a jovial face and a smile4 8,it is with great regret that ,i have just heard of your intended departure1 and the arrival of a new purveyor-in-chief40 8,i assure you that ,i have had quite enough of ,scutari and its bother1 and much prefer the ,london fog to the bright sun of the ,east and its accessory annoyances4 ,the fact is1 ,i was only here pro tem41 till some one could be permanently appointed1 but ,i did not expect to be recalled so early4 ,yesterday ,i received my feuille de route1 as you call it in ,french1 from the ,war ,office4 ,i hope to have the pleasure of introducing you to ,mr4 ,robertson1 my successor1 to-morrow1 and the day after ,i shall probably be off40 8,i shall start a few days after you1 but not exactly in the same direction40 8,where are you going1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 8,why1 are you not aware that ,miss ,nightingale1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 and myself are going on ,saturday next to the ,crimea80 8,oh1 that's right6 ,some one was saying you would not go to the camp40 8,what could make them say so8 ,not fear on my part--for of that ,i never dream2 besides1 our lives are more in danger here in the hospital than in the open air4 ,the observation ,i made to the ,minister-at-,war1 respecting the camp1 was this1--that unless ,i could invent a cooking apparatus for the army to supersede the tin kettles ,i had seen at ,chobham1 it would be useless to attempt to teach the men to cook4 ,an officer who happened to be present observed1 #8,you're right4 ,monsieur ,soyer2 they appear very unfit for a heavy company4--,i have remarked that myself4' ,by-the-bye1 have you seen the ,french canteens--marmites1 as they call them8 ,they are very superior1 and much larger than ours1 besides being made of better metal4 ,one soldier is1 however1 required to cook for every sixteen men with them1 and they present the same difficulty with respect to open-air cooking4#aa ,this is especially the case on a long march--while those stoves1 the model of which ,i had submitted to the ,war ,office1 were quite free from any such inconvenience40 8,they will be ordered10 said ,mr4 ,milton1 8as soon as they are approved of by the ,crimean authorities40 8,i am glad to hear you say so2 but my greatest anxiety now1 ,mr4 ,milton1 is to see the new purveyor-in-chief1 and have a fair understanding with him1 so that during my absence he may not undo what you and ,i have so successfully commenced40 8,you may depend upon it that ,i shall advise him for the best on that subject10 said ,mr4 ,milton4 ,the evening was spent cheerfully at ,doctor ,macgregor's4 ,the ,american clock upon the doctor's chimney-piece deceived his guests1 if not the doctor1 who was at once good-natured1 amiable1 and uncommonly fond of anecdote1 and1 like a true ,scotchman1 professed an immense deal of veneration of1 and attachment to1 his whisky-toddy4 8,the day10 he used to say1 8is for manual labour1 the evening for comfort and sociality2 but1 alas6 in my case1 night and day are the same--,i may be called at any hour2 therefore1 the longer you favour me with your company1 my friends1 the better ,i shall like it1 you may depend40 ,we now perceived that the clock was under the powerful influence of the doctor's 8treatment20 nevertheless1 common sense induced us all to rise and leave1 and after a hearty shaking of hands1 and no end of good wishes1 we parted4 ,on arriving at the second door1 which opened upon one of the grand avenues of sick and wounded1 we retired in a silent and mournful procession--except the groans of the sufferers1 nothing was heard but the friction of our boots upon the stone floor1 already worn into a kind of groove between the rows of beds upon which lay the sick and wounded1 caused by the constant passing and repassing of the doctors1 ,sisters of ,mercy1 orderlies1 and other officials in attendance upon the patients4 ,as we turned the angle of the long corridor to the right1 we perceived1 at a great distance1 a faint light flying from bed to bed1 like a will-o'-the-wisp flickering in a meadow on a summer's eve1 which at last rested upon one spot2 or as a bee sporting from flower to flower1 till it at length lights upon a delicious floral banquet1 which the insect determines not to leave till it has extracted the last drop of honey from the devoted pistil4 ,but1 alas6 as we approached1 we perceived our mistake4 ,a group in the shape of a silhouette unfolded its outline in light shade4 ,as we came nearer and nearer1 the picture burst upon us4 ,a dying soldier was half reclining upon his bed4 ,life1 you could observe1 was fast bidding him adieu2 ,death1 that implacable deity1 was anxiously waiting for his soul to convey it to its eternal destination4 ,but stop6 near him was a guardian angel1 sitting at the foot of his bed1 and most devotedly engaged pencilling down his last wishes to be despatched to his homely friends or relations4 ,a watch and a few more trinkets were consigned to the care of the writer2 a lighted lamp was held by another person1 and threw a painful yellowish coloris over that mournful picture1 which a ,rembrandt alone could have traced1 but which everybody1 as long as the world lasts1 would have understood1 felt1 and admired4 ,it was then near two o'clock in the morning4 ,illustration3 ,,miss4 ,,nightingale ,,and ,,the ,,dying ,,soldier4 ,approaching1 ,i made inquiries of ,miss ,nightingale as to the complaint of her patient1 when she replied in ,french1 that the poor fellow was given up by the doctors1 and was not likely to get through the night2 8so ,i have been engaged noting down his last wishes1 in order to forward them to his relatives40 ,the next morning1 ,miss ,nightingale1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 and myself had a long conversation respecting our plan of operations in the coming campaign4 ,having settled everything to our satisfaction1 ,i once more went round the hospitals2 and1 upon reaching home1 ,i heard that ,mr4 ,robertson had arrived4 ,he had been represented to me1 by some person or other1 as a very old and infirm man1 wearing green spectacles4 ,at the time ,i heard this1 ,i was in the company of a very illustrious personage1 who was visiting my kitchen1 and he also listened to the serjeant giving this description1 and very justly observed1 that for such a fatiguing situation a young man was required4 8,now10 he continued1 pointing from the kitchen door to the building1 8observe the tremendous distance it is from one end of the building to the other4 ,a purveyor should go round once a-day1 independent of the business of his office4 ,i tell you what--,i have found out this much myself1 that the head1 when properly screwed on1 lasts much longer than the legs2 and when both are required at the same time1 there is an additional strain40 ,while we were discussing this important subject1 in walked ,mr4 ,milton1 accompanied by an old gentleman1 as described by the serjeant1 and a third person4 ,to my surprise1 ,mr4 ,robertson was not the reverend old man4 ,he happened to be one of ,mr4 ,robertson's friends1 instead of himself4#ab ,instead of being an old man1 ,i found him the very person wanted--about thirty years of age--full of vigour and intelligence4 ,in a short time ,i was perfectly acquainted with his qualifications for the office to which he had been appointed--requiring1 as ,i said before1 so much bodily exercise4 ,the few days ,i had to remain at ,scutari enabled us to come to a perfect understanding4 8,monsieur ,soyer10 said ,mr4 ,milton1 8,i now leave you in very good hands4 ,i have explained everything to ,mr4 ,robertson respecting your department1 and ,i am certain he will be kind enough to attend to it in your absence4 ,i am off for ,england to-morrow2 therefore1 fare you well2 take care of yourself in the ,crimea4 ,i have also spoken to ,mr4 ,robertson about your stoves2 he will forward them to the ,crimea as soon as they arrive40 8,i wish you a pleasant journey1 ,mr4 ,milton4 ,i hope to have the pleasure of seeing you in ,london40 ,mr4 ,robertson accompanied me round the various stores1 and after passing all in review1 and noting what would be required in future1 we parted4 ,i felt fully convinced that my former efforts would not be destroyed1 as ,i had at first feared4 ,the next day we went to the ,general and the ,palace ,hospitals and ,kululee1 and made similar arrangements4 ,i now felt almost free of the hospitals1 though my intention was to run down from the ,crimea now and then to have a look at them1 as the least mismanagement would create confusion4 ,i then requested ,lord ,w4 ,paulet to devote a few hours1 before my departure1 to visiting the other hospitals1 and he very kindly fixed upon that afternoon4 ,mr4 ,robertson1 ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 the ,hon4 ,captain ,bourke1 his lordship's aide-de-camp1 and myself rode over to the various hospitals1 and ,i pointed out the improvements ,i had made1 all of which ,lord ,w4 ,paulet considered very effective and judicious1 and promised that they should be followed up1 referring me at the same time to ,mr4 ,robertson4 8,that gentleman10 he said1 8is now major-domo in the purveyor's department40 ,i told ,lord ,w4 ,paulet that ,mr4 ,robertson and myself had already settled everything1 and we rode back to the ,barrack ,hospital4 ,lord ,w4 ,paulet very kindly invited me to dine with him1 and ,i much regretted that time did not allow of my accepting the invitation1 as we had to leave the next morning1 and ,i wished to see ,miss ,nightingale and ,mr4 ,bracebridge2 but ,i promised to return and spend a part of the evening with him1 which ,i did1 and very merrily too4 ,i must say that1 in all the transactions connected with my mission to the ,crimea1 to no gentleman am ,i more indebted than to ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 whose gracious reception1 continued kindness1 and the extreme confidence he placed in me1 gave me such extraordinary encouragement that it greatly tended to my success3 a failure might have been the result1 had he treated me otherwise4 ,lord ,w4 ,paulet gave me the promised letters1 and signed the following paper3-- ,,scutari ,,barrack ,,hospital1 ,,constantinople1 ,may #ast1 #ahee4 ,,to ,,brigadier-,,general ,,lord ,,wm4 ,,paulet4--,important regulations to insure for the future a good1 clean1 wholesome1 and nutritious class of food1 and delicate beverages1 to be daily produced for the comfort of the sick and wounded in all the hospitals of the ,east1 as well as for the standing army1 which will prove economical both in a saving of time1 and also a pecuniary sense4 ,monsieur ,soyer most respectfully solicits the assistance of ,brigadier-,general ,lord ,wm4 ,paulet in granting the following requisites1 which ,monsieur ,soyer considers indispensable to carry out the objects of the important mission conferred on him by the ,government of her ,britannic ,majesty ,queen ,victoria the ,first1 and of which his lordship has already given proofs of his high approval and satisfaction1 as well as his assistance in facilitating the introduction of a completely new system of diet1 which has met with the approval of ,doctor ,cumming1 the chief medical officer1 and every medical gentleman connected with his staff in the various ,english hospitals at ,constantinople4 ,first requisite4--,that for every important hospital1 a professed man-cook shall be engaged1 with a civilian assistant1 instead of military1 as is now the case1 and the principal to be under military rules and regulations4 ,second4--,that all military men now engaged cooking in the hospitals and barrack kitchens shall be immediately instructed in the art of camp-cooking4 ,as they are already acquainted with the plain mode of cooking1 it will only require a few lessons from ,monsieur ,soyer1 under his new and simple style1 to become thoroughly conversant with this branch of culinary operations1 highly essential at the present crisis1 and about which the ,right ,honourable ,lord ,panmure1 her ,majesty's ,minister-at-,war1 expressed the greatest anxiety personally to ,monsieur ,soyer1 on his mission to ,scutari1 with a view to disseminating the system throughout the army4 ,monsieur ,soyer feels assured that if present in the camp for a few weeks he will be enabled to carry out this important object1 at the same time introducing wholesome and nutritious food made out of the usual allowances of provisions supplied to the army1 so soon as his field or bivouac stove shall be adopted by the ,crimean authorities4 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,approved4 ,w4 ,,paulet1 ,b4-,general1 ,commanding ,troops4 ,scutari1 ,may #ast1 #ahee4 ,i then returned my thanks and bade his lordship adieu4 ,thus terminated my ,scutari duties1 which were afterwards carried on to my entire satisfaction under the direction of ,mr4 ,robertson1 and supported by ,lord ,w4 ,paulet2 later by ,general ,storks1 now ,sir ,henry1 who succeeded his lordship4 ,shortly after the opening of my kitchen1 ,i received a visit from ,general ,vivian and his aide-de-camp1 ,captain ,ramsey4 ,during his visit1 ,miss ,nightingale entered the kitchen4 ,i then introduced the ,general to her1 and we had a very animated and interesting conversation relating to hospital treatment1 c4 ,the ,general expressed his high gratification at being introduced to ,miss ,nightingale1 and ,i then had the honour of showing him through the hospital1 not omitting the other kitchens1 where the cooking was still carried on upon the old system1 as ,i had not had1 in that short space of time1 an opportunity to remedy it4 ,the ,general and ,captain ,ramsey expressed their high approval and satisfaction of the great improvement ,i had already made in the culinary department of that monster establishment4 ,i may1 perhaps1 be pardoned for being vain enough to quote the gallant ,general's remark prior to his leaving my kitchen1 which remark encouraged me so much in the prosecution of my labours4 ,it was thus3-- 8,monsieur ,soyer1 ,miss ,nightingale's name and your own will be for ever associated in the archives of this memorable war40 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,departure ,,for ,,the ,,crimea4 ,departure--,bosphorus gulls--,the ,sultan afloat--,the ,robert ,lowe--,splendid scene--,godfrey ,tower--,sweet ,waters of ,asia--,therapia--,buyukder--,the ,giant's ,mountain--,the ,euxine--,naval cookery--,miss ,nightingale and the sick soldier--,divine service at sea--,conversation with ,miss ,nightingale--,plans for the future--,dinner on board the ,robert ,lowe--,a travelling gentleman--,p4 ,m4 and the looking-glass1 an anecdote--,a mutiny--,the prison--,view of the ,russian coast--,bay of ,balaklava--,the harbour--,cossack ,bay--,p4 ,m4's horror--,at anchor--,moored for the night4 ,the #bnd of ,may was the day on which we set sail for the ,crimea4 ,it was indeed a lovely day--the air was redolent with perfume and freshness2 not a ripple seemed to ruffle the surface of the mighty ,bosphorus1 whose ever-foaming current appeared to have buried itself deep in the bed of that turbulent stream4 ,a few caiques were seen here and there swiftly gliding over its calm surface1 occasionally disturbed by the dipping of the sea-gulls4 ,the ,bosphorus gulls have a peculiar chalky colour1 differing from that of the ocean bird1 which circumstance1 no doubt1 caused ,lord ,byron1 in his beautiful poem1 to call them the ghosts of the ,houris1 launched to eternity in the depths of that solemn flood of romance1 poetical love1 and tragic reminiscence4 ,while skimming its surface they darted now and then with the rapidity of lightning down upon a rash little denizen of the deep who had ventured too near the surface of the limpid element to bask in the warmth of the generous rays of that friend of the whole world1 the sun4 ,all was peace1 love1 and repose4 ,a vaporous golden tint seemed to envelope the world-famed city of ,constantinople--its mosques1 forests of minarets1 ,golden ,horn1 and ,european and ,asiatic shores1 with the ,oriental atmosphere so peculiar to the ,bosphorus4 ,nature seemed to be in its most sublime humour2 heaven1 earth1 and ocean had that day agreed to be in love with humanity4 ,on a sudden1 the report of cannon is heard1 and the roar of this fatal messenger of war is echoed and re-echoed from every part of the city4 ,caiques of large dimensions1 gorgeously decorated with gilding and rich silken hangings1 manned by numerous oarsmen1 leave the marble staircase of the ,dolma ,bachi ,palace4 ,numbers of smaller caiques follow in the wake of this nautical procession1 which directs its course towards the ,moslem city of ,stamboul4 ,as the flotilla passed close to us1 we perceived that it contained the ,sultan and his suite1 proceeding to the ,mosque of ,sultan ,mahomet--it being ,friday1 and the ,turkish ,sunday4 ,his ,sublime ,majesty is always saluted with about fifty guns at his departure1 and the same number on his return from that ceremony4 ,this startling shock awoke me from a kind of lethargy1 and made me recollect that ,i had embarked in a caique at ,tophan1 and that ,i was then afloat4 ,of a sudden we were hailed several times from a large ship close at hand1 with the words 8,chabouk6 ,chabouk6 ,balabak60 which means1 8make haste1 boatman40 ,at the same time1 the hissing of a steamer1 just getting under way1 was heard4 ,in a trice we were alongside1 and a minute after ,i was upon the deck of the ,robert ,lowe4 ,a few words of remonstrance were addressed to me by the captain4 8,indeed1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 we were going without you6 ,you are full half an hour behind time4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge and ,miss ,nightingale have inquired several times after you40 8,well1 captain1 ,i assure you they told me at ,major ,macdonald's office1 that you would not start till noon40 8,that was our intention2 but having shipped all the troops1 ,i wished to leave earlier1 as we must make our time for entering the harbour of ,balaklava1 which is now so full that if we were to miss our turn1 we might be kept outside for a day or two1 and that would not be at all pleasant1 especially if we happen to have rough weather4 ,here is ,mr4 ,bracebridge2 he is1 no doubt1 looking for you40 ,the screw was by this time propelling us slowly out of the ,golden ,horn4 8,good morning1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 have you all your people on board80 said ,mr4 ,bracebridge4 8,yes1 ,i have40 8,i have only seen your secretary40 8,oh1 ,i am sure they are here2 ,i sent them on board this morning before nine o'clock1 previous to going to ,pera4 ,pray how is ,miss ,nightingale80 8,she will be on deck directly4 ,by-the-bye1 is ,mademoiselle a good sailor80 8,tolerably good2 with this weather no one need fear being ill at sea10 said ,i1 8though ,i hear the ,black ,sea is so very changeable1 and that a tremendous hurricane often comes up suddenly even in the middle of summer4 ,at all events1 we have a good start40 ,we were then passing between lower ,scutari and the ,sultan's palace1 and facing us was the ,sound of the ,bosphorus1 presenting a most delightful view of the ,european and the ,asiatic shores4 ,when ,i observed to ,mr4 ,bracebridge that it was a pity ,miss ,nightingale was not on deck1 he answered1 8,you're right2 ,i will go and fetch her40 ,a few minutes afterwards that lady made her appearance4 8,what a delightful day6 and did you ever see a finer panorama80 8,never1 ,monsieur ,soyer40 8,what a glorious mine of subjects for a ,claude ,lorraine1 mademoiselle6 ,it is much to be regretted that he never visited these ,moslem shores40 ,the vessel was now going at full speed4 8,we are near ,kululee10 said ,mr4 ,bracebridge4 8,yes1 we are10 said ,i2 8and there is our friend the ,bey on the palace steps4 ,look at him1 ,miss2 he is in his grand costume4 ,i wonder what is going on there to-day80 8,to-day10 replied ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 8is ,friday1 the ,turkish ,sunday4 ,did you not hear the cannon just now1 when the ,sultan went to the ,mosque80 8,oh1 yes1 ,i not only heard it1 but also saw the procession1 and very nearly lost the boat40 8,i was told you were rather behind40 8,so much so1 that you were upon the move40 ,miss ,nightingale observed that although the ,kululee hospitals were so well situated1 it was reported by medical men that they were very unhealthy1 more especially the lower one4 8,so ,i hear1 ,mademoiselle2 but my opinion is1 that it is owing to defective drainage4 ,they were making fresh ventilators in the wards of the lower one yesterday1 which will be a very great improvement4 ,miss ,stanley is gone80 8,yes10 said ,miss ,nightingale2 8she has been very unwell for some time40 ,we then passed before the ,godfrey ,tower1 proudly standing on its rocky shore1 at the base of which myriads of tombstones stagger about in pompous disorder1 under the shady wings of multitudes of dark cypress-trees1 the solemn guardians of this land of repose4 ,then we came to the ,sweet ,waters of ,asia1 where thousands of ,turks and ,turkish ladies resort on their days of festival4 ,we next passed ,therapia1 where all the foreign ambassadors reside in summer2 and ,i exchanged a few words with ,miss ,nightingale respecting the ,naval ,hospital there4 ,buyukder1 the ,brighton of ,constantinople1 came next2 and the large marble palace on our right1 built1 but never finished1 by ,ibrahim ,pacha1 and that of the ,sultan ,valide1 the ,giant's ,mountain4 ,ten minutes after1 we entered the ,euxine or ,black ,sea1 full sail1 with a fair wind and fine weather4 ,the ,oriental coast had partly disappeared1 and every one was anxious to inspect his fellow-passengers1 and find out whether he had any friends on board4 ,the vessel was crammed with military men and ,government officials1 besides about six hundred troops4 ,having the pleasure of knowing many of the officers1 a general conversation relating to the war soon commenced4 ,miss ,nightingale had retired1 with1 several of her ,sisters1 to their apartment1 and very few persons were aware of the fact of her being on board1 and they were all very anxious to see her2 but evening came on1 and we were not again favoured with her presence that day4 ,the next day being ,sunday1 ,miss ,nightingale and myself1 accompanied by the captain1 went round the lower deck to visit the soldiers1 who were busily employed making their pudding4 ,having questioned them upon their method of cooking1 and visited the cook-house1 ,i at once perceived what facilities were offered to me for making an immense amelioration in the present system of naval cookery1 especially in the method of cooking salt meat1 c4 7,see naval recipes in ,addenda47 ,i took the opportunity of giving them a few hints4 ,miss ,nightingale heard that there were some invalids on board1 and she asked to see them4 ,one poor fellow1 who had been suffering from an attack of fever since our departure1 refused to take his medicine4 ,miss ,nightingale asked the reason of his objection4 ,he replied1 8,because ,i took some once1 and it made me sick2 and ,i haven't liked physic ever since40 ,we could not help laughing at his simple remark4 ,miss ,nightingale said1 8,but if ,i give it you myself1 you will take it1 wont you80 ,the soldier1 looking very hard at her1 replied1 8,well1 sure enough1 ma'am1 it will make me sick just the same40 ,for all that he took the medicine1 and seemed to feel very grateful4 ,none but an eye-witness or a disinterested observer can judge of the effect produced by a female's attention to the sick soldier4 ,far from home1 he seems to hear the voice of her who nursed him in childhood--a mother or sister4 ,he will listen to and receive advice1 finding sudden relief from the cheering accents of a woman's lips1 while he would scarcely take the slightest notice of the kindest orderly's attentions4 ,the man was not aware that it was ,miss ,nightingale4 ,a woman's friendly voice had spoken to his heart1 and he felt more composed4 ,the sun darted his rays almost perpendicularly upon the deck of the beautiful ship1 the ,robert ,lowe1 which glided rather than floated over that inconstant ocean--the whimsical ,mother ,black ,sea1 called in ,french 8,la ,mre ,noire10 who safely bore her children upon her tranquil bosom in the morning1 and at night rocked the cradle with such furious love1 that she changed the smile of comfort to sickness and tears in the evening4 ,the sails were furled1 and the awning was now stretched amidships4 ,about twelve o'clock all the soldiers1 under command of ,major ,campbell1 about six hundred in number1 met upon deck2 and divine service was read by the ,major himself4 ,miss ,nightingale1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 myself1 and all the officers on board1 were present4 ,nothing recurs more vividly to my recollection than the impression made upon my mind by that religious ceremony1 performed so solemnly1 between heaven and the ocean4 ,it appeared as though all were impressed with the sacred mission they were called upon to fulfil1 and that every brave fellow present was saying his last prayer1 and preparing himself in case of emergency1 should it be his fate to succumb on the field of battle in the defence of his country1 to appear with a free and pure conscience before his ,creator1 in whose hands alone are the issues of life and death4 ,many of those poor fellows afterwards paid that tribute to their country4 ,such are the chances of war4 ,this ceremony1 though not performed by a clergyman1 had such an effect upon my mind1 that ,i shall never forget it4 ,the remainder of the afternoon was passed on deck1 and as it was a day of rest and delightful weather1 we were favoured with the company of the ladies1 including that of ,miss ,nightingale4 ,although ,i had frequently conversed with ,miss ,nightingale upon business transactions1 this was the first and best opportunity ,i had of appreciating her amiable character and interesting powers of conversation4 ,for more than an hour ,i talked with her1 upon the deck of the good ship ,robert ,lowe4 ,the subject was her duty1 not of what she had already done1 but of what she was about to do4 ,she gave me good advice as to the best way for me to proceed in my new undertaking4 8,monsieur ,soyer10 she said1 8you will find everything very different in the ,crimea to what it was at ,scutari1 though you had there a great many difficulties1 the distance from supplies being so much greater40 ,we then arranged that as soon as we were a little organized1 our first visit should be to the ,general ,hospital and the ,sanatorium1 next to the ,general ,camp ,hospital before ,balaklava4 ,the first thing ,miss ,nightingale did after our arrival was to write to the commander-in-chief1 ,lord ,raglan1 announcing it4 ,i remarked that ,i had an official letter to his lordship from the ,war ,department4 8,i am aware of that1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 and that you and ,mr4 ,bracebridge should go to head-quarters together the day we arrive2 but it is important his lordship should be immediately acquainted by letter of our arrival40 8,well1 ,mademoiselle10 said ,i1 8you have been in the military service longer than ,i have1 and ,i am not surprised at your being better acquainted with the rules of war than myself40 ,miss ,nightingale smiled kindly at the remark4 ,having had the honour and the opportunity of seeing ,miss ,nightingale almost daily for above a year1 my readers will no doubt be pleased1 and feel interested1 by my giving a short description of this estimable lady1 whose fame in this war has been almost universal4 ,she is rather high in stature1 fair in complexion1 and slim in person2 her hair is brown1 and is worn quite plain2 her physiognomy is most pleasing2 her eyes1 of a bluish tint1 speak volumes1 and are always sparkling with intelligence2 her mouth is small and well formed1 while her lips act in unison1 and make known the impression of her heart--one seems the reflex of the other4 ,her visage1 as regards expression1 is very remarkable1 and one can almost anticipate by her countenance what she is about to say3 alternately1 with matters of the most grave import1 a gentle smile passes radiantly over her countenance1 thus proving her evenness of temper2 at other times1 when wit or a pleasantry prevails1 the heroine is lost in the happy1 good-natured smile which pervades her face1 and you recognise only the charming woman4 ,her dress is generally of a greyish or black tint2 she wears a simple white cap1 and often a rough apron4 ,in a word1 her whole appearance is religiously simple and unsophisticated4 ,in conversation no member of the fair sex can be more amiable and gentle than ,miss ,nightingale4 ,removed from her arduous and cavalier-like duties1 which require the nerve of a ,hercules1--and she possesses it when required1--she is ,rachel on the stage in both tragedy and comedy4 ,during the voyage ,miss ,nightingale conversed with the captain1 ,major ,campbell1 and one or two more gentlemen on board4 ,dinner-time arrived--four bells apprized us of the fact--the deck was soon cleared1 and the table surrounded4 ,the pices de rsistance were attacked on all sides4 ,the last decent piece of roast beef we were to see or partake of for some time was that day before us4 ,miss ,nightingale and the ,sisters of ,mercy dined in their cabin4 ,the conversation was so very lively1 that one might have fancied that we were going on a pleasure excursion instead of the solemn pilgrimage from whence so many were never to return4 ,all bore testimony to the good fare provided by the captain1 and exquisite pale sherry flowed in the glasses1 in honour first of her ,majesty1 then ,miss ,nightingale1 next the ladies1 and last1 not least1 the army and navy4 ,some good old port1 with a fine crust1 properly decanted without shaking1 was then introduced1 with the inseparable and justly-famed ,stilton cheese and fresh plain salad4 ,this sudden change of countenance in the happy homely groups1 who only a few minutes before were as grave as grave--in fact1 morally and properly grave1 exchanging peaceably word for word while upon deck1 cannot be attributed to the walk down1 nor to the temperature of the room1 or even the charming architectural paintings upon glass which adorned the chief cabin of the ,robert ,lowe1 nor the laying out of the table1 8which was perfect40 ,no1 not at all4 ,it was the dinner--yes1 the dinner6--which made me heartily second the opinion of my illustrious compatriot1 ,brillat ,savarin1 when he justly remarks in one of his immortal aphorisms1 that if there is one hour spent more pleasantly than another in the course of the day1 that one is the first hour at the dinner table4 ,though he intends his remark for epicures1 it can easily be applied to all classes of society1 according to the difference of time each man can afford from his occupations or peculiar habits4 ,but out of this reunion of hilarity ,i will here give an anecdote which will probably amuse1 if not interest1 the reader4 ,p4 ,m4 ,,and ,,the ,,looking-,,glass4 ,on the eve of my departure from ,scutari ,i fell in with a travelling gentleman named ,peter ,morrison1 a personage of no small importance in his own estimation1 who was very desirous of accompanying me through my ,crimean campaign1 and of making himself useful to me should his services be required4 ,remuneration was to him a secondary consideration4 ,according to himself1 8moving accidents by flood and field1 and peril in the imminent deadly breach10 excited his martial ardour1 and these had no terrors for him--while he was far removed from their sphere of action4 ,he afterwards gave us to understand that he was courting a wealthy lady1 who1 being decidedly of opinion that ,none but the brave deserve the fair1 had declared that none should wed her who had not both 8fought and bled for his country40 ,p4 ,m41 as ,i shall designate this redoubtable hero1 needed some such stimulus to risk his life in his country's cause1 as the sequel will show2 for he preferred1 with due regard to his complexion1 albeit none of the fairest1 the shelter of the bays used in my kitchen1 to any laurels he might reap on the field of ,mars1 as1 when in front of the enemy1 his courage1 like that of ,bob ,acres1 8oozed out at his fingers' ends40 ,but to our anecdote4 ,during a gale a few weeks before we went on board1 a looking-glass had been broken in the cabin1 the steward1 as the ship made a heavy lurch1 having sent his head through it while carrying a dish to the table4 ,probably the glass was not set flat in the frame1 as his head had made a perfect star of a hundred jets4 ,the circular hole looked just as if a shot had passed through it4 ,three small boards were fixed across to keep it together4 ,whilst at dinner1 ,p4 ,m41 who was sitting next me1 inquired how the glass had been broken4 8,upon my word10 said ,i1 8,i do not know2 but one of the mates says it was done by a round shot40 7,this the mate had said in joke47 ,the captain1 who was very jocular1 perceiving ,p4 ,m4 was rather uneasy at the information1 merely replied1 8,ah1 and ,i had a very narrow escape on the occasion4 ,i was sitting at the head of the table at the time1 nearly opposite the spot40 ,p4 ,m4 exclaimed1 in great trepidation1 8,what do you say1 captain8--it was a cannon-ball which broke the glass80 8,i did not say so10 replied the captain1 8but such1 unfortunately1 is the case40 8,well10 said ,p4 ,m41 8,i do not like the job ,i have undertaken4 ,you don't mean to say our lives will be endangered at ,balaklava80 8,oh dear1 no2 not in the least1 except they fire upon us40 8,i tell you what it is1 ,i shall not stand it2 for ,i bargained for nothing of the kind40 8,at any rate10 said ,i1 looking at the captain1 who was laughing in his sleeve1 8if you are killed by a shot or shell1 or die by illness1 all your former bargains will be of no avail1 and off you must go40 8,had ,i been aware of that1 ,i certainly should never have left ,scutari40 ,the next morning we heard that some of the men having raised a kind of mutiny or fight on board1 had been imprisoned4 ,being anxious to see a prison on board a ship1 ,i proceeded with ,major ,campbell to visit them4 ,the prison was upon deck1 in the open air1 and instead of being in chains1 the prisoners were made fast with ropes to the deck4 ,two of them seemed in great trouble1 having entirely lost their senses the night before4 ,they were trying to recollect and inform the commander how the quarrel began1 when another1 who imagined he had completely recovered1 stated the fact thus3 8,general1 if you will allow me1 ,i will tell you the truth1 the whole truth1 and nothing but the truth2 and instead of kissing the good book1 which ,i have not got by me1 but which ,i had when ,i paid my last visit to his ,majesty the ,lord ,mayor of ,london1 let me kiss your glove instead40 8,we want no nonsense here2 so look sharp1 and tell us what it was all about40 8,yes1 ,colonel1 ,i will1 as far as ,i know4 ,you see1 ,jarvis1 who is a relation of ,martin's wife1 called her ugly names1 and said she wasn't proper4 ,upon that we fought--,joe fought--,i fought--till we couldn't fight any longer1 and being dark we found it very troublesome1 as we didn't know whom we might be hitting4 ,i do not know who said she wasn't proper--,i don't know the wench--she might be proper1 after all1 for what ,i know--that's all40 8,corporal10 said the ,major1 8don't let those men land till ,i see you40 ,by this time the ,russian coast was in view4 ,breakfast was just over1 and everybody was on deck--the weather being beautiful4 ,miss ,nightingale1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 and myself1 with telescopes1 were looking at the convent and the monastery1 still inhabited by ,russian monks4 ,the first reports of the cannon of ,sebastopol were here faintly heard--the wind being favourable1 as the captain informed us4 ,on the right hand1 on a lofty high peaked mountain1 the ,russian picket was plainly seen mounting guard4 ,an hour after we were in the ,bay of ,balaklava1 in view of the ,genoese ,tower1 planted on a high rock1 at the elevation of about two hundred feet above the level of the sea1 at the spur of a range of mountains extending along the shore4 ,a few topmasts are all that can be seen on entering the gorge2 and no one can imagine1 though so near1 that such a harbour is in existence as the one we were approaching4 ,the signal having been given by hoisting the flag on the top of the ,genoese ,tower1 we entered the far-famed1 and now universally known1 grand1 though small1 ,harbour of ,balaklava1 the entrance to which seems impracticable4 ,we then slowly threaded our way through that forest of masts and huge vessels piled and packed so close together in the little harbour4 ,the principal vessels at that time lying there were41--the ,himalaya1 ,jura1 tna1 ,leander1 ,star of the ,south1 ,london1 ,baraguay d',hilliers1 c4 ,it is impossible to describe the animation of the scene better than by comparing it to the emigration of a large colony of ants from their habitation to a new quarter4 ,many people were aware that ,miss ,nightingale was coming that day in the ,robert ,lowe1 and the decks of all the large vessels at anchor were crowded with curious spectators1 in expectation of seeing that lady1 of whose devotion to the sick and wounded they had heard so much4 ,,cossack ,,bay4 ,we had no sooner entered the harbour than1 to ,p4 ,m4's horror1 he saw painted on the rock in large letters--8,cossack ,bay40 ,at this moment1 five or six ill-looking ,bashi ,bazouks1 and as many ,turks1 with their large turbans1 yathagans1 kresses1 daggers1 firelocks1 c41 were descending the mountain to the rock upon which the fatal name was written1 and immediately caused ,p4 ,m4 to inquire if they were enemies4 ,i replied that ,i thought they were1 being upon ,cossack ,bay4 8,i say1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said ,p4 ,m41 8this is beyond a joke2 for if those ugly fellows choose to fire upon us1 they can do so as easy as possible40 8,no doubt they can10 said ,i4 8,i shall not give them a chance10 cried ,p4 ,m41 and off he bolted4 ,the ,robert ,lowe had anchored1 and was moored in her new berth on the right-hand side of the harbour1 nearly opposite the commandant's house4 ,although the operation of getting in had taken nearly two hours1 so interesting was the sight that no one had thought of making preparations to leave the vessel1 which is generally the first thing thought of4 ,miss ,nightingale pointed out to me the hospital called the 8,sanatorium10 situated on the top of the hill1 near the ,genoese heights and fortifications4 ,turning round1 she next pointed to a row of white buildings1 which constituted the ,general ,hospital1 which she said she should like to visit that day if time allowed4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge came and informed us that the captain would be happy for us to stay on board as long as he remained in harbour1 which might be a few days--or till we found a ship to suit us4 ,as it was impossible to procure either a house1 hut1 or even a tent1 in ,balaklava1 we of course accepted the offer4 ,the day was drawing to a close1 and1 as we were rather fatigued1 we postponed our visit to the hospital till the next morning4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,commencement ,,of ,,my ,,campaign ,,in ,,the ,,crimea4 ,visitors to ,miss ,nightingale--,the floating drawing-room--,terrible cannonade--,a sortie--,second series of visitors--,young ,thomas1 the drummer-boy--,his devotion to ,miss ,nightingale--,balaklava mud--,general ,hospital--,the ,sanatorium--,rugged ascent--,extensive view--,dr4 ,henderson--,storm of the #adth of ,november described by an eye-witness--,tour round the hospital--,an officer patient--,return to the ,robert ,lowe--,off to the camp--,a party of equestrians--,a perfect ,babel--,small hospital at ,kadikoi--,splendid array of camps--,a regimental hospital--,lord ,raglan's house--,colonel ,steele--,general ,hospital before ,sebastopol--8,the good lady of ,scutari0--,an ovation--,a peep at ,sebastopol--,the ,three-mortar ,battery--,p4 ,m4 dodging a shell--,a striking scene--,losing the way--,the ,zouaves--,various adventures--,a casualty--,once more on board4 ,no sooner was it known that ,miss ,nightingale had arrived1 than hosts of visitors poured in from all directions1 amongst whom were ,commissary ,filder1 ,mr4 ,henderson1 ,chief ,doctor at the ,balaklava ,hospital1 the ,clergyman1 ,doctor ,sutherland1 ,mr4 ,anderson1 c41 c41 which caused her to hold a kind of floating drawing-room4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge was also busily engaged1 so ,i did not see him again till dinner-time4 ,i despatched the four soldier cooks ,i had instructed and brought with me to the ,sanatorium1 as the troops were landing1 and they were required on shore4 ,having settled my future plan of operations with my secretary1 and closed our post for the next day1 ,i was quite at liberty to accompany ,miss ,nightingale in the morning on her visit to the various hospitals1 as we had previously decided4 ,the same evening1 about nine1 a terrible cannonade was heard from the besieged city1 which produced more effect upon us than upon the initiated4 ,the report of the fusillade was also plainly heard4 ,this proved to be a sortie1 which it appeared often happened1 and produced no effect upon the inhabitants4 ,such1 however1 was not the case with ,p4 ,m41 though ,i tried to persuade him that there was no danger1 8except10 said ,i1 8in case the enemy should prove victorious1 and retake ,balaklava1 which might happen through some ruse de guerre unknown to the allied army40 8,well10 said ,p4 ,m41 8but ,i did not bargain for that1 and ,i assure you ,i very much regret having come at all4 ,oh1 give me ,london and ,red ,lion ,square before any of your seats of war1 for ,i see no fun in glory40 8,now we are in for it10 ,i said1 8we must go bravely through it4 ,screw your courage to the sticking point1 and ,wigham ,ward for ever60 ,the next morning1 at seven1 everybody was up and busily engaged1 when ,mr4 ,bracebridge came and told me that ,miss ,nightingale had been up1 writing since daybreak1 and would be ready immediately after breakfast4 ,about eight o'clock1 in poured a second series of visitors4 ,among the earliest arrivals were ,sir ,j4 ,macneil and ,captain ,tulloch2 the former gentleman ,i had the pleasure of knowing at the ,reform ,club a few years back4 ,we then had a short conversation touching the soldiers' food1 and cooking in general4 ,colonel ,harding1 ,admiral ,boxer1 ,commissary ,filder1 c41 came next4 ,miss ,nightingale had given notice that she must be at the hospital by half-past ten1 and was then upon deck ready to start4 ,i took the opportunity of impressing upon her the necessity of leaving the ship at once1 or the day would pass without our doing anything4 ,we embarked in a small boat and went on shore1 followed by young ,thomas1 the drummer-boy1 whom ,i must introduce to my readers as a little wonder2 and1 although he had not taken time to grow to manhood1 he did not like to be called a boy4 ,although but twelve years old1 he always called himself ,miss ,nightingale's and ,mr4 ,bracebridge's man4 ,he was a regular enfant de troupe1 full of activity1 wit1 intelligence1 and glee4 ,he had quitted his instruments and sticks1 as he called them1 to devote his civil and military career to ,miss ,nightingale1 that lady having claimed his services4 ,to her he was as devoted as an aide-de-camp to his general4 ,before the enemy could have approached his adored mistress1 the drummer boy1 would have been cut to pieces4 ,this he told me himself at a later period1 when a report was in circulation that the ,russians were likely to attack ,balaklava by the ,kamara side4 ,miss ,nightingale's hut being the nearest that way on the ,genoese heights1 would certainly have been attacked first4 ,though the weather was fine overhead1 there was about ten inches of mud in the unpaved and uneven streets of ,balaklava1 which caused us to be half-an-hour going a distance that might1 under ordinary circumstances1 have been accomplished in ten minutes4 ,on our arrival at the ,general ,hospital1 we were received by ,miss ,wear1 the matron of the hospital1 8under ,miss ,nightingale40 ,miss ,nightingale requested me to try and find ,doctor ,henderson1 who unluckily1 as we thought through a mistake1 was waiting for us at the ,sanatorium on the ,genoese heights4 ,in his absence1 ,miss ,wear and the medical superintendent showed us over the wards1 which were crammed full of sick and wounded4 ,we then visited the general kitchen1 which1 though rather short of cooking utensils and accommodation1 was kept tolerably clean4 ,a civilian cook was engaged making rather good soup1 but it had boiled too fast4 ,at all events1 it was a satisfaction to me to find some one willing to improve1 as he observed4 ,promising to send him my receipts and have his kitchen comfortably arranged1 and to supply him with a few tin utensils1 we left him4 ,we next went to the extra-diet kitchen1 which was anything but a comfortable one1 though ,mrs4 ,davis1 who made the extra diets1 managed pretty well1 by dint of perseverance and a deal of trouble4 ,she was compelled to use preserved soups1 which are not wholesome for delicate or weak stomachs1 and are1 moreover1 generally served up too strong1 as scarcely any one who uses them will take the trouble to read the instructions pasted upon each case1 and add the proper quantity of water required4 ,these are at all times better adapted for persons in health than for the sick1 always excepting the essence of beef 7see ,hospital ,diets71 which1 when properly seasoned according to my receipt1 is really very good4 ,i made a list of what apparatus and kitchen utensils were required1 and then we left ,miss ,davis1 much pleased with ,miss ,nightingale's kind remarks1 my approbation of her services1 and1 above all1 very proud of having1 two days before1 been visited and highly complimented by ,lady ,stratford de ,redcliffe and the other ladies4 ,lord ,stratford and family had passed us at sea the day before1 on their return to ,constantinople1 on board the ,caradoc2 a circumstance ,i much regretted1 as ,i had anticipated the pleasure of accompanying ,lord and ,lady de ,redcliffe to the various camp and hospital kitchens4 ,we then left the ,general ,hospital1 and ascended to the ,sanatorium by a narrow and almost perpendicular road cut out of the rock2 in consequence of the ups and downs1 it took us full three-quarters of an hour to accomplish the distance1 and very uncomfortably too1 the roads being so dirty4 ,the view during the ascent is transcendently beautiful and refreshing--the sight of the harbour beneath filled with ships1 the chain of rocky mountains1 distant view of the ,guards' camp1 the village of ,kadikoi1 its ,greek church1 the ,zouave camp1 and the traffic of thousands below1 busily running to and fro1 formed a naval and military tableau which well repaid us for our trouble4 ,on reaching the verge of the hill facing the grand tower1 which proudly bore the ,british flagstaff1 ,miss ,nightingale and myself made an involuntary halt to admire this splendid view4 8,did you ever see anything more picturesque than this1 ,mademoiselle8 ,and were it not for the everlasting report of the cannon1 could you not believe you were in the ,land of ,promise1 redolent with the green bloom of nature1 which almost covers those rocky mountains8 ,turn your eyes on that side towards the busy harbour--can you not imagine you are looking at ,landseer's celebrated pictures on one side of ,peace and the other side of ,war80 ,miss ,nightingale replied1 8,i had heard ,balaklava was a very pretty place1 but ,i did not expect to find anything so beautiful40 8,i believe1 ,mademoiselle1 that gentleman coming down from the ,sanatorium is ,dr4 ,henderson8 ,i recollect having seen him inquiring after you last evening40 8,so it is1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 ,i suppose he has waited so long for us1 that he is coming back to the ,general ,hospital40 8,thomas10 said ,i to the boy1 8run and tell that gentleman ,miss ,nightingale is coming1 or he may take another road1 and miss us40 ,a few minutes after1 we met the doctor1 who very much regretted not having met us at the ,general ,hospital1 according to promise4 ,several important cases sent from the trenches 7among which was the amputation of an arm7 had delayed him4 8,i suppose1 doctor1 you use chloroform in all cases of amputation80 8,yes1 we do1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 and with very great success1 not having lost a single patient since its application40 ,by this time we had arrived at the hospital1 which is composed of immense rows of huts1 erected on the crest of the lofty mountain facing the sea1 commanding a beautiful view of the bay4 ,miss ,nightingale observed that no doubt the site was a healthy one1 but that it would be very hot in summer and equally cold in winter4 8,well10 said the doctor1 8we thought of that ourselves2 but really ,balaklava is so mountainous1 that for the life of us1 we could not pitch upon any other spot4 ,however1 the least breeze from the sea will be felt in summer1 and in winter we must contrive to screen it somehow4 ,should we have another storm like that of the #adth of last ,november1 we should be blown away40 ,one of the men1 hearing the storm mentioned1 told me that he had witnessed it from beginning to end4 ,i then asked him a few particulars1 and he related the circumstance as follows1 while ,dr4 ,henderson and ,miss ,nightingale were walking among the ruins1 talking over business matters4 8,would you believe it1 sir--the furious waves seemed to fly right over the tower1 and the shipping in the bay was almost invisible for a long time4 ,in fact1 we thought that all the vessels were lost2 from the mass of water blown into the air1 we took it to be the level of the sea or the beginning of a second deluge40 ,pointing with his hand towards the bay1 8,that is the spot where the ,prince was lost1 and further on you see the place where the ,retribution was at anchor1 with the ,duke of ,cambridge on board4 ,the storm lasted above ten hours4 ,we were quite wet in the tower1 and could not get out4 ,had we done so1 we should probably have been blown down the hill or into the sea4 ,in the ravine above sixty large poplar trees were torn up by the roots by one gust of wind40 8,how was it1 in the first place1 that you came to be there80 8,why1 you see1 sir1 we were stationed there to manage the signals for ships to enter the harbour1 and ,i happened to be on duty at the time40 8,it must have been a fearful sight10 said ,i4 8,sight1 sir6--there was nothing to be seen for many hours2 and it was only towards night that it cleared up a little1 and then we could see the masts of the shipping in the harbour1 rolling about like a forest under the influence of the shock of an earthquake4 ,the next day1 ,i was put on fatigue duty1 to bury the corpses washed on shore from the wreck of the ,prince1 and a dreadful job it was1 ,i assure you1 sir40 8,where were they buried80 8,over the way1 on the edge of ,leander ,bay4 ,you may see the spot from this10 pointing it out4 8,there are above twenty there1 to my knowledge2 but some were never found40 ,thanking him for his information1 ,i invited him to come and see me when my kitchens were open1 and get a basin of good soup whenever he pleased4 ,i then rejoined the doctor and ,miss ,nightingale1 who were returning to the hospital4 ,we visited the various wards1 each of which contained about thirty patients4 ,miss ,nightingale had a kind word for all1 and many a conversation with those who had been severely wounded4 ,having seen five or six of the wards1 ,i begged ,miss ,nightingale to excuse my accompanying her through the others2 as ,i wished1 in order to lose no time1 to go and visit the kitchens1 and set my men to work1 which plan she much approved of1 saying that when she had seen the hospitals1 she should like to visit the kitchens also4 ,as ,i was going out1 ,i met ,mr4 ,bracebridge on horseback1 coming to meet us4 ,we went to the kitchens1 which we found were built of mud1 exposed to the open air1 unroofed1 and burning much fuel4 ,i immediately fixed upon a spot to build a kitchen1 and sketched a plan1 which ,i submitted to the doctor and ,miss ,nightingale1 who had then joined us4 ,we also visited those mud mounts called cook-houses1 looked over the provision stores1 and departed4 ,miss ,nightingale1 ,dr4 ,henderson1 and myself1 returned together by the same road1 ,miss ,nightingale intending to visit an officer patient who was at the doctor's house4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge being on horseback1 was compelled to take another road4 ,on reaching the doctor's house1 ,miss ,nightingale was introduced to the patient1 who was suffering from a very severe attack of typhus fever4 ,i stayed in the front room1 making my sketch for the new hospital kitchens4 ,at length ,miss ,nightingale retired1 after giving words of consolation to the patient1 and promising the doctor to send a nurse who would set him to rights4 ,as we were returning to the vessel1 ,i could not help remarking that ,miss ,nightingale seemed much fatigued2 upon which she replied1 8,i do feel rather tired1 those roads are so bad40 ,i inquired about the patient she had visited4 8,the poor young man10 said she1 8is very ill4 ,i very much fear for his life40 ,she then stated what a bad attack of fever it was4 ,upon this1 ,i remarked1 that it was very imprudent of her to remain so long near him4 8,oh1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i am used to that40 8,very true1 ,mademoiselle1 but then it is in large airy wards1 and not in small rooms1 like the one you have just left40 8,i must say that ,i have been very fortunate through my ,scutari campaign1 and ,i hope to be as fortunate in the ,crimea40 8,i hope so too1 but would recommend you to be careful of your health1 as ,i am sure the army cannot spare you40 ,by this time we were near the ,robert ,lowe--a boat was ready to take us on board1 and ,mr4 ,bracebridge was anxiously waiting our arrival1 to inform ,miss ,nightingale that ,lord ,raglan had been on board1 and also to the ,general ,hospital1 in order to see her1 and was very much disappointed at not having had that pleasure4 ,it was arranged that we should visit the camp next day1 and that ,i should go and deliver my official letter1 and present my humble duty to ,lord ,raglan4 ,miss ,nightingale decided upon taking that opportunity of returning his lordship's visit4 ,doctor ,sutherland and ,mr4 ,anderson1 of the ,sanitary ,commission1 who happened to be on board1 arranged about the horses1 and the time of our departure the next morning4 ,at nine1 we were all on shore and mounted4 ,there were about eight of us ready to escort our heroine to the seat of war4 ,miss ,nightingale was attired simply in a genteel amazone1 or riding-habit1 and had quite a martial air4 ,she was mounted upon a very pretty mare1 of a golden colour1 which1 by its gambols and caracoling1 seemed proud to carry its noble charge4 ,the weather was very fine4 ,our cavalcade produced an extraordinary effect upon the motley crowd of all nations assembled at ,balaklava1 who were astonished at seeing a lady so well escorted4 ,it was not so1 however1 with those who knew who the lady was4 ,on the road to head-quarters1 we met several officers whom ,i had the pleasure of knowing in ,england4 ,all made inquiries respecting the lady in our party4 ,as ,i knew that ,miss ,nightingale wished to preserve her incognito as much as possible1 and especially in the camp1 ,i referred them to ,mr4 ,bracebridge4 ,at that time the number of the fair sex in the ,crimea numbered four1 always excepting the ,sisters of ,mercy1 who were never seen out4 ,it took us about half-an-hour to go from the ,col of ,balaklava to ,kadikoi 7about a mile distant71 having to fight our way through a dense crowd of ,greeks1 ,armenians1 ,jews1 ,maltese1 c4--hundreds of mules1 horses1 donkeys1 artillery waggons1 cannon1 shot and shell1 oxen and horses kicking each other1 waggons upset in deep mud-holes1 infantry and cavalry passing and repassing4 ,the road was execrable1 and not nearly wide enough for the immense amount of traffic4 ,amidst this ,babel of tongues and deafening noise1 we were obliged to speak at the top of our voices in order to make ourselves heard4 ,our horses1 by way of enjoying the fun1 kept prancing and kicking in all directions1 particularly our fair lady's palfrey1 which could not be kept quiet4 ,many females would have felt very nervous in such a position2 but ,miss ,nightingale appeared to rise above such weakness1 and even1 on the contrary1 to take considerable interest in this her first introduction to the turmoils of war4 ,we at length emerged from the crowd1 without having sustained much damage4 ,one of our cavaliers had part of his mackintosh carried away by a log of wood that projected from the back of a mule1 and ,p4 ,m4 lost a strap1 which nearly unseated him4 ,his mule kept kicking and prancing about1 which1 one is constrained to confess1 is not over pleasant1 especially in a crowd--and such a crowd4 ,as we were at last out of danger1 we could not help laughing at the misfortunes of our friends4 ,such was our dbut on the soil of the seat of war4 ,our first visit was to the hospital at ,kadikoi1 in a small ,greek church at the end of the village4 ,upon our arrival1 we were informed that the doctor was not in1 so we promised to call again4 ,we then galloped to the top of a high hill on the left1 on which we could not help making a halt1 as we were quite struck by the grandeur and novelty of the scene4 ,we could plainly distinguish everything for five miles around us4 ,the camps1 with their myriads of white tents1 appeared like large beds of mushrooms growing at random4 ,the sound of trumpets1 the beating of drums1 the roar of cannon from ,sebastopol1 made a fearful noise1 whilst military manuvres1 and sentries placed in every direction1 gave a most martial aspect to the landscape1 backed by the bold and rugged range of mountains by which ,balaklava is surrounded4 ,having gazed for some time1 highly delighted with the scene1 so novel to us1 we proceeded on our journey4 ,as ,miss ,nightingale wished to see one of the small regimental hospitals1 ,doctor ,sutherland recommended us to visit that of the #aath ,hussars4 ,we were received by the doctor1 who very kindly showed us over4 ,miss ,nightingale and myself inspected the kitchen1 which1 though far from being comfortable or convenient1 was1 at all events1 very ingeniously contrived4 ,having made my notes1 we called at two other regiments1 and afterwards proceeded direct to head-quarters4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge and myself at once rode to ,lord ,raglan's house1 the front of which was crowded with staff officers and gentlemen on horseback4 ,on asking whether his lordship was within1 we were answered in the negative1 and were informed that he would probably not return before dinner-time4 ,i then inquired for ,colonel ,steele1 his lordship's secretary1 for whom ,i also had a letter4 ,that gentleman received us cordially1 and having read ,lord ,panmure's letter1 promised to give me his utmost support4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge stated he had come to thank ,lord ,raglan in ,miss ,nightingale's name1 for his kind visit of the day before4 ,i next inquired when ,i could see ,lord ,raglan4 ,colonel ,steele replied1 8,when you like1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 but for a day or two he will be very much engaged1 as he is preparing for the reception of the ,sardinian army1 which is shortly expected4 ,lord ,raglan is aware of your arrival1 and ,i will give orders for anything you may require in order to enable you to commence operations40 8,as ,i have a great deal to do at the ,balaklava ,hospital1 ,i shall commence operations there1 and will call in a few days to see the ,commander-in-,chief40 8,come whenever you like1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 ,lord ,raglan will be glad to see you4 ,he has often spoken of you at the dinner-table40 8,really6 ,i am glad to hear that4 ,i had the honour of knowing his lordship many years ago40 8,so he was saying40 ,after having conversed with several officers whom ,i knew1 ,i was about to retire1 when ,colonel ,steele said that he would write a note that afternoon to the ,chief ,engineer1 ordering him to send me some carpenters1 and give me all the assistance ,i might require4 ,i thanked the colonel1 and retired4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge had in the meantime joined ,miss ,nightingale1 and informed her that1 owing to ,lord ,raglan's absence1 he had not mentioned her intended visit1 but merely mentioned his own4 ,dr4 ,sutherland then inquired if ,doctor ,hall was at home1 and on being told he was not1 we started direct to the ,general ,hospital before ,sebastopol1 in anticipation of meeting him there4 ,he had1 however1 been and left4 ,the chief doctor was also absent on duty1 as no previous appointment had been made4 ,we were shown round by the superintendent4 ,the hospital was quite full1 having at the time about four hundred sick and wounded4 ,the place was in consequence rather crowded1 but1 nevertheless1 well ventilated1 and everything seemed in good order4 ,dr4 ,sutherland made several remarks upon an improved system of ventilation4 ,i went to see the kitchen1 which ,i did not find in a better state than the one at the ,sanatorium4 ,a short time after1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge came and informed me that ,miss ,nightingale wished to speak with me4 ,having passed a close review1 ,i was about returning to our party1 when ,i met ,miss ,nightingale coming towards this gipsy cooking encampment1 in which there was considerably too much to do for so important an establishment4 ,we promised to call next day1 or the one following1 to see ,doctors ,taylor and ,mouatt1 and retired through a long row of huts4 ,some of the men had found out that it was 8the good lady of ,scutari10 as they called her2 for ,miss ,nightingale was then but little known by name1 it being her first visit to the ,crimea4 ,i heard afterwards1 that some of them had been patients at the ,scutari ,hospital1 and had experienced the full benefit of that benevolent lady's kind care and attention4 ,a great number were waiting at the doors--sick and convalescent--and gave her three hearty cheers as we passed1 followed by three times three4 ,miss ,nightingale seemed much affected by so unexpected a reception1 and1 being on horseback1 could only bow gracefully to them by way of returning thanks4 ,her horse being very restless1 in consequence of the shouts of such a number of men1 ,mr4 ,anderson dismounted1 and taking ,miss ,nightingale's nag by the bridle1 led it gently along4 ,we then proceeded through the ,english and ,french camps1 which1 for miles1 surrounded the doomed ,sebastopol4 ,the scene1 though more extensive1 was not nearly so picturesque as when beheld from the top of the hill at ,balaklava4 ,the afternoon was then drawing on1 and ,dr4 ,sutherland advised us to go home1 as it was a very difficult matter for one to find the way in the dark through the camp2 but ,mr4 ,anderson proposed to have a peep at ,sebastopol4 ,it was four o'clock1 and they were firing sharply on both sides4 ,miss ,nightingale1 to whom the offer was made1 immediately accepted it2 so we formed a column1 and1 for the first time1 fearlessly faced the enemy1 and prepared to go under fire4 ,p4 ,m4 turned round to me1 saying quietly1 but with great trepidation-- 8,i say1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 of course you would not take ,miss ,nightingale where there will be any danger40 ,we soon after reached the flag-staff at the head of the ,woronzoff ,road1 and the sentry informed us we must dismount1 as we were in danger1 at the same time pointing to the marks of a number of cannon balls and splinters of shell1 which1 he said1 they sent whenever they saw a group of people1 especially on horseback4 ,he added that they would send a shot or a shell in a moment4 ,fortunately1 ,p4 ,m4 did not hear this1 or we should have lost his agreeable company4 ,i mentioned this to ,miss ,nightingale and to ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 who both laughed heartily4 ,we then dismounted4 ,the sentry begged of us to go into a kind of redoubt1 built of stone1 where there was a telescope4 8,there10 said he1 8you will be in safety1 and have a good view of the town40 ,this was true enough2 the day being clear1 and the sun pouring its rays on the city1 we could plainly discern the large buildings1 ,greek temple1 church1 club-house1 hospital1 barracks1 the harbour of ,sebastopol1 and the fortifications--viz41 the ,malakoff1 ,redan1 ,quarantine1 ,fort ,constantine1 and the ,flagstaff batteries--and could see every shot sent by the allied armies as well as by the enemy4 ,the bursting of shells could easily be distinguished4 ,we were about to retire1 when ,mr4 ,anderson proposed going a couple of hundred yards further--to the ,three-mortar ,battery4 ,miss ,nightingale immediately seconded the proposal1 but the sentry strongly objected1 saying it was too dangerous2 that only a few days before those mortars had poured a very heavy fire into the city1 and that the ,russians kept a good look-out upon them4 8,oh1 never mind10 said ,mr4 ,anderson2 8,i was there two days ago1 and they have no powder to waste upon a few individuals40 ,although ,i was very anxious to get so far1 and to go with them1 ,i could not help observing to ,miss ,nightingale that there was a picket in the ,woronzoff ,road1 to indicate the limits1 and it was very imprudent of her to run such a risk for no purpose4 ,i further remarked that1 should any accident happen to her1 no one would pity1 but1 on the contrary1 blame her--that all the good she had done would fall into oblivion1 and she would scarcely be regretted4 ,the sentry then repeated his caution1 saying1 8,madam1 even where you stand you are in great danger2 some of the shot reach more than half a mile beyond this40 ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 though of my opinion1 did not say much to dissuade her4 ,the sentry then said1 8,well1 madam1 if you do not fear risking your life1 ,i cannot prevent your going2 but remember that1 if anything happens1 ,i have witnesses to prove that it was not through my neglect in not informing you of the danger you incur by going to the ,three-mortar ,battery40 8,my good young man10 replied ,miss ,nightingale1 in ,french1 8more dead and wounded have passed through my hands than ,i hope you will ever see in the battle-field during the whole of your military career2 believe me1 ,i have no fear of death40 ,she then started with ,mr4 ,anderson1 who was very impatient at so much time being lost4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge and myself followed4 ,p4 ,m4 was still in the redoubt1 ensconced behind a gabion1 looking through the telescope1 when ,i suddenly called him4 ,he came running out1 as ,i had taken him by surprise1 and he exclaimed1 8,i say1 where the deuce are you all going60 8,oh1 not far--only to the second trench40 8,but1 my dear sir1 there is a great deal of danger40 ,taking him by the arm1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge and myself commenced talking upon indifferent topics1 and so got him to advance4 ,as he saw ,miss ,nightingale before us1 he managed to raise courage enough to keep from running away1 while the cannonading and bursting of shells was heard plainer1 and could be seen much better4 ,he again said1 8,why should we go to the trenches8 ,this is very rash to risk one's life for nothing2 it is what ,i call giving a chance away40 ,to comfort him1 ,i called ,mr4 ,bracebridge and ,miss ,nightingale4 8,p4 ,m410 said ,i1 8seems to fancy there is some danger in the trenches1 and ,i wish to impress upon his mind that there is much less danger there than where we are01 when a shell came whistling over our heads1 and ,mr4 ,anderson hearing it1 cried out1 8,a shell6 a shell60 upon which ,p4 ,m4 immediately caught me by the shoulders with both hands1 and placed himself in a crouching position behind me1 which made us all laugh heartily at his expense1 as the shell was not directed anywhere near us4 ,i have frequently laughed since with ,miss ,nightingale at his idea that if the shell had struck me1 he would have been any safer than if he had stood by himself4 ,at all events1 we arrived in the ,three-mortar ,battery without accident4 ,it contained three large mortars1 and instead of being two hundred yards1 as ,mr4 ,anderson had called the distance1 was full half a mile from the ,flagstaff1 going towards ,sebastopol1 and quite exposed to fire1 had they thought it worth while to play upon us4 ,we had1 however1 an excellent view of the besieged city1 such as very few amateurs can boast of having obtained4 ,before leaving the battery1 ,i begged ,miss ,nightingale1 as a favour1 to give me her hand1 which she did4 ,i then requested her to ascend the stone rampart next the wooden gun carriage1 and lastly1 to sit upon the centre mortar1 to which requests she very gracefully and kindly acceded4 ,i then boldly exclaimed1 8,gentlemen1 behold this amiable lady sitting fearlessly upon that terrible instrument of war6 behold the heroic daughter of ,england--the soldier's friend60 ,all present shouted1 8,bravo6 bravo6 hurrah6 hurrah6 ,long live the daughter of ,england60 ,as the cannonade increased instead of diminishing1 this gave a kind of martial note of approval to our solemn and enthusiastic ceremony4 ,we then left the spot1 again to risk our noble selves1 as ,i observed to our friend ,p4 ,m4 8,oh10 said he1 8,i shall run40 ,upon this ,i observed1 8,you may do as you like2 but you will thereby incur more danger1 as they will take you for a deserter40 8,oh1 that's true again2 well1 but you may say what you like about bravery--let me tell you1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 that ,i did not bargain for being brave1 and ,i think the sooner we get out of this the better4 ,only listen to the roaring of the cannon40 ,we all laughed heartily at his fears and wry faces4 ,such were never before seen in the ,crimea4 ,at last we regained the redoubt1 quite safe and sound1 which the ,french corporal on duty attributed to their not thinking it worth while to fire upon us1 and partly to the presence of a lady4 ,he remarked that ladies often came to this spot to get a view1 and that he had never known the enemy to fire while they were present4 8,well10 ,i replied1 8we certainly cannot extol their gallantry too highly4 ,but can they distinguish persons at this distance from their camp80 8,of course they can1 from their advanced batteries4 ,persons coming this way can be seen plainly five minutes before they reach this spot1 unless they come by the ,woronzoff ,road40 ,the sun was by this time fast sinking in the vast ocean in front of ,sebastopol1 giving us to understand that night was about to spread its gloomy wings over the camp1 and that in less than two hours it would envelope us in its mysterious darkness1 as well as the besieged and their assailants4 ,alas6 how many of those brave fellows who saw that sun set never beheld it rise again4 ,such was the subject of our conversation while remounting our horses1 with hearts full of emotion1 and of the awful grandeur of this great war1 which1 instead of comprising four or five battles1 might well be called a single one1 or the hundred battle war1 lasting nearly fifteen months without intermission1 excepting only the few hours when the flag of truce was hoisted1 in order that the last religious rites to the mortal remains of the noble departed might be performed4 ,oh war6 war6 where is thy fair side8 ,thou art only a paraphernalia of destruction and misery6 ,we started at a sharp trot1 and were hardly half way to ,balaklava when the dusk of evening was settled over the noisy camps1 through which we were then passing at full gallop4 ,mr4 ,anderson1 knowing the road1 as he thought1 endeavoured to cross the camp by a short cut1 when we were overtaken by night1 and lost our way4 ,what with the regiments sounding their bugles and the drums beating the retreat1 it would have puzzled the coolest head and annoyed the best field-horses4 ,finding ourselves in one of the ,zouave camps1 we inquired of the men in which direction ,balaklava lay4 ,a group of about ten collected round us1 and very politely pointed out the road4 ,it was in a straight line1 and not so much out of the way4 8,but10 said they1 8you cannot cut across the camp1 as this is the first day we hold the ground1 and you are certain to be arrested by the sentries1 and clapped in the violon for the night40 ,they also informed us that it was imprudent to gallop through the camp1 for if the colonel was about1 or it was reported to him1 he would be sure to stop us4 ,another exclaimed1 in ,french1 8,don't be afraid1 friends2 the colonel is not very severe in cases in which ladies are concerned4 ,the officers are now devouring their popottes and taking their evening grog4 ,there is no danger1 captain2 make the best of your way1 as it is getting late1 and there are a set of scamps prowling about who would think nothing of waylaying you for the sake of a five-franc piece40 ,miss ,nightingale1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 and ,mr4 ,anderson were riding slowly in front2 ,p4 ,m4 was anxious to know what the ,zouaves said1 so ,i translated it as above1 for the edification of my brave companion4 ,we then started at a smart pace1 but could not come up with our avant garde4 ,we made another halt near a group who were sitting on the grass close to their tent1 playing some game with a set of mutton bones1 and drinking coffee4 ,others were singing their favourite ,african song1 the 8,beau ,zouave d',afrique--,vlan--sont toujours en avant--,vlan--,vlan--,rataplan--plan--pl an40 ,upon inquiring if they had seen two gentlemen and a lady on horseback1 they replied1 8,yes10 and pointed out the road they had taken4 ,on asking them how they liked camp life1 their answer was1 8,oh1 very much in ,algeria1 but not at all here2 the weather is so bad1 and that trench business is such dull work4 ,we should prefer a battle once or twice a-week in the open field to being shot at like so many rabbits in the trenches40 ,upon asking what they were drinking1 they said1 8,coffee2 would you like to taste it80 8,with great pleasure10 said ,i4 ,upon which they gave me some4 ,it was not bad1 but required a little more sugar4 8,well10 they said1 8we sometimes buy some1 as we are only allowed about enough for breakfast40 ,i requested their acceptance of a few shillings to drink la goutte1 which one of them immediately refused1 saying1 8,no1 no1 ,bourgeois2 we did not ask you to taste our coffee wishing to make you pay for it40 8,i know that1 my dear fellow2 this is to drink our health40 8,we will do that1 then1 and no mistake40 8,good evening1 my men1 and thank you10 said ,i4 ,p4 ,m4 then started off at a gallop4 ,i immediately stopped him1 pretending that if we were seen we were sure to be locked up all night1 our lady fair not being with us1 the colonel would not joke4 8,well10 said he1 fiercely1 8it would only be for one night1 ,i suppose40 8,yes1 one at least40 8,i should prefer being locked up all night in the guard-house to venturing in the dark among so many brigands as the ,zouaves say there are roaming about4 ,there we should be in safety2 while here we may be shot at any moment40 ,as we were descending a deep ravine1 we heard a female voice1 and then the voices of gentlemen4 ,i had no doubt but that these proceeded from ,miss ,nightingale and party1 who were going slowly down the rocky side of the ravine4 ,leaping from our horses1 we went faster on foot2 and in about ten minutes succeeded1 thanks to the light of the stars1 in catching them4 ,when within hail1 ,i called out1 8,who goes there80 ,the reply assured me they were our fair lady and her two cavaliers4 ,on our joining them they said they almost felt afraid that we had been made prisoners2 and ,mr4 ,anderson said he had already given us up4 ,miss ,nightingale and ,mr4 ,bracebridge were of the same opinion1 and they laughed heartily at ,p4 ,m4's description of our dreadful adventure1 as he called it4 ,we were then at the other side of the ravine1 and close to a road which ,mr4 ,anderson recognised as the one leading from ,balaklava to head-quarters4 ,at last1 we were in a fair way of reaching home that night1 which ,p4 ,m4 had long despaired of4 ,the conversation became very animated2 and ,i much amused ,miss ,nightingale and party with my recital of what the ,zouave had said respecting his colonel4 ,i also related the coffee business--,miss ,nightingale made particular inquiries as to its quality4 ,having replied to her questions1 and being a little ahead1 ,i arrived first at the top of a high hill1 and immediately caught sight of the hundreds of lights in the little low shops at ,kadikoi4 ,we were all right at last2 but the road being steep and very greasy1 ,miss ,nightingale's pony slipped fearfully1 which induced ,mr4 ,anderson1 who was nearest to her1 to dismount and lead it down the hill as far as the village4 ,we then passed through ,kadikoi1 which presented a different scene to that of the morning1 but still animated1 from the groups of ,turkish and ,greek labourers returning to their quarters1 and a quantity of drunken men rolling about4 ,we reached the watering-place at the end of the harbour at last4 ,miss ,nightingale's pony1 which was again led by ,mr4 ,anderson--this spot being1 night and day1 full of horses--suddenly turned round to get to the trough1 very nearly throwing ,miss ,nightingale off1 and probably would have done so1 had it not been held by ,mr4 ,anderson1 who received a tremendous knock in the face from the brute's head4 ,this accident made him bleed profusely1 and gave him a pair of black eyes4 ,of this we were not aware until we arrived at the hospital1 and could scarcely believe it when we did4 ,miss ,nightingale and a doctor attended him immediately2 and upon inquiring when it happened1 he coolly replied1 8,about ten minutes ago1 while we were watering the horses40 8,but10 said ,miss ,nightingale1 8you never mentioned it40 8,of course not10 he replied2 8why should ,i8 it would only have made you nervous2 and ,i knew that nothing could be done till we arrived here40 ,after his wound had been dressed1 he declared that the shock was so violent at the time1 he actually thought his head had been split open4 ,we regretted that1 after having gone through such an adventurous day without accident1 a casualty should have happened just at our return4 ,our valiant friend1 ,p4 ,m41 quietly vowed never to go camp-ranging again1 especially on a mule who was always bolting before or lagging behind1 but never kept parallel with our steeds4 ,indeed1 we called the animal ,clockwork1 as1 when wound up1 he would go fast enough1 but when run out1 nothing but re-winding would move him4 ,a few days after1 by the merest chance1 ,i found a leaf from our friend ,p4 ,m4's diary1 of which1 no doubt1 a copy had been sent to his fair ,dulcinea4 ,it read as follows3-- ,balaklava1 ,thursday4--,got up at five o'clock4 ,off for the day1 accompanying ,m4 ,soyer and other friends4 ,my mule very restive4 ,accident the first--broke a strap4 ,weather very hot1 water scarce1 wine and beer more so4 ,ride up a ravine--nearly spilt4 ,quarrel with a ,bashi-,bazouk4 ,gallop away from my friends4 ,splendid view of head-quarters4 ,visit the sick and wounded at ,general ,hospital3 ,miss ,nightingale present--troops greet her with cheers4 ,first glance of ,sebastopol1 peeping through the gabions4 ,dangerous visit to the ,three-gun ,battery4 ,a shell6 a shell6 ,barely have time to lie flat upon the grass4 ,one of our party wounded by a splinter4 ,dangerous travelling at night4 ,take coffee with the ,zouaves4 ,arrive home safely1 but very hungry1 after our perilous expedition4 ,we left ,mr4 ,anderson1 the horses were taken from us1 and we went on board the ,robert ,lowe4 ,the captain was in great anxiety about us1 thinking that something had occurred to ,miss ,nightingale1 who1 indeed1 appeared much fatigued with her glorious excursion4 ,she made no remark on the subject2 but1 on the contrary1 requested me to accompany her early the next morning to both hospitals4 ,this ,i promised to do with great pleasure2 and so ended that lady's first visit to the camp hospitals in the ,crimea4 ,seven bells was striking--all was silent and at rest in the harbour--nothing was heard save the noise of the bells from the different ships1 the booming of the cannon at ,sebastopol1 with now and then the sharp rattle of musketry1 and the gloomy voice of the sentinel's challenge--8,who goes there80 8,a friend40 8,pass1 friend4 ,all's well40 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,the ,,english ,,and ,,turkish ,,commanders-,,in-,,chief4 ,miss ,nightingale indisposed--,more visitors--,admiral ,boxer--,a valuable receipt--,the admiral's indefatigable industry--,miss ,nightingale's perseverance--,off to the hospitals again--,genoese ,heights--,return--,last day on board the ,robert ,lowe--,removal to the ,london--,a rough ride to ,balaklava--,meeting with ,lord ,raglan--,introduction--,omer ,pacha--,conversation--,arrival at ,kadikoi--,reception of ,general della ,marmora--,fraternization4 ,the next morning was wet1 chilly1 and uncomfortable2 and ,i heard with sorrow that ,miss ,nightingale was rather indisposed4 ,it did not1 indeed1 surprise me1 considering the fatigue she had undergone the previous day--more especially as she had taken no refreshment the whole of the time4 ,i made sure that she would postpone her visit to the hospitals4 ,numbers of visitors poured in as usual2 amongst them was ,admiral ,boxer1 ,chief ,admiral of the ,port of ,balaklava4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge was upon deck1 and directly he saw the admiral waiting1 he went and spoke to him4 8,good morning1 admiral10 said ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 and then did me the honour of introducing me4 8,oh6 so you are the ,monsieur ,soyer ,i have often heard of2 and ,i made sure you were a much older man than you appear to be40 8,did you1 indeed1 admiral80 8,yes1 that ,i did4 ,i bought one of your large cookery books about fifteen years ago1 and in your portrait you are represented as a man of about forty years of age40 8,i must have grown ten years younger since then2 as ,i am only forty-five now1 admiral40 8,i wish you had put that receipt for growing younger into your book4 ,i should have tried it long ago1 and have been satisfied with five years1 knowing as much as ,i do40 8,well done1 admiral10 said a friend of his4 8,if ,monsieur ,soyer could give such receipts as that1 everybody would like to take a leaf out of his book40 8,at all events1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 you are welcome to ,balaklava1 and when you like to come and see me upon business--mind1 ,i don't invite you for anything else at present1 as all here is business1 business1 from morning till night1 and sometimes all night40 8,i assure you1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said his nephew1 8the admiral is always out first and on his rounds2 and ,i1 who seldom leave1 often find him writing when every one else is fast asleep40 8,well1 well1 business must be attended to10 said ,admiral ,boxer4 8,at all events1 recollect that ,i give you the entre of the admiral's ship40 8,many thanks1 admiral4 ,you may rest assured ,i will not trouble you often1 and then only upon special business40 8,monsieur ,soyer1 several officers from ,scutari have spoken very highly of your services there2 and ,i sincerely trust you will be as successful here4--,by-the-bye1 ,i must be off40 ,looking at his watch4 8,oh1 ,i have ten minutes yet2 but could ,i not see ,miss ,nightingale80 8,certainly1 admiral4 ,some gentlemen are with her now--,doctor ,henderson and your ,balaklava chaplain40 8,oh1 never mind1 if the lady is engaged2 but ,i believe you came on board the same ship1 and wish to remain together4 ,i must look out for another vessel for you1 as the ,robert ,lowe will be off in a day or two40 8,in that case1 admiral1 pray see ,mr4 ,bracebridge about it4 ,he is there talking to ,thomas1 his servant4 ,i will fetch him40 8,pray1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge10 said the admiral1 8give my compliments to ,miss ,nightingale1 and tell her from me that ,i am sorry to disturb her1 but the ,robert ,lowe will sail in a day or two2 however1 ,i am going my rounds1 and will try and get her quarters upon one of the best vessels in the harbour1 and let you know1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge4 ,good-bye6 good-bye60 ,in a second he was in his boat1 holding the helm1 and talking to every one he met4 ,his boat was seen in every part of the harbour1 and often in the bay1 even in rather rough weather4 ,from daybreak till sunset1 he might be seen rowing about like a hunted pirate--very active1 quick1 and expeditious--though very sailor-like--rather rough and straightforward--by report generally liked4 ,such ,i found ,admiral ,boxer4 ,the weather having cleared up a little1 and as ,i made sure that ,miss ,nightingale would not go out as it was so very dirty on shore1 ,i prepared to visit the hospitals alone1 in order to see how the workmen were going on2 intending to ride thence to head-quarters4 ,i purposed getting there about one or two o'clock1 his lordship's lunch-time--the most likely hour to obtain an interview4 ,on my way to ,mr4 ,bracebridge's cabin1 to inform him of my design1 and ask him at the same time to go with me--he having expressed a wish that we should go together--,thomas1 ,miss ,nightingale's page1 came and inquired if ,i was ready to go with her to the hospitals4 8,pray1 my lad1 tell ,miss ,nightingale that ,i was going alone2 but that1 if she is well enough to go1 ,i shall be very happy to accompany her40 ,before ,i had time1 however1 to finish the sentence1 ,miss ,nightingale had ascended the cabin stairs1 and1 ,i must say1 looked very well4 8,good morning1 mademoiselle2 how are you after your long journey of yesterday8 ,i heard you were rather indisposed40 8,i did feel unwell this morning1 but am much better now4 ,i am extremely sorry about ,mr4 ,anderson1 who1 ,i am afraid1 will be very much disfigured by last night's accident40 8,i hope it will not prove very serious40 8,it may not2 but it will be very disagreeable1 as he is obliged to see so many people40 8,no matter2 all wounds are honourable in time of war1 excepting1 perhaps1 a pair of black eyes40 8,but what has become of your brave compagnon de voyage1 ,p4 ,m48 ,has he recovered from the effects of his fright80 8,all ,i know is1 that he was not at breakfast this morning1 and he told everybody last evening that he would not1 for any amount of money1 again accompany you1 mademoiselle1 or even her ,majesty1 through such danger as he incurred yesterday40 ,every one who knew him laughed at his bravery1 particularly ,miss ,nightingale1 who1 turning to ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 said--8,monsieur ,soyer and myself are going to the ,general ,hospital1 and thence to the ,sanatorium1 where ,i wish you to be kind enough to meet us40 8,about what time80 inquired ,mr4 ,bracebridge4 8,two o'clock1 as at that hour ,mr4 ,anderson and ,dr4 ,sutherland will be there about the ventilation40 ,we then started4 ,the roads were very muddy4 ,i observed to ,miss ,nightingale that she ought to have had boots made on purpose for such rough walking1 to which1 she assented1 saying1 8,i will do so1 ,monsieur ,soyer40 ,as we were passing1 ,i left my card at ,colonel ,hardinge's1 the commandant of ,balaklava4 ,i had the pleasure of meeting many officers there with whom ,i was acquainted2 they all gave me pressing invitations to visit them in camp1 and others to dine with them4 ,as ,i had no time to stay1 ,i promised to call upon every one1 and rejoined ,miss ,nightingale4 ,on arriving at the hospital ,i found the workmen in full activity4 ,miss ,nightingale remained there about two hours4 ,we went next to the ,sanatorium1 and1 in going up the hill1 called upon the sick officer who was in ,dr4 ,henderson's hut4 ,the nurse said that he was a little better1 but far from being well4 ,he was delirious at times4 8,you had better go back to the hospital this evening1 ,mrs4 ----1 and tell ,miss ,weare to appoint another nurse to attend in your stead40 8,thank you1 madam1 ,i will do so2 and am rather glad of it1 as ,i feel very tired40 ,we then proceeded to the ,genoese ,heights1 where ,i had the pleasure of meeting ,captain ,king1 the chief engineer1 whom ,i found very ready to assist me in every way4 8,you are aware10 said he1 8that we are not in ,london2 and ,i cannot build a kitchen in the ,crimea such as you had at the ,reform ,club40 8,i should be very sorry if you could1 as in that case you would have to get somebody to manage it1 for ,i assure you ,i should not like to begin my gastronomic career again2 and ,i must say ,i feel every bit as proud in having to cook for the soldiers1 if not more so1 than ever ,i did in cooking for the greatest epicures or the first lords of ,england40 8,then10 said ,captain ,king1 8we shall work well together40 8,i have no doubt of it1 captain1 as ,i only require a few workmen1 such as carpenters and bricklayers2 some planks1 nails1 and a few bricks and a little mortar4 ,if my new field stoves were finished ,i should not trouble you at all1 as they will cook in the open air1 and do not require any fixing40 8,if you do not need anything more elaborate than your kitchen here1 we shall be able to give you satisfaction4 ,have you seen the plan ,i have drawn out for you80 8,yes1 ,i have--it will do very well40 ,i then went to look after our party4 ,miss ,nightingale1 ,dr4 ,sutherland1 the hospital surveyor1 and several other doctors1 were all together1 and they had nearly finished their rounds4 ,they informed me that they were going to see a small naval hospital1 situated nearly at the top of the high mountain to the left of the ,sanatorium4 ,the boy ,thomas came1 and said ,miss ,nightingale was going home immediately1 inquiring1 at the same time1 for ,mr4 ,bracebridge4 8,he has been here10 ,i said1 8these two hours2 and ,i saw him ride with ,captain ,king towards the heights1 as if he was going to the naval hospital40 8,very well1 sir1 ,i will tell ,dr4 ,sutherland40 ,we were then all going towards the new kitchen4 ,i showed my plan to ,miss ,nightingale and ,dr4 ,sutherland1 who both admired its simplicity and expedition as regards cooking4 ,i observed that this one1 when completed1 would serve as a model for any others which might be required in the camp4 8,where are the utensils80 asked the hospital purveyor2 8we have nothing in store40 8,i assure you you are mistaken10 said ,i1 8because it was only yesterday that ,i saw them in ,mr4 ,fitzgerald's store-room40 8,i declare10 said he1 8that for days and days ,i have been asking for kitchen utensils1 and the only things ,i could get were some spoons1 a frying-pan1 and large forks40 8,oh10 said ,i1 8very likely2 but they only arrived with us1 and were ordered1 at my suggestion1 by ,mr4 ,robertson1 the purveyor-in-chief at ,scutari40 8,i beg your pardon2 that's all right2 but ,i can assure you that if you had depended upon the ,balaklava or ,kadikoi tinkers1 they would have made you pay as much as five or six shillings for an article worth one in ,london40 ,miss ,nightingale and party were by this time half way to ,balaklava1 but we soon caught them4 ,the weather was bad1 the road worse1 and rain kept falling4 ,in fact1 the mud was so deep in front of the ship1 that we were obliged to form a kind of bridge across the road for the lady to get to the boat to go on board4 ,dr4 ,sutherland1 the captain of the ,diamond1 and the doctor of the ,naval ,brigade1 then made an appointment to go and visit the new hospital building for the sick sailors on the ,leander ,bay side1 facing the ,genoese ,tower4 ,after this we parted--to meet early the next morning4 ,upon our return1 a message was delivered from the admiral1 to the effect that there were two ships at our disposal1 and requesting ,mr4 ,bracebridge to go and see them1 and choose the one he liked best without delay1 as probably the ,robert ,lowe would leave the harbour for ,constantinople4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge attended to the order immediately1 and having inspected both1 selected the ,london1 as she was likely to remain the longest4 ,the captain informed us that it had at one time been called the ,great ,london1 and that it was launched in the beginning of the reign of ,george the ,third4 ,the inhabitants of ,london used to go and view it as a curiosity2 but when it sailed from the ,thames the crowd was immense4 ,it was built by ,mr4 ,green4 ,this being probably our last day on board the ,robert ,lowe1 we invited a few friends to dine with us1 and1 despite the bad weather1 we passed a very pleasant and sociable evening1 enlivened by the sound of merry glees and national songs4 ,our hearts and souls were fluttering either in ,france or ,england1 according to the style of harmony4 ,as ,miss ,nightingale's state cabin was at a good distance from the saloon1 she could not be in the slightest way disturbed by the double harmony which reigned among us4 ,the conversation was turned chiefly upon the arrival of the ,sardinian army1 and of the destruction by fire of one of their vessels1 called the ,capitole4 ,she was filled with troops1 but ,i believe none were lost4 ,this made a sad pendant to the ,french vessel1 the ,semillante1 wrecked some time before4 ,the next morning1 some large vessels were reported in sight1 supposed to be the ,sardinian fleet1 though1 from their great distance and the contrary winds1 they were not expected in till late in the afternoon4 ,this led to the departure of the ,robert ,lowe that day1 and earlier than the captain had expected4 ,we all left her early1 and ,miss ,nightingale installed her nurses in the ,sanatorium at the ,genoese ,heights1 near the ,tower1 a sketch of which appeared in the ,illustrated ,london ,news1 of the latter end of ,may1 #ahee1 where we accompanied her with a numerous escort4 ,as it seemed probable that ,miss ,nightingale would be engaged the whole of the day classing her ladies in their various departments1 we postponed our visit to the ,leander ,bay naval hospital till the morrow4 ,it was also necessary for us to take up our quarters on board the ,london4 ,the morning had been gloomy1 and about one o'clock it began to rain4 ,i thought this would be a good opportunity for obtaining an audience with ,lord ,raglan at head-quarters4 ,having mentioned the matter to ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 he approved it1 and proposed accompanying me4 ,we dressed to face the weather4 ,i rode the mule1 and off we went through the rain and deep mud4 ,in going1 we took the longest way and the worst road1 and were nearly two hours on our journey instead of three-quarters of an hour1 which is about the time required1 and even less in fine weather4 ,we had almost reached the general's house1 when we perceived1 at a short distance1 a kind of squadron of cavalry coming towards ,balaklava4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge exclaimed1 8,if ,i am not mistaken1 ,lord ,raglan and his staff are going out40 ,we perceived that some of them wore their rough weather coats4 ,we immediately galloped towards them1 and found that it really was ,lord ,raglan and his staff1 with about thirty mounted officers1 amongst whom were some attached to the ,french and ,turkish army4 ,our first intention was to retire1 but seeing ,colonel ,steele1 ,i rode up to him1 told him ,i had called1 and requested him to fix an hour for an audience4 ,colonel ,steele replied1 8,you could not have come at a better time4 ,come with me2 ,i will introduce you to his lordship2 he will be delighted to see you2 he has been inquiring daily after you and ,miss ,nightingale40 ,while this conversation was going on1 we had got quite close to ,lord ,raglan4 ,colonel ,steele addressed him1 8,i beg pardon1 my lord2 ,monsieur ,soyer is here40 ,lord ,raglan turned suddenly round1 and1 before ,i had time to salute him1 said1 8,ah1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 how are you8 ,i am indeed very glad to see you40 ,i assured his lordship ,i felt highly flattered at his kind reception4 8,you are welcome to the seat of war1 ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,it is many years since we had the pleasure of seeing each other40 8,it must be about ten years1 my ,lord40 8,more than that2 let me see--it cannot be less than fourteen1 ,i am sure4 ,i recollect going with some friends of mine1 to visit you in your interesting kitchen at the ,reform ,club4 ,you remember80 8,so well1 that ,i recollect your lordship saying you never had a good dinner excepting when they gave you the pot-au-feu made after my receipt1 and that ,i was one of your great benefactors40 8,perfectly right1 ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,you have been one not only to me1 but the public at large1 in making all your receipts known4 ,since we met1 you have worked very hard1 and1 although ,i did not see you1 ,i watched your progress and industry40 8,i am still quite ready to render myself useful1 and willing to work harder than ever1 under your direction40 8,well1 well1 you may depend upon it ,i shall do all in my power to render your services available40 ,turning to an officer on his left1 ,lord ,raglan said1 8,will you allow me to introduce ,monsieur ,soyer80 ,then addressing himself to me1 ,lord ,raglan said1 8,monsieur ,soyer--,his ,excellency ,omer ,pacha40 ,i bowed to the distinguished ,turkish commander1 who said in ,french1 8,ah1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i have frequently heard ,beyram ,pacha speak of you2 only yesterday he mentioned your name4 ,he is acquainted with you80 8,yes1 your excellency2 ,i had the honour of sailing from ,marseilles to ,constantinople in company with the general40 8,he told me you were about to open a large hotel at ,eupatoria40 8,no1 no1 your excellency2 ,monsieur ,soyer is come to show our soldiers how to make the best of their rations1 which ,i consider very kind of him2 and no doubt they will improve under his tuition4 ,they will not change their old style of cooking for anyone else4 ,myself1 several colonels1 and even generals1 have taken a deal of interest and trouble in trying to teach them a better way of cooking4 ,they adopt our plan while we are present1 but when once our backs are turned1 they go on in their old way40 8,very true1 very true10 said ,omer ,pacha4 8,it is just the same with my men4 ,show them anything better than their pilaff1 they will not adopt it for the world40 8,you have done wonders1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 in the hospitals at ,scutari1 as ,i perceive from the report and the letter addressed to me by ,lord ,william ,paulet40 8,i am very happy to have succeeded so well2 and hope the system will in time be followed out by every hospital1 as it is less trouble than the old one1 not more expensive1 and has been highly approved by all the medical authorities40 8,oh10 said ,lord ,raglan1 8if it has been approved of by the faculty1 there is no doubt of its being adopted at home40 8,i have great numbers of testimonials from the heads of the medical departments40 ,by this time we had arrived near ,kadikoi1 which then consisted of only a few wooden huts4 ,the rain never ceased1 and we went at a foot-pace all the way1 which gave us an opportunity of conversing4 ,i had the honour of riding on ,lord ,raglan's right side1 and ,omer ,pacha was on his left4 ,no sooner did we come within view of the plain of ,balaklava1 than his lordship pointed out the spot where the battle was fought1 and asked me if ,i could see a small church at a distance4 8,perfectly well10 was my answer4 8,from this spot1 on a fine day1 you can see the enemy quite distinctly10 said ,lord ,raglan2 8and on that large mound which appears so close to us1 you can easily see their sentries40 8,so ,i can1 my lord4 ,is that a ,russian picket80 8,yes1 it is40 ,i thanked ,lord ,raglan for the information2 saying1 8,as ,i have no particular fancy to have the honour of being made a prisoner of war1 ,i shall take care not to go too near our friends the enemies40 ,his lordship turned round and made some remark to ,omer ,pacha1 who laughed heartily2 but ,i did not distinctly hear what he said--the road was rugged1 and ,lord ,raglan wore a mackintosh with a hood over his head--it was1 however1 to the effect that the ,russians could not secure a more useful prisoner than myself1 especially for---- 7the name escaped me71 who is a great epicure4 ,we were by that time near the ,col of ,balaklava4 ,lord ,raglan asked me if ,i had seen the ,sardinians land4 ,i replied that1 although ,i knew they were expected1 ,i was not aware of their arrival4 8,oh yes1 ,general della ,marmora has arrived1 and ,i am going to receive him40 ,a large crowd had by this time gathered round the general and his staff4 ,when near the harbour1 ,i took leave of his lordship1 who kindly invited me to call at head-quarters1 whenever ,i liked1 and told me that ,colonel ,steele would give me all the information and assistance ,i might require to carry out my views4 ,i followed the brilliant cortge1 being anxious to witness the reception of the ,sardinian general1 which was most cordial and effective1 especially when the band struck up 8,god save the ,queen20 such an animated and enthusiastic tableau never met my eyes4 ,the sketch was worthy the pencil of the great ,horace ,vernet4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 who had been introduced to ,lord ,raglan at the same time as myself1 but who drew back and conversed with ,colonel ,steele1 left us at the small bridge leading from the ,col into ,balaklava1 and went direct to the town side1 while we turned to the left hand1 where the ,sardinian fleet was anchored4 ,the arrival of the ,sardinians had created quite a stir in ,balaklava4 ,towards dusk1 they might be seen in all directions4 ,their dress1 manner1 language1 c41 all formed a marked contrast to the usual daily routine4 ,the fraternization between them and the ,english took place immediately2 they were like brothers who1 not having met for many years1 were at last united in order to defend the same cause and brave the same dangers4 ,all was joy1 heroism1 and thirst for glory4 ,the incessant roar of the cannon of ,sebastopol had for the first time re-echoed on board the ,english and ,sardinian men-of-war1 producing a double impression upon the feelings of both armies4 ,the evening closed with the vibration in the ear of 8,god save the ,queen10 8,partant pour la ,syrie10 and the grand ,sardinian national air1 which was performed by their band4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,a ,,new ,,enemy4 ,a comfortable berth--,a skirmish with the rats--,a doubtful victory--,arrival of reinforcements--,abandon the field--,the ,sardinian contingent--,naval hospital in ,leander ,bay--,victims of the wreck of the ,prince--,a ,maltese cook--,magnificent bouquets--,another brush with the rats--,a captain in undress--,how to catch them--,a receipt worth knowing--,a good joke--,castle of a king in ,balaklava4 ,a quarter to eleven had struck when ,i made my first appearance on board the ,london4 ,all had turned in and were asleep1 and the lights were out in the chief cabin4 ,the night watch showed me my berth1 which ,i could feel1 but not see2 so ,i crept into it half undressed1 the best way ,i could1 and in a few minutes1 from the fatigues of the day1 ,i fell into a deep slumber4 ,this lasted for several hours2 and ,i was at last aroused by several persevering rats1 who tried1 at the risk of their lives1 to pull a piece of ,sardinian biscuit out of my great-coat pocket4 ,this ,i had obtained on board the ,carlo ,alberto as a sample4 ,the presence of such unwelcome visitors made me spring quickly out of my slice of a bed1 which is very judiciously called cabin-berth2 and1 as ,i found it too small for one1 ,i had a great objection to extra lodgers4 ,i therefore stood upon the offensive and the defensive1 which caused my assailants to flee in the greatest confusion1 and with such celerity that ,i was unable to make any of them prisoners4 ,relying upon the effects of their defeat1 fatigue enticed me to try another dose of sleep1 when all at once1 with the perseverance of ,zouaves1 the rats returned to the assault1 and running over my face1 made me capitulate immediately1 and leave them in possession of my nautical bedchamber4 ,i spent the remainder of the night uncomfortably enough upon the narrow cabin benches1 falling now and then on the floor by way of variation4 ,the light at last began to peep through the cabin windows1 and ,i could look after my garments1 which ,i at once rescued from the teeth of my enemies1 the ,zouave rats4 ,not a morsel of the biscuit was left2 they had gnawed two large holes in a new great-coat1 no doubt to save the buttons1 which they had not swallowed1 but very nearly nibbled off4 ,when ,i was dressed1 ,i rushed upon deck1 and began to breathe freely4 ,the sun shone1 and the morning gave promise of a fine day4 ,at eight we had breakfast1 and ,i related my night's sport to the captain1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 and others4 ,every one laughed heartily at my tribulation1 which was poor consolation for such a victim as ,i had been4 ,on inquiring about ,miss ,nightingale1 ,i learnt from ,mr4 ,bracebridge that she had come on board late in the evening4 ,i remarked that it was very imprudent of her remaining so late out in such bad weather2 and ,i told ,mr4 ,bracebridge that he ought to prevent it1 as she was sure to be taken ill4 8,so ,i told her10 ,mr4 ,bracebridge replied1 8but she says it will not be for long--only till the sisters are installed2 then she will be able to come home sooner4 ,you were highly honoured yesterday1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 how you seemed to amuse ,lord ,raglan and ,omer ,pacha60 8,yes1 indeed1 his lordship is very lively and jocular40 ,having explained all that took place1 ,i asked him where he went after leaving us4 8,as ,i did not see ,miss ,nightingale return from the ,genoese heights1 ,i went in search of her4 ,by-the-bye1 are you going with us80 8,going where80 8,why1 to ,leander ,bay1 to visit the sailors' new hospital40 8,of course ,i am10 ,i replied4 8,the present ,admiral 7,lushington71 ,captain ,hamilton1 ,doctors ,smart and ,sutherland will accompany ,miss ,nightingale40 ,the ,doctor of the ,diamond called for us in his boat1 and beneath a glowing sun1 on a fine spring day1 we crossed the busy harbour4 ,the ,sardinian man-of-war was the greatest attraction4 ,the band played a fine march and some original melodies1 which enlivened our short trip4 ,all the shipping had hoisted their flags1 and other vessels were seen in the offing1 conveying the remainder of the ,sardinian army4 ,while we were crossing1 ,miss ,nightingale inquired about my doings of the previous day1 which ,i carefully related to her1 dwelling particularly upon the kind reception ,i had received from ,lord ,raglan and ,omer ,pacha1 and the willingness of the former to assist me in my undertaking4 8,i am very glad to hear it10 said ,miss ,nightingale2 8but1 for all that1 you will have innumerable difficulties to contend with4 ,not a man is at work at your kitchen4 ,they say they have no more planks1 and all do just as they please4 ,the engineering department is over-burdened with work4 ,for my part1 ,i can get nothing done1 nor can the ,purveyor-in-chief4 ,i don't blame any one2 but if delays of this kind occur for such trifles1 what will it be for so important an affair as your general and extra-diet kitchens80 8,you are right1 and ,i thank you for the hint4 ,upon our return1 ,i will go and see ,captain ,king40 ,we had then arrived in ,leander ,bay4 ,i pointed out the spot at which the poor victims of the wreck of the ,prince were buried--the sight of which made a singular impression upon every member of the party1 especially when ,i told them the number which lay there4 ,there was scarcely any earth over them2 and the workmen told us the stench from the bodies was so dreadful1 they were often compelled to leave their work in consequence4 ,another said we did not perceive it because the wind was in another direction4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge took note of this1 in order to mention the matter to ,dr4 ,sutherland1 who knew nothing of it at the time4 ,on reaching the green mountain1 at the top of which is situated the new ,naval ,hospital1 we were greeted by the sight of a complete garden of wild flowers1 vines1 and aromatic plants4 ,this repaid us for the dismal scene below4 ,several ,french soldiers were picking the flowers1 and gathering salad and wild sorrel4 ,at the hospital we met ,dr4 ,sutherland and ,mr4 ,anderson1 who had not recovered from the effect of his accident1 and still had a pair of black eyes4 ,the ,commander had been waiting some time for us1 and was on the point of retiring1 when our arrival induced him to change his intention4 ,we visited the hospital1 which1 though a small one1 was delightfully situated4 ,the huts were built on a new principle1 with a new style of ventilation4 ,the kitchen had then only just been commenced4 ,i gave the sailor cook1 a ,maltese1 who seemed very intelligent1 a few hints1 and promised to send the doctor a plan1 and to give him my hospital receipts4 ,the latter ,i had been expecting for some time from ,constantinople2 but they had been lost1 and ,i was obliged to have them reprinted4 ,the plan1 however1 ,i sent4 ,it was adopted1 and1 upon my second visit1 everything was going on very satisfactorily4 ,we then separated into groups1 and enjoyed a delightful ramble over the rocks and mountains1 herborising for a couple of hours4 ,when we again reunited1 we all had enormous bouquets of flowers1 collected in honour of our fair lady1 who could not help laughing at the appearance of her beaux and their bouquets4 ,only one was accepted1 and the fortunate candidate was our worthy friend the invalid1 ,mr4 ,anderson4 ,we carried our botanical harvest home1 and descended the hill full of health and spirits4 ,even the cannon of ,sebastopol was silent1 at least to our ears1 the wind being the wrong way for the report to reach us4 ,in a few minutes we were once more afloat1 and were about conducting ,miss ,nightingale on board1 when she said that she wished to go to the ,general ,hospital2 so ,captain ,hamilton landed us as near to it as possible4 ,we then separated--,dr4 ,smart and ,mr4 ,anderson inviting me to go and see them often1 as they had much to inform me of relating to the food of the army4 ,dr4 ,smart accompanied ,miss ,nightingale to the hospital1 and ,i went to find ,captain ,king2 but he had gone to the ,sanatorium--at least so they told me at his office4 ,i went up there1 being anxious to have this kitchen completed1 as it was really much wanted4 ,the hospital was getting fuller every day1 and ,i had a great desire to commence operations at the camp4 ,the ,captain was not there1 nor could ,i find a single workman4 ,to my great sorrow1 ,i met ,miss ,nightingale coming down the hill1 attended by a nurse or two1 and the page-boy4 ,she was walking through the mud in thin boots4 ,the weather had entirely changed1 and a heavy rain was falling4 ,upon meeting her1 ,i could not refrain from expressing my fear that she would catch cold4 ,she had been to ask the nurse at ,dr4 ,henderson's how the officer patient was4 ,upon reaching the harbour1 we took a ,maltese boat1 and arrived on board the ,london almost wet through4 ,a different cabin to the one ,i had occupied the night before was allotted to me4 ,all the rat-holes had been stopped1 and by special favour ,i was allowed a night-lamp4 ,i had the pleasure of seeing the rats run about1 which afforded me the opportunity of hunting them at my ease4 ,i then perceived that several escaped through the bull's-eye1 which ,i immediately closed1 and so captured three4 ,i then commenced killing them with a stick1 and in so doing made noise enough to arouse everybody4 ,some of the crew came to see what was the matter1 while the ,captain1 who was half asleep1 and rather deaf1 told the mate to send for the police and turn the drunken man out4 ,having explained to the first mate the cause of my nocturnal disturbance1 he told me that they were sure to come in at the bull's-eye1 if left open1 that being the easiest way for them when in harbour4 8,and10 said he1 8they travel that way from one ship to another in bands of ten or twenty at a time40 ,he then showed me how to close and fasten the bull's-eye1 after which he retired to his berth4 ,all at once1 one of the brutes1 which had remained concealed1 in attempting to escape upset the lamp upon the floor and extinguished it1 and thus compelled me for the second time to seek to repose upon the hard and unsophisticated cabin bench1 when the ,captain made his appearance rather in a state of nglig1 holding1 a rushlight in one hand and a sword in the other1 with a nightcap tied round with a red riband upon his head4 ,in great anxiety1 he inquired what the row was about4 8,the row1 ,captain10 said ,i1 8is nothing4 ,it's only the bull's-eye in my cabin1 which being half open1 the rats have got in again40 8,what do you say1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 8,nothing10 again ,i shouted4 8,call that nothing8 ,i never had such a row in my ship before4 ,bless my soul10 said he1 8what a nuisance those rats are6 ,they make quite as free in my cabin2 but1 being used to it1 ,i do not care so much about them4 ,the worst of it is that we can never keep a bit of cheese or a candle2 they eat them up as fast as ,i buy them40 8,it is certainly very provoking1 ,captain2 but why not try and catch them80 8,oh1 bless you1 we have tried everything--poison1 traps1 broken glass4 ,we caught a few1 but ,i would give the world to have them all caught40 8,i can give you a receipt which will enable you to have them almost all caught in a few days40 8,the deuce you could60 said he1 coming and sitting opposite to me4 8,tell me how it is done--,i shall be so much obliged to you2 but ,i must go and put something on first1 ,i am so cold40 ,as he said this1 ,i perceived that the skylight over his head was open4 8,oh1 never mind that2 it won't take two minutes to tell you--listen to me40 8,so ,i will10 he said4 8,the place where you keep your cheese would be the very spot to make the trial4 ,the thing is quite easy4 ,have your cheese and candles removed40 8,so ,i will2 but ,i wish you would let me put a coat on--,i am getting so very cold40 8,never mind about that2 ,i shall not keep you a minute--listen to me40 8,so ,i will40 8,when the cabin is perfectly empty1 have it cleaned and well scrubbed40 8,that will be done40 8,when it is dry1 take half a pound of good ,cheshire cheese1 scrape it fine1 and mix it with about two pounds of rough bread-crumbs40 8,yes1 ,i will40 8,perhaps you think it is a pity to give them half a pound of good cheese40 8,not at all1 because the vermin eat pounds of it daily40 8,mix both well together40 8,yes1 ,i understand--and make them into balls40 8,no1 not at all--only spread the lot upon the floor1 leave the door and window open1 and go to bed4 ,of course they will come and eat40 8,i should say they would10 he observed4 8,the next evening do the same1 cutting the cheese a trifle larger4 ,they will come again and eat it40 8,what next80 said he4 8,the third night1 leave the doors and windows open2 go to bed as usual1 and put nothing at all in the cabin40 8,what then80 he asked again1 in a state of anxiety4 8,why1 of course1 when they come and find nothing to eat1 and being in still greater numbers than the two previous nights1 they will be all caught40 8,how10 said he1 8will they be all caught80 8,why1 of course1 finding nothing to eat1 they will be all taken in40 8,that be d----d6 ,i have made a nice fool of myself1 standing here half naked to listen to such rubbish as that40 ,having said this1 he ran into his cabin1 and for a long while ,i heard him sneezing and muttering to himself4 ,the word 8fool0 was all that ,i could catch2 and soon after all was silent till daybreak4 ,on waking1 ,i at first regretted having carried the joke so far1 when all at once ,i heard the good captain burst out laughing and sneezing4 ,the first visit ,i had in the morning1 while shaving in my cabin1 was from the captain4 ,as it was then only six o'clock1 ,i made sure he was coming to challenge me1 and began to think of choosing my favourite weapons1 which ,i had so successfully employed on a similar occasion in ,london1 after a serious discussion with a red republican on the subject of monarchy4 ,one afternoon1 at a ,french restaurant in the ,haymarket1 a rather animated discussion1 apropos of the new republic of the year #8#dh1 took place between myself and a person whom ,i afterwards ascertained to be the duellist ,cournet1 an officer in the ,french navy1 who has already been mentioned in the earlier pages of this work4 ,my entire disapproval of the conduct of the friends of liberty1 as shown by their wanton destruction of everything1 both useful and ornamental1 even to the court breeches and white inexpressibles of the ,national ,guard 7which were exposed to dry at every window of the ,palace of the ,tuileries1 thus giving to that noble building somewhat the appearance of ,rag ,fair71 was so strongly expressed1 that ,cournet1 8taking umbrage thereat10 after calling me a monarchist and an enemy to liberty1 insisted upon my meeting him the next morning1 to give him the satisfaction due from one gentleman to another4 ,i replied to his challenge by desiring that the matter should be settled at once4 ,he answered1 in a haughty tone1 8,comme vous voudrez1 monsieur4 ,c'est vous le choix des armes4 ,nous tirerons ce que vous voudrez60 8,eh1 bien10 said ,i1 8puisque c'est moi le choix des armes1 sortons l'instant mme1 monsieur1 et nous allons nous tirer les cheveux40 8,as you please1 sir4 ,the choice of weapons is yours40 8,in that case1 ,i suppose we must pull triggers for it40 8,sir10 replied he1 8we will pull any mortal thing you please40 8,good10 said ,i2 8then we will at once proceed to pull each other's hair40 ,the roar of laughter which followed this sally somewhat calmed the ire of this rabid and irascible duellist1 more especially when he was informed who ,i was1 and that my province was to make people live well1 and not die badly4 ,the ,captain1 however1 entered with a smile on his countenance1 and looked altogether pleased4 ,he begged of me to say nothing about it1 as the crew would laugh at him1 and it was necessary on board ship to be very severe4 ,moreover1 he declared that he wished to catch some of his brother captains1 who1 like him1 were very much pestered with rats4 ,as ,i was extremely anxious to see ,captain ,king respecting the slow progress of the kitchen1 ,i started about seven o'clock1 expecting to find him at home4 ,after a long and disagreeable mountainous walk1 ,i arrived too late4 8,but10 said his man1 8you will very likely meet him at his office about nine o'clock1 or else at the ,sanatorium or head-quarters1 or at ,kadikoi1 as he told me he was going to those places40 8,i suppose ,i have a chance of finding him anywhere1 except at ,sebastopol10 ,i replied4 ,more fortunate than on former occasions1 ,i met the captain on horseback going to his office4 ,we mounted the tumble-down rotten wooden staircase of this late palazzo1 now converted into one of the principal and most important departments in the ,british army in the ,crimea--viz41 the office of the chief engineer4 ,the large room which was dedicated to the captain would hold1 at a pinch1 seven or eight people of a very moderate size standing2 the second about five2 and the third none1 being filled with plans1 models1 and drawings4 ,such was the castle of a king in ,balaklava2 and ,i have seen from thirty to forty people waiting in the mud to have an interview with his ,majesty1 who1 ,i must confess1 received his loyal subjects with a most humorous and happy countenance1 having always a smile for a friend and kind words for everybody4 ,when we got in1 ,i immediately locked the door1 informing him that he1 the king1 was my prisoner for at least ten minutes1 as that was all the time ,i should require4 ,we went earnestly to business4 ,i submitted my various plans1 and requested him to have the ,sanatorium kitchen finished4 ,to this he agreed1 promising to do all he could for me1 at the same time observing they were short of materials and good workmen4 ,i then set the captain and king at liberty4 ,i next went to see ,commissary ,filder1 being anxious to fix a time for inspecting the provisions in general use4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,reception ,,at ,,english ,,and ,,french ,,head-,,quarters4 ,question of fuel--,saving of hundreds per cent4--,miss ,nightingale's indisposition--,mr4 ,upton--,who caught the rats8--,lots of acquaintances--,a short cut--,arrive at head-quarters--,general ,della ,marmora's visit--,interview with ,lord ,raglan--,inspection of field-stove--,conversation--,model admired--,omer ,pacha on army cookery--,valuable suggestions--,lord ,raglan's cook--,golding's preserved meats--,various methods--,dr4 ,hall--,the eccentric ,louis--,dr4 ,cumming's letter--,french head-quarters--,a flying visit--,fraternization--,ride home4 ,on my return to our ship1 ,i left my card at ,colonel ,hardinge's4 ,he kindly invited me to breakfast2 and ,i regretted that ,i could not accept the invitation1 having promised ,colonel ,steele to be at head-quarters at eleven o'clock4 ,after a little business conversation respecting the arrival of the fuel1 he gave me an estimate of the number of vessels required daily for that purpose alone1 the number of men employed in loading and unloading the ships1 the encumbrance it caused in the harbour1 the room required for storing it1 the number of mules for carrying it to the various camps1 and the difficulty of distribution4 8,no one10 said he1 8can imagine the immense quantity of labour that is required for keeping up the supplies of fuel40 8,i am going to-day10 ,i remarked1 8to see the ,commander-in-chief2 and ,i intend to submit a small model of my camp kitchen for his inspection40 ,in a few words ,i explained its principle1 and stated the small quantity of fuel it would require4 ,colonel ,hardinge remarked1 8,why1 you will save at least between three and four hundred per cent42 for it is not the cost of the coal or wood which is the principal item1 but the labour1 expense1 and inconvenience of transport4 ,all these will be greatly reduced40 8,i am much obliged to you10 ,i said1 8for your very encouraging remarks40 8,any more information you may require ,i shall at all times be happy to afford2 and as you have no horses yet1 whenever you want a pony1 let me know40 8,i feel grateful1 ,colonel1 for your kind reception40 ,crowds of people were waiting for an audience1 yet ,i managed to escape4 ,balaklava ,house was indeed a palace compared with the rest of the ,tartaric habitations4 ,on arriving on board the ,london1 ,i heard with regret that ,miss ,nightingale was indisposed4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge did not think it was anything very serious4 ,mrs4 ,roberts1 ,miss ,nightingale's head nurse1 who always accompanied her and attended her during the voyage1 informed me that ,miss ,nightingale was not going out1 having much writing to do1 it being post-day4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge wished me to go with him to see ,mr4 ,upton1 the son of the architect who built the harbour and docks of ,sebastopol4 ,on my reminding him of my appointment at head-quarters 7which he had forgotten71 ,mr4 ,bracebridge proposed going the next morning1 as he had a particular desire to see ,mr4 ,upton and family4 8,i hear10 said he1 8,mr4 ,upton is a ,warwickshire man4 ,his father was born at the small village of ,grendon1 close to my place and that of your late friend1 ,sir ,george ,chetwynd1 of ,grendon ,hall40 8,really6 ,i know the place very well2 and to-morrow ,i shall be happy to accompany you1 unless fresh orders from head-quarters interfere with the arrangement40 8,your pony is ready1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said the steward of the ship4 ,i sent for ,miss ,nightingale's page1 ,thomas4 8,do you want me1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 asked the boy4 8,yes1 my lad1 ,i do4 ,tell your mistress ,i am going to head-quarters2 give her my best compliments1 and say ,i shall have the pleasure of seeing ,lord ,raglan2 and ask her if ,i can take any message for her to him1 or to any one else in the camp40 ,the ,captain1 who was smoking on the upper deck1 called out1 8,who caught the rats80 8,you mean1 who caught the captain10 said ,i1 8who could not smell a rat80 ,the boy returned1 and informed me that ,miss ,nightingale was very much obliged to me1 and that she had written to ,lord ,raglan upon business that very morning4 ,i then started4 ,the roads were still very heavy from the immense quantity of rain which had fallen1 but the weather was fine overhead1 and everybody seemed to be out4 ,people1 in fact1 sprang up like mushrooms in a green field after a little rain and a few hours of ,august sunshine4 ,i met numerous friends and acquaintances between ,balaklava and ,kadikoi4 ,many of these--military as well as medical gentlemen--,i had seen at ,scutari4 ,indeed1 the excursion put me more in mind of riding in ,hyde ,park on a ,sunday afternoon1 than being in a distant country1 and at the seat of war4 ,for above a mile it was a constant nodding of heads and shaking of hands4 ,as my time was short1 ,i felt anxious to get on my journey as fast as possible4 ,i did not know the way to head-quarters1 so ,i inquired of an officer which was the shortest road4 ,he kindly informed me that he was going there1 and knew the short cuts1 but that he was in a great hurry1 and if ,i could ride fast1 he should be much pleased to show me the way4 ,of course ,i expressed my willingness to accommodate my pace to his1 and away we went across country4 ,after riding for twenty-five minutes1 we arrived near the ever-celebrated farm which constituted the head-quarters4 ,its appearance was by no means grand nor imposing1 and put me very much in mind of ,shakspeare's house at ,stratford1 or the humble cot of the poet ,burns in ,ayrshire4 ,my readers are too well acquainted with the locality and the non-architectural design of the house and its dependencies for me to attempt giving a description4 ,the well-known spot was first taken as the ,english head-quarters1 and retaken by drawing1 daguerreotyping1 engraving1 photographing1 lithographing1 c43 in fact1 it became1 as well as the wooden ,french head-quarters1 so celebrated during the war-time1 that the ,tuileries1 ,windsor1 and the marble palace of ,dolma ,bach were actually cast into the shade1 and a very deep shade too4 ,even cities were at a discount compared with ,sebastopol4 ,yes1 ,sebastopol1 pretty1 picturesque ,sebastopol1 with its few thousand inhabitants1 was in everybody's mouth and thoughts4 ,the court-yard at head-quarters that morning presented a very lively scene4 ,i found it1 to my great disappointment1 filled with officers' chargers1 which were being slowly led about by the orderlies4 ,there were some belonging to ,sardinians1 ,french1 and ,turks1 besides ,english ones4 ,this sight made me despair of seeing the ,general that morning1 and ,i feared that ,i should lose another day4 ,time was then precious to me4 ,upon inquiry1 ,i was informed that the ,sardinian ,general1 ,della ,marmora1 was returning a visit to ,lord ,raglan and to ,general ,canrobert1 and that they would all be off directly1 as a grand review of their troops was to take place the following day4 ,this afforded me an opportunity of paying my second visit to ,dr4 ,hall1 the chief superintendent4 ,he was out1 but ,i was told that he would be home by one or two o'clock4 ,on retracing my steps to head-quarters1 ,i found1 as ,i had been at first informed1 every one on the point of departure4 ,the different uniforms formed an exquisite contrast in the military cavalcade4 ,the court-yard was soon cleared1 and ,i went in1 and had the pleasure of seeing ,general ,airey1 ,colonel ,steele1 c4 ,colonel ,steele said ,i was just in time to see ,lord ,raglan1 and ,i was at once ushered in4 8,what have you to show me1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 said ,lord ,raglan1 after a kind greeting4 8,i wish to submit to your lordship's inspection the model of my field-stove1 and if you approve of it1 the progress of my undertaking will be greatly accelerated40 8,very well2 explain it at once40 8,in the first place1 here is a simple plan of the kitchen in course of erection at the ,sanatorium ,hospital40 ,i pointed out the details1 which his lordship seemed to understand at first sight4 8,if that is all you require1 surely you can have it done without much delay40 8,that is all2 but ,i require men as well40 8,you shall have them--orders will be given to that effect40 8,this one will serve as a model for all the others3 they will be upon a similar scale4 ,for example1 the ,general ,hospital before ,sebastopol does not require one on so extensive a scale1 though the most important40 8,well1 what you require must be done4 ,by-the-bye1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 you are very fortunate in having had the honour of escorting ,miss ,nightingale to the seat of war40 8,i am fully aware1 my ,lord1 that it is a great honour40 8,the lady mentioned you in her letter to me1 as well as ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 whom ,i know very well4 ,i went to ,balaklava the other day to visit her40 8,so ,i heard2 but ,miss ,nightingale was at the ,sanatorium whilst your lordship went to the ,general ,hospital40 8,they could not tell me where she was--therefore ,i did not go to the ,sanatorium4 ,i saw a poor lady who seems very ill4 ,i told her she had better take care of herself1 and have some one to nurse her1 instead of nursing others4 ,she spoke very good ,french1 and a very lady-like person she is40 8,i know whom your lordship means--the lady is ,miss ,wear40 8,i almost forget the name1 but ,i believe that was it40 ,lord ,raglan made many inquiries respecting ,miss ,nightingale1 whose character he seemed to admire very much4 ,we then returned to business matters4 ,i expressed my desire to visit the hospital kitchens in the camp1 in company with some of the authorities4 ,to this ,lord ,raglan immediately acceded4 8,no person could be better than ,dr4 ,hall4 ,do you know him1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 8,no1 my ,lord1 ,i have not that pleasure2 ,i called upon him twice1 but unfortunately he was out40 8,he lives close at hand1 and ,i will send for him40 ,i told ,lord ,raglan that ,i had just left his hut1 and that he was absent1 but would be certain to be back by three or four o'clock4 8,very well2 then you can settle that together40 ,as ,i perceived that numbers of persons were waiting to see his lordship1 and that messages were continually being sent in1 ,i said that ,i should be happy to wait1 and would call again4 8,no1 no1 not at all10 said ,lord ,raglan2 8if you were to wait1 you might do so for a month4 ,what is that you have under your arm8 ,is it a cooking apparatus80 8,yes1 this is the model of the field stove ,i have invented1 and which ,i wish to submit for your lordship's opinion and approval1 by command of ,lord ,panmure1 who approved of it very highly4 ,mr4 ,brunel1 the great engineer1 did the same4 ,they are now in use in various hospitals1 particularly at ,smyrna1 and at ,scutari1 where they answer admirably4 ,they can also be used in the field1 as they will cook either in or out of doors4 ,those for out-of-door purposes only require to be made smaller and lighter than the hospital ones40 ,having carefully explained the principle upon which it was constructed1 ,lord ,raglan thought it would answer perfectly1 and asked1 8,do you wish to have them adopted immediately80 8,not before you have seen them at work1 my ,lord40 8,ah1 that will do better40 8,i am expecting some of them shortly2 in fact1 they should have been here before40 8,well1 you had better make inquiries about them1 or they may be delayed somewhere1 as this happens almost every day40 ,several gentlemen were present when ,i explained the principle of the stove1 in which ,lord ,raglan seemed much interested1 showing the model and taking the trouble to explain its principle to them himself4 ,colonel ,symonds said1 8,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i will go and fetch his ,excellency ,omer ,pacha2 he is much interested in this kind of thing40 8,do1 ,colonel10 said ,lord ,raglan4 ,then turning to me3 8,i am much pleased with what ,i have seen1 and have no doubt those stoves will prove a great boon to the army2 but mind1 they must not be made too heavy1 and they must be adapted for companies4 ,neither must you forget the smaller ones which ,i mentioned to you1 for picket and outpost duty40 ,omer ,pacha entered4 8,now10 said ,lord ,raglan1 8form your own opinion of ,soyer's field stove1 and let me know what you think of it40 8,monsieur ,soyer10 said ,omer ,pacha1 8what have you good to eat there80 8,nothing at present1 your ,excellency2 but by-and-by1 when my plans are adopted1 we shall be able to cook for and feed the army with ease40 8,ah1 this is a matter of great importance4 ,pray explain your plans to me40 ,when ,i had done this1 ,omer ,pacha said1 8,it will first be necessary to have something to cook40 ,the truth of the observation ,i respectfully admitted1 with a low bow1 adding1 8,your ,excellency is right2 but as the probability is that something to be cooked never yet entirely failed1 and in expectation of better times coming1 we confidently hope that the provisions for the army will shortly be on the increase instead of the decrease4 ,this hope has induced me to invent this apparatus1 of which1 when its principle has been fully explained1 ,i have no doubt you will1 with ,lord ,raglan1 approve40 8,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i have no doubt that1 as regards cooking1 you are a very clever man2 but if you could manage to cook a dinner out of nothing1 you would be more clever still40 8,not having tried the experiment1 ,i really cannot say whether ,i could do so or not2 but ,i will try1 and then report progress to your ,excellency40 ,a hearty laugh from all present terminated this petite plaisanterie4 ,this brought to my mind the story of a very promising schoolboy1 who1 when asked by a learned man whether he could speak ,latin1 replied1 8,i cannot tell1 sir40 8,why can't you tell1 my boy80 8,because ,i never tried1 sir10 was the answer4 8,at all events10 ,i continued1 addressing ,omer ,pacha1 8you will perceive that if ,i cannot make something out of nothing1 ,i am able to do a great deal with a little1 which in war-time is a very important matter40 8,very true2 but pray show me the interior of this little model40 ,having shown and explained the apparatus1 ,omer ,pacha admitted its practicability1 and1 after giving me a few hints on the ,turkish system of camp cookery1 retired1 followed by his staff1 wishing me every success4 ,lord ,raglan met ,omer ,pacha in the passage1 and they exchanged a few words1 which ,i could hear bore reference to the subject we had discussed4 ,i was leaving1 when ,lord ,raglan re-entered4 8,so you are going1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 8,yes1 my ,lord4 ,i fear my visit has been too long40 8,no1 not at all--this is rather a quiet day1 and before you go ,i wish you would be kind enough to look at my kitchen40 8,i shall be most happy to do so40 8,do you know my cook8--his name is ,armand--he is not a cordon bleu1 but he is a good man1 and does his best with what he can get40 8,the ,french proverb la guerre comme la guerre is very applicable to the circumstances--nay1 rather too much so to permit one to hope to obtain a good dinner40 8,very true10 said ,lord ,raglan2 8and we are really so tired of those preserved meats40 8,indeed2 but some of them are not bad40 8,the great fault is1 that the meat is always overdone4 ,how do you account for that1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 8,if it were not so1 they would not keep4 ,when ,i was sent for to ,deptford to report upon ,golding's preserved meats--which1 no doubt1 your lordship recollects----8 8,i do1 indeed2 they were too bad to be forgotten40 8,i assure your lordship the fault was more in the cooking than in the bad quality of the meat--some of which ,i found in a state of liquid putrefaction4 ,no doubt1 the meat was not of prime quality1 and many improper things were introduced4 ,nevertheless1 if the articles had been properly preserved1 they would have been found as sweet when taken out as when they were put in4 ,for example1 the entrails of any animal might be enclosed in these tin cases in the state in which they came from the animal1 and1 if well preserved1 upon opening them a couple of years after1 they would be found pretty much in their original state1 excepting being slightly discoloured by the cooking--but whole1 and not in a liquid state1 as those were4 ,the meat was1 therefore1 either not cooked enough1 or some atmospheric air had remained in it which caused putrefaction40 8,could not any other way of preserving be introduced80 8,many experiments have been tried1 but almost all proved unsuccessful4 ,i1 at one time1 made several myself1 the results of some of which ,i submitted to ,captain ,miles1 ,admiral ,berkeley1 ,sir ,charles ,napier1 c41 and they were found very good4 ,they were then about a month old1 but the time the government wished for the test was a twelvemonth4 ,i was certain they would keep any length of time1 but as ,i was then very much engaged at the ,reform ,club1 and also writing my cookery-book1 ,the ,modern ,housewife1 ,i did not pursue it further4 ,the principal improvement in my method was the omission of the liquids previously introduced1 either broth or water4 ,i only put the meat in well seasoned1 and left it to cook slowly in its own gravy2 and when opened1 it turned out surrounded by a firm jelly1 and cut solid40 8,i should advise you to turn your immediate attention to that subject40 8,i will1 my ,lord1 as soon as time permits4 ,i shall now go and see your kitchen1 and pay a visit to your chef de cuisine40 8,pray do1 and see whether you can contrive to improve it4 ,i believe it is a very bad one1 for he is always complaining4 ,when you return1 lunch will be upon the table1 and you can take some refreshment40 ,thanking ,lord ,raglan for his extreme kindness1 ,i took my leave4 ,i was anxious to see ,colonel ,steele1 to inform him of the result of my interview2 but as he was out1 ,i proceeded to the kitchen1 which was some distance from the house1 across the courtyard4 ,the chef had gone to ,kamiesch to market3 ,i therefore postponed my visit1 and returned to the dining-room to take some refreshment4 ,afterwards ,i went in search of ,doctor ,hall1 whom at last ,i had the good fortune to find at home1 if such a small place could be called a home4 ,it was about ten feet square1 and the height of a sentry-box1 affording about enough room for four persons to stand up in1 and only for two to sit down4 ,this petit chlet was for all that nicely furnished1 and the spot where most of the hospital business was transacted both for the ,east and the ,crimea1 it being the general head-quarters for the various medical departments4 ,such was the habitation1 office1 and chteau of the present ,sir ,john ,hall4 ,at the door ,i was received by his major-domo1 a ,frenchman named ,louis1 a very intelligent man1 and one as well known in the camp from his extraordinary look1 shrewdness1 eccentricity1 and style of riding1 as the doctor himself4 ,on alighting1 ,louis took my horse by the bridle1 and walking to the entrance1 introduced me to the doctor1 who was very busy writing4 ,he got up and requested me to enter1 which ,i did4 8,pray be seated1 ,monsieur ,soyer--,i am very happy to see you4 ,i heard of your arrival1 and also of your former visits40 8,to-day1 doctor1 ,i have been more fortunate40 8,you see1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i have so many places to visit every day1 particularly in the morning1 that ,i am very seldom at home40 ,i could but smile at the word 8home10 which1 as my readers will understand by my description1 was but a humble one4 ,such was the general amount of luxury in the establishments in the ,crimea4 8,as ,i am aware1 doctor1 of the value of your time1 do not let me disturb you in the least4 ,a few minutes will settle our business4 ,first of all1 ,i have a letter of introduction from ,dr4 ,cumming40 8,let me see it40 ,it contained only a few lines1 and was to the following effect3-- ,to ,,dr4 ,,hall1 ,chief of the ,medical ,department1 ,crimea4 ,,dear ,,sir1--,monsieur ,soyer1 who you are well aware has rendered us important service in the culinary department of our hospitals on the ,bosphorus1 prior to going to the ,crimea begs of me to give him a letter of introduction to you4 ,hoping that his services may prove as successful in the ,crimea as they have been here1 ,i remain1 dear ,sir1 yours faithfully1 ,,dr4 ,,cumming4 ,when ,dr4 ,hall had read the letter1 and expressed his satisfaction at the contents1 ,i related the result of my interview with the ,commander-in-chief1 and my desire to visit the camp hospitals with the doctor at his earliest convenience4 ,dr4 ,hall immediately fixed the next day for the purpose1 and kindly offered to send a pony for me about eight the next morning4 ,after having exchanged the usual compliments1 we parted4 ,before ,i left1 the doctor called ,louis and gave him the order for the pony4 ,as it was only three o'clock1 and ,i had a few hours to spare1 ,i felt inclined to visit the ,french camp1 in order to compare their system of cooking with that in use among the ,english1 as well as to make some inquiries about their provisions4 ,the ,french head-quarters did not bear the slightest resemblance to the ,english4 ,the pile was entirely constructed of wood1 and thus gave a wide scope to the architects to distinguish themselves in the modern science of joining and building1 and to render as convenient and comfortable as possible this seat of important business transactions4 ,it was in fact a well-built village1 of which the ,general-in-chief was the lord2 and1 though not gaudy1 still luxuriously comfortable1 with every department distinct and well arranged4 ,this was1 to a certain extent1 the case at the ,english head-quarters1 but a farm did not afford sufficient space and accommodation4 ,at the commencement of the campaign1 it was no uncommon thing for a general to rest from the fatigues of war in a small dilapidated room1 something like a good-sized ,english pig-sty4 ,the ,french head-quarters1 like the ,english1 were surrounded by the staff and principal business offices1 which1 though answering the same purpose1 presented quite a different appearance4 ,in the arrangement of the offices and the manners of the inhabitants1 one could in fact distinguish ,france from ,england1 and ,england from ,france4 ,the vicinity was well guarded--several regiments being encamped round that select group of habitations4 ,it was only with a silver key one could open the doors of the field kitchens and popottes1 which key was always to be found at the regimental canteen4 ,a few bottles of wine1 glasses of absinthe or vermouth1 were enough to initiate me in less than two hours in all that ,i required to know relating to my mission4 ,after settling my account with three or four coquettish and cavalier-like vivandires1 wishing them all the commercial prosperity imaginable1 and shaking hands with several companies of the various regiments1 including those of the ,imperial ,guard1 who had just arrived1 ,i cheerfully retired with the gratification of having conquered a portion of the lite of the ,french armies--of course1 ,i only mean in pure friendship4 ,moreover1 ,i gained most honourable titles1 from lieutenant to captain1 colonel1 and now and then general4 ,at all events1 my passport through that important part of the ,french camp was signed by several hundreds of those brave fellows1 as well as by innumerable smiles from the fair and dark heroines1 the cantinires of the first ,french division4 ,with a promise to return soon1 ,i retired1 having experienced much gratification and enriched my budget of anecdote4 ,in this interesting visit to the ,french camp1 head-quarters1 canteens1 c41 and becoming well acquainted with the officers' and soldiers' popottes--which name ,i immediately added to my gastronomic bill of fare--the three hours ,i had to spare nearly expired4 ,the sun was rapidly descending to the level of the ocean in the direction of ,kamiesch4 ,having paid my bill at the canteen1 and shaken hands with nearly a whole regiment1 ,i jumped on my pony and galloped all the way home1 perfectly satisfied with my day's work1 which at the time ,i felt was one of the most interesting of my life4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,a ,,universal ,,calamity4 ,miss ,nightingale dangerously ill--,her removal to the ,sanatorium--,worst form of ,crimean fever--,general consternation--,conversation with the ,captain--,better news--,visit the ,sanatorium--,disembarkation of the ,sardinians--,bridge over the ,london--,admiral ,boxer--,act as interpreter--,overwhelmed with complaints--,soda-water for horses--,all right at last--,alexandrian horse-flesh--,a character--,an interesting ride--,the ,general ,hospital--,reasons for my return to ,turkey--,letters--,head-quarters again--,lord ,raglan's anxiety for ,miss ,nightingale--,return to ,balaklava--,admiral ,boxer and the ,sardinians--,all in the wrong--,quieted at last4 ,alas6 how short are the moments in which real happiness favours us with its charms1 and how quickly it deserts one in the midst of mirth and joy6 ,on this eventful day1 ,i was doomed to experience the truth of the saying that 8sorrow treads upon the heels of joy20 for ,i had scarcely set my foot upon the deck of the ,london1 when ,p4 ,m4 came and apprised me that ,miss ,nightingale was not expected to live4 ,it appeared that after my departure she had a terrible attack of fever1 and was obliged to be immediately removed to the hospital4 ,on asking to which establishment this excellent lady had been taken1 ,i was told the ,sanatorium4 ,p4 ,m4 continued1 8,several doctors1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,bracebridge1 and myself1 accompanied her there--,i have only been back a few minutes40 8,why did you not take her to the ,general ,hospital8 ,it was much nearer40 8,don't you know that cholera is raging there80 8,there certainly are a few cases4 ,do you think ,i can do anything for her80 8,no1 ,i am sure you cannot2 she is not allowed to take anything1 and the doctors have forbidden any one to be admitted1 except her private nurse1 ,mrs4 ,roberts40 ,it was then getting late--,mr4 ,bracebridge had not returned4 ,the captain and ,p4 ,m4 gave me a full account of this lamentable event4 ,it appeared that about noon ,miss ,wear had come on board to see ,miss ,nightingale upon business4 ,she found that lady very poorly1 but thinking it was a slight indisposition1 took no notice of it1 more especially as ,miss ,nightingale did not complain in the least4 ,about two1 by the orders of ,mrs4 ,roberts1 they were obliged to send in a great hurry for a doctor4 ,mrs4 ,roberts stated that her mistress had been suddenly taken dangerously ill--that she was in fact attacked by the worst form of ,crimean fever4 ,the first thing ordered by the doctor was her instant removal to the hospital on the heights4 8,so10 said the captain1 who was relating this part of the sad history1 8,i set all my men to work4 ,we got a stretcher from the hospital1 and she was carried very carefully by my men and some soldiers sent by the governor40 8,i followed through ,balaklava10 said ,p4 ,m41 8amidst a regular procession of soldiers1 holding a white umbrella over her face4 ,the crowd was so great1 we could scarcely pass1 and it took us nearly an hour to get up to the heights4 ,i assure you1 all ,balaklava was in an uproar40 8,what do the doctors say of the case80 8,that the lady is dangerously ill1 and that no one must go near her1 not even ,mr4 ,bracebridge40 8,what mournful tidings60 ,i said4 8,i should not be surprised if she caught the fever from the patient at ,dr4 ,henderson's4 ,i warned her of the danger of exposing herself so much several times40 8,by-the-bye1 where is ,mr4 ,bracebridge80 8,i left him there40 8,does he intend to come back1 or stay where he is80 8,i don't know1 but ,i do not see what good he can do there40 8,i hope we shall hear better news when he returns40 8,now1 ,mr4 ,soyer1 tell us about your visit to head-quarters4 ,did you see ,lord ,raglan80 8,certainly ,i did40 8,and how were you received80 asked the captain4 8,admirably10 ,i replied4 8,i hear his lordship is a most amiable and kind man40 8,he is indeed1 ,i assure you2 and ,i cannot but express my gratitude for the reception he afforded me4 ,i am certain he will be very sorry to hear of ,miss ,nightingale's serious and sudden illness1 for he inquired very kindly after her this morning40 ,my companions made many more inquiries respecting the events of the day2 but ,i had forgotten all1 ,i was so absorbed by this unexpected blow4 ,it seemed likely to upset all our plans4 ,i spoke to the captain of the several visits ,miss ,nightingale had paid to the sick officer at ,dr4 ,henderson's at the time he was so dangerously ill1 remarking upon her neglect of herself by going all day without refreshment1 and braving all weathers4 ,we could not help noticing how singular it appeared1 that after her hard labours at ,scutari1 and escaping both the cholera and fevers which raged there1 she should be so suddenly taken ill at ,balaklava4 ,it was indeed very melancholy and remarkable4 ,at last ,mr4 ,bracebridge returned4 ,he informed us that ,miss ,nightingale was a little better1 but that such a violent case of fever required a certain time4 8,mrs4 ,roberts10 he continued1 8is with her1 and the boy to go for the doctor1 in case he should be needed40 8,poor boy60 said the captain1 8how he cried when he saw his mistress carried upon a stretcher by soldiers60 8,yes10 said ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 8he is a very affectionate lad40 ,after a few questions about my visit to ,lord ,raglan1 being all very much fagged1 we retired for the night4 ,upon that occasion1 owing to excessive fatigue and the absence of rats1 which had at length been successfully turned out of my cabin without making use of my receipt1 ,i enjoyed a comfortable night's rest4 ,the next morning1 at eight precisely1 ,louis was at his post with the pony1 of which ,i could not1 however1 make use1 not knowing what alteration ,miss ,nightingale's illness might cause at both hospitals1 where1 no doubt1 my presence would be required4 ,i sent ,dr4 ,hall a note1 apologizing for not waiting upon him that day1 and postponing our visit to the day following1 if agreeable to him4 ,louis promised to send me an answer at five o'clock by the doctor's courier4 ,no news had been received at the ,general ,hospital from the ,sanatorium2 therefore ,mr4 ,bracebridge and myself went up the first thing1 instead of going to ,mr4 ,upton1 as we had previously arranged4 ,on our arrival1 the report was anything but favourable2 and this seemed to paralyse all our energies4 ,indeed1 for a few days no business of consequence was transacted4 ,my kitchen at the ,sanatorium alone progressed4 ,i offered my services to ,drs4 ,henderson and ,hadley1 in case ,i could be of use to ,miss ,nightingale4 ,dr4 ,henderson said1 8,i am the only cook she requires at present4 ,we must wait nearly a week before ,i can leave her in your hands1 even should her illness take a favourable turn40 ,i then begged of him to give me his private opinion of her state4 8,she is suffering1 ,i assure you1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 from as bad an attack of fever as ,i have seen2 but ,i should say the chances are in her favour1 because she does not fret in the slightest degree1 but is perfectly composed40 ,on calling at the ,general ,hospital for ,dr4 ,hall's reply1 ,i found that he had fixed the same time the next day for our visit4 ,we then returned on board the ,london4 ,many inquiries respecting ,miss ,nightingale had been made by almost all the authorities1 amongst whom were ,sir ,john ,macneil1 ,captain ,tulloch1 ,admiral ,boxer1 the ,governor1 ,commissary ,filder1 and ,dr4 ,sutherland4 ,the latter went at once to see her4 ,finding she had all proper attention1 he came in the evening1 and requested us to leave her as quiet as possible4 ,he told ,mr4 ,bracebridge on no account to go near her1 not even if sent for1 as any excitement might be fatal4 ,this request was of course punctually attended to4 ,the remainder of the ,sardinian army had now arrived4 ,the disembarkation kept the harbour in a constant bustle1 morning1 noon1 and night4 ,it was1 in fact1 a real maritime bivouac1 and our vessel very much resembled the famed metropolis from which it takes its name4 ,during the night a strong bridge was built over it1 communicating with the shore on the one side1 and one of the ,sardinian ships1 which had been towed alongside1 on the other4 ,this was made for the purpose of landing men and horses4 ,at five in the morning ,i was up and on deck1 as from the noise it was impossible to sleep4 ,the first person on board was ,admiral ,boxer1 as busy as could be1 giving his orders4 ,on seeing me1 he inquired about ,miss ,nightingale4 8,what a good job10 said he1 8they were able to remove her from here60 8,you are right1 admiral4 ,i perceive you are about to put the troops from one of the vessels on shore40 8,from one1 say you8 ,i am landing the whole of the ,sardinian army1 and some of our own troops besides40 8,at any rate1 ,i think this is one of the greatest curiosities of the ,crimean war40 8,why80 asked the admiral1 talking to twenty others at the time4 8,why1 admiral1 pray who would have thought of seeing while in the ,crimea a ,sardinian army cross ,london ,bridge80 8,ha6 ha6 ha6 true enough2 that's not bad2 singular things are seen and done in time of war4 ,what do you think of their soldiers1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 8,fine fellows60 8,they are fine fellows4 ,but ,i wish they spoke ,english--we should get on much quicker40 8,i'll speak to them for you1 if you like1 admiral40 8,ah1 to be sure1 so you can40 ,i immediately set about acting as interpreter between the ,english admiral and the ,sardinian captains4 ,in his anxiety to get rid of them as quickly as possible1 ,admiral ,boxer asked whether they had pretty much what they required2 a question which brought about ten complainants on deck1 who surrounded me4 ,one had no hay1 barley1 or water for his horses4 ,they all spoke at the same time1 and made a hubbub which could only be feebly imitated at the ,paris ,stock ,exchange4 8,what's all this row about8 ,this will never do10 said the admiral4 8,pray don't tell them who ,i am1 or they will bother my life out40 8,i have told them1 and that's why they are making such a row4 ,i asked them1 as you wished me1 whether they had everything they wanted40 8,i said pretty much what they wanted40 8,i know you did1 admiral1 and so ,i told them2 but they say they don't know the meaning of that40 8,tell them they are fine fellows--fine fellows1 and that there is a beautiful camp ready for them1 where they will find everything they require1 without any drawback4 ,i will send lots of men to wait upon them directly2 but they must get out of the harbour before night40 ,general della ,marmora sent for the admiral2 so he left me to settle the matter1 which ,i did in a very few words4 8,my dear fellows10 said ,i to them1 8your valuable services will be much better appreciated by your sovereign and ,general-in-chief if you put up with a little inconvenience for the present1 and remain quiet1 than if1 on the contrary1 you are too particular40 8,do you know1 monsieur1 that our horses have not had a drop of water to-day80 8,colonel10 said ,i1 8,i am not at all surprised at that2 and more1 you must put up with it40 8,why80 he asked4 8,simply because you can't get it1 unless you like to do as ,i did yesterday--give them soda-water40 8,do you mean to say there is no water at all in this grand vessel80 8,none1 except soda-water40 8,eh bien10 said another1 8give de soda-water alors40 8,what1 for the horses80 8,oui1 for the chevals60 8,here1 my man10 said ,i to one of the crew1 8tell the steward to bring a dozen of soda-water for the colonel's horse4 ,mind1 colonel1 it costs a shilling a bottle2 but1 as you are a good customer1 and take a dozen1 no doubt he will let you have it cheaper40 8,i will not pay a sou for this bubbling water4 ,i know what you mean4 ,it fizzes like champagne1 but it is not good to drink4 ,the horses will never touch it4 ,i thought it was spring-water that you called soda-water40 ,at all events1 the soda-water was brought1 to the great annoyance of the colonel1 who thought he should have to pay for it2 but ,i sent for some sherry and a few glasses1 and we drank a bottle or two1 instead of giving it to the horses1 to the great gratification of the colonel1 who1 after partaking of it1 said he liked it much better with sherry than brandy4 ,about twenty banabaks soon after arrived with water in skins and leathern horse-buckets4 ,the horses were properly watered2 and thus ended the ,sardinian revolt in the harbour of ,balaklava1 on the #adth of ,may1 in the year #ahee1 beneath the ruins of the ,genoese ,tower and fortifications built by their ancestors4 ,the ,sardinian troops and horses soon after crossed new ,london ,bridge2 by eight o'clock ,i was mounting my horse to go and meet ,dr4 ,hall4 ,the troops that had then landed were in full march towards their very picturesque camp at the top of the mountain2 a band of music was playing at their head1 and their artillery train and baggage-waggons followed4 ,the weather was brilliant1 and the heat of the sun intense4 ,louis was mounted upon a fine black horse1 which the doctor had brought from ,alexandria4 ,nobody but ,louis could ride him1 on account of his tricks4 ,his appearance was worthy of the finest circus in the world for the performance of the high school of equitation4 ,to this splendid animal ,louis owed his reputation and popularity2 and1 as he lived at head-quarters1 all the ,staff knew him4 ,it is hardly possible to describe his personal appearance4 ,he was short in stature1 with extraordinary large ears2 his long moustaches1 hair1 and eyebrows were between the colour of a canary bird and that of the dun pony ,i was riding4 ,his dress was of a similar colour1 with the exception of his cap1 which was1 if possible1 of an intenser yellow4 ,this contrast of colours in an individual mounted upon such a splendid charger1 caused him to be remarked by every one throughout the camp4 ,our ride seemed very short1 for ,louis1 who is a very clever fellow1 was full of anecdote1 and related some that were really very amusing4 ,he spoke several languages1 frequently mingling one with another4 ,he spoke his own language1 the ,french1 worse than any other1 he had been so long away from his native land4 ,he was present at the battles of ,alma1 ,balaklava1 ,inkermann1 and the ,tchernaya1 where his charger was wounded close to the ,traktir ,bridge1 he1 as usual during an action1 keeping in close attendance on his brave master1 more especially if danger was imminent2 and no better fate had he at the battle of ,inkermann1 where he was seriously wounded in the leg1 and the traces of both wounds are1 ,i regret to say1 still apparent4 ,on the eve of my departure from the seat of war1 ,i1 out of veneration for this once splendid charger1 purchased him of his owner1 who would probably have been obliged to abandon his faithful steed to the tender mercies of the hungry inhabitants1 who1 doubtless1 had they got him in their clutches1 would have given him a dressing la ,tartare1 or perhaps converted his body into those suspicious articles of food1 sausages4 ,on his voyage home1 in charge of a careful groom1 ,neptune had no more respect for this four-legged hero than for the commonest quadruped2 for not only was he pitched1 bit1 and tossed about in all directions1 but worse still1 when the ship ,clarendon arrived off ,cadiz1 she struck on a sunken rock1 and the most valueless animals were thrown overboard2 but 8,inkermann10 with his usual luck1 in spite of ,mars and ,neptune1 escaped the plunge taken by his less fortunate companions1 and is now in ,london1 enjoying1 as hitherto1 his full feed1 though in the profoundest retirement1 having sold out of the army4 ,louis spoke very highly of his master1 and never seemed to be pleased or displeased at anything--good news1 bad1 or indifferent1 were all the same to him4 ,if you said to him1 8,the weather is very bad10 he would answer1 8,i have nothing to do with that1 no more than if it were fine40 ,on asking him1 at our first interview1 if he was a ,frenchman1 8,of course ,i am10 he replied2 8all my family were ,frenchmen40 ,i must say that1 with all his eccentricity1 he was very obliging2 and ,i feel very grateful for the kind attentions he paid me1 particularly during my serious illness1 when he often visited me4 ,upon our arrival1 the doctor's horse was at the door1 and his master soon made his appearance4 8,good morning1 ,doctor6 ,i fear we are behind time40 8,i can always employ my time here10 said he1 looking at his watch2 8you are only a few minutes late40 ,we then1 started4 ,louis asked whether he was to accompany us2 to which the doctor answered1 8,no3 ,i expect ,dr4 ,henderson from ,balaklava1 so be in the way2 tell him we are gone to the ,general ,hospital40 ,during our ride1 ,i told my companion about the ,sardinian insurrection near our new ,london ,bridge1 which seemed to amuse him very much4 ,he informed me that ,miss ,nightingale had passed a better night1 but was far from being out of danger4 ,the cannon of ,sebastopol made a fearful noise4 8,have you seen ,sebastopol yet1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 8,yes1 ,i have1 ,doctor1 and was rather close1 too60 and ,i related our ,nightingale campaign4 8,to-day you will have another view1 quite as good1 though not so dangerous40 ,we then began talking upon business1 and ,i was speaking of my having visited the military and civil hospitals in ,france1 when ,dr4 ,henderson galloped after us1 and a conversation ensued relative to the arrival of the armies1 and the fact that many of the men had been attacked by fever1 before their hospitals were ready4 ,dr4 ,hall decided upon a course of action1 and we alighted at the ,general ,hospital4 ,the doctor1 ,mr4 ,mouatt1 was unfortunately out1 but was expected back shortly4 ,dr4 ,henderson left us1 and ,i accompanied ,dr4 ,hall round several huts4 ,he visited all the worst cases1 which were at that time very numerous4 ,we then repaired to the kitchen1 which1 as ,i have before said1 was far from being equal to the requirements of such an immense hospital4 ,it was in the open air1 and ill provided with things necessary for the establishment4 ,having pointed this out to ,dr4 ,hall1 he immediately agreed that one similar to that at the ,sanatorium should be erected2 but ,dr4 ,mouatt was not present4 ,the want of materials and of workmen was so great1 that1 previous to its erection1 ,i was obliged to leave the ,crimea and return to ,scutari for a short time4 ,my head man there had been taken ill1 and his life was1 as he thought1 in great danger4 ,several times prior to my return he had threatened to run away1 which would quite have upset all my former efforts4 ,i remained in the ,crimea about ten days longer1 and my reader will perceive that every minute of my time was occupied4 ,i devoted some of it to the most important hospital of all--the one before ,sebastopol2 a plan for the improvement of which ,i immediately made and forwarded to the proper parties1 so much was ,i impressed with the necessity of having a kitchen erected immediately4 ,fearing that ,i should be obliged to leave the ,crimea for ,scutari before it could be even commenced1 the day after my visit ,i wrote two official letters1 one to ,lord ,raglan1 and the other to ,dr4 ,hall4 ,the ,general-in-chief and ,dr4 ,hall had both visited the spot1 and agreed with me that it was one of the most important hospitals in the ,east4 ,it was situated under the very walls of ,sebastopol1 subject to a divided attack1 or to a sortie1 and might at any moment be suddenly encumbered with a large number of wounded1 requiring a great quantity of nutritious articles1 more particularly beverages1 after any surgical operation4 ,in reply ,i received the following communications3-- ,,before ,,sevastopol1 #cjth ,may1 #ahee4 ,,sir1--,i am directed by ,lord ,raglan to acknowledge the receipt of your several communications of the #beth and #bhth instants1 and to express to you his lordship's thanks for the valuable information contained therein4 ,i have the honor to be1 ,sir1 ,your obedient servant1 ,,thos4 ,,steele1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,military ,sec4 ,mons4 ,soyer4 ,,my ,,dear ,,mr4 ,,soyer1--,i have this day received your letter of the #bbnd ,june1 and am much obliged to you for your thoughtful care of our wants in the all-important business of cooking for both sick and well4 ,our new hospital is nearly fit for the reception of patients2 but you know how tedious the want of labor makes everything here4 ,i was out at the ,monastery yesterday1 and was glad to see that they had commenced on the kitchen1 and were going to fit it up after your excellent model at the ,castle4 ,very truly yours1 ,j4 ,,hall4 #eth ,july1 #ahee4 ,i also had several interviews with ,dr4 ,mouatt1 who took my suggestion during my absence in hand1 but never apparently succeeded in carrying it out1 although the materials requisite were simply planks1 nails1 and bricks4 ,i merely advert to the foregoing in answer to some observations that were wafted about the camp to the effect that ,i never took much trouble about this particular hospital1 while in reality it was the very first which attracted my attention1 as the above letters will convince my readers4 ,upon our return from the hospital to head-quarters1 ,i called at ,colonel ,steele's4 ,lord ,raglan was just going out1 and the first question he asked1 even before ,i had time to pay my respects1 was--8,how is poor ,miss ,nightingale80 8,a little better to-day4 ,dr4 ,henderson1 whom ,i have just seen1 says she has passed a better night40 8,well1 ,i hope she has2 ,i shall pay her a visit as soon as possible--that is1 when she is a little better4 ,was she ill at all at ,scutari80 8,not1 my ,lord1 while ,i was there1 and1 ,i think1 not before4 ,it is rather remarkable that she should catch the ,crimean fever just after her arrival40 ,i told ,lord ,raglan of her imprudence in visiting a patient at ,dr4 ,henderson's1 who had been attacked by the worst form of ,crimean fever2 also1 of her remaining out so late1 and not taking any refreshment4 8,she appears10 said ,lord ,raglan1 8to have no fear40 8,none whatever40 ,i recounted her visit to the three-gun battery1 and the scene that took place upon the centre mortar4 ,lord ,raglan remarked--8,it should be called the ,nightingale mortar40 ,he then jumped upon his horse1 and ,i had but a few minutes to explain the result of my visit with ,dr4 ,hall to the various hospitals4 ,i mentioned that the most important thing was the immediate erection of a kitchen for the ,general ,hospital1 in case of a decided attack upon ,sebastopol4 8,very true1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said ,lord ,raglan4 ,i stated that ,i had addressed a letter to his lordship to that effect4 8,yes1 ,i have seen it1 and it shall be attended to40 ,lord ,raglan and his staff then started in the direction of the ,french head-quarters1 and ,i towards ,balaklava1 where ,i arrived about dusk4 ,i left my pony at the ,general ,hospital1 and walked to the opposite side of the harbour1 which ,i had in the morning left all in confusion1 and1 to my astonishment1 found quiet and almost deserted4 ,the only person ,i saw was ,admiral ,boxer1 who came and thanked me for the assistance ,i had given him in the morning4 8,don't mention it1 admiral10 said ,i2 8,i shall at all times be happy to do everything in my power to render myself agreeable to you4 ,pray tell me1 where are they all gone80 8,to their camp1 to be sure40 8,what--regiments1 horses1 and all80 8,yes1 the vessels alongside this morning have not only discharged their cargoes1 but are1 ,i believe1 out of the harbour and anchored in the bay4 ,we shall have two more in1 which must be discharged to-morrow40 8,this silence is almost inconceivable after so much noise and bustle40 8,it is10 said the admiral4 8,i don't understand those ,sardinians1 they speak so fast and loud2 but they are fine fellows for all that1 and no mistake40 ,the words were hardly out of his mouth1 when two ,sardinians attached to the commissariat came towards us1 and inquired whether we understood ,french or ,italian4 ,i informed them that ,i spoke ,french4 8,then1 pray1 sir1 can you tell us where to find ce diable d'amiral ,anglais80 8,what do they say80 asked ,admiral ,boxer1 addressing me4 8,nothing particular10 ,i replied4 8,gentlemen10 said ,i1 turning to the ,sardinians1 8what could the admiral do for you8 ,it is very probable that ,i shall have the pleasure of seeing him this evening40 ,the one who had as yet scarcely spoken exclaimed--8,a truce to the pleasure6 ,i wish ,i could get hold of him1 ,i would tell him my mind in a few words40 8,pray be calm1 gentlemen40 ,all this time ,admiral ,boxer kept asking--8,what do they say8 ,they are speaking about me1 ,i know they are4 ,tell them they are a fine set of fellows1 and ,i will do anything for them1 but they must be out by to-morrow night40 8,very well2 but first let me inquire what the row is all about40 8,do so40 8,now1 gentlemen1 what is it you want8 for here is a person who can do as much for you as the admiral himself1 and perhaps more40 8,ah1 pray ask him1 then40 8,but you have not yet told me what you require40 8,eh bien60 they said1 both speaking at once1 8pray1 my friend1 ask this gentleman to tell the ,english admiral to postpone the order for our landing to-morrow morning till the next day4 ,it is impossible for us to land our men and horses so early4 ,we have above four hundred horses on board2 not half of which have been watered to-day1 nor can they be1 till we find some water4 ,there is only a small pump to draw it from the hold of the vessel1 and it takes hours to water a few horses40 ,having explained this their chief trouble to the admiral1 he said--8,tell them there will be plenty of water for them by four o'clock in the morning40 ,when ,i had done so1 they inquired whether they could depend upon that gentleman's word4 ,i assured them that they might4 8,with respect to the other matters1 we ought to see the admiral himself40 8,oh1 don't trouble yourself2 ,i will do the rest for you40 ,this was merely a request concerning themselves4 ,i did not like to trouble the admiral about it1 and ,i thought the best way to get rid of them was to show them his flag-ship1 telling them they might go there if they liked1 but that it was a hundred to one if they found him on board4 8,no1 no60 said one of them2 8it is dinner-time1 and the ,english like their dinner too well2 he is sure to be at home1 so we will go and see40 ,having their boat with them1 they went across4 ,the admiral asked--8,what do they want besides the water for their horses80 8,oh1 they were inquiring about the camp40 ,i then related all our conversation1 at which the admiral laughed heartily1 saying he could understand some of it1 but they spoke so very fast4 8,when they come on board to-morrow1 they will be sure to recognise me40 8,oh no6 having only seen you in the dark1 they will not know you again2 and ,i shall be there4 ,don't trouble yourself2 they will be quiet enough when they get all they want1 and they have a very fine camp40 8,have you seen it80 8,no1 admiral1 not yet40 8,then you ought to go and see it2 they are building a large hospital there4 ,mind1 they have reason to complain4 ,i am aware they ought to have more time2 but see what a fleet ,i have in such a small harbour1 and every day there are more troops coming4 ,perhaps an expedition of our own troops will sail shortly1 so ,i must be prepared for everything4 ,that is what has kept me on this side of the harbour to-night2 besides1 ,i wished to see how they were going on with the new quay40 8,you have done wonders1 admiral1 on this side of the harbour since my arrival40 8,remember1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 we cannot always do as we like4 ,we are not in ,england40 ,we parted for the night4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,haps ,,and ,,mishaps ,,in ,,camp4 ,dinner on board the ,baraguay d',hilliers--,bread-biscuit--,good news of ,miss ,nightingale--,operations at the ,sanatorium kitchen--,a borrowed pony--,don't lose the saddle--,no police nor newspapers--,difficulties at ,balaklava--,dry vegetables in cake--,a receipt--,promise of support--,a new mother--,mrs4 ,seacole's enthusiasm--,the lady's sons--,advice--,my pony lost--,a friend in need--,mr4 ,russell--,mr4 ,angel--,crimean ,hue and ,cry--,useless inquiries--,monsieur ,armand's difficulties--,a dinner at the ,post-office--,a jovial party--,festivity and song--,break up at last4 ,on reaching the ,london1 ,i found ,mr4 ,bracebridge dressed and waiting for me to go and dine on board the ,baraguay d',hilliers1 with ,sir ,john ,macneil and ,captain ,tulloch4 ,we had that evening a most interesting conversation on all kinds of army stores and provisions4 ,sir ,john1 who took a vital interest in my mission1 gave me several important hints1 and ,i submitted my opinion of the salt as well as fresh meats--fresh and dried vegetables1 and especially the bread1 which at that period arrived daily from ,constantinople1 but which1 in consequence of its being sometimes put on board ship before it had got quite cool1 lost a great deal of its nutritive quality during the passage4 ,had it been made in the ,crimea of the same materials1 it would have been very good4 ,i was informed that bakeries were to be established4 ,i told ,sir ,john that ,i had made a kind of bread-biscuit1 somewhat like common bread1 but baked in flat cakes about twelve times the size of an ordinary biscuit2 it would keep for months1 and then eat well1 though rather dry2 it would soak well in tea1 coffee1 or soup1 and be very palatable2 it was made of three parts flour and one of peameal1 and was reported upon by the medical gentlemen as being very nutritious and wholesome4 ,a few days later ,i had the pleasure of showing some to those gentlemen1 and they both highly approved of it4 ,i afterwards had some made on board the ,abundance4 ,i submitted it to them1 and they pronounced it excellent4#ac ,the evening we spent on board the ,baraguay d',hilliers will not be soon forgotten4 ,after a short nautical and nocturnal trip upon the water1 we arrived safely in our old ,london4 ,on our way to the ,baraguay d',hilliers1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge informed me that ,miss ,nightingale was pronounced out of danger1 and that the news had been telegraphed to ,london4 ,the medical men were of opinion that she should return to ,scutari1 and after a few days' rest proceed to ,england4 ,although out of danger1 she would not be able to quit ,balaklava for eight or ten days4 ,the next morning1 at seven o'clock1 ,i was at the ,sanatorium kitchen1 which was finished4 ,i set my soldier-cooks to work1 and all went on admirably4 ,it was then ten o'clock1 so ,i called upon ,dr4 ,hadley 7the chief doctor at the ,sanatorium1 who had succeeded ,dr4 ,henderson1 and to both of these gentlemen ,i must return my sincere thanks for their assistance and kindness71 and requested him to come and taste some extra diets and soups ,i had prepared for the convalescents4 ,recollecting that ,i had not called upon ,lord ,raglan's chef de cuisine1 ,i mentioned the circumstance to ,dr4 ,hadley1 stating how much ,i wished to do so1 but that ,i had no horse4 ,dr4 ,hadley very kindly offered me his pony1 a fine grey1 smartly caparisoned1 which ,i at once accepted4 ,when ,i had mounted1 ,dr4 ,hadley said--8,soyer1 if you fall off1 mind and get up again2 for10 said he1 8joking apart1 though the pony is very quiet1 recollect the road to ,balaklava is a queer one1 therefore take care of yourself4 ,we should not mind so much if we had done with1 you2 but as we really require your services1 for our own sakes take care of yourself40 8,i will do so10 said ,i1 laughing1 8were it only for the sake of your pony1 which might get loose if ,i were to fall off1 and you might not recover him again40 8,never mind the pony10 said he3 8you may lose him2 but1 whatever you do1 don't lose the saddle4 ,we had better have a bit of supper on your return this evening1 off that ,yorkshire ham--you can cook it on your bivouac stove40 8,so we will1 ,doctor4 ,i shall be back at six40 8,don't stay in the camp after dark2 ,i can assure you it is a very dangerous place4 ,robberies and murders are of frequent occurrence1 though we hear but little about them4 ,we have no police1 and no newspapers are published here1 so we know nothing but what passes in our own circle40 8,you are perfectly right1 ,doctor2 though ,i am not afraid1 as ,i never travel without a revolver2 yet it is best to be upon the safe side40 ,having fixed upon six o'clock for my return1 and seven for supper1 ,i started4 ,there were about twenty convalescents outside the wards1 enjoying the warmth of the sun's rays4 ,they were all in high glee at hearing our dialogue1 which seemed to revive them from a state of lethargy to the consciousness of life4 ,the ride from the top of the ,genoese heights to ,balaklava harbour1 by a new road1 through mud1 over rocks1 rivulets1 c41 and mounted upon a strange nag1 was anything but pleasant to my feelings as a horseman4 ,at all events1 after numerous slippery evolutions on the part of my new charger1 ,i found myself safe at the bottom of the ravine2 but here another difficulty presented itself4 ,the quay of the harbour was encumbered with ,french and ,sardinian waggons1 mules1 and horses4 ,the ,french1 who had a wine dept there for the troops1 were strongly fortified with about a hundred pipes of wine1 instead of gabions4 ,so crowded was the road from the immense traffic and the unloading of shipping stores1 that it took me nearly half-an-hour to ride a few hundred yards4 ,this brought me as far as the ,commissariat1 where ,i had to call upon ,commissary ,filder4 ,i found that he had just returned from head-quarters4 ,we had about ten minutes' conversation upon business4 ,i related the result of my visit to the various provision stores--made remarks upon the same1 and particularly upon the dry vegetables at that time issued to the troops4 ,he then referred me to ,under-,commissary ,adams1 to whom ,i promised a scale for a fresh composition of dry vegetables in cake1 more suitable for the troops1 in lieu of the finer and more expensive quality then issued in boxes4 ,they were composed of one vegetable only1 and were much too highly dried1 having thus lost their aroma as well as their nutritious qualities4 ,i therefore proposed that the firm of ,messrs4 ,chollet1 in ,paris1 should prepare a sample of cakes of dried vegetables1 to be called coarse julienne1 for the army4 ,each hundredweight of fresh vegetables was to consist of the following proportions3-- ,twenty pounds of carrots1 twenty pounds of turnips1 ten of parsnips1 fifteen of onions1 twenty of cabbage1 five of celery1 and ten of leeks2 with one pound of aromatic seasoning1 composed of four ounces of thyme1 four of winter savory1 two of bayleaf1 four of pepper1 and an ounce of cloves2 the whole to be pulverized and mixed with the vegetables4 ,each cake was to serve for one hundred men1 and to be marked in compartments of ten rations each1 like chocolate cakes1 instead of being marked upon the wrapper1 which is always torn off when the vegetables are issued1 and the soldiers cannot tell about quantity4 ,this plan will obviate that evil2 for ,i had seen in camp piles of this excellent vegetable rising pyramidically from the soldiers' canteen pan while cooking1 in consequence of their having put in the best part of three days' rations instead of one4 ,the dry rations are issued for three days at a time4 ,my proposition having met with the approval of the authorities1 was at once forwarded to the ,war ,office4 ,i also promised to submit to ,commissary ,filder's notice several plans for improvement in the distribution of the meat4 8,monsieur ,soyer10 said he1 8anything you may propose or point out as an improvement will1 so far as it is practicable1 be carried out4 ,lose no time2 the sooner you let us have it the better40 ,after this interview1 ,i went to inspect the kitchen1 where ,i saw ,mr4 ,fitzgerald1 the purveyor1 to whom ,i also made my report4 ,as this is the first time ,i have had the pleasure of introducing this gentleman to the notice of my readers1 it would be an omission on my part were ,i not to return my grateful acknowledgments for the readiness with which he at all times assisted me to obtain what ,i required for the hospitals in the ,crimea4 ,it is true he was at first rather reluctant2 this ,i attributed to his not having received the proper instructions from the authorities4 ,having the best part of the day before me1 ,i set off at a gallop towards head-quarters1 intending to keep the promise ,i had made ,lord ,raglan respecting his dilapidated culinary department1 and also to make the acquaintance of ,m4 ,armand1 his chef de cuisine4 ,as ,i was not well acquainted with the road across the country1 ,i made up my mind to follow the high one which passes close to head-quarters4 ,when about half-way1 ,i perceived a group of officers standing by the road-side round a kind of tent much like a gipsy tent1 but considerably larger4 ,this excited my interest1 and ,i was riding towards it1 when1 to my astonishment1 several voices called out--8,soyer6 ,soyer6 come here--come this way60 ,i readily complied with the invitation1 and found two or three gentlemen whom ,i had the pleasure of knowing4 ,during our conversation1 an old dame of a jovial appearance1 but a few shades darker than the white lily1 issued from the tent1 bawling out1 in order to make her voice heard above the noise1 8,who is my new son80 to which one of the officers replied1 8,monsieur ,soyer1 to be sure2 don't you know him80 8,god bless me1 my son1 are you ,monsieur ,soyer of whom ,i heard so much in ,jamaica8 ,well1 to be sure6 ,i have sold many and many a score of your ,relish and other sauces--,god knows how many40 8,my dear lady10 said ,i1 8don't blame me for that2 ,i assure you ,i am not at all offended with you for so doing1 and shall allow you to sell as much more in the ,crimea40 8,so ,i would if ,i could only get them4 ,bless me1 ,i had a gross about ten days ago1 and they are all gone2 nor can ,i get any more for another month perhaps4 ,come down1 my son1 and take a glass of champagne with my old friend1 ,sir ,john ,campbell40 ,i immediately alighted1 and ,sir ,john came towards me and shook me heartily by the hand1 saying1 8,welcome to the seat of war1 ,monsieur ,soyer60 8,many thanks1 general1 for your kind wishes4 ,i had the pleasure of leaving my card at ,cathcart's ,hill the other day40 8,you did2 and ,i was very sorry that ,i was out when you called2 but mind1 you must come and dine with me some day40 8,thank you1 general1 ,i shall do myself the honour40 8,now1 ,mrs4 ,seacole1 give us another bottle of champagne40 8,mrs4 ,seacole10 ,i exclaimed2 8is that lady the celebrated ,mrs4 ,seacole80 8,of course10 said the general4 ,she then came forth from her bivouac cellar1 with two bottles in her hands1 exclaiming1 8,i shall stand mine1 and no mistake40 ,we all declared it would never do for a lady to stand treat in the ,crimea4 8,lord bless you1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said the lady1 8don't you know me80 8,yes1 ,i do now1 my dear madam40 8,well1 all those fine fellows you see here are my ,jamaica sons--are you not80 said she1 opening the champagne1 and addressing the general4 8,we are1 ,mrs4 ,seacole1 and a very good mother you have been to us40 8,i have known you1 general1 for many years40 8,well1 here's a health to all40 ,we emptied our glasses1 and returned the compliment4 ,the general then left1 again expressing his desire to see me at ,cathcart's ,hill4 8,walk inside1 walk inside1 my sons2 you will be better there--it is not so hot4 ,go in1 ,monsieur ,soyer40 ,no sooner had we entered than the old lady expressed her desire to consult me about what she should do to make money in her new speculation1 in which she had embarked a large capital1 pointing to two iron houses in course of construction on the other side of the road4 ,she told me that her intention was to have beds there for visitors1 which ,i persuaded her not to do1 saying1 8,all the visitors--and they are few in number--sleep on board the vessels in the harbour1 and the officers under canvass in the camp4 ,lay in a good stock of hams1 wines1 spirits1 ale and porter1 sauces1 pickles1 and a few preserves and dry vegetables--in short1 anything which will not spoil by keeping40 8,yes10 said she1 8,i mean to have all that40 8,in that case you will no doubt make money1 as you are so well known to all the army40 8,i assure you1 the last time ,lord ,raglan passed here1 he spoke to me for more than ten minutes1 and promised to do all he could for me40 8,that's right10 we all said4 8,i know ,miss ,nightingale too4 ,she was very kind to me when ,i passed through ,scutari1 on my way here2 she gave me lodging and everything ,i required1 in the hospital40 8,we passed this way a few days before ,miss ,nightingale was taken ill10 said ,i4 8,i know you did2 and ,i am sure1 if the lady had known ,i was here1 she would have called to see me4 ,thank ,god1 ,i hear she is quite out of danger40 8,yes1 she is improving40 8,when you see her1 present my best respects1 and tell the dear lady that ,i shall go and see her40 8,i will1 ,mrs4 ,seacole4 ,good-bye40 8,good-bye1 my son40 ,on getting up in a hurry to be off1 ,i missed my horse1 and found one of the officers' chargers1 which had been left in charge of the same man to whom ,i had given mine1 led by a ,zouave4 ,upon inquiring of the ,zouave where the man had gone1 he informed me that he did not know1 but that he had given him a shilling 7which he showed me7 to hold this animal for1 as far as he could understand1 about an hour1 while he went on the grey in the direction of head-quarters4 ,i called ,mrs4 ,seacole out1 and told her what had happened4 ,she stepped up to the ,zouave1 and he began talking so fast1 that ,i shall not forget the expression he made as long as ,i live4 ,his speech may be thus translated3 8,by the name of ,jupiter6 ,i have neither stolen nor sold your horse4 ,look at me6 7showing his corporation47 ,if you like1 captain1 to lend me this quadruped1 ,i will soon find the voyiou 7meaning a low rascal74 ,there is my name and the number of my regiment4 ,we are encamped near the ,french head-quarters40 ,all this time ,mrs4 ,seacole had been looking about1 and every grey pony she saw far or near was mine--at least in her eyes4 ,the two officers mounted their horses1 and went one one way and the other another1 but soon returned1 having found nothing4 ,having sent in all directions without being able to obtain any trace of the pony1 we concluded that the animal was lost4 ,i take this opportunity of publicly thanking those two gentlemen for the vivid interest they took in trying to find the borrowed steed4 ,i very much regret that ,i do not recollect their names4 ,they will no doubt remember the circumstance if this little work falls into their hands4#ad ,all our efforts to find the pony being useless1 ,i made up my mind to walk back to ,balaklava4 ,just as ,i was thanking ,mrs4 ,seacole for her extraordinary exertions1 ,mr4 ,day1 her partner1 came in1 and he advised me to go at once to the ,hue and ,cry1 at head-quarters4 8,how am ,i to do this80 ,i asked4 8,take my pony4 ,it is not twenty minutes' ride from hence2 and you will stand a good chance of getting it back1 especially if the man who held it was an ,englishman4 ,he is sure to be found in the ,english camp40 ,thanking him for his kindness1 ,i mounted1 and started full gallop for head-quarters4 ,i made inquiries at the ,post-office1 where ,i had the pleasure of meeting ,mr4 ,russell1 who introduced me to ,mr4 ,angel1 the postmaster4 ,i then inquired for the ,hue and ,cry1 and related the circumstances under which ,i had lost my pony4 ,all seemed highly amused4 ,they laughed heartily at my expense1 and ,i could not help joining in the merriment4 ,mr4 ,angel invited me to dine with him1 having a few friends that evening to join his popotte4 8,i am much obliged1 my dear sir2 but ,i am staying at ,balaklava1 and ,i suppose you dine late40 8,about six o'clock10 replied ,mr4 ,angel4 8,you can sleep here4 ,we have no bed1 it's true2 but ,i can lend you a blanket2 and there is a small hut1 which is empty1 you can have all to yourself4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge slept there the night before last1 when on a visit to ,captain ,boucher1 a friend of his40 8,oh1 as far as that goes1 ,i shall be comfortable enough40 8,then you will dine with me80 8,i will10 said ,i1 8and am much obliged for your kind invitation40 ,i thought by accepting it1 ,i should have an excellent opportunity of looking out for my pony in the morning1 if ,i did not happen to find it that night2 ,i therefore went to the ,hue and ,cry1 and gave the best description1 to my knowledge1 as ,i had not had the honour of his acquaintance long1 and did not know of any private marks by which he might be recognised4 ,they gave me but faint hopes of seeing it again1 and by way of comforting me1 showed me a long list of missing horses1 mules1 and ponies1 enough to fill half a column of the ,times4 8,i don't care so much about the pony1 as that can be replaced2 but the saddle is a new one from ,london1 and neither the animal nor the saddle belong to me40 8,you may1 perhaps10 said one1 8find the horse1 but not the saddle1 especially if it is gone to the ,french camp1 for1 believe me1 the ,zouaves are very fond of ,english saddles1 as well as everything they can get hold of which does not require feeding2 so they will probably keep the saddle and turn the horse loose4 ,at all events1 we will do what we can for you2 but ,i advise you to look out for yourself40 ,it was then about four o'clock1 and ,i had an hour's ride about the camp1 but it was all in vain4 ,every inquiry proved fruitless2 and ,i could not obtain the slightest clue to the lost pony4 ,i could not help smiling when ,i recollected ,dr4 ,hadley's last words1 8,you may lose the horse but don't lose the saddle40 ,hoping for better luck next day1 ,i returned to head-quarters1 and begged ,lord ,raglan's groom to give ,mr4 ,day's pony a night's lodging4 ,making sure ,monsieur ,armand would be in1 ,i went to see him4 ,he was rather busy1 but he received me very politely1 and showed me what he called his kitchen1 though it had not the slightest claim to the title1 as it was all but destitute of culinary utensils4 ,the provisions were of inferior quality2 but1 as he told me1 the best he could procure4 ,i then offered my services if ,i could be of any use in getting stoves or a small oven erected4 8,ever since ,i have been here10 he replied1 8,i have been asking for one or two charcoal stoves and a few shelves1 but not a thing can ,i obtain for love or money40 8,upon my word you surprise me6 ,how can that be in the house of the ,commander-in-chief8 ,truly1 every one has much to do40 8,such is the case40 8,never mind2 ,i think ,i shall be able to get something done for you1 as his lordship has spoken to me upon the subject40 8,i shall be much obliged to you if you will10 said he2 and then pointed out the principal things he required1 which were soon afterwards furnished4 ,as it was nearly six o'clock1 ,i left him1 and returned to the ,post-office1 where a sumptuous table was laid out4 ,there was actually a tablecloth and real plates1 knives1 forks1 and various kinds of glasses4 ,in fact1 for the ,crimea1 it was as the ,french say1 patant4 ,we sat down six to dinner2 and had some very strong preserved soup1 a very nice tough fowl--the remainder of the bill of fare was made from the ration meat4 ,we had very good wine2 and1 perhaps1 never was a dinner better relished1 or accompanied with more mirth and jokes4 ,russell the great was the hero1 besides having an ,angel for the host4 ,towards eight o'clock1 the party amounted to about fifteen1 as far as we could discern through the clouded atmosphere with which the room was filled4 ,every one was smoking2 some large chibouques1 long and short pipes1 a few cigars1 but no cigarettes4 ,the unexpected increase to our party1 ,i must observe1 was partly owing to our vocal abilities1 several lively choruses having attracted ,mr4 ,angel's illustrious neighbours1 as the denizens of the woods were allured by the melody of ,orpheus4 ,our mirth at last became so boisterous that it not only brought around us men of all ranks1 but attracted the attention of the ,commander-in-chief1 who sent to inquire what the noise was about4 ,this we considered a rather inharmonious inquiry1 but found that1 by decreasing the pitch of our vocal organs from allegro to piano1 we should produce as much effect1 with less noise1 as his lordship wisely called it2 though ,i heard the next day1 that ,lord ,raglan1 who was sitting at his door enjoying the fresh air with several gentlemen of his staff1 enjoyed it1 and gave orders that we should not be disturbed4 ,complaints poured in from the numerous tents which surrounded head-quarters4 ,it was then about ten o'clock1 which is equivalent to twelve or one p4m4 in ,london4 ,the mot d'ordre from our chairman was1 8,tell those who cannot sleep to join our bacchanalian party40 ,so many took the hint1 that no room could at length be obtained in the modern ,crimean ,temple of ,momus4 ,at last the order took a more positive character1 for the very ,angel who was presiding1 observed1 and very justly1 that they were all playing the devil with him1 and still more so with his cellar1 which being but meagerly stocked1 could not long stand so severe an attack4 ,he therefore begged all new comers to go back to their quarters1 and bring or send the liquid requisite to keep up the spirits of the guests till midnight--which was done4 ,every one1 like ,cinderella1 disappeared1 by slipping quietly out at the most convenient opportunity4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,expeditions ,,on ,,horse ,,and ,,on ,,foot4 ,comfortable couch--,a terrible sortie--,the borrowed animal reclaimed--,a bad position--,lord ,raglan lends me another steed--,general ,estcourt--,female improvements--,visit to the ,french camp--,a ,french canteen--,a lively vivandire--,french regimental kitchens--,discoveries--,interview with ,colonel ,steele--,pertinent remarks--,a carriage--,mrs4 ,estcourt and her sister--,general ,camp ,hospital--,cathcart's ,hill--,strange reports--,concert la ,soyer--,receipt for a stew--,conversation with ,sir ,john ,campbell--,a flag of truce--,a good peep at ,sebastopol--,a cavalcade of amateurs--,a sad spectacle--,a narrow escape--,noisy night4 ,next morning1 ,i found myself wrapped up in a horse-cloth1 with a pair of top-boots for a pillow4 ,the unfeeling and ungrateful board to which ,i had intrusted my precious limbs1 had by the morning stamped his patron's seal upon my back4 ,the following day we learnt that a terrible sortie had taken place in the night1 and that there had been a severe loss of men on both sides4 ,at an early hour the court-yard was thronged with officers2 despatches were flying in every direction2 the cannon was roaring as usual1 but the fusillade had ceased4 ,i then went to the stable for my pony1 when ,i found the owner1 ,mr4 ,day1 upon his back1 just going home4 8,ah1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i made sure that you had lost my pony as well as your own4 ,i expected you back immediately1 being in want of it40 8,i was not aware of that1 or ,i would have walked from your place sooner than have deprived you of it40 8,oh1 never mind4 ,have you heard anything of your animal80 8,no6 but ,i am going to look after him this morning4 ,that is the reason why ,i slept at head-quarters last night40 8,i am going about the camp10 said he1 8and will inquire for you40 ,he then started1 of course leaving me without a horse1 and with dreadful pains in my back and legs1 which ,i attributed to the softness of the bed with which ,i had been favoured2 though ,i could not boast of a single feather1 like that ,tocrisse of a recruit1 who took one out of his master's feather bed1 laid it down on the boarded floor of his hut1 and next morning told his companions that his master must be foolish to sleep upon a feather bed4 8,why80 asked they4 8,why1 if one feather is so hard1 what must the lot the captain sleeps upon be80 ,the worst of my position was1 how to get another horse1 as it was impossible for me to walk all day about the camp1 being so stiff and tired4 ,i went to ,lord ,raglan's coachman1 and inquired if he had one to spare4 ,he replied-- 8,monsieur ,soyer1 we can spare a pony for you1 but you must ask permission of the master of the horse or ,lord ,raglan1 as ,i have special orders not to lend one upon my own responsibility4 ,i am sure his lordship will let you have it immediately40 ,at this moment ,i caught sight of ,lord ,raglan's valet1 and ,i begged him to make the request2 which he did1 and came to tell me that his lordship desired ,i should have it by all means4 ,once more mounted1 ,i made an early call upon the friends of the previous night1 most of whom resided round head-quarters4 ,i had the pleasure of being introduced to ,general ,estcourt1 who took me to see the printing press where my receipts for the army were done--some of which have appeared in the public press4 ,afterwards ,i went with him to his quarters1 which1 though small1 were very neatly arranged4 ,the taste was not military1 and ,i thought that ,i detected the work of a female hand1 which ,i could not help remarking to the general4 8,you are right1 ,monsieur10 said he1 smiling--8it has only lately been arranged by ladies4 ,mrs4 ,estcourt and my sister are here1 and this is a little bit of their handywork4 ,they are staying on board ship at ,balaklava1 and come here every day4 ,before they arrived ,i had only this small room 7showing me his bed made upon boards7 where ,i sleep as well as ever ,i did in my life4 ,the only thing which awakes me in the night is when the cannon ceases firing--,i am so used to it40 8,i believe that1 general1 and have no doubt you seldom miss hearing a report4 ,in fact1 you are the nearest of those at head-quarters to ,sebastopol40 ,i then inquired about the sortie of the previous night4 ,the general said he did not know the result of it1 and very kindly invited me to breakfast1 which ,i declined1 having to go round the ,french camp in search of my pony4 8,i shall be happy10 said ,general ,estcourt1 8to do anything ,i can for you2 and if you call in the afternoon1 my wife and her sister will be here1 and ,i will introduce you to them40 ,thanking him kindly1 ,i retired1 and proceeded round the ,french camp making inquiries2 then to their head-quarters1 where ,i met ,captain ,boucher1 ,general ,canrobert's aide-de-camp1 with whom ,i had the pleasure of travelling4 ,he promised to introduce me to the general1 who1 he said1 would be very glad to see me4 ,upon my telling him about my pony1 he remarked-- 8,if he is in our camp you are sure to get him back1 for we have put a stop to that kind of piracy by very severe punishment4 ,they used to come and steal our horses from our very stables2 but tell me what sort of a horse he is1 and ,i will advertise him with the others1 and we shall know in less than five or six hours if he is in our camp8 the plan we have adopted cannot fail40 ,having described the animal to the captain1 ,i thanked him for his kindness4 ,considering my ,french review terminated1 ,i thought of returning at once to the ,english head-quarters1 having to see several of the authorities upon business4 ,on my way ,i happened to pass by a nice ,french canteen4 ,i inquired if ,i could get any breakfast8 ,a rather stout vivandire1 dressed in the uniform of the ,imperial ,guard1 very politely said to me3 8,what a stupid question to ask6 ,do you think we have not everything required for the purpose here8 ,perhaps1 ,captain of the ,lord knows what regiment1 you think we have come out merely to thread pearls1 sing #8,partant pour la ,syrie1' and dance the ,fandango40 ,on my way ,i visited several regimental kitchens and tasted the soup4 ,some was better than at others4 ,they had no vegetables excepting some vegetable marrow--more likely to spoil the soup than improve it4 ,i made several important discoveries respecting the system of cooking pursued in the ,french camp1 after visiting1 with some of my new acquaintances1 a row of twelve kitchens1 which number1 they informed me1 was required for each regiment--being at the rate of one per company4 ,one man was told off as cook for every squad or mess of sixteen4 ,the buildings were composed of mud and stone1 and covered an extent of about four hundred yards4 ,i bade my brave companions farewell1 and left them quite a happy man1 having entirely forgotten horse and saddle1 in making the discovery that in lieu of four hundred yards of space1 a dozen buildings1 and about eighty men for each regiment1 an immense consumption of fuel1 and smoke enough to blind three parts of the army--as the men were all cooks in turn--my system was simple1 effective1 and vastly superior to that even of the ,french1 which had hitherto always been considered as preferable to the ,english4 ,this was indeed the case1 for all ,french soldiers understand a little cooking1 and their canteen1 pan was far superior to that in use amongst the ,english troops1 which ,i condemned at first sight in the camp at ,chobham4 ,i returned to head-quarters1 intending to communicate my discovery to ,lord ,raglan2 but learning that he was very busy1 and would not be disengaged till evening1 ,i went to ,colonel ,steele1 who1 in spite of the pressure of business1 gave me an immediate audience1 and promised to speak to ,lord ,raglan on the subject4 ,head-quarters were that day1 in a manner1 taken by storm4 ,they were literally besieged1 and this gave me an opportunity of getting acquainted with several officers and other officials whom ,i had not the pleasure of knowing--or1 at least1 only by sight4 ,amongst these were ,sir ,george ,brown1 ,sir ,w4 ,codrington1 ,sir ,colin ,campbell1 ,lord ,rokeby1 ,captain ,whitmore1 and ,brevet-,major ,a4 ,macdonald4 ,lord ,raglan passed me in the passage1 and said1 8,you wish to see me1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 ,knowing his lordship was much occupied1 ,i replied1 8,colonel ,steele will give you the particulars that ,i came to communicate40 8,that will do2 but have you found your horse80 8,no1 my lord40 8,i have been to visit ,miss ,nightingale4 ,she is still very ill4 ,bad job1 bad job1 poor lady60 he continued1 walking away towards ,colonel ,steele's office1 with his hands full of papers4 ,after this ,i called upon ,doctor ,hall1 with whom ,i had a few minutes' conversation upon business4 ,louis was somewhere about1 busily engaged1 and1 as usual1 unwilling to give a direct reply1 no matter what question you put to him4 ,he came to see me4 ,i inquired if he knew anything about the sortie of the previous night1 upon which he answered that the black horse he rode the day before had thrown him in the mud1 and made him in such a mess4 ,i replied in his style3 8,the sun is very hot to-day40 ,upon which he observed1 8he never was there in his life40 ,i begged of him to tell me how he was to-morrow4 8,don't believe that10 said he2 8it is quite false40 ,an interesting young man indeed was ,louis4 ,a very great curiosity then made its appearance1 breaking the thread of our scientific conversation4 ,what1 reader1 do you think it was8 ,a carriage6--a thing unknown in the camp--or at least a bad imitation of one--drawn by two very obstinate mules1 one pulling against the other1 which seemed to amuse my intelligent friend ,louis1 who never liked to see anything going on smoothly4 ,general ,estcourt went out to meet it1 and two ladies alighted4 ,to this ,louis thoroughly objected1 saying--8,ladies1 indeed6 they are the two female ,zouaves who performed in the ,anglaises pour ,rire1 at the theatre in their camp4 ,one10 said he1 8is ,jean ,huguet--the other ,panaudet1 aide-de-camp to the drum-major of a regiment of cavalry4 ,the first plays ,lady ,painbeche in that tragedy--the other1 ,lady ,don't-you-wish-you-may-get-it40 ,very fertile indeed was the brain of ,louis at composition of the higher school2 and1 like ,marplot1 never wishing to see anything in its right light1 he succeeded admirably4 ,the sight of a carriage was something wonderful1 but two ladies at once1 and fashionably dressed1 was too much good-luck4 ,i advanced towards them1 and had the honour of being introduced by the general to ,mrs4 ,estcourt and his sister4 ,the general invited me to walk in1 and ,i had the honour of taking a glass of wine with the fair--who might well be called fairies at the time--ladies being so scarce1 in fact1 all but invisible1 in the ,crimea4 ,after a short1 but very interesting1 conversation with the ladies1 ,i retired1 leaving some copies of my receipts with ,mrs4 ,estcourt1 who kindly undertook to look at the proofs before printing4 ,thence ,i proceeded to the ,general ,camp ,hospital1 and there met ,doctor ,mouatt1 who told me he was waiting for the bricks for his oven from the ,ordnance ,office at head-quarters4 ,i informed him that ,i had given in the plan for a kitchen1 and endeavoured to convince him of the necessity of having it done at once4 8,i am well aware of that1 and it shall be attended to40 ,all inquiries respecting my pony were fruitless4 ,at last1 upon asking at a canteen1 a soldier told me he had heard of one being found in some regiment1 but could not tell me which one1 though he thought it was somewhere about ,cathcart's ,hill4 ,on arriving at ,cathcart's ,hill1 ,i met ,sir ,john ,campbell1 who invited me to take some refreshment and a glass of ,bordeaux4 ,we descended to his rocky abode in front of ,sebastopol1 whence you could trace every shot or shell which passed1 as well as view the whole city4 ,on recounting my adventure of the lost pony1 and of my being absent two days from ,balaklava1 8,we heard10 said the aide-de-camp to ,sir ,john1 8that you had lost two ponies40 8,no6 no60 said ,i1 8one at a time is quite enough1 captain40 8,i can assure you that is the joke at head-quarters4 ,i also heard of your concert la ,soyer40 8,we spent a regular ,london evening10 ,i replied4 8,i wish ,i had been there10 said the general2 8we are getting very dull in our division4 ,before you go1 ,mons4 ,soyer1 come and see my kitchen40 8,i will1 general40 ,though very small1 it was more deserving that title than the one at ,lord ,raglan's4 8,here10 said ,sir ,john1 8is our ration meat2 ,i am sure you cannot make a tempting dish out of these materials1 especially from the salt meat1 which requires so much soaking1 it is so hard40 8,well1 general1 ,i will not say ,i can make a dish worthy of ,lucullus out of this2 but ,i will try to make something palatable and fit to eat40 8,i can assure you1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 that if you succeed1 it will be conferring a great boon upon the army2 and you must give them the receipts40 ,i did as follows3 ,i cut about two pounds of salt beef1 and as much salt pork1 in pieces of about a quarter of a pound in weight1 placed them1 in a canteen pan with cold water1 and set it on the fire4 ,when lukewarm1 ,i took the pan off1 washed the meat well1 and threw the water away4 ,i then added three pints of fresh water1 a quarter of a pound of onions sliced1 two ounces of sugar1 a teaspoonful of pepper1 and two ounces of rice4 ,i set it to stew and simmer gently for two hours4 ,the general said3-- 8,you must come and dine with us about that time40 8,i should certainly much like to taste it1 general2 but ,i must be at ,balaklava before seven o'clock to-night4 ,to-morrow ,i am coming over to the ,general ,hospital1 and if you will be kind enough to order some to be saved for me1 that ,i may taste it when ,i come1 ,i shall esteem it a great favour40 8,i will do so1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 but try and be here to dinner4 ,we shall dine about five o'clock40 ,the stew by this time began to simmer1 and upon tasting the broth1 ,i found it already very palatable1 without being too salt4 ,i begged of the cook to let it simmer very gently1 which he promised to do4 ,we prepared to separate4 ,before leaving1 ,i said1 8,the soldiers will be able to do their rations the same way4 ,i have recommended it to ,commissary ,filder1 who has agreed to it1 and consented that the salt rations should be issued the night before1 thus giving the soldiers time to soak the meat well4 ,in consequence of this1 it will require less sugar2 although it is rumoured that a quarter of an ounce is to be added to their daily rations4 ,they will then have as much as they require2 and when my new field-stoves are issued1 they will admit both of the soaking and the cooking of the meat2 and various messes can be made1 almost impracticable in the small tin canteens now in use40 ,i then told the general of my visit to the ,french kitchens1 and what ,i had seen there4 ,he agreed with me that they employed too many men1 especially in time of war4 ,it is true that the ,french soldiers understood cooking much better than our men did1 but1 nevertheless1 their system admitted of great improvements4 ,we were then standing in front of ,sir ,john's cave facing ,sebastopol4 ,of a sudden all the batteries ceased firing1 and ,sir ,john exclaimed1 8,hallo6 there is a flag of truce hoisted on the ,russian side1 and it is accepted4 ,no doubt it is for leave to bury the dead4 ,now is the time to have a good peep at ,sebastopol1 ,mons4 ,soyer2 you have two hours for that purpose40 ,the generals1 staff officers1 and a number of military men who were present as lookers-on1 started off2 and ,i of course followed1 making sure ,sebastopol was not more than a mile and a half or two miles distant--which1 vol d'oiseau1 it was not2 but there were four or five deep ravines1 which made the distance much longer4 ,the few who started from the hill were joined by many on the road1 and we soon formed a small cavalcade of amateurs4 ,i understood1 from several parties of whom ,i inquired1 that we should have plenty of time to go and return before the recommencement of hostilities1 and that there was not1 therefore1 the slightest danger4 ,as it was on the ,french side the sortie had taken place1 some went one way and some another2 and only about six of us went towards the ,french trenches4 ,upon our arrival we experienced some difficulty in getting in1 and it was full twenty minutes before they would admit us4 ,one of the gentlemen present--an ,english officer1 unknown to me--wrote our names upon his card1 and1 by order of the commandant of a battery1 we were allowed to enter4 ,the sight is too painful to dwell upon1 from the immense numbers of dead and wounded piled one upon the other4 ,they were mostly young men1 who had fallen so bravely in defence of their country in this glorious1 though disastrous1 combat4 ,i could not help remarking1 both in the ,french and ,russian dead1 that those who had been killed by gun-shots passing through the body lay as if they had fallen in to a sweet slumber1 with a smile upon their cold lips1 and a happy and pleasing expression of countenance1 very different to the fearful and contorted appearance generally presented1 when from our comfortable homes we are summoned by that 8strict serjeant--,death10 in consequence of old age or illness4 ,this induced me to say to my companions in the trenches1 8,it appears to me as if death had not time to convey them to his mournful shore1 but that the genius of glory had unexpectedly stepped in1 and taken possession of their souls1 which were now happily ascending to heaven and a better world2 while1 on the contrary1 those who have lost a limb or received serious wounds in the head1 appear to have expired in the most painful torture40 ,the funeral service was going on rapidly and solemnly on all sides4 ,the main attack had been against the ,french1 and their newly-arrived ,imperial ,guard suffered considerable loss4 ,the greater part of the time allowed for the armistice had now elapsed1 and we therefore thought of retiring4 ,none of us were1 however1 acquainted with the ,french trenches1 and it took us a considerable time to find our way out4 ,i must have taken a wrong turn1 or at least the man to whom ,i had entrusted my pony had done so1 although ,i had given him a franc1 and promised him another on getting out all right1 merely to see that no one untied the pony4 ,as he was on duty at the time1 and agreed to do this1 ,i trusted him with it4 ,my friends found their steeds where they had left them4 ,pondering upon my ill-luck1 and fearing the pony1 which belonged to ,lord ,raglan1 was also lost1 ,i felt much perplexed1 so ,i scrambled up between the gabions1 and perceived1 to my great joy1 a man leading my pony about in the ravine4 ,i met the person with whom ,i had left him1 and he told me that his commanding-officer would not allow the pony to remain there any longer1 as hostilities would begin again immediately1 and being in sight of the enemy1 they might think it belonged to a superior1 and direct their fire that way2 and having some other duties to perform1 he gave my steed in charge of another man1 and requested me to give the other man the franc ,i had promised him4 ,i ran off to the man1 making sure ,i should reach him in two minutes1 but it took me above twenty4 ,instead of going towards him1 ,i got near the ,russian side1 and had it been dark instead of day1 ,i have no doubt ,i should have been taken prisoner1 from being unable in the short time left of the suspension of hostilities to retrace my steps4 ,one of the sentries who had seen us came and advised me to be off as soon as possible1 as the firing would begin again directly4 ,thanking him1 ,i got my pony1 and was no sooner mounted than the cannonade and fusillade thundered in every direction2 and some missiles passed me much too close to be pleasant4 ,a regiment of ,french soldiers who had just been relieved from duty1 and were on their way to their quarters1 told me they were going to the ,clocheton1 a place of which ,i had heard1 but did not know4 ,i followed them1 as the night was fast setting in and rain was falling4 ,i passed it1 with a jolly set of fellows1 full of song1 cognac1 and rum2 and1 as ,i stood some drink1 ,i was set down in their estimation as a gentleman4 ,i afterwards slept upon some straw1 on the floor of the canteen4 ,my horse had a very good meal1 and plenty of water1 but was compelled to remain out all night1 which annoyed me very much4 ,it could not1 however1 be helped4 ,we had a very noisy night1 and several shots were heard hissing over our heads1 as we were only a few hundred yards from the small house called the ,clocheton1 so celebrated and well known in the ,french camp4 ,it was from that picturesque spot that ,monsieur de ,bazancourt wrote his popular history of the war4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,matters ,,grave ,,and ,,gay4 ,kitchens in the ,turkish and ,sardinian camps--,triumphal entry into ,balaklava--,missed for three days--,telegraphed for--,lots of news--,my secretary in trouble--,arrival of ,lord ,ward in the ,london--,the ,queen's birthday in the harbour of ,balaklava--,baking on board the floating batteries--,miss ,nightingale ordered home--8,who lost the four horses80--,lord ,raglan and ,mrs4 ,roberts--,his visit to ,miss ,nightingale's sick-bed--,dinner-parties--,a ,crimean banquet--,sick ,sardinians--,the dying officer--,the last request--,an expedition to ,kertch--,a change of quarters--,samples of bread--,bread-biscuit--,letters to the ,times4 ,at six the next morning ,i started1 and made it my business to visit the kitchens in the ,turkish and ,sardinian camps1 on my way home4 ,at eight ,i made my triumphal entry into ,balaklava4 ,my return seemed to be quite an event1 as it had not only been reported that ,i had lost three horses1 but also that ,i had lost myself4 ,i found1 when ,i got on board the ,london--which was still vomiting forth troops1 horses1 guns1 and projectiles of all kinds1 to feed the voracious appetite of mighty1 grand1 but very unsociable and terrible ,mr4 ,war1 with whom ,i had lately had the unexpected honour of being on a little too familiar terms--that every one had missed me for three days1 and the last they had heard of me was that ,i had been seen going towards ,sebastopol at the time the flag of truce was hoisted4 ,no one had seen me return1 and they concluded that poor ,soyer had either been killed1 wounded1 or taken prisoner4 ,i was told that ,mr4 ,bracebridge had been anxiously inquiring for me in every direction1 and that ,p4 ,m4 had just gone in a great hurry to the telegraph office1 to send word to head-quarters4 ,seeing the affair was getting rather serious1 ,i set off at full gallop to stop him1 and found him in the office1 writing the following lines3-- 8,monsieur ,soyer has been absent from ,balaklava these last three days1 and has not been heard of4 ,an answer will oblige40 ,my unexpected arrival put him in good spirits4 ,i convinced him that ,i was neither killed1 wounded1 nor taken prisoner1 and having related my adventures1 ,i inquired about business4 ,the first thing he told me was that ,miss ,nightingale was getting better4 ,this ,i knew1 having made inquiries on board4 ,then he informed me that ,lord ,raglan had visited her4 ,this ,i also knew4 ,then that ,thomas1 my head man1 had been all over the camp1 hunting for me2 that the hospital kitchens were all going on well4 ,he next informed me that ,dr4 ,hadley was morally in deep mourning1 not so much on account of his pony1 or even myself1 but his saddle and bridle1 which he said no money could replace1 it having been made to order in ,london4 ,i observed that ,i was worse off than he was1 as from his kindness in lending me the pony1 ,i had been so long away4 8,but1 ,p4 ,m41 will you be kind enough to jump on that pony1 and go to him4 ,say ,i will see him in the afternoon1 and of course that ,i shall be happy to pay for both pony and saddle40 8,i will do so2 but he told me yesterday that he didn't care a fig about the pony--it was the saddle he regretted40 8,when did he first hear ,i had lost it80 8,why1 not four hours after you left4 ,mrs4 ,seacole sent all over the camp for it1 and some officers who were present at the time brought the news1 at which every one laughed2 but ,i assure you the case was getting very serious at last40 8,never mind-- la guerre comme la guerre--we must expect something a little out of the way in campaigning40 8,i tell you what1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i began to think it was a great deal out of the way4 ,you have only one life1 like the rest of us1 and you cannot be spared by us1 not even to go to the ,russians40 ,p4 ,m4 started on his mission to ,dr4 ,hadley1 and ,i returned to the ,london1 and wrote the receipt for the composition of the preserved vegetables1 which ,i had promised to ,commissary ,filder1 and took it over myself4 ,on my way ,i met about a score of friends1 or at all events persons who knew me1 and had heard the false report4 ,i was informed that ,admiral ,boxer was much put out about my absence1 and at not receiving any tidings about me4 ,to my great astonishment1 ,i met my secretary on foot1 and at once inquired what he had done with the pony1 making sure that he had lost it1 or that he had been thrown1 and the animal had run away1 as it was a very mettlesome little creature4 8,it is nothing of the kind2 it was worse4 ,the brute is marked #8,l4 ,r41 head-quarters2' and before ,i reached ,dr4 ,hadley's house1 a policeman stopped me and took it away1 saying it had been stolen from ,monsieur ,soyer2 and there was a regular row at head-quarters about it4 ,the fellow wanted to take me up1 though ,i told him ,i was your secretary4 ,and mind you1 had it not been for an officer--a friend of yours1 who knew me--having dined with us on board the ,robert ,lowe1 ,i really cannot tell how ,i should have managed40 8,where is the pony now80 8,god knows4 ,perhaps that fellow has stolen it40 8,i hope not4 ,describe the man4 ,who was he80 8,a soldier1 ,i believe2 but let us go to the ,commandant's1 and inquire1 for ,i think he took the pony to the stable-yard40 ,upon making inquiries1 we heard the animal had been sent direct to head-quarters4 ,thus terminated the adventures connected with my first interview with the good and benevolent ,mrs4 ,seacole1 whom ,i have ever since christened ,la ,mre ,noire1 although she has a fair daughter4 ,before the evening was over ,i had visited the various hospitals1 inspected a fresh arrival of provisions--particularly fresh vegetables1 which were sent from ,constantinople weekly1 for the use of the hospitals and camp4 ,these often arrived in a bad state1 owing to the heat of the weather1 which was intense4 ,the difficulty of transport and distribution throughout the camps rendered the dry composition ,i had submitted to the ,commissariat much preferable1 more especially for issue to the troops in camp4 ,the great event during my unexpected and adventurous absence was the arrival of ,lord ,ward in his beautiful steamer1 the ,london1 filled with all kinds of provisions1 to be gratuitously distributed among the soldiers1 more as a luxury than a necessity4 ,provisions were not at this time so scarce as they had been--the soldiers were receiving ample rations4 ,facility and method in the cooking was what was most required4 ,,the #bd,,th ,,of ,,may1--,,the ,,queen',s ,,birthday ,,in ,,the ,,harbour ,,of ,,balaklava4 ,at midday a royal salute was fired2 shouts were heard in all directions1 and about noon the band struck up 8,god save the ,queen40 ,the ships were gaily dressed out with their flags1 and this put every sailor in good humour4 ,they were regaled with plenty of roast beef and plum-pudding1 and abundance of rum4 ,tunes struck up in every direction--8,drops of brandy10 8,barley bree10 hornpipes1 c42 but the 8,ratcatcher's ,daughter0 would have been most in harmony4 ,i was then dining with ,captain ,shepherd and a party of about ten1 on board his superb ship1 the ,triton4 ,when dinner was over1 we left the jovial board to smoke our cigars upon deck4 ,we went to breathe the fresh air1 and to watch the frolics of the joyous but rather tumultuous crew1 who were performing their nautical steps between decks1 to the shrieking sounds of a damaged fiddle and still more damaging fiddler4 ,the tunes we listened to produced upon our ears the effect we anticipated1 but the air we were breathing quite the contrary effect upon our noses4 ,captain ,heath1 the harbour-master1 who was then living on board1 also gave a dinner-party that day2 and as his numerous guests appeared upon deck1 there was quite an array of naval and military men4 ,i seldom smoke1 and ,i remarked that the air we were so anxious to breathe was anything but wholesome or agreeable4 ,thereupon the commander of the ,diamond observed that an unpleasant odour arose from the sea4 8,it does not come from the water10 ,i replied1 8but from the shore40 8,what can it be1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 said he4 8,don't you know1 captain--you who daily visit your naval hospital on the heights1 that on that bank are the bodies of the poor unfortunate fellows lost in the ,prince1 and the sea has washed away the earth which covered them8 ,some of them are actually on a level with the ground40 8,impossible10 said he2 8,i can't believe it40 8,if you like10 ,i replied1 8,i will convince you of the fact40 ,some of those who overheard our conversation begged ,captain ,shepherd to let us have a boat1 with which request the captain complied4 ,it was a fine moonlight night when we started1 and we soon reached the spot4 ,the smell had disappeared2 so he said ,i was mistaken4 8,not at all1 captain10 said ,i4 8,pray thrust your oar through the soil we are standing upon40 ,it was covered with lime1 and he did as ,i requested1 and found that what ,i had stated was correct4 ,we then returned on board1 and mentioned the fact4 ,all admitted that it was a dreadful thing1 and might bring on cholera4 ,captains ,heath and ,shepherd observed that it was intended to throw a mound three feet deep over them1 and that it was likely the heavy weather had washed away the gravel4 ,the remains of some of these bodies were plainly visible1 the most singular thing being their extraordinary state of preservation4 ,i noticed that the ,board of ,health were aware of this1 and had taken sanitary measures by having great quantities of lime thrown over the remains4 ,captain ,heath observed that the mound would very likely be completed the following day4 ,i believe that such was the case1 for a short time after ,i saw it was done4 ,this unpleasant discovery broke up our party sooner than was intended1 but it did not disturb the mirth of the sailors2 their fun lasted till daybreak4 ,this corner of the harbour was seldom frequented1 which no doubt was the reason that the exposure of the bodies had not been noticed sooner4 ,in pointing out this fact to ,colonel ,hardinge1 he observed that under the water his power ceased4 ,admiral ,boxer's nephew1 who was there1 remarked that above the level of the water he had no power2 so that the tide1 alternately washing over and receding from the bodies1 led me to infer that neither the naval nor military authorities could remove the nuisance1 as it must have been well known to many that the bodies from the wreck were deposited there4 ,the floating bakeries called the ,bruiser and the ,abundance were now ready to commence baking1 and were visited by all the authorities--,lord ,raglan1 ,sir ,john ,macneil1 ,colonel ,tulloch1 ,commissary ,filder1 ,dr4 ,sutherland1 the ,admiral and the ,commandant1 c4 ,the vessels were so crowded1 that ,captain ,thompson1 with whom ,i had the pleasure of being well acquainted1 expressed his fears of never being able to make a fair beginning4 ,good bread was at that time1 ,i must say1 the most important thing wanted4 ,bakeries were in course of erection at ,kadikoi1 so that between the steamers and them about twenty-five or thirty thousand rations could be made1 producing a supply of bread four days per week1 and the other three biscuit4 ,no one could then wish for better field rations4 ,while at the ,sanatorium1 making inquiry about ,miss ,nightingale1 ,i heard from the purveyor that the doctor's advice was that she should go direct to ,england1 when able to travel4 ,my friend1 ,dr4 ,hadley1 whom ,i was going to face boldly1 and scold for causing me so much trouble with his saddle and bridle1 had been waiting anxiously for my return4 ,in despair1 he had gone out in search of them4 ,i therefore did not see1 though ,i heard much about him4 ,having met ,mr4 ,parker1 the clergyman1 he informed me that he had been told that ,i had lost four horses in three days--viz41 three myself and my secretary one1 and that none of them belonged to me4 ,upon this ,i replied1 8,therein lies the merit of being trusted4 ,had they been my own it would have been nothing1 as any fool can manage to lose his own horse1 but it requires a good deal of skill and standing in society to lose four belonging to other persons1 in so short a space of time40 ,my mishap afforded much amusement2 and the standing jest in camp for some time was1 8,who lost the four horses80 ,i was very anxious to know the actual state of ,miss ,nightingale's health1 and went to her hut to inquire4 ,i found ,mrs4 ,roberts1 who was quite astonished and very much delighted to see me4 8,thank ,god1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 she exclaimed1 8you are here again4 ,we have all been in such a way about you4 ,why1 it was reported that you had been taken prisoner by the ,russians4 ,i must go and tell ,miss ,nightingale you are found again40 8,don't disturb her now4 ,i understand ,lord ,raglan has been to see her40 8,yes1 he has1 and ,i made a serious mistake4 ,it was about five o'clock in the afternoon when he came4 ,miss ,nightingale was dozing1 after a very restless night4 ,we had a storm that day1 and it was very wet40 8,pray go on1 madam10 said ,i1 seeing she made a pause4 8,well1 sir1 ,i was in my room sewing1 when two men on horseback1 wrapped in large gutta-percha cloaks1 and dripping wet1 knocked at the door4 ,i went out1 and one inquired in which hut ,miss ,nightingale resided4 ,he spoke so loud1 that ,i said1 #8,hist6 hist6 ,don't make such a horrible noise as that1 my man1' at the same time making a sign with both hands for him to be quiet4 ,he then repeated his question1 but not in so loud a tone4 ,i told him this was the hut4' 8#8,all right1' said he1 jumping from his horse1 and he was walking straight in1 when ,i pushed him back1 asking him what he meant and whom he wanted4 8#8,miss ,nightingale1' said he4 8#8,and pray who are you8' 8#8,oh1 only a soldier1' was his reply2 #8but ,i must see her--,i have come a long way--my name is ,raglan--she knows me very well4' 8,miss ,nightingale overhearing him1 called me in1 saying1 #8,oh6 ,mrs4 ,roberts1 it is ,lord ,raglan4 ,pray tell him ,i have a very bad fever1 and it will be dangerous for him to come near me4' 8#8,i have no fear of fever or anything else4' said ,lord ,raglan4 8,and before ,i had time to turn round1 in came his lordship4 ,he took up a stool1 sat down at the foot of the bed1 and kindly asked ,miss ,nightingale how she was1 expressing his sorrow at her illness1 and thanking and praising her for the good she had done for the troops4 ,he wished her a speedy recovery1 and hoped that she might be able to continue her charitable and invaluable exertions1 so highly appreciated by every one1 as well as by himself4 ,he then bade ,miss ,nightingale good-bye1 and went away4 ,as he was going out1 ,i wished to apologize4 8#8,no6 no6 not at all1 my dear lady1' said ,lord ,raglan2 #8you did very right2 for ,i perceive that ,miss ,nightingale has not yet received my letter1 in which ,i announced my intention of paying her a visit to-day--having previously inquired of the doctor if she could be seen4'0 8,no doubt10 ,i said1 8his lordship quite enjoyed the fun40 8,i think he did1 for they were laughing so when they went away4 ,however1 it did my mistress no good4 ,she became very nervous afterwards1 and was worse for a day or two2 but she is doing well now4 ,i am sure his lordship would be very sorry if he knew that such was the case40 8,that he would2 for he did it out of pure respect and kindness40 8,exactly4 ,i never heard a gentleman speak more kindly to any one4 ,but only fancy1 sir1 what fun for me to try to turn the ,commander-in-chief out of doors40 8,how were you to tell who it was8 ,and supposing you knew1 even then you would have done right1 as you had not received his lordship's letter1 and had special orders from the doctor to let no one in1 not even ,mr4 ,bracebridge40 8,mr4 ,bracebridge came two or three times a-day4 ,the doctors recommend ,miss ,nightingale to go to ,london as soon as possible2 but1 ,lord bless you1 sir6 she will not be in a fit state for removal for a fortnight or three weeks40 8,i am sorry to hear that1 because ,i should have liked to go back to ,scutari with her4 ,my field-stoves have not arrived1 and ,jullien1 my head man at ,scutari1 has been ill2 so ,i must look sharp after the hospitals on the ,bosphorus1 as my principal object in coming out was to set them to rights4 ,in fact1 ,i only offered my services for the ,barrack ,hospital1 as ,i had not at that time heard of the others1--viz41 ,kululee1 the ,general1 and the ,palace ,hospitals40 8,you must not rely upon what ,i say1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 for we might be off sooner40 8,how are my kitchens going on80 8,oh1 very well indeed now1 sir40 8,i am sure to see ,mr4 ,bracebridge on board to-day2 and when ,miss ,nightingale is better1 ,i will come daily and make some delicate broth1 pudding1 or jelly for her4 ,doctor ,henderson tells me that as soon as he can put his illustrious patient under my care he will do so2 then ,i shall require your assistance1 as ,i consider you an excellent extra-diet cook40 ,the weather having set in fine1 everything became more cheerful4 ,small dinner parties were given by the ,guards and the ,cavalry4 ,several gentlemen1 at the head of whom was ,colonel ,carleton1 clubbed together and engaged a man cook1 who turned out a tolerable good dinner4 ,he cooked almost al fresco4 ,those regiments stationed close to ,balaklava fared the best1 as they could procure provisions from the stewards of the vessels in harbour4 ,colonel ,carleton1 one of our modern epicures1 whom4 ,i had the pleasure of dining with while encamped there1 gave us an excellent dinner2 and1 for several reasons1 never invited more than five guests to dine with him3--firstly1 from his good sense as a gourmet2 and1 secondly1 having no room for more4 ,dinner invitations poured in from all quarters1 both from sea and land4 ,for some time1 it appeared as if the champagne corks were firing instead of the cannon at ,sebastopol1 as the wind was in the wrong direction1 and the report of the guns was scarcely heard at ,balaklava4 ,it took me about an hour every morning to write apologies to invitations--so numerous were they1 and my duties would not admit of my dining out every day4 ,moreover1 the medical gentlemen then strongly recommended moderation and care in the use of food4 ,there was1 however1 one unexpected invitation ,i could not decline4 ,one evening1 as ,i was returning late from the camp1 ,i met several of the heroes of ,balaklava2 amongst these ,colonel ,peel and ,major ,cook of the #aath ,hussars1 with whom ,i had the pleasure of being acquainted at ,scutari4 ,they would take no refusal1 so ,i was compelled to accompany them to their mess-room and dine with them1 which invite ,i was not long accepting1 requiring at the time no end of restoratives for myself and charger1 after a hard day's duty4 ,it was indeed a splendid place for the ,crimea--the camp being still in the infancy of luxury4 ,a table was laid for sixteen guests1 who had wisely opened a kind of club in a large hut4 ,the rations were artistically turned to good account1 and numerous little extras were procured from ,balaklava1 particularly fish4 ,two fine clout1 or knotted turbots1#ae with the et-ceteras1 gave an appearance of luxurious festivity2 and though no one could boast of the elegance of the service1 at all events there were a few plates1 knives1 and forks upon the table--at that time luxuries were not requisite4 ,good health--a ferocious appetite--lots of capital ale1 porter1 sherry1 port1 champagne--laughter1 puns1 and fun in abundance--witty anecdotes1 and plenty of songs1 good1 bad1 and indifferent1 prevailed4 ,the sixteen officers were joined by about twenty more after dinner4 ,they sat down anywhere and everywhere1 even out of doors4 ,it was1 in fact1 the most martial festival ,i had seen during my visit to the ,crimea1 and quite cast in the shade our former semi-banquet at head-quarters4 ,it was midnight ere this jovial party broke up2 and a few minutes after ,i was on my way home4 ,the sentry on duty at the ,col of ,balaklava was calling out1 with the lungs of a ,stentor1 8,who goes there80 to a group bearing lighted torches coming towards him2 and several voices1 in a mournful tone1 replied1 8,friends40 8,pass1 friends40 ,a sudden change of scene and sensation soon took place6 ,on approaching the group1 and inquiring what was the matter1 ,i perceived four ,sardinian soldiers bearing a sick officer upon a stretcher4 ,he was followed by several others4 ,the ,sardinians at that time suffered terribly from fever and cholera1 and their daily loss of men was something fearful4 ,they were admitted to the ,general ,hospital1 as there was not sufficient room in their own4 ,following the group with solemn interest as far as the ,general ,hospital1 ,i learned that the precious burden they were carrying was one of the bravest officers of this small though perfect model of an army4 ,it was a ,major ,crossetti1 in the bloom of life1 his age only six-and-thirty1 who was suddenly attacked by cholera2 and ,miss ,wear 7the head lady under ,miss ,nightingale7 begged of me to go and offer consolation1 as well as to interpret and explain to the doctors what his servant required4 ,he had then only just been attacked4 ,in less than two hours1 the fatal malady had increased to that extent that no hope was entertained of saving him1 though every attention had been immediately afforded4 ,alas6 all was of no avail4 ,the contraction and sudden change of one of the finest and noblest military faces ,i ever beheld1 graced by a beard of an auburn tinge1 to the hideous transformation caused by that awful disease1 will never be effaced from my memory1 and is far too piteous to be described4 ,i remained with him more than three hours1 but he died during the night2 his poor servant1 a ,savoyard1 who had been with him from his boyhood1 wept bitterly4 ,miss ,wear1 though very unwell1 remained at his side till he had expired4 ,he kept asking1 his moist hand clasped in mine1 8,pensez-vous que je vais mourir80--,do you think ,i am about to die8 8,no1 no6 impossible1 so young60 ,i ejaculated4 8,i would not care if it were on the field of battle2 but ,i have done nothing for my country in this war40 ,the words ,i addressed to him seemed to console him greatly4 ,miss ,wear1 however1 informed me privately that the case had taken such a turn that nothing could save him4 ,a few days prior to my departure from the ,crimea1 my final reminiscence of this noble departed soldier was to see his name engraved on marble in letters of gold on the grand national ,sardinian ,monument so picturesquely situated on the summit of the high rock above the ,sanatorium4 ,a few days after this1 the ,london and its bridge was in more confusion than ever1 and the landing of the ,sardinian troops appeared a mere trifle compared with this unexpected movement4 ,it was the departure of the fleet for ,kertch1 and the whole of the troops1 horses1 provisions1 ammunition1 c41 passed over our then almost uninhabitable ,city of ,london4 ,i must say1 the precision and celerity with which this fleet was embarked and despatched was admirable4 ,the evening before1 ,i had promised to go early and superintend the cooking of one of the regiments1 when1 to my great surprise1 ,i found the colonel1 his officers1 and men upon deck just embarking4 ,i was with them the afternoon before till three o'clock1 and they then knew nothing about it4 ,admiral ,boxer came and informed me that the ,london was to follow the expedition1 and he was under the necessity of removing us1 not much to our sorrow1 for the everlasting thoroughfare made our nautical ,london very disagreeable2 and it was with great delight that we left town for a quieter and better habitation1 observing at the same time to the admiral1 that ,i feared ,i was in disgrace both with the army and navy4 8,why so1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 8,because the ,minister-at-,war turned me out of ,london at a few days' notice1 and you1 admiral1 do the same kind of thing in as many minutes4 ,you are about transferring me1 it seems1 to the ,baraguay d',hilliers40 8,ah1 and a fine ship she is1 too1 ,monsieur ,soyer40 ,sir ,john ,macneil and ,colonel ,tulloch had quitted the ,baraguay d',hilliers1 a very fine vessel1 and we had their apartment in the state cabin1 so called because it was so large and commodious4 ,the ,baraguay d',hilliers was moored next to the ,abundance1 and so close that we were able to walk from one ship to the other1 which gave me the facility of watching the process and system of that important floating bakery1 as well as the perfection of its mechanism4 ,the first two samples of bread made were1 one very white1 and the other rather brown4 ,captain ,johnson asked me which ,i liked best4 ,i replied1 8,the brown1 by all means1 for the troops2 and ,i am sure that ,lord ,raglan1 ,sir ,john ,macneil1 ,dr4 ,hall1 and other competent gentlemen1 will express the same opinion40 8,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i must differ from you1 for this is much finer and whiter40 8,it is because it is so white that ,i object to it4 ,the change from almost black ,turkish bread to the very white will create a bad feeling amongst the troops1 who will fancy they have been imposed upon4 ,for my taste1 give me the whitey-brown2 there is less show and more nutriment in it3 besides1 it is better adapted for the purpose40 8,well10 said ,captain ,johnson1 8for my own eating1 ,i prefer the white2 though ,i must say the other is very good40 8,depend upon it1 captain1 the soldiers want food1 not luxuries4 ,i'll tell you what ,i will do for you3 ,i am going to head-quarters1 and will take the samples to ,lord ,raglan and ,dr4 ,hall40 8,i shall be much obliged if you will10 said he1 8as we want to commence supplying to-morrow40 ,on reaching head-quarters1 ,i met ,dr4 ,hall going to the general4 ,i showed him the samples2 we convassed their respective merits for a few minutes1 and the ,doctor was of the same opinion as myself4 ,i saw ,lord ,raglan in the camp2 and he said1 8,the whitey-brown1 by all means4 ,i never wish to have better bread upon my table40 ,the good done by this bakery was incalculable4 ,they baked from fifteen to sixteen thousand rations daily1 with perfect ease4 ,in justice to the system1 ,i must say1 it answered admirably4 ,i carefully watched its progress1 and though the quality of the bread often varied1 which was entirely owing to the difference in the quality of the flour supplied--and this is unavoidable in so large a supply as is required for an army1--,i can certify that the working of the flour in the bruiser1 the process of manipulation1 and the baking were carefully attended to4 ,in the beginning1 it is true1 yeast could not be procured in sufficient quantities4 ,at last1 they discovered a way of making it themselves4 ,it is due to their exertions to say1 that the bakery at ,kadikoi was not making as good bread as the ,abundance4 ,it is true1 they did not possess the same facilities4 ,we had made on board the ,abundance several samples of bread-biscuit1 which ,i had the honour of submitting to the ,duke of ,newcastle during his visit to ,scutari4 ,he tasted it both in its dry state1 and also soaked in broth1 three months after having been baked1 and highly approved of it1 considering it an excellent invention for the soldier's camp meal1 as well as for the navy4 ,this is the same bread-biscuit mentioned by a correspondent in the following letter1 addressed to the ,times4 ,,miss ,,nightingale ,,and ,m4 ,,soyer4 ,to the ,editor of the ,times4 ,,sir1--,the sympathies of the ,british nation being at this moment directed to the army of the ,east1 ,i feel that information as to the hospital department will interest many4 ,miss ,nightingale returned to ,scutari on the #dth inst41 having left it on the #dth of the preceding month4 ,miss ,nightingale1 on her arrival at ,balaklava1 immediately began an active investigation of the state of the two hospitals there1 as well as of the sailors' hospitals and the field hospitals in the camp1 in which she had the invaluable assistance of the ,sanitary ,commissioners and ,m4 ,soyer1 as well as the advice and the moral support of ,sir ,john ,m',neil and ,colonel ,tulloch1 commissioners1 and of ,dr4 ,hall and the medical staff4 ,the affairs of the sisters and nurses were arranged1 new huts built1 kitchens erected and arranged1 and a vigorous action in the whole department begun1 with the full assent and aid of the medical officers1 when ,miss ,nightingale was seized with the ,crimean fever and carried up to the hut hospital on the ,genoese heights4 ,she became convalescent after about twelve days1 and was recommended to take a voyage to ,england2 she1 however1 though in a state of extreme weakness and exhaustion1 refused to entertain the idea of going beyond ,scutari1 trusting that she might be enabled the sooner to return to her advanced post at ,balaklava4 ,lord ,ward1 with a generous perseverance in well-doing1 forced ,miss ,nightingale to accept his steam-yacht the ,london1 which was placed at her disposal on the #crd inst41 and in this vessel she happily and rapidly performed the voyage to ,scutari4 ,the ,hon4 ,w4 ,wellesley1 ,dr4 ,curgewan1 ,lord ,ward's medical man1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,bracebridge1 ,m4 ,soyer1 whose enterprise has been associated with that of ,miss ,nightingale at ,balaklava1 besides ,mrs4 ,roberts1 chief nurse1 and servants1 were on board4 ,miss ,nightingale was visited while sick by ,lord ,raglan at the huts1 and again on board the ,london1 and was received on landing at ,scutari by ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 ,commandant1 ,dr4 ,cumming1 ,inspector-,general1 and ,dr4 ,macgregor1 ,deputy ,inspector4 ,the house of the chaplain is placed at her disposal by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,sabin1 and she has been offered the use of the ,british ,palace at ,pera by ,lord and ,lady ,stratford de ,redcliffe4 ,miss ,nightingale is extremely weak1 but has no remains of fever1 and no danger is apprehended4 ,the sanitarium1 in huts on the ,genoese heights at ,balaklava1 is now in full action1 and will accommodate about six hundred1 at the elevation of seven hundred feet above the sea4 ,the wounded are doing well there1 and the kitchen has been perfected by ,m4 ,soyer4 ,one of the large huts is used as a chapel1 and the whole staff of medical men1 purveyors1 chaplain1 sisters1 and nurses 7,mrs4 ,shaw ,stewart#af superintendent71 are well chosen and practically zealous4 ,a second sanitarium1 on ,st4 ,george's ,monastery heights1 is ready for one hundred and fifty1 and rapidly progressing4 ,good water is found in both situations4 ,in the ,general ,hospital1 above the head of the harbour1 with its huts adjacent to the main building1 about two hundred and fifty patients 7chiefly sick7 are attended 7two huts being given up for cholera74 ,the medical men are especially active there1 the orderlies have been much improved in number and quality by recent regulation1 the kitchen and chief cook have been recommended by ,m4 ,soyer1 and the chief purveyor has shown anxiety to make ample provision of requisites1 now happily to be found in abundance2 but the situation is not a good one2 the heat is great1 and the crowds frequenting the purveyor's stores inconveniently near to the sick wards4 ,the sisters and nurses 7,miss ,warre superintendent7 are actively employed1 and inhabit a hut adjacent to the main building4 ,the ship ,abundance1 lately arrived1 has its bakery at work day and night1 turning out excellent bread1 which will take the place of the sour and mouldy article often sent from the contractors at ,constantinople4 ,m4 ,soyer has invented a most important kind of bread1 which seems to unite the advantage of the loaf and the biscuit1 and has found out a method of cooking salt rations which makes them most palatable and entirely removes the salt4 ,his receipts have been highly approved1 and will be printed by the authority of head-quarters4 ,the camp kitchens he has invented for field hospitals will soon be in activity1 as those of the chief hospitals already are2 but his suggestions and their application are of so practical and extensive a nature that they will require a second letter from1 ,sir1 your obedient servant1 ,c4 ,h4 ,b4 ,scutari ,barrack-hospital1 ,june #g4 ,to the ,editor of the ,times4 ,,sir1--,i shall do myself the pleasure of forwarding you by the next post a rsum of my culinary progress in the ,crimea1 adding to it the promised receipts1 as well as some of those which ,i have already very successfully introduced into the camps1 made out of the rations issued to the troops4 ,i am also happy to inform you1 that though so close to ,sebastopol1 ,i have not yet met with a single enemy2 and were it not for the continual roaring of the cannon1 the bursting of shells1 and the heat of the sun1 ,i could fancy myself in ,england's happy land4 ,but instead of enemies1 on the contrary1 from head-quarters to every camp and regiment1 the officers and medical gentlemen have rendered me the utmost assistance1 so ready are they to improve the cooking of the food for their brave companions in arms4 ,the provisions allowed by ,government ,i consider bountiful1 and only require to be applied to the best advantage4 ,with the highest consideration1 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your most obedient servant1 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,camp before ,sebastopol1 ,june #c4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,preparations ,,for ,,another ,,trip4 ,preparations for my departure--,french1 ,turkish1 and ,sardinian camps--,lord ,ward--,a visit to ,mr4 ,upton--,the lost pony--,a bright idea--,a famous piece of roast-beef--,mrs4 ,seacole and her daughter--,news of the lost pony--,a merry group--,my beef in danger--,a ruse de guerre--,safe at head-quarters--,sir ,george ,brown--,interview with ,lord ,raglan--,letter in the ,illustrated ,london ,news--,curious mistake--,a night cruise--,explanations--,lord ,raglan's affability--,the late ,madame ,soyer--,lord ,alvanley and ,ude--,singular birthday anecdote--,pleasant gossip--,ride home--,news from ,kertch--,visit to the ,tchernaya--,an invitation--,miss ,nightingale on board the ,jura--,mishaps--,midnight visitors--,the ,london--,a kind offer--,acceptance--,ready to start4 ,miss ,nightingale was at this period gradually recovering1 and the time for her departure drew near4 ,that lady and ,mr4 ,bracebridge had both expressed their wish for me to return to ,scutari with them1 which ,i was also very anxious to do4 ,i wanted to give an important coup d'il at the hospitals there1 which were still very full4 ,so ,i made the most of my remaining time2 visited the ,french1 ,turkish1 and ,sardinian camps1 and their hospitals1 from each of which1 ,i am proud to say1 ,i gleaned some important and useful dietetic information4 ,it was1 however1 better suited to the camp than to the permanent hospitals4 ,what struck me most in the ,french and ,sardinian treatments1 which are based upon a similar system1 was this--viz41 that too much liquid of a weak nature was administered to the patients1 and in too great quantities--especially as the climate had so great a tendency to produce diarrha1 dysentery1 and cholera4 ,i had remarked during my stay at ,scutari1 and when the hospital was filled with patients suffering from those diseases1 that the succulent mutton and barley broth ,i had introduced was selected daily from the dietary by the ,english doctors1 in preference to beef-tea1 chicken-broth1 c42 as well as the receipts for plain boiled rice1 savoury rice1 slightly curried rice1 rice-pulp1 ground rice-pudding1 sago-jelly1 sago-panada2 and for beverages1 strong rice-water1 barley-water1 and arrowroot-water1 in preference to lemonade during the first stage of those diseases2 and that numbers of these light though nutritious dishes were selected by the doctors when the disease was at its height4 ,though ,i am aware that in different countries men have different constitutions1 ,i also remarked that the ,turkish system of diet closely resembled the ,english1 as they used a great deal of rice1 flour--stewed1 broiled1 and boiled meats1 c4 c4 ,in giving this opinion1 en passant1 it is only with the intention of submitting to the public1 if not to the faculty1 things which struck me forcibly during my visits to those important establishments1 in which everybody has and ever will take a national interest4 ,nor can ,i bring these few remarks to a close without returning my grateful thanks to the authorities in these various establishments for their very courteous attention upon all occasions4 ,we remained about a fortnight longer in the ,crimea1 which time ,i spent in attending to my duties both in the camp and in the hospitals4 ,one morning ,i had the pleasure of being introduced to ,lord ,ward1 who was very anxious to see ,miss ,nightingale1 as he had a number of letters as well as parcels for that lady4 ,on my informing his lordship that ,miss ,nightingale was ill1 and would not be able to see any one for some time1 ,i believe he forwarded them to her4 ,as ,i was very desirous of seeing his vessel1 he very kindly invited me to visit him on board2 and we parted--,i to meet ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 and to accompany him on our long-promised visit to ,mr4 ,upton2 and ,lord ,ward1 to pay his first visit to head-quarters and the camp4 ,in a short time we arrived at ,mr4 ,upton's house1 and were very kindly received4 ,mr4 ,upton is a very short1 fair man1 still young1 and very pale4 ,his daughters are two of the prettiest little girls ,i ever saw1 aged respectively nine and eleven years4 ,he seemed to have suffered much from his confinement1 but spoke highly of the treatment he had received from the ,english while in captivity4 ,his goods were exposed on view1 and the sale was to take place a few days after4 ,having been set at liberty1 he was about to return to his native place1 near ,atherstone in ,warwickshire4 ,everything connected with that gentleman and his family1 as well as what relates to his late father1 is too well known to require to be repeated4 ,six days had elapsed1 and ,i had received no news of the lost pony4 ,the endeavours to find his saddle were also fruitless2 and the pony was quite a secondary consideration4 ,this put me in mind of a most extraordinary case of absence of mind in a man who had been gambling1 and unexpectedly found himself in great distress1 having nothing left but his horse1 which was starving for want of provender4 ,on a sudden1 a bright idea flashed across his mind4 ,in order to save it1 he went and sold the horse to buy some hay4 ,had the ,doctor found the saddle1 it was ten to one against his being able to purchase another pony1 they were so scarce at the time4 ,on the seventh day1 ,i happened to be riding triumphantly through the camp with my tall guardsman ,thomas before me4 ,he was carrying a fine piece of roast-beef--or at least beef for roasting--which ,i had begged of the captain of a vessel who came from ,alexandria1 and intended for ,lord ,raglan4 ,but ,i must here observe that it would have been dangerous to cross the camp with such a precious treasure unguarded1 as some of those marauding ,jack ,sheppards of ,zouaves would have thought nothing of taking possession of it4 ,they always went in strong bodies1 and were ever on the look-out for prey4 ,i said to myself1 8,if1 in the middle of the road1 and under my own eyes1 they will steal a horse1 nothing is more certain than they will try to borrow this0--the word 8steal0 was not allowed to be mentioned in the ,french camp1 the word 8borrow0 sounding more genteel4 ,the loss of the beef1 added to the rumoured loss of the four horses1 would indeed have afforded abundant materials for fun2 so ,i sent my avant-guard by the road on foot1 instead of across country1 and followed him on horseback4 ,this plan gave me an opportunity of seeing ,mrs4 ,seacole1 to thank her for her kind exertions1 although the missing pony had not been found4 ,on reaching her place1 ,i found several mounted officers taking refreshment2 when ,miss ,sally ,seacole 7her daughter71 whose name ,i have not yet introduced1 called out--8,mother1 mother6 here is ,monsieur ,soyer60 ,this announcement brought her out immediately1 and she exclaimed1 8,good luck to you1 my son6 we have found your pony3 come down4 ,here are some officers who say they have had a grey pony like yours in the stables of their regiment these last few days4 ,didn't you say so1 gentlemen80 8,yes1 ,monsieur ,soyer60 said one1 8but you must look sharp1 for they are going to sell it to-morrow1 if no one claims it40 8,many thanks for the warning4 ,i will ride over directly4 ,pray1 what is the number of the regiment80 8,the #icrd--fourth division--near the ,woronzoff-road4 ,i am almost sure it is yours40 8,well1 my son10 said ,mrs4 ,seacole1 8didn't ,i tell you that it would be found80 8,really1 ,mrs4 ,seacole1 ,i don't know what ,i shall give you for the trouble you have taken in this affair4 ,at all events1 here is something on account10--saluting her upon her deeply-shaded forehead1 at which every one present laughed and joked4 8,gentlemen10 said ,i1 8,i knew you would be surprised2 though it is very natural for a son to kiss his mother4 ,at any rate1 you cannot say that1 upon this occasion1 ,i have shown my love and taste for the fair sex40 ,a hearty laugh concluded this innocent bit of fun4 ,my guardsman1 ,thomas1 who had continued his journey1 had by this time nearly reached his destination4 ,after a sharp gallop ,i caught him1 and just in time to rescue the piece of beef he had carried safely so far4 ,i found him drinking brandy with several of the ,french ,imperial ,guard1 at their canteen2 and he was exhibiting the choice piece1 which ,i had wrapped up so carefully in a cloth and packed in a basket4 ,it was the admiration of all who formed the merry group4 ,they said to him1 8,anglais roast-beef--bono ,johnny40 ,this was all their conversation upon the subject previous to its capture1 which ,i have no doubt would have been the case had ,i not made my appearance4 ,seeing the imminent danger in which the choice morsel was placed1 and aware that nothing but a ruse de guerre could rescue it from the hands of the enemy-- 8,thomas10 said ,i1 in ,french1 8how dare you stop drinking in this way1 when you know that ,general ,canrobert must have that beef roasted for his dinner2 and it is already past three o'clock4 78,by ,jupiter60 said one of them1 8it's no go--it's for the ,commander-in-,chief407 ,go along with you6 7,he began to inquire what ,i said47 ,don't answer me1 sir1 or you shall have a night in the guard-house4 ,pray1 my fine fellow1 which is the nearest way to the ,french head-quarters8 ,i had better carry it myself--,i shall be there first4 ,give it me10 said ,i1 taking the basket1 and ordering ,thomas to follow4 ,bidding the astonished soldiers adieu1 ,i galloped off with my prize4 ,upon arriving at head-quarters1 ,i rated ,thomas for his stupidity1 and went to the kitchen to ask for a large dish to put the beef on4 ,it quite astonished ,monsieur ,armand1 as he had seen none of that quality before4 ,indeed1 it contrasted strangely with some beef he had upon the table4 8,you are more comfortable now10 ,i said1 8since those few additions have been made to your kitchen80 8,very much so2 and ,i am extremely obliged to you for what you have done40 8,you have a very good roasting fireplace4 ,will you be kind enough to have that piece of beef roasted to a turn for ,lord ,raglan's dinner to-morrow1 as it is ,sunday80 8,yes10 said he2 8it comes quite propos2 and ,i will roast it as well as ,i can1 but must suspend it by a cord1 as ,i have no spit40 8,do so--that will be more camp fashion2 but pray don't bake it1 for that would spoil it1 and you don't know the trouble ,i had to get it as far as this in safety40 ,i then told him about ,thomas and the ,french soldiers1 at which he could not help laughing1 saying1 8,it has had a narrow escape1 for those devils of ,zouaves will steal the coat from your back4 ,a few days ago they stole a whole sheep from that bit of a larder ,i have here in the yard40 8,you had better give it to the steward to keep in his pantry till to-morrow--it will then be safe40 8,i will do so40 ,as ,thomas was carrying it into the house1 we met several officers1 who inquired whence it came4 ,i went and showed it to ,colonel ,steele1 begging that he would be kind enough to offer it to ,lord ,raglan1 with my respects4 ,while ,i was in ,colonel ,steele's room1 in walked ,sir ,george ,brown and his aide-de-camp4 8,bravo10 said the latter1 looking at it2 8you have indeed improved the ration meat1 if this is a specimen40 8,it is10 ,i replied2 8but ,i am sorry to add that it is both specimen and stock40 8,it is certain10 said the general1 8,i have seen no such meat since ,i left ,england4 ,where does it come from80 8,alexandria1 general40 8,oh1 that's a long way to bring it in large quantities40 8,truly1 general2 but this is only an out-of-the-way piece4 ,i think we may shortly have plenty1 and at a moderate price1 and from a nearer place4 ,no time is lost2 but1 as the proverb says1 #8the world was not created in a day4'0 ,at this moment ,lord ,raglan came in1 quite by chance4 8,hallo1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said he1 8what have you got there80 8,a piece of ration beef1 my lord1 with a certain addition of fat2 and ,i beg your acceptance of it for to-morrow's dinner4 ,i have seen ,armand about it1 and he has promised to do it to a turn40 8,that's very kind of you10 said his lordship1 giving his orders to the colonel1 and inquiring1 at the same time1 about a very important telegraphic despatch4 8,but ,i must again tell you1 as ,i mentioned once before1 you will not find my cook a first-rate cordon bleu40 8,well1 my lord1 no doubt he does his best1 according to the quality of the provisions1 which1 your lordship must be aware1 are not first-rate4 ,at all events1 ,i shall trust this marvel to his skill2 and if he does it to a turn1 as he has promised1 he will prove the correctness of my countryman's words--,brillat ,savarin--who says1 in his ,physiologie du ,got1 #8,on devient cuisinier1 mais on est nait rtisseur4'0 8,that is a charming work of ,savarin's10 said his lordship4 8,well1 ,soyer10 continued he1 8this certainly looks like ,english beef4 ,where does it come from80 8,from ,alexandria1 my lord4 ,i dined the other day on board the ,etna1 and we had a splendid piece of roast beef for dinner4 ,i at once claimed a portion for your lordship's table2 and the captain ordered the best piece to be put by--and here it is40 8,very kind of him1 very kind--and of you too1 ,monsieur ,soyer40 ,as ,lord ,raglan said this1 he turned and gave his orders to ,colonel ,steele4 8,have you found your pony80 8,i believe so4 ,i hear it is in the stables of the #icrd ,regiment1 and ,i am going to look for it directly40 8,you are lucky10 said he2 8for some fellows have actually stolen thirty live sheep and several mules from here40 8,have they indeed80 8,yes1 ,i assure you it is too true4 ,is it not1 ,steele80 8,so ,i was told40 8,oh1 ,i hear ,miss ,nightingale is soon going back40 8,yes1 as soon as she is sufficiently strong to bear the voyage40 ,lord ,raglan then left the room4 ,never was there a man at all times more composed and collected than he was2 and he always had a kind word and smile for those around him1 even at the most critical times4 ,several days had by this time elapsed since the departure of the expedition for ,kertch1 and no news of its movements had been received4 ,the harbour looked very dull4 ,not knowing how to spend my evening1 ,i went with a friend to ,kadikoi1 and dined there4 ,whilst at table1 an officer who knew me1 and who was reading the last number of the ,illustrated ,london ,news1 addressed me with a 8,hallo1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 they have got you in the ,illustrated this week40 8,have they80 said ,i4 8,oh1 ,i see--it is the last letter ,i sent from ,scutari40 8,yes1 it is10 he replied4 8,about the opening of my kitchen8 ,yes1 and here is the sketch4 ,i did not notice that before40 ,he then passed the paper to me4 ,on perusing the letter1 ,i perceived that the printer had made a slight mistake1 and one of vital importance to me1 as it operated to the detriment of the purveyor-in-chief at ,scutari1 as well as to the authorities4 ,the blunder was as follows4 ,in one passage of my letter ,i made special remarks upon the inferior quality of the provisions to be obtained at ,constantinople4 ,they had inserted the inferior quality of provisions purchased at ,constantinople4 ,i hardly knew how to rectify such a serious mistake1 so ,i at once resolved to go and explain the matter to ,lord ,raglan1 before he could hear from any other quarter1 of what he might suppose to be my ill-feeling towards a party from whom ,i had previously informed his lordship ,i had received the greatest assistance and kindness4 ,i immediately returned to the ,baraguay d',hilliers1 and found ,peter ,morrison on board4 ,i showed him the paper2 and he at once approved of my resolve1 and offered to accompany me to head-quarters4 ,though rather late--it was dusk--,i borrowed a pony from the ,commandant and a mule from ,colonel ,dennis4 ,by way of a change ,i rode the mule1 and off we went in true campaigning style4 ,we were overtaken by night before we could reach head-quarters4 ,it was at all times imprudent to be out after dark1 as violence and robbery were of daily occurrence4 ,at length1 after a dtour of about a mile1 we saw the gleam of several lights1 and riding towards them1 found ourselves safe at head-quarters1 having fortunately hit upon the place4 ,the party were at dinner4 ,after waiting a short time1 the steward came and told me that dinner was over1 and the gentlemen were taking their wine4 ,i then begged him to inform ,colonel ,steele of my arrival1 and say ,i should feel obliged if he would step into his room for a few minutes1 as ,i had something important to communicate4 ,upon receiving my message1 ,colonel ,steele immediately came out4 8,good evening1 colonel4 ,very sorry to disturb you40 8,never mind that1 ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,but what brings you here so late at night8 ,are you staying here80 8,no1 my dear colonel2 ,i am still at ,balaklava1 but on the ,baraguay d',hilliers instead of the ,london40 8,indeed4 ,well1 she's a much better vessel4 ,but what can ,i do for you80 8,i will tell you4 ,i am much annoyed at a mistake which has occurred in the printing of a letter of mine which has appeared in this number of the ,illustrated ,london ,news4 ,there are only two words misplaced1 but they entirely alter my meaning4 ,pray read those few lines1 colonel10 ,i continued1 giving him the paper1 and pointing them out2 the letter being to the following effect3-- ,that in the description they gave of the opening of my kitchen at ,scutari1 in the number of the #adth inst41 an error crept in1 occasioned by the omission of a word1 which entirely alters my sentiment1 and if not contradicted would reflect much discredit upon the authorities at ,scutari1 and thereby inflict a serious injustice4 ,the sentence to which ,i referred appears in the paper thus-- 8,that ,i prepared my bill of fare according to the provisions allowed1 which are at all times of an inferior quality20 whilst the passage should run as follows3--8,that ,i prepared my bill of fare according to the provisions allowed1 which at all times are of an inferior quality at ,,constantinople in comparison to ,english provisions40 8,i suppose you meant to say1 the provisions to be obtained40 8,exactly1 colonel40 8,what do you wish me to do80 8,merely to be kind enough to explain the error to ,lord ,raglan to-morrow1 as it would appear very ungrateful on my part to the authorities at ,scutari2 more especially as ,i informed his lordship that those gentlemen had done everything in their power to assist me40 8,i had better do it at once4 ,his lordship has just done dinner4 ,i will go and show it to him2 you can walk in with me40 8,no1 ,i thank you2 ,i had rather wait here40 ,in a few minutes he returned with the paper1 saying1 8,i have shown it to ,lord ,raglan1 and he will make a note of it40 ,he had scarcely uttered the words1 when ,i heard his lordship inquiring in the corridor1 8,where is ,monsieur ,soyer8 where is he80 and in he walked1 followed by his ,staff1 seven or eight in number1 among whom was ,dr4 ,pennefather4 ,the ,commander-in-chief was dressed in plain clothes1 and looked very well1 full of health and vigour4 ,his fine open countenance1 so characteristic of the man1 was more brilliant than ever1 and his conversation quite jocular4 ,after alluding to the step ,i had just taken1 and which1 he observed1 was very thoughtful on my part1 he promised to have the parties informed of the mistake1 and of my explanation4 8,monsieur ,soyer10 7,lord ,raglan1 as he said this1 was standing in the doorway1 leaning on his right shoulder1 with his legs crossed1 and surrounded by several gentlemen1 forming a group which ,i shall not forget as long as ,i live17 8you must have known my old friend ,ude80 8,i did1 my lord40 8,how many years were you at the ,reform ,club80 8,above twelve4 ,it was old ,mr4 ,ude who gave the late ,madame ,soyer away when we were married2 so we often visited him40 8,lord ,alvanley1 who had apartments at ,mr4 ,ude's1 lived there for years1 and ,i frequently visited him10 said ,lord ,raglan4 8,if so1 no doubt your lordship will recollect a very interesting picture of a country girl going to market1 with a basket of poultry under her arm80 8,i do1 very well indeed1 and ,i know it was painted by your wife4 ,it was very cleverly done4 ,but you had all her best pictures at the ,reform ,club4 ,you showed them to me yourself40 8,i recollect doing so perfectly well40 8,she was a very talented woman indeed60 observed several of the gentlemen present1 who had seen her pictures4 8,she was an ,englishwoman1 was she not1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 said his lordship4 8,yes1 my lord2 her maiden name was ,emma ,jones40 8,of course10 rejoined one of the group1 8her paintings were well known by that name40 8,so they were1 captain1 and fetched high prices too4 ,i do not sell any now2 on the contrary1 ,i still have my gallery complete1 and have bought in several since her death4 ,i offered old ,ude fifty guineas for the painting in his possession called #8,la ,jeune ,fermire2' but he would not part with it1 as it was presented to him by her4 ,previous to my departure from ,england for the ,east1 ,i was advised by the chaplain of the cemetery to insert on the monument the country of her birth1 as many believed her to be a foreigner4 ,the inscription was simply #8,,to ,,her4' ,i then composed the following laconic epitaph3-- #8,,to ,,the ,,memory ,,of ,,madame ,,soyer4 ,england gave her birth1 ,genius immortality4'0 8,very good indeed10 said his lordship4 8,i myself have seen the monument1 which is considered one of the finest in ,kensal-green ,cemetery4 8,i was saying1 ,soyer1 that ,i frequently visited ,alvanley2 and we always knew when ,ude and his wife were at home1 for they never ceased quarrelling4 ,they kept five or six dogs1 and what with their barking and the quarrelling of master and mistress1 ,i never heard such a noise in my life4 ,i often wondered how ,lord ,alvanley could put up with it2 but he said he was used to it1 and could hardly feel comfortable anywhere else40 8,talk of quarrelling1 ,i believe they could not exist without it--not even on birthdays2 and if you will allow me1 ,i will relate a singular birthday anecdote40 8,pray do1 ,soyer40 8,you must know that the old gentleman1 though very avaricious1 now and then came out in first-rate style with his gastronomic parties2 but the great day of all was the #aeth of ,august in each year--being the fte and birthday of the illustrious and far-famed ,louis ,eustache ,ude4 ,upon these occasions1 about four-and-twenty of his most devoted and illustrious disciples were invited1 with their wives1 to a most sumptuous dinner at his house4 ,the grandeur of the gold and silver ornaments was actually cast into the shade by the elegance and succulence of the mets they contained4 ,the choicest articles in season--viz41 fish1 flesh1 poultry1 vegetables1 and fruit--seemed to have been waiting to come to perfection for this high-priest of the gastronomic art1 and many culinary inventions which still delight the scientific palates of the epicures of the day had their origin at that ,lucullusian anniversary4 8,upon one of these great occasions1 ,madame ,soyer and myself were invited4 ,as it was the first to which ,i had been invited1 ,i was very anxious to go4 ,about a week previous1 so strong was my wish to be present at this feast1 ,i asked the committee to grant me leave of absence from duty for one evening1 and they kindly acceded to my request4 ,to the minute1 heure militaire1 we were there1 and were saluted upon our arrival by the usual dogmatic chorus1 which for a few minutes prevented our hearing a word that was spoken4 ,at length we were all seated1 ,mr4 ,ude at the top of the table1 and ,mrs4 ,ude facing him4 8,it was1 ,i must repeat1 a most superb and elegantly laid-out board4 ,the best part of the dessert1 which is always refreshing to the sight1 #8particularly in the middle of ,august1' had been made a perfect study4 ,soup was duly served1 and highly praised by the culinary convives and judges4 ,it was a bisque d'crevisses4 ,the ,madeira was circulating cheerfully round the table1 to the trinquing of glasses1 after the old ,french fashion1 when an unfortunate guest1 having probably too far to reach a beloved friend1 put his foot forward1 and unfortunately deposited it upon the paw of one of the enfans chris de la maison4 ,vermilion--that was the name of the plaintiff--being an enfant gt1 seized upon the leg1 which happened to be bootless1 as the unlucky guest wore thin shoes4 ,the dog made a slight indenture with his teeth1 causing him involuntarily to reply to the attack of ,vermilion2 three or four more of the four-legged tribe joined the battle-cry1 and the noise was intolerable4 ,the compliments which passed between the host and hostess were pithy and violent1 though scarcely heard through the din1 excepting by those who happened to be seated close to them4 ,we were fortunately about the centre of the table1 and all we could catch was-- 8#8,oh1 you stupid old man6 why did you not lock the dogs upstairs1 as ,i told you to do8' 8#8,be quiet1 madam6' replied ,mr4 ,ude4 #8,this is my birthday1 and ,i will have no quarrelling4' 8#8,no more will ,i2 but why did you not lock up your dogs8' 8#8,well1 madam1 ,i am sure they were quiet enough till that stupid young man trod upon poor ,vermilion's paw4' 8#8,stupid young man1 did you say8 ,mr4 ,ude1 pray how dare you insult my relation8 ,if any one is stupid here1 it is you1 ,mr4 ,ude6' 8#8,will you be quiet1 madam8'--#8,no1 ,i shall not6' 8#8,what1 not on my birthday6 ,there1 take that4' 8,as he said this1 he threw some almonds across the table1 and his wife replied with some projectiles snatched up at random from other portions of the dessert4 ,the dogs joined in the fray1 and entirely upset the party4 ,all the ladies left the table4 ,the young man who had been bitten attempted to apologize2 in return for which concession on his part1 the great ,louis ,eustache and his amiable spouse returned a volley of abuse4 ,an hour elapsed before anything like order could be established1 when several ladies returned to the table1 while a few remained to console the victimized spouse4 ,the great ,mr4 ,ude had bravely retained his important position1 and1 still violently excited1 commenced helping the fish--a magnificent crimped ,gloucester salmon1 procured at ,groves's in ,bond-street--which was by this time as cold as ice4 8#8,only fancy1' ejaculated the enraged ,amphitryon1 #8even on my birthday6 ,upon my word1 she is a wretch6 ,she never will--#8 ,then1 by way of parenthesis1 to the waiter1 #8,go round with the sauce1 you stupid6 don't stand there staring like a fool4'--#8,prosper6 no1 ,i'm sure she never1 never will prosper6' 8,at length something like harmony was restored2 but only six ladies out of eleven returned2 the others remained with ,mrs4 ,ude1 and1 ,i believe1 dined upstairs4 ,much to our sorrow and disappointment1 one of the finest dinners of the season was served up cold1 and entirely spoiled1 through the pugnacity of ,louis ,eustache ,ude's favourite pup40 ,all laughed heartily at the anecdote1 particularly ,lord ,raglan1 who then told us that ,ude had called upon him several mornings respecting a cook he had applied for to ,mr4 ,ude1 for his brother1 the ,duke4 8,ude10 said ,lord ,raglan1 8called several mornings1 first with two dogs1 then three1 next four4 ,at last ,i said to him1 #8,i am very much obliged to you1 ,mr4 ,ude1 for your kind visits respecting my brother's cook1 and shall be happy to see you at any time--but in future without your four-legged companions4' 8#8,why8' asked the great chef1 rather put out4 8#8,my dear sir1 if you want an explanation1 inquire of the housemaid6' ,he rushed out1 and never called again2 but he sent the cook all the same4 ,ude was an excellent manager1 and a good cook1 but had a very odd temper2 he died very rich40 8,very rich indeed40 8,to whom did he leave his fortune80 8,oh1 to his favourite pet1 ,madame ,ude4 ,she is still alive1 and lives in the same house in ,albemarle-street40 8,really1 ,i did not know that60 8,my lord1 and gentlemen1 ,i wish you good evening1 and thank you for your kindness40 8,you must take some refreshment1 ,soyer1 before you go4 ,order what you want4 ,steward1 wait upon ,monsieur ,soyer40 ,they then all went out1 and sat upon the door-steps1 smoking their cigars4 ,lord ,raglan was that night in a very jovial mood3 ,colonel ,steele observed to me1 8,did you ever know or see a finer man for his age8 ,is he not still full of life and vigour1 and the picture of an ,english nobleman80 8,he is1 indeed2 and ,i always notice that he has plenty of fun and jokes40 8,that is true2 but more so with you1 as you are not a military man4 ,he is very strict on duty40 ,as ,i was taking some refreshment1 ,lord ,raglan came to me1 and said1 8,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i wish you would give my cook1 ,armand1 the receipt to make that excellent ,french pot-au-feu you gave me when ,i saw you at the ,reform ,club40 8,i will2 and those vegetables-chollet ,i have submitted to your lordship will be the very thing for it4 ,they are made of common vegetables1 exactly suitable for that soup4 ,it is by far the best1 most wholesome1 and nutritious for the troops40 8,i am confident of that10 said his lordship1 going back to his seat4 ,i then went out through the side door to fetch my mule1 which ,p4 ,morrison had been walking about the courtyard along with his pony4 ,jumping upon it1 ,i rode up to the group1 to say good-night to ,lord ,raglan and all present4 8,hallo10 ,lord ,raglan exclaimed1 8where is the charger you had the other day8 ,what is that you are mounted upon80 8,a mule1 my lord1 belonging to ,colonel ,dennis of the ,dragoons40 8,ah1 you are much safer upon that40 8,i feel so1 ,i assure you1 my lord4 ,the charger to which you allude belonged to ,colonel ,hardinge40 8,so ,i heard40 8,it was a good joke on the part of the ,commandant4 ,i asked him to do me the favour of lending me his light pony1 and he sent me his large charger1 which ran away with me1 but fortunately not towards ,sebastopol40 ,at this they all laughed heartily2 and ,i and ,p4 ,morrison departed4 ,when we were about half a mile from head-quarters1 we heard a sharp fusillade in the direction of ,sebastopol1 and there was a lull in the cannonade and shelling1 which had not ceased during my stay at head-quarters4 ,we proceeded to the ,turkish camp1 situated on the heights to the right1 from whence we could plainly see the firing4 ,the ,turkish soldiers were in high glee1 singing1 dancing1 smoking1 drinking coffee1 and playing no end of ,oriental instruments1 which1 however well tuned1 were by no means in harmony4 ,they were bivouacked all over the camp2 some of the officers who were smoking offered us chibouques and coffee1 which we declined1 as it was then so late4 ,we left1 thanking them for their civility4 ,as we rode along1 ,i could not help remarking to ,p4 ,morrison the extraordinary contrast of the two scenes1 witnessed nearly on the same spot and within a short interval--the present one all fun and glee1 the other a scene of death and carnage1 where hundreds of human beings were being launched into eternity4 ,such are the chances and the variation of war4 ,it was after twelve when we arrived at ,balaklava1 and were safe on board4 ,my heroic companion related the terrible fright he had been in all the way back1 having seen most dreadful things1 in the shape of ghosts1 brigands1 and murderers4 ,it is true that on one occasion we were arrested2 but it was by a wide ditch1 which we could not easily jump over without risking a bath with the frogs1 it being one of the resorts of those aquatic quadrupeds4 ,we had lost our way1 the road being invisible1 and no landmarks1 as the camps were being daily changed from one spot to another4 ,these were the tribulations caused by the printer or my illustrious secretary4 ,the next morning the captain of the vessel came to my cabin1 and informed me that ,kertch and other places in the ,sea of ,azoff were taken4 ,the news of such a victory was most welcome1 and the harbour was gaily decorated with hundreds of coloured flags of the ,allied nations4 ,everything seemed to revive1 and all felt anxious to visit the newly-conquered land of ,kamara1 which had been taken a few days before4 ,in company with a few others1 ,i started at four ,a4,m4 to visit these champs fleuris4 ,nothing could be more refreshing than the sight of that gorgeous harvest1 which seemed to have suddenly sprung up amidst deserted and arid rocks1 sand1 and gravel1 where all had before been condemned to exile4 ,nothing in my whole existence appeared more grateful and refreshing to the mind1 as well as the eye1 than the odour from those perfumed valleys of myriads of wild flowers1 shaded from the burning heat of the sun by a tall verandah of long green grass1 the top of which softly caressed the chests of our horses as they trotted through these thickly-populated floral prairies4 ,myriads of toiles des champs1 daisies1 buttercups1 bluebells1 cornflowers1 poppies1 birdseyes1 c41 and many others unknown in this country1 were seen on every side4 ,clouds of butterflies were seen gaily sporting from flower to flower1 taking from each a kiss perfumed by the zephyr of the morn4 ,even our horses seemed to enjoy the scene so fully1 that we let them graze for about an hour4 ,we then arrived near the charming rivulet and valley1 the ,tchernaya1 which1 though far from being as beautiful as many in ,france or ,england1 possesses numerous charms to an uninitiated eye4 ,we mounted our horses1 and went through the ,kamara ,mountains1 the scenery of which resembles that of ,devonshire1 ,wales1 or the ,highlands of ,scotland4 ,we returned home by the edge of the beautiful cliffs which border the ,bay of ,balaklava4 ,such a day is not to be easily forgotten1 rendered still more agreeable by the cordial reception we met with from the officers in the ,french and ,sardinian camps1 and the presence of a most charming compagnon de voyage 7,mr4 ,stowe71 a very promising young man in high literature4 ,the various notes he took on the spot are worthy of ,thomson's ,seasons4 ,i heard from ,mr4 ,bracebridge that ,miss ,nightingale was greatly improving1 of which ,i was of course well aware1 as ,i went every day to the ,sanatorium to prepare a few light things for her lunch or dinner4 ,he also informed me that her intention was to leave ,balaklava shortly for ,scutari2 to which ,i replied1 that having done all ,i could in the camp for the present1 ,i was quite ready to go4 ,as ,i had also heard that my field-stoves had arrived1 and had been landed by mistake at that place1 ,i decided upon going to fetch them myself4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge having found some round stoves which were sent out for winter use1 proposed having the tops cut off and some pans introduced1 which would make them similar to mine 7as he thought74 8,at all events10 said he1 8,i shall make a trial1 and show it at head-quarters40 ,i very reluctantly consented to this4 ,it took five or six days to make a strong tin pan1 which1 when done and fixed in the stove1 we took to head-quarters1 and showed to ,lord ,raglan and a number of generals present4 ,i made some coffee in it 7that being the quickest thing71 which was approved of4 ,but having brought my small model stove with me1 ,i pointed out to ,lord ,raglan that each pan would cost thirty shillings1 and the stoves would not be worth five shillings soon afterwards1 as they would be burnt through1 thus proving the superiority of my plan4 ,lord ,raglan advised me to wait till my own arrived4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge and myself afterwards went to the ,general ,hospital1 and there saw ,dr4 ,mouatt1 who had not succeeded in getting the bricks for the kitchen oven4 ,having completed our camp rounds1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge said he was compelled to leave me1 upon some private business4 ,i afterwards learnt that he went to the trenches1 and1 being both very imprudent and curious1 was as nearly as possible taken prisoner or shot4 ,he had appointed to meet me by five o'clock at head-quarters1 but did not come4 ,i paid ,dr4 ,hall and a few friends round head-quarters a short visit1 as ,i feared ,i might not have another opportunity previous to my departure from the ,crimea4 ,it was quite dark when ,i got back4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge had not returned1 and we were beginning to fear that something had happened to him4 ,the next morning he was on board early1 and active as ever1 recounting his adventures4 ,i that morning went on board ,lord ,ward's yacht1 but its owner was on shore--so ,i left word that ,i would call again4 ,the next day ,i had the honour of receiving the following invitation from ,lord ,ward1 to go on an excursion in his yacht as far as ,lukas1 the palace of ,prince ,woronzoff4 ,steam-ship 8,london10 ,balaklava ,harbour1 ,wednesday4 ,,sir1--,you were kind enough to promise to visit me on board my ship1 the ,london4 ,to-morrow we propose visiting ,yalta and ,aloupka1 calling on the way at the pretty country-seat belonging to ,prince ,woronzoff4 ,if not engaged1 will you go with us8 ,you will perhaps at the same time be kind enough to give a few hints to my cook in the mysteries of the art of which you are so great a master4 ,i have the honour to remain1 yours1 ,,ward4 ,about eighty persons were invited1 and it was with regret that ,i was obliged to decline2 but a day was indeed a day to me4 ,miss ,nightingale got better and stronger every day1 and she seemed inclined to remain in the ,crimea1 observing that1 owing to her illness1 she had not done half she had intended to do4 ,every one1 and especially the doctors1 tried to persuade her that the change of air would do her an immense deal of good4 ,it was at last settled that a berth in the first convenient ship leaving the harbour for ,scutari should be placed at ,miss ,nightingale's disposal4 ,the ,jura was fixed upon1 as she was then hourly expected1 and had only to discharge cargo and return immediately4 ,she had four hundred horses on board1 and several hundred troops4 ,the day before her departure ,miss ,nightingale was brought from the ,sanatorium upon a stretcher1 carried by eight soldiers1 and accompanied by ,dr4 ,hadley1 the ,reverend ,mr4 ,parker1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 myself1 and several ,sisters of ,charity4 ,when we reached the ,jura1 tackles were attached to the four corners of the stretcher1 and ,miss ,nightingale was slung on deck by means of pulleys4 ,we found a very disagreeable smell1 caused by the great number of horses1 which had only been landed that morning4 ,miss ,nightingale was carefully carried to the chief cabin1 a very comfortable one2 yet even there the smell was very offensive4 ,this ,i mentioned to the captain1 who agreed with me1 but said1 8,we shall no sooner get to sea than it will disappear40 ,the invalid was therefore made as comfortable as possible1 and the doctors and every one left4 ,no sooner were they gone than ,miss ,nightingale fainted4 ,i and the boy ,thomas ran in every direction for a doctor4 ,dr4 ,hadley1 who had just arrived at his residence on the ,genoese ,heights1 came at once1 and immediately ordered her to be removed to another vessel4 ,not being able to find either ,captain ,heath or ,admiral ,boxer1 ,i thought of the ,baraguay d',hilliers1 to which ,miss ,nightingale was at once safely removed1 and where ,i hoped she would be very comfortable till we could get an order from the admiral for another ship4 ,the same evening ,admiral ,boxer came on board to say that he would at once look out for one4 ,the next afternoon ,mr4 ,bracebridge and myself went to head-quarters1 to apprise ,lord ,raglan of the cause of ,miss ,nightingale's non-departure4 ,his lordship was out1 and ,mr4 ,bracebridge left a message to the effect that he hoped ,lord ,raglan would not trouble himself about the matter1 as ,admiral ,boxer would attend to it1 and that ,miss ,nightingale was quite comfortable on board the ,baraguay d',hilliers4 ,we then made a few farewell calls at the ,first and ,third ,divisions1 and also at the ,guards' camp1 near ,balaklava4 ,it was nearly midnight when we were shouting1 pianoly1 8,baraguay d',hilliers ahoy60 ,no reply was made to either the first or second hail1 so ,i raised the dismal melody a few notes higher1 which at last brought1 to our astonishment1 a beautiful boat manned by six smart oarsmen4 ,the craft was handsomely painted1 having a small red and white burgee at the stern4 ,at first ,i thought it was an optical delusion1 or a fairy scene raised by the magic power of ,ondine1 the queen of the waters4 ,in less than two minutes they neared the shore1 and one of the fairies addressed us thus3 8,pray1 are you the gentlemen who are accompanying ,miss ,nightingale80 8,we are10 said ,i4 8,i and my men have been waiting for you1 sir1 these three hours40 8,how is that80 asked ,mr4 ,bracebridge4 8,i cannot tell you further1 than that we were sent to fetch ,miss ,nightingale1 and referred to you4 ,i believe you are ,mr4 ,bracebridge80 8,yes2 and ,i am at a loss to understand what you mean40 8,i've brought a letter from our master1 ,lord ,ward1 which will explain all40 8,where is it80 8,i have delivered it on board2 but the last orders from his lordship were1 that if ,i had to wait all night1 ,i was to bring you to him40 8,why8 ,don't you know80 8,not exactly4 ,but ,i am sure his lordship is still waiting for you2 so you had better come as far as the ,london--it won't take you ten minutes40 ,we then jumped in4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge said1 8,i tell you how it is3 no doubt ,lord ,ward has heard of what has happened1 and probably intends to offer to take ,miss ,nightingale in his yacht to ,scutari40 8,very likely2 but it would not do to accept the invitation without first obtaining the permission of ,admiral ,boxer40 8,we shall see1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge4 ,perhaps ,lord ,ward will lend it to the invalid2 for he has only just arrived1 and it is doing nothing40 ,on getting on board the ,new ,london1 we found that ,lord ,ward1 tired of waiting1 had retired to rest1 having left special orders to be called the instant we arrived1 no matter at what hour4 ,as it was nearly one o'clock1 we made all kinds of objections to his being disturbed1 but in vain4 ,the lamps were lit in the saloon1 and we were invited to walk in4 ,we found ,lord ,ward en robe-de-chambre1 quite ready to receive us4 8,welcome1 gentlemen10 said he4 ,we were about to apologize for being so late1 when ,lord ,ward proceeded to say that he had heard of the non-departure of ,miss ,nightingale1 and the cause1 and that if she would accept his yacht1 he should be happy to place it at her disposal to convey her to ,scutari4 ,he added1 that she might take her own time1 as he intended to remain a fortnight in the ,crimea1 and that no one should be on board excepting those whom she chose to take with her1 and his medical attendant4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge thanked ,lord ,ward in his own and ,miss ,nightingale's name1 and said that he would inform the lady of his lordship's kind offer in the morning1 and communicate her decision4 ,we then left1 thus terminating a most unexpected midnight conversation1 on the #gth of ,june1 #ahee4 ,nothing was heard in the now peaceable harbour but the splashing of the oars of our fashionable oarsmen1 who seemed at every pull to be smashing the ,koh-i-noor diamond into hundreds of pieces while disturbing the transparent liquid4 ,the flashes from the guns at ,sebastopol were distinctly seen reflected1 but not a sound was heard save our good-night to the fairy rowers1 as we ascended the rope ladder of the bulky ,baraguay d',hilliers4 ,the following morning ,mr4 ,bracebridge consulted with ,miss ,nightingale4 ,the lady expressed her thanks for ,lord ,ward's kind offer1 but at the same time justly observed that the matter was in the hands of the admiral1 as he might by this time have arranged with another vessel4 ,inquiries having been made1 the admiral recommended ,miss ,nightingale to accept ,lord ,ward's offer1 remarking the advantage of having the vessel to herself1 while it would be morally impossible for him to give her a passage with the same facilities4 ,it was then decided that the offer should be accepted4 ,lord ,ward soon after called for an answer1 and was highly gratified by that lady's acceptance4 ,he returned on board his vessel1 to have every preparation made for her reception4 ,miss ,nightingale was to go on board at four in the afternoon1 and sail at eight or nine the next morning4 ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 ,lord ,ward's medical attendant1 the ,honourable ,mr4 ,wellesley1 and myself1 were the only persons to accompany her4 ,for the last time ,i went my hospital and camp rounds2 and in the latter part of that day ,i thought of going once more to head-quarters1 to acquaint ,colonel ,steele of the final arrangements for our departure4 ,i met the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,wright1 the clergyman1 in front of the ,general's house1 and asked him where ,omer ,pacha's tent was situated1 being anxious to leave my card with his excellency before leaving4 ,mr4 ,wright kindly pointed out the spot4 ,as ,i was entering the house1 ,i met ,lord ,raglan coming out4 8,oh1 here you are1 ,monsieur ,soyer6 ,i heard you were gone1 or going1 with ,miss ,nightingale4 ,when do you start80 8,early to-morrow1 in ,lord ,ward's yacht40 8,so ,i hear4 ,i am very glad of it4 ,she will be much more comfortable40 8,doubtless1 my lord40 8,let me see 7looking at his watch72 where are you going80 8,back to ,balaklava direct1 my lord1 having only to make a call for a minute in the ,turkish camp40 8,if ,i thought ,i should not be too late1 ,i would go with you1 to say farewell to her40 8,pray don't give yourself so much trouble4 ,it is getting very late1 and must be near your dinner-time4 ,i will inform ,miss ,nightingale of your kind intentions--that will be quite sufficient40 8,wait a few minutes40--8,i will40 ,it was getting dusk1 and having waited nearly twenty minutes1 ,i made inquiries as to whether it was likely that ,lord ,raglan was going to ,balaklava4 8,no10 was the answer from one of the ,staff1 8for he is very busily engaged40 ,i started for the ,turkish camp4 ,on my arrival there1 ,i found that ,omer ,pacha was dining out2 so ,i left my card and respectful compliments1 and took the road through the artillery camp4 ,this gave me an opportunity of visiting ,colonel ,st4 ,george1 who resided near the small village of ,carrara1 about two miles from ,balaklava4 ,the kind reception ,i met with from the ,colonel1 whom ,i had not seen since ,i left ,scutari1 caused some little delay1 and ,i did not get on board till nearly nine o'clock4 ,to my surprise1 ,i learned that ,lord ,raglan had just left the ,london1 after paying a farewell visit to ,miss ,nightingale4 ,this ,i could hardly believe to be true--the space of time was so short4 ,i much regretted not having waited longer1 though certain that his lordship could not be offended1 as ,i had left a message with the man on duty in the entrance hall to the effect that ,i was informed that he was not coming4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,our ,,steam ,,voyage ,,in ,,the 8,,london40 ,orders to start--,an accident in port--,farewells--,colonel ,dennis's good luck--,admiral ,boxer's kindness--,en route at last--,crimean ,zouave flies--,at sea--,new scene of enchantment--,a good dinner--,rough usage--,a fog in the ,black ,sea--,out of our course--,fittings of the ,london--,enter the ,bosphorus--,conversation with ,miss ,nightingale4 ,we slept that night on board the ,baraguay d',hilliers1 though all our baggage had been removed to the ,london1 and at seven next morning we went on board4 ,miss ,nightingale had passed a most excellent night1 and the weather was very fine4 ,lord ,ward1 who had slept at the ,commandant's1 came on board at half-past seven4 ,after inquiring of ,mrs4 ,roberts1 the nurse1 whether ,miss ,nightingale had been comfortable1 he gave the captain orders for departure1 which he had fixed for twelve o'clock1 instead of nine4 ,as the weather was so fine1 he proposed that a sofa-bed should be placed upon deck1 and that the captain should take us as far as the ,bay of ,sebastopol1 where we might have a fine view of the besieged city1 without incurring the slightest danger4 ,one of the mates told the captain that a vessel full of powder had taken fire in the night1 and that ,admiral ,boxer had been there since two in the morning1 working like a negro with the men1 and therefore that he could not see him4 ,i believe ,lord ,ward knew this1 but did not speak of it for fear of causing alarm1 and this was no doubt the cause of the delay in our departure4 ,the deck was crowded the whole morning with visitors1 particularly officials1 who wished to pay their respects to ,miss ,nightingale2 but the doctors had given positive orders for her to see no one4 ,balaklava was in a great state of excitement1 on account of the fire on board the powder-ship4 ,some called it the ,gunpowder-plot at ,balaklava1 and an attempt to destroy the ,british fleet4 ,this was the opinion in the ,french camp and at ,kamiesch4 ,the fleet1 by-the-bye1 was at that time at least twenty miles from the supposed scene of explosion4 ,as there were several matters which ,i wished to settle before my departure1 ,i asked the captain whether ,i could land for an hour4 8,certainly you can4 ,i don't think we shall sail before three o'clock2 but be on board by twelve1 if possible1 or half past at the latest40 8,i shall be sure to return in time40 ,i called at the ,commissariat respecting the preserved vegetables1 the samples of which were daily expected2 next1 upon ,mr4 ,fitzgerald1 the purveyor2 and then went to the ,abundance4 ,on my way to the steamer1 ,i met ,mr4 ,bracebridge going to ,colonel ,dennis2 and although ,i had already had the pleasure of saying good-bye to the colonel and his lady1 ,i went back with him4 ,the colonel1 who had been seriously ill for several months1 was to sail the next day for ,england1 or ,malta 7,i don't exactly recollect which71 and was saying how much he regretted being obliged to leave his regiment--that he feared the voyage would not do him much good1 as the steamer he was going by was so full of sick4 ,he had scarcely spoken the words1 when in walked ,admiral ,boxer4 8,well1 ,dennis1 my friend6 ,i bring you good news40 8,what's that1 admiral80 said the colonel4 8,why1 ,i have another vessel going to-morrow1 with very few sick on board1 and ,i have secured a good large cabin for yourself and lady40 8,many1 many thanks6 my dear admiral10 said ,colonel ,dennis1 in which his lady also joined4 8,ah6 ,monsieur ,soyer1 are you here8 ,how are you to-day80 8,quite well1 admiral4 ,i hope you are the same60 8,no2 ,i am very tired40 8,will you take a glass of wine1 admiral10 said ,colonel ,dennis1 8and sit down1 a minute80 8,no1 ,i thank you2 my nephew is waiting lunch for me1 and ,i have been up since three o'clock this morning helping to put out the fire on board that ship in the harbour40 8,well1 how did you leave it1 admiral80 inquired the colonel4 8,the powder is safe1 but the vessel is much damaged40 8,good-bye1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge2 good-bye1 ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,i shall see you again--,i am coming on board in an hour4 ,you will not sail till three o'clock4 ,indeed10 said he1 going out1 8,i must take some lunch first1 for ,i feel very faint40 8,you're right1 admiral10 said ,i2 8you work so hard1 that if you don't take care of number one1 you will kill yourself40 8,no fear of that1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 nothing can hurt an old fellow like me40 ,he then almost ran1 instead of walking4 ,bidding the colonel and his lady adieu1 ,mr4 ,bracebridge and myself immediately went on board1 fearing we might get late4 ,many visitors were still there1 and the captain and ,lord ,ward begged of them to retire4 ,a few minutes after1 we were en route4 ,the admiral was expected1 but did not come2 he sent some of his officials instead4 ,as soon as we were under way1 the couch was brought on deck--,miss ,nightingale lying upon it4 ,mrs4 ,roberts held a white umbrella over her face to screen her from the extreme heat of the sun1 fanning her at the same time4 ,in the saloon1 ,lord ,ward and myself were busily engaged in a most extraordinary sport1 hunting the ,crimean ,zouave flies1 which1 no matter how you repulsed them1 always came back to the charge4 ,we had by this time entered the bay1 but were still on half steam4 ,lord ,ward bade ,miss ,nightingale farewell1 as well as all on board1 and went off in a small boat4 ,we then shaped our course for ,constantinople direct1 it being too late to go and see ,sebastopol4 ,it was striking eight bells as we cleared the ,bay of ,balaklava4 ,we were at sea2 and our heroine was where ,i had recommended her to be1 viz41 between heaven and the ocean4 ,miss ,nightingale remained on deck till nearly dusk4 ,the sea was calm1 and the burning sky was so strongly reflected upon its surface that we seemed to be rapidly traversing a lake of fire4 ,the radiant face of the sun itself had for some time been concealed by the majestic rock upon which stands the monastery4 ,the turbulent noise of the harbour was succeeded by a dead calm2 even the zephyrs seemed to have deserted the collapsed sails1 and nothing was heard but the rapid action of the paddles4 ,of all on board1 only ,miss ,nightingale1 her nurse1 and myself seemed to enjoy this new scene of enchantment4 ,the rest of the passengers were slumbering in the saloon4 ,even the turbulent voice of the cannon in and before ,sebastopol was mute to our astonished and still-confused ears4 ,time1 it is truly said1 tries all6 ,we were at the seat of war1 looking at my watch1 only eighty-seven minutes before4 ,owing to the noise of a busy sea-port1 as well as the succession of importunate visitors who1 though not admitted1 were announced and politely answered1 ,miss ,nightingale must have been1 ,i was well aware1 much fatigued4 ,i therefore did not touch upon any important subject of conversation1 but begged of her to be prudent and return to her cabin before the evening dew began to fall4 ,she could not help expressing her gratification at the sublimity of the sudden change4 ,her countenance appeared to have imbibed the balm of health1 and to have extended it to her feeble frame4 8,did ,i not tell you true1 mademoiselle10 said ,i1 8when ,i begged of you to leave1 were it only for a short time1 #8ces soucieux rochers1 et cette terre d'esclaves8'0 ,she smiled1 and requested the captain to have her removed to her cabin1 which was immediately done4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,bracebridge1 and myself1 cheerfully obeyed the invitation of an intelligent silver bell which summoned us to dinner at his lordship's table4 ,i trusted a genuine appetite without the slightest reserve to a well-provided and well-conceived dinner1 regretting only having lost the use of my substantial appetite4 ,the wine was on a par with the dinner--excellent4 ,early morn found me shaking hands with my illustrious confrre the chef1 in his turret-like kitchen4 ,i thanked him much for his capital dinner4 8,pray what have we for to-day80 was the last political question ,i put to him4 ,i am unwilling to append the bill of fare1 as it might give an unexpected appetite to my readers1 and thus induce them to drop this light reading for something more substantial4 ,that would not answer my purpose1 as ,i wish them to go on with the book without depreciating the cook4 ,the night had been rather rough1 and every one on board was ill4 ,the day passed as it generally does when persons have been so roughly nursed by the mother sea4 ,the dinner was probably excellent1 but no one could tell--not even myself4 ,towards night1 the rolling waves grew a little more sociable2 so we entered into conversation1 and the wine and grog circulated freely4 ,the captain1 like all captains who have never been sick or drowned1 laughed at us1 saying we were bad sailors4 8,the title of #8good sailor' ,i am not ambitious to merit1 captain10 said ,i4 ,next morning1 ,i was on deck walking to and fro with the captain2 the night had been a little calmer than the previous one1 but very foggy4 8,bless my soul60 said he1 8what a bother it is we left ,balaklava so late4 ,it is just like his lordship--we never know when we are going to start4 ,i would not give a fig for a voyage of pleasure at sea3 business men1 sir6 business men for navigation4 ,all is calculated and goes right2 but for the present ,i don't know where we are1 it is so foggy4 ,we are not far from the coast2 but we can't for the life of us get in1 even if we were abreast of the entrance of the ,bosphorus4 ,we ought to have got under way1 as ,i proposed1 at nine o'clock4 ,have you good sight1 sir80 8,yes1 ,i have40 8,well1 look with this glass to the right2 ,i fancy ,i see the land about seven or eight miles off40 8,yes10 said ,i2 8the fog is clearing off on that side1 and ,i believe it is the land40 8,in that case10 said the captain1 8we are nearly thirty miles out of our way4 ,though it is very provoking1 we may thank our stars the weather was more favourable than the night before40 ,it was now nearly five ,a4,m41 and the dew was falling very fast4 ,feeling chilly1 ,i went below1 and reposed for a short time upon the sofa4 ,being thirty miles out of our course gave me time for a good rest before entering the ,bosphorus2 upon making which ,i was1 at my request1 called up4 ,as the sun rose1 the fog cleared off1 though slowly2 the captain made out a landmark1 and found that we were1 as he had before said1 about thirty miles out of our course4 ,the ,london was fitted up in a princely style2 she had two funnels1 and was very long4 ,she rolled very much during the voyage1 though the sea was not very rough2 her being short of ballast was probably the cause4 ,at all events1 it made ,miss ,nightingale very ill4 ,however1 our troubles were now at an end2 we were slowly entering the mouth of the ,bosphorus1 amidst a shower of pearls1 which gathered in millions upon the rigging and the deck4 ,this was a great relief to us1 after the grey fog and thick fine rain--besides being unaware of our exact position1 and floating at hazard on the sea2 though1 thanks to the caution and watchfulness of the captain1 we had been in no danger4 ,it was like the opening of a fairy scene2 the clouds were slowly disappearing1 disclosing to our fatigued and overstrained eyesight the unique panorama of the ,bosphorus4 ,its strong current appeared to overpower the steam1 and we seemed to have come to a stand-still4 ,the thousands who have returned from the arid and devastated soil of the ,crimea1 under its burning sun1 must have enjoyed the refreshing sight ,i have here attempted to describe4 ,even ,miss ,nightingale had enjoyed it from her cabin4 ,she had been removed to the beautiful saloon upon deck1 where she had a good view of the enchanting panorama1 and appeared almost recovered from her fatiguing voyage2 which proves how near pain is allied to pleasure1 and vice vers1 particularly as refers to sea-sickness4 ,miss ,nightingale requested to see me4 ,i went and inquired after her health1 which1 she said1 had improved since we entered the river4 ,she then referred to various things she wished to have in her extra-diet kitchen1 and to numerous other matters of importance connected with the hospitals4 ,i requested her to keep her mind quiet1 and to depend upon me4 8,no doubt1 mademoiselle10 said ,i1 8,i shall not have the pleasure of seeing you for some time1 and ,i would certainly advise you not to go out till you are quite restored to health3 ,i will1 therefore1 send you a journal of my daily proceedings by ,mr4 or ,mrs4 ,bracebridge1 whom ,i1 of course1 shall see every day40 8,exactly1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 but ,i hope ,i shall soon be able to go about40 8,so do ,i1 mademoiselle1 but do not attempt it before you are quite well2 and ,i can assure you1 if ,i were your doctor1 ,i should be very strict with you1 as ,i hear you are more inclined to devote your kind attention to patients than to yourself40 ,she smiled1 and replied1 8,well1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 one is much more gratifying to my feelings than the other40 ,i then spoke about ,lord ,raglan's visit1 and expressed my regret at not having waited longer for him4 8,i certainly did not expect to see him10 said ,miss ,nightingale4 8,ah1 you may expect anything from his lordship1 he is such an amiable and gallant man40 8,so he is1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 and he has always enjoyed that reputation40 ,we were at last before the ,great ,barrack ,hospital2 the anchor was let down1 breakfast was served1 and highly relished by the assembled guests4 ,the chef had distinguished himself upon a dish of semi-grilled and devilled fowl1 an omelette aux fines herbes1 c4 c42 and thus ended our voyage on board the ,london4 ,we returned our hearty thanks to the captain1 doctor1 and all on board1 for their kind attention to us1 and for the extreme kindness shown to ,miss ,nightingale2 saw our luggage landed1 and went on shore4 ,miss ,nightingale would not land till the afternoon1 the heat of the sun being so powerful4 ,having apprised ,lord ,w4 ,paulet of our arrival1 ,i went my way1 and ,mr4 ,bracebridge his4 ,at five o'clock we again met at the landing-place1 and went for ,miss ,nightingale4 ,one of the large barges used to remove the sick1 manned by twelve ,turks1 was brought alongside4 ,as the roof nearly reached the steamer's bulwarks1 ,miss ,nightingale was easily lowered upon it4 ,mrs4 ,roberts was kneeling at her side1 and holding a white umbrella over her head4 ,we went below2 the sailors gave three cheers2 and our dismal gondola soon reached the shore4 ,upon landing1 the invalid was carried upon a stretcher by four soldiers1 accompanied by ,lord ,w4 ,paulet and ,staff1 ,dr4 ,cumming 7who had visited her on board71 followed by an immense procession1 to her private house--at which place all dispersed4 ,i do not recollect any circumstance during the campaign so gratifying to the feelings as that simple1 though grand1 procession4 ,every soldier seemed anxious to show his regard1 and acknowledge his debt of gratitude to one who had so nobly devoted her soul and comfort to their welfare1 even at the risk of her own life4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,three ,,weeks ,,at ,,scutari4 ,interview with ,lord ,w4 ,paulet--,plans discussed--,a new medical corps required--,reminiscences--,soyer's ,house--,an ,oriental chorus--,various expedients--,crusade against the rats--,daily duties--,the ,palace ,hospital--,happy hours--,letters to the press--,a refractory workman--,a dilemma--,general good luck--,the ,governor of ,asia's entertainment--,return visits--,a fire in ,scutari--,a midnight procession--,important honours--,shut out--,arrival of the field-stoves--,interview with the ,duke of ,newcastle--,the ,duke's letter--,preparations for departure--,bornet the ,zouave--,his qualifications--,an indescribable costume4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,bracebridge remained with ,miss ,nightingale4 ,i went and paid my first visit to ,lord ,william ,paulet1 having only had the pleasure of catching sight of his lordship at the wharf1 owing to the immense crowd4 ,i sent in my card2 and the ,general no sooner received it1 than he kindly walked towards the kiosque drawing-room door to meet me1 and gave me a most cordial reception4 8,ah1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said he1 8,i am glad to see you again6 ,how are you8 ,i have very frequently heard of you6 ,i hope your services have been as useful in the ,crimea as they were here4 ,i am happy to say that1 during your absence1 ,i have not heard any complaints1 and your system works admirably4 ,dr4 ,cumming and ,i have often spoken on the subject since you have been away40 8,it is extremely gratifying to my feelings to hear you speak so favourably of my humble services2 and ,i have returned for a short time to give a look round1 according to promise1 as it is very important that no change should take place in the management--which might occur1 inasmuch as my head man ,jullien seems determined to leave4 ,i must find some one capable of replacing him1 or must take to cooking again myself till ,i can find a proper person40 8,i hope1 ,soyer1 you will be fortunate enough to meet with a proper person1 as1 no doubt1 you will be obliged to return to the ,crimea40 8,i am pleased to hear that ,sergeant ,thompson1 whom we placed as superintendent over the soldier-cooks1 and the men under him1 have behaved so well4 ,he says the men have learned to cook2 but what he and my man ,jullien complain of is1 that as soon as anybody is well acquainted with his duty1 he is recalled to his regiment4 ,i really believe that is the reason why ,jullien is leaving4 ,he says1 as soon as he gets a good man1 he is taken away1 and his successor requires to be taught4 ,this will always be the case1 my lord1 until a medical corps is formed1 in which all the different members are subject to the discipline of the army1 without being subject to frequent changes4 ,till such steps are taken1 the duties of military hospitals will never be properly performed4 ,i assure you1 when ,i heard ,jullien was about to leave1 ,i was much annoyed1 and would have given anything to have been able to return forthwith to ,scutari4 ,one day's neglect would have upset all my former success1 and corroborated the remark made by your friend ,colonel ,dennis--#8that it was all very well so long as ,i was present2 but as soon as ,i went away1 it would be as bad as ever4' ,his words would have proved true enough1 had ,i not introduced my simplified system of cookery1 and my printed receipts1 by following which it is impossible for them to err4 ,at all events1 ,i have now been absent two months2 all has gone on right1 nor do ,i see why it should not continue to do so2 but ,i must repeat1 the importance of having the duties of the military hospital properly performed is such1 that all the persons employed ought to be subject to military discipline4 ,i cannot depend upon civilians for cooks1 although they are so well paid40 8,very true1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 ,i am quite of your opinion1 and will take a note of it40 8,the most important thing at present would be for your lordship to secure a few men1 about ten1 whom ,i will instruct in the method of cooking with my new field-stoves40 8,i cannot do that1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 ,i have no power away from this2 but ,lord ,raglan1 who ,i hear is very partial to you1 will soon see the importance of so doing1 and will grant your request40 8,your lordship is quite right1 for ,lord ,raglan1 as well as yourself1 has shown me the greatest kindness2 so have all the officials--,colonel ,steele in particular1 with whom ,i have had more to do than with any one else40 8,i have received a letter from my friend ,colonel ,douglas1 of the #aath ,hussars1 who tells me they had the pleasure of your company to dinner1 and that you kept them quite alive with your funny songs4 ,you were the real cock of the walk1 and kept them in a roar of laughter from the beginning to the end40 8,we did spend a very pleasant evening4 ,there were above twenty guests40 8,ah1 ,i know6 they sent me a list of names4 ,you are aware that was my regiment before ,i came here40 8,of course ,i am4 ,your lordship was in the glorious charge at ,balaklava4 ,i hear that the charger your lordship rides is the one you rode on that memorable day40 8,yes1 it is2 and we were both very fortunate1 as you see40 8,very1 my lord4 ,in these times everybody is subject to the chances of war1 as ,i observed that evening to ,major ,peel and ,colonel ,douglas1 upon taking my leave of them3 #8a few hours such mirth as this--c'est autant de pris sur l'ennemi'--the ,french soldier's proverb40 8,you are right4 ,how did you find ,admiral ,boxer80 8,rough and good-hearted--working very hard40 8,i heard several anecdotes of you and the admiral with the ,sardinians40 8,did you8 ,then you must have heard of my losing four horses40 8,no6 ,i heard of your having lost one1 while paying your addresses to the fair ,mrs4 ,seacole40 8,that was it4 ,we had a good laugh over it1 at all events4 ,mrs4 ,seacole took a deal of trouble in the matter1 and found the pony again4 ,she is an excellent woman1 kind to everybody1 ,i can assure you40 8,ah1 yes1 ,i know her well2 she paid me a visit on her way to the ,crimea40 8,she told me she had spent a few days with ,miss ,nightingale40 8,talking of ,miss ,nightingale--she is very much altered40 8,very much indeed4 ,she has looked much worse1 but is now improving fast4 ,her life was in the greatest danger40 8,so ,i heard40 8,i hope ,lord and ,lady ,stratford de ,redcliffe are well40 8,yes4 ,i had the pleasure of dining with them at ,therapia last ,sunday3 they inquired after you40 8,i am very happy to hear it1 and shall soon pay my respects to them4 ,i much regretted not being in the ,crimea during their visit4 ,the ,caradoc left ,balaklava the day the ,robert ,lowe left ,constantinople2 we therefore passed at sea40 8,so ,i heard4 ,the young ladies were very much pleased with their trip2 but ,lady ,paget remained there4 ,i suppose you saw her80 8,yes1 ,i did4 ,her ladyship was staying on board the ,star of the ,south4 ,i called several times1 but at last met her ladyship in the camp1 driving out in a species of vehicle1 and accompanied by ,lord ,paget on horseback1 to whom ,i had the honour of being introduced by her ladyship4 ,she really looked so pretty1 and her equipage was so bad1 that a ,canova would have sculptured her as a ,venus in a wheelbarrow1 instead of in a shell40 8,well1 ,i must say1 that would be a new1 and1 no doubt1 an interesting subject4 ,by the bye1 we shall shortly have a visit from the ,duke of ,newcastle4 ,i hope you will be here40--8,indeed60 8,yes1 ,i expect him in seven or eight days40 8,i hope his grace will do me the honour of visiting my sanctorum40 8,of course he will1 you may depend upon that2 but ,i will let you know all about it40 8,as it is near your dinner-time1 ,i wish you good afternoon40 8,where are you going to dine1 ,monsieur ,soyer8 ,i believe ,i have but meagre fare to offer you--a little soup and a leg of mutton4 ,will you dine with me80 8,many thanks--not to-day3 we had a late lunch on board2 and ,i have not been to ,soyer's ,castle yet1 nor seen any of my people40 8,i suppose ,lord ,ward has a first-rate cook on board his steamer80 8,a very good one1 and excellent provisions and wine4 ,the only thing we required was missing--that was appetite4 ,though fine at starting1 we had a rather rough passage for the time of year40 ,the conversation terminated1 and ,i took my departure4 ,it was now too late to make any more calls1 so ,i went straight to the noble mansion called ,soyer's ,house--a real kiosque1 built of wood1 very much like a cage4 ,the proprietor was a ,turkish carriage-builder1 a kind of a duck of a fellow1 who always retired to rest at dusk1 and rose before daybreak to work4 ,he and four bulky ,turkish boys accompanied their incessant hammering by an ,oriental chorus1 which lasted from four till seven in the morning--their breakfast-time4 ,we not only had the satisfaction of hearing them1 but from my bed ,i could see them at work1 through my sieve-like bed-room floor1 the boards of which did not meet by about half an inch--no doubt to facilitate the ventilation of this ,moslem edifice4 ,the weather being hot1 this was bearable2 but the harmony of such inharmonious birds was not tolerable2 so for several days1 and while they were in full chorus1 various accidents1 in the shape of upsetting large buckets of water1 occurred4 ,the refreshing liquid at once found its way to the back of our illustrious landlord1 and he changed his tone and air1 to invoke the blessing of ,mahomet upon our devoted heads3 upon which ,i gave them to understand1 through an ,armenian groom1 that if they dared kick up such a row1 the ,general would turn them out of their house4 ,after that we had less singing1 but the same quantum of hammering4 ,at all events1 we were better than under canvas4 ,the house was very spacious3 it contained nine rooms of a good size4 ,i had left it tenanted by good company--viz41 three civilian doctors--,burn1 ,ellis1 and ,howard--but found it deserted upon my return1 by all but the rats and other vermin4 ,i and my people preferred that to living and sleeping at the hospital1 and1 after a few days' sport1 and stopping about three hundred holes1 it became habitable4 ,the landlord fortunately had the toothache1 and the fat boy1 to whom ,i gave a few piastres to hold his noise1 was silent4 ,the ablution of the other now and then with a jug of hot water kept this extraordinary establishment quiet4 ,if the interior of this wooden crib was not all comfort1 its outside was very cheerful1 and rather elegant4 ,it had the appearance of a large ,swiss chlet4 ,vines grew round it2 and if the windows were left open1 branches of cherry and mulberry trees1 loaded with ripe fruit1 hung above one's head as one lay in bed4 ,the strong morning sea-breeze made the house rock like a cradle1 and in shaking the trees which were planted close to the house1 forced the branches in4 ,such was1 in a few words1 ,soyer's ,house1 in ,cambridge-street1 ,scutari1 so much envied by almost all1 except the man himself4 ,five of my people had kept possession in spite of several attempts to take it by storm during my absence4 ,it appeared that lodgings were so scarce1 they wanted to take it from them4 ,one evening1 after supper1 my man ,jullien1 who possessed a first-rate tenor voice1 was delighting us with the modulations of it1 when suddenly the house began to shake most awfully1 and the branches of the trees outside the windows entered very abruptly1 and much farther than usual1 sweeping off all the goblets and bottles from the table1 to our great astonishment1 nearly upsetting us2 when our friend ,p4 ,m4 exclaimed1 8,who is shaking the house80 ,jullien1 who had travelled much1 replied1 8,don't be alarmed--it is only an earthquake40 8,only an earthquake1 eh60 said ,p4 ,m41 bolting4 ,in rushing to the street he upset my ,greek servant1 who was entering with a bowl of blazing punch1 which gave both house and man the appearance of being on fire4 ,we saw no more of ,p4 ,m4 till the next day1 as he said he preferred being gulped up by mother earth at one nibble to being smothered beneath the ponderous timbers of my castle4 ,the same day the ,barrack ,hospital shook so much1 that the patients were actually seen in a state of nudity in the barrack-yard4 ,several jumped through the windows2 one man was killed1 and the others all more or less severely injured4 ,each day ,i devoted to various hospitals1 all went well1 excepting the ,palace ,hospital1 where there were not less than forty or fifty sick officers1 who were much annoyed by the indifference and neglect of their steward4 ,when ,i called there1 they complained to me1 and invited me to try if ,i could not remedy it1 as well as remain and dine with them4 ,i accepted their kind invitation1 and soon found where the evil lay4 ,i informed ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 ,drs4 ,cumming and ,m',elray1 and ,mr4 ,robertson1 the purveyor-in-chief2 and a new kitchen was built1 larger than the former4 ,a civilian cook was placed there1 and1 to their delight1 a new steward4 ,everything then gave more satisfaction to the illustrious patients1 who always received me with the greatest kindness--so much so1 that if nature had endowed me with several appetites daily1 ,i could have dined three or four times per diem4 ,without mentioning names1 ,i may summon as witnesses the unfortunate heroes who were at that time gathered around the invalids' table4 ,so happy was ,i in their company--and ,i believe they were equally so in mine1--that ,i felt perfectly ashamed at being quite well2 for even the ,doctor was sick1 in consequence of the harassing nature of his duties2 he had so much to do--which is ever the case in time of war4 ,with reference to their former steward1 whom we had christened 8la prima donna ,antonio10 as a set-off to his trickery in supplying the invalid officers with dessert in the shape of bad ices1 unripe fruit1 c41--things not fit for weak stomachs1--he used1 at the request of a few1 to bring his guitar1 and delight with his voice la ,veluti the ears of those whose palates he had so cruelly displeased4 ,by the aid of a most amiable and kind lady--,mrs4 ,moore1 who some time after died of fever1 much regretted by all--,i had already their comforts1 and1 having previously established a better system of cookery1 thought ,i had done some good for those to whom ,i was so much indebted for their kind and polite attention4 ,though ,i did not remain more than three weeks at ,scutari on this occasion1 never1 perhaps1 during the whole of my martial career1 was my heart so severely tried and tortured4 ,the following letters1 addressed to the metropolitan press1 speak volumes3-- ,,scutari1 #bgth ,june1 #ahee4 ,,mr4 ,,editor1--,three weeks have hardly elapsed since my departure from the ,crimean shores1 and ,death1 that implacable deity of the dark abode1 has had to engrave upon his mournful tablet a column of names of some of the most distinguished heroes of the present day--viz41 ,admiral ,boxer1 ,adjutant-,general ,estcourt1 ,sir ,john ,campbell1 ,colonel ,yea1 ,captain ,lyons1 ,general della ,marmora1 c4--and ,w4 ,h4 ,stowe1 a young civilian and bright ornament of the literary world4 ,every one has heard or will hear of their fame4 ,history will relate facts1 but time1 as usual1 will partly efface from the memory of man the cause of their martyrdom or sudden ill fate2 while ,i--yes1 ,i can relate1 though with a sorrowful heart1 the circumstances of their social position1 having still on the ear a vibratory sound of their pure and candid voices1 for it is only a few days since that ,i was amongst them1 cheerfully shaking hands with them1 transacting important business with some of them1 partaking of the rural hospitality of others1 they of mine1 and overwhelmed by the kindness of all4 ,life then seemed proud of them2 the bloom of nature was radiant upon their brows4 ,their eyes spoke volumes4 ,their hearts were as great in the devotion of the national cause1 and the glory of their country1 as the pure soul which has since departed from them for a better world4 ,every drop of their blood no longer belonged to them1 but to their ,queen1 their country1 their children--their names to posterity1 their fame the beacon to future generations of immortality4 ,they breathe no more6 ,such are the chances of war1 of life's uncertainty4 ,man proposes1 and the ,supreme ,being disposes4 ,instead of cheerful anecdotes1 which a few weeks ago ,i could have related of those noble departed1 ,i must here1 for the present1 cast a tenebrous veil over such earthly frivolity1 and implore ,providence to bestow a better fate upon the still great and noble and brave army4 ,with the most profound respect1 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,your most obedient servant1 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,p4,s4 ,by the next steamer ,i shall return to the ,camp to join the ,staff ,i have just sent there1 and terminate1 ,i trust1 with success1 my culinary mission1 and then return to the shores of ,albion4 ,h4,m4,s4,v4 8,caradoc10 ,,constantinople1 #eth ,july1 #ahee4 ,,mr4 ,,editor1--,scarcely has the seal of my late painful communication had time to set1 when the rocky shores of the ,black ,sea are moaning and re-echoing the solemn report of the minute-gun1 while the foaming current of the ,bosphorus is rapidly carrying to the snowy white cliffs of ,albion the remains of a really great man1 ,field ,marshal the ,lord ,raglan4 ,to him1 above all1 ,i cannot but feel most grateful for the success of my undertaking in the ,crimea4 ,the last kind word and smile ,i received while at the seat of war were from that noble martyr to his country's cause4 ,with the highest consideration1 ,i have the honour to be1 ,your most obedient servant1 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,p4,s4 ,the great desire of paying the last tribute of respect to the remains of that noble and brave warrior has delayed for a few days my departure for the ,crimea4 ,one morning ,i had a serious discussion with one of my workmen1 who declined to cook any more for the hospitals unless ,i gave him the same wages as my head man1 ,jullien1 in whom ,i placed all my confidence1 having known him for years as an honest1 industrious1 and well-educated man4 ,he was much respected by all in the hospital3 ,lord ,william ,paulet made much of him1 as also did ,dr4 ,cumming1 ,mr4 ,robertson1 purveyor-in-chief1 and1 above all1 ,miss ,nightingale and ,mr4 ,bracebridge1 for his attention to business and polite manners4 ,i had left a hundred pounds in his care till next morning1 having that day to go to ,pera about the printing of my hospital receipts4 ,upon my return1 ,i learnt that he had disappeared1 taking the money with him1 except twenty pounds1 which he gave to one of the boys3 the remainder he afterwards returned4 ,no one knew where he was gone4 ,my first thought was to return to the hospital1 and superintend the kitchen department in person4 ,everything must1 ,i knew1 be in great confusion1 producing upon the people employed under him much the same effect as the similar defection of a general would on the eve of a battle2 and such a battle1 too--one that must be fought daily1 with the greatest resolution4 ,it is indeed a question of life and death1 that brave dinner-time4 ,so long as we get it regularly1 we think nothing about it2 but let one day pass without satisfying those imperious natural wants--what do ,i say8--one day6 ,even an hour's delay causes us to make several inquiries--half-an-hour1 ten minutes--ay1 and even less4 ,now1 suppose ,i had not1 by the merest chance in the world1 been apprised of his departure1 or had ,i been ill1 and incapable of replacing him and his subordinates1 who thought to frighten me by requiring the same wages--which1 had they behaved themselves well1 ,i might have granted2--had anything gone wrong1 which could not fail in either of those events to be the case1 my name and reputation would have been perilled4 ,thanks1 however1 to my lucky star1 although ,i have experienced an immense deal of trouble in my various undertakings1 ,i have invariably succeeded in the end4 ,this is one of the hundreds of tribulations and disappointments ,i met with during my ,eastern mission4 ,a few days after my arrival at ,scutari1 ,i had the pleasure of being introduced to the ,pacha1 who was also ,governor of ,asia ,minor4 ,at a dinner given to him by the colonel and officers of the #aath ,hussars1 to which ,i was invited1 we had for dragoman or interpreter her ,majesty's messenger1 the worthy ,mr4 ,webster4 ,the banquet was given at the humble1 dilapidated1 and almost decapitated restaurant of ,sir ,demetri1 it being partly unroofed4 ,demetri1 a ,greek by birth and name1 was a most obliging man4 ,he spoke ,french1 ,russian1 and ,english remarkably well1 and was much esteemed by all the gentlemen who knew him4 ,i am sorry to say that his followers did not merit the same commendation4 ,british ,scutarians1 ,i humbly appeal to your grateful conscience for the former4 ,to be brief1 the ,pacha was received in the same room where1 a few days previous1 we had vainly attempted to sleep4 ,our most excellent friend and ally1 the son of the ,prophet1 having quaffed with delight and common sense the limpid liquid which takes its birth in ,france or any other country1 but which1 for all that1 is called champagne1 became very witty and cheerful--in fact1 good company1--we all felt much interested in the description he gave of his stormy career1 which put me very much in mind of that of ,ali ,baba or the ,forty ,thieves4 ,his glory seemed to centre in those serious1 though childish tales4 ,but1 in spite of all eccentricities1 the ,pacha was amiable and very good company4 ,his health was proposed1 with twice the number of his tales1 to which he very fervently and cleverly replied1 according to our learned interpreter's report4 ,the evening closed very merrily4 ,we parted1 and our illustrious guest left1 followed by his numerous suite4 ,the farewell having taken place1 the guests evaporated like a light cloud in the atmosphere4 ,we heard next day that some of the party belonging to the ,light ,infantry were found herborizing in most profound silence upon the greensward which surrounds the ,sultan's mosque before the ,barrack ,hospital4 ,no doubt1 they had changed their mind on their way home1 and preferred staying out to trying unsuccessfully to find their home--the weather being so very hot4 ,a few days after1 all the guests paid their respectful duty to the ,pacha4 ,i was one of the last1 and having my dragoman with me1 was very kindly received by his pachaship1 who informed me of his intention to return the compliment of the dinner given to him by ,colonel ,peel and party upon their return1 as they had left the next morning for the ,crimea4 ,according to ,turkish politeness1 ,i had no sooner entered than all rose from their seats4 ,there were about seven officers with the ,pacha1 and ,i was offered the seat next to him4 ,a richly-ornamented chibouque was presented1 and of course accepted2 various sherbets1 lemonade1 sweetmeats1 and snow-water were handed round in vermeil vases1 and gracefully poured into glittering cups4 ,the conversation was specially directed to me by the ,pacha himself4 ,my dragoman carefully translated what was said1 and informed me of all that was going on1 and what ,i was to do4 ,it happened to be the time of the ,ramazan1 and all the minarets were illuminated4 ,i was remarking to the ,pacha what an extraordinary and beautiful effect ,constantinople and its mosques illuminated produced upon a ,european1 when suddenly the following cry was heard from the street3 8,ingan var ,scutari60 ,a regular panic seized upon all present2 and they immediately started to their feet4 ,the ,pacha took me by the hand2 and while he was giving his orders1 my dragoman quickly informed me it was the cry of fire1 but ,i was on no account to take my hand from that of the ,pacha4 ,i inquired where the fire was8 8,i don't know10 he replied2 8somewhere in the town4 ,you had better say good-night1 as the ,pacha must be present40 ,the ,pacha was now giving his orders fiercely1 which ,i could find1 not only by the perpetual motion of his tongue1 but by the nervous and strong feeling of agitation of his hand1 as he made me walk up and down the large saloon five or six times without even looking at me4 ,the horses were ready1 when a fireman1 wet through1 arrived1 and requested the ,pacha not to disturb himself1 as the fire was already nearly extinguished4 ,all immediately re-entered in order1 except myself1 as ,i wanted to be off4 8,no10 said the ,pacha2 8sit down2 we must have a second chibouque1 and a round of coffee40 8,though ,i did not taste it1 ,i must say ,i never in my life so much appreciated the offer of a cup of coffee as ,i did this1 which procured the release of my hand1 so long a prisoner in that of the ,turkish magistrate4 ,smoking a second chibouque made me feel rather sick1 so ,i requested my dragoman to thank the ,pacha for his kind reception1 and say that as ,i was going to the ,crimea in a few days1 ,i would do myself the pleasure of paying him a visit before my departure for ,england4 ,these words being interpreted to him1 the first thing he did was to arrest me again1 but luckily not by the same hand4 ,he then spoke very fast to my dragoman1 who informed me that the ,pacha wished me to go with him as far as lower ,scutari4 ,it was one of their great ,ramazan nights2 he was obliged to go1 and would esteem it a favour if ,i could accompany him4 8,with all my heart60 was my reply1 as ,i really wished to witness the religious ceremony of the ,ramazan4 ,ten horses were waiting for the ,pacha1 and my dragoman informed me that his highness was anxious to do me the ,turkish honours1 and would walk hand-in-hand with me through the town4 ,bowing respectfully to his highness1 ,i begged ,mr4 ,mason 7a ,greek and my dragoman7 to say that ,i should be delighted with the honour--that ,i much appreciated the extreme politeness and kind intention of his highness4 ,we then started1 the ,pacha taking my hand1 preceded by six men1 bearing five large lanterns1 and a glass one with three bougies in it4 ,behind came his suite1 composed of about ten gentlemen2 next1 the chiboukshis and the horses4 ,mason1 my man1 was of course close to me to interpret what the ,pacha said1 which1 however1 was of no great importance4 ,our brilliant cortge slowly wended its way through the dense crowd at lower ,scutari4 ,every one stopped and bowed respectfully to the ,pacha4 ,still holding my hand1 he presented me to the assembled crowd4 ,my dragoman here observed1 8,by seeing the ,pacha on foot1 and holding you by the hand1 all are aware you must be a high personage1 and a respected friend of his excellency40 ,hearing this1 and seeing the soldiers at the various stations go through their military evolutions as we stopped before them1 ,i really began to fancy ,i was a great man4 ,thanks to my common sense1 ,i recollected the humble part ,i had to play on life's great stage1 and could ,i at the time have obtained possession of my left hand 7which my illustrious friend had retained in his own from his door to the spot where we were then standing1 a distance of more than two miles71 ,i should have shaken hands with myself1 exclaiming1 in the words of ,shakespeare1 8,richard's--no6 ,soyer's himself again60 ,this was indeed a splendid soire1 and could ,i spare space1 the extraordinary scenes ,i witnessed while going the rounds of magisterial duty with the ,pacha would of themselves make a very interesting chapter4 ,our progress came to an end at a confectioner's shop1 the largest and principal one in ,scutari4 ,here sherbet1 coffee and chibouques1 iced lemonade1 sweets1 and all kinds of fruit in season1 were handed to us1 as we sat upon the divans in open view to the public1 a great crowd having been attracted to the spot4 ,numbers entered and saluted the ,pacha1 and retired4 ,his pachaship having inquired if ,i would take anything else1 ,mr4 ,mason1 replied in the negative4 ,he then said that he was obliged to remain out all night on his magisterial duty1 and that he wished me the repose of the dead till morning4 ,in return for this lively desire1 ,i wished him the night of the living1 and we parted4 ,two lantern-chibougies preceded us1 by his order2 our horses followed2 and about an hour after1 we dismissed our ,jack-o'-lanterns with rather a comfortable bacshish4 ,it was striking three1 and the sentry refused to let ,mason enter the ,barrack ,hospital1 where he was quartered4 ,i offered him a lodging at my house1 which he accepted4 ,though very late1 we arrived in time to scare two thieves away over the garden wall2 and in stumbling over a basket1 we perceived their booty consisted of only a few cherries and mulberries1 nothing being deranged or stolen from the house4 ,having frequently visited the ,general ,hospital and ,kululee1 and as the time for my second voyage to the ,crimea was approaching1 ,i requested ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 who was always very desirous of seeing everything himself1 to pay one more official visit to the various hospitals1 which he agreed to do1 and fixed a day for that purpose4 ,he also informed me that the ,duke of ,newcastle was expected daily4 ,miss ,nightingale had almost recovered1 and had recommenced her assiduous exertions4 ,my long-expected field-stoves had arrived4 ,i made a trial with them before the military and medical authorities1 which succeeded admirably1 even surpassing my expectations in all respects4 ,i was more anxious than ever to return to the ,crimea1 and make my grand experiment before ,general ,simpson2 and1 if approved of by the authorities1 to have the proper number ordered by ,government for the supply of the whole army1 reform the old system1 and introduce my new one4 ,the stoves would of course require an outlay at first1 which would soon be saved in the great economy of fuel and transport1 the small number of men required1 independently of the immense improvement in cookery1 which was at first the only object ,i had in view4 ,lord ,w4 ,paulet's visit took place1 as agreed upon1 about three days previous to the arrival of the ,duke of ,newcastle4 ,he found everything in good order1 and ,i was much pleased4 ,a few days after1 ,i was1 owing to the sudden departure of my head man1 ,jullien1 busily engaged at my forges1 surrounded by my soldiers1 like a modern ,vulcan1 dressed in my culinary attire1 and in the act of manipulating some hundreds of mock rice-puddings 7made without eggs or milk--see receipt in ,addenda7 for my numerous convalescent guests1 the brave ,british1 when suddenly my kitchen was filled with military gentlemen of all ranks1 amongst whom was no less a personage than the late ,minister-at-,war1 the ,duke of ,newcastle1 ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 and numerous other high officials--military1 medical1 and civil4 ,his ,grace1 setting all etiquette aside1 advanced towards me1 his hat in one hand1 and kindly offered me the other1 saying1 8,how are you1 ,monsieur ,soyer8 it is a long time since we had the pleasure of meeting40 8,true10 ,i replied2 8not since ,i had the pleasure of seeing your ,grace1 then ,lord ,lincoln1 at the ,reform ,club40 8,you are right1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 you have an excellent memory40 ,though my present occupation was one of the humblest in the category of my art1--viz41 making puddings for the soldiers1 still the kind condescension of his ,grace1 and the complimentary remarks he made upon my services1 caused me to feel more proud of my humble occupation than ,i did when ,i was dressing the great ,ibrahim ,pacha fte at the ,reform ,club1 in the year #ahdf1 or preparing my hundred-guinea dish at the ,york banquet1 in the year #ahej4 ,the ,duke of ,newcastle was not the first nobleman of his high rank who had honoured me with that degree of favour2 but the others had a certain interest in so doing4 ,for instance1 while at the ,reform ,club1 a number of epicures used to pay me visits1 shake me heartily by the hand1 and most cordially inquire about my health4 ,these had1 ,i always considered1 a twofold object in view3 first1 to induce me to give them the best of dinners2 secondly1 to ascertain whether ,i was feverish or in good health4 ,in the former case they would postpone their dinner-party for a few days1 or else try to persuade me to follow the plan of the celebrated ,marquis de ,coucy1 one of the greatest ,french epicures of the nineteenth century1 who never engaged a cook without having a written agreement1 giving him power to compel him to take medicine a couple of days before he gave any of his grand dinners1 which never exceeded twelve in the ,paris season4 ,extra pay was allowed for this pleasant concession on the part of the chef de cuisine1 who no doubt turned the funds to tisane--most probably1 tisane de champagne4 ,in the present case1 his ,grace had no such object in view1 as ,i had nothing to offer him but soldiers' hospital rations1 diets1 c41 composed of beef-tea1 mutton-broth1 rice-puddings1 c41 and my new biscuit-bread1 which had been made three months1 having the date of baking stamped upon it4 ,i drew the ,duke's attention to this1 and then broke a little into some mutton-broth2 and in five minutes it had all the appearance of a piece of fresh bread soaked in broth4 ,in its dry state1 it was much more agreeable to eat than the usual biscuit4 ,his ,grace was highly pleased with it1 and advised me to recommend its adoption to the ,war-office upon my return to ,london4 ,the kitchen was by this time full of officers and medical men1 come to pay their respects to the ,duke1 forming a numerous escort as he went round the hospital4 ,i gave a short account of my proceedings since my arrival at ,scutari1 where ,i had closed all the kitchens but this one1 minutely explaining all its details1 as well as the plan ,i had adopted to keep it so clean and so cool2 at which the ,duke was much struck4 ,cooking was done daily in it for more than one thousand men1 the weather being then intensely hot4 ,after honouring me with most flattering compliments1 the ,duke and party retired4 ,lord ,william kindly informed me that the ,duke would visit the other hospitals in a day or two1 and that he would give me due notice of his visit4 ,accordingly1 two days afterwards1 we showed the ,duke over the ,general1 ,hyder ,pacha1 and the ,palace ,hospitals1 with the arrangements of which he expressed himself satisfied4 ,a few days after1 the ,duke of ,newcastle left for the ,crimea1 but1 prior to his departure1 honoured me with the following letter3-- ,,messerie',s ,,hotel1 #bcrd ,july1 #ahee4 ,,dear ,m4 ,,soyer1--,accept my best thanks for the copy of your book4 ,your philanthropic labours in this country deserve the thanks of every ,englishman1 and for one ,i am grateful for what ,i have seen of your good work at ,scutari4 ,i am1 yours very truly1 ,,newcastle4 ,at length ,i found two tolerably good cooks1 and re-established everything in the culinary department to my satisfaction4 ,my presence being no longer required1 ,i prepared for my departure4 ,i had taught about a dozen soldiers my system of camp-cooking and the use of my new field-stoves4 ,i also engaged a ,french ,zouave1 named ,bornet1 belonging to the #crd ,regiment1 whose term of service was just out4 ,he was to act as my aide-de-camp1 cuyer1 master of the horse1 and shield1 in case of blows4 ,he knew the savate1 single-stick1 sword1 foil1 and could box well2 was a capital shot and extraordinary good horseman2 he could sing hundreds of songs1 and very well too2 had a good voice1 danced excellently1 and was altogether of a very happy disposition4 ,among his other then unknown qualities1 he was very quarrelsome2 a great marauder la ,zouave2 remarkably fond of the fair sex1 in his martial way1 running all over the camp after the heroic cantinires2 and1 though never drunk1 seldom sober1 always ready to fight any one whom he thought wished to injure or speak ill of me4 ,in fact1 he was1 much against my will1 my bull-dog1 and kept barking from morning till night4 ,he was allowed to wear his costume for twelve months longer4 ,in fact1 my ,zouave was a model of perfection and imperfection4 ,the doctor of his regiment1 who admired him for his bravery and cheerful abilities1 impressed upon me that he was the man ,i required4 8,very scarce they are10 said he2 8there are not more than one hundred left out of the whole regiment who began the campaign2 and he is sound1 although wounded at ,inkermann40 ,upon this strong recommendation1 and having to run so much risk about the camp1 as well as for the curiosity of the thing1 ,i engaged ,bornet1 the ,zouave2 had a new costume made for him2 introduced him to ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 ,miss ,nightingale1 c4 c4 ,everybody found him extremely polite1 good-looking1 and intelligent4 ,we bought four horses1 and he had the sole command of the cavalry department4 ,all admired his extraordinary good style of horsemanship1 particularly ,lord ,w4 ,paulet4 ,thus1 the illustrious ,franois ,patifal ,bornet1 late of the #crd ,zouaves1 was recognised as belonging to the ,british army4 ,he and twelve soldiers composed the brigade of ,captain ,cook--a title ,i had assumed in the camp4 ,we were now ready to enter upon our campaign4 ,i had paid my respects to ,lord and ,lady de ,redcliffe at ,therapia1 and to ,general ,vivian at ,buyukder3 he was then at the ,palais de ,russie4 ,in this town ,i and my ,zouave created quite a sensation4 ,i had adopted an indescribable costume4 ,it seemed to have attracted ,john ,bull's particular attention on his supposed visit to the camp4 ,such1 at least1 was the case according to the ,times' correspondent1 who1 in a dialogue with ,john ,bull1 says1 8,i beg your pardon1 but who is that foreign officer in a white bournous and attended by a brilliant staff of generals--him with the blue and silver stripe down his trousers ,i mean1 and gold braid on his waistcoat1 and a red and white cap8 ,it must be ,pelissier80 8,that6 why1 that's ,monsieur ,soyer1 chef de nos batteries de cuisine2 and if you go and ask him1 you'll find he'll talk to you for several hours about the way your meat is wasted4 ,and so ,i wish you good morning1 sir40 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,festivities ,,at ,,scutari ,,and ,,visits ,,to ,,french ,,hospitals4 ,a grand ,oriental summer banquet--,the first halt--,start afresh--,the ,pacha's harem--,numerous visits--,a brilliant cavalcade--,revolt among the horses--,the ,governor's reception--,a ,turkish kitchen--,hand-in-hand--,roasted lambs la ,turque--,gigantic bill of fare--,wine--,vitellius and the ,grecian crayfish--,grand entertainment--,list of guests--,return home--,politeness of the ,pacha--,preparations for my return to the ,crimea--,visit to the ,french hospitals--,dr4 ,pincoff--,great ,hospital of ,pera--,cordial reception--,nature of the arrangements4 ,previous to entering upon this second campaign1 in which my life was daily likely to be more or less in danger1 my gastronomic star was1 unawares to me1 shining brightly4 ,an unexpected invitation arrived from the ,pacha of ,scutari to a grand ,oriental summer banquet1 to which not less than eighty guests were invited4 ,lord ,w4 ,paulet was to be the chairman4 ,the day arrived1 we all met at head-quarters1 and the principal authorities were present4 ,lord ,w4 ,paulet soon joined us2 we started1 forming a very formidable and brilliant cavalcade1 everybody being in full costume4 ,the ,pacha had sent a mounted escort to accompany us1 consisting of six cavaliers4 ,our first halt was at ,ismail ,pacha's1 who received us cordially at his pretty kiosque4 ,he spoke excellent ,french1 and invited us to be seated in his large and elegantly-furnished drawing-room1 where a chibouque was presented to each guest1 with the indispensable ,turkish thimble-cup of coffee4 ,we had a very interesting conversation with the ,pacha about the war1 and his opinion upon it2 also a short review of ,paris and ,london1 as he had visited both4 ,we then walked under very delightful foliage1 where fountains were playing1 ,asiatic and aquatic flowers growing--plants of rare beauty--orange and lemon trees1 c4 ,we all fancied we had arrived at our destination1 when the ,pacha's horse was brought into the yard where ours had been left4 ,the signal was given3 we all mounted1 and started afresh4 ,a very coquettish square kiosque erected in the garden1 and well latticed round1 seemed to be very animated within4 ,it was the ,pacha's harem1 from whence no doubt the imprisoned odalisques were enjoying the lively scene passing in the yard1 by peeping1 not exactly la ,peeping ,tom1 but from behind the railings1 or1 more properly speaking1 lattice4 ,headed by the ,pacha and suite1 with ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 ,major ,sillery1 c41 we again started4 ,in ten minutes we reached another kiosque1 not by any means so luxurious as the first4 ,we alighted1 and were received in the garden by ,hiera ,bey1 to whom the place belonged4 ,in the drawing-room the same ceremony of chibouques and coffee was performed4 ,the ,bey and his suite joined our party1 and we went to the residence of another pacha1 where the same ceremony was about to be renewed1 but to which we unanimously objected4 ,his pachaship and suite1 altogether about twelve persons1 also joined us1 thus doubling the number of our cavalcade1 which1 as we passed along the narrow lane bordered on either side by thick and high edges1 had the appearance of an immense serpent stealing through the grass about to swallow its prey3 the head being represented by the ,oriental corps and costume1 admirably suited the effect ,i have described4 ,prey was indeed in store for the imaginary serpent4 ,of the truth of this my reader will be able to judge by the bill of fare1 which ,i carefully preserved1 as one of my first ,oriental culinary reminiscences4 ,the sound of strange instruments informed us that we were near our destination4 ,a military band of about fifty were playing ,oriental airs1 half wild1 half melodious4 ,we were conducted through a garden towards an elegant maison de plaisance1 leaving the horses at the entrance2 some of them1 not being partial to music1 began fighting and kicking4 ,it took nearly an hour to pacify them and make them behave themselves4 ,they were horses of different nations1 and this was probably the reason why they could not agree4 ,several were lost1 which gave a little extra occupation to the ,asiatic palfreniers4 ,by this time we had all been received by the ,governor of ,asia ,minor and his numerous friends1 who were sitting upon divans in the open air1 smoking chibouques4 ,we were invited to do the same1 which we did1 forming a circle of considerable circumference4 ,a regular forest of long chibouques was brought towards us1 and one was presented to each guest4 ,we were thus1 for the third time1 obliged to enjoy this everlasting ,oriental splendour2 but in lieu of coffee1 raki was introduced1 a liquor somewhat similar to perfumed gin1 or the ,french absinthe4 ,it more particularly resembles the latter1 as it turns white when mixed with water4 ,it is much drunk in ,turkey--usually before dinner4 ,many prefer it neat1 but it is very intoxicating4 ,the usual salutations having been exchanged1 we all drank1 and the glasses were taken away by slaves4 ,after smoking another half-hour1 ,i went to ,mr4 ,dixon1 ,lord ,w4 ,paulet's dragoman1 and asked him to request permission of the ,pacha for me to see the kitchen4 ,as ,i knew that two whole sheep and two lambs were to be roasted1 ,i felt anxious to see the process4 ,he had no sooner mentioned my wish than the ,pacha rose1 and1 offering me his hand1 conducted me towards the place where the sacrifice was being consummated4 ,we were thus again1 as at ,scutari1 hand-in-hand1 if not hand-and-glove4 ,about forty cooks were at work preparing the dinner4 ,i felt much interested in their primitive way of roasting large pieces1 which can only be equalled by gas4 ,with the intestines they make a kind of black pudding1 sausages1 and rolls of tripe1 with which they surround the neck of the animal3 they have also skewers of tripe and liver1 heart1 c41 tied on each side of the haunch4 ,the ,pacha ordered some to be cut off for me to taste1 which ,i did with great gusto1 and really much approved of their sound judgment in turning everything to advantage1 and making additional dishes of what we civilized people so cleverly throw away4 ,it was so good1 that ,i begged the ,pacha to send a small dish up for ,lord ,w4 ,paulet and a few others to taste1 as it was best while very hot4 ,it had a peculiar aromatic taste which imparts a delicate flavour1 and was very palatable4 ,the liver1 which we of course use1 was cut into small portions1 and mixed with the intestines4 ,the lambs were dressed in the same way1 and were still more delicate3 they were so perfectly roasted1 that every part of the animals was the colour of a lump of gold4 ,,oriental ,,way ,,of ,,roasting ,,sheep ,,and ,,lambs ,,whole1 ,,la ,,turque4 ,though a primitive method1 it is far from being a bad one4 ,about a hundredweight of wood is set on fire in an open place1 yard1 kitchen1 or elsewhere1 and when burnt the ashes are piled up pyramidically to about the length of the lamb4 ,four stones1 about a foot high1 are then placed two at each end1 and about eighteen inches from the fire2 the lambs are spitted1 head and all1 upon a long piece of wood1 with a rough handle similar to that of a barrel-organ4 ,they are then put down2 each one being turned by one man1 who now and then moves the ashes to revive the fire1 at the same time basting the lambs with a bunch of feathers dipped in oil4 ,a pan should be placed underneath to receive the fat4 ,this was on this occasion omitted4 ,each lamb took about three hours doing by that slow process2 but ,i must repeat1 they were done to perfection1 and worthy of the attention of the greatest epicure4 ,the productions of the other culinary dainties are duly noticed in the following gigantic bill of fare4 ,cavvat alle sis ka-babby ,yeade ra-dash yor nesee ,terbelee partsha ,vegetables4 ,dolmah asmae a back ,ahgem ka back yah ne see ,arabertan ham yersee ,ser kresheur kap a massee ,patlezan dol massee ,cavarta yah prai il ha doline ,bag silk massee ,guvetts tu lur soo ,eskaille keftee ,pelaffee ,puff borree ,adgec ah med borro ,bad am lee charsa ,confiture4 ,baclava ,ecmeck card aikae ,yur mur tarla lock moh ,kavanne ,hi varta cleasee ,touh cleuksu ,evgbet pupered by ,jorept ,zetala ,parson fruture ,peti parta ougrah ,cutalette ,pura patat assause espariol ,crab miones ,puopon mohoness ,cram alla vanneil ,cram ah coffee ,vn espeak derubea ,eurotee despadree ,glass oh citrone ,glass alla cream ,turk cook mahamet ,prissole ,sarmagoll ,cheverma cugickabby ,surmah pelich ka-babby ,capammah ordack parlazee ,coccorrets ka-babby ,fassula illa tuge ka-babby ,cavoticla ahmet ka-babby ,kahoat he la sahe slam ka-babby ,kultug dol massy ,tuga yaha ne see ,sham keflasee ,rahat lokoum ,amidst a clump of trees1 situated on a plot of grass1 and though so close at hand1 quite out of sight1 a large marquee had been erected1 under which an elegant banqueting-table was covered with choice fruits1 flowers1 pastry1 valuable ornaments1 and sweets of all kinds4 ,each guest had his place numbered4 ,i was fortunately near the centre1 facing the chairman1 and only two from the worthy host4 ,the tout ensemble was charming3 the various costumes1 profusion of light1 and the ,turkish music1 gave such a novel feature to this liberal entertainment1 that1 for the first time1 ,i began to understand the reality of the ,oriental luxury so much vaunted by poets4 ,wine1 though abominated by the ,moslem1 flowed in profusion4 ,excellent ,bordeaux1 ,champagne1 ,madeira1 c41 was freely passed round and quaffed with gusto1 to the number1 ,i should say1 of several gross of bottles4 ,the children of the ,crescent drank as freely as ourselves4 ,the sheep and lambs1 dressed up whole1 were placed upon the table1 and every guest helped himself la ,turque4 ,the meat was pulled from the animal by the ,hadji ,bachi1 with his fingers1 in presence of the company1 placed in a large dish1 and handed round to the gourmets1 who also helped themselves with their fingers4 ,the lamb was admirable2 an ,apicius would have gone to ,turkey to dine1 had he known such delicacies were to be obtained there4 ,that worthy left ,rome in a vessel1 specially chartered by him1 to go to ,greece1 in order to obtain some crayfish rumoured to be larger than any ,rome could produce4 ,on arriving1 he found they were only the same4 ,he asked the fisherman1 who had been some time expecting him1 8,have you never caught larger crayfish than that80 8,no1 signor1 never60 was the reply4 ,rubbing his hands with delight1 he ordered the captain to sail back at once1 saying1 8,i have left some at home larger than these1 and they will be spoiled if the wind is not in our favour40#ag ,the other dishes were eaten in the ,european fashion1 with knives and forks4 ,the fte was under the management of a gentleman ,i had the pleasure of knowing well1 ,mr4 ,ralli1 a large proprietor at ,kadikoi and a ,greek merchant1 who1 to oblige the ,pacha1 took upon himself all the responsibility of carrying out his excellency's liberal ideas4 ,london1 or even ,paris1 could not have produced more effect or given more clat to the entertainment1 though1 of course1 in a different style4 ,healths were proposed1 and toasts given4 ,the speeches were short1 but to the purpose4 ,the music was very original2 the fireworks were extremely bad1 and the illuminations very tenebrous4 ,names of ,guests at the ,dinner given by the ,pacha of ,scutari4--,brigadier-,general ,lord ,william ,paulet2 ,hon4 ,captain ,macdonald2 ,captain ,seager2 ,major ,sillery2 ,major ,morris2 ,dr4 ,rowdon1 civil surgeon1 late professor of anatomy at ,middlesex ,hospital2 ,w4 ,heaton1 ,esq41 medical staff2 ,richard ,ambler1 ,esq42 ,j4 ,s4 ,robertson1 ,esq41 purveyor-general to the forces2 ,rev4 ,george ,lawless1 senior chaplain2 ,rev4 ,hugh ,drennan1 chaplain2 ,rev4 ,w4 ,fergusson1 chaplain2--,hawkes1 ,esq41 barrister-at-law2 ,eustatio ,s4 ,ralli1 ,esq41 sen41 ,greek merchant2 ,etienne ,eustatio ,ralli1 jun41 ,esq42--,dixon1 ,esq41 first-class interpreter to ,lord ,william ,paulet2#ah ,monsieur ,soyer1 c4 c4 ,indisposition prevented the attendance of his ,excellency ,omer ,pacha4 ,after five hours of eating and drinking1 we returned thanks to our illustrious host1 and rose to retire4 ,he accompanied us as far as his ,scutari residence4 ,the evening was very dark1 and the horses were mixed together1 so that we had some trouble in finding our own4 ,at length we started4 ,i was the last to quit his pachaship4 ,as ,i lived in ,cambridge-street1 ,i was a near neighbour of his1 and he kindly escorted me to my door1 followed by his men bearing lanterns4 ,he would not leave me till the door was opened1 and ,i had entered the house4 ,we then parted1 and ,i shall never forget the generous reception ,i received from our worthy ,mussulman ally1 the governor of ,asia ,minor4 ,before my departure1 ,i took ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 ,dr4 ,cumming1 ,mr4 ,robertson1 and ,miss ,nightingale's orders1 which were numerous2 said farewell to all1 and left everything in a most satisfactory state4 ,i requested ,sergeant ,thompson to send me a weekly report of the proceedings in the kitchens at the various hospitals4 ,mr4 ,robertson1 the purveyor-in-chief1 also promised to keep a sharp look-out himself1 and acquaint me with anything important which might occur4 ,i spent a few days with ,dr4 ,humphrey at ,kululee ,hospital1 then under the admirable management of ,miss ,e4 ,hutton and the ,sisters of ,charity4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,bracebridge1 after exerting themselves to the utmost1 during the hardest time of all1 in the ,scutari hospitals1 had left for ,england3 important family affairs1 ,i believe1 required their presence at home4 ,miss ,nightingale had quite recovered2 and she proposed to visit the ,crimea again in less than a month1 and had requested me to attend to various matters before she arrived4 ,of these1 as they were numerous1 ,i made a list1 saying1 8,i shall be happy to attend to your commissions even if you tripled the number40 ,as my twelve field-stoves had been sent to the ,crimea1 ,i knew that my time would be principally taken up by field-cookery1 and that ,i should only be able to give a casual look through the various hospitals4 ,i was anxious to obtain an insight into the culinary arrangements and system of management in the ,french hospitals4 ,this ,i effected by the aid of ,dr4 ,pincoff1 who had frequently brought ,french doctors to visit my kitchens1 and taste my new diets--of which they seemed to approve4 ,some of them would say1 8,they are too good and expensive for our hospital20 others1 8,your diets are excellent2 but our soldiers would not like them1 not being used to that kind of food40 ,this1 probably1 might at the commencement have been the case2 but a man soon gets accustomed to a good thing4 ,i had tried this upon several hundred ,english soldiers1 who never refused it1 but1 on the contrary1 did not like to return to the old system of diets4 ,i had not the slightest doubt they would like the change1 but it could not be effected4 ,at all events1 this increased my curiosity4 ,dr4 ,pincoff1 a friend1 and myself1 determined to go at six o'clock in the morning 7the time of their first rounds7 to visit the ,great ,hospital of ,pera4 ,this early hour of visiting patients ,i cannot but give my disapproval of1 as it is the time they are likely to repose1 or at all events feel more languid than any other part of the night2 which disturbance reminds me of the anxious servant1 who being requested by his master to awake him at an early hour1 knocked at his room-door four or five times during the night to apprise him of the number of hours he had left for sleep4 ,indeed1 even more than this1 they actually ask the patients1 at that early hour1 what they would like for dinner8--the patient1 instead of the doctor1 prescribing4 ,we arrived at half-past five ,a4,m41 through a burning sun1 which ,i consider1 at that hour and that time of year1 more oppressive in the ,east than at ten1 eleven1 or even twelve in the day1 when the sea-breeze refreshes the ,oriental atmosphere4 ,we were immediately introduced to the medical gentleman on duty1 who had just commenced his rounds4 ,he was attended by two orderlies and a ,sister of ,charity2 one of the former carried a tray1 upon which the ,sister seemed to have placed articles of food belonging to her department3 she was also noting down on a tablet the orders of the doctor as to a few articles of extra diet4 ,we watched the proceedings closely1 which lasted nearly an hour3 each doctor had two wards to attend1 and each ward contained about sixty patients4 ,having made several remarks on the various subjects to the doctor1 and thanked him for his attention1 ,i promised to forward him a book of the new dietaries ,i had so successfully introduced in the hospital at ,scutari4 ,though far from anticipating that any eminent member of the ,french faculty would change his system1 and adopt mine in preference to the ,french medical rgime1 still1 as ,i have learnt a great deal from the system pursued in the ,french hospitals1 ,i should feel very proud if any of my receipts proved acceptable4 ,in fact1 ,i should be delighted to show my gratitude for the generous reception afforded me when ,i applied for leave to visit the ,french hospitals upon my passage through ,france on my way to the ,crimea4 ,the order with which all was carried on was admirable4 ,without the slightest intention of making myself officious in this matter1 ,i cannot help remarking1 that the broths and tisanes given to the patients were rather of a thinnish nature1 and given in much larger quantities than by the ,english doctors to patients affected with similar diseases2--my opinion on the subject being1 that for the man who has lived too well1 a close and light diet is most beneficial1 his blood being too rich2 while the debilitated soldier's blood requires regenerating3 which caused me to submit succulent diets for dysentery and diarrha1 and cooling ones for fever4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,my ,,second ,,trip ,,to ,,the ,,crimea4 ,off in the ,ottawa--,a calm in the ,bosphorus--,deceitful appearances--,captain ,bone--,fellow-passengers--,a concert in the ,black ,sea--,intrepidity of ,p4 ,m4--,my ,zouave--,harmony in my culinary troop--,a tremendous crash--,change of scene--,alarm of ,p4 ,m4--,a bad passage--,a fit of the blues--,reflections--,visits--,fresh faces--,off to the ,camp--,colonel ,steele--,a note from my ,zouave--,french head-quarters--,the lost found--,standing treat--,the cantinire--,return to the ,ottawa--,bornet's excuses--,la petite ,mre ,jouvin--,effects of enthusiasm--,character of the ,zouaves--,remove to the ,baraguay d',hilliers4 ,two days later1 ,i and my people started on board the ,ottawa4 ,the day of our departure was magnificently fine2 the ,bosphorus and ,black ,sea looked like a sheet of glass4 ,i remarked to the captain1 8,one might cross the ,black ,sea in a caique40 8,yes10 he replied1 8in its present state2 but who knows how soon we may have it dancing mountains high8 ,i have seen it so before2 and where would you be with your caique then1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 8,of course1 you are right1 captain2 but ,i suppose it is not often thus at this time of the year40 8,even at this time of year1 ,i should be sorry to be one of the caidjees40 ,captain ,bone was a very agreeable man--high-bred--educated at ,oxford--well stored with bons-mots and good anecdotes--always laughing at other people's jokes as well as his own--very severe on deck and very funny with his friends4 ,he kept a good cook1 and therefore a good table1 looking sharply after it himself--spending1 probably1 no more money than other captains1 but faring better--very anxious to please his passengers--and at all times very liberal4 ,the proverb says1 8,speak of a man as you find him20 and in this manner ,i speak of the worthy captain4 ,the ship was very full1 especially of recovered invalids from ,scutari4 ,numbers of doctors from ,rankioi and ,smyrna were on board1 on their way to the ,crimea1 where their services were required4 ,i had engaged a young ,sardinian named ,antonio1 a good-looking youth with a very good voice4 ,as the evening was fine1 he and my ,zouave began singing1 which they did admirably1 every one joining in chorus4 ,thus we spent a delightful soire on the bosom of the ,black ,sea4 ,p4 ,m41 who by this time was becoming quite a brave man1 still formed part of my suite4 ,that gentleman's intrepidity was such1 that no one could prevent him from facing at all times the most animated fire--,i mean the fire of a short pipe or a long cigar4 ,my ,zouave was everywhere about the vessel1 which did not seem large enough for him and his four horses4 ,i at last quieted him1 by requesting he would think of nothing while on board but eating and drinking moderately1 as well as singing a song at night when ,i required it4 ,he promised faithfully not to throw my ,armenian groom overboard1 nor to smash the brains of my ,italian servant ,antonio1 but to live like a ,christian1 in good fellowship with all1 and sing when ,i pleased4 ,one of my cooks1 named ,jean1 an ,albanian1 while quarrelling1 had threatened to cut another1 named ,victor1 into four pieces1 and throw them into a pickle-tub4 ,he also gave up this professional job4 ,they all shook hands1 and the greatest harmony appeared to reign in my culinary troop4 ,my secretary1 ,t4 ,g41 a gentleman of colour1 now accompanied me for the second time to the ,crimea2 and the contrast presented by us1 myself being equipped in an ,oriental costume1 ,t4 ,g4 clothed in white1 and my ,zouave rigged in full feather1 was very great2 and my suite always created a sensation throughout the camp1 more especially when accompanied by the invincible ,p4 ,m41 who was attired in nankeen1 a very peculiar style1 he being an extensive patronizer of the eminent firm of ,messrs4 ,nicoll4 ,all on board the ,ottawa had for some time retired to their berths4 ,i can seldom sleep at sea2 so ,i was sitting on deck1 smoking my cigar1 now and then addressing a word to the man at the wheel and the second mate4 ,we praised the fineness of the weather3 the upper deck was as steady as a drawing-room floor1 and the ocean seemed to belong to us alone4 ,it was nearly one o'clock1 and ,morpheus1 who generally deserts me on such occasions1 stole upon me softly like a zephyr4 ,i felt inclined to submit1 and went below to lie down4 ,wrapped in deep repose1 ,i seemed to quit this world of realities1 and to wander in the regions of dream-land4 ,this continued till seven in the morning1 when a tremendous crash awoke me suddenly1 and ,i perceived that we were dancing mountains high4 ,the crash was caused by two glasses and a bottle of soda-water1 belonging to my companion ,p4 ,m4 in the upper berth4 ,they had been left upon the wash-hand stand2 both glasses were smashed1 and the bottle broken1 with a tremendous report1 making me fear that in the night we had1 by mistake1 approached too near to ,sebastopol1 and were being fired into by the batteries4 ,turning round1 ,i perceived the supposed enemy on the cabin floor in a fearful state of dilapidation--the bottom of the soda-water bottle rolling to and fro1 according to the will of the waves1 which1 it appeared1 had risen to that pitch in an incredibly short space of time--a thing common enough in the ,euxine1 or ,black ,sea4 8,good heavens60 exclaimed ,p4 ,m41 8where are we80 8,don't be alarmed10 said ,i4 8,we are under fire2 every man to his gun2 so let us go up on deck and fight like ,britons40 8,the devil we are6 ,oh dear1 ,i can't fight1 ,i am so sick40 8,then you must swim or sink40 ,in less than a minute he rushed from the cabin1 and concealed himself under the large dinner-table4 ,as ,i was dressed1 ,i went upon deck4 8,at half-past five10 said the mate on duty1 8it began to rain1 and the wind suddenly changed4 ,at seven o'clock1 a gust of wind actually bent the sails across the yards1 taking us dead aback2 and in less than an hour1 the sea rose to the state you see it in now40 ,the captain1 who was giving his orders from the crossbridge1 called out to me1 laughing1 8,well1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 where is your caique now8 ,are you ready for your breakfast80 ,of course ,i was1 though ,i could not boast of having much appetite4 ,the remaining part of the passage was very rough4 ,the ,ottawa rolled very much1 having1 if ,i recollect right1 shot and shell for ballast4 ,the contrast afforded by the sudden change from the calm of the previous day1 no doubt caused us to feel its effects the more4 ,at all events1 we arrived in due time quite safe4 ,an unexpected bad passage at all times makes everybody feel uneasy and low-spirited4 ,the nearer ,i approached ,balaklava1 the more uneasy ,i felt4 ,a kind of melancholy had come over me1 and my feelings were so indescribable1 that while we were entering the harbour of ,balaklava1 ,i was surprised to see the sun shining over that picturesque spot1 and traffic going on as usual4 ,instead of a lugubrious veil hanging over the whole fleet1 all was going on pretty much in the same manner as when ,i had left4 ,even nature seemed to have smiled upon the hills1 valleys1 and mountains1 which were gayer than before4 ,such a scene caused me to breathe more freely4 ,i felt that the noble departed1 who but a few days before were in enjoyment of health1 honour1 power1 and rank1 had been removed by their gracious ,creator1 and therefore1 though ,lord ,raglan1 ,admiral ,boxer1 ,sir ,j4 ,campbell1 ,general ,estcourt1 and numbers of other great men1 had been called away during my short absence1 they were only summoned from this world--so1 at least1 we are bound to believe--to fulfil their mission in another and a better sphere4 ,on the day of our arrival1 ,i paid my respects to several great personages1 who1 on account of the sad events before mentioned1 were mostly new-comers1 although they knew me either personally or by name4 ,it was like beginning my mission afresh1 making it not only very painful as far as feelings went1 but also difficult4 ,it was something like being compelled to build an edifice which had fallen to the ground when near its completion4 ,such were my feelings upon my arrival on my second visit to the ,crimea4 ,as ,i could only remain a couple of days on board the ,ottawa1 as she was to return immediately to ,constantinople1 ,i employed my time in settling my plan of campaign4 ,first of all1 ,i paid my respects to ,admiral ,freemantle1 on board the ,leander1 and ,i was very kindly received4 ,next ,i went to ,sir ,george ,maclean1 the new ,commissary-,general2 and a more amiable gentleman ,i did not meet during my mission in the ,crimea4 ,he informed me that the dry vegetables from ,messrs4 ,chollet had arrived1 and that some had already been issued to the troops1 and were highly approved of4 ,i requested an order to go and inspect them in the stores1 with which ,i was immediately favoured4 ,having executed all ,miss ,nightingale's commissions1 as well as others1 the next morning ,i started early for head-quarters1 and arrived there about nine4 ,much important business was going on at the time4 ,a number of horses1 foaming with perspiration1 were in the yard1 the despatch-riders having no doubt quite forgotten that the success which attended their mission was owing to their poor quadrupeds4 ,i was at once received by ,colonel ,steele1 who was much pleased to see me4 ,after expressing our regret at the lamentable events which had occurred since our last meeting1 we entered upon business4 8,well1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said the colonel1 8if you like to wait1 you can see ,general ,simpson2 but1 as to-morrow is ,sunday1 he will be able to grant you a longer interview4 ,to-day he could not spare ten minutes40 8,much obliged1 colonel10 ,i replied2 8and ,i will not fail to be here to-morrow at ten1 as you advise40 8,very well1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 ,i shall be here1 and happy to see you40 ,my ,zouave1 whom ,i had brought with me1 had disappeared1 leaving word with the man at the entrance-hall that he would return in ten minutes1 but that he could not resist paying a visit to his old comrades1 who were encamped that day at the ,french head-quarters4 ,he was en petit costume1 as ,i did not wish him to attract too much attention4 ,i expected1 when ,i learnt he had gone1 that the ten minutes would be doubled and tripled1 and probably extend to hours3 ,i therefore made up my mind to go about my business in the different hospitals and regiments4 ,first of all1 ,i visited ,dr4 ,hall1 the authorities1 and my friends round head-quarters4 ,in the afternoon ,i returned1 but no ,zouave had been seen4 ,a note was handed to me by the canteen-man1 worded thus3-- ,,my ,,dear ,,governor1--,your humble servant1 ,bornet the ,zouave1 is half drunk1 and will feel much obliged if you will allow him to get quite so4 ,he has met with a few old comrades1 who very likely will not last much longer than the others who have died for their country4 ,upon receipt of this1 having nothing better to do1 ,i started for the ,french head-quarters4 ,i soon found the regiment4 ,this was not enough--,i wanted my man4 ,my next inquiry was for the canteen1 quite sure that the cantinire1 whether blonde or brunette1 no matter which1 would have heard of him4 ,it turned out as ,i had anticipated1 and1 not giving me time to ask twice1 she said1 8,yes1 ,monsieur1 he is here--the dear fellow60 ,and so he was1 fast asleep4 ,he no sooner awoke and saw me1 than he came and apologized1 seemingly almost sober4 ,i say seemingly1 for all at once he began to sing and dance like a madman1 harmoniously introducing me to his friends1 whom ,i had the pleasure of shaking cordially by the hand4 ,some of these recollected my former visit1 so ,i begged of them to sit down4 ,at the same time ,i offered them something to drink4 ,the liquid material--viz41 two quarts of wine and one of rum--with tin cups1 was brought1 and the ,french and ,jamaica nectar was poured out1 with a certain elegance and graceful smile1 by the ,crimean ,bacchante1 to these reckless children of ,mars4 ,in a short time many of them had fallen in the dreadful struggle4 ,they were enfans perdus1 and were all singing different tunes and dancing different steps4 ,the cantinire was elegantly dressed in her ,zouave uniform1 ready for starting to the trenches3 she wore a red gown1 and trousers of the same material1 a jacket like that worn by the men1 and a red fez cap with a long tassel4 ,she carried a stoup full of spirits1 a large basket of provisions1 and followed her companions like a trooper4 ,the ,zouaves gave me a pressing invitation to go and see them perform1 which ,i promised to do that day week4 ,they were perfectly satisfied1 though ,i was not at all1 with my ,zouave1 ,bornet4 ,as he was not fit to follow me1 ,i gave him up1 and1 after seeing his horse right and him wrong1 ,i left him1 and started alone for ,balaklava1 returning in solemn solitude to my nautical home--the ,ottawa4 ,at six the next morning he was on board1 busily engaged preparing for our departure1 so soon as a spot could be selected in the camp for us to pitch our tents4 ,the horses were landed1 and my military pupils sent to different quarters1 and set to work cooking4 ,i retained three with me for the opening of my field-kitchens4 ,as ,i approached my deserter1 the ,zouave1 in order to reprimand him for his conduct the preceding day1 he remarked1 by way of apology1 8,i know1 mon cher governor1 what you are going to say--that is1 if ,i play you any more such tricks1 you will not keep me1 as we agreed when you engaged me40 8,certainly not10 said ,i4 8,we will begin fresh to-day2 but yesterday1 you see1 governor1 the temptation was too strong for me4 ,when ,i saw my old comrades ,riflard and ,franc ,chatbeau1 ,panaudet1 et la cantinire--,beni ,zoug ,zoug--des vieux amis de la tente1 with whom ,i had braved all dangers1 and so few of us left--not more than fourteen or fifteen of our company--why1 voyez-vous1 it carried me away1 and ,i could not help standing the picton 7which means something to drink71 like a ,frenchman and a man4 ,and what a fine lass la petite ,mre ,jouvin is6 ,don't she look well in her ,zouave dress80 8,certainly1 but did she go to the trenches80 8,of course she did4 ,she was on duty last night4 ,her husband goes one night1 and she the other40 8,did you see her this morning80 8,i did4 ,the darling had just returned for more liquor4 ,she told me they had a kind of sortie1 and for twenty minutes were peppering one another like fun1 and no mistake4 ,rabbit-shooting1 governor--rabbit-shooting6 ,we lost about seventeen men1 besides the wounded4 ,but that's nothing4 ,last year ,i saw three times as many knocked over in a sort of skirmish which only lasted ten minutes4 ,we were half frozen and partly starved2 and hundreds were found dead or nearly frozen1 lying under shelter of those who had been shot1 endeavouring to warm themselves before the bodies got cool40 8,pray1 ,bornet1 don't recall those things to my mind3 they are too painful2 but1 after all1 are only the chances of war1 and must be endured40 8,well1 governor10 said he1 while cording a large box1 8you have gained the esteem of the #crd ,zouaves2 and should you require the services of the whole regiment1 could it be spared1 you would have them1 including la petite ,mre ,jouvin40 ,in uttering the last word he gave an extra pull at the rope1 which caused it to break1 and bang went my ,zouave flat upon his back4 ,a general laugh was heard upon deck4 ,he picked himself up quickly1 and1 rubbing his back1 said1 8,by the explosion of a thousand shells1 here is a stunning piece of straw40 ,a gentleman present asked him if he had hurt himself4 8,very well10 he replied1 being all the ,english he knew1 except 8yes0 and 8no40 ,seeing everybody laugh1 he went on working at the box1 and singing his favourite refrain-- ,j'aime le vin1 l'amour et la gat1 ,les plaisirs1 la gloire1 ,et je suis1 sans vanit1 ,l'enfant de la gat4 ,i perceived some spots of blood on his shirt-sleeve1 and pointed them out to him4 8,oh10 said he1 8that's no novelty4 ,i've seen a sample of my blood before this1 many times40 ,on pulling up his sleeve1 we found a deep scratch in his arm1 from which the blood flowed pretty freely4 8,you had better have it attended to10 said ,i4 8,bah6 bah6 nonsense6 ,we ,zouaves never trouble any one1 particularly the doctor1 about such trifles4 ,be kind enough to tie my pocket-handkerchief round it40 ,this done1 he kept at his work4 ,thus ,i discovered the determined character of these wild soldiers4 ,they made up their minds to care for nothing--were ready either to fight or sing--be out all night without sleep1 or comfortable under their tents--were content with much to eat and drink1 or little--but so long as they had sufficient to sustain life1 be gay1 or at least appear so--never making a direct complaint1 whatever might happen to them4 ,in fact1 though ,french soldiers like the rest of the army1 they had created themselves a body of invincibles1 and a company of very odd fellows1 who would at all times much prefer robbing a man to wronging him2 this being one of their mottoes3--8,nous aimons mieux voler que faire du tort40 ,all on board the ,ottawa was bustle and confusion4 ,although not half unloaded1 they were receiving the sick1 expecting to sail the same evening4 ,we were busy removing to the ,baraguay d',hilliers4 ,she was a transport1 and full of hospital provisions4 ,captain ,heath advised me to select her1 as she was the vessel likely to remain the longest in harbour1 and ,i should require a pied terre in ,balaklava4 ,under the direction of my ,zouave1 all our luggage was soon put on board2 and about ten o'clock he was in full dress1 it being ,sunday4 ,the horses were ready1 and we started for head-quarters4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,camp ,,life ,,at ,,head-,,quarters4 ,off to head-quarters--,a sensation--,mrs4 ,seacole's salutation--,general ,simpson--,an interview--,plans--,invitation to dinner--,bread-biscuits--,prescribe for the ,general--,general ,eyre--,sir ,john ,jones--,the ,staff--,conversation--,a remarkable case--,the ,guards' camp--,return from a funeral--,colonel ,seymour--,dinner at ,general ,simpson's--,a ,crimean banquet--,arrival of despatches--,a great battle expected--,excitement of my ,zouave--,a false alarm--,my stoves in use--,success of the plan--,economical cooking stove for all classes--,interview with ,sir ,colin ,campbell--,battle of the ,tchernaya--,ride with ,lord ,rokeby--,colonel ,seymour recognised at last--,wounded from the ,tchernaya--,timely succour--,case of two ,french soldiers--,visit to the battle-field--,bornet's indignation--,delay--,opening day fixed--,final preparations4 ,as ,bornet was a dashing cavalier and a very good horseman1 he created quite a sensation in ,kadikoi1 and upon our arrival before the ,sardinian head-quarters1 ,general della ,marmora and ,staff came upon the balcony to look at him4 ,he saluted the general1 who appeared much surprised to see a ,zouave on horseback in my suite1 and not wearing the exact costume of that corps1 as ,i had made some stylish improvement in it1 in order to distinguish him from the common soldiers4 ,as ,i had to see ,general ,simpson about eleven o'clock1 off we went at full gallop1 being rather short of time4 ,mrs4 ,seacole1 who was at her door with her daughter ,sarah1 had only time to call out1 8,go it1 my sons60 as we rattled past the house4 ,we arrived in due time1 and ,i saw ,colonel ,steele1 who told me that ,general ,simpson would be happy to receive me directly1 and at once conducted me to his audience-chamber4 ,the new ,commander-in-chief rose politely as ,i entered1 shook me by the hand1 and invited me to be seated4 ,i had previously left a letter for him from ,lord ,william ,paulet respecting my mission1 and ,i showed two ,i had received from the ,war-office1 in which the ,minister-at-,war expressed in flattering terms his approbation of them4 ,after the usual compliments of a first interview1 ,general ,simpson told me that he had read the letter with great interest1 and would give me all the assistance in his power to enable me to carry out my project1 which was1 first1 to make a trial before the ,commander-in-chief1 the generals and officers of the army1 ,dr4 ,hall1 c4 c4 ,if on that occasion my new system was approved of1 it was my intention to introduce the same for the benefit of the army at large4 ,to this ,general ,simpson gave his assent1 saying1 8,you have only1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 to tell me what you require40 8,first of all1 general1 that you should select a spot where the trial can take place1 and name a regiment with which ,i can begin40 8,you will require a building for your kitchen40 8,not at all1 general--no masons1 carpenters1 nor engineers4 ,my stoves are adapted for the open air1 to cook in all weathers1 and to follow the army40 8,i am aware of that1 as ,i saw the model when you were here last40 8,exactly4 ,all ,i shall require will be three bell-tents for myself and assistants1 as ,i must reside in the camp40 8,very well2 ,i will give orders to that effect40 8,i would also recommend you to select a regiment near head-quarters for your own convenience in visiting and watching the progress of the kitchens40 8,i think the ,guards in the ,first ,division will suit our purpose best4 ,do you know where they are80 8,i do2 but perhaps you will be kind enough to send some official with me to select the spot40 8,we will ride over this afternoon4 ,you had better dine with us this evening4 ,you know the greater part of the gentlemen of my ,staff2 and those you do not1 know you40 8,many thanks1 general1 for your kind invitation1 which ,i accept with the greatest pleasure40 8,have you anything in that parcel to show me80 8,yes2 one of my new bread-biscuits1 which ,i wish you to taste40 ,on opening the parcel1 he took it out1 saying1 8,lord bless you6 this will be too hard for my teeth40 8,not so hard as you think4 ,it is much softer than the ordinary biscuit which it is intended to replace4 ,at any rate1 it may be issued in turn1 and will afford an excellent change for the troops4 ,i have kept some above three months1 and they are quite good4 ,the ,duke of ,newcastle tasted one of them1 and was much pleased with it40 ,having broken a piece off and tasted it1 the general partook of some and found it very good1 though not nearly so hard as he anticipated4 ,he declared that it was much more palatable than the common biscuit1 and that he quite enjoyed it4 ,general ,simpson was at that time very unwell1 and he seldom ate anything but arrowroot and biscuit soaked in boiling water4 ,i tasted some of his fare1 and found it tolerably good1 but not nutritive enough for a man who worked hard4 ,he informed me that he was often occupied eight or ten hours a day writing4 ,as his complaint was diarrha1 ,i proposed boiling some plain rice after the receipt given in ,addenda1 which was at all times so much approved of by the doctors4 ,this ,i did the next day4 ,the general took a great deal of bodily exercise in the camp and in the trenches4 ,on quitting ,general ,simpson1 ,i paid my respects to ,general ,eyre1 with whom ,i had some business to transact4 ,he was then at the head of the ,ordnance ,office1 and ,general ,simpson had referred me to him for all ,i might require from that department4 ,the general gave me a very kind reception1 and granted all that ,i required4 ,having two hours to spare1 ,i made up my mind to go to the ,french camp or head-quarters4 ,i had not had the pleasure of seeing ,general ,pelissier since he received the appointment of ,commander-in-chief4 ,as ,i was going out1 ,i met ,general ,jones1 the engineer4 8,do you recollect1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 where we met last80 ,aware that the ,general--now ,sir ,john ,jones--was the siege and trench engineer1 ,i thought that he referred to my wild expedition when ,i lost my way in the blood-stained labyrinth4 ,i was1 however1 quite mistaken4 ,he informed me that it was in ,ireland1 when ,i opened my kitchens in the year #ahdg4 ,i then recollected the circumstance1 as ,i had myself shown him round the kitchens1 and explained the method and the process of cooking by steam for ten thousand people1 if required1 with only one furnace1 and by means of steam-pipes connected with a double boiler--a plan1 ,i believe1 still in use in many large governmental and civil institutions4#ai ,i gave ,sir ,john to understand what great pleasure it afforded me to hear of such reminiscences1 and inquired if he intended to go for a ride as far as the ,first ,division4 8,no1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said he1 8,i don't think ,i can4 ,in fact1 ,i have to be in the trenches1 where ,i shall be happy to see you when you have fixed upon the spot for your field-kitchens40 8,i thank you1 general1 for your kind invitation1 but would rather see you out of them1 and a good distance off1 particularly as a person is more exposed to the fire of the enemy on entering or leaving than when inside40 ,finding that ,i had hardly time to go as far as the ,french head-quarters1 ,i went to the kitchen and inquired what there was for dinner4 ,the chef was named ,nicolo1 and had lived with ,sir ,george ,brown4 ,the horses were at the door in readiness for the general4 ,all the ,staff were in attendance before the house1 some sitting on the steps1 others standing4 ,among them were ,generals ,barnard and ,airey1 ,colonels ,steele and ,blane1 ,captains ,colville1 ,lindsay1 c41 with whom ,i conversed upon various matters1 especially upon my long stay at the ,reform ,club4 ,general ,barnard1 as usual1 was very talkative and witty4 ,when ,colonel ,steele saw ,general ,simpson coming1 he called to me to mount1 and a few minutes after we set off to the ,first ,division4 ,on our way1 we conversed upon various topics1 particularly respecting a poor fellow named ,harvey1 who had been shot in his tent during the night4 ,a ball from one of the enemy's long-rangers had fractured both his legs1 and he died a few hours after receiving the wound4 ,the most remarkable part of the occurrence1 as ,i told the ,general1 was this3--,the person who usually occupied the spot got drunk the night before1 and was put in the guard-house3 this saved his life4 ,the ball made a hole about two feet deep at the very spot where he generally slept1 every inch of room being turned to account in the tents4 ,he must have been smashed to atoms1 had he been there4 ,the man who was killed had his legs close to this spot1 and the shot falling in a slanting direction1 cut them both off4 ,the general said he had heard that a man had been killed during the night1 but that he was not aware of the circumstances4 8,on my way to the ,general ,hospital10 ,i continued1 8in the morning1 ,i saw the tent and the place where the cannon-ball fell4 ,i have the piece of canvas the shot passed through2 it was given me by ,dr4 ,taylor of the ,third ,division1 who took me to see it4 ,it bears the name of the man killed and the date of the accident4 ,the doctor1 after cutting out the piece which was hanging to the tent1 wrote the particulars upon it himself4 ,i will show it to you this evening1 general4 ,my man has the relic with him40 ,some officers came and conversed with the general for a short time while we were before the ,guards' camp4 ,on the esplanade the men were parading for the trenches2 there might have been four companies4 ,the general spoke to the commanding officers1 and they all started4 ,a detachment of the ,scots ,fusiliers1 headed by a band of music playing a lively tune1 were returning from the funeral of one of their officers4 ,this scene made a singular impression upon me4 ,i was1 in the first place1 struck at seeing those fine fellows going1 some probably to their doom--for who could tell how many would get back safely8--and in the second place1 at the sight of the return of the funeral1 playing such a joyous strain4 ,this ,i learned1 upon inquiry1 was always the case after interring the corpse and leaving the cemetery4 ,one company had not started for the trenches4 ,it was commanded by ,colonel ,seymour of the ,guards1 now aide-de-camp to ,h4,r4,h4 ,prince ,albert4 ,general ,simpson1 who had been some time talking with that officer1 said to me1 8,monsieur ,soyer1 here is ,colonel ,seymour1 who will render you any assistance you may require40 8,much obliged1 general40 8,oh10 said the colonel1 8,monsieur ,soyer and myself are old acquaintances4 ,i often paid you a visit at the ,reform ,club40 8,indeed1 colonel60 8,certainly--very often40 ,though the face was well known to me1 ,i could not for the life of me recognise the colonel1 he had such a large beard and mustachios4 ,general ,simpson then left us together1 and ,i observed that ,i should give him as little trouble as possible1 but for a short time should require all his kind assistance for the opening of my kitchen4 8,you may depend upon me1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 he said1--8that is1 if ,i return safe from the trenches40 8,i sincerely hope you may40 8,no one can tell4 ,thank ,god1 ,i have been very fortunate so far40 8,i hope that you will continue to be so40 ,we made an appointment4 ,he started on horseback at the head of his men4 ,i was introduced to numerous other officers by the general1 and afterwards by the colonel1 with many of whom ,i had the honour of being previously acquainted4 ,having selected a spot on the esplanade facing the centre avenue which divided the ,coldstreams from the ,scots ,fusiliers1 ,i returned alone to head-quarters1 it being then nearly dinner-time4 ,my ,zouave had got back from ,balaklava1 whither ,i had sent him to fetch my evening dress1 in which ,i immediately attired myself1 as dinner was upon the table4 ,we sat down about twelve in number4 ,as ,i was nearly opposite ,general ,simpson1 ,i had the opportunity of conversing with him upon various subjects4 ,for a ,crimean dinner1 it was a very good one indeed4 ,colonel ,steele and ,captain ,colville1 who were sitting next me1 attributed it to my presence1 and said that the cook--,nicolo--had certainly distinguished himself upon the occasion4 8,i am much pleased10 ,i replied1 8to be the cause of so great an improvement in the culinary department1 and hope for the future the ,commander-in-chief will avail himself of my influence by often inviting me to dine at head-quarters40 ,after dinner1 the evening passed very merrily1 and the general cordially joined in the fun1 though he seemed full of business1 leaving the table several times to write despatches in his cabinet4 ,we were smoking on the balcony at the back of the house1 facing the vineyard1 when the general returned from one of his short excursions1 and ,i showed him the piece of canvas which ,i had obtained from my ,zouave4 8,had the ball10 ,i said1 8fallen upon a stone1 or anything offering resistance1 it might have killed twenty men1 as it fell in the thickest part of the ,third ,division4 ,the deep hole it made in the tent was as polished and hard as the interior of a marble mortar4 ,this was no doubt caused by the rapid revolutions of the ball in burying itself before its force was spent4 ,i noticed this whilst looking at the cavity2 and the men who were lying in the tent were of my opinion1 and assured me that it kept making a tremendous noise for some time after its fall40 ,while we were engaged in conversation ,i believe that another despatch arrived1 for the general and some of his ,staff were called out4 ,observe1 reader1 that for a full hour the cannon and mortars had not ceased roaring throughout the camps1 continually vomiting forth death and destruction on every side2 yet every one present1 ,i as well as the rest1 appeared quite indifferent to that mournful noise4 ,we were1 however1 soon awakened by the fierce rattling of the fusillade4 ,all listened attentively1 but without moving from their seats4 ,a message from the general and fresh orders caused us to break up the party4 ,i was leaving the house1 intending to return to ,balaklava1 when ,i met ,major ,lindsey1 one of the aides-de-camp of ,general ,simpson1 entering with1 ,i believe1 another despatch4 ,he asked me where ,i was going to sleep3 ,i answered1 at ,balaklava4 8,oh1 nonsense6 don't go away4 ,we are all ordered for half-past three in the morning4 ,a great battle is expected1 as the ,russians are going to attack us upon a fresh point4 ,i will give you a plank and a blanket in my room to lie upon for an hour or so40 ,i accepted his kind offer1 and he left me4 ,when ,i informed my ,zouave of the anticipated battle1 8,by ,jove60 said he1 8,i hope they will give me a gun and sword to go and fight4 ,i shall make a busy day of it4 ,i smell powder4 ,pray1 governor1 do beg of the general to let me go with them40 ,the fellow had taken a drop too much1 and he went on like a madman--no one could check him4 ,we retired to our hospitable abode1 and ,i went to sleep2 but the mad ,zouave was anywhere and everywhere4 ,at three o'clock ,i awoke4 ,the general and his ,staff started--the cannonade was going on fiercely1 but no fusillade was heard4 ,at seven the general and all returned2 and it was1 as he said1 a false alarm4 ,my ,zouave returned at eight1 loaded with provisions1 which he told me he had borrowed of some fellows he had found fast asleep4 ,we arrived on board the ,baraguay d',hilliers about ten1 faint with fatigue and hunger1 having had no breakfast4 ,such was camp-life at head-quarters4 ,it was like swimming between life and death4 ,no one seemed to apprehend the least danger1 while a successful sortie on the part of the enemy would have placed every one's life in the greatest peril4 ,so much for the unprofitable business of war6 ,having fixed upon a spot for my kitchen1 ,i immediately sent the stoves to the camp4 ,as they happened to be close to the railway1 they arrived early the next morning4 ,in the course of the day ,i reached my field of battle1 and to my great surprise found--what8 ,why1 all my battery firing for the support of the ,highland ,brigade4 ,the stoves had arrived early enough for the men to use them in cooking their dinners4 ,though ,i had given special orders that no one should meddle with them until ,i arrived1 it gave me great pleasure to find that the men were using them to the best advantage and without instruction4 ,in the first place1 they could not possibly burn more than twenty pounds of wood in cooking for a hundred men1 instead of several hundredweight1 which was the daily consumption4 ,although ,i had not given them my receipts1 they found they could cook their rations with more ease1 and hoped they should soon have them for every-day use1 instead of the small tin camp-kettles1 and their open-air system of cooking4 ,the process was very unsatisfactory1 being dependent upon good1 bad1 or indifferent weather1 and the fuel was often wet and difficult to ignite4 ,colonel ,seymour1 whom ,i invited to see the men using the stoves without tuition from me or anybody else1 can testify to the accuracy of this fact1 having witnessed the process and interrogated them upon the subject4 ,my reason1 reader1 for relating this circumstance1 is because it afforded me an assurance that ,i could render service to the army1 and that my exertions were of some use4 ,i saw even further than that2 for ,i inferred that if a soldier1 who is not a cooking animal1 being paid for other purposes--and that talent a peculiar gift conferred in a greater or less degree upon humanity--could without trouble or instruction cook well in the open air and in all weathers1 the stoves would certainly be useful in all establishments1 from a cottage to a college4 ,i do not say anything of their use in hospitals1 because they had been tried in those establishments with full success1 as far as military cooking was concerned4 ,the idea of connecting baking1 roasting1 boiling and steaming crossed my mind2 and this1 ,i felt with confidence1 would render them beneficial and useful to the public at large4 ,this idea ,i at once communicated to the makers1 and they have already acted upon my suggestion4 ,i resolved upon my return to ,england to bring them out at as cheap a rate as possible for the use of small or large families4 ,a really useful and economical cooking stove is as much wanted in ,england as sunshine on a ,november day--a stove by which all the usual domestic cooking can be carried on1 without having recourse to bricks and mortar1 and chimney-sweeps4 ,smoky chimneys1 as well as other minor nuisances too numerous to mention1 would be thus avoided4 ,twelve pounds of coal1 or fifteen pounds of coke1 will cook for one hundred men4 8,war10 said ,i to myself1 8is the evil genius of a time2 but good food for all is a daily and a paramount necessity40 ,these reflections led to a further communication with ,messrs4 ,smith and ,phillips1 of ,snow-hill4 ,i took out a patent for the stoves4 ,this ,i did not like to do before ,i had introduced them to the ,government1 as every one would have supposed that ,i wished to make money by the patent4 ,the object of a patent1 after such a decided success1 was to secure the solidity and perfection of the article4 ,as it was difficult to make1 and certain to be badly imitated1 my reputation must have suffered4 ,instead of being expensive1 they will be sold at a reasonable price1 sufficient to repay the manufacturers1 and to leave a fair profit2 thus placing them within the reach of all--the million as well as the millionaire4 ,as the ,highlanders had already used the stoves1 ,i changed my plan1 and instead of placing them between the ,guards' camp1 thought it would be better to have them in the centre of the ,highland ,brigade1 as near as possible to ,sir ,colin ,campbell's head-quarters1 which would enable him to watch the proceedings without trouble4 ,for this purpose1 ,i went to his quarters1 and was told that the best time to see him was from eight till nine in the morning at the latest4 ,next morning ,i was on my way to the ,scotch camp by seven o'clock4 ,i saw ,colonel ,stirling1 ,sir ,colin's private secretary1 who informed me that ,sir ,colin would be happy to receive me4 ,my reception by that brave and illustrious general was highly gratifying to my feelings4 8,welcome1 ,monsieur ,soyer60 exclaimed the general1 as ,i entered his tent4 ,he shook me by the hand1 with a smile on his face which one could see came from the heart4 ,the fine long beard which then adorned his visage could only be portrayed by a ,rembrandt or a ,titian4 ,the amiable and fine qualities of that noble-hearted general1 so well known to every ,englishman1 made me feel proud of being so cordially received by one the pride of his country4 8,how are you1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 8,never better1 general10 was my answer4 8,i am happy to see you are enjoying good health40 8,thank ,god1 ,i am4 ,be seated1 and tell me what ,i can do for you40 8,i shall esteem it a great favour1 general1 if you will allow me to place my new field-stoves in your brigade1 instead of on the esplanade4 ,your men have1 unknown to me1 commenced cooking with them2 and as they already know how to use them1 ,i should prefer leaving them in their hands40 8,very well1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 select the spot1 and ,colonel ,stirling will give you all the assistance you may require40 8,thank you1 general2 but ,i must observe that this is only a trial1 and they will be removed so soon as the ,commander-in-chief has seen them in use1 and decided upon their merits40 ,after taking some refreshment1 kindly offered by the general1 ,i went to ,colonel ,stirling1 and informed him of the general's decision4 ,he promised to have everything ready to commence operations the next morning4 ,the following day ,i was out very early at the ,inkermann heights1 with a numerous party1 looking towards the ,tchernaya ,bridge4 ,it was the #afth of ,august1 the day of that memorable battle1 which does not require a description on my part4 ,from four till eight that morning ,i looked on1 and saw the retreat of the ,russians and the triumph of the ,french and ,sardinians4 ,on my return1 ,i had the pleasure of riding with ,lord ,rokeby1 who was on his way to his quarters to give some important orders4 ,i had a very interesting conversation with his lordship1 who explained the plan of the battle--how it commenced and ended1 with the probable loss on both sides4 ,he had been up all night3 reinforcements were pouring in from all directions of the ,allied camps1 with the cavalry1 then commanded by ,general ,scarlett1 as another attack was expected4 ,near ,lord ,rokeby's quarters we met ,colonel ,seymour1 who gave him a despatch1 whereupon the former immediately left us4 ,the colonel rode with me some distance1 giving me more details respecting the engagement4 ,he then remarked that ,i had not called the day before1 according to promise4 ,i told him that ,i had been detained later than ,i anticipated3 ,i also mentioned my interview with ,sir ,colin ,campbell4 ,he said-- 8,you have done well1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 but of course ,i shall not be able to do so much for you1 as ,i am in another brigade3 however1 ,i will do my utmost40 ,he then observed1 8,i believe1 though ,i was introduced to you the other day by ,general ,simpson1 you do not recollect me40 8,to be frank with you1 colonel1 ,i must acknowledge that your face is very familiar1 but ,i cannot recal where ,i had the pleasure of seeing you before40 8,you will remember me1 when ,i tell you ,i have been many times in your kitchen at the ,reform ,club4 ,do you recollect me now80 ,this explanation not having enlightened me1 he continued-- 8,it was ,i--then ,captain ,seymour--who accompanied the ,prince of ,prussia1 the ,duke of ,saxe-,coburg1 the ,grand ,duke ,michael1 the ,princess ,clementina of ,france1 and his ,royal ,highness ,prince ,albert1 whose aide-de-camp ,i was for several years40 ,it was not until he said this that ,i recalled the colonel's face1 as he had been completely metamorphosed from the drawing-room dandy to a fierce and war-worn warrior4 ,i was now much delighted to find so firm a supporter of my undertaking4 ,i could not1 however1 account for the sudden change in his appearance since ,i had seen him at the ,reform ,club4 ,i went to see ,colonel ,stirling1 though not expecting to find him or ,sir ,colin in the camp1 when1 by chance1 he returned1 having important business to transact4 ,upon seeing me1 he said-- 8,ah1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 you have selected a very glorious day for the commencement of your hostilities2 but ,i regret ,i shall not be able to assist you1 as we do not know how this affair will be decided40 8,you do not for a moment suppose1 colonel1 that ,i would intrude upon your valuable time on such an occasion8 ,having slept in camp1 ,i only called en passant4 ,good-morning1 colonel40 8,good-day1 ,soyer4 ,i would advise you to call to-morrow40 ,having given a look at my ,highlanders' cooking1 and tasted some coffee which they had prepared for breakfast according to my receipt1 ,i retired1 much pleased with their success4 ,i remained at the camp till nearly three in the afternoon4 ,about one1 a long train of mules made their appearance1 bearing wounded ,french and ,russian soldiers--the latter prisoners4 ,about twenty were wounded2 the rest followed the mournful procession4 ,assisted by a few of my men1 ,i gave them some wine1 brandy1 porter1 c4--in fact1 whatever we could get at the canteen--which seemed to afford them much relief4 ,i of course treated the wounded ,russians in the same manner as the ,french2 though two refused to take anything1 fearing poison4 ,not doubting that many more would pass1 as ,i had some provisions in a tent for the opening of my kitchens1 ,i made some sago jelly1 with wine1 calves'-foot jelly1 c41 which unfortunately was not used1 as the other prisoners went by a different road1 though taken to the ,general ,hospital at the ,french head-quarters4 ,upon leaving1 ,i ordered my men to be on the look-out1 and if any wounded or prisoners came by1 to offer them some refreshment4 ,just as ,i was going1 ,i perceived a few mules approaching the ,guards' camp4 ,as they advanced1 ,i and one of my men went towards some of the wounded with a basin of sago in hand1 saying1 this was a sort of half-way ambulance1 where they might obtain all they might require4 ,i was aware that some of the ,russian prisoners in the first convoy would not accept any refreshment1 for fear of being poisoned1 of course not knowing better4 ,the case of two poor ,french soldiers ,i cannot pass in silence4 ,one had been severely wounded in the head1 and was almost in a state of insensibility2 the other had had his leg amputated on the field of battle4 ,the first1 after taking a few spoonfuls of the hot sago1 asked for a drop of brandy1 saying he felt faint4 ,the conductor at first objected to this1 but upon my asking him to take a glass with me and the patient1 he agreed that it would do him no harm if it did him no good--adding1 that very likely he would not survive the day4 ,having mixed it with water1 he drank it1 and thanked me warmly4 ,the other was an officer4 ,after giving him some wine-jelly1 ,i conversed with him4 8,how good this jelly is60 said he1 in ,french2 8pray give me another spoonful or two1 if you have it to spare40 ,having done this1 he said that he suddenly felt very thirsty4 ,this was1 no doubt1 owing to the loss of blood4 ,i gave him some lemonade4 ,he drank above a pint1 and felt more composed1 and proceeded to the hospital1 near the ,english head-quarters4 ,i accompanied him1 and he told me that his leg had just been amputated2 and1 with tears in his eyes1 added1 in a low voice1 8,all ,i regret is1 that my military career should have ended so soon4 ,i am but thirty years of age1 and have only been two months in the ,crimea40 8,my dear friend10 ,i replied1 to cheer him1 8many thousands have done less1 and died2 but you will survive1 and be rewarded for your gallant service--you belong to a nation which can appreciate noble devotion40 8,ah60 said he1 8you have done me a deal of good1 no matter who you are2 if my life is spared1 ,i beg you will let me see or hear from you40 ,though he gave me his name1 not having my pocket-book with me1 ,i could not make a note of it4 ,some time after1 ,i visited the hospital1 in company with ,dr4 ,wyatt of the ,coldstream ,guards4 ,we learnt that the man who had been wounded in the head had died1 but that the officer whose leg had been amputated had been sent home to ,france4 ,about six in the evening1 ,i and my ,zouave visited the field of battle4 ,the sight was indeed a melancholy one4 ,the ,french and ,sardinians were busily engaged burying their dead1 as well as those of the enemy1 but were compelled to desist several times in consequence of the ,russian cannonade from the heights4 ,bornet1 my ,zouave1 perceiving that the ,russians were firing upon the ,allies while burying their dead1 got in such a towering passion1 that ,i thought he would have gone alone and taken the ,russian batteries4 ,i had great difficulty in getting him home1 for1 as ,i have before said1 the smell of gunpowder was to him like the scent of a rat to a terrier4 ,on arriving on board the ,baraguay d',hilliers1 we learnt from the captain that he was to take his departure in a few days1 at which ,i was very sorry1 not having opened my kitchen1 nor being as yet installed in the camp4 ,i applied to the harbour-master1 who advised me to choose the ,edward2 as she was a transport and laden with hospital stores1 she was likely to remain longest in harbour4 ,i was at this time busily engaged pitching my tents in the camp4 ,the opening of my kitchen was delayed in consequence of the troops being on duty at the ,tchernaya4 ,this lasted for about ten days1 when it was rumoured that ,sir ,colin ,campbell wished to remove his camp to ,kamara1 in order to be nearer the spot at which it was supposed the expected attack would take place4 ,i therefore pitched my tent on the spot ,i had at first selected4 ,the day for my opening ceremony was fixed upon by ,general ,simpson2 and my friend ,colonel ,seymour very kindly assisted me in many ways1 and even wrote letters of invitation to the colonels and officers of the different regiments4 ,i was anxious for them to give their approval or non-approval of the method4 ,two days before1 ,colonel ,seymour and myself had settled everything to our satisfaction1 and wishing to make a kind of fte champtre of the opening day1 we applied at proper quarters for a band of music1 which was granted4 ,my opening day was the one fixed upon for the distribution of the ,order of the ,bath4 ,in parting from the colonel1 he observed1 8,well1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i think we shall make a good thing of this1 unless something happens to me in the trenches to-night4 ,i am just going there40 ,these words were said in as light-hearted a manner as though he was going to a ball1 and passed from my mind as quickly4 ,the gallant colonel was then going perhaps for the hundredth time to his dangerous and uncertain duty4 ,i returned to ,balaklava for the last time previous to taking up my permanent residence at the camp4 ,i had settled all to my entire satisfaction4 ,with ,sir ,george ,maclean1 the ,commissary-,general1 ,i had arranged respecting the quantity of rations required for a certain number of men2 with ,mr4 ,fitzgerald1 the ,deputy ,purveyor-in-chief1 for the fresh meat2 and with the butcher for a supply of four ox-heads and six ox-feet1 out of the number he daily buried4 ,i placed all my people in their different stations according to merit and qualification4 ,i obtained from ,major ,mackenzie1 through the kindness of ,sir ,thomas ,eyre1 the ,ordnance ,master1 some wood and four carpenters to put up some tables and a few benches1 and ordered from ,messrs4 ,crockford1 at ,donnybrook1 a certain quantity of wines and refreshments worthy of the illustrious guests ,i was about to receive4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,my ,,great ,,field ,,day4 ,invitations--,colonel ,seymour's kindness--,he is wounded--,visit to the disabled officer--,desertions--,tents pitched at last--,a gay scene--,bill of fare--,my reception commences--,the new stoves--,process of tasting--,the fair sex--,arrival of the ,allied generals and their staff--,a luncheon al fresco--,general ,barnard's bon-mot--,inspection of the stoves--,influx of visitors--,letters from the ,allied commanders--,interview with ,sir ,edmund ,lyons--,meeting of generals--,plans discussed--,various messes--,colonel ,handcock and his lady--,a sad change--,an experiment--,colonel ,daniell's letter--,a regimental kitchen4 ,my gallant master of the ceremonies1 ,colonel ,seymour1 had kindly taken the most important part of my duty off my hands1 by inviting all the heads of the military and medical authorities1 with a great number of whom1 in consequence of my short stay in the ,crimea1 ,i was not yet1 or1 at least1 only partially acquainted4 ,i had now removed to the ,edward1 and also left her1 but still kept1 if not a pied terre 7as we say in ,french71 at least a pied sur mer1 for myself and people1 in case ,i should require to go to ,balaklava and stay there for the night4 ,this was on the #bfth of ,august1 #ahee--the #bgth was to be the opening day4 ,all my people had left for the camp1 with arms and baggage4 ,i was certain of success and without the slightest anxiety4 ,on arriving at my field of operations1 ,i learnt1 to my deep sorrow1 that my right hand1 ,colonel ,seymour1 had1 during the night1 been dangerously wounded in the trenches4 ,i immediately went to his quarters to ascertain the nature of his wound4 ,his servant told me1 that for the present no one could tell2 he had been struck by the splinter of a shell at the back of the neck1 and lost a great deal of blood4 ,the doctor then came out and informed me that the wound was not so bad as had been at first anticipated4 ,his servant announced me1 and although very weak1 the colonel begged ,i would enter his tent4 ,he was lying upon the ground upon a blanket1 covered with another1 and his military cloak over that4 ,his head was bandaged with a turban of white linen stained with blood4 ,his first words were1 8,monsieur ,soyer1 you see what has happened at last4 ,i much regret it1 as ,i shall not be able to perform my promise to you respecting your opening40 8,never mind1 colonel2 don't let us talk about that subject now1 but about yourself40 8,well10 he replied1 8the doctor has just been1 and says that the wound is not mortal1 nor even so dangerous as he at first anticipated40 8,colonel1 you want repose1 so ,i will retire40 8,there is no occasion for that1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 ,i feel strong again4 ,when ,i was struck1 ,i did not feel the wound1 and fell immediately1 remaining for some time insensible1 the wound1 as the doctor says1 having acted upon the brain40 8,don't exert yourself1 my dear colonel1 by talking4 ,thank ,god it is no worse4 ,i will go and send you some lemonade4 ,i have asked the doctor what was best for you1 and am happy to say ,i have some ice40 8,many thanks for your kind attention1 ,monsieur ,soyer40 ,i then retired4 ,upon reaching my kitchen1 ,i found that no one had yet arrived4 ,the four carpenters had left me in the lurch1 having run away in the night1 and abandoned their work1 after stealing all they could from the tents4 ,mr4 ,doyne1 the chief of the ,army ,works ,corps1 kindly supplied me with workmen1 and offered to lend me1 for a few days1 as many tents as ,i required4 ,as the weather was then intensely hot1 ,i accepted his offer1 and requested the loan of a large marquee1 under which a couple of hundred people could stand4 ,captain ,gordon lent me two smaller ones1 and by the evening they were pitched1 and my provisions had all arrived1 and my people were at their posts4 ,i much regretted that many persons of distinction were not invited1 in consequence of the unfortunate accident to ,colonel ,seymour1 which happened before he had sent out all the invitations4 ,at all events1 the day1 though fixed at hazard1 turned out extremely well adapted for the reception of a large party4 ,early in the morning the camp seemed full of life and gaiety4 ,mounted officers in full uniform might be seen rushing about in all directions2 bands were playing1 regiments filing past1 and everything bearing the appearance of a great festival4 ,i set cheerfully to work1 and1 in spite of difficulties which can only be understood by those who have been in the ,crimea1 ,i succeeded in getting all in tolerably good order for my great martial banquet al fresco4 ,i made several messes with the soldiers' rations1 and at the same expense1 though ,i had introduced sauce and ingredients which could easily be added to the army stores without increasing the cost1 thus making a nice variation in the meals1 so important to the health of a large body of men like the army or navy1 to the latter of which it is as easily applicable as the former4 ,the bill of fare consisted of plain boiled salt beef2 ditto1 with dumplings2 plain boiled salt pork2 ditto1 with peas-pudding2 stewed salt pork and beef1 with rice2 ,french pot-au-feu2 stewed fresh beef1 with potatoes2 mutton1 ditto1 with haricot beans2 ox-cheek and ox-feet soups2 ,scotch mutton-broth2 common curry1 made with fresh and salt beef4 7,see receipts in ,addenda47 ,by three o'clock my guests began to arrive4 ,the stoves were in the open air1 placed in a semicircle1 and1 though in a state of ebullition1 no one could perceive that any cooking was going on1 except on raising the lids4 ,a material point ,i had in view was that no fire should be seen when used in the trenches4 ,a common table1 made of a few boards1 and garnished with soldiers' tin plates1 iron forks and spoons1 composed my open-air dining-room4 ,about four o'clock my reception commenced4 ,lord ,rokeby1 accompanied by several ,french officers in full dress1 was the first to honour me with a visit4 ,this gave me an opportunity of fully explaining to him and his friends the plan and construction of the apparatus1 as well as its simplicity1 cleanliness1 and great economy in the consumption of fuel4 ,at the same time1 ,i showed with what ease and certainty the men could regulate the heat and prepare the new receipts--which will be found at the end of this work4 ,i must also observe1 for the information of those who only saw them upon that occasion1 that the stoves1 having been made for the ,general ,hospital1 were too large and heavy for campaigning4 ,that ,i might lose no time in making my trial before the authorities1 ,i used them upon that occasion1 as the process was the same as regards cooking in those as in the smaller ones4 ,the sole difference was in the size1 as it was understood that two would cook for a company of one hundred and twenty men1 and might be carried by one mule while on march1 with sufficient dry wood inside for the next day's cooking4 ,this was of the utmost importance1 in order to ensure the regularity of the soldier's meal1 which ought always to be ready at the minute fixed by the rules of the service4 ,thus ,i had surmounted every difficulty by the invention of this apparatus4 ,in addition to its simplicity and economy1 it had the merit of making cooks of soldiers1 of which they had previously neither the inclination nor the chance4 ,smaller stoves on the same principle were also to be provided for picket and outpost duty1 as first suggested to me by ,lord ,raglan4 ,after giving the foregoing information to my illustrious visitors1 we passed to the grand process of tasting the various messes4 ,they all gave perfect satisfaction4 ,by this time several hundred visitors had made their appearance1 and gay and animated was the scene4 ,all present were in the same costume as that in which they appeared at the grand chivalric ceremony which had taken place at head-quarters--the installation of the ,order of the ,bath4 ,i was also highly favoured1 ,i may say1 by the presence of a charming group of the fair sex1 about ten in number1 escorted by their cavaliers4 ,after taking some refreshment under the monster tent1 they came to add their charms to the martial banquet1 and taste with gusto the rough food of the brave4 ,i had nothing out of doors to offer their delicate palates but the soldiers' rations1 transmogrified in various ways4 ,my task now became extremely difficult4 ,the crowd was so great1 that my batteries were quite taken by storm 7de cuisine1 of course74 ,refreshments of all kinds were distributed pretty freely throughout the day4 ,the band in attendance was ordered to play1 and struck up 8,partant pour la ,syrie40 ,all were immediately on the qui vive1 when ,captain ,colville galloped up to me1 and said-- 8,general ,simpson has sent me to inform you that ,general ,pelissier and himself will be here in a few minutes40 ,a gorgeous cavalcade was soon seen in the distance4 ,it consisted of the ,allied ,generals and ,staff1 and a numerous suite4 ,general ,pelissier alighted from his carriage1 and joined ,general ,simpson4 ,i went and met the distinguished visitors1 who had come from head-quarters after the ceremony of the distribution of the ,order of the ,bath by ,lord ,stratford de ,redcliffe4 ,upon the arrival of the generals1 the band continued playing 8,partant pour la ,syrie40 ,the cannon of ,sebastopol appeared to redouble its roar--so much so1 that ,general ,pelissier1 with a smile1 called ,general ,simpson's attention to the fact3 added to which1 the hundreds of uniforms1 cocked hats and feathers--,french1 ,english1 and ,sardinian--gave full effect to the lively scene4 ,in course of conversation1 ,general ,simpson said1 8,monsieur ,soyer1--,lord ,stratford de ,redcliffe1 in reply to your letter1 sends his compliments1 and regrets he shall not be able to attend your opening1 as he must be on board the ,caradoc1 now lying in ,kamiesch ,bay1 by five o'clock1 on his way to ,constantinople40 ,i thanked ,general ,simpson for his kindness in troubling himself about the message1 and the review of my culinary camp1 which upon this occasion was rather extensive1 commenced4 ,it comprised four bell-tents1 one marquee1 and a large square tent1 capable of holding more than two hundred persons4 ,a luncheon al fresco was served in the camp1 and four of my cooks attended upon the guests4 ,the tops of the tents were surmounted with flags and garlands of evergreens composed of vine-leaves2 the same were also attached to the posts which supported the rope forming the limits of the enclosure1 giving to the whole a martial and lively appearance4 ,the weather was so fine that every one preferred remaining in the open air4 ,generals ,pelissier and ,simpson proceeded to taste the various articles of food4 ,the pot-au-feu1 or beef-soup1 was prepared partly from ox-heads1 which were usually buried1 instead of being used as food for the soldiers1 no doubt in consequence of the difficulty of cleaning them4 ,general ,pelissier tasted several samples of the pot-au-feu1 and1 addressing ,general ,barnard1 declared that he felt as interested in this unexpected exhibition as in the ceremony of the morning4 ,the witty ,general ,barnard replied1 8,your excellency must agree with me that this day has been remarkably well spent3 we devoted the morning to the cordon rouge1 and the afternoon to the cordon bleu40 ,general ,pelissier much enjoyed the bon-mot1 and repeated it to the officers of his ,staff1 thus creating great hilarity amongst them4 ,i requested many of my visitors to taste the different preparations1 and1 much to my satisfaction1 ,i believe almost all of them did so1 and expressed their approbation of them4 ,after pointing out the merits of the stoves to the ,commanders-in-chief1 ,i conducted them to the spot where the ,scotch ,division formerly cooked their rations in the old tin camp-kettles4 ,on our way1 ,i observed to ,general ,pelissier that ,i had visited the ,french camp-kitchens1 and found their marmites superior to the ,english4 ,the soup made by the ,french soldiers1 ,i said1 was very good4 ,at this the ,general seemed much pleased4 ,the space required for three or four regiments extended about three hundred and fifty feet in length4 ,a rough wall of loose stones had been erected by the men to form a screen1 which when the regiment moved was1 of course1 left behind4 ,the furnaces were also constructed of loose stones1 held together by iron hoops2 upon these the tin cans were placed and the rations cooked4 ,by this plan an immense quantity of wood was inevitably wasted1 and the fires were sometimes extinguished by the heavy rains4 ,my stoves completely obviated all those previously insurmountable difficulties4 ,having listened to this explanation1 the ,commanders-in-chief admitted the beneficial results and advantages of the stoves4 ,however1 ,general ,simpson observed1 that ,i1 of course1 applied the contrast to my advantage2 but also said1 it was nothing but fair1 and ,i was perfectly justified in so doing4 ,in the first place1 my stoves occupied but little room1 and cooked much better than those formerly in use4 ,the ,generals were so much pleased with them1 that before leaving the camp they wrote the annexed letters in my album4 ,the same evening ,i received one from the ,war-office1 relative to my success in the hospitals at ,scutari1 which ,i also append4 ,the ,allied ,generals remained with me above an hour4 ,this gave me an excellent opportunity of conversing with ,general ,pelissier1 who minutely described camp life in ,algeria1 after which the ,general and ,staff retired4 ,as it was then nearly seven o'clock1 a great number of officers followed4 ,no less than eight hundred or a thousand persons of distinction visited the kitchens during the day3 many were not invited1 in consequence of the unfortunate accident to ,colonel ,seymour4 ,about nine all was over1 and the band played 8,god save the ,queen40 ,nothing could have succeeded better than this opening1 a drawing of which appeared in the ,illustrated ,news of ,september #bbnd1 #ahee4 ,general ,pelissier's ,letter4 ,j'ai eu le plaisir1 le vingt-sept ,aot1 #ahee1 de visiter l'tablissement culinaire de ,monsieur ,soyer1 et j'ai t bien satisfait de ce que j'y ai vu2 j'ai t frapp surtout de l'conomie de temps et de chauffage apport dans l'alimentation des troupes4 ,les chaudires paraissent bien entendues2 j'ai tout got1 et tout1 je le reconnais1 j'ai trouv un got excellent et trs-apptissant4 ,,general ,a4 ,,pelissier4 ,illustration3 ,,opening ,,of ,,soyer',s ,,field ,,kitchen ,,before ,,sebastopol4 ,general ,simpson's ,letter4 ,,camp ,,before ,,sebastopol1 #cast ,august1 #ahee4 ,i had much pleasure in visiting ,monsieur ,soyer's field-kitchen last ,monday1 the #bgth instant4 ,i there saw several excellent soups made from ration meat1 compressed vegetables1 and other things within reach of the soldier's means1 and cooked with very little fuel4 ,i consider ,monsieur ,soyer is taking great pains in devoting his time and great talents to the good of our military service1 especially in the field1 and ,i wish him every possible success and honourable reward4 ,,james ,,simpson1 ,general ,commanding4 ,,war-,,office1 #fth ,august1 #ahee4 ,,sir1--,i am directed to acknowledge the receipt1 on the #bnd ultimo1 of your report upon the culinary department of the hospitals in the ,east2 and1 in returning the thanks of the ,secretary-at-,war1 to acquaint you1 that he recognises1 with the greatest satisfaction1 the exertions you have made and are still making for the benefit of the army in the field1 and also of the sick and wounded in the several hospitals4 ,i am1 ,sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,fred4 ,j4 ,,prescott4 ,m4 ,soyer1 ,scutari4 ,about the #eth of ,september1 ,i was at head-quarters1 when who should walk in but ,sir ,edmund ,lyons6 ,i had not had the pleasure of seeing him before1 and ,i took this opportunity of introducing myself1 and informing the ,commander of the ,british ,fleet in the ,black ,sea1 that ,i was very anxious to pay my respectful compliments to him4 ,upon this1 ,sir ,edmund ,lyons1 with the kindest feeling1 at once offered me his hand1 saying1 8,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i assure you ,i am delighted to make your acquaintance4 ,you are doing much good for our brave soldiers2 but you must not forget our worthy sailors4 ,come and see us on board the ,albert2 you will be well received and quite welcome4 ,i have heard much about your field-kitchens1 and it was only the other day ,i was reading a very important complimentary letter which ,general ,pelissier had written in their favour40 8,he did me that honour1 admiral1 and he seemed highly gratified40 8,i can assure you he was1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 for ,i heard him say so40 ,a few days after the grand opening ceremony1 a meeting took place1 by order of the ,minister-at-,war and ,general ,simpson1 to consider the possibility of supplying a pint of hot soup to the men in the trenches during the winter4 ,the meeting was held at ,lord ,rokeby's head-quarters1 on the #crd or #dth of ,september4 ,i was ordered to be present4 ,on my way there ,i had the pleasure of meeting ,general ,barnard1 who in his humorous manner addressed me thus3-- 8,hallo1 ,general ,soyer6 ,i'm not so much behind as ,i thought2 for you are only just going to the general meeting1 or the meeting of generals40 8,you are right1 general10 ,i replied4 8,thank you for the noble title you have bestowed upon me1 and at the seat of war too40 8,the fact is1 ,i understood the meeting was to be held at head-quarters1 and went half-way there1 when ,i met some officers who told me it was to be at ,lord ,rokeby's4 ,but they cannot proceed without you1 general4 ,never mind1 ,soyer1 we are only a few minutes behind time40 ,when we arrived1 the ,board was sitting4 ,sir ,colin ,campbell had sent a message1 stating that some important duties would prevent his attendance4 ,the proceedings then commenced1 and the order was read by ,general ,bentinck2 which1 as far as ,i can recollect1 was worded thus3-- ,lord ,panmure1 the ,minister-at-,war1 anxious for the comfort of the troops in the ,crimea1 is desirous that1 if possible1 every man in the trenches should be supplied with a basin of hot soup during the winter nights2 the allowance of rum to be1 in consequence1 either diminished or entirely withheld4 ,his lordship believing ,monsieur ,soyer to be still in the ,crimea1 requests the ,board to inquire of him if such would be practicable4 ,i at once replied that it could be done1 and without difficulty1 for any number of men1 by the application of my field-stoves4 ,this answer met with the general approbation of the assembled ,board4 ,i next remarked that the stoves might be placed in the trenches1 even in front of the enemy1 as not a spark of fire could be seen either by day or night while they were in use4 ,this point having been satisfactorily settled1 the question of taking away or reducing the quantity of rum was seriously debated4 ,general ,eyre was of opinion that the men would not like to part with any portion of their rum4 ,generals ,bentinck1 ,rokeby1 c41 were in favour of giving the soup as an addition1 and allowing the rum to be issued as usual4 ,it struck me that by giving only half a gill of rum the other half would almost entirely cover the expense of the soup1 if economically managed4 ,i also proposed another plan1 which was to give less rum and less than a pint of soup1 which was discussed4 ,when the inquiry was over1 ,i said--8,gentlemen1 ,i shall feel obliged if you will favour me with a visit to my field kitchen4 ,i have made several experiments in diets for you to taste1 and if you approve of them1 have no doubt1 when you know the cost1 you will be able to settle the question of supplying soup in the trenches with more certainty40 ,all present agreed1 excepting ,general ,eyre1 who was of opinion that what he as a soldier had for so many years found answer for the men1 would answer now2 nor did he see why the soldiers should live better than himself4 8,i should be very happy10 said he1 8to improve the daily food of the troops1 but do not like anything to be overdone4 ,i like judicious discipline in all things40 ,though ,i must frankly admit ,i was anything but enchanted with the general's way of thinking at first1 ,i could not but admire the latter part of his argument1 which was as sincere as it was severe4 ,several debates took place upon the subject1 and1 after a little persuasion1 ,i induced them all to come1 and taste the samples ,i had prepared for their inspection4 ,i proudly led my very select cavalcade towards my batteries1 which upon that occasion were in charge of the troops4 ,i had only given the written receipts for them to act upon1 and charged a sergeant to watch over them1 and see that the proportions in the receipts were properly attended to4 ,an infallible plan of ensuring success at all times is to appoint a man of superior grade as overlooker4 ,one to each regiment would be sufficient4 ,upon our arrival we found everything in perfect order3 the stoves were clean1 the contents properly cooked1 and the consumption of fuel four hundred per cent4 less than in the usual way4 ,only five different messes were prepared upon this occasion--viz41 ox-head soup1 stewed fresh beef1 ,scotch hodge-podge of mutton1 salt pork and beef with dumplings4 ,everything was done to perfection4 ,after carefully explaining the process to ,generals ,eyre and ,bentinck1 who were not present on the great opening day1 we sat down to test the quality of the articles4 ,a sumptuous lunch was displayed from the soldiers' rations--always excepting the ox heads1 which ,i had obtained from the butcher1 as usual1 on the eve of their funeral4 ,with these ,i made an excellent pot au feu1 enough for fifty men4 ,lord ,rokeby was so highly delighted with it1 that he recommended it to all1 and requested me to give this receipt1 as well as that for stewed beef1 to his cook--for which see ,addenda4 ,a goblet of ,marsala wine1 with a lump of ice1 terminated this martial collation under a burning sun1 and amid the everlasting roar of the bombardment of the besieged city4 ,the guests retired1 quite satisfied4 ,even ,general ,eyre1 though still adhering to his opinion that it was too good for soldiers1 and would make them lazy1 said1 8,soldiers do not require such good messes as those while campaigning40 ,at which remark the gentlemen present could not refrain from laughing4 8,well1 general10 said ,i1 8your plan has been tried1 and1 as you perceive1 has not answered4 ,i was therefore obliged to introduce a simpler style1 by which soldiers might cook with pleasure and less difficulty1 and1 having once learnt1 always will cook properly1 and with less trouble4 ,you must also observe1 general1 that it is with the same rations as before4 ,and is it not better to make a few good cooks out of an army than to have an army of bad cooks80 ,by this time the general was on his charger4 ,he said1 8,we are both right4 ,for my part1 ,i mean what ,i say3 you will improve the cook1 but spoil the soldier40 ,i then thanked them for their gracious condescension1 and they started for their several divisions1 promising to let me know their final decision4 ,amongst the military authorities who visited me that day were ,general ,scarlett and ,staff1 ,colonel ,st4 ,george1 ,colonel ,handcock and lady1 a very charming person1 and extremely merry4 ,she observed1 when ,i presented her with some champagne and ice in a large tin goblet1 as she sat upon her horse1 8,upon my word1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 champagne is better in tin cups in the ,crimea than in crystal goblets in ,england40 8,i am glad you like it1 madam4 ,shall ,i offer you another80 8,no1 ,i thank you40 8,madam would like to taste some of the men's rations10 said ,colonel ,handcock4 8,would you1 madam80 8,many thanks1 ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,i think not1 after the champagne40 ,after paying a visit to my abode1 my guests departed4 ,a few days afterwards1 ,i heard that that poor creature was plunged in the deepest sorrow4 ,upon making a chance visit1 ,i could not believe her to be the same person2 the bloom of life appeared to have suddenly deserted her laughing cheeks1 which wore a cadaverous hue4 ,such was the effect sorrow soon produced on the appearance of one usually so animated and full of mirth4 7,see page #cfh47 ,as ,i noticed that the men daily threw the fat away from their salt beef and pork1 the last of which is of first-rate quality1 ,i proposed to ,colonel ,daniell1 of the ,coldstream ,guards1 to make his men cook for his regiment1 which was agreed upon4 ,he always took great interest in the welfare of his soldiers and in my culinary proceedings1 and ,i had the honour of being acquainted with him for some years as a subscriber to benevolent institutions1 and in particular to soup-kitchens for the poor4 ,the next day the rations were brought in2 the salt beef and pork were cooked1 and a few dumplings added1 as an innovation4 ,the wood was weighed1 and twenty-seven pounds were sufficient to cook the rations for the whole regiment4 ,the meat was done to perfection1 and without trouble4 ,i begged that the sixteen cooks daily employed for the regiment might be present4 ,two would have done1 or even one1 as the water and provisions were brought by a fatigue party1 therefore fifteen men might have been spared2 and only forty-seven pounds of wood were used1 instead of one thousand seven hundred and sixty4 ,when the meat was cooked1 we skimmed off forty-two pounds of fat as white as snow1 and not black1 as was the case when cooked in the small canteen-pans with little water4 ,this spoilt the fat1 which might be used in lieu of butter on bread or biscuit4 ,to do this properly1 soak the biscuits in water for about ten minutes2 take them out1 let them dry a little2 put some fat in the pan2 when hot1 fry them as you would a piece of bacon3 a few minutes will do them4 ,when crisp1 season with salt and pepper1 if handy4 ,they make an excellent article of food4 ,for this saving and improvement1 ,colonel ,daniell1 whom ,i will back for discipline and straightforwardness of opinion against any one in the army1 gave me the following letter3-- ,,coldstream ,,guards' ,,camp1 ,,before ,,sebastopol1 ,sept41 #ahee4 ,i have this day attended ,monsieur ,soyer's course of instruction to the cooks of my battalion1 and have tasted the messes cooked and served to the men1 consisting of salt pork and beef4 ,the mode in which the salt is extracted and the meat rendered comparatively tender by the apparatus used1 the facility with which the grease is taken off and rendered serviceable for other purposes1 is admirable2 and ,i consider the arrangements relative to the small consumption of wood1 and the simplicity with which the cooking is conducted1 will1 if adopted1 tend much to the health1 comfort1 and well-being of the soldier4 ,the present size of the 8chaudrires0 being objectionable1 ,i am glad to hear from ,monsieur ,soyer that he is about to procure some of a less size4 ,the fuel consumed to-day for cooking the messes of eight companies was hardly more than on ordinary occasions is consumed by one company2 and from four hundred and twenty rations of salt pork and beef1 forty-eight pounds of excellent lard was procured1 which usually is wasted4 ,these facts alone render ,monsieur ,soyer's plan at once economical and desirable1 and ,i have great pleasure in testifying my appreciation of the manner with which he conveys instruction to the men1 in saying how highly ,i approve of his recipes and arrangements for carrying out his scheme of camp cookery4 7,signed7 ,h4 ,j4 ,,daniell1 ,col4 and ,capt4 in ,command1 ,first ,battalion ,coldstream ,guards4 ,the regiments being at that time greatly reduced1 were only #dbh strong1 therefore the weight of meat1 at one pound per man1 was #dbh pounds1 from which #db pounds of excellent fat were obtained1 much preferable for cooking purposes to the rancid butter sold in the canteens at a very high price4 ,as ,i was anxious to form a perfect regimental kitchen1 ,i proposed to ,colonel ,daniell to fit up one for his regiment4 ,his men were already well acquainted with the use of the field stoves2 and it would serve as a model for all4 ,colonel ,daniell agreed1 and in less than an hour the stoves were removed to the camp1 where they remained by sanction of the ,general-in-,chief till the end of the war4 ,at this time ,i went to head-quarters1 and urged the necessity of telegraphing an order for four hundred small field-stoves1 which order had been agreed upon in case my plan succeeded and was adopted by the authorities4 ,i also had several interviews with ,general ,airey1 upon the subject4 ,this number was sufficient for the supply of the whole of the army then in the ,crimea4 ,as there was so much business at head-quarters in consequence of the anticipated attack upon ,sebastopol1 the order was postponed for a few days4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,the ,,eighth ,,of ,,september4 ,trip to ,kamiesch--,bornet's love for war--,dangerous quarters--,arrival at ,kamiesch--,town of pasteboard--,the #hth of ,september--,orders for the assault--,carousals--,looking on--,stopped by the sentinels--,get by at last--,the batteries open fire--,the ,french flag on the ,malakhoff--,wounded men--,the officer's wife--,naval officers trying to dodge the sentries--,become my guests--,reports respecting ,general ,wyndham--,cathcart's ,hill--,the ,duke of ,newcastle--,dine with ,general ,wyndham on the day of the attack upon ,sebastopol--,sir ,john ,campbell and the ,french cook--,an excellent dinner--,rare autographs--,general ,wyndham summoned to head-quarters4 ,early on the #crd of ,september we started for ,kamiesch2 but1 as usual1 ,bornet could not forget his old trade1 and love for his fellow-soldiers4 8,governor10 said he1 8the #crd ,zouaves who were on duty in the trenches last night are on their return to camp4 ,it is eight o'clock1 and if we take this ravine we shall meet some of them1 and learn what is going on40 ,having the whole day before us1 ,i consented to go2 we took the road called the ,french ,ravine1 which led from the ,french head-quarters to the trenches before ,sebastopol4 ,the returning ,zouaves we met1 but the cannon balls also met us4 ,being in the ravine1 we were not in great danger1 as they passed over our heads and fell on our left side4 ,the principal danger was when they struck a large stone1 causing it to roll down the side of the ravine1 sometimes at a terrific rate4 ,the shells were far more objectionable2 but1 thanks to ,providence1 none hit us4 ,while retreating1 ,bornet said1 8,by a thousand bombs1 governor1 it must be a fresh battery they are firing from3 we always used to go this way to the trenches40 8,well10 said ,i1 8new or old1 let us get out of it40 ,putting our horses to a gallop1 we were soon out of danger1 and on the road to ,kamiesch4 ,near the ,french head-quarters we met two ,zouaves4 ,they told us the ,french trenches were now within twenty yards of the ,malakhoff tower4 8,the cannon10 they said1 8project about twenty feet over our heads1 and cannot touch us2 but the grenades1 which the ,russians throw among us by hundreds1 cause the loss of many men1 though we extinguish a great number when they fall40 ,bornet now proposed the vin blanc1 but to his regret and my delight1 they refused1 or we should probably not have seen ,kamiesch that day4 ,in many instances ,i have known ,french soldiers refuse4 ,at length we arrived at ,kamiesch1 which ,i had so long seen from my quarters1 but could not reach before1 owing to the engrossing nature of my occupations4 ,this ,french town of pasteboard1 or light wood1 was so different from ,balaklava1 that ,i cannot give my readers a better idea of it than by stating that it bears the same resemblance to ,balaklava that ,ramsgate does to ,boulogne in the height of the season4 ,the traffic1 business1 markets1 restaurants1 cafs1 billiard-rooms1 theatre1 c41 display the difference of character between the ,french and ,english1 as forcibly as ,balaklava does the ,english from the ,french4 ,it was really remarkable to see the type of two great nations1 such near neighbours1 on the same foreign soil1 so far from their native homes1 so distinctly preserved1 while the people agreed so well together4 ,some of the restaurants were pretty good1 very expensive1 not very clean1 but always full4 ,money seemed of no consequence1 as every one tried to get it out of you if you were rash enough to eat1 drink1 or purchase anything4 ,the sea-port was very fine2 ,kamiesch1 flat1 sandy1 and unpicturesque4 ,balaklava was a perfect garden2 ,kamiesch a well populated desert4 ,the evening of the #gth of ,september was a memorable one4 ,each mind was animated2 men of the most pacific disposition were transformed into lions or tigers1 furiously seeking to devour their prey4 ,amidst the most terrible discharges of cannon1 the order for the general attack was announced to the troops for the following day4 ,the news acted like an electric spark1 and inspired all hearts4 ,each soldier appeared to breathe more freely2 hope1 the enchantress1 filled the hearts of the brave with enthusiasm2 fear was unknown2 all faces were radiant with lust of glory and vengeance4 ,having heard that the attack was to take place1 at midday ,i visited the ,french camp with my ,zouave1 where we found the same animation and excitement4 ,one of the soldiers said to my ,zouave3 8,by all the camels in ,arabia1 ,bornet1 are you coming to join in the dance8 ,if you are1 ,i invite you for the first quadrille2 but you must play the clarionet 7slang term for gun74 ,here's a chance of having your portrait spoiled--it just suits me40 8,what do you think of it1 governor--shall ,i go80 8,it is impossible1 my dear fellow1 for me to oblige you upon this occasion1 as your services will be more useful to-morrow1 when no doubt1 whichever way the victory may turn1 the hospitals will be full4 ,therefore ,i hope you will forgive me for saving your life against your will4 ,i am sure1 if you had a chance1 you would be the first to mount the breach1 and consequently the first to be knocked over40 ,his late comrades in arms did not see the force of this4 ,they knew he had some money1 and did not like to part with him4 ,the idea struck me to order a few bottles of wine at the canteen near their tents1 in return for their hospitality in offering us their ration rum and brandy4 ,about five-and-twenty more joined us when ,i gave the invitation4 ,i knew that ,bornet had only a few shillings in his pocket1 which shillings1 by-the-bye1 were very liberally taken by the vivandire as a great favour1 at the value of a ,french franc4 ,after several farewells we parted4 ,the morning of the #hth of ,september1 #ahee1 arrived4 ,aurora smiled gaily upon the far-famed city1 the sentinels on all sides were at their posts1 and in the ,russian camp no doubt the watchword circulated as usual4 ,it was thus in the allied camps1 but pronounced quicker2 the step of the relief guard was that of quick march1 every nerve was in action1 and strained to the utmost4 ,the scene at the race for the ,derby alone could give the reader an idea of the sudden energy which filled every bosom1 on hearing that the attack was to take place1 with this difference1 that life seemed of less consequence to every one in the ,crimea than the loss of money on that terrible day of chance4 ,all had a share in the lottery4 ,glory was to turn the wheel of fortune1 and every one seemed sure of winning4 ,all hoped to gather laurels from the arid soil so long moistened with blood4 ,at four o'clock we were all up2 about five the ,guards were on their march towards the besieged city2 troops from all quarters were silently marching in the same direction2 every heart was beating high2 the day had at last arrived which was to decide a great question4 ,at seven all were at their post4 ,bornet and myself started on horseback directly1 after seeing the ,scots ,fusiliers pass through the ,guards' camp1 close to our tents4 ,on catching sight of them1 my ,zouave exclaimed1 8,what a splendid regiment1 gouverneur1 que ces ,montagnards ,ecossais6 ,i have a great mind to follow them3 ,i shall1 too60 8,i am sure you sha'n't10 said ,i1 clutching him by the coat collar4 ,after making a long dtour1 a sentinel let us pass4 ,as we were nearer the ,woronzoff ,road than the ,cathcart ,hill ,cemetery1 we went in that direction1 and took up our position to witness the grand spectacle4 ,for some time a profound silence reigned amongst the troops1 who seemed as though they were buried in the trenches4 ,the weather1 which had been fine the preceding days1 and even till sunrise on that eventful morning1 suddenly changed4 ,in a short time the elements assumed a threatening aspect1 and a furious tempest raged in every direction4 ,a clouded sky had replaced the azure blue1 the fierce gusts of wind raised thick clouds of dust1 which rolled majestically towards us like a moving castle1 blinding every one for a time4 ,the cold air chilled everybody1 and was so violent that one could scarcely keep one's saddle1 or see twenty yards in advance4 ,showers of hail burst here and there over the now excited and infuriated camp and ,sebastopol2 the scene of action was almost invisible4 ,it appeared as though the evil genius of the storm had on that glorious day attached his seal of destruction to that desecrated spot4 ,even the sun 7l'ami ,soleil71 the world's friend1 seemed to fear to face this scene of horror and desolation1 and while smiling upon the remainder of the mighty globe1 had1 in appearance1 withdrawn from the harrowed city of ,sebastopol4 ,suddenly the batteries opened fire in every direction1 shaking the very soil on which we stood4 ,clouds of smoke enveloped the besieged city4 ,not a thing could be seen or heard but a continuous rolling noise similar to that of an earthquake4 ,all at once the noise ceased1 and the rattle of musketry was heard1 with1 at intervals1 cannon and mortar shot4 ,by degrees1 thanks to the heavy gale1 the atmosphere got clearer1 and by the aid of a telescope one could distinctly see the ,french flag floating from the ,malakhoff1 and the troops mounting to the assault4 ,an hour had scarcely elapsed when the news was brought of the capture of the ,malakhoff by the ,french1 and of the ,redan by the ,english4 ,aides-de-camp were flying in every direction2 and numbers of wounded were on their way to the hospitals4 ,we quitted our post to go to the ,general ,hospital1 in order to see whether our services were required4 ,as we were crossing the ,english camp1 a corpse was borne past us1 carried by four soldiers4 ,upon inquiry ,i learned1 with sorrow1 that it was the body of ,colonel ,h4 ,r4 ,handcock1 whom1 a few days before1 ,i had had the pleasure of entertaining at my kitchens1 with his young and very interesting wife4 ,the latter had been an eye-witness of the assault1 and ,i was informed that1 by the greatest imprudence1 the mutilated body of her husband had just been uncovered before her4 ,she fainted at the sight1 and was borne to her residence1 where she lay for some time dangerously ill4 ,this will account for the sudden alteration in her appearance before mentioned4 ,the fight still raged1 the weather was a little calmer1 and we left the field of battle1 intending to gallop at once to the hospital4 ,on reaching the line of sentries1 we met two naval officers who were trying to pass1 in order to obtain a view of the action from ,cathcart's ,hill4 ,they were having a rather warm discussion1 the sentry doing his duty by stopping them4 ,i pulled up my horse1 and told them that unless they had an order from head-quarters they could not pass4 ,though much vexed1 they thanked me1 and submitted to the disappointment4 ,i was about leaving them1 when ,i heard one say to the other-- 8,what shall we do8 ,i would give any money for a glass of wine or a cup of coffee40 8,so would ,i10 said the other4 8,where is there a ,canteen1 sentry80 8,it would be of no use my telling you10 the sentry replied1 8as they are all closed during the siege1 or at least for to-day1 in order to prevent men left in the camp from quitting their post4 ,several robberies were perpetrated in camp upon former occasions40 ,i overheard their conversation1 in which they stated that they had started without breakfast1 and been a long way round--nearly seven miles among the hills--and had seen nothing after all1 as the pickets would not let them pass the line of ,balaklava4 8,gentlemen10 said ,i1 8if you will come with me to my tent1 ,i think ,i can keep you from starving1 and have no doubt you will fare there as well1 if not better1 than in a ,canteen4 ,i can also give you a description of the siege1 having been an eyewitness of the same40 ,they thanked me1 and accepted my offer4 ,on our way to quarters1 ,i recounted the melancholy death of ,colonel ,handcock4 ,my ,zouave had by this time arrived--no one but the groom was at home1 and he could speak neither ,french nor ,english1 being a ,greek--so ,i set my ,zouave to lay the table2 and with my magic stove ,i cooked some ration-mutton1 made an omelette1 brought out a piece of cold beef1 bread1 c41 and gave them a bottle of ale and a glass of sherry4 ,in twenty minutes their hunger was appeased1 and ,i told them they were welcome to stay1 but that ,i must proceed to my duty4 ,at the same time ,i informed them1 that at six o'clock dinner would be ready1 and they were welcome to partake of it if they happened to be about the camp2 but that they were on no account to wait for me in case ,i did not return1 as ,i did not know what ,i might have to do in the hospitals4 ,they thanked me for my hospitality1 and said they would try and see something of the battle1 and if anywhere about my quarters1 would be too happy to return to dinner4 ,we then parted2 they proceeding towards ,sebastopol1 and ,i to the hospital4 ,on my arrival ,i found1 to my surprise1 that not one wounded man had been brought in4 ,after waiting some time ,i saw ,dr4 ,mouatt1 and inquired if anything extra was wanted2 his reply was1 8,we have all that is needed for their reception40 ,i then went to the purveyor1 and to the kitchen2 but fearing1 as the battle was raging fiercely1 the number of wounded might exceed the means at their disposal1 ,i remained about the hospitals4 ,i did this in case my services might be required1 as ,i was well aware of the importance of speedy relief to the sufferers4 ,towards evening the wounded began to arrive1 though not in great numbers4 ,i left my ,zouave there and returned to the camp1 telling him if anything was required1 to ride home at once and inform me1 as the doctors would be so much engaged--and in particular ,dr4 ,mouatt1 who would most probably not be able to devote his time to the culinary department4 ,as ,i rode towards ,sebastopol1 to have another look at the battle1 ,i met only a few wounded4 ,upon inquiring of the orderlies in charge whether there were many more1 they replied that they could not say1 but they believed that there were a great number4 ,i then returned to my tent1 and a few minutes afterwards my naval friends arrived4 ,the dinner was served up1 and they told me that they had had a good view of the besieged city from the ,french lines4 ,in the course of conversation1 they informed me that ,colonel 7now ,general7 ,wyndham had invited them to dinner that day4 ,i replied1 8,i am very anxious about him1 as he led the storming party in the ,redan1 and ,i have heard the attack has been very severe1 and many were killed and wounded on both sides40 ,i also heard that it had been retaken by the ,russians1 and feared he might have been taken prisoner1 if not wounded or killed4 ,when dinner was over1 ,i proposed to pass them through the lines and make inquiry about him4 ,we proceeded to ,cathcart's ,hill--it was then nearly dusk--,i on horseback1 they on foot4 ,the camp around us was as still and deserted as in the morning2 scarcely any one was to be seen till we reached the lines4 ,very few shots were heard1 but every one was at his post4 ,upon reaching ,cathcart's ,hill1 ,i alighted to speak with his ,grace the ,duke of ,newcastle1 who had been in the trenches all day and had just returned4 ,he was kind enough to give me the details of the attacks on both sides1 and said that he was waiting for ,general ,bentinck1 who had not yet been seen1 and that he hoped nothing had happened to him4 ,i observed1 8,this is a most anxious hour for all who have friends engaged in so serious and dangerous an encounter40 ,while conversing with the ,duke1 ,i missed my two companions4 ,thinking they knew the position of ,colonel ,wyndham's quarters1 ,i went there expecting to find them4 ,my first and most anxious inquiry of the servant1 who knew me well1 was1 8,what news of the ,colonel80 8,oh1 all right1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 he replied with great satisfaction4 8,if you wish to see him1 he is gone to ,colonel ,wood's tent--you know where it is40 8,no ,i don't40 8,then ,i'll show you--he will be glad to see you40 8,i will not trouble you1 as ,i would not disturb him on such a day for the world4 ,i am glad to hear he is safe2 but have you seen two gentlemen80 8,no one excepting yourself1 sir4 ,you must come with me2 my master is alone1 waiting for the ,colonel1 and ,i'm sure they will both be happy to see you40 ,colonel ,wyndham had just changed his clothes before going to the ,colonel's to dine4 ,his servant showed them to me2 they were covered with blood and dust4 ,i followed him to ,colonel ,wood's hut1 and found ,colonel ,wyndham walking quickly to and fro in the hut1 apparently much preoccupied and excited4 ,his eyes emitted flashes of fire1 his open countenance had assumed its usual majestic calm and dignity1 his lips were parched1 his proud brow betokened much restlessness1 and though his forehead was covered with glory1 you could perceive through the wreath of laurel which had only a few hours before been deposited there by ,mars1 a deep shadow of thoughtfulness and care4 ,his physiognomy told a tale4 ,victory had of him made a great hero1 without having had time to put her final seal to his martial and petulant ardour4 ,another battle was yet to be fought4 ,seeing me1 he came forward and shook me by the hand1 inviting me to enter4 ,we were together about half-an-hour1 and he related to me the great events of the attack upon the ,redan1 now so well known to the public4 ,colonel ,wood came in1 also free from wounds1 to the delight of all1 and invited me to dine with them4 ,i told him that ,i had already dined1 but could not refuse the honour upon so memorable an occasion4 ,we then sat down to dinner4 ,franois1#bj the ,colonel's ,french cook1 with whose culinary capacities ,i was well acquainted1 having dined several times with the ,colonel1 told me he never felt less interest1 or prepared a dinner with so much reluctance1 fearing no one would return to eat it after such a sanguinary battle4 ,highly delighted was he when ,colonel ,wyndham came in1 and more so when he found that his excellent governor 7as he called him7 had returned safe and sound4 ,every officer in the camp knew ,franois1 and the ,colonel's table got quite in repute through the exertions of this culinary disciple of ,vattel4 ,he used to go to the trenches1 leaving his own batteries to brave those of the enemy1 and all this for the comfort of his excellent governor4 ,he was much liked by all1 and always had a budget of anecdotes1 some of them very interesting4 ,he had lived as cook and major domo for several years with ,madame ,grisi4 ,the last time ,i saw him he was in daily expectation of the ,sebastopol medal4 ,the dinner was served1 but ,i must say it was not so recherch as on former occasions2 it seemed to have been prepared for sick epicures1 or at least those who hovered between life and death4 ,the conversation upon the events of the day was so animated that no one but myself perceived the difference4 ,the ,colonel's excellent wine was highly relished1 and in drinking the health of ,colonels ,wyndham and ,wood1 ,i requested the former to make a note of the fact that ,i had the honour of dining with him and ,colonel ,wood a few hours after the battle1 as probably no one would credit it4 ,this the ,colonel immediately did1 and ,colonel ,wood added his autograph1 of which the following is a copy3-- #hth ,september1 #ahee1 #i ,p4,m4 ,i had the pleasure1 after my return from leading the storming party of the #bnd ,division to the ,redan1 of dining with ,colonel ,d4 ,wood1 and meeting at dinner ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,d4 ,,wood1 ,lieut4-,col4 ,commanding1 ,r4,a4 #dth ,division4 ,c4 ,a4 ,,wyndham1 ,col4 ,commanding1 #bnd ,battalion4 ,they had hardly signed this when a loud knock was heard at the door1 and an orderly entered with a dispatch from ,general ,simpson1 who wished to see ,colonel ,wyndham directly4 ,the ,colonel lost no time in attending to his commander's orders1 and we mounted our horses and started for head-quarters4 8,an immediate attack on the ,redan is what ,i shall recommend to the ,general-in-,chief0 were the last words uttered by the ,colonel before leaving the hut4 ,the firing had ceased2 the night was very dark1 but the weather calm4 ,it was with great difficulty we found our way through the camps1 which appeared very silent after such a stormy day and day of storm4 ,in about a quarter of an hour ,colonel ,wyndham observed1 8,monsieur ,soyer1 ,i believe you are close to your quarters10 pointing to several lights4 8,there10 said he1 8is the ,guards' camp40 ,i wished him good evening1 and we separated4 ,my ,zouave had not returned from the hospital1 but shortly after made his appearance rather intoxicated4 ,he related all that he had seen1 and said that a few wounded ,russians had been brought to the hospitals4 8,they have all they require10 said he2 8and1 in case of need1 ,i told a man to call us up40 ,when he had put everything in order1 he said1 8,i'll keep watch10 and commenced singing his favourite songs4 ,he made so much noise that we could not sleep if we had wished to do so1 especially as the soldier-cooks and servants joined him in chorus4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,fall ,,of ,,the ,,doomed ,,city4 ,sad scenes--,ride to ,cathcart's ,hill--,glorious news--,animated groups--,first spoils--,refreshment for the wounded--,chloroform--,dinner at the ,carlton--,sebastopol in flames--,a night expedition--,letter to ,messrs4 ,routledge--,visit to ,sebastopol--,russian fare--,poisoned bread--,culinary trophies--,interior of the ,malakhoff--,bornet's funeral oration over a dead comrade--,the ,russian hospital--,harrowing scenes4 ,two days before ,i had been invited to dine with ,colonel de ,bathe1 in order to partake of a ,crimean fat goose4 ,though disappointed of my dinner1 ,i was anxious to know if anything had happened to him and his brave companions in arms1 and ,i therefore went round the camp and visited the ,coldstream and ,fusilier ,guards4 ,many had not returned4 ,those off duty had retired to rest1 which can be easily understood after the fatigues of such a day4 ,i therefore returned1 and laid down for a few hours4 ,about four in the morning ,i went to the hospital1 and found that every ward would soon be encumbered with sick and wounded4 ,the cooks overfatigued1 having been up all night at work4 ,i at once proposed to furnish ,dr4 ,mouatt with what he required1 provided the purveyor would send the provisions to the ,guards' camp4 ,the doctor thanked me for the offer1 and gave an immediate order to that effect4 ,my ,zouave had brought me a cross1 which had been worn by a ,russian officer who was killed4 ,i presented it to one of the prisoners1 who kissed it fervently and passed it to his comrades4 ,there were about fifteen of them4 ,no difference was made in the attendance or care bestowed upon them and that shown to our own troops1 though not less than four or five hundred were in the hospital at the time1 and more were coming in4 ,such a scene of suffering can never be effaced from memory1 and is not to be described4 ,while waiting for the provisions1 ,i galloped as far as ,cathcart's ,hill1 and was much surprised to find that hostilities had entirely ceased4 ,i met ,colonel ,steele just returning from the ,redan4 8,it's all over1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 said he4 8,what do you mean1 ,colonel80 ,i replied4 8,the ,russians have retreated and abandoned ,sebastopol6 ,i have just been in the ,redan1 which exhibits a fearful scene4 ,the loss has been great on all sides40 ,he then left in a great hurry1 saying he must return to head-quarters and telegraph the news to the ,war-office4 ,a few houses were burning1 and thick smoke was issuing from various parts of the city4 ,some of the ,russian ships were burning in the bay4 ,the weather was as calm1 as it had been boisterous the day before4 ,amongst the group upon the hill were the ,duke of ,newcastle1 ,mr4 ,russell1 and a few others1 not above twenty in all4 ,our attention was attracted by the arrival of a soldier with the first spoils of the conquered city4 ,these consisted of two chairs1 a dressing table and a looking-glass4 ,he also carried a hare in one hand4 ,on being asked where he got these various articles1 he answered1 8,from the city4 ,the ,french troops are plundering1 and not a ,russian is to be found4 ,yet the place is very dangerous1 as explosions are continually taking place40 ,shortly after1 a long train of wounded1 carried on mules1 was seen going towards the ,general ,hospital1 amongst whom were a number of ,russians4 ,the cortge was followed by about twenty ,russian prisoners2 and ,i could not help remarking the youthful appearance of the latter1 their age not exceeding from eighteen to twenty-five4 ,this1 ,i concluded1 was owing to the immense number the enemy must have lost during the campaign4 ,my ,zouave had1 unknown to me1 left on an expedition to the city4 ,although much against my will1 it was impossible to stop him4 ,my endeavours to impress upon his mind the importance of remaining with me upon that occasion were of no avail4 ,on returning to the camp ,i prepared a quantity of lemonade1 arrowroot1 beef-tea1 arrowroot-water1 barley-water1 rice-water and pudding1 boiled rice1 c41 and through the kindness of ,colonel ,daniell and ,major ,fielden1 twelve men were sent to carry them to the hospitals4 ,i spent the remainder of the day in the hospitals1 which were situated about a mile from the ,guards' camp1 where ,i witnessed the most painful scenes and numerous amputations4 ,amongst those operated upon were several ,russians4 ,i could not help remarking what a blessing to the sufferer chloroform proved4 ,wonderful was the kindness and celerity with which the doctors performed the operations4 ,these were so numerous that before night several buckets were filled with the limbs1 and the greater part of those operated upon were doing well4 ,the hospitals1 although they contained nearly forty wards1 were full4 ,some of our wounded1 as well as the ,russians1 were placed under marquees and other tents4 ,the wounds received by some of the ,russians were fearful1 and the groans of those who were mortally wounded awful4 ,having done all that was required at the hospital ,i returned to the camp1 where an invitation awaited me to dine at the ,carlton ,club4 ,this ,i was much pleased to accept4 ,the painful scenes ,i had witnessed weighed heavily upon the heart and mind1 and a little relaxation became necessary4 ,at about eight o'clock ,i repaired to the appointed place1 and eight or nine guests sat down4 ,the dinner was very good2 and though the bill of fare was rather extensive1 every dish was cleared4 ,was this due to the skill of the chef de cuisine1 or to the sixteen hours of hard work in the trenches8 ,if the latter was really the cause of this1 ,i should recommend a blas epicure1 who has lost his appetite1 to try this simple and effective process4 ,it will not fail to succeed--that is1 should he escape with life after sixteen hours of shooting or being shot at1 like pigeons at the ,red ,house4 ,the conversation became very animated1 and so interesting that a small pamphlet might be written upon it4 ,all had seen something and had something to relate4 ,my description of the hospitals was the great feature of the evening1 as none present had seen them1 having other occupation at their posts with the various regiments4 ,the ,queen's health1 that of the ,emperor of the ,french1 and of the ,sultan1 were toasted with three times three and one more cheer4 ,in the midst of this1 ,buckingham66 the renowned ,buckingham666 who had displayed all his savoir faire in the service de table1 acting upon that occasion as matre d'htel en chef1 with a few utensils made a display worthy of a first-rate la mode beef house1 nothing to be laughed at in a ,crimean popotte1 rushed into the tent1 crying 8,colonel6 ,colonel6 the whole of ,sebastopol is in flames40 ,it was true4 ,in less than ten minutes streets had taken fire with the rapidity of a firework1 and every minute the conflagration seemed to be upon the increase4 ,nothing but fire and smoke could be seen from the ,guards' camp4 ,i proposed that we should order our horses and go to ,cathcart's ,hill to see what was going on4 ,to my surprise1 no one seemed inclined to move4 ,they all said that they had had enough of ,sebastopol1 and were tired to death4 ,on urging the matter1 the only answer ,i got from some of my gallant friends was1 8,not to-night1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 not to-night40 8,surely10 said ,i1 8gentlemen6 you don't expect the ,russians will set a ,sebastopol on fire every day at a few hours' notice to please you40 8,that is not likely10 said ,major ,fielden2 8but for all that ,i feel convinced that no one will go40 ,as the fire seemed to extend and the sky became one lurid mass1 ,i determined to go and get a sight of it4 ,i bade my companions adieu1 went back to my tent1 ordered my horse1 and tried to awake my ,zouave in order to take him with me4 ,he was so intoxicated ,i could not succeed4 ,he had spent the day with some of his comrades1 and completely lost his senses4 ,as ,i could not find either groom or any of my men1 ,i went to ,mr4 ,mesnil's tent4 ,my major domo being an old campaigner1 had as usual turned in all dressed to be ready for any contingency4 ,rousing him1 ,i requested him to accompany me4 ,the eternal reply of 8,not to-night0 was again heard4 8,oh1 hang the place1 let it burn10 said he4 ,as this was my last resource1 ,i would not leave him4 ,at last1 in no very kindly mood1 he turned out and agreed to go4 ,the night was pitch dark1 so we preferred going on foot4 ,my friend was armed with a ,russian sword and a night glass2 ,i with a poignard-revolver and a lanthorn4 ,our intention was to get as near the city as possible1 and we were prepared for any unpleasant encounter by firelight instead of moonlight4 ,the purlieus of the camp were at this period anything but safe4 ,with much difficulty1 we reached ,cathcart's ,hill1 having lost our way in trying what we thought would be a short cut4 ,the camp was silent1 and apparently deserted4 ,although only eleven o'clock1 we did not meet a soul1 with the exception of sentries1 on our way4 ,so sublime was the scene witnessed by us from the summit of ,cathcart's ,hill1 that it induced me1 in my business correspondence with my publishers1 ,messrs4 ,routledge and ,co41 to forward them the following descriptive letter of the extraordinary effects this monstrous scene produced upon my senses4 ,it has already appeared1 ,i believe1 in the public prints4 ,flagstaff1 ,cathcart's ,hill1 near ,sebastopol1 #ith ,september1 #ahee4 ,,gentlemen1--,sebastopol has fallen1 and almost every part of its superstructure is in flames4 ,from the very spot ,i write1 ,i can distinctly enumerate at least fourteen different conflagrations4 ,the sight is at once sublime and terrific4 ,a ,martin or a ,danby alone could trace on canvas1 with their vigorous tints and their wild genius1 the stupendous scene which my eyes are now beholding4 ,the incessant roaring of the cannon1 the explosion of shells1 the blowing of the trumpet1 the beating of drums1 mingled with the groaning of the wounded and the anxious bustling of myriads of souls--adding to this the most tempestuous hurricane1 the coldness of the weather1 falling of hailstones1 and the previously forest-like clouds of dust springing out from the harrowed ,crimean soil1 which raged during the whole of yesterday over the ,allies' camps1 have suddenly given place to the most profound calm and glowing breeze4 ,the semi-defunct city and all the camps are as silent as the graves by which ,i am now surrounded4 ,ten yards from here lie the remains of the immortal ,cathcart1 encircled by several of his noble companions in arms4 ,from half-past eleven to this present time1 two ,a4,m41 not a living creature1 save myself and a friend1 besides the picket-sentinel1 has been here to witness1 from this remarkable spot1 the downfall of the venerated ,russian city4 ,with the highest consideration1 ,i have the honour to be1 ,your most obedient servant1 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,by the aid of the night-glass we obtained so good a view that we did not deem it advisable to proceed further4 ,the heat of the fire was felt even at that distance1 and explosions were frequent4 ,the cause of the solitude in the camp at that hour can only be attributed to the excessive fatigue consequent upon the tremendous exertions of the previous day2 the curtain had fallen on this grand drama--all was repose4 ,we then returned to quarters through the same mournful solitude1 not having met a soul either going or returning4 ,this dreariness impressed me with the idea of chaos1 after the destruction of a world and its empires4 ,early the following morning1 attended by my ,zouave1 who had recovered his sober senses1 ,i started for the ,general ,hospital4 ,we saw about thirty dead bodies laid out in a row1 and stitched up in their blankets1 with their name and nation marked upon each4 ,i believe there was not a single case of amputation amongst them2 they had all been mortally wounded4 ,this speaks volumes in favour of the use of chloroform1 the efficacy and safety of which1 for a time1 was much doubted1 even by eminent medical men4 ,amputations were still being performed with skill and celerity worthy of a ,guthrie or an ,astley ,cooper4 ,the principal medical men were ,drs4 ,mouatt1 ,lyons1 c4 c41 who appeared to vie with each other in their kind attention to the sufferers4 ,perceiving that nothing further was required for the present1 and that all was going on well1 ,i went to visit ,sebastopol4 ,my ,zouave knew the road1 as he had been there the day before4 ,our first visit was to the ,redan1 where we were refused admission4 ,my intrepid ,zouave1 not contented with this rebuff1 took me round another way1 and1 leaving our horses outside1 we scaled the works and got in4 ,the scene of death and destruction here was awful1 and has been described too often for me to dwell upon it4 ,nothing but the effects of a devastating earthquake can give any one an idea of the dbris of the interior1 or of the destruction caused by the fire of the ,allies1 and the explosions that had ensued4 ,we proceeded to the city by the ,arsenal1 on the ,british side4 ,the town was still burning4 ,on reaching the large barracks1 we visited the kitchens and bakeries4 ,in the former1 some of the boilers contained cabbage-soup2 others1 a kind of porridge made with black flour4 ,in the bakeries1 loaves of bread were still in the ovens1 and dough in the troughs4 ,we removed a loaf from the oven and tasted it4 ,as we had brought no provision with us1 and there was none to be obtained in the burning city1 we ate about half a pound of bread each1 and finished our frugal repast with a good draught of water3 the latter was retailed at the small charge of sixpence a pint4 ,a quarter of an hour after1 ,i looked my ,zouave hard in the face1 saying1 as ,i placed my hand upon my stomach1 with a rueful face and in a piteous tone of voice-- 8,bless me1 ,bornet6 do you feel anything wrong8--because1 if you don't1 ,i do60 ,looking still more pitiful1 ,i continued--8,i am confident the bread has been poisoned60 8,the deuce it has60 he replied1 turning pale1 and putting his fingers in his throat in order to throw off the dreadful meal1 but without success4 ,i laughed at him1 and called him a coward4 8,coward60 said he2 8no1 no1 governor1 ,i am no coward4 ,i should not mind a round-shot1 sword1 or bayonet wound1 in the field of battle2 but1 by ,jupiter6 to be poisoned ingloriously like a dog1 would be base in the extreme40 8,you're right10 said ,i4 8,come1 don't fear1 let's go and taste the soupe-aux-choux40 ,to this invitation he most decidedly objected1 saying1 8,no more of their relishes for me1 if you please40 ,in my culinary ardour ,i tasted it1 and found it extremely bad and entirely deprived of nutritious qualities1 but no doubt in it was to be added some black bread which would improve it4 ,among the culinary trophies we brought away1 were a long iron fork1 a ladle1 some of the dough1 biscuits1 and a large piece of the black bread taken from the oven4 ,i intended to test its merits upon my return to the camp4 ,after visiting the docks1 in which the vessels were still burning1 as well as some in the harbour1 we went to the ,malakhoff1 at the foot of which lay a number of dead bodies and horses4 ,i met several acquaintances1 and1 on obtaining permission1 visited the tower and its interior4 ,the scene here was the same as at the ,redan--one of destruction and desolation1 though this place was not so much knocked about--but none could fail to appreciate the talent and skill displayed by the ,russians in their style of fortification4 ,the electric wires connected with the mines had been discovered and cut1 rendering our visit comparatively safe4 ,the men were busy burying the dead in all directions4 ,my ,zouave drew me towards the ,black ,battery1 by which the division ,bosquet had so severely suffered in valiantly defending their position4 ,on arriving there1 he recognised the dead body of one of his late comrades1 and he implored me to allow him to remain till it was buried4 ,as it was getting dark1 and it was not probable that they would bury him that evening1 ,i promised to allow him to return in the morning4 ,looking pitifully at the corpse1 he said-- 8,poor ,adrien1 what fun we had in ,algeria6 and now you are dead40 ,stooping down over the body and kissing it on both cheeks1 he continued--8,to-morrow ,i will return and perform the last sad duty of a friend4 ,look1 governor1 would you not think he smiles8 ,he was such a fine fellow--,i am sure his soul has gone straight to head-quarters40 ,it was almost dark1 and we galloped home4 ,the next morning my ,zouave attended the funeral of his friend1 and it took so long that ,i did not see him again for forty-eight hours4 ,when he returned1 he brought two ,zouaves with him1 and they were all laden with trophies2 among them was an entirely new tent1 which1 from its very superior quality1 was supposed to have belonged to some general officer4 ,the ,zouaves had pitched upon ,prince ,orloff as the owner1 no doubt to increase its value4 ,it really was worthy of a commander-in-chief4 ,i purchased it1 and have it still in my possession4 ,the rest of the booty consisted of guns1 swords1 church relics1 c4--in fact1 all they could lay hands upon which was likely to be converted into money4 ,the only thing which surprised me was1 that he had returned sober4 ,while ,i was reprimanding him for his long absence1 he coolly replied-- 8,you are right1 governor2 but you see1 after paying the last duties to poor ,adrien1 in order to drown the melancholy feeling of human existence1 ,i got boosy enough to make all the wine-sellers1 and even old ,father ,bacchus himself1 turn pale4 ,when ,i began to find that ,i could no longer see1 ,i said to myself1 #8,bornet1 my friend1 you must not disgrace the governor's quarters4 ,go to bed upon the straw like a pig as you are4' ,in ten hours my drunken fit had passed away like a vaporous cloud2 and here1 governor1 is your ,zouave1 in a fit state1 ready to dance upon a rope without a balance-pole40 ,the original and comic nature of the excuse caused me to laugh at him1 instead of scolding him4 ,he then proposed to go in the evening and find the remaining part of ,count ,orloff's tent1 spend the night in ,sebastopol1 and meet me the next morning at the ,greek church in the town4 ,all was going on well at the ,general ,hospital4 ,it was crammed full1 and amputations were being performed night and day4 ,i called there daily with some of my men1 and sent the others in various directions4 ,the next day ,i visited ,sebastopol1 and went to the ,french side4 ,i could not find ,bornet1 but saw one of his friends1 who told me that he had slept in the ,french camp4 ,i therefore gave him up1 and determined to get rid of him as soon as possible4 ,after visiting the town in company with a few friends whom ,i happened to meet there1 we went to the ,russian hospital1 which we had been told was full of dead1 sick1 and wounded4 ,during the few days that had elapsed since the capture of the city ,i had witnessed many awful scenes1 but this was the most harrowing of all4 ,perhaps one of the most awful and sickening sights possible for humanity to conjure up was witnessed by myself and many others in the ,russian hospital in the interior of ,sebastopol4 ,piled up one on the other1 or lying singly on the bare flooring1 were strewn hundreds of ,russians1 dead and dying4 ,the view would have struck terror into the heart of the greatest stoic4 ,these men seemed to have been placed here out of the way to suffer and die1 uncared for1 unattended4 ,on one side might be seen a poor creature writhing in the last throes of dissolution2 on the other1 a fine fellow with almost divine resignation1 who had just rendered himself up to his ,maker1 having died in dreadful agony4 ,men without legs or arms1 and some with frightful body wounds or bayonet thrusts1 lay huddled in helpless confusion4 ,desolation and death grimly met us at each step4 ,then the effluvia arising from the bodies was horrible beyond description4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,illness ,,and ,,change ,,of ,,scene4 ,business suspended--,holiday-time for the cooks--,breakfast in the ,malakhoff--,transferred to the ,mamelon ,vert--,attack of ,crimean fever--,kind attentions--,relapse--,an unexpected visitor and a conversation--,laughable incident--,trip to ,scutari--,captain ,brown of the ,imperador--,fellow-travellers--,fame in ,america--,brigadier-,general ,storks--,consolations--,bornet's consideration--,his farewell--,soyer ,house--,third illness--,severe attack of dysentery--,recovery--,grand ball at the ,english ,embassy--,the ,sultan attends--8,elizabeth ,quadrilles0--,arrival of my field-stoves--,off again to the ,crimea--,letters suggesting improvements in the hospitals4 ,for a few days all business seemed suspended in the camp1 and the rage with every one was to visit the ruins of the far-famed city4 ,the hospitals in the camp and at ,balaklava were quite full1 though most of the patients were going on very satisfactorily4 ,much bustle was observed at both the ,french and ,english head-quarters4 ,as the soup was no longer required for the soldiers in the trenches1 the order for the field-stoves remained some time in abeyance1 and all appeared like holiday time4 ,in fact1 people kept flocking1 with and without permission1 into ,sebastopol4 ,deeming this a favourable opportunity1 ,i proposed giving a djener in the ,malakhoff two days after its capture1 and cooking it with my magic bivouac-stove4 ,among the guests invited were ,colonels ,daniell1 ,de ,bathe2 ,brigadier ,drummond2 ,majors ,fielden1 ,armitage2 ,captain ,tower1 c4 c4 ,we were to muster about twelve2 the great dish was to be the poulets sauts la ,malakhoff1 cooked on my pocket bivouac-stove in the open air4 ,all was prepared1 and we were about to start1 when ,i learnt that we should not be allowed to enter the tower4 ,colonel ,daniell1 who had some business at head-quarters1 promised to try and obtain permission4 ,i at once went to ,general ,pelissier for the order1 which could not be granted in his absence4 ,i saw ,general ,rose1 who said any other day he should be happy to make the request4 ,the appetites of my invited guests were sharpened and the stomachs waiting1 and they would have grumbled had they not been satisfied4 ,we therefore agreed that in lieu of having it in the ,malakhoff1 we should make ourselves satisfied with the ,mamelon ,vert la ,carleton2 and a very jovial reunion we made of it4 ,alas6 it was the last ,i was destined to enjoy for some time4 ,seven or eight days after1 ,i was laid up with a very severe attack of ,crimean fever4 ,not being aware of the nature of my illness1 ,i thought rest was all ,i required1 after the fatigue ,i had undergone3 ,i therefore went to bed--but what kind of bed8--under damp canvas1 with a muddy floor1 as it had rained heavily for some days4 ,i felt so ill1 that ,i could neither lie1 sit1 nor stand1 without great suffering4 ,imagining that ,i could conquer the disease1 ,i did not send for the doctor4 ,fortunately for me1 a short time after my attack1 as ,i lay in bed1 ,dr4 ,linton1 who often visited me1 chanced to call at my tent4 ,i told him of my indisposition1 and he at once sent me some medicine1 more blankets1 and kindly offered his services2 at the same time informing me that ,i had a serious attack of fever4 ,i was in the ,coldstreams' camp2 and ,dr4 ,wyatt claimed me as his patient1 and paid me a visit4 ,he immediately ordered me to keep my bed4 ,for some days he watched my case most diligently1 and under his skilful care ,i soon got better4 ,during my illness ,i received visits and kind inquiries from almost all the heads of the forces1 for which ,i shall ever feel grateful2 their attention was most gratifying to my feelings1 and ,i am proud of the consideration evinced for me by that noble band1 the ,british army4 ,directly ,i recovered and was allowed to go about1 ,i felt anxious to have a decided answer respecting the stoves--for the matter was at that time in abeyance4 ,i also wished to visit the various regimental hospitals in which my men were engaged teaching the soldiers4 ,in my eagerness to attend to these things1 ,i overfatigued myself1 and brought on a second attack1 much worse than the former4 ,dr4 ,wyatt was almost in despair1 and privately informed ,mr4 ,mesnil that ,i was in great danger4 ,however1 owing entirely to his great care and kind attention1 in three weeks ,i had partly recovered1 but was so much altered that scarcely anybody could recognise me4 ,i one day visited ,lord ,william ,paulet1 who had left ,scutari1 and was on board the ,leander in ,balaklava ,bay4 ,i was so much changed1 that neither ,admiral ,freemantle nor his lordship knew me4 ,miss ,nightingale had returned1 and was much in want of my services4 ,not being aware of my illness1 she sent for me2 and as soon as ,i recovered1 ,i waited upon and accompanied that lady to the ,monastery ,hospital4 ,the fatigue consequent upon my exertions brought me so low1 that ,dr4 ,wyatt insisted upon my leaving the ,crimea1 saying he would not be responsible for my safety any longer in that climate4 ,a few days before my departure the following laughable circumstance occurred1 which has already been related in the columns of the ,illustrated ,news by an amateur correspondent3-- ,,an ,,unexpected ,,visitor ,,and ,a ,,conversation4 ,i had an amusing adventure the other evening4 ,a stranger visited me1 and ,i entertained a late distinguished attach of the ,reform ,club unawares4 ,it was getting dusk1 and ,i was very tired1 having been engaged in the hospital marquees all day--for we had a very sudden and violent outbreak of cholera4 ,phillipo1 my ,maltese servant1 was down on his hands and knees1 blowing the lighted charcoal in my fireplace1 with the intention of expediting dinner4 ,my fireplace1 ,i must tell you1 consists of a hole dug in the earth1 with three pieces of iron hooping stretched across by way of grate2 and a very admirable kitchen-range it is4 ,phillipo had just afforded me the agreeable information that dinner would not be ready for nearly an hour1 and ,i was in the act of lighting my pipe1 when ,i heard an unaccustomed step climbing up the rock side1 close to my tent1 and a musical and hilarious voice exclaimed1 8,is ,guy ,earl of ,warwick at home80 ,i laid down my pipe utterly astounded2 and in another moment a hand drew aside the canvas1 a head appeared at the entrance of my tent1 and the portly figure of a man speedily completed the apparition4 ,for a moment my visitor surveyed me1 evidently as much astonished as ,i was4 8,ah6 ,i see1 ,i have made one grand mistake60 7he spoke tolerable ,english1 but with a decided ,french accent74 8,you will think me strange4 ,i was looking for my old friend ,warwick1 and made sure this was his tent4 ,we call him ,guy ,earl of ,warwick4 ,ah6 ah6 badinage4 ,it may be you know him80 ,by this time ,i had fully surveyed my visitor4 ,he was a tall1 stout1 rather handsome-looking man1 aged about fifty years4 ,he wore a drab-coloured 8wide-awake0 wrapped round with a red scarf1 and a white blouse1 heavily braided about the sleeves4 ,his hair had been black1 now rapidly changing into grey2 and his whiskers1 moustache1 and beard 7the latter primly cut71 were of the same 8,oxford mixture40 ,observing that the walk up the hill had slightly affected his breathing1 ,i invited him to take a seat on one of my bullock-trunks1 the only 8ottoman0 of which my ,turkish tent could boast4 7,it is no slight exertion to get up to my tent1 as ,i have pitched it almost at the top of a hill1 in order1 if possible1 to evade the rats1 which swarm in the ,crimea2 indeed1 ,i scarcely know whether rats1 flies1 or fleas are the greatest nuisance47 ,in a few moments we got into conversation4 8,i am going to ,balaklava shortly10 said the stranger2 8,i am going on board ship4 ,i have been out here some few months2 my health has been gone ever since ,i came4 ,they tell me ,i am older ten years this last five months4 ,i am going to ,england40 8,and ,i am only waiting till this ,crimean drama is over to follow your example10 said ,i4 8,i must see the ,russians finally driven out1 and then ,i go home too4 ,as to campaigning1 the curiosity which brought me here is gratified2 as to the moving accidents of war1 ,i have supped full of horrors6--,but here comes ,phillipo with the dinner40 ,the ,maltese entered1 and placed upon the table a piece of beef baked in an iron pot1 also some boiled potatoes4 ,i observed that my visitor eyed the dinner curiously1 and ,i was almost angry to observe the instantaneous elevation of his eyebrows1 when with great difficulty ,i succeeded in whittling off with a sharp carving-knife a slice of the outside4 8,nice beef1 but not done quite enough10 said my visitor4 ,he might well say so2 it was almost raw4 ,i stuck a fork into the potatoes2 they were as hard as pebbles4 ,i was in despair4 ,the stranger laughed aloud4 ,i was rapidly getting sulky4 8,i see you have a good fire outside10 said my visitor2 8that charcoal gives a beautiful heat4 ,now1 if you will take my advice1 ,i should say1 cut a slice or two----8 8,excuse me10 ,i replied1 8but if there is one thing more than another that ,i pride myself on1 it is my cooking4 ,i can cook with any fellow in the ,crimea1 perhaps excepting ,soyer2 and some people say that he is a great humbug40 8,do they indeed80 said he4 8,well1 he must be rather a clever humbug to sell #dj1jjj of his books40 8,i must confess10 ,i said1 8that his shilling ,cookery-book is a great invention4 ,i have made many capital dishes by its direction4 ,the fact is1 ,i generally superintend the cooking myself40 8,and your politeness to me has spoiled your dinner4 ,now look here40 ,and1 almost before ,i could interpose a word1 my potatoes were in slices1 a large onion was dissected piecemeal1 my beef was submitted to the knife1 a pinch or two of ration salt and pepper completed the preparations1 and my little canteen-pan was on the fire4 ,i looked on1 regarding these proceedings with much astonishment1 and not a little jealousy4 ,after a few minutes the stranger gave the pan a graceful wave or two over the fire1 and then replaced it on the table4 ,there was a dinner fit for ,sardanapalus6 ,never shall ,i forget the elegant curl of that steam1 or the exquisite odour which soon pervaded the atmosphere of my tent4 ,i could not help thinking of and half excusing a certain hairy man who lived in the first ages1 and who for just such a mess of potage disposed of his estates4 8,how do you like it80 said the stranger4 8,don't talk at present10 ,i answered2 8,i consider dinner one of the most serious duties of life40 8,ah6 ah6 then you would not call ,soyer a humbug to make this80 8,soyer60 ,i said in disdain--8,soyer never made or invented a dish half as good in his life6 ,talk about ,french slops in comparison with prime ,english beef and onions6 ,bah60 ,i was carried away by my enthusiasm1 and quite forgot that ,i was at that moment eating part of the carcase of a wretched ,armenian beast1 that would not have fetched #ejs4 in an ,english market4 ,at last dinner was over4 8,one more glass of sherry10 said the stranger1 8and then ,i go4 ,i am very glad to have made your acquaintance1 and ,i hope you will come and see me when you come down to ,balaklava4 ,i shall be on board the ship ,edward in the bay4 ,i am going to stop there a little time for my health4 ,come on board and ask for me40 8,with very great pleasure--and your name80 8,oh6 my name--,soyer10 said he2 and he sat down and laughed till the tears stood in his eyes4 ,w4 ,c4 ,soon after ,i left ,balaklava for ,scutari on board the ,imperador1 ,captain ,brown4 ,his humorous countenance would alone have sufficed to restore the gaiety of the most shattered constitution1 setting aside his good-nature and continual kindness to his numerous passengers1 particularly the invalids4 ,what visitor to the ,crimea has not known or heard of ,captain ,brown of the ,imperador8 ,his heart was as large as his ship1 and his mind as brilliant as his gorgeous saloon3 moreover1 his table was worthy of any yachting epicure4 ,he was in every way a credit to that noble class of men1 the pet children of the ocean1 the captain's kingly race4 ,at the time of my trip he was an invalid1 having broken two of his ribs2 but he did not consider the case a serious one1 and consoled himself by saying this accident was nothing compared with the one he had met with a few months before4 8,then10 said he1 laughing1 8,i actually fell into the coal-hole1 and broke my collar bone2 and 7showing his lame arm7 ,i shall be lame for life through it4 ,however1 these broken ribs are nearly set again1 and ,i shall soon be well4 ,but pray do not make me laugh--come1 let us have another glass of port10 closed his argument4 7,this was cheese-time dialogue47 ,we had a fine passage1 as well as agreeable companions in the passengers1 amongst whom were three ,american gentlemen just returning from ,russia4 ,they were in ,sebastopol during the storming on the #hth of ,september1 and had been sent by their ,government upon important duty4 ,owing to my weakness at the time1 ,i have forgotten the purport of their mission4 ,they had been introduced to the ,emperor ,alexander1 and spoke in high terms of his ,majesty's courtesy4 ,they had come from ,america in their own ship1 which was at that time in the ,bosphorus undergoing repairs4 ,i was invited to dine with them some day1 which ,i promised to do1 but was not able to keep my promise1 in consequence of my continued illness4 8,the dinner10 said one of them1 8shall be cooked la ,soyer1 for we have your book on board--the one called the ,modern ,housewife40 ,i felt much flattered when they afterwards told me that my book was very extensively used in ,america4 8,your ,cookery-book1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 is the national book1 or #8household words4' ,every respectable family has it4 ,indeed1 you are as well known by reputation in ,america as in ,england4 ,take this for a standing invitation4 ,should you ever come as far as our ,american land of freedom1 we invite you to be our guest40 ,at this ,i was highly gratified1 and almost promised1 if ,i recovered1 to accept their invitation4 ,at all events1 in case ,i should not go1 ,i take this opportunity of thanking them heartily for their kind invitation1 in hopes that this book1 like its predecessors1 will cross the ,atlantic1 and come under their notice4 ,to me everything on board the magnificent ship ,imperador wore a smiling aspect1 and ,i began to feel myself again4 ,i no sooner arrived at ,scutari1 than ,i went and visited ,brigadier-,general ,storks1 with whom ,i had not the pleasure of being acquainted4 ,he had succeeded ,lord ,william ,paulet4 ,i was kindly received by the general4 ,he congratulated me in flattering terms upon the good system ,i had introduced into the kitchen department of the hospitals1 of which he was at that time the governor4 ,i felt myself quite at home with the general1 who1 though an ,englishman1 could have taught me my own language4 ,he certainly spoke it more fluently than ,i did myself3 ,i had been so long in ,england1 and had1 moreover1 employed so many people of different nations--,greeks1 ,armenians1 ,turks1 ,french1 ,italians2 and ,i must not omit two ,maltese1 who1 to render them justice1 were worth all my other cooks put together for intelligence and activity--that ,i began to forget my native tongue4 ,my readers can easily suppose that1 amidst such a miscellany of languages1 one might easily murder one's own4 ,general ,storks is not only a good ,french scholar1 but has all the tournure and appearance of the ,french beau idal4 ,after about half-an-hour's chat upon business and other matters1 ,i left the general1 and promised to have the pleasure of visiting him frequently during my stay in ,scutari1 which was to be about a week--it being then my intention to return to ,england to regain my health4 ,i visited my first ,crimean doctor1 ,dr4 ,linton1 who had left the ,crimea to replace ,dr4 ,cumming4 ,he would hardly condescend to know me1 so much had ,i altered2 and ,i found this to be the case with every one ,i met4 ,i frightened my cooks when ,i entered the kitchen4 ,they had heard that ,i was dead1 which ,i afterwards personally denied2 but they did not think it possible ,i could look so bad4 ,purveyors1 comptrollers1 civilian and military doctors1 ,sisters of ,mercy1 all consoled me by saying1 8,i fear you will never get over it1 ,monsieur ,soyer40 8,well10 ,i replied to some of them1 8that's my business2 at all events1 ,i will do my best to deceive you40 ,nothing is less likely to restore a man when he is half dead than trying to persuade him that he must succumb4 ,thanks to my lucky star1 ,i have deceived them all2 and some richly deserve it1 as they had laid bets upon my chance1 particularly my ,zouave and another of my men4 ,the former answered all inquiries respecting the state of my health by1 8,the governor1 you see1 is in a very bad way4 ,his hash is settled2 it is all over with him4 ,it is a pity1 for he is a good man1 and he had promised to take me with him to ,london1 a place ,i very much wish to visit40 ,a few days after my arrival in ,constantinople my health again failed me1 and having no further need for the services of my ,zouave1 to his great regret we parted1 but on such friendly terms1 that he afterwards often observed1 8,look ye1 governor1 you have been a good master to me1 and if you ever recover from your serious illness1 which is not very probable1 send for me--,i am still your man1 and will follow you anywhere and everywhere1 even to ,england2 and if any fellow annoys you1 here is the arm 7showing it to the shoulder7 which will make them bleed to death and bury them after40 ,i took up my residence at ,soyer ,house1 where ,i enjoyed the gay and interesting prospect for an invalid of the monster lugubrious cemetery1 or ,grand ,champ des ,morts1 on one side1 and the hospital on the other4 ,the weather was wet and wretched--the house1 as usual1 splendidly ventilated1 and had been robbed of its furniture by a ,greek servant ,i had left there4 ,it was1 moreover1 populated by rats and other vermin4 ,before ,i could set it in order1 ,i fell ill for the third time1 and had1 in addition to my former malady1 a severe attack of dysentery4 ,i left my dismal abode1 now become unbearable1 crossed the ,bosphorus to ,pera1 and took up my lodgings at an hotel for a few days1 as ,i then anticipated1 having determined upon my departure for ,england4 ,however1 instead of improving in health1 ,i grew worse and worse1 and was laid up for three months2 in fact1 ,i began to fear my ,zouave would win his wager4 ,during this time1 ,i received notice that the order had been given for four hundred stoves1 which were to be forwarded as fast as they could be made4 ,i therefore decided upon remaining at ,constantinople1 in the hope of being able1 in the event of getting better1 of returning to the ,crimea1 and distributing them to the different regiments4 ,one day ,i had crossed over to ,scutari1 in order to visit ,miss ,nightingale1 who had just arrived from ,balaklava1 when ,i met the celebrated ,dr4 ,sutherland1 who1 like the rest1 gave me a very encouraging view of his scientific opinion upon the state of my health4 8,for ,god's sake1 ,soyer10 said he1 8do leave this country1 and go immediately to ,malta--not ,england--or you are a dead man40 8,not so1 doctor10 ,i replied2 8,i am much better these last few days4 ,in fact1 ,i am going back to the ,crimea2 my stoves are expected daily1 and ,i must go and distribute them40 8,in that case1 don't forget to take your tombstone with you40 8,a very interesting thing to do1 doctor2 but ,i shall chance the voyage for all that1 if ,i improve2 and as to the tombstone1 ,i shall leave that to friendly hands in case it is required40 ,i thanked him for the valuable medical advice he had given me1 as well as the suggestion of a visit to ,malta4 ,i left my ,german doctor1 ,mr4 ,morris1 a very eminent man ,i believe1 but his ,german style of treatment did not seem to agree with my ,john ,bull constitution4 ,i had no sooner left him and adopted the ,english style of treatment1 7and here ,i cannot refrain from expressing my thanks to a young medical gentleman named ,ambler1 who was most assiduous in his kind attentions to me1 and through following his prescriptions1 which were very strengthening1 ,i ultimately recovered17 and was able to cook nice things for myself1 instead of starving l',allemande upon a rigorous diet1 than ,i regained strength enough to go about and look to business1 and even to ride from hospital to hospital--go to the ,isles des ,princes1 ,therapia1 ,buyukder1 c41 for change of air1 and was at last strong enough to accept the following invitation to the grand ball at the ,english ,embassy3-- ,la ,vicomtesse ,stratford de ,redcliffe prie ,monsieur ,soyer de venir passer chez elle la soire de ,jeudi1 #ca ,janvier1 #aj heures4 ,bal ,costum4 ,this grand annual festival1 so eagerly looked for by the fashionables of ,pera and ,constantinople1 presented this year quite a new phase4 ,in addition to the usual diplomatic corps of the various nations represented by their ambassadors and their noble families1 there were the lite of the ,allied armies4 ,the full-dress costumes of the diplomatic corps1 as well as those of the military men1 intermixed with hundreds of exquisite fancy costumes1 formed a ravishing tout ensemble4 ,such an assemblage of members of all nations probably never met beneath the same roof1 and very likely never will again--the advent of the war being the cause4 ,the greatest attraction of the ball was the assemblage of ladies in their brilliant costumes4 ,independent of those from the various embassies1 were ,french1 ,english1 ,german1 ,greek1 ,armenian1 ,italian1 and ,circassian ladies--in fact1 all nations except the one the ball was given to1 viz41 ,turkish ladies1 the only lady in that ,oriental costume turning out to be a colonel of cavalry4 ,at an early hour1 the magnificent ball-room1 which is lit from the roof by thousands of wax lights1 was full4 ,at nine precisely the cannon was heard announcing the arrival of the ,sultan at the ,palais d',angleterre4 ,the coup-d'il was really fairylike1 upon the entrance of his ,majesty and suite1 the latter attired in full uniforms1 which could not fail to astonish the most initiated eye by the gorgeous display of gold1 jewels1 and diamonds1 coupled with the idea that such a scene had never before been witnessed except on high ,turkish festivals1 which are even more solemn than our grand ceremonies4 ,upon this occasion were assembled all the grandees and chief ,turkish officers1 attired in their sacred festival uniforms1 with a smile upon their countenances1 instead of the usual stolid and serious cast of features so peculiar to the ,moslem during their grand ceremonies4 ,his ,sublime ,majesty was nobly though plainly attired1 and shone above his suite by his magnificent simplicity4 ,lord ,stratford de ,redcliffe met the ,sultan at the foot of the great marble staircase1 that architectural chef-d'uvre of the ,palais d',angleterre2 and her ladyship and family1 surrounded by her noble circle1 received him at the summit4 ,his ,majesty1 with great affability1 expressed through ,lord de ,redcliffe the gratification he felt at being presented to her ladyship and her numerous visitors4 ,he was shown through the various saloons1 which were brilliantly illuminated and profusely decorated with choice flowers3 they were all crowded4 ,the expression of his ,majesty's countenance showed that he took the most vivid interest in the novel scene witnessed by him for the first time4 ,the ladies' fancy dresses were in exquisite taste1 particularly the 8,elizabeth ,quadrilles10 led by ,lady de ,redcliffe and the young ladies1 forming a perfect representation in tableau vivant of the ,elizabethan period1 brilliantly executed4 ,the costumes most to be admired in that assemblage of aristocratic beauty were1 the ,pompadour1 ,ninon de l',enclos1 ancient ,greek1 ,circassian1 ,roman peasant1 ,albanaise1 ,catalanaise1 and ,pierrettes4 ,all the gentlemen1 except the diplomatic and high military corps1 were in fancy character1 which gave a cheerful appearance and ensemble to the ball2 and the ,sultan1 prior to his departure1 expressed to ,lord and ,lady de ,redcliffe the gratification he felt at witnessing such a lively scene4#ba ,towards five in the morning1 its dazzling grandeur had disappeared1 and very forcibly presented to some of us the reverse of the medal4 ,to a mild evening succeeded a most tempestuous and cold morning3 snow fell heavily in the ,oriental city4 ,the change of temperature was so sudden and violent1 that one might have fancied oneself transferred by enchantment from summer to winter1 or from ,paradise to ,pandemonium4 ,the sudden change of scene and temperature presented a sad contrast to the mind4 ,a few friends accompanied me who were1 like myself1 very lightly clad1 being in character1 and we had to go home in that storm of snow on foot4 ,on reflection1 ,i felt that ,i had acted very imprudently in going at all1 in the state ,i was then in1 and that it might prove fatal to me4 8,after all10 said ,i to my friends1 who1 like myself1 were floundering about in the snow1 by that time six inches deep in some places1 8,i should very much regret not having been1 no matter what may be the consequences4 ,to be present at an entertainment which the ,padischah for the first time had honoured with his presence1 viz41 a ,christian ball1 is far from being a common thing40 ,we reached our hotel door as wet as frogs1 the movements of which reptile we had been for some time imitating by jumping from tombstone to tombstone in the ,petit ,champ des ,morts1 that being our nearest road home4 ,the door was opened1 after we had knocked about twenty times4 ,nevertheless1 we had no reason to be dull or impatient1 as there was defiling before us the everlasting caravan of donkeys laden with coffins for the daily consumption of the ,french hospital at ,pera4 ,never1 perhaps1 upon any stage was there such a sudden change from the sublime to the gloomy4 ,the door at last opened1 and we were saluted with a 8,very sorry1 gentlemen1 to keep you waiting1 but we did not expect you so early40 ,it was only half-past six ,a4,m4 ,i made sure that ,i should be ill after such a series of events1 and1 wishing to be quiet1 ,i gave special orders that no one should be permitted to disturb me1 excepting the doctor1 who was in the habit of calling occasionally4 ,i had scarcely fallen asleep1 when ,i was aroused by a knock at the door1 and a letter was put into my hands apprising me that part of my stoves had arrived4 ,i was1 therefore1 obliged to rise immediately and to go in person to the ,admiralty1 as my head man had left for ,scutari the night before4 ,the steamer was on its way to ,balaklava1 and the captain did not know what he was to do with them4 ,i immediately wrote to ,colonel ,blane at head-quarters upon the subject1 and received the following letter in reply3-- ,,head-,,quarters1 ,,crimea1 #aith ,march1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,in reply to your letter of the #acth inst41 ,i am directed to acquaint you that the new field-stoves will not be issued by ,captain ,gordon until he receives instructions to that effect from the ,quartermaster-,general4 ,lieut4-,colonel ,halliwell1 ,assistant ,quartermaster-,general of the ,fourth ,division1 will give you1 on your arrival in the ,crimea1 every information as to the hut which was directed to be built for your use in the camp of the ,fourth ,division4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your most obedient servant1 ,,robert ,,blane1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,military ,secretary4 ,monsieur ,a4 ,soyer1 ,barrack ,hospital1 ,scutari4 ,the exertion ,i had undergone for nearly twenty-four hours1 ,i fully expected would have laid me up for as many days4 ,on the contrary1 however1 ,i felt as strong again as the day before the ball1 and to this event alone ,i attribute my cure4 ,this proves that a sudden change may often be beneficial in cases of violent disease4 ,in a few days ,i once more embarked on board the ,ottowa1 and was again en route to the ,crimean shore1 but received the following letter from ,lord de ,redcliffe before leaving3-- ,,british ,,embassy1 ,february #bjth1 #ahef4 ,,dear ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,i cannot let you go back to the ,crimea1 which ,i understand you think of doing1 without receiving my written thanks1 in addition to those which ,i have already expressed by word of mouth4 ,it must be a great satisfaction to you to have found so excellent a field for the application of your skill and humanity2 and ,i sincerely hope that your name will be never dissociated from the great and memorable events of the present war4 ,believe me1 very sincerely yours1 ,,stratford ,,de ,,redcliffe4 ,monsieur ,a4 ,soyer4 ,prior to my departure1 to my great satisfaction1 the ,medical ,staff ,corps were well established in the ,barrack and ,general ,hospitals1 these being the only ones remaining4 ,all the responsibility of the culinary department in those establishments was thus taken off my hands1 as the ,medical ,staff were well acquainted with my system1 which was followed to the last4 ,the following letters which ,i wrote to the ,government and ,general ,storks will prove the necessity that exists for the establishment of such a corps for military hospitals2 and it ought to be established by every nation4 ,to ,general ,storks1 ,commanding ,officer4 ,,barrack ,,hospital1 ,,scutari1 ,march #aath1 #ahef4 ,,mons4 ,,le ,,general1--,my field-stoves for the army1 so long expected1 having just arrived2 in a few days ,i shall proceed to the ,crimea to distribute them to the different regiments1 as per special orders from the ,war-office4 ,prior to my departure hence1 ,i am happy to inform you that the ,medical ,staff ,corps is now instructed by ,victor1 the civilian cook1 in the management of the kitchen department of the hospital under the new system introduced by me and approved of by the medical authorities1 which up to this time 7a period of twelve months7 has perfectly succeeded4 ,as ,i shall require ,victor with me in the ,crimea1 ,i shall leave the future management in the hands of the said corps3 ,i would recommend its introduction in all the military hospitals1 it being of the utmost importance for the regularity of the diet for the sick1 that the employs1 when once initiated1 should not be removed1 as was the case with the soldier cooks1 and which removal was much commented upon by myself and ,dr4 ,cumming on my arrival at ,scutari1 and induced me to introduce civilian cooks4 ,the introduction of the new corps will also tend to the regularity and economy of the extra-diet system1 which is a matter of great importance in so large an establishment1 and has till now been attended with difficulty1 as the civilian cooks could not be subjected to the rigid discipline of the new corps4 ,i feel myself in duty bound to say that ,mr4 ,robertson1 the purveyor-in-chief1 has assisted me in every way to bring the system to the state of perfection in which it now is2 which system ,i am confident will1 by the introduction of my printed receipts1 be adopted at home in the civil as well as military hospitals--it having been submitted to both military and civilian medical officers1 who have approved the same1 and also assisted me with their valuable knowledge and suggestions in its formation4 ,with the highest consideration1 ,i have the honour to be1 ,your most obedient servant1 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,to the ,right ,hon4 ,lord ,panmure1 ,secretary-at-,war4 ,,barrack ,,hospital1 ,,scutari1 ,march #aath1 #ahef4 ,,my ,,lord1--,the ship ,cape of ,good ,hope1 with the first consignment of my stoves on board1 has just passed through the ,bosphorus to ,balaklava1 and1 to my great disappointment1 without stopping here2 as ,i was in daily expectation of her arrival in order to proceed in her to the ,crimea1 and distribute them to the different regiments1 having with that view requested from the ,admiralty-office1 and the wharf-master at ,scutari1 notice of her arrival4 ,i have just been apprised that the ship was ordered direct for ,balaklava1 and ,i shall follow her as early as possible4 ,i have written to head-quarters to that effect1 and beg to enclose the copy of a letter to ,general ,storks1 in which your lordship will perceive how highly ,i approve of the introduction of the new ,medical ,staff ,corps4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,your most obedient servant1 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii4 ,,camp ,,of ,,the ,,fourth ,,division4 ,excellent quality of the stoves--,mr4 ,phillips--,strange way of repairing--,interview with ,general ,codrington--installed on ,cathcart's ,hill--,gourmet and gourmand--,lessons to the soldier-cooks--,receipt to cook salt meat for fifty men--,army soup for fifty men--,success of my stoves--,the grand breakfast--,guests--,economy--,use of the fat--,general ,garrett's testimony--,giving-parties mania--,invitations--,my first dinner--,amusements--,general ,lders's invitation to the ,allied ,commanders--,scene on the ,mackenzie ,heights--,fraternization--,hospitality of the ,tartar families4 ,i thus had the opportunity of taking my civilian cooks away with me1 as ,i wanted their services in the ,crimea4 ,upon my arrival at ,balaklava1 ,i paid my respects to ,general ,codrington4 ,my stoves had arrived just before1 and the fact of their having been adopted was mentioned in the orders of the day4 ,mr4 ,phillips1 the engineer ,i had requested the ,government to send out to superintend or repair the stoves if required1 arrived on board the ,argo4 ,i am happy to say that1 as far as repairs were concerned1 this gentleman's services were not needed4 ,although the stoves were frequently moved from camp to camp1 and from one regiment to another--were in continual use in the open air1 exposed to all weathers1 and some of them for above twelve months1 they did not stand in need of any repairs4 ,this fact speaks volumes for their fitness for campaigning4 ,mr4 ,phillips was the son of one of the partners of the firm of ,smith and ,phillips4 ,he had nothing to do professionally as regards the repairing of the stoves1 but ,i must acknowledge that he made himself very useful as well as agreeable4 ,he rose very early1 and accompanied me in my camp cruises1 racing from stove to stove4 ,he woke at daybreak1 but always felt rather drowsy till he had taken a strong cup of tea1 with a stronger drop of rum in it1 which set him1 as he said1 upon his mettle4 ,he then mounted his horse1 which had gloriously served his country for nearly fourteen years in the ,french cavalry under a heavy cuirassier4 ,the only inconvenience with this warrior quadruped was that my cockney ,zouave was never sure which regiment he should visit first1 as he was no sooner on the back of this old pensioner1 than he began to fidget1 and off he went in any direction1 but always stopped at some regimental stable4 ,this did not so much matter1 as ,i had stoves in almost every regiment4 ,the only plan was to make no positive appointment4 ,on two or three occasions he was less successful1 for ,ventre--terre--such was the ,french name of that ,pegasus--took him full gallop through the ,french camp4 ,the first inconvenience was my having no stove there2 the second1 the ,french had arrested him for galloping through the camp1 and were about to put his horse in the pound and himself in prison4 ,i arrived quite by chance1 and he was liberated4 ,as he spoke no ,french1 he was endeavouring to assure them in ,english that he was not the culprit1 but his horse4 ,i explained the case to the ,french sergeant1 and recommended1 as a point of justice1 as it was the animal's fault1 that he should be put in the stable and the horse in prison4 ,this amused the group of ,imperial ,guards1 who surrounded us by scores1 and a few bottles of very1 very acid wine1 procured at ,madame ,fleur des ,bois'1 the mistress of the canteen1 terminated in full glee the adventure of my cockney ,zouave of ,snow-hill in the ,french camp of the ,crimea4 ,mr4 ,phillips was an excellent vocalist1 and his collection1 unlike that of my ,zouave ,bornet1 with his 8,en avant les ,bataillons d',afrique10 8,storm of ,constantine10 8,bravest of the ,brave10 8,cannon ,ball10 8,shell ,polka10 c41 was of a softer nature1 including 8,sally in our ,alley10 who1 he pretended1 was the love of his heart4 ,another of his favourite pieces intimated that the soft part of that organ was bursting for the love of ,alice ,gray1 whom he very much wished to meet by moonlight alone1 or in company with the 8,ratcatcher's ,daughter10 while walking round the garden with 8,villikins and his ,dinah40 ,i am induced thus minutely to depict the merits of my ,snow-hill ,zouave1 because he will be so well recognised by those who were in the camp4 ,he was short1 fair1 fat1 and full of ,london jokes1 which he had the fault of laughing at more himself than those did who listened to him4 ,he is a good son1 good husband1 good father1 a good fellow1 but a bad punster4 ,the chief evil in the old canteen cooking apparatus was1 that it so easily got out of repair4 ,there was no possibility either of mending them or of obtaining new ones1 as they were only issued at certain periods4 ,i saw some that had been mended in a most extraordinary style4 ,when the hole was too small1 the soldiers would poke a rusty nail into it2 if large1 a nail with a piece of leather attached4 ,other operators would cut a piece off the cover in order to mend the bottom or side2 and as after that scientific repair leakage was unavoidable1 they were obliged to keep putting in fresh water1 or to let the canteen burn4 ,after our interview1 ,general ,codrington promised me his assistance4 ,the ,congress was then sitting1 and rumours of peace were flying about4 ,i asked the general whether it would not be better to prevent more stoves being sent out4 ,he replied-- 8,perhaps it would40 8,i am glad to hear you say so1 your excellency1 it being a sign of peace1 as war ,i consider at all times unprofitable40 8,on the contrary1 ,monsieur ,soyer2 we are making greater preparations than ever for war40 ,it was decided that1 for the time being1 one stove should be delivered to each regiment1 and be removed from company to company1 in order to give all the men an insight into the method of using them1 and of my system of cooking4 ,this was immediately done2 and on the receipt of the following from ,colonel ,blane1 ,i went to ,colonel ,halliwell3-- ,illustration3 ,,soyer',s ,,villarette ,,on ,,cathcart',s ,,hill4 ,taken unexpectedly by a ,non-,commissioned ,artist in the ,rifle ,brigade4 ,,head-,,quarters1 ,,crimea4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,by applying to ,colonel ,halliwell of the ,fourth ,division1 he will give you possession of the hut which has been built for yourself and suite1 and will assist you in every manner possible4 ,i am1 yours ever1 ,s4 ,j4 ,,blane1 ,col41 ,mil4 ,sec4 to ,gen4 ,sir ,w4 ,codrington1 ,commanding4 ,to ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,in a very short space of time my tents were pitched1 and myself and my people were installed1 on that celebrated spot called after that great and deeply-regretted man1 ,general ,cathcart--viz41 ,cathcart's ,hill4 ,this was now my castle1 and proud was ,i of the noble site granted to me1 as well as of my neighbours1 from whom ,i received a most kind and friendly reception4 ,indeed1 it was with the highest gratification that ,i found in the ,fourth ,division the same welcome and urbanity ,i had received in the ,first4 ,i shall ever be grateful to ,colonel ,halliwell1 who1 by the bye1 is a very distinguished artist and a discriminating epicure4 ,excuse the remark1 dear reader1 but a man1 as ,i have already remarked in my ,regenerator1 may be either a gourmet or a gourmand1 but never both3 8car le gourmand n'est jamais gourmet2 l'un mange sans dguster1 l'autre dguste en mangeant40 ,the gourmet is the ,epicurean dilettante1 who eats scientifically and with all his organs--ears1 of course1 included4 ,the gourmand's stomach alone acts2 he swallows all that is put before him1 never praises the culinary artist1 and seldom complains of the quality of the food1 but frequently of the want of quantity4 ,therefore1 gourmets1 epicures1 high-livers1 and wealthy merchants1 who are gifted with a fine intellect1 never allow yourselves to be called a gourmand if you are really deserving of the title of gourmet--and this title ,i confidently bestow upon my honourable friend ,colonel ,halliwell1 who was not only a gourmet1 but also a very good amateur cook4 ,i defy any one to make a better mayonnaise1 not even excepting professionals4 ,the plan ,i had adopted for the introduction of my stoves was as follows3--,i first had an interview with the colonel of the regiment1 who introduced me to the quartermaster--the latter to the storekeeper4 ,then ,i went to the commissariat in each division1 where ,i looked over the stores1 in order to regulate the distribution of the provisions and condiments with judgment and according to common sense4#bb ,to remedy this evil in a private family would only require a few minutes' conversation with the cook2 while in an army it would take years1 as military rules would have to be changed and fresh ones introduced4 ,simple as the change may appear1 it is still very difficult to carry out1 particularly in a camp extending over such a large space of ground4 ,fortunately1 ,i was invested with the power of doing so without troubling the authorities3 nevertheless1 it was only by the following plan that ,i succeeded4 ,to effect this very important object1 as well as to introduce my new system1 ,i devoted an hour to attend in person and give the first lesson myself to the soldier-cooks4 ,as the colonel1 quartermaster1 and a serjeant were present1 besides many officers as lookers-on1 a great impression was thus created upon the men1 who immediately saw the importance of following my instructions4 ,i supplied the cooks with receipts printed at head-quarters1 which gave them quite an official appearance4 ,the annexed specimen will give an idea of their simplicity1 and of the facility with which they might be adopted3-- ,,soyer',s ,,simplified ,,receipt ,,to ,,cook ,,salt ,,meat ,,for ,,fifty ,,men4 ,,head-,,quarters1 ,,crimea1 #abth ,may1 #ahef4 #a4 ,put #ej lbs4 of meat in the boiler4 #b4 ,fill with water1 and let it soak all night4 #c4 ,next morning wash the meat well4 #d4 ,fill with fresh water1 and boil gently three hours4 ,p4,s4--,skim off the fat1 which1 when cold1 is an excellent substitute for butter4 ,,soyer',s ,,army ,,soup ,,for ,,fifty ,,men4 #a4 ,put in the boiler #cj quarts1 #g gallons1 or #e camp-kettles of water4 #b4 ,add to it #ej lbs4 of meat1 either beef or mutton4 #c4 ,the rations of preserved or fresh vegetables4 #d4 ,ten small table-spoonfuls of salt4 #e4 ,simmer three hours1 and serve4 ,p4,s4--,when rice is issued1 put it in when boiling4 ,three pounds will be sufficient4 ,about #h lbs4 of fresh vegetables1 or #d squares from a cake of preserved ditto4 ,a table-spoonful of pepper1 if handy4 ,skim off the fat1 which1 when cold1 is an excellent substitute for butter4#bc 7,for other variations of receipts1 see ,addenda47 ,thanks to the kindness of the colonels and of the authorities of each regiment1 every man did his best1 and not one found fault with either the stoves or the receipts3 on the contrary1 they all took pride in their task1 and only regretted being compelled to return to the use of the camp-kettles1 as sufficient of my stoves had not then arrived to enable me to supply them all4 ,the cooking out of doors was also very agreeable to them1 besides the saving of labour1 in not having to cut1 split1 or saw several hundredweight of wood for each company1 as they now only required a few pounds4 ,having proved the utility of the stoves1 the military authorities and doctors tasted the different soups and messes1 with which they were also well pleased4 ,the following letters1 with those in ,addenda1#bd will fully corroborate my statement on both these points3-- ,,war-,,office1 ,june #hth1 #ahee4 ,,sir1--,i am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the #aath ultimo1 reporting your arrival at ,balaklava1 and the steps taken by you for improving the condition of the kitchens and cooking arrangements of the hospitals there2 and to acquaint you1 that your account of your proceedings and progress is very satisfactory4 ,i am1 ,sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,frederick ,j4 ,,prescott4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,the ,robert ,lowe1 ,balaklava ,harbour1 ,crimea4 ,,war ,,office1 #aith ,september1 #ahee4 ,,sir1--,i am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the #fth ultimo1 enclosing a copy of your arrangements at ,scutari prior to your leaving for the ,crimea1 and to convey to you the thanks of the ,secretary-at-,war for that very satisfactory communication4 ,i am1 ,sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,fred4 ,j4 ,,prescott4 ,monsieur ,a4 ,soyer1 ,scutari4 #jaab_/ai ,,war ,,department1 #bjth ,october1 #ahee4 ,,sir1--,i am directed to convey to you his lordship's thanks for your communications of the #hth and #bbnd ,september1 and #bnd instant2 and1 in reply1 to inform you1 that on your recommendation his lordship has sanctioned an order for #djj stoves to be manufactured by ,messrs4 ,smith and ,phillips1 of ,snow ,hill1 ,london2 and has given direction that every exertion be used to despatch them at as early a period as possible4 ,i am1 ,sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,john ,,croomes4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,crimea4 #jaab_/bf ,,war ,,department1 #gth ,december1 #ahee4 ,,sir1--,with reference to your letters of the #ajth and #adth ,november1 ,i am directed to acquaint you that ,lord ,panmure has pleasure in affording you the facilities you desire in making another visit to the ,crimea for the purpose of seeing that a proper use is made of the cooking stoves which have been ordered to be sent out4 ,his lordship has written to ,sir ,w4 ,codrington1 instructing him to allow you the use of a hut1 and to extend to you the same advantages which you were afforded under ,sir ,james ,simpson's command2 but ,i am to add1 that up to the present time1 none of the stoves have been actually dispatched1 although it is expected that a portion of them will be ready very shortly4 ,you must exercise your own discretion1 therefore1 as to the time for your proceeding to the ,crimea4 ,i am1 ,sir1 your obedient servant1 ,e4 ,,chumley4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,scutari4 ,,war ,,department1 #beth ,april1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,i am directed by ,lord ,panmure to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated #cast ,march1 and to express his lordship's pleasure in learning that the cooking arrangements which you have introduced in the hospitals at ,scutari have answered so perfectly4 ,lord ,panmure approves of your presenting one of the stoves to ,marshal ,pelissier1 provided you previously obtain the concurrence of ,sir ,w4 ,codrington4 ,i am1 ,sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,john ,,croomes4 ,monsieur ,alexis ,soyer1 ,crimea4 ,,war ,,department1 #fth ,june1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,i am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the #fth ultimo1 reporting the success of your field-stoves in the ,crimea1 and enclosing two receipts for the preparation of food for the army1 and to express ,lord ,panmure's satisfaction thereon4 ,i am1 ,sir1 your obedient servant1 ,j4 ,,bacon4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 c41 ,crimea4 ,after having started them in person1 ,i sent my cooks every morning on their rounds to see if the men followed my instructions1 and ,i visited each regiment daily4 ,the hospitals1 thank ,god1 were at this time almost empty4 ,when a division had made use of the stoves about a week1 ,i requested the general commanding that division to inquire of the colonel1 officers1 and men1 their opinion of the results of my labours2 and in that manner ,i acquired the above-mentioned numerous letters of commendation1 having in my possession many others1 but space will not allow of their insertion4 ,one of the days on which salt rations were issued1 ,i requested ,general ,garrett to go round his division and ask the men what they did with the fat4 ,this he very kindly did1 accompanied by his aide-de-camp1 ,major ,dallas4 ,the first cook we visited1 in the #ahth ,regiment1 had rations for #id men 7the whole of his company74 ,they were being cooked in one stove3 the two stoves for the same quantity would have been much better1 as the more water the meat is boiled in1 the more salt is extracted from it4 ,the boiler was filled to the brim1 the contents simmering gently3 the meat was beautifully cooked4 ,there were about four inches of clear fat1 as sweet as butter1 floating on the top4 ,the stove was in the open air1 and the cook only burnt from ten to fifteen pounds of wood 7or hardly so much7 to cook for that number--viz41 the whole of his company4 ,the allowance of wood had been reduced from #dlbs4 to #clbs4 per man daily4 ,the advent of peace gave me a full opportunity of thoroughly instructing the men1 and thus ,i was enabled firmly to establish my new system4 ,the saving in wood alone1 supposing each company to consist of one hundred men1 would1 at the former rate of allowance1 amount to #dejlbs4 per company per diem1 allowing #belbs4 for cooking1 which is ample4 ,this in a regiment of eight companies would make a daily saving of #cfjjlbs4 of wood1 independent of the economy of transport1 mules1 labour1 c4 ,in an army of forty thousand men1 it would amount to the immense figure of #ahj1jjjlbs41 or #ij tons1 per day saved to the ,government1 or #cb1hej tons per annum4 ,general ,garrett asked the man what he was going to do with the fat4 8,throw it away1 general10 was the answer4 8,throw it away6--why80 said the ,general4 8,i don't know1 sir1 but we always do40 8,why not use it80--8,the men don't like it1 sir40 ,i observed that when the salt meat was cooked in the small canteen pans1 the fat was lost for want of the necessary quantity of water to allow it to rise to the surface1 as well as to purify it of the salt4 ,asking the man for a leaden spoon and a tin can1 ,i removed the fat as ,i had before done in the ,guards' camp4 ,on weighing it the next day1 ,i found upwards of #adlbs4 of beautiful clean and sweet dripping1 fit for use as described in the receipts4 ,thus about #hjjlbs4 of this were wasted weekly by each regiment--salt rations being issued four days a week4 ,general ,garrett expressed a decided opinion that my apparatus was much superior to the old canteen pan1 and gave me a letter1 which ,i append in the ,addenda4 ,the signature of the treaty of peace changed all the proceedings in the camp1 except mine2 for in anticipation of the distribution of the remainder of the stoves among the various regiments in the camps at ,aldershot barracks1 c41 as well as to those on foreign stations1 ,i continued my daily course of instruction1 in order that the men1 upon arrival at home or elsewhere1 might be well acquainted with their use1 and be able to impart their knowledge to others4 ,i have since hit upon a plan by which ,i shall introduce an oven and steamer1 and thus do all that is required to vary the cooking of the daily meals in barracks--a subject of great importance4 ,war having ceased1 the camp bore the appearance of a monster banqueting-hall4 8,we have done fighting10 said every one1 8so let us terminate the campaign by feasting1 lay down our victorious but murderous weapons1 and pick up those more useful and restorative arms--the knife and fork40 ,all appeared to have caught a giving-parties mania4 ,you could scarcely meet a friend or even a slight acquaintance without being apostrophized by1 8,when will you dine with me80 as regularly as though it had been inserted in the order of the day4 ,the first invitation ,i received was from the witty ,general ,barnard1 who so generously entertained his friends1 under the superintendence of his major-domo1 ,captain ,barnard 7the gallant general's son74 ,a good table1 good wine1 and plenty of everything1 or at least the best that could be obtained1 were provided2 and no less than five times had ,i the honour of being invited to enjoy the noble general's good cheer4 ,next came invitations from my noble friend and neighbour1 ,general ,garrett1 ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 ,colonel de ,bathe1 ,colonel ,peel1 ,major ,fielden1 ,lord ,vane1 ,lord ,dunkellin1 and the great epicure of epicures1 ,colonel ,haley1 of the #dgth1 c41 c42 to each and all of whom ,i cannot but feel grateful--not alone for their liberal welcome1 but also for the honour of having been admitted to their friendship4 ,i could do no less than return the compliment1 which was of course expected from me1 the ,gastronomic ,regenerator4 ,the first dinner ,i gave was honoured by the presence of the following gentlemen--viz41 ,lord ,william ,paulet1 ,gen4 ,garrett1 ,gen4 ,wyndham1 ,gen4 ,barnard1 ,col4 ,halliwell1 ,col4 ,r4 ,campbell 7#ijth71 ,col4 ,haley 7#dgth71 ,major ,earle1 ,major ,dallas1 ,captain ,barnard1 c4 ,the bill of fare was as follows3-- ,potage la ,codrington4 ,filet de turbot clout la ,balaklava4 99 99 99 99 99 ,quartier de mouton la bretonne4 ,poulets la tartarine4 99 99 99 99 99 ,queues de buf la ravigotte4 ,cotelettes de mouton la vivandire4 ,rissolettes de volaille la ,pelissier4 ,filet de buf pique marin1 sauce poivrade4 99 99 99 99 99 ,la mayonnaise la russe1 garnis de cavea4 99 99 99 99 99 ,les plum-puddings la ,cosaque4 ,les haricots verds la poulette4 ,les geles de citron garni4 ,les croutes l'abricot4 ,la bombe glac la ,sebastopol4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,hors-,d',,uvres4 ,les anchoix--sardines--lamproies l'huile--mortadelle de ,vrone--olives farcies--thon--cornichons l'estragon--salade--legumes--dessert--ca f--liqueurs4 ,though there was nothing very recherch in the dinner1 it met with the approval of all the guests4 ,the appearance of my humble but originally-decorated hut1 profusely lit up with wax lights1 and a rather nicely laid-out table1 surrounded by military men of high standing1 in their various uniforms1 was exceedingly novel4 ,the occasion formed quite an epoch in my life1 and ,i shall probably never again have the honour of entertaining such a distinguished circle under similar circumstances4 ,encouraged by this my first success1 ,i felt in duty bound to continue the series of these petites ftes ,anacrontiques1 at which were assembled wit1 mirth1 good appetite1 and delightful harmony4 ,amateur artistes of no little note1 who had emerged triumphant from the murky atmosphere produced by the incessant bombardment of ,sebastopol1 were there4 ,by their exertions the barriers of freedom and civilization were opened to all1 and the autocrat ,czar was compelled to submit4 ,those who but a few days before had been enemies were now friends4 ,in fact1 the war had ceased1 and peace1 that mother of sociability1 offered her delights freely to all4 ,care seemed banished from every brow1 excepting the sincere regret devoted to the memory of those brave men who had so nobly died for the glory of their country4 ,in addition to the theatres1 which had amused the camp throughout the winter1 madrigal and glee clubs were instituted4 ,at one of my petits dners 7at which the filet de buf pique marin was duly discussed and highly praised by my ,epicurean guests7 the leader of the madrigal club1 ,colonel de ,bathe1 proposed that1 as ,i had the largest and most convenient hut for the purpose1 besides being well provided with culinary as well as table utensils1 as a finale1 and to crush the last vestige of sorrow in every one's heart on account of this memorable war1 ,i should give a dinner-party1 after which the whole of the members of the ,crimean ,madrigal ,club would harmoniously close the evening with a concert4 ,the proposition was unanimously agreed to4 ,i promised my guests to do my best to close the season of war by producing an excellent gastronomic popotte4 ,a general invitation was given1 and the day fixed4 ,when ,general ,lders courteously invited the ,french and ,english generals to honour him with their presence at his famed camp on the well-known ,mackenzie ,heights1 the invitation was accepted for the following day4 ,everybody was anxious to go1 and the invitation being a general one1 lucky were they who had heard of it4 ,the next day a stream of general officers of the ,allied armies poured towards the ,tchernaya ,bridge4 ,this was our first friendly meeting with those who had so bravely defended themselves and sacrificed their blood in defence of the national cause3 ,general ,lders himself had lost two of his sons in the battle-field4 ,the reception was grand and interesting1 the review imposing1 the lunch excellent1 the bizarrerie of some very eccentric performance by the ,cossacks highly amusing1 the weather very fine1 and the welcome joyous and hearty4 ,it showed what marvels could be produced by a few strokes from a pen guided by a powerful and prudent hand4 ,only a few days before1 the soil upon which we were treading peacefully was trodden by these same human beings with hearts full of revenge1 thirst of blood1 and destruction4 ,in place of these1 good understanding1 as if by magic1 restored to each heart the feelings of humanity and religion4 ,thousands of enemies were in a few minutes changed to hospitable friends4 ,the hostile line of demarcation was now removed1 and the camp of our late enemies free to all2 and1 instead of gaining inch by inch of ground by the sweat of the brow and waste of blood and life1 there was welcome for all4 ,such was the effect produced upon my mind by the advent of peace1 after that memorable and sanguinary ,eastern war1 through which ,i thank ,god for sparing my life during my humble mission1 in the prosecution of which ,i had the honour of witnessing the finale of that great ,european question1 in which the honour and glory of mighty nations were deeply involved4 ,after this solemn day of reception1 the fusion of the armies took place4 ,our camp was invaded by ,russians1 as theirs was by our men4 ,the works and fortifications1 as well as ,bakschiserai1 ,simpheropol1 ,perekop1 c4 c41 were immediately taken without bloodshed4 ,the popping of the well-corked champagne had replaced the monstrous and unsociable voice of the cannon4 ,the sparkling liquid1 poured in tin pots or cups--anything but crystal champagne-glasses--seemed to unite all hearts4 ,all the taverns1 hotels1 inns1 huts1 marquees1 bell tents1 c41 had their visitors2 and no people more than the ,russians proved their immediate attachment to us1 by making it a rule not to disoblige any one who asked the favour of their company4 ,rather than do this1 they preferred staying a week1 a fortnight1 or even a month4 ,this ,i1 as well as some of my friends1 had the felicity of experiencing1 as often the whole family--father1 mother1 sons and daughters1 horse1 cart1 and dogs included--would take up their residence with one4 ,most of us made a pilgrimage to ,bakschiserai1 ,simpheropol1 ,yalta1 and other places1 after the proclamation of peace2 and1 to the honour and credit of the inhabitants1 all were received with a cordial welcome1 after being first introduced to the governor of the city4 ,freely indeed was their hospitality bestowed1 and it was our duty to return the compliment by an invitation to our camp1 which seldom failed to be accepted1 and shortly after put in execution1 after the style above mentioned4 ,justice must also be done to the ,tartar families whom we visited1 for their liberality and friendship4 ,i never saw a man more put out than one near ,bakschiserai on an occasion when a friend and myself had entered a house in order to obtain some refreshment4 ,we there found a very numerous family1 among which were three small children1 from three to ten years of age4 ,the father1 who was an old man1 made us understand by telegraphic signs1 la ,tartare1 that he1 and he alone1 was the father1 which we had not the slightest objection to believe4 ,two rather good-looking girls1 also daughters1 waited attentively upon us1 and in less than ten minutes a frugal repast was offered4 ,the old man and his rather young wife gave us to understand that they had laid before us the best they had1 for which we1 by telegraphic signs1 made them comprehend that we were quite pleased and very grateful4 ,when we had satisfied our appetites1 we made ready to start1 and offered to pay for the accommodation we had received3 but scarcely had the ,english sovereign fallen upon the stone slab before the old father1 who was nursing the two youngest scions of his race upon his knees1 than he rose up with a spring1 dropped the children on the floor1 and stroking his long white hair with one hand1 made a sign for the sovereign to be immediately returned to the pocket with the other1 as if he feared that the heaven towards which his eyes were directed would punish him for violating the laws of hospitality if he accepted the money4 ,we did as he desired1 and peace and friendship were at once restored4 ,it was a scene worthy of the ,dame ,blanche of ,boieldieu1 taken from ,sir ,walter ,scott's ,monastery1 where the ,highland farmer says to travellers like ourselves1 8,the ,scotch mountaineers dispense their hospitality1 but never sell it40 ,soon after this charming incident had occurred1 we left our generous host and his fine family in their peaceable dwelling4 ,this love of hospitality did not prevail amongst the retail dealers1 who1 on the contrary1 endeavoured to fleece visitors in every possible way1 as if anxious to get one's skin in order to sell it for what it would fetch4 ,as curiosity had allured us thus far into the bowels of the land1 and as we were not particular about trifles1 even in money matters1 on this auspicious occasion1 these human vultures were permitted to gorge themselves at our expense and that of our pockets4 ,champagne was sold at a pound and more the bottle1 stout at ten shillings1 and everything else at the same exorbitant rate1 but by way of compensation all was of an inferior quality4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii4 ,,hostilities ,,at ,,table4 ,culinary education of the soldier-pupils--,meeting with ,miss ,nightingale--,reforms in the hospitals--,testimonials--,miss ,nightingale's carriage rescued--,that lady's exertions--,her faith--,general ,lders's visits--,marshal ,pelissier--,grand ceremonies--,trip to ,yalta--,the ,alar--,a peculiar position--,rescued at last--,a pleasant excursion--,prince ,woronzoff's palace--,dinner at sea--,outside the harbour--,the banquet--,wanted at head-quarters--,a new dish--8,the great ,macdoine l',alexandre ,,ii41 or the ,contrast of ,peace and ,war0--,decorations--,reviews--,the festival--,reflections4 ,as two or three months had still to elapse before the final evacuation of the ,crimea took place1 ,i employed the interval in completing the culinary education of my soldier-pupils1 anxious that they might be able to confer the benefit of my instructions upon others1 when the remainder of the stoves should be issued either at home or abroad4 ,by the aid of my receipts1 which were to be printed upon parchment1 framed1 and hung up in every barrack kitchen1 the cooks could not fail in the proper performance of their duties4 ,i very much regret that1 owing to some misunderstanding1 one or two regiments did not receive my personal attendance1 though ,i believe they had the stoves4 ,to the colonels of those regiments ,i beg to offer this as an apology for the apparent neglect1 which ,i assure those gentlemen ,i can only attribute to some oversight on the part of those ,i employed to see the stoves shifted from one regiment to the other4 ,it was no easy matter to traverse such an immense space of ground1 upon which above forty regiments were encamped2 and the difficulty was increased by my having to deal with different persons in each4 ,although ,i had several of my own men to go about and assist me1 ,i was the responsible person2 and all ,i have to say is1 that from six or seven in the morning till night1 their humble servant was on horseback1 reviewing his various regiments1 which1 for a bad cavalier1 was a great exertion1 especially after so severe an illness4 ,yet to that exertion ,i believe ,i owe my recovery1 as it enabled me gradually to get the better of a most violent attack of dysentery1 which had at one time reduced me so low1 that the following civilian doctors1 who were my neighbours at ,scutari--viz41 ,messrs4 ,burn1 ,howard1 and ,fraser--were almost inclined to give me up4 ,upon my arrival at ,balaklava ,i met ,miss ,nightingale1 who had left ,scutari a few days previous to my departure from that place1 in order to take the management of two new hospitals1 under the superintendence of ,dr4 ,taylor1 my ,scutari culinary friend4 ,he told me that1 to his sorrow1 he had completely failed in the construction of the kitchen in those ,crimean hospitals1 on account of not being able to obtain the necessary utensils1 c4 ,i immediately proposed to set this to rights for him1 as ,i had to build two new extra-diet kitchens at ,miss ,nightingale's request4 ,dr4 ,taylor accepted my offer1 and in less than a week both kitchens were satisfactorily completed1 and they were also in full activity4 ,in the extra-diet kitchens ,miss ,nightingale's new stoves were adopted4 ,the establishment called the ,left ,wing ,hospital was in charge of the ,sisters of ,charity2 the other1 called the ,right ,wing1 in that of ,miss ,stuart1 a most excellent lady1 and although of high family1 subordinate to ,miss ,nightingale4 ,during a period of six months1 she rendered the greatest service1 by ably assisting that lady in her exertions4 ,i substituted my caldrons for the old ones in the large hospital kitchens4 ,slight wooden sheds were built to shelter them2 and the establishments1 at last complete1 formed two of the most elegant1 cleanly1 and useful hospital kitchens in the camp--burning but little wood1 instead of always running short1 as was the case when the common caldrons1 placed upon two stones in a dark stone building which could never be kept clean1 were in use4 ,they met with the approval of both ,drs4 ,hall and ,taylor4 ,i explained to these gentlemen1 that with those stoves and a few planks1 an excellent hospital or camp-kitchen could easily be made1 instead of the very inferior ones before in use2 and that for an army of a hundred thousand men or more1 it would only be necessary to increase the number1 as the stoves would never get out of repair1 and might easily be carried with the army1 either on mules1 or by any other conveyance which the ,land ,transport ,corps might adopt4 ,the two following letters confirm the truth of my assertions4 ,the one is from ,miss ,nightingale1 and the other from ,dr4 ,taylor3-- ,,scutari ,,barrack ,,hospital1 ,july #bhth1 #ahef4 ,i have great pleasure in bearing my testimony to the very essential usefulness of ,monsieur ,soyer1 who1 first in the ,general ,hospitals of ,scutari1 and afterwards in the ,camp ,hospitals of the ,crimea1 both general and regimental1 restored order where all was unavoidable confusion1 as far as he was individually able1--took the soldiers' rations and patients' diets as they were1 and converted them into wholesome and agreeable food4 ,i have tried his stoves in the ,crimean hospitals where ,i have been employed1 and found them answer every purpose of economy and efficiency4 ,,florence ,,nightingale4 ,monsieur ,soyer's cooking-stoves have been solely used in the ,right and ,left ,wing ,hospitals1 ,light ,infantry ,corps1 during the last three months for the regimental hospital diets1 for which they are admirably adapted as regards despatch1 cleanliness1 and economy4 ,g4 ,,taylor1 ,m4,d41 ,s4 ,surgeon1 #ast ,class4 ,crimea1 #eth ,july1 #ahef4 ,it was on the way to these hospitals that the vehicle conveying ,miss ,nightingale and her nurses was upset1 and they all had a most miraculous escape4 ,it was drawn by a mule1 and no doubt driven by a donkey1 who drove over a large stone1 and thus caused the accident4 ,one of the nurses was severely wounded4 ,after this accident1 ,colonel ,macmurdo gave ,miss ,nightingale the carriage1 a sketch of which appeared in the ,illustrated ,london ,news of the #cjth ,august1 #ahef4 ,upon leaving the ,crimea1 after a long search1 ,i succeeded in rescuing it from the hands of some ,tartar ,jews1 as ,i considered it a precious relic for present and future generations4 ,the ,jews were going to purchase it the next day among a lot of common carts1 harness1 horses1 c4 ,i called upon ,colonel ,evans1 of the ,light ,infantry ,corps1 and spoke to him upon the subject1 when he kindly allowed me to purchase it4 ,i sent it to ,england by the ,argo1 and the sketch was taken on board that ship by ,landells1 the artist of that journal4 ,it arrived and was safely landed at ,southampton2 and ,mr4 ,andrews1 the mayor of that city1 very kindly allowed the carriage to remain in his warehouse till my return to ,england4 ,illustration ,the extraordinary exertions ,miss ,nightingale imposed upon herself after receiving this carriage would have been perfectly incredible1 if not witnessed by many and well ascertained4 ,i can vouch for the fact1 having frequently accompanied her to the hospitals as well as to the monastery4 ,the return from these places at night was a very dangerous experiment1 as the road led across a very uneven country4 ,it was still more perilous when snow was upon the ground4 ,i have seen that lady stand for hours at the top of a bleak rocky mountain near the hospitals1 giving her instructions1 while the snow was falling heavily4 ,i observed this to the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,holt1 who accompanied her almost daily as her clerical orderly1 as he called himself1 and he admitted that it was very imprudent on her part4 ,all one could say to her on the subject was so kindly received1 that you concluded you had persuaded her to take more care of herself4 ,yet she always went on in the same way1 having probably forgotten good advice in her anxiety for the comfort of the sick4 ,i often warned her of the danger she incurred in returning so late at night1 with no other escort than the driver4 ,she answered by a smile1 which seemed to say1 8,you may be right1 but ,i have faith40 ,so impressed was ,i with a sense of the magnitude of the danger she was daily incurring1 that ,i addressed a letter to a noble duchess1 who1 ,i knew1 had much influence with her4 ,it was reported that the ,russian general1 ,lders1 intended to pay ,marshal ,pelissier a visit at the ,french head-quarters1 and that the general and his ,staff were to be received at the ,tchernaya ,bridge at seven in the morning4 ,as ,i had that day to go to the ,highland ,brigade at ,kamara1 accompanied by one of my cooks1 we started at five2 and after receiving the popottes at the various regiments1 ,i left my artiste and galloped to the bridge4 ,i found about thirty thousand troops drawn up in line1 extending from the bridge to ,general ,pelissier's head-quarters4 ,after the salvo of artillery1 a most warm reception was given by ,general ,mac,mahon to ,general ,lders1 both commanders-in-chief remaining at the ,french head-quarters to receive him4 ,the cavalcade1 consisting of ,french and ,russians1 set off at a hard gallop along the line of ,french troops1 which extended about four miles4 ,the discharges of cannon and the firing of musketry never ceased4 ,the day was a brilliant one1 and the sun's rays glittered upon the helmets1 swords1 cuirasses1 and bayonets1 reflecting myriads of diamonds in the air4 ,the various uniforms of the ,staff which accompanied ,general ,lders1 and in particular that of the ,cosaques du ,don1 gave to this martial and animated scene an clat hardly ever witnessed even at the grandest review1 which is generally held on a flat surface1 this being cheerfully accidented by hillock and dale4 ,on such occasions1 the army is generally formed in square1 instead of being in a long line eight files deep on one side only1 as on the occasion to which ,i now refer4 ,the reception by ,general ,pelissier was brilliant1 and worthy of that offered to him on the ,mackenzie ,heights a few days previous4 ,amongst the excursions we had projected was one which had been some time pending4 ,it was to be a trip to ,yalta by water1 where we intended to spend a couple of days4 ,a vessel had been provided1 the provisions were ordered1 and guests in abundance were invited4 ,a series of fine days had followed1 and the whole management was placed in the hands of the person with whom the idea of the excursion originated1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,parker4 ,what man amongst the numbers in the ,crimea did not know that distinguished1 enterprising1 and worthy man8 ,his fame extended far and wide1 and he was equally celebrated for his benevolence and intelligence2 and he never saw a difficulty in anything he undertook1 from the building of a church to an hospital1 a hut1 kitchen1 or an ice-house4 ,workmen and materials were found by him1 people hardly knew how or where4 ,under his clerical wand1 wooden palaces were erected1 not without difficulty1 but still the work was accomplished4 ,if any good provisions arrived in the harbour1 the worthy minister was the first to hear of it1 and1 to oblige his friends1 made all inquiries and obtained every information respecting price and quality4 ,like all clever men1 he was fond of good living1 and was not at all a bad judge of the good things of this life4 ,it was during the time that he officiated at ,balaklava1 that the church1 which once had the appearance of a barn1 was changed into a handsome religious edifice4 ,sebastopol had fallen1 and1 as a trophy1 one of the bells of the ,greek church ornamented his building1 and called the faithful to their duty as regularly as the peal of any parish church4 ,he was1 in fact1 the perfection of the aumnier du rgiment2 but1 as in the case of all great geniuses1 now and then1 success was followed by failure1 and victory by defeat--which the following will prove4 ,the day for the excursion had been fixed1 postponed1 and was again decided upon4 ,for this change of plan ,i cannot account2 no doubt it was owing to some unavoidable cause4 ,at length the day was finally settled2 there was to be no more postponing--off we must go4 ,our vessel was called the ,alar1 and she belonged to ,mr4 ,crockford4 ,as she was very small and short of accommodation1 she was soon filled above and below4 ,the evening before we were to start1 the news of a great event for the following day was published in ,general ,orders4 ,it was to the effect that ,general ,lders would honour ,general ,codrington with his presence at a grand review4 ,this favour was not so highly appreciated by the nautical tourists as by their gallant ,commander-in-chief1 as at that time it materially interfered with their anticipated excursion4 ,at all events1 a serious discussion took place as to whether the excursion would or would not be postponed on that account4 ,the answer 8would not60 resounded in the camp from regiment to regiment1 like a mot d'ordre1 and the final order to all was1 not to be on board a minute after eight o'clock2 but the ,alar1 by way of punctuality1 started at half-past seven4 ,i sent two of my cooks to the vessel1 but they never saw anything of the boat4 ,a few minutes before eight o'clock1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,parker1 myself1 and others1 got into a ,maltese boat to join the steamer2 instead of which1 the steamer joined us4 ,not thanking either the ,alar nor her captain for their trouble in coming to us instead of allowing us to go to them1 the reverend gentleman and three more bravely boarded her1 and in so doing kicked our bark away1 and left us1 in consequence of the swell caused by the motion of the paddle-wheels1 very unsafely dancing an entirely new hornpipe in the harbour of ,balaklava4 ,at last1 by the assistance of a large wave which nearly capsized us all1 ,i managed to get hold of the man-rope by one hand2 this happened to be the left one1 so ,i could not raise myself on board1 and there ,i was left hanging over the infuriated waves1 the vessel all the while increasing her speed4 ,as a precaution in walking through the wet fields1 ,i had put on my ,india-rubber boots1 which dipping in the water1 soon became as slippery as a second-hand leech which will not take or bite at anything4 ,the confusion on board the vessel1 already a wreck1 having been just dismasted in a serious collision with a larger steamer1 prevented the people on board from perceiving my perilous position4 ,my strength was rapidly becoming exhausted1 and ,i must in a second or two have fallen into the water1 when a reverend gentleman1 whose name ,i regret to say ,i cannot recall1 saw the imminent danger in which ,i was placed1 and rescued me4 ,thanks to his assistance1 ,i managed to lay hold of another rope with my right hand4 ,i fancied ,i could travel miles in that position1 it appeared to be so safe4 ,other assistance arrived1 and a few minutes after ,i was hauled upon deck1 scrambling amongst the wreck and loose ropes4 ,a friendly voice addressed me with1 8,hallo1 ,soyer6 you are behind time40 ,i replied1 8,i should have preferred being later still1 and not have come at all40 ,when the incident was known on board1 it caused much merriment among our fellow-adventurers4 ,as we were going on pleasure1 all were allowed to laugh at the various adventures1 as well as misadventures1 of the party so ,i laughed1 and all laughed1 soon afterwards1 and very heartily4 ,we were no sooner out of the harbour1 than the good ship ,alar1 which had not received her proper quantum of breakfast or ballast in her wooden or iron stomach1 began her hanky-panky rolling tricks1 which never ceased from the time we started till our return4 ,breakfast was ready and upon the table2 but1 for some unaccountable reason1 no one appeared ready for breakfast4 ,as we were out upon a pleasure excursion1 each person was at liberty to enjoy himself in his own way4 ,some did this by remaining upon deck1 others by looking overboard1 c41 till at length the generous sun1 taking pity upon us1 threw out his beams and guided us round the beautiful rocky coast of the ,balaklava and ,lukan shores4 ,a few glasses of champagne were circulated1 healths were pledged1 and everything got cheerful and lively2 and the joy had even extended to some of the ladies on board4 ,indeed1 reader1 ,i have not yet had time to introduce our fair companions to your notice2 but ,i will do so shortly4 ,some of them actually went so far as to ask me what ,i thought was good for dinner4 8,upon my word10 said ,i to my fair interlocutor1 8,i do not know what will be good1 madam1 but ,i'll tell you what will be bad4 ,look behind you at that black cloud which seems to follow us so closely3 ,i have no doubt that is a squall coming1 which will soon spoil our bill of fare as well as our appetites40 ,in about half-an-hour we came in sight of the beautiful ,palace of ,lukan1 belonging to ,prince ,woronzoff4 ,a short time before1 we had anticipated landing and being able to dine in the gardens4 ,this was rendered impossible1 as the weather had assumed a very tempestuous aspect1 and bore every appearance of a violent storm4 ,many began to think of a second wreck1 and quite lost the idea of dining4 ,the steamer was put about in a very unsociable gale of wind1 which1 thank ,god1 dropped shortly after1 and allowed us1 after several attempts1 to return safely to our harbour4 ,this1 considering the state the ,alar was in after the accident she had met with1 she ought not to have left1 especially upon a pleasure-trip4 ,my friend1 ,mr4 ,frederick ,crockford1 who so kindly lent his boat1 assisted me1 and we set to work during our stormy return to prepare the dinner1 which we had decided should be got ready1 although almost every one on board was ill4 ,so we began our fantastic and gymnastic culinary exertions by looking up the stores2 and by dint of a wonderful amount of animal and physical perseverance1 we managed to dish up two turkeys1 a number of fowls1 hams1 roast lamb1 tongues1 roast beef1 plum-puddings1 salad1 dessert1 c4 c41 and cut bread enough for more than discrtion4 ,the reader will please to observe that it was by this time late in the afternoon1 and the ,alar sylph was rolling quite sufficiently to prevent any willing turkey from remaining upon the dish1 when a tremendous wave came to its aid1 and sent three parts of our luxuries rolling about the cabin-floor1 breaking no end of plates1 dishes1 bottles1 glasses1 c4 ,fortunately1 our dinner was not lost1 as we knew where it was--rolling to and fro on the wet cabin-floor1 playing at the don't-you-wish-you-may-get-me game4 ,mr4 ,crockford and myself had succeeded in making a semi-monster lobster salad1 which for safety he had held on to all the time1 almost at the peril of his valuable life1 he being knocked about fearfully against the cabin-boards and bulkheads4 ,at last we made the harbour4 ,it was nearly dusk2 and not being expected back so soon1 nor even the next day1 we were kept dancing for above an hour at the entrance4 ,no doubt1 this was done to sharpen our appetites4 ,a rumour was circulated that we should not be allowed to enter at all1 the ,alar being a merchant-vessel4 ,this was our fate till about six o'clock1 when signals were made for her to enter4 ,we availed ourselves of this permission1 and in twenty minutes the two large tables were set out la marinire4 ,everybody was glad to partake of the most welcome repast ever bestowed upon a party after the enjoyment of so charming a day of pleasure4 ,the salade mayonnaise was voted excellent4 ,champagne was gaily flowing in bowls1 basins1 teacups1 goblets1 c4 ,healths were proposed2 her ,majesty's first--next that of the ,allied armies--then that of the ,emperor of the ,french1 ,mr4 ,crockford's and mine1 in honour of the salade mayonnaise2 and a vote of thanks was returned to the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,parker1 for the extremely pleasant day he had been the cause of our enjoying1 especially the dinner in the harbour he had so well provided1 which soon made us forget our nautical tribulations4 ,i have almost forgotten the members of the fair sex1 whose health was proposed in the first place4 ,they had been very ill all day4 ,about eleven1 all1 except myself1 had left the ,alar in the full conviction of having enjoyed themselves very much indeed4 ,among the party1 which would have been far too numerous1 had not circumstances prevented many of those invited from making their appearance1 were ,commissary ,drake1 lady and daughter2 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,burnett4 ,lady ,seymour and friend1 who were to accompany the party1 did not come4 ,this is the sum-total of the ladies present1 which for the ,crimea was a very fair array of the beau sexe4 ,as it was impossible for me to return to camp that evening1 the captain and ,mr4 ,crockford offered me a bed on board4 ,i of course jumped at the offer4 ,about one o'clock we were drinking a parting glass1 when a boat was heard approaching the vessel1 and a voice called out-- 8,alar ahoy6 ,is ,monsieur ,soyer still on board80 8,yes10 was the answer4 ,in a few seconds1 a gentleman1 whom ,i recognised as my friend ,captain ,brown of the ,ottowa1 stepped on board4 8,hallo1 captain60 ,i exclaimed1 8what ever has brought you on board at this time of night80 8,i will tell you4 ,they have sent for you from head-quarters1 and you have been sought in all directions4 ,captain ,ponsonby has been looking everywhere for you4 ,a grand djener is to be given to-morrow in honour of ,general ,lders' visit4 ,i happened to hear of it where ,i dined and knowing the ,alar had returned with you on board1 ,i have come to inform you that your aid is required4 ,by the bye1 you were suspended a long time this morning between wind and water3 ,i made so sure you could not hold on much longer1 that ,i had one of my sailors ready to jump over and pick you up40 8,thanks1 captain1 for two eminent services in one day4 ,i cannot1 however1 go to head-quarters till morning1 as ,i have no pony at ,balaklava40 8,all right10 said he4 8,call upon ,major ,ross in the morning2 he will let you have all you require40 8,at daybreak ,i will be there40 8,mind1 the lunch is to be ready at two o'clock40 8,i shall not be able to assist much1 as there will hardly be time to turn round4 ,however1 good-night1 captain1 and a thousand thanks40 8,i'm off in a few hours for ,constantinople10 he called out from his boat1 8and shall be back in a week4 ,good-bye40 ,the sentinels1 as usual1 cried--8,all's well40 ,i must say1 ,i did not think it was all well with me4 8,what can ,i do10 said ,i to myself1 8for an event of historical importance80 ,neither ,mr4 ,crockford nor the captain could assist me1 when an idea struck me3--8,if you can't give me an idea10 said ,i to my friends1 8at any rate lend me a dish40 8,that ,i will10 said the captain4 8,recollect1 ,i want a large one40 8,you had the largest for your salad yesterday40 8,that one will do2 it will hold enough for twenty-five persons4 8,then here goes10 said ,i1 writing4 8,to-day ,i shall dress in it the ,macdoine ,ldersienne l',alexandre ,,ii40 8,a very good name in honour of the event10 said ,mr4 ,crockford4 8,but pray1 of what is it to be composed80 8,oh6 for that10 said ,i1 8if ,i were to implore the ,genius of ,gastronomy1 from ,lucullus to ,apicius and ,vitellius1 or ,vatel to ,ude and ,carme1 ,i could get nothing from them but inspiration2 while what ,i require is something substantial1 and not artificial4 ,it strikes me that a word from you to your head man at ,kadikoi 7as you will not be there to-morrow7 would do more for me in a few minutes than the whole of those defunct celebrities1 whom ,i am not now inclined to trouble upon so material a subject4 ,pray give me carte blanche to get anything you may have and ,i require for the composition of this modern ,babylon1 which must be constructed upon a base sufficiently strong to resist the joint attack of the heads of three of the most powerful armies in the world1 and only be destroyed after having conquered the conqueror's place d'armes1 the stomach1 so called in military parlance40 ,the order was readily given by my friend ,mr4 ,crockford1 and we then lay down to sleep1 being both completely exhausted with the fatigues of what was called a day of pleasure4 ,we had hardly closed our eyelids1 when morning caused them to be reopened2 so up we got4 ,my friend started for ,constantinople1 and ,i for head-quarters4 ,on my way ,i called upon ,major ,ross1 who kindly lent me a pony1 and told me of the message left with him4 ,i started immediately--bought a few things in ,balaklava market--called at ,crockford's store at ,donnybrook1 which ,i ransacked and despoiled of condiments of every description4 ,instead of going direct to head-quarters1 ,i changed my mind and went home to prepare1 having decided1 as the time was so short1 to produce one good dish only1 instead of several small and insignificant ones4 ,this was1 however1 to be worthy of the occasion4 ,i was well aware that ,general ,codrington's cook1 under the liberal management and command of ,captain ,ponsonby1 would turn out something worthy of the event4 ,upon arriving at my hut1 ,i sent two of my cooks to assist him1 despatched my groom on horseback to ,kamiesch for various things1 and then began the construction of my ,ldersienne upon the lid of my new field-stoves1 the dish ,i had brought from the ,alar being too small4 ,my novel dish was completed1 and carried to head-quarters by two soldiers2 and at a quarter to two ,i personally placed my culinary wonder upon the table4 ,it was called ,,soyer',s ,,culinary ,,emblem ,,of ,,peace1 ,the ,macdoine ,ldersienne l',alexandre ,,ii4 ,this monster dish was composed of-- #ab boxes of preserved lobsters #b cases 8 lampreys #b cases 8 sardines #b bottles 8 anchovies #a case 8 caviar #a case 8 sturgeon #a case 8 thunny #b cases 8 oysters #a pound of fresh prawns #d pounds turbot clout #ab ,russian pickled cucumbers #d bottles 8 olives #a bottle mixed pickles #a bottle ,indian ditto #a bottle pickled ,french beans #b bottles 8 mushrooms bottle 8 mangoes #b bottles of pickled ,french truffles #b cases of preserved peas #b cases 8 mixed vegetables #d dozen cabbage lettuces #ajj eggs #b bottles of preserved cockscombs4 ,the sauce was composed of six bottles of salad oil1 one of ,tarragon vinegar1 half a bottle of ,chili vinegar1 two boxes of preserved cream 7whipped71 four ounces of sugar1 six eschalots1 salt1 cayenne pepper1 mustard1 and a quarter of an ounce of ,oriental herbs which are quite unknown in ,england4 ,the dining-room1 decorated under the artistic superintendence of ,captain ,ponsonby1 presented a ravishing ensemble well adapted to the occasion4 ,it was hung1 ceiling and all1 with the ,allied flags1 to which the ,russian standard1 so long absent1 had been happily reinstated in the bond of friendship and civilization4 ,those few pieces of printed cloth spoke volumes to my mind4 ,these adopted colours of different nations had not waved together for a long while1 and their playful movements1 caused by a fresh breeze1 which seemed to have purified itself in passing swiftly over the cheerful vineyard attached to head-quarters1 pleased me very much4#be ,the god of war had put his seal and autograph upon them1 just in the same manner as we see a name upon a bank-note1 which only acquires value from national convenience and conventionality4 ,still these rags1 which the will of mighty empires had favoured with their high regard1 were so proud of their post1 that they appeared to float and flutter in the air with more grandeur than a common piece of stuff just brought from the loom1 as was the case with them before their glorious national christening1 would have done4 ,they appeared as proud and superior to their brothers and sisters as a race-horse is to one of his less fortunate fellows--a cart-horse4 ,i was left almost alone in that ever-memorable spot 7every one having gone to the review71 giving the last coup-d'il1 with ,captain ,ponsonby and the matre d'htel1 to the well-provided table4 ,the illustrious guests were momentarily expected4 ,volumes1 indeed1 could ,i read in those printed sheets--symbols and emblems of glory4 ,upon them seemed engraved1 in letters of gold1 8,l'union fait la force10 and 8,regeneration instead of destruction60 ,such were my sentiments on that memorable occasion4 ,the world at large was interested in this mighty fusion2 the end of this grand drama ,i could plainly read1 though merely printed upon pieces of common calico4 ,professionally1 ,i was doubly proud of the honour of contributing my mite of industry to this ,california of grandeur and great events4 ,my monster ,macdoine was placed in the centre of the table1 and1 though only a few persons were present1 was much admired4 8,in a few minutes10 said ,i to myself1 8those great men whose names are echoed and re-echoed throughout the world by the trumpet-blast of fame will be here1 not only gazing upon my impromptu chef-d'uvre1 but1 ,i hope1 also freely partaking of it--and1 while enjoying the pleasures of the table1 cementing the sentiments of peace and of friendship40 ,so much was my mind absorbed by the superficial1 that ,i had almost forgotten the material4 ,the words1 8the review is over1 and the generals are coming10 recalled my wandering senses4 ,a gorgeous cavalcade was seen approaching1 headed by four generals-in-chief in full uniform1 and their respective ,staffs1 wearing their decorations1 followed by above thirty generals4 ,a few minutes after1 ,i was attending upon ,generals ,pelissier1 ,lders1 and ,sir ,w4 ,codrington1 who were sitting together--,general ,pelissier on the left and ,general ,lders on the right of ,sir ,william4 ,the following persons were sitting at the same table3--,general della ,marmora and ,sir ,colin ,campbell were facing2 and at the same table sat ,admiral ,freemantle2 ,generals ,mac,mahon1 ,martinprey1 ,wyndham1 ,garrett1 ,barnard1 ,lord ,rokeby1 ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 ,cameron2 ,colonels ,scariatini and ,m4 ,amazzoff1 aides-de-camp to ,general ,lders2 and the aides of the other generals4 ,my anticipations were realized2 for no sooner had the guests taken their seats than the conversation became more animated4 ,i had placed at the apex of my pyramidal ,macdoine a small card1 with the dedication written upon it4 ,sir ,w4 ,codrington handed it to ,general ,lders1 who1 after showing it to several of his suite1 requested permission to keep it as a reminiscence of the day4 ,this request was granted by ,sir ,william with a smile4 ,the entres1 roasts1 and the entremts had been handed round1 and a serious attack upon my ,ldersienne commenced1 almost every guest partaking of it twice4 ,captain ,ponsonby requested me to remove it1 as several gentlemen at the other table wished to taste it4 ,general ,pelissier1 with whom ,i had the honour of conversing longer than with any one else1 was in an excellent humour1 and full of that vivacity and wit so characteristic4 ,he bantered me several times for not having stoned the olives which formed part of the ,macdoine4 ,i told him that time would not permit of this1 as ,i had received such short notice of the banquet1 and that ,i went the evening before on an excursion by water to ,lukan4 ,at the same time1 ,i expressed my regret to ,sir ,william at not being at home when sent for4 8,never mind1 ,monsieur ,soyer10 replied ,sir ,william4 8,i am1 at all events1 very happy to see you here1 and thank you kindly for your exertions40 ,general ,pelissier again addressed me3 8,you may say what you like1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 but you might as well have stoned the olives40 8,very true1 general1 if time had allowed4 ,it is all very well for you to take the ,malakhoff in a few minutes1 but it took me four hours to make that dish40 ,at which reply he could not help laughing4 8,your friend ,general ,barnard10 said he1 pointing to that officer1 who was sitting at the bottom of the table1 8would like to taste it4 ,go and offer him some40 ,i did so2 but the general had been served4 ,i then made a tour round the table1 asking each guest1 above thirty in number1 whether he had been attended to4 ,the time was getting short1 and another review--that of the ,english army--had to come off4 ,the iced champagne had performed a grand rle during the repast2 all seemed highly gratified and full of animation4 ,what a burst of enthusiasm was elicited when ,general ,lders rose1 and proposed the health of her ,majesty the ,queen of ,england and that of the ,french ,emperor6 which enthusiasm was renewed when ,sir ,william ,codrington responded by proposing that of the ,emperor ,alexander4 ,the mot d'ordre was given1 and all were soon mounted1 and proceeded to the review1 at which1 having terminated my culinary duties1 ,i assisted as a spectator1 arriving just time enough to have a glance at the spectacle1 which to my mind was superior in point of effect to that of the magnificent ,french army in the morning4 ,it was in a splendid square2 while the ,french army1 though more numerous1 being in a line1 covered more ground1 but produced less effect4 ,i remarked this to ,general della ,marmora1 with whom ,i was conversing4 ,he seemed to be of my opinion4 ,the ,scotch1 with their bagpipes merrily playing1 were then filing past the ,etat-,major1 and the vibrating sounds of their wild mountain music impressed itself for ever on my ear4 ,it was their last song on the ,crimean shore4 ,a few minutes more1 and all was over4 ,general ,lders entered his carriage1 and started full gallop1 followed by his ,staff4 ,general ,codrington and suite lined the fields on either side the road along which the carriage passed4 ,on reaching the ,balaklava road1 which crosses the high mountain leading to the ,guards' camp1 the ,russian general made a full stop2 so did ,sir ,w4 ,codrington and suite4 ,they bade each other adieu2 and after ,general ,lders had returned thanks for the excellent reception he had received1 ,sir ,william said1 8,i hope1 general1 you are not over-tired80 8,no1 not at all1 thank you4 ,i only felt rather cold standing still during the last review40 ,this was spoken in ,french4 ,the ,russian cavalcade galloped away towards the ,tchernaya1 whilst the ,english returned to head-quarters4 ,it was getting quite dark2 the weather1 which had been so warm in the morning1 turned very cold--the sky looked grey1 and not a soul was to be seen4 ,i ascended the rocky and steep mountain on horseback4 ,a few minutes after1 ,i was in lonely solitude on the top of the plateau4 ,not a sign1 of life was to be seen or heard2 graveyards alone ornamented this desolate spot4 8,what a curious life mine is60 said ,i1 musing4 8,compare the last forty-eight hours with the time when ,i was hanging by one hand1 suspended between life and death1 from the man-rope of the ,alar1 in the harbour of ,balaklava40 ,it reminded me of a rocket1 which1 while soaring brightly in its flight towards the sky1 shines radiant for a few seconds only1 and then vanishes in space4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiv4 ,,crimean ,,festivities4 ,cathcart's ,hill deserted--,the ,madrigal ,club--,mrs4 ,seacole again--,sally the ,egyptian beauty--,the dark maid of the ,eastern ,war--,the ,land ,transport ,corps ,hospital--,conversation with ,miss ,nightingale--,quiet at head-quarters--,general ,barnard's entertainment--,visit from three ,russian officers--,strange conduct--,visits--,general ,garrett's disappointment--,trip to the ruins of ,sebastopol--,a gallant cockney--,a tremendous explosion--,playing with live shells--,a narrow escape--,a clever trick--,another accident--,general ,garrett's lunch--,russian lady visitors--,bill of fare--,tom ,shell-proof--,arrival of the ,russians--,the review--,grand banquet to ,sir ,colin ,campbell--,grand dinner to ,general della ,marmora--,crimean cup la ,marmora--,receipt--,my grand festival--,preparations--,misgivings--,g reen inspiration--,great success--,list of guests--,the hut on fire--,music and song--,close of the last party on ,cathcart's ,hill4 ,on reaching home1 ,i found ,cathcart's ,hill as quiet and deserted as ,i did on the #hth of ,september1 but under less solemn circumstances1 for ,sebastopol had then fallen--whereas now it was likely to rise again like a phnix from its ashes4 ,the head-quarters of the ,fourth ,division were wrapped in deep repose4 ,i could not even wake my groom to put my small charger into the stable2 but this had often occurred before1 and gave me the chance of learning how to attend to my own horse4 ,it is true1 it was nearly twelve o'clock2 for in passing the ,guards' camp ,i had paid several visits1 and the kind reception accorded would not have failed to detain the greatest misanthropist till a late hour4 ,i had in particular called upon ,colonel de ,bathe and the members of the ,madrigal ,club1 being anxious to ascertain from that body of artists when our great festival was to take place4 8,to-morrow you are invited10 said ,colonel de ,bathe1 8to dine with us at ,general ,barnard's1 and we will settle that matter there40 ,having to meet ,miss ,nightingale the next day at the ,land ,transport ,corps ,hospital in order to accompany her for the last time through the camp1 ,i managed to be there about ten o'clock4 ,miss ,nightingale had not arrived2 so ,i made an inventory of the various kitchen utensils which were to be sent back to ,england or ,malta4 ,while ,i was waiting for the ,sister of the ,brave1 ,i made it my duty to pay my respects to the illustrious ,mrs4 ,seacole2 and1 like a good son or a ship in full sail1 ,i was immediately received in the arms of the mre noire4 ,on perceiving me1 she exclaimed-- 8,hallo1 my son6 ,i saw you at head-quarters yesterday60 8,did you really8 ,i didn't see you1 ,mrs4 ,seacole40 8,i dare say you did not1 my son4 ,i was amongst the great dons in the vineyard1 and had a very fine view of the proceedings4 ,i met all my friends there40 8,no doubt you did1 ,mrs4 ,seacole40 8,very kind they were1 ,i assure you2 they all shook me by the hand enough to last me for life4 ,what do you think of the ,russian general1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 ,before ,i could reply1 she said1 8,he is a fine man1 and no mistake2 is he not1 my son80 ,she was in the act of dressing the wound of an ,army ,works ,corps man1 who had been thrown1 and was cut severely in the forehead4 8,what's the matter with the poor fellow80 said ,i4 8,he is getting better now4 ,what will you take to drink1 ,monsieur ,soyer80 8,nothing at present2 it is too early1 my dear madam40 8,don't forget1 before you go1 to come and take a parting glass with an old friend4 ,mr4 ,day and myself will be very glad to see you1 depend upon it4 ,by the way1 how is ,miss ,nightingale80 8,i thank you1 she was quite well the last time ,i had the pleasure of seeing her4 ,i have to meet her at the ,land ,transport ,hospital this morning1 by appointment40 8,what nice kitchens those are of yours at the ,land ,transport ,hospital6 ,i saw them several times2 and the doctors and ,mrs4 ,stuart are highly pleased with them1 ,i assure you4 ,how nice and clean the ,sisters of ,charity keep everything6 ,you may say that of both hospitals40 ,mrs4 ,seacole then said1 8,what nice things they prepare in the extra-diet kitchens for the patients6 ,i tasted everything4--,pray give my respects to ,miss ,nightingale1 and say1 if ,i were not so busy ,i should run as far as the hospital1 to pay my duty to her4 ,you must know1 ,monsieur ,soyer1 that ,miss ,nightingale is very fond of me4 ,when ,i passed through ,scutari1 she very kindly gave me board and lodging40 ,this was about the twentieth time the old lady had told me the same tale4 ,shaking her by the hand-- 8,good-bye1 my son10 said she2 8,i wish you had let me taste some of that fine dish you made yesterday40 8,how could ,i1 my dear mother8 ,i did not know you were there40 ,at this point of the conversation1 the ,egyptian beauty1 her daughter ,sarah1 entered4 8,my dear ,sally1 how are you80 said ,i4 8,i never see you in our alley now40 8,go along with you60 said smiling ,sally2 8you are always making fun of me40 8,fun of you1 my dear8--never4 ,i swear by your blue eyes and black hair1 that ,i never do4 ,do ,i1 mother80 8,if you did1 it would not matter2 a little innocent mirth now and then does one good4 ,for my part1 my son1 ,i could not live without laughing40 8,yes2 but you told a certain colonel that it was ,i who was dressed as a ,scotchman at the ,french ball given the other day in honour of the young ,emperor40 8,what harm is there in that8 ,all the great people were invited1 and why should you not have been there80 8,indeed1 do you think mother or myself would go to such a place1 where the women wear soldiers' clothes8 ,not likely4 ,and what soldiers8--the ,scotch ,brigade60 ,we all laughed2 and ,i then parted1 quite pleased with ,sally's modesty4 ,sally richly deserves the title of the ,dark1 instead of ,fair1 ,maid of the ,eastern ,war4 ,on my return to the hospital1 ,i found ,miss ,nightingale had arrived1 accompanied by the chaplain1 ,mr4 ,hone1 who informed me that she could not possibly go through the camp that day4 ,as ,i was thus disengaged1 ,i called upon ,mrs4 ,stuart1 in order to inquire whether she required anything in my department4 ,to my astonishment1 she informed me that a field-stove1 of which she was greatly in want to heat water for the baths1 had not arrived4 ,as ,i had sent it with the others1 which had reached their destination1 ,i promised to inquire about it at once1 and sent my engineer1 ,mr4 ,phillips1 to see after it4 ,it was1 however1 three days before it was found4 ,i relate this fact out of hundreds which occurred during the campaign1 to show the mishaps of so difficult an undertaking4 ,this ,i must repeat1 that ,i was well supported by the authorities1 and my demands were always granted4 ,to ,colonel ,macmurdo1 and ,captains ,evans and ,power1 ,i am greatly indebted for their never-ceasing courtesy4 ,in conversation with ,miss ,nightingale1 ,i did not forget to mention ,mrs4 ,seacole's kind inquiries4 ,she said with a smile-- 8,i should like to see her before she leaves1 as ,i hear she has done a deal of good for the poor soldiers40 8,she has indeed1 ,i assure you1 and with the greatest disinterestedness4 ,while ,i was there this morning1 she was dressing a poor ,land ,transport ,corps man1 who had received a severe contusion on the head4 ,in order to strengthen his courage for the process1 as she said1 she made him half a glass of strong brandy and water1 not charging him anything for it2 and ,i hear she has done this repeatedly40 8,i am sure she has done much good40 ,i told ,miss ,nightingale that ,i had despatched ,mr4 ,phillips in search of the missing stove2 and1 as our visit was postponed1 ,i bade her adieu1 requesting her to drop me a line in the ,fourth ,division at any time she might require my services4 ,that day ,i had the pleasure of meeting ,dr4 ,hall1 who apprised me that the troops would shortly leave the ,crimea1 and the ,sanatorium be closed4 ,the ,monastery was so already2 and1 as ,i had anticipated1 the ,land ,transport ,corps remained the last in the field4 ,passing to head-quarters1 ,i found everything at a standstill4 ,the ,commander-in-chief was out1 the precise order of the previous day seemed in abeyance1 and ,general ,wyndham was sitting to a celebrated ,sardinian artist for his portrait4 ,it was taken in his ,redan dress1 which was freed from the blood and dust of that day1 as ,i think very injudiciously1 which caused me to ask if it was the same2 the general replied that it was4 ,i believe the picture was for the ,king of ,sardinia1 to be added to his ,majesty's collection of the heroes of the ,crimea4 ,captain ,ponsonby was occupied in his open-air photographic studio1 taking portraits of everybody who came in his way1 amongst them myself4 ,captain ,hall was herborizing in his petite chambre upon some salad cress and cheroots4 ,colonel ,blane was very busy writing and giving orders4 ,major ,curzon and others of the ,staff were very seriously occupied lunching4 ,in the kitchen1 the stoves were cooling1 and all the cooks out4 ,at the ,post-office and ,telegraph all seemed still4 ,the printing press alone was slowly going4 ,upon returning to the dining-room1 ,i found only a few at lunch2 several were smoking at the door-steps--in fact1 compared with the day previous1 the contrast was so great1 that it appeared like a holiday after a week's hard labour4 ,the conversation turned upon the grandeur of the review1 and the success of the entertainment1 which seemed to have given great satisfaction to all4 ,in the evening a most charming entertainment was prepared for us at ,general ,barnard's4 ,the company included ,general ,rose2 the ,french general1 ,bombaki2 ,colonel de ,bathe1 c4 ,after an excellent dinner1 at which a very fine turkey was the pice de rsistance1--7it had been reared under the farming care of ,captain ,barnard2 this is a valuable quality in the ,crimea3 the turkey was accompanied by a delicious piece of boiled ration pork1 and in addition two made dishes1 two sweets1 vegetables1 c42 the whole washed down by delicate claret cup la ,barnaby17--the topic of conversation turned upon the great events of the previous day4 ,perfect harmony prevailed1 when suddenly a warlike sound was heard round the general's wooden dwelling4 ,a friend entered1 crying aloud1 8,the ,russians--the ,russians are coming60 and three ,russian officers immediately entered1 saying they had lost their way1 and requesting a guide4 ,the general's first impulse was to give them hospitality1 and then put them in their right way4 ,captain ,barnard got up to usher them in1 and soon returned with the new-comers1 who1 we perceived1 had not only lost their way1 but also their senses4 ,having seated themselves1 the general asked them what they would take4 8,tout ce que vous avez0 78,everything you have10 instead of 8,anything you please071 one of them answered4 ,to this the gallant general demurred1 not being at all desirous of having his place pillaged1 particularly in time of peace1 after having escaped that sad tribute during the war4 ,one of them was quite unmanageable3 he spoke ,french1 but was not such a good scholar as the ,russian nobles generally are2 he made sad havoc with that fashionable language1 and used rude expressions1 which were very unpleasant to the party4 ,the ,russians were anxious to explain what they had been doing at ,kamiesch1 the recital of which was much too droll to be pleasant4 ,the noisiest of the party poured out a large tumbler of brandy1 and1 before any one could stop him1 swallowed half of it1 drinking the health of every mortal thing1 including the ,french1 ,english1 ,russians1 and the ,turkish ,emperor's4 ,one who was more rational tried to appease him1 but in vain4 ,at all events1 after an hour's desultory conversation1 owing to the great coolness of the general1 we got rid of them1 and they mounted their waggon1 which was anything but a fashionable one4 ,they were going to the ,mackenzie ,heights1 and the ,french general1 ,bombaki1 who was going that road1 kindly undertook to point out the way4 ,they said that they had finished twelve bottles of champagne at ,kamiesch4 ,nice company this to drop in after an excellent petit dner1 just as we were about commencing the harmony of the evening6 ,this strange incident completely broke up our party4 ,we fixed the great madrigal soire at my hut for the #bgth of ,may1 hoping on that occasion to be more fortunate4 ,we afterwards heard that the ,russian officers were stopped at the ,traktir ,bridge1 and locked up for a few days--no doubt to give them time to get sober4 ,we began to hope that in case we should be visited by any ,czarewitchian company at our semi-grand concerto--and there were plenty daily in the camp--that they would call before1 and not after1 their visit to the then reckless town of ,kamiesch1 at which place a friend and myself had1 a few days previous1 witnessed several very comical scenes4 ,this was owing to the influx of visitors from the different armies4 ,it was more particularly the case at the theatre1 where the funniest part of the performance was acted in the pit1 stalls1 boxes1 and gallery1 instead of upon the stage4 ,on one occasion1 ,general ,pelissier was compelled to have a few of the new spectators boxed for the night in the guard-house1 in order to be allowed to enjoy the privilege of his own private box4 ,in return for their visits to us1 both ,french and ,english officers daily returned the compliment1 and the ,russians did all they could to make themselves agreeable4 ,general ,garrett met with a very cordial reception from ,major-,general ,vassileffsky1 who commanded after the departure of ,general ,lders4 ,general ,garrett1 in return1 invited him to the head-quarters of the ,fourth ,division1 which invitation was graciously accepted by the ,russian general4 ,i was spending the evening with ,general ,garrett1 when he observed that he wished to give ,general ,vassileffsky a lunch1 but that it would be a difficult matter1 as he had no convenience for that purpose4 8,never mind that1 general10 said ,i2 8send out your invitations1 and leave the rest to me4 ,a lunch for twenty or thirty shall be upon your table in due time40 8,they are coming to-morrow morning40 8,rather short notice1 general2 but never mind1 it will be all right in spite of time3 difficulties are common enough in time of war4 ,pray leave the matter to ,major ,dallas and myself--we will turn out a lunch worthy of yourself and your guests40 ,i immediately set to work1 and in a few hours extra provisions and rations had taken various shapes and forms2 some were being stewed1 others baked1 and some boiled4 ,everything was going on so smoothly1 that ,i almost wished the lunch had been for that day4 ,my men had returned from their daily regimental rounds1 and were all at work4 ,in the midst of this1 the worthy general begged of me to give him a call1 when he informed me that he was sorry to say that the ,russian general's visit was postponed1 ,general ,sir ,w4 ,codrington having invited him to head-quarters for that day4 8,no matter10 said ,i2 8if your lunch is not postponed too long1 the provisions will improve1 instead of deteriorating40 8,you think so80 8,i am sure of it1 general4 ,all the animal food we get in the camp is too fresh3 the beast is no sooner slaughtered than it is either in the pot1 oven1 or on the gridiron40 8,we shall be about twenty40 8,so ,i perceive1 and that my name figures amongst your illustrious guests4 ,you must1 however1 general1 leave me entirely free on that occasion2 ,i will sit down to table when ,i think proper40 8,do as you like1 but you must sit down with us40 8,on that day1 general1 ,i claim precedence1 and even command1 over the head of your division40 ,he laughed heartily1 saying1 8,it shall be so4 ,to-morrow there is to be a review of two divisions in honour of ,general ,vassileffsky1 and no doubt the lunch will come off the day after40 8,very well1 general2 only give me due notice1 ,i will answer for the rest4 ,after such success at head-quarters1 the ,fourth ,division must not fail40 ,as there was nothing more to be done1 ,i gave my people a holiday to see the ruins of ,sebastopol1 which they had not been able to do owing to the press of business4 ,i thought ,i might as well go myself1 as my engineer1 ,mr4 ,phillips1 had not seen them4 ,the horses were ordered--,mesnil and ,phillips accompanied me4 ,we mounted and galloped towards the dilapidated city1 which1 although from the hill it seems close at hand1 afterwards appears to recede further and further4 ,we arrived at the ,ravin des ,boulets--so called from the extraordinary crop of that article which lay there after the ploughing of that piece of land by the hand of ,mars1 the god of iron vegetables made of solid materials4 ,our gallant cockney ,zouave1 who had never smelt any other powder than gunpowder tea1 was quite intrepid1 and he mounted to the ,redan as though he intended to take it by assault4 ,he was always ahead2 and no sooner had a view from that far-famed historical spot1 of which he had so successfully taken possession1 than the rage of valour seized upon him2 no one could arrest his progress--he bounded off upon his steed several hundred yards in advance1 shouting in frantic enthusiasm1 8,to ,sebastopol6 to ,sebastopol60 ,my friend and myself were rather cooler upon the subject1 and trotted slowly along the ravine direct to the ,mast ,battery4 ,i called my invincible engineer back1 telling him that he was going the wrong way1 as we wanted to visit that battery before going into the city4 ,he therefore returned4 8,i tell you what10 said ,i1 8young boiling-hot warrior from ,snow-hill1 if you had been here this time last year1 you would not have charged like that2 the ,russians would have smashed your crown for you40 ,no doubt they would1 had ,i given them a chance2 but ,i should have said with the coward1 ,peter ,morrison1 #8,the time to show courage has arrived1 my brave fellow2 let us hide ourselves4' ,he had scarcely perpetrated this old joke1 when a tremendous explosion was heard1 shaking the earth under our horses' feet and almost upsetting them4 ,i made sure it was a mine that had been sprung2 and a few seconds after1 a thick short piece of wood1 partially ignited1 fell at about ten paces from my horse's head4 ,the animal began to kick1 and we were enveloped in a dense cloud of smoke smelling of powder1 and so thick that for a few seconds we positively could not see anything4 ,i expected that my two friends had been blown into the air1 and they thought that ,i had met with the same fate4 ,we soon perceived there was no harm done4 ,our horses advanced a few paces2 and upon turning the corner of the ravine1 about ten yards in advance1 we perceived three sailors lying dead1 as we thought1 and the ground about them covered with blood4 ,two of them were screaming2 the other had one leg blown to atoms1 and was badly wounded in the other4 ,we lifted the man who was lying on his face1 thinking that he was the worst of all1 when to our surprise we found that he had not been touched1 excepting by a few fragments of his friend's limbs1 which had fallen upon his back4 ,his companion was slightly wounded in four places3 it was a most extraordinary circumstance that his trousers were torn to ribbons1 and a piece of the bridge of his nose was taken clean off1 from which wound he bled copiously4 ,we perceived that it was not a mine1 but a thirteen-inch shell1 which had exploded1 though not a vestige of it remained near the spot2 nothing but a train of burnt powder about five feet long and three inches wide could be seen near the poor fellows who had so imprudently risked their lives4 ,we did all we could to alleviate their sufferings4 ,it was extremely awkward to meddle with the first1 who remained perfectly motionless1 and no hospital was near nor doctor to be obtained4 ,i gave a ,french soldier five shillings to run to the ,french camp and fetch a doctor3 he did not succeed1 but returned with a stretcher4 ,i also sent to ,sebastopol1 but without success4 ,i had just tied the poor fellow's leg very tight above the knee1 in order to stop the loss of blood1 when ,general ,dacres and a number of officers who had heard the report came to the spot4 ,i told the general how the accident had occurred1 as it had been explained to me by the man who set it going1 as he called it4 ,although he was nearest to the deadly missile when it exploded1 he was not even scratched4 ,the affair happened thus3--,about half-way up the hill they found a live shell1 and for amusement1 as they said1 rolled it about the ravine4 ,in doing this some of the powder escaped1 of which one of the party made a devil3 this he placed on a stone4 ,in the meantime the shell had rolled some distance1 leaving in its course a train of powder4 ,not perceiving this1 he set the devil on fire2 it communicated with the train1 and ignited the shell4 8,how imprudent those foolish sailors are60 said ,general ,dacres2 8they are all alike40 ,as no doctor made his appearance1 the general observed the best plan would be to convey the wounded man on board the ,gladiator steam-frigate3 she was the first foreign ship of war that had entered the harbour4 ,on our way we met two doctors who had been visiting the ruins4 ,they examined the sailor's wound1 and having attended to it1 followed him to the ,gladiator's boat1 which was waiting at the floating bridge from the ,karabelnaia to the ,french side4 ,i saw him on board1 and the surgeon of the ship1 ,dr4 ,thompson1 immediately amputated his leg4 ,the other two went their way1 one of them patched up in four places1 but able to walk4 ,i afterwards heard from the doctor that his patient was doing well1 and that he was a deserter1 for which he would be punished4 8,a double gratification1 doctor10 said ,i3 8that's what a sailor calls a day's spree40 ,the most remarkable part of the affair was the escape of the man who had set the shell a-going2 he was not even scratched4 ,the reason of this he explained thus3--8,when ,i had set the devil on fire1 to my surprise ,i saw the flame running towards the shell2 ,i expected it would explode1 and threw myself flat upon my face4 ,my eyes6 wasn't it a rum #8un6--it gave me such a blow on the pate--the report1 ,i mean--,i can hardly hear now40 ,that man was not four feet from the shell when it exploded4 ,i consider that we had a most miraculous escape1 as our brave cockney observed1 looking as pale as though1 he hadn't a drop of blood left1 though generally possessing a regular rubicund face1 the vermilion colour of which nothing but a good coat of whitewash could have affected4 ,he was1 in fact1 quite stupified1 and asked me if it was likely that another would burst4 8,very likely10 said ,i1 8if anybody sets it on fire40 8,you in particular1 my young fellow10 said ,i1 8have had a narrow escape4 ,if ,i had not called you back1 you would have been blown to atoms1 as a large branch was sent clean off a poplar tree near which you were standing40 ,the wooden fusee1 a piece of the other fellow's trousers1 and a regular fright1 were some of the trophies ,i gathered of this sad event4 ,on our way home1 our ,snow-hill friend1 who could not get rid of the bomb-shell feeling1 and felt rather shaky1 related the following clever move on the part of himself and ,mr4 ,mesnil4 ,it occurred a few days before in one of the ravines1 and he almost trembled in relating the anecdote4 8,ah10 said he1 8you blame those poor fellows for setting fire to that shell4 ,i'll tell you what ,mr4 ,mesnil and myself did the other day4 ,as we were walking1 we found a live shell1 and being anxious to ascertain whether it contained those bundles of fused nails we had been shown by ,joseph at ,stuart's canteen in the morning1 we actually took up a sixty-four pound shot which was at hand1 and pounded the shell four or five times1 in order to split it1 that we might inspect the contents4 ,this did not succeed1 so at length we gave it up in despair40 8,never60 exclaimed ,i4 8,we did1 ,i assure you4 ,ask ,mesnil40 ,calling him as he was riding on before1 ,i asked him if it was true4 8,don't mention it--it's true enough4 ,i have been thinking seriously about it2 indeed1 ,i feel quite nervous4 ,what fools we were6 and what luck to have escaped60 8,i never heard of such a senseless trick in all my life10 said ,i4 8,hardly any one would believe it40 8,the danger and imprudence of the act would never have struck me1 had ,i not witnessed this day's accident4 ,let us change the conversation40 ,after all1 ,i must say it was very imprudent to leave them about in that manner4 ,the soldiers were rightly enough ordered not to pick them up with the cannon-balls2 but a hole should have been dug1 and each shell buried separately3 then no danger could possibly have occurred4 ,this plan ,i had en passant suggested to some of the authorities4 ,the next day another accident happened with a shell4 ,a fatigue party were engaged picking up round shot1 and one of the men had a shell upon his shoulder4 ,his comrade perceiving it1 said1 8,you have a live shell upon your shoulder1 and we are not allowed to pick them up40 ,the man that was carrying it threw it down4 ,it fell upon a stone1 and immediately burst1 wounding three or four of the party1 as well as a poor rifleman who was sitting upon a rock at some distance eating his dinner4 ,he was struck on the head by a splinter1 which cut away part of his skull1 exposing the brain4 ,he was trepanned the next day2 and although he at first did very well1 he died a few days afterwards4 ,such accidents were of almost daily occurrence4 ,on reaching home ,i found a note from ,major ,dallas1 ,general ,garrett's aide-de-camp1 apprising me that the lunch would take place in two days4 ,this delay gave us plenty of time to distinguish ourselves in the culinary department4 ,colonel ,halliwell1 our excellent neighbour1 had left for good1 as he was appointed to do duty at ,balaklava4 ,he was replaced by ,captain ,brooks1 his secretary1 who was superseded by ,colonel ,hugh ,smith1 and the latter by ,major ,willis4 ,this department was of great importance and assistance to me in removing the stoves from one regiment to another4 ,i here take the opportunity of thanking those gentlemen1 whose kindness almost made me forget1 as far as business was concerned1 the worthy ,colonel ,halliwell1 who had removed his head-quarters to ,balaklava1 and pitched his tent upon the top of the hill facing the ,genoese ,tower1 called the ,marine ,heights4 ,the ,ordnance-house was his place of business and mess-room2 but now and then the warrior gourmet elevated the gastronomic art to the highest pitch by giving small parties on the summit or pinnacle of the rocky mountain4 ,this was the case one day when ,i called4 ,the gallant colonel was very busy embarking troops1 but found twenty minutes' spare time1 in which he concocted the most delicious ,mayonnaise de homard ,i ever tasted1 and which was partaken of by two ,russian lady visitors4 ,they were mother and daughter1 of high birth1 and accompanied by a ,russian officer4 ,the party had accepted the colonel's invitation when he visited ,bakschiserai4 ,the elder lady was one of the maids of honour to the ,dowager ,empress of ,russia4 ,the lunch1 though soon over1 was exquisite1 the colonel's servant being every bit as good a judge of good things as his master4 ,the champagne was as good as the ,mayonnaise4 ,as the colonel had to attend to business after lunch1 the ,russian officer1 ,colonel ,halliwell's aide-de-camp1 two friends1 and myself1 had the pleasure of accompanying the ladies for a walk4 ,nothing proved more interesting to them than a visit to the ,sanatorium ,hospital1 in hopes of seeing ,miss ,nightingale1 of whom they had heard much4 ,the former they saw1 and were much pleased with it2 but the good lady1 to their chagrin1 was absent at the ,monastery4 ,they consoled themselves by looking round her hut2 but there was nothing to distinguish it from the others3 it was1 indeed1 worse built1 having been put up in a hurry4 ,their enthusiasm was the pure effect of imagination2 and had we pointed out any other as the residence of that lady1 it would have produced the same result4 ,the decline of the sun apprised our ,russian visitors that time was flying2 and they had far to go4 ,we parted from them near the top of the ,crow's ,nest1 one of the finest spots in the world to get a view of a good sunset4 ,early the next morning all the people in authority were astir4 ,generals1 colonels1 officers1 and men in light marching order1 might be seen quickly crossing and recrossing the plateau in every direction4 ,i had1 with my brigade of cooks1 been busy since daybreak1 and a white stream of communication had established itself between the general's palazzo1 built of fine white stone1#bf and the villarette of your humble servant1 so conspicuously erected in almost the centre of the plateau4 ,this was no other than my cooks in their white culinary attire1 running like mad to and fro1 fetching and carrying the portions of the collation which ,i had prepared in my kitchen4 ,at ten1 to the minute1 the party were to sit down2 at five minutes to ten the collation was on the table1 and in military order4 ,the bill of fare was as follows3-- ,d,,je,,ner ,,pour ,,vingt-,,quatre ,,personnes1 ,offert au ,gnral ,vassileffsky par le ,gnral ,garrett4 ,filets de turbot clout la ,dame ,blanche4 ,cotelettes de mouton la vivandire4 99 99 99 99 99 ,releves chaudes4 ,les hanchettes de mouton la ,brtonne4 99 99 99 99 99 ,pices froides4 ,le dindonneau farci l'anglaise4 ,les poulets demi-rtis4 ,le gros jambon de ,westmoreland glac4 ,le gannet garni d'ortolans la ,victoria4 99 99 99 99 99 ,la ,macdoine ,ldersienne l',alexandre ,,ii4 99 99 99 99 99 ,petits hors-d'uvres4 ,les escaloppes de mortadelle de ,verone4 ,le thon italien marin4 ,les olives de ,provence farcies4 ,les lamproies et sardines ,les anchois4 marines4 ,les cornichons l'estragon4 ,indian pickles4 99 99 99 99 99 ,entremets de douceur4 ,geles d'oranges4 ,idem au marasquin4 ,plum-pudding la ,exeter4 ,un turban ,savarin au ,madre4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,crimean cup la ,marmora4 99 99 99 99 99 ,dessert assorti4 ,salades d'oranges4 ,compotes de poires4 ,figues1 raisins1 amandes1 c4 ,my engineer1 ,tom ,shell-proof1 as we afterwards called him1 undertook to gallop round to the various regimental kitchens1 and see that all was in order4#bg ,this brought to my recollection the applicable and pithy remark made by my friend ,mr4 ,charles ,pierce1 who1 in the preface of his valuable work entitled ,the ,household ,manager1#bh says that 8,the warrior general who looks forward to the successful termination of his coming engagement1 first1 with careful study and practised thought1 views in prescience each possible exigency1 and provides a means to meet it1 strategically considering the country in which his scene of action is laid1 and the appliances in all respects necessary to his victory40 ,the school from which the author of the above-quoted work emanates is ,chirk ,castle1 where1 upwards of twenty years ago1 ,i first made his acquaintance4 ,his then young master1 ,colonel ,myddleton ,biddulph1 is the present ,master of the ,household to her ,majesty4 ,mr4 ,pierce was himself afterwards attached to the household of the reigning ,duke of ,lucca1 and was fellow-servant and a most intimate friend of ,baron ,ward1 who ultimately became not only ,master of the ,household1 but ,prime ,minister1 to the ,duke of ,parma4 ,mr4 ,pierce himself1 as is well known1 is matre d'htel to the ,russian ,embassy4 ,at ten to the minute1 the ,russians arrived4 ,after the introduction1 the guests sat down1 and every jaw was soon doing its best2 for in less than twenty minutes there were only the names of the various dishes to be seen1 and they were upon the bill of fare--which was not eaten4 ,the ,russian general1 who has only one arm1 ate as much as two men with the use of both4 ,a servant waited upon him1 and carved his meat4 ,better looking men ,i have seen1 but not more military4 ,he seemed as hard and as round as a cannon-ball4 ,between three and five was the general's hour of rising in time of peace4 ,when he told me this1 ,i said1 8,then ,i suppose in war-time you don't lie down at all1 general80 8,very little indeed10 was the reply4 8,that ,i can conceive4 ,but in time of peace you must admit four or five to be rather an early hour to call upon a friend1 as you proposed doing to ,general ,garrett40 ,the general was a man of very agreeable manners--spoke ,french rather fluently--had a very quick eye--was no sooner seated than he took a survey of the company4 ,the lunch was much relished--the speeches were short and to the point1 and all went on to everybody's satisfaction4 ,the ,russian general was particularly pleased1 and highly complimented his host upon the dainty repast1 which he could not conceive was to be had in the ,crimea4 ,his aide-de-camp informed me that he was a bit of an epicure1 and always kept a good table when at home4 ,both the aides-de-camp were much taken with the engravings from the ,illustrated ,news pasted round the walls of the general's dining-room4 ,they could not make out how it was that ,general ,pelissier wore a ,russian uniform1 and ,prince ,menschikoff the ,french military order--that ,general ,canrobert was dressed like the ,emperor ,alexander ,,ii41 while his ,majesty was dressed in the ,french general's costume4 ,count ,orloff wore the ,french imperial uniform2 and above all1 their general-in-chief1 ,prince ,gortschikoff1 appeared attired as a ,highlander1 while the ,grand ,duke ,constantine was rigged out as a ,zouave4 ,they remained some time after the general had left the table1 puzzling over these strange contradictions4 8,this10 said ,i1 8was done during the cut-throat time2 but now we are at peace1 and in future every one will carry his own head upon his shoulders1 and each military man wear his own uniform and orders4 ,war10 ,i continued1 8is a mischievous evil1 which turns everything topsy-turvy1 while peace will restore every head to its proper owner40 ,this explanation appeared to puzzle them more than the thing itself2 so ,i showed them that the heads had been cut off with scissors and placed upon other bodies4 ,this amused them so much1 that the general had to wait some time for them4 ,they were entirely engrossed by those illustrated pasquinades1 which appeared to be quite a novelty to them4 ,the review followed4 ,lord ,alexander ,russell commanded4 ,the very next morning1 ,colonel ,lockhart of the #ibnd ,highlanders called at my hut1 to consult me about a grand banquet which was to be given at ,kamara to ,sir ,colin ,campbell 7only six miles off7 before his departure for ,england4 ,though it was impossible for me to undertake it myself1 being still fatigued from the effects of the exertions of the previous day1 ,i could not refuse my assistance4 ,after a great deal of trouble and persuasion1 ,i prevailed upon ,mr4 ,f4 ,crockford to undertake it1 and we made out the bill of fare4 ,the banquet took place on the #ith of ,may1 #ahef1 to the entire satisfaction of all present2 and a great day it was4 ,the gallant general had reviewed his troops that morning1 and he bade them adieu1 as they were leaving the seat of war1 where they had so nobly done their duty both in and out of the trenches4 ,the air re-echoed with shouts at each sentence the worthy general uttered1 till he was at last so moved by their enthusiasm that he--,sir ,colin ,campbell--shed tears4 ,such was the interesting scene which took place the morning before ,sir ,colin ,campbell left his proud ,scotch ,zouaves in the mountains and vales of ,kamara4 ,a few hours after that touching martial ceremony ,i had the honour of an interview with ,sir ,colin4 ,he thanked me kindly for the trouble ,i was taking in getting up the banquet4 ,i availed myself of this opportunity to request the general to favour me with his autograph4 ,he smiled and consented4 ,the document forms one of the most interesting relics in my ,crimean archives1 as the general addressed it to me1 with the date1 c4 7,it was also countersigned by ,general ,cameron47 ,the banquet at night went off admirably1 and the coup-d'il1 for a battle-field1 was brilliant4 ,about a hundred sat down to dinner4 ,sir ,colin ,campbell made a very touching speech2 so did ,general ,cameron1 who succeeded to the command1 and ,colonel ,stirling1 ,sir ,colin's aide-de-camp4 ,the evening closed merrily4 ,after the generals and the ,staff had retired1 the bagpipes continued playing1 and all that remained in the banqueting-hall commenced dancing--people1 plates1 dishes1 bottles1 and glasses included4 ,the next day1 ,sir ,colin1 after paying a friendly farewell visit to all1 embarked at ,kamiesch on board the ,french mail4 ,a few days before ,sir ,colin ,campbell's departure1 a grand dinner was given to ,general della ,marmora at head-quarters1 and ,captain ,ponsonby called upon me to ask whether ,i could not prepare something new in honour of the ,sardinian general4 ,i promised to turn my attention to the matter4 ,as the dinner was fixed for the following day1 ,i had but a short time to produce any novelty4 ,the idea struck me that a new and well-iced beverage would be very acceptable during the hot weather4 ,this led to the invention of the ,crimean cup la ,marmora1 which met with high approbation1 and was quaffed with great gusto at the grand ,marmora dinner at head-quarters4 ,the receipt is as follows3-- ,,receipt ,,for ,,crimean ,,cup ,,la ,,marmora1 ,,or ,,potage ,,la ,,mer ,,blanche4 ,proportions4--,syrup of orgeat1 one quart2 cognac brandy1 one pint2 maraschino1 half-a-pint2 ,jamaica rum1 half-a-pint2 champagne1 two bottles2 soda-water1 two bottles2 sugar1 six ounces2 and four middling-sized lemons4 ,thinly peal the lemons1 and place the rind in a bowl with the sugar2 macerate them well for a minute or two1 in order to extract the flavour from the lemon4 ,next squeeze the juice of the lemons upon this1 add two bottles of soda-water1 and stir well till the sugar is dissolved2 pour in the syrup of orgeat1 and whip the mixture well with an egg-whisk in order to whiten the composition4 ,then add the brandy1 rum1 and maraschino2 strain the whole into the punch-bowl1 and just before serving add the champagne1 which should be well iced4 ,while adding the champagne1 stir well with the ladle3 this will render the cup creamy and mellow4 ,half the quantity given here1 or even less1 may be made2 this receipt being for a party of thirty4 ,i perceived that my anticipation had been fully realized1 and that after the proclamation of peace1 the whole camp was converted into an immense banqueting-hall4 ,the continued demand for my assistance in reference to dinner-parties1 and invitations to the same1 almost made me regret the war-time1 during which ,i used to live in comparative peace1 at least as far as high cookery went1 having only to attend to my duties1 which of course ,i did not neglect4 ,in addition to all this1 ,i felt compelled1 in return for all these polite invitations1 to tender hospitalities at home1 and thus kept my camp establishment a regular petit ,lucullusian temple4 ,the day fixed for the grand festival was at this period drawing near2 the number invited increased daily1 while the temple only occupied the same space of ground4 ,the places were measured to an inch1 and it was found that it would just hold fifty-four with ease1 or sixty if they were packed like sardines in a tin box4 ,the number was therefore limited to fifty4 ,to do the thing well for such a party in the ,crimea1 required both judgment and perseverance4 ,in the intervals between the hours of duty1 ,i laid out my plans1 how ,i should not only please1 but also astonish my illustrious guests4 ,a number of regiments were daily leaving2 and this caused fresh invitations to be made and issued1 in order to fill up the vacancies4 ,at last the day arrived4 ,the morning was very wet1 and the sky clouded2 two of my men were ill1 as was usually the case when anything of importance was about to take place2 and consequently the commencement was inauspicious4 ,owing to the rain1 to my great annoyance1 the muddy soil of the ,crimea accumulated in the hut1 caused by the ingress and egress of half-a-dozen soldiers1 who had been kindly granted for a few hours to fetch some green plants from a distant ravine to ornament my fte champtre and harmonical soire4 ,it was nevertheless very refreshing to see for the first time on the rocky summit of ,cathcart's ,hill the green branches of the valley and the wild flowers of the fields4 ,in less than two hours1 the entrance of the villarette1 which before only presented the appearance of a comfortable lucifer match box1 or fifth-rate kiosque la ,turque1 assumed quite a rural aspect4 ,my six brave fellows had mounted1 not to the assault1 but on ladders and cross-beams1 those indispensable ornaments in such a villarette1 and1 as if by enchantment1 had transformed it into a perfumed bosquet1 or retreat worthy of the goddess ,flora4 ,bunches of flowers1 wild lilac1 green branches1 and evergreens were profusely spread all over both the interior and the exterior of my villarette4 ,these were interspersed with small flags--red1 blue1 green1 and yellow paper lanterns4 ,these decorations gave it quite a fairy appearance4 ,wax lights were profusely distributed all round2 and in the centre hung a chandelier of original shape1 constructed by the celebrated ,tom ,shell-proof1 of ,snow-hill1 ,london4 ,the entrance was ornamented by a bold bunch of evergreens and many-coloured flowers4 ,twelve glass lamps1 procured at an immense expense for this occasion only1 were carefully cleaned1 trimmed1 and hung along the front and roof of the hut4 ,they had been painted in blue stripes with ultramarine1 by the celebrated theatrical artist1 ,corporal ,stainer4 ,by twelve o'clock the interior was finished--tables1 benches1 sideboards and all4 ,the only thing to be done was to clear out about half a ton of mud1 as that sadly interfered with the general appearance of the now enchanting spot4 ,all was progressing satisfactorily in the cooking department2 the weather began to clear up1 and at length everything seemed to smile upon my final and most difficult undertaking4 ,had this festival proved a failure1 my guests1 who would1 no doubt1 have been polite enough not to say anything on the point before me1 must have formed a very unfavourable opinion of my gastronomic knowledge1 which ,i should not have had another chance of retrieving4 ,it was therefore of the utmost importance that a failure should not occur1 or even be thought of4 ,to my sorrow1 ,i suddenly perceived that the turf which had been freshly put down a few days previous in my grand green grass-plot and avenue had turned quite yellow1 from the effects of a burning sun4 ,my outside illumination--viz41 lamps made out of ration fat1 which then could only be obtained by purchase 7the soldiers knowing the value of it7--would not consequently produce the effect ,i intended--the reflection of light upon the green turf4 ,ambitious as ,i was of producing quite a novel impression upon the minds of my guests1 ,i felt much vexed at this failure4 ,while deeply pondering over the affair1 in walked ,colonel de ,bathe1 with a most extraordinary long face4 ,he said1 8,you see me quite in despair3 we have lost ,major ,neville and his brother1 two of our best madrigal singers1 and ,i really do not think we can sing at all4 ,you have spoken so highly of our singing-club1 and the company you have invited will all be disappointed40 8,do come1 colonel10 ,i replied1 8and1 if necessary1 ,i will sing myself40 8,i will come2 but we shall be very imperfect40 8,never mind3 we will make up for that by wit1 bon-mots1 and frolic40 ,i succeeded in reassuring the worthy colonel1 and he left1 promising to come early4 ,a few minutes afterwards1 a man entered1 and informed me that ,i could not have the knives1 forks1 crockery1 glasses1 c41 which ,mr4 ,crockford had promised1 as they had not been returned from ,kamara4 ,he added that they would probably be back in the evening or early the next morning4 ,the ,french rolls ,i had ordered at ,little ,kamiesch the day before could not be made in time1 and the baker sent to know if common bread would not do as well4 8,i should think it would10 said ,i1 in no pleasant mood4 ,no more ,american ice was to be had at ,kamiesch2 and this was indispensable for the crowning triumph of the affair1 upon which ,i relied so much--viz41 my new cup la ,marmora4 ,there were1 in addition1 innumerable culinary vexations4 ,it was by no means certain that the promised band from the ,rifles would favour me by attending1 as ,lord ,alexander ,russell was absent1 and ,general ,garrett did not like to grant the necessary permission in his absence1 and no one knew when his lordship would return4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,modern ,,botanical ,,garden--,,nature ,,outdone4 ,,visitors ,,are articularly requested not to touch ,the ,,flowers ,let me observe1 the way ,i first saw the grass turn was not under the influence of my friend1 merry champagne4 ,not at all2 but it had playfully acted upon my mind1 and given me an entirely new and original idea4 ,no matter how ridiculous it may appear to my reader1 it was original4 ,this was to go to the theatre and get a pot of opal green colour1 and set some military artists to paint the grass1 which was quickly done to perfection4 ,in fact1 it was so well executed1 that the horses picketed near were actually taken in1 and played all manner of capers to get loose and have a feed4 ,my guests were astonished1 and could not account for the sudden change1 having noticed how brown it looked in the morning4 ,well1 reader1 what think you followed this sudden bright green inspiration8 ,why1 the arrival of the crockery1 c41 bread1 and the ,american ice1 two fresh waiters1 and ,mr4 ,crockford's cook1 who rendered great assistance4 ,twilight was conquered by ration fat1 lampion-shells were profusely and artistically placed on the then green grass1 tables sumptuously laid out1 the chandelier and wax lights ignited1 the globe lamps in front of the villarette blazing in volcanic splendour1 the band of the ,rifles playing1 and the noble company as nobly arriving4 ,o ,vatel6 you felt gloriously1 for your banquet had succeeded2 and while your wealthy patron1 the ,prince de ,cond1 was receiving from ,louis ,,xiv4 the praise due to your genius1 you were no more4 ,all honour to your manes6 ,i1 like you1 immortal ,vatel1 had all the horrors of an unexpected failure before my eyes4 ,the idea of suicide did not come into my mind1 as it did to yours1 noble defunct and incomparable chef6 probably because ,i had not the honour of wearing the sword of the courtier4 ,though ,i had a stock of guns1 swords1 bayonets1 c41 the idea of suicide never struck me1 inasmuch as all these weapons were taken as trophies from the ,russians1 who were now friends and brothers1 and those emblems of carnage would have been disgraced if soiled with the blood of so humble an individual as myself4 ,on the contrary1 though inclined to despair1 ,i lost no time1 but opened a bottle of champagne for a friend who had just popped in4 ,at the second glass--mirabile dictu6--the thick curtain which shaded my brow vanished2 the unsightly brown grass turned green1 and everything appeared couleur de rose2 and though no material amelioration had yet taken place1 ,i felt that success was certain4 ,nil desperandum6 ,how many men who have ceased to live through an anticipated failure would now be living had they struggled against adverse fate1 and not been led away by the dread of an imaginary evil6 ,the soire was indeed in jeopardy2 but in revenge ,i had the gratification of receiving from every guest invited a polite note1 worded thus3 8,general1 ,colonel1 or ,captain ,so-and-so1 will be very happy to spend the evening at ,monsieur ,soyer's villarette40 ,general ,wyndham1 who was at one time uncertain whether he could come or not1 sent his aide-de-camp to inform me that he should be able to attend1 and to know the hour4 ,everything1 in fact1 tended to render my position more unpleasant2 and the proverb1 8,plus on est de fous1 plus on rit10 was anything but clear to my mind4 ,it would be clear enough if a good supper and good entertainment were provided2 but if the contrary1 ,i should say1 8,plus on est de fous1 moins on rit40 ,it was three o'clock1 ,p4,m41 and nine was the hour on the invitation cards4 ,there remained but six hours for success or failure4 ,o ,vatel6 my noble master in the science of cure1 ,i then for the first time understood the true extent of your devotion to your art4 ,humiliation and dishonour awaited you2 and ,death--yes1 ,death6 god of ,starvation1 with his frail1 bony limbs--was grinning at you4 ,fortunately you lived in an era of gastronomic grandeur1 when a chef de cuisine bore a high rank1 and had your own aristocratic weapon wherewith to do the noble deed which gilds your name4 ,the gallant ,colonel de ,bathe was the first to arrive1 with plenty of musical support4 ,the programme was settled4 ,each noble general1 as he arrived1 was received la militaire1 not1 as the song says1 8sans tambour ni trompette10 but sans crmonie4 ,every one being acquainted1 introductions were not necessary4 ,at half-past nine the band1 which had performed all the while1 ceased playing1 and the grand madrigal concert commenced1 followed by glees1 c41 and at intervals the band played lively quadrilles1 polkas1 c41 till eleven o'clock1 when the supper took place4 ,the band melodiously accompanied the knife-and-fork chorus1 the champagne galop1 and pop1 pop of the confined corks4 ,shortly after1 the amiable ,lord ,rokeby1 who had kindly undertaken the office of chairman1 made a most affable and1 to me1 interesting speech1 dilating in high and flattering terms upon my mission to the ,east4 ,after supper1 the band again ceased1 and1 while they enjoyed their nocturnal repast1 madrigals1 glees1 duets1 solos1 c41 followed in rapid succession4 ,all of a sudden 7,i happened at the time to be in the back room7 an alarm was given by ,general ,wyndham1 who called out1 8,soyer1 ,soyer1 your hut is on fire60 ,the general was getting up1 when a young officer sprang from beam to beam till he reached the top of the hut1 where a large paper lantern had taken fire and ignited the roof4 ,my principal fear was for my picture1 painted by the late ,madame ,soyer1 called the 8,young ,bavarian20 which was the admiration of all my ,crimean visitors1 and well known in ,london amongst the connoisseurs1 having repurchased it at the sale of the great ,saltmarsh collection1 at ,messrs4 ,christie and ,mason's1 in the year #ahdf--7subsequently1 when travelling in the ,south of ,france1 ,i met on my route the illustrious ,horace ,vernet1 and in ,paris1 had the honour of showing him this painting in his study at the ,institute1 when he expressed his opinion in the following words3--8,that no female artist had ever painted in such a bold style1 nor with such a truthfulness of colour and design40 ,he added1 it was worthy of the pencil of ,murillo74 ,it hung directly under the conflagration4 ,but1 thanks to the gymnastic agility of our unknown fireman1 calm was soon restored2 the band recommenced playing1 and the punch la ,marmora circulated freely1 for everything was abandoned for that exciting mixture1 even grogs and champagne4 ,at about two o'clock ,lord ,rokeby and ,general ,craufurd left4 ,i then introduced a comic song1 in which all joined1 including between two or three hundred spectators who had collected round the hut4 ,as the hour advanced1 the company diminished2 but at five in the morning there were still a few guests inquiring for their horses4 ,and thus ended the last party on ,cathcart's ,hill previous to the breaking up of the ,fourth ,division and its return to ,england4 ,the following is an account1 from the ,times1 of the banquet1 and of the names of some of my noble visitors3-- ,this evening1 a number of distinguished guests honoured ,m4 ,soyer with their presence at supper at his villarette near ,cathcart's ,hill4 ,the exterior of the hut was illuminated with lamps fed with ration fat2 the interior was embellished with numerous wreaths and festoons of the beautiful natural plants and flowers now so abundant over the less-trodden parts of the plateau4 ,some glees of ,kcken1 ,mendelssohn1 ,fleming1 c41 very well executed by ,mr4 ,clarke ,dalby1 ,major ,colville1 ,r4,b41 ,colonel de ,bathe1 ,scots ,fusilier ,guards1 and others1 formed an agreeable introduction to an excellent supper--a triumph of culinary art over ,crimean resources1 which was1 however1 soon subjugated in its turn by the ferocity and unconquerable steadiness of the ,british appetite4 ,lord ,rokeby proposed ,m4 ,soyer's health1 and passed a high eulogium on the services he had rendered to the army by his exertions to promote good cooking and the use of palatable food2 and ,m4 ,soyer returned thanks with propriety and feeling1 acknowledging the aid and support he had received from generals1 officers1 and privates in the introduction of his improvements4 ,among the guests were ,general ,wyndham1 ,chief of the ,staff2 ,general ,lord ,rokeby1 ,general ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 ,colonel ,lord ,alexander ,russell1 ,lord ,sefton1 ,sir ,henry ,barnard1 ,general ,garrett1 ,general ,craufurd1 ,colonel ,blane1 ,colonel ,hardinge1 ,colonel ,p4 ,fielding1 ,colonel ,drummond1 ,colonel ,ponsonby1 ,major ,dallas1 ,lieutenant-,colonel ,hugh ,smith1 and about thirty other officers4 ,about this time twelve months the long rangers1 of which we wisely held our tongues for fear the ,russians would find out how unpleasant they were1 and redouble their attentions1 might have interrupted the proceedings very abruptly4 ,,chapter ,,xxxv4 ,,last ,,days ,,of ,,british ,,occupation ,,of ,,the ,,crimea4 ,a final trial--,distribution of the ,order of the ,bath--,letter from ,lord ,gough--,farewell to the battle-field--,bonfires--,grand coup-d'il--,lord ,w4 ,paulet's farewell party--,parting visits--,depredations--,morning parade catechism--,stuart's canteen--,the ,theatre ,royal of the ,fourth ,division--,the scenes shifted--,soyer's new invention--,pilgrimage through a deserted camp--,sanatorium ,hospital--,six cemeteries--,trip to ,odessa--,return to ,balaklava--,a pleasant surprise--,the yacht ,sylphide--,letter from ,w4 ,h4 ,russell--,departures--,the ,nightingale ,monument--,the last day--,general ,codrington's letter--,the keys of ,balaklava given up to the ,russians--,the place retaken--,a parting invitation--,good-by to the ,crimea4 ,the following day ,i begged ,sir ,william ,codrington to fix a day for my final trial1 when ,i intended to place twelve stoves in the #efth ,regiment1 then quartered at the back of the vineyard facing head-quarters1 and thus cook for the whole regiment4 ,this would afford ,sir ,w4 ,codrington an opportunity of judging of their efficacy1 and enable him to give his opinion upon the subject4 ,lord ,gough had arrived to distribute the ,order of the ,bath2 and1 as his lordship was to remain a couple of days longer in the ,crimea1 ,i was anxious that he should be present at the inspection4 ,the following ,sunday was fixed for the purpose1 and the inspection was to take place after divine service4 ,accordingly1 ,lord ,gough1 ,sir ,w4 ,codrington1 ,general ,wyndham1 ,general ,barnard1 ,general ,garrett1 ,colonel de ,bathe1 ,colonel ,blane1 ,colonel ,walker1 ,captain ,ponsonby1 with their respective ,staffs1 were present1 and tasted the various kinds of food ,i had caused to be prepared by two soldiers only for the whole regiment1 about six hundred strong4 ,about thirty gentlemen had assembled2 and they all expressed in high terms their satisfaction and approval1 not only of the quality of the food produced from the soldiers' rations with so little trouble1 but also of the small quantity of fuel consumed in its preparation4 ,in corroboration of this1 ,i the next day received the following letter from ,lord ,gough3-- ,,lord ,,gough begs1 with his compliments1 to inform ,monsieur ,soyer that he had much pleasure in seeing his new cooking-stoves for the army4 ,any measures which ,monsieur ,soyer may have in view to simplify the cooking arrangements of the soldier will always meet with ,lord ,gough's hearty approval4 ,sebastopol1 #ajth ,june1 #ahef4 ,the ,french as well as the ,english camps diminished daily4 ,each evening was ushered in by large bonfires1 indicative of the early departure of either ,french or ,english troops4 ,this style of farewell to the battle-field was generally adopted in both armies2 but some of the ,french1 not satisfied with burning their lumber and loose wood1 which was very properly allowed by the authorities for those joyful volcanoes1 commenced setting fire to their huts1 kitchens1 c42 for which they were very severely reprimanded by their general1 who1 instead of allowing them to start the following day1 as intended1 kept them in camp to the last--compelling them to bivouac upon the spot1 and thus fully enjoy the consequences of their folly1 having no kitchens to cook in1 nor huts to lie under4 ,this was a good lesson for the remainder of the army4 ,the ,fourth ,division1 under the command of ,lord ,william ,paulet1 received orders to depart4 ,every regiment distinguished itself more or less by its peculiar style of bonfire4 ,they were to be fired simultaneously on the eve of their departure4 ,some were raised to the height of thirty feet2 one even exceeded that1 with a base of at least sixty feet in circumference1 being composed of not less than ten or twelve tons of wood and rubbish1 brought together by the men of the #egth ,regiment1 who worked very hard for some days in getting it ready4 ,the night arrived1 all the bonfires1 with the exception of the large one1 which was kept for the last1 were fired2 and when the smaller ones were about half consumed1 this monster was ignited in four places4 ,the coup-d'il was indeed grand4 ,the burning of ,sebastopol had not offered such a column of fire in one spot2 added to which1 all the regiments composing the division had joined1 and were dancing round that mountain of flame--shouting1 singing1 playing on marrow-bones and cleavers1 and upon hundreds of tin camp-kettles as a substitute for drums4 ,the camp was richly illuminated for miles around till about ten o'clock1 when1 as usual1 all mustered in military order4 ,the burning sky had recovered its former azure splendour2 the stars were twinkling and shooting2 and the next day nothing remained to tell the tale to the new-comers but a kind of large black seal1 about eighty feet in circumference4 ,that evening ,i had the pleasure of joining a farewell party1 given by ,lord ,w4 ,paulet to a number of friends at his head-quarters4 ,the time passed very merrily and agreeably1 leaving a most delightful impression upon the minds of all4 ,the next morning1 at daybreak1 the whole of the division were on their way to ,balaklava4 ,a long red line was seen marching in the distance2 the sound of the bands playing 8,cheer1 boys1 cheer10 was faintly heard1 gradually receding from both sight and hearing4 ,those brave fellows were then off for good4 ,the ,guards had left their camp some days before2 but they went in detachments--the ,coldstreams first1 the ,grenadier ,guards next1 and the ,fusiliers last4 ,i paid my respectful farewell visits to ,lord ,rokeby1 ,general ,craufurd1 ,colonels ,drummond1 ,foley1 c4 c4 ,upon this occasion1 ,colonel ,foley invited me to lunch at their grand mess-room1 which invitation ,i accepted with great pleasure4 ,every one being on the move1 invitations to dinner entirely disappeared from the order of the day4 ,the rations were the only provisions which graced the last day's bill of fare4 ,still1 the salt pork1 beef1 and the fresh meat were very good1 and highly relished by a ,crimean appetite3 added to which1 the remains of a good ,english cheese1 a salad la ,zouave1 and good ,english draught ale1 completed the sumptuous gala4 ,while freely partaking of the gallant colonel's hospitality1 a number of officers joined us2 amongst whom ,i recognised the scion of a celebrated epicure1 who sat next me1 and commenced manipulating in his plate a most relishing sauce4 ,upon tasting this1 ,i could not resist exclaiming-- 8,oh6 ,sefton1 ,sefton6 may your noble ashes repose in peace in your tomb6 ,the glory of your name has not faded3 your grandson1 the youthful ,lord ,sefton1 is an epicure60 ,some of my stoves remained in use in the ,crimea till the day of the departure of the ,first ,division4 ,i was in duty bound to watch over and rescue them from the hands of the marauding ,tartars1 who seemed to claim as their own everything left behind by each regiment1 even previous to the surrender of the ,crimea by the ,allied ,governments4 ,all that remained of the ,british army consisted of the #bjth with two ,scotch regiments at ,kamara1 and a body of the ,land ,transport ,corps at ,cathcart's ,hill1 7the ,land ,transport ,corps were even at that time raising their bonfires72 and the #efth ,regiment at head-quarters1 as ,sir ,william ,codrington's body-guard4 ,so few troops being left upon such a vast space1 made it not only very dull1 but also very unsafe1 compelling us to keep loaded guns and revolvers at the head of our beds4 ,the precaution was most necessary1 for1 with all our care1 we were daily and nightly robbed by the ,tartar ,jews who infested the camp4 ,tents actually disappeared1 and several huts were fired in the ,english camp2 and no one could detect the authors of these outrages4 ,the ,fourth ,division retained its name and the ground1 but that was all4 ,the chief of that colossal body alone remained--,general ,garrett having to the last maintained his head-quarters upon the memorable spot4 ,the loss most felt upon ,cathcart's ,hill was the departure of ,lord ,alexander ,russell's brigade of ,rifles1 who were in the habit of parading and exercising daily upon the plateau4 ,a parting dinner given to his lordship by ,general ,garrett1 and to which ,i was invited1 closed merrily enough2 but the day after their departure the camp was as desolate as a desert2 only one regiment1 the #bjth1 remained4 ,general ,garrett and myself were the only proprietors on that far-famed spot1 ,cathcart's ,hill1 though no end of new tenants were arriving in shoals2 ,i mean the rats from deserted camps1 who boldly took possession of our head-quarters4 ,all around had in a few days assumed such an aspect of desolation1 that it appeared to me like a sudden exile from a lively and brilliant capital to a deserted rock3 the beating of drums1 sounding of trumpets1 and the harmony of the bands2 as well as the eternal morning parade catechism of the drill-serjeant1 shouting with all his might1 8,fall in6 eyes fifteen paces to the front60--or occasionally1 as the ,french would say1 8,les yeux fixes et la tte quinze pas60 8,shoulder arms6 slope arms60 ,now and then1 an awkward fellow would be thus apostrophized by the witty ,serjeant3 8,now1 my man1 has not your country been generous enough to present you with a musket8 ,then1 do your country justice by learning the use of it40 ,the profound silence which succeeded the tumult of camp life would have depressed the greatest philosopher4 ,stuart's celebrated canteen1 attached to the theatre1 and which appeared in the series of engravings already published1 was on the move2 and ,stuart's head man1 ,joe1 was at his last score of bottle-breaking1 when ,i called and ordered half-a-dozen of pale ale4 8,you may boast10 he exclaimed1 8of being the last served here1 for we are going off to ,kadikoi immediately40 ,i then walked into the theatre4 ,the stage offered a singular coup-d'il3 the figure of a child1 as well as a black doll1 were hanging by the neck from a cross beam at the top of the stage2 the elaborately-painted curtain was torn into ribbons1 the scenery partly whitewashed over1 and the furniture of the apartment of ,serjeant ,blowhard was thrust into ,miss ,greenfinch's bedroom2 while ,slasher and ,crasher had left the theatre in a most dilapidated state4 ,female attire1 including wings1 ringlets1 caps1 bonnets1 bunches of flowers1 crinolines1 and toilets of all fashions1 bedaubed with chalk1 bismuth1 vermilion1 and red brickdust1 instead of carmine1 were scattered about the stage in such a state that a ,french chiffonnier would not have disgraced his hamper by including them amongst its contents4 ,the painting-room floor was like a rainbow2 all the powdered colours had been kicked in every direction1 forming a mulligatawny of shades enough to puzzle an ,owen ,jones and his disciples4 ,the benches in the stalls and pit were piled up into a formidable barricade4 ,nothing had been respected but her ,majesty's royal arms1 which ornamented the centre of the proscenium4 ,these had been painted by ,major ,dallas1 ,general ,garrett's aide-de-camp4 ,by the aid of a ladder1 ,i carefully removed them1 with the intention of placing them amongst my ,sebastopol trophies1 as a memento of the dramatic art in the ,crimea4 ,upon leaving this desolated skeleton temple of ,melpomene1 ,i inquired of ,mr4 ,stuart's bottle-breaker the cause of this awful disorder4 ,he told me1 frankly enough1 that so far as the wardrobe was concerned1 the rats had taken possession1 but that for the remainder1 himself and a few friends had done the work of devastation by way of closing the season4 ,thus terminated the dramatic performances in the ,theatre ,royal of the ,fourth ,division2 and it was1 no doubt1 a fair specimen of what happened in other divisions1 if left in the hands of similar good managers4 ,indeed1 ,i could not but feel hurt at this sudden devastation1 for it was only a few evenings before that this tumble-down temple of ,momus was gloriously shining through the resplendent glare of a dozen brown candles1 and that the celebrated band of the ,rifles 7by permission of ,lord ,a4 ,russell7 was delighting a crowded audience numbering upwards of five hundred soldiers1 when1 at the end of the first piece1 to the astonishment of all1 and myself in particular1 a distinguished artist and 8non-commissioned0 poet came forward1 who1 though not in the style of ,victor ,hugo or ,moore1 but rather in the poetless 8or you-go-not style10 poured forth the following song1 to the amusement of the audience1 who at its conclusion encored it most lustily4 ,the 8poetry0 787 ran as follows3-- ,,soyer',s ,,new ,,invention4 ,a trifling thing1 gentlemen1 ,i am going to mention2 ,oh tell me1 pray1 have you seen this great and new invention1 ,to cook in camp ,i believe it is their intention2 ,for ,soyer's patent1 ,i confess1 it is a perfect creation4 ,steam6 ,steam6 ,for in it you can burn coal1 wood1 or patent fuel1 ,put in your meat1 and then you'll find it will soon be doing2 ,and when lighted1 away it goes1 and everything in motion2 ,for ,soyer's patent1 ,i confess1 it is a perfect creation4 ,steam6 ,steam6 ,they gather round for to see the wonderful man who made it1 ,and stand in amaze and have a gaze1 and then begin to inspect it4 ,all the cocked hats1 ,i believe1 say it's a stunning notion2 ,for ,soyer's patent1 ,i confess1 it is a perfect creation4 ,steam6 ,steam6 ,it's greatly approved of1 ,i believe1 by all the nation1 ,and they are about to contract for this great new invention4 ,i sincerely hope that there's no harm in anything ,i mention2 ,for ,soyer's patent1 ,i confess1 it is a perfect creation4 ,steam6 ,steam6 ,composed by ,a4 ,,thos4 ,,price1 ,lance ,corporal #bjth ,regiment4 ,my presence being discovered1 the whole of the troops rose en masse1 and favoured me with three cheers1 when1 mounting a bench1 ,i addressed them as follows3-- 8,my worthy friends and brave fellows1 allow me to express to you my most profound gratitude for the honour you have conferred upon me thus unexpectedly4 ,my humble services have often been approved of by your superior officers1 but believe me1 nothing can be more gratifying to me than your genuine and spontaneous approval of my endeavours to improve the cooking of the soldiers' rations2 and now that peace has re-established order amongst us all1 ,i shall only be too happy to devote my time in instructing you in the plain art of cookery2 for1 believe me1 it is the desire of her ,most ,gracious ,majesty the ,queen1 and your superiors1 that you should live well1 long1 grow fat1 and die happy40 ,shouts of laughter and rounds of cheers terminated this unexpected dramatic impromptu4 ,the performance in consequence terminated twenty minutes later than usual4 ,on leaving this heap of ruins1 ,i felt as though haunted by a day-mare instead of one worthy of ,young's ,night2 but ,i persisted in conquering the feeling1 and in continuing my sorrowful pilgrimage4 ,as if to add to the gloomy appearance of the deserted camp1 the sun1 which long threw his burning rays upon the dry soil1 disappeared behind vaporous clouds1 and rain fell fast4 ,nevertheless1 nothing could prevent me carrying out my first idea1 which was to visit in all their loneliness the various camps4 ,i reasoned thus with myself3--8,i am probably the only person who has the chance of doing this1 and1 therefore1 the only person who will be able to tell the tale40 ,in spite of the great desire ,i had to continue my journey1 as evening was approaching1 ,i was compelled1 though reluctantly1 to put an end to my camp review until the day prior to my evacuating the ,crimea2 therefore ,i returned to ,balaklava1 which place1 together with ,kamiesch1 alone showed signs of martial movement1 the latter less so than the former4 ,the ,french troops got away before our own1 and at last there were as many ,russians as ,french at ,kamiesch4 ,i had scarcely anything to do1 which was not amusing after having had so much business continually upon my hands4 ,mr4 ,crockford asked me whether ,i should like to take a trip to ,odessa4 ,i jumped at the proposal with delight4 ,that gentleman kindly allowed me to invite a few friends1 and assured me that the trip would only occupy five or six days1 going and returning4 ,in less than four hours the list was filled1 and two days afterwards we were on board the ,belle ,alar1 but under more prosperous circumstances than on our former pleasure expedition4 ,the weather was fine1 the vessel properly ballasted1 and furnished with provisions of all sorts1 besides a cargo of goods4 ,our appetites were first-rate2 and after thirty-eight hours of fair steaming1 we came in sight of the far-famed city of palaces--,odessa1 into the harbour of which we were at once admitted4 ,thanks to ,general ,lders1 who obtained of the governor a suspension of quarantine1 and ,brigadier-,general ,staunton1 whose arrival had been telegraphed1 we were allowed to enter even without passports4 ,among the fortunate tourists were ,general ,staunton1 ,colonel ,smith1 ,major ,earle1 ,mr4 ,william ,russell1 ,mr4 ,angel1 ,mr4 ,crockford1 and myself4 ,during the trip1 our party was as turbulent as the ocean was calm4 ,each day commenced and ended with shouts of laughter1 contrasting singularly with the former melancholy days in the camp4 ,i need not relate that which is so well known to every one--that the most successful parties are those which are got up l'impromptu4 ,this was the case with this delightful trip2 so much so1 indeed1 that some who came on board at five o'clock were not aware of it till two or three4 ,i do not think ,i can give a better idea of this delightful trip than by republishing the following descriptive letter1 which appeared in the ,times3-- ,,soyer ,,at ,,odessa4 ,to the ,editor of the ,times4 ,,sir1--,from the arid and partly-deserted soil of the ,crimea1 and the everlasting view from ,cathcart's ,hill of the now silent ruins of ,sebastopol1 nothing can be more refreshing to the mind than the aspect of a civilized and inhabited town4 ,i and a few friends agreed to make a trip by water to the famed city of ,odessa1 where we are now enjoying the favours of peace1 and it is with great pleasure that ,i return our sincere thanks to the authorities and inhabitants of that city of palaces for the most cordial and charming reception which could have been conferred upon strangers after such a destructive war4 ,being anxious to visit the public buildings1 military hospitals1 and the various institutions1 ,i expressed my wishes to ,general ,lders1 which his ,excellency not only acceded to1 but deputed his aide-de-camp1 ,colonel ,scariatine1 to accompany us in our visitorial pilgrimage4 ,the party consisted of ,brigadier-,general ,staunton1 #dth ,division1 ,adjutant-,general ,colonel ,smith1 ,major ,earle1 and myself4 ,this noble man1 who spoke excellent ,french and ,english1 was indeed a valuable cicerone4 ,the most important of the institutions we visited are the ,military and ,civil ,hospitals1 the ,foundling ,institution1 the ,salles d',asile1 and the ,hospital of the ,sisters of ,charity4 ,we were received at1 and shown over1 the ,hospital by the chief medical officer1 ,dr4 ,grime1 and staff2 at the ,foundling1 by the director1 ,mr4 ,fourman2 at the ,salles d',asile1 by the inspectress1 ,madame ,pera ,ergard2 and by the ,superior of the ,sisters of ,charity1 ,madame ,marie ,retchakoff--one of the latter had just arrived from ,bakschiserai2 she had been all through the campaign1 and was slightly wounded in the trenches4 ,she related that several sisters were killed in ,sebastopol1 and many wounded during the siege2 the latter are now recalled to ,st4 ,petersburg1 and enjoy the favour and patronage of the ,empress4 ,these ladies were most anxious to hear of ,miss ,nightingale's doings1 and spoke of her with the greatest veneration4 ,they listened with much interest to my account of that excellent lady's efforts in the cause of humanity4 ,all these institutions1 though based upon similar principles to those in ,england and ,france1 possess a type of their own1 both as regards the expense and management4 ,cleanliness1 simplicity1 and judicious economy seem to be closely studied in all the establishments4 ,the culinary department1 which1 of course1 was of vital interest to me1 ,i found extremely clean and well constructed1 though rather complicated4 ,the boilers are made of wrought iron1 which ,i at first sight feared was copper1 but the lids only were made of that showy but dangerous metal in such vast establishments1 where the apparatus is in continual use and tinning difficult to be often repeated4 ,we were at the ,orphan's ,school in time to taste their food1 which consists of a basin of soup1 one pound of meat1 one ounce of oatmeal1 and one pound and a half of white bread4 ,the soup is of a thinnish nature1 and strongly flavoured with pleasant aromatic herbs1 the whole forming1 no doubt1 a very wholesome and nutritious food1 and well adapted to the climate4 ,their beverage1 which is the one of the soldiers1 is called ,quiely and ,chtschy in ,russian1 and ,quataee in the ,polish language4 ,it is made with rye1 mead1 and a small portion of hops1 requiring only a few hours to prepare it4 ,i must say that to an uninitiated palate it is anything but a pleasant drink1 but1 no doubt1 very refreshing and agreeable when used to it2 for after drinking one goblet of it my thirst was allayed for several hours during one of the hottest days ,i had experienced for some time4 ,now1 a few words for the epicures4 ,the sturgeon1 which is here abundant1 and in ,england despised and valueless1 forms a principal and an exquisite article of food1 which is partly owing to the method they have of dressing it4 ,on my return ,i intend to try and reinstate this queenly fish in its pristine fame4 ,fresh caviar1 which is made from the roe of the fish1 is daily eaten by the ,russian population as an introduction to the dinner4 ,crawfish of an extraordinary size are caught in the small rivulets close to the town2 they are cheap and very plentiful4 ,the tail and claws are generally the only parts eaten1 and tons weight of the part which makes the exquisite bisque d'crevisses are monthly thrown away4 ,the receipt of this excellent soup ,i have promised to send to the worthy host of the ,europa ,restaurant1 he having promised to give it a trial1 and thereby enrich his already luxurious bill of fare4 ,with the highest consideration1 ,i have the honour to remain1 your very obedient1 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,europa ,hotel1 ,odessa1 ,june #bc4 ,we left the far-famed city of ,odessa1 and thus joyfully terminated our trip to that land of new friends4 ,upon our return to ,cathcart's ,hill1 we found that ,general ,garrett and suite had removed to the commandant's house at ,balaklava1 the general having succeeded to that important post at the departure of ,colonel ,hardinge1 which post he retained till the final close of this great political and military drama4 ,my majordomo1 my engineer1 and followers1 were not able1 with all their bravery1 to resist the nightly attacks of the ,tartar camp-rovers4 ,robbery it was impossible to prevent2 for they in one night1 as ,i heard1 cleared off everything out of doors1 as well as an old bell tent and a box with the servant's clothes4 ,the matter at last grew so critical1 that my people were obliged to fire upon them in the night at random4 ,such ,arabian marauders are worthy of the finest type of ,zouaves for pillaging4 ,i found also1 on my return1 that my people had1 immediately after ,i set off on my trip1 left the hill1 at the recommendation of ,general ,garrett4 ,he kindly sent word that he did not consider it safe for them to remain there any longer4 ,they were quartered in one of the wards close to the ,general ,hospital1 where some of the ,sardinian sick remained4 ,they had all daring1 adventurous1 and extraordinary anecdotes of what had occurred during my absence to relate4 ,shell-proof1 in particular1 pretended to have wounded several in the nocturnal engagements4 ,on his departure for ,odessa1 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,russell had left his iron castle1 with his farm-house1 stables1 garden1 and dependencies1 in a most nourishing condition2 but upon his return that gentleman found the castle pulled down1 folded up1 and packed ready for removal by land pirates4 ,he thus describes his feelings on the occasion3-- ,,my ,,dear ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,what do you think8 ,i am now a houseless1 homeless wanderer3 they have pulled down my house1 so it is really time for me to evacuate the ,crimea4 ,the shell of the house only stands2 and as ,i am not a lobster or an oyster1 that will scarcely give me a shelter2 so ,i must hang out on ,cathcart's ,hill1 in the old cave where ,sir ,john ,campbell lived long ago4 ,w4 ,h4 ,,russell4 ,upon returning to ,balaklava1 we found it but a dismal place4 ,everybody you met--and the number was not great--quietly asked1 8,what1 not gone yet6--when are you going80 8,in a few days10 was the general reply1 or perhaps 8to-day0 or 8to-morrow40 ,for my part1 ,i told every one who inquired that ,i had gone1 and what they saw going about dressed like me was only my shadow4 ,joking apart1 ,i may state1 for the information of those whom ,i respect and who deserve to know the truth1 my reason for remaining so long was this3 ,i was in duty bound to see the remainder of my field-stoves1 which were in use till the last moment of the campaign1 shipped for ,england4 ,not only was ,i responsible for them1 but ,i had to give my official report to ,sir ,william ,codrington1 and close the mission entrusted to me by the ,british ,government4 ,glad was ,i to be once more at liberty1 as my health1 though partially restored1 was anything but satisfactory4 ,the ,commander-in-chief had gone to ,odessa only for a few days1 it is true2 but during his absence there was nothing doing4 ,balaklava was deserted1 the camp lifeless2 ,kadikoi still more so--not a hut1 tent1 shed1 store1 canteen1 shop1 or stable1 was inhabited4 ,brick and stone houses1 as well as hospitals1 were to let at the very moderate price of nothing at all1 and glad to get tenants at that rather reduced rate4 ,it was not at all extraordinary for one to rise a poor man in the morning1 and at night find oneself a large proprietor4 ,every person1 upon leaving1 presented you with rows of houses1 shops1 c41 which they could not sell or take away4 ,nevertheless1 all was stale1 flat1 and unprofitable1 as a day or two after coming into possession you yourself had to give them up4 ,riding through the camp1 even at mid-day1 was a dangerous experiment1 as it was invaded by hundreds of people of all kinds and tribes1 who prowled about1 pillaging everything they could put hands upon4 ,therefore ,balaklava was the only safe quarter1 and dull enough into the bargain4 ,the heat was great1 and amusement scanty4 ,like the song of the ,manchester operatives1 8we had no work to do-oo-oo40 ,eating little1 drinking much1 and sleeping all day1 was our principal occupation4 ,i removed from the ,general ,hospital to a very comfortable hut1 then recently occupied by an officer of the ,commissariat1 comprising three rooms1 a stable1 and yard4 ,about noon one day1 while in deep slumber1 ,i was suddenly aroused by a joyful voice4 ,it came from ,captain ,hall1 ,general ,codrington's aide-de-camp4 8,hallo60 said he1 8,i fear ,i am disturbing you40 8,not at all1 captain2 pray walk in--,i have nothing to do4 ,i was taking an ,oriental nap1 which calms one's senses1 to that extent that ,i had in imagination travelled as far as ,england and back again to my duty in the ,east in less than half an hour40 8,i have done more extraordinary things than that10 said he4 8,by the same conveyance ,i have been as far as the ,east ,indies and back to head-quarters in the ,crimea in twenty minutes40 8,you have certainly beaten me2 and ,i think the human mind can at any time beat the electric telegraph for speed40 8,what do you intend doing to-morrow80 8,the same as to-day1 captain--nothing40 8,captain ,leyland and family have just arrived in the harbour in the beautiful yacht1 the ,sylphide4 ,i have spoken to him about you1 and he will be glad to make your acquaintance4 ,they called upon you at ,cathcart's ,hill1 but you were at ,odessa4 ,if you like to see that gentleman at once1 ,i will introduce you40 8,most happy1 captain40 ,in a short time we were climbing up the side of the bulky ,sylphide1 an immense yacht4 ,from her deck1 her beauty was seen to the best advantage4 ,the real ,sylphide was1 however just perceptible1 surrounded by a group of gentlemen and ladies1 beneath a large union-jack which formed an awning upon deck4 ,this was no other than ,miss ,leydell1 a beautiful lady eighteen years of age1 with blue eyes1 fair hair1 rows of pearls for teeth--in fact1 a real ,sylphide1 a sight of whom would have driven ,taglioni to despair4 ,after ,i had had the honour of an introduction to her sylphideship and the surrounding group1 the conversation became animated4 ,the topic was upon a monster gipsy party which was to take place the following day in the valley of ,baidar1 and to which ,i received an invitation1 no sooner made than accepted by your humble servant4 ,the captain then offered to show us over his yacht1 which might be compared to a nobleman's floating house1 for elegance1 perfection1 and comfort4 ,the ,land ,transport ,corps and ,commissariat had all left1 and only the ,general-in-chief and ,staff remained1 forming the last link of the chain which still bound them to the ,crimean soil4 ,they were at the time preparing for an excursion to ,odessa1 on a visit to ,general ,lders4 ,the excellent account of the courteous reception we had received at his hands1 as well as from the inhabitants of that beautiful city1 rendered them more anxious to go4 ,miss ,nightingale was preparing for her departure4 ,i was waiting the closing of the ,land ,transport and ,general ,hospitals1 to see my field-stoves embarked2 and after delivering them in person to ,captain ,gordon1 ,i was anxious to follow4 ,balaklava church1 now deprived of its sacerdotal character1 was being prepared for the reception of the ,commander-in-chief upon his return from ,odessa1 as head-quarters had been given up to the original proprietors4 ,general ,wyndham1 accompanied by his aide-de-camp1 had left for ,england4 ,the ,algiers had arrived in port1 to conduct ,sir ,william ,codrington to ,england1 via1 ,constantinople and ,malta4 ,a few days afterwards1 ,miss ,nightingale and nurses left for ,scutari4 ,all the hospitals in the ,crimea were then closed4 ,a few days after the departure of ,miss ,nightingale1 a marble monument of immense size arrived1 and was erected1 by an order left by that lady1 between the ,sanatorium heights and the ,sardinian graveyard and monument1 situated on the peak of a mountain4 ,it is perceptible from a great distance at sea4 ,the ,nightingale ,monument is a monster marble cross1 twenty feet high1 of beautiful ,marmora marble4 ,i believe it was ordered and paid for by that benevolent lady1 and dedicated by her to the memory of the brave1 and the deceased ,sisters of ,charity4 ,nothing was written upon it when we left2 but the following line was1 as ,i was informed1 to be inscribed3-- ,lord have mercy upon us4 ,gospodi pomilore nass4 ,shortly after the return of ,sir ,w4 ,codrington1 ,sir ,john ,hall1 the chief doctor1 and ,dr4 ,mouat departed4 ,the only acting parties now left upon the ,crimean shores after the awful struggle were1 ,general ,sir ,william ,codrington1 ,admiral ,freemantle1 ,rear-,admiral ,stewart1 ,general ,garrett1 ,colonel ,halliwell1 ,major ,dallas1 ,captains ,hollis and ,barnard1 ,colonels ,hugh ,smith and ,ross1 and ,captain ,gordon2 ,mr4 ,osborn1 the ,commissariat officer1 and ,mr4 ,fitzgerald1 the purveyor4 ,the last day1 so anxiously waited for and so sweetly anticipated1 had arrived4 ,it was ushered in by nightly burnings of huts and canteens4 ,the day before our departure1 and the one prior to the surrender of ,balaklava to the ,russians1 being fixed for my grand review1 after in vain endeavouring to induce several individuals to accompany me1 ,i had to go alone1 as nobody else took any interest in my solitary pilgrimage4 ,even my ,snow-hill ,zouave at the same time pretended that he had too much to do to waste his valuable time1 as he called it--valuable indeed was the word2 for at that instant my ,cockney ,zouave1 the brave1 was busily engaged making a family drawing4 ,a ,stanfield would have been at a standstill at the ingenuity of this modern ,joseph ,vernet1 as a marine painter4 ,miss ,nightingale's carriage had the night previous arrived at my domicile from a store in the ,land ,transport ,corps camp1 where ,i rescued it from a heap of vulgar wagons2 it was now standing before the door of my hut1 which faced the ,general ,hospital1 and had attracted the attention of ,mr4 ,landells1 the corresponding artist of the ,illustrated ,london ,news1 who was first struck at the many peculiarities of this vehicle1 and afterwards more so with the production of my artist1 when he broke out into a genuine shout of laughter1 after gazing for an instant on my ,zouave's picture4 ,nothing for originality could have matched it1 but a late ,turner1 in its demi-chef d'uvre1 from which the halo of glory had departed1 and age had left genius alone galavanting from his palette to its now immortal canvas4 ,turner did ,i say--yes1 and without disgracing the name of that great man2 for in the presence of ,mr4 ,landells1 my modern ,stanfield1 who was anxious to gather as much as he could for the edification of his large family on a small sheet of foolscap1 and being compelled from the great heat of the morning sun to keep in-doors1 would occasionally get up and peep round the corner4 ,on being asked by ,mr4 ,landells how he could see from where he was sitting the entire range of the harbour1 and more particularly the ,genoese ,tower1 which was situated directly opposite the back of my hut1 my clever ,zouave1 disgusted with ,mr4 ,landells' ignorance of the rudiments of sketching1 and vexed at being disturbed1 quietly replied1 8,d--- n it6 did you not see me turn round the corner40 8,pray don't1 my dear sir10 ,i exclaimed1 8interrupt my artist2 as you may perceive he is a regular ,turner--round the corner1 ,i mean40 ,with the courage of ,don ,quixote1 but without a ,sancho ,panza1 ,i undertook my grand military review4 ,i could not but regret the absence of my brave travelling gent1 ,peter ,morrison1 who1 through an assumed illness1 had three months previous abandoned the field of glory1 thus terminating his brave and brilliant military career2 for had he been still with me1 ,i might have depended upon his formal refusal to follow me4 ,it was six in the morning3 the sun was shining feebly through watery clouds2 the breeze blew freshly2 the road was moist1 my pony in good order1 sandwich-case full1 leather bottle filled with brandy-and-water1 and my revolver loaded4 ,my mind was full of anxiety and wild reverie1 for ,i was about to pass a review of1 to me1 a defunct army1 with the fortunes of which ,i had been so intimately connected during the war4 ,i knew that upon my return to ,england ,i should only meet a few fragments of this splendid force1 and not the entire mass1 as ,i had done in the ,crimea4 ,i had twelve hours before me4 ,i commenced at the ,sanatorium ,hospital1 which had been to me such a scene of animation and vivid interest4 ,a mournful silence reigned in this small wooden city4 ,my kitchens had suffered the least in the terrible ordeal2 all the framework and brick stoves were still standing1 and looked just as if waiting to be again put in action4 ,the grand row of huts forming the various wards1 without being much disturbed1 were rather in a state of dilapidation4 ,lastly1 ,i visited ,miss ,nightingale's sanatorium residence1 situated on the peak of a rock at the end of the row of huts4 ,this wooden palace1 with its rough verandah1 was divided into three separate apartments1 giving it a more cheerful appearance than the rest4 ,the iron stove1 and its rusty pipe1 beds1 c41 had been removed1 but the remainder of the furniture was intact4 ,tables1 benches1 wooden stools1 empty pots and bottles which had contained medical comforts1 a few rags1 a piece of an apron1 no end of waste paper1 a pair of wooden shoes1 and a live cat that appeared to have lived upon the remnants of the kitchen-diets1 or more likely the rats1 met my inquiring gaze4 ,i caught ,miss ,puss and closeted her in ,miss ,nightingale's store-room1 with the wooden stool in daily use1 intending to send for both at night4 ,the latter ,i proposed to keep as a relic1 and to restore the former to society by either taking him on board ship or letting him loose in the town4 ,i sent my servant2 but the pillage had commenced--the cat was gone1 and ,i only got the stool4 ,anxious to continue my tour of inspection1 ,i ascended the mountain towards the old ,sardinian camp1 lately occupied by a few ,english regiments shortly before embarkation4 ,in the space of a few hundred yards ,i passed not less than six cemeteries--viz41 the one for the ,sisters of ,mercy and doctors1 ,sailors' ,hospital1 ,sanatorium1 a large ,turkish one1 and two belonging to the ,sardinian troops4 ,leaving the ,marmora ,monument on the left and the ,nightingale ,cross on the right1 ,i merely cast a coup-d'il to the tumble-down ,sardinian hospital and fragment of camp1 and took the road to ,kamara4 ,not a soul did ,i meet for three miles while crossing the rustic road1 cutting immediately through the peak of these lofty mountains1 with their base in the ,euxine on one side1 and on the other1 through deep ravines1 solemnly reposing on ,balaklava's glorious plain4 ,no1 nothing but a poor horse1 who had been ineffectually shot1 was grazing near a pool of blood4 ,life1 the mother of all1 seemed to have rescued him from the grasp of ,death--the animal was no longer bleeding1 the perforation made by the bullet appeared to be healing up4 ,i gathered him a heap of grass1 gave him some water from an adjacent rocky rivulet1 washed his wound1 and to my regret abandoned him4 ,shortly after1 ,i crossed through the late camp of the ,highland ,division1 through the vales1 dales1 and rocky mountains of ,kamara4 ,russian officers and soldiers had taken possession of ,sir ,colin ,campbell and ,general ,cameron's head-quarters1 with its green turret4 ,although no sentries were posted1 any quantity of ,tartars were wandering about laden with spoils of the deserted camp4 ,what a contrast6 ,only a few days ago this picturesque spot was all life and animation2 indeed the cloth was hardly removed from the festive board1 the echo of the shrill pibroch was still vibrating through the adjacent mountains4 ,it was there1 only a short time since1 that ,i bade farewell to the brave generals1 ,sir ,colin ,campbell and ,cameron4 ,space will not allow me further to descant on the past beauties of this scene2 a volume could be filled with its splendours4 ,not a mile from there stand the fortifications1 and mud-built huts of the ,sardinians1 looking more like a deserted rabbit-warren than the abode of an army2 it was on this spot they bravely withstood the attack of the enemy at the battle of the ,tchernaya on the #afth of ,august1 #ahee4 ,gipsy families had taken possession of a farm and small church on the left1 which is so well known4 ,i looked with amazement at the once blooming gardens of the ,french camp1 and the myriads of wild flowers4 ,death and desolation seemed then to be the only attendants on this once fascinating scene4 ,crossing the plain of ,balaklava at full gallop1 over the celebrated ground where the grand charge of cavalry took place1 a distance of several miles1 ,i perceived a white speck3 it was the remains of the grand ball-room built by the ,french in honour of the birth of the ,imperial ,prince4 ,heaps of ruins were perceptible at a great distance2 this was the once over-populated1 but now deserted1 ,kadikoi4 ,a few minutes after ,i reached the plateau of ,inkermann1 arriving near the celebrated windmill where1 at the time of this battle1 his ,royal ,highness the ,duke of ,cambridge and staff were encamped 7see ,addenda74 ,i next proceeded through the park of artillery1 and went direct to the ,light ,division's head-quarters1 carefully inspecting the late abode of ,lord ,william ,paulet1 where once more ,i met with a most cheering reception1 this time from a ,tartar family who had taken possession1 and they supplied myself and horse with refreshment4 ,the only gloomy reminiscence from this spot was the sight of the numerous graveyards1 where mother earth had wrapped in her bosom all that was mortal of many hundreds of her brave sons4 ,at the bottom of the ravine the watering-place for the horses still remained4 ,the water1 as usual1 was gurgling on its way from tub to tub2 an abandoned mule was alone slaking his thirst where once hundreds of horses were to be seen drinking4 ,from here it took me only a few seconds to reach the ,second ,division and ,general ,barnard's head-quarters4 ,the ,russians by this time had indeed taken possession of all he had left there1 though still ,i must say that all things were here kept in good order2 labouring men were making a garden close to the hut4 ,soon after this1 roaming to the top of ,cathcart's ,hill1 ,i found the theatre and canteen in perfect keeping1 both having been burnt to the ground4 ,soyer's villarette1 though very dilapidated1 still remained4 ,the green plot of grass was in great disorder1 no doubt the work of the loose horses1 who1 anticipating a feed1 had found to their disgust that art1 for once1 had been triumphant over nature1 and they accordingly vented their spite upon the painted grass4 ,the clergyman's hut had been respected4 ,general ,garrett's palazzo had been invaded by an indescribable miscellanea of animals4 ,the rocky grotto1 which had been severally tenanted by ,general ,sir ,john ,campbell1 ,general ,wyndham1 ,general ,paulet1 ,general ,bentinck1 and his ,grace the ,duke of ,newcastle1 was left to the mercy of the rats1 who here vegetated by hundreds2 the floor was strewn with rags1 paper1 and other rubbish1 which had been gathered by these industrious and destructive vermin4 ,immediately after ascending and descending three steps1 hat in hand1 ,i paid my last solemn duty and respects to the resting-place of the dead brave4 ,a picture indeed it was to see the respect paid to those who had so gloriously died for their country's cause--,pre la ,chaise or ,kensal ,green could not look in better condition than this solitary cemetery4 ,with my heart full of emotion ,i bade adieu to this consecrated spot1 and retired4 ,once more1 and for the last time1 ,i gazed on the ruins of ,sebastopol4 ,life seemed to have deserted this once mighty city2 one solitary chimney alone emitted smoke2 the sun was still shining on this defunct place1 which a few days previous ,i had visited in detail1 and found still in the deserted state so often described4 ,crossing ,lord ,a4 ,russell's ,rifle's quarters1 ,i soon arrived in the ,third ,division4 ,general ,adams's villarette had been turned into a farmhouse2 sheep and other cattle grazed in the ravine4 ,from this spot ,i visited the ,general ,hospital located in this division2 which ,i found in a similar state as the ,sanatorium4 ,not a sign of life was perceptible in this mournful spot1 where so lately ,i had witnessed so many painful scenes4 ,from here ,i journeyed to the ,brigade of ,guards1 the theatre of my semi-martial dbut1 having previously inspected the intermediate camp4 ,all was as silent as the grave4 ,a line of obstruction lay on the ground where once the busy railway passed4 ,the ,rokeby ,castle and its vicinity had the appearance of a travelling caravan of gipsies reposing2 children in rags escaped from the group to solicit alms2 a few halfpence contented them4 ,in the camp1 the kitchen and a number of huts had been burnt down2 the mess-room of ,colonel ,foley was still ornamented with the rustic chandelier which had been bequeathed to me by the gallant colonel before his leaving4 ,colonels ,walker1 ,de ,bathe1 and the late ,colonel ,drummond's habitations were selected as a home by the wandering tribe of gipsies4 ,general ,craufurd's head-quarters were uninhabited2 a few loose horses were grazing near1 on the celebrated cricket-ground4 ,the close of my visit was to the ,english and ,french head-quarters2 in the former ,i was informed the proprietor had reinstated himself on his domains4 ,the turmoil and traffic of war had here given place to the quietude and repose of peace4 ,the post-office1 telegraph1 and printing machines had ceased their movements2 the vineyards alone appeared refreshing to the eye4 ,dr4 ,hall's snuff-box hut was left open1 and partly unroofed2 ,general ,wyndham's quarters were quite deserted4 ,the rope curtains taken from the ,redan1 and laid on the ground before the hut door1 was all that remained which ,i could recognise1 as they had upon my demand1 been presented to me by the general's aide-de-camp1 whose name1 to my regret1 has escaped my memory4 ,the ,french head-quarters presented a similar aspect1 but was more animated by crowds of adventurers4 ,having on my way home taken a glimpse at the ruins of the ,seacole ,tavern1 ,land ,transport ,corps1 ,army ,works ,corps1 and hospital1 ,i arrived at ,bleak ,house 7the head-quarters of ,mr4 ,doyne the engineer71 which was drearier than ever1 and1 like a lost balloon in mid air1 entirely deserted2 all that remained was the almost indescribable view which1 at one glance1 stamped the scene as something more than beautiful4 ,from the rock where ,i stood ,i could pass in review the remainder of the camp1 as yet unexplored by me4 ,on my left once lay ,colonel ,wood's park of artillery1 and towards it were a few mules clambering1 led by ,tartars4 ,at the foot of the hill were ,captain ,gordon's late quarters2 further on1 on the next mound1 were the head-quarters of the ,land ,transport ,corps1 in the occupation of ,colonel ,m',murdo and ,captain ,evans2 but the most striking object in view was the combined ,railway ,station and ,engine ,house1 once the focus of noise1 but now the abode of repose4 ,in abandoning this rural spot1 and running my eye a few hundred yards below me1 lay a most charmingly built villarette1 most suitably called ,prospect ,house1 which was the private residence of ,mr4 ,doyne4 ,science had here conquered what was wanting in material2 the goddess ,flora had1 like the owner1 abandoned this pretty landscape2 the dry soil and the sun's rays had 8dishabilled0 each root from its flower4 ,the cavalry camp and its numerous rows of stables were the last ,i visited4 ,dusk gently stole over the horizon when ,i re-entered the ,col of ,balaklava4 ,the stars were brightly shining2 it was nine o'clock2 every bell in the harbour was tolling4 ,before retiring to rest no less than thirty-seven cemeteries did ,i count on my daily tablet1 which ,i had passed during my solitary wandering4 ,the night before the surrender of ,balaklava1 a large fire broke out in the village of ,kadikoi1 which1 had the wind been high1 would have destroyed more than a thousand huts4 ,as usual1 the miscreant who had done the mischief escaped detection4 ,general ,sir ,w4 ,codrington was much vexed at this1 as some huts had been sold to the ,russian officers4 ,i was1 in consequence1 deputed by ,mr4 ,bennett1 of the ,army ,works ,corps1 who was just leaving in another vessel1 7at that time ,i was on board the ,argo1 and ready to sail the following day7 to accompany the ,russian officer to ,sir ,w4 ,codrington1 to inform him of the fact that the money had been received1 and to request that it might be returned4 ,sir ,william1 though overwhelmed with business1 it being the eve of his departure1 kindly attended to the ,russian officer's request2 and the next morning1 as ,i was going on board the ,argo1 ,i had the pleasure of meeting the ,commander-in-chief on his way to the spot where the fire had taken place1 in order to assure himself that the huts burnt were those which had been paid for4 ,i had a short walk and conversation with ,sir ,william upon various subjects1 and took the opportunity of thanking him for the following letter1 with which he had kindly favoured me1 containing his opinion of my culinary services during the war3-- ,,balaklava1 ,july #ith1 #ahef4 ,i believe ,monsieur ,soyer to have given great assistance in showing the soldier how to get the best meal from the food that is given to him2 and ,i have no doubt ,monsieur ,soyer's stoves accomplish this purpose in a standing camp or barracks with but little expenditure of fuel4 ,it gives me great pleasure to say that ,monsieur ,soyer has always been ready to advise and personally superintend the carrying out improvements in the system of cooking3 his knowledge and attention have therefore been of service to the army in the ,crimea4 ,w4 ,,codrington1 ,general4 ,we then parted1 the general going to ,kadikoi2 and ,i1 to select my berth1 and see ,miss ,nightingale's carriage shipped4 ,the day turned out fine1 though rather gloomy in the early part1 and very windy4 ,as the last day of such a series of fine weather1 it was anything but a promising farewell4 ,at twelve precisely1 the keys of ,balaklava were to be given up4 ,a picket of the ,land ,transport ,corps were placed on the small bridge at the ,col of ,balaklava4 ,a few minutes after1 three or four gentlemen sailors1 accompanied by some parties whom we at first took for heroic ,kadikoi tradesmen1 arrived at full gallop1 crying out--8,the ,russians are coming60 which report spread alarm through the camp1 and in less than two minutes caused all the troops1 twenty-five in number1 to be under arms1 and rush full speed upon the assailants1 by whom they were entirely defeated--as in a few minutes ,balaklava was retaken1 and has ever since remained in the hands of the ,russians4 ,thus ended that friendly battle of which ,i was so anxious to be an eye-witness1 where champagne flowed freely in lieu of blood4 ,the grand reception and ceremony was to take place at the ,commandant's head-quarters4 ,a few minutes after twelve1 ,captain ,stamaki1 the new governor of ,balaklava1 made his appearance1 accompanied by only one aide-de-camp4 ,being met by the ,english authorities1 he made a full stop1 and the password was exchanged1 ,i believe1 in the ,greek language4 ,the governor of ,balaklava then galloped into his new kingdom4 ,in about twenty minutes a body-guard of about seventy men1 some on foot and some mounted1 made their appearance4 ,the horsemen1 upon nearer approach1 we found to be a picket of ,cossacks4 ,when about one hundred yards from the bridge1 the ,british picket went towards them--the ,russians having halted4 ,this conventional performance lasted but a few minutes2 and then1 the ,british posts were relieved by the ,russians as they passed on their way to the commandant's1 where they were received by ,sir ,w4 ,codrington1 ,general ,garrett1 ,admirals ,freemantle1 ,stewart1 ,captain ,codrington1 c4 c4 ,a squadron of the #efth1 the last regiment remaining in the ,crimea1 were in attendance with their band4 ,on one side were the ,english1 and the ,russians opposite1 for the first time on duty facing each other in friendly feeling4 ,the centre was occupied by the authorities4 ,amongst the group of lookers-on was the illustrious ,mrs4 ,seacole1 dressed in a riding-habit2 and for the last time this excellent mother was bidding farewell to all her sons1 thus ending her benevolent exertions in the ,crimea4 ,having given her my parting salute1 ,i left the mre noire for the ,black ,sea4 ,the sun shone brightly upon that animated group1 now performing the last scene of the great drama enacted upon those shores4 ,a few minutes after the curtain had fallen1 spectators and performers had separated1 and all were entering upon their new duties4 ,the last remnant of the ,british army was that day ordered to sail for home4 ,the weather1 which had been rather boisterous1 increased in violence2 and in consequence1 the captain of the ,argo1 with whom ,i had been in company since the morning to witness the grand closing scene1 made sure that we should not sail till the next day4 ,he therefore proposed inviting several of the ,russian officers to dine on board4 ,this ,i immediately communicated to them in ,french1 and they politely accepted the invitation4 ,the party was six in number3 among those invited1 was ,monsieur le ,conte de ,maison1 a ,french nobleman1 who had lived many years in ,russia1 and was a large proprietor in the ,crimea4 ,after replying to several of his questions1 ,i told him my name4 ,he appeared doubly interested1 having heard1 as he said1 so much about me in the ,crimea4 ,in ,russia this gentleman was looked upon as an epicure1 and probably the interest he felt in my acquaintance had something to do with the good dinner he anticipated4 ,dinner was to have been upon the table at six1 and at half-past five the boat of the ,argo was to fetch them on board4 ,all was settled1 and a pleasant evening with our new friends expected4 ,a violent shower of rain scattered us in all directions1 and1 much to our sorrow1 we never met again4 ,we had hardly regained the ship1 when ,admiral ,stewart came on board and ordered the captain to sail immediately4 ,i went home through the rain to inform my people of the sudden change of orders1 and found they had already heard the news and had started4 ,i arrived just in time to prevent a ,tartar stealing one of my horses1 of which ,i had made a present to ,mr4 ,smith1 a wine-merchant1 as there was no possibility of selling him4 ,horse-dealing with the ,russians about that time was pretty much after this fashion3 a rather decent horse would fetch from three to five roubles--which latter sum makes a pound sterling4 ,under these circumstances1 to place them in good hands was not only a charity1 but a duty4 ,everybody had got on board1 and the new-comers were under shelter4 ,the rain fell heavily1 and not a soul did ,i meet in my way from the ,general ,hospital to the ,argo1 which was lying at the other side of the harbour4 ,nobody was out but myself1 my horse1 and my umbrella1 which ,i had much difficulty in holding up in the gale ,i was then braving4 ,the thousands who had witnessed and mingled with the noisy crowd which for so many months had encumbered the place1 can form but a faint idea of the gloomy appearance of the desolate ,balaklava4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvi4 ,,last ,,scene ,,of ,,this ,,eventful ,,history4 ,farewell to the ,crimea--,last glimpses--,a collision--,rough weather--,a strange coincidence--,the ,russian foundling--,his history--,a metamorphosis--,the ,sultan's banquet--,sight-seeing at ,constantinople--,last visit to the ,city of ,palaces--8,the ,culinary wonder of all nations0--,holiday tour--,the ,author makes his bow4 ,on board ship all was bustle and confusion4 ,as the vessel steamed slowly out1 we passed the few remaining steamers1 including the bold ,algiers1 ,captain ,codrington1 which was smoking with might and main4 ,we went ahead1 digging our way through the mountainous waves1 which appeared to have accumulated in the harbour purposely to say farewell1 or dash our brains out against the bulwarks or the perpendicular rocks of the bay4 ,black1 sulphurous1 and reddish clouds were rolling from mountain to mountain1 burying the peaks of each in their course1 and giving the aspect of a universal deluge1 by the union of earth to heaven4 ,we could perceive nothing excepting now and then a glimpse of two white spots3 one was the ,sardinian funeral monument1 dedicated to their defunct heroes2 the other1 the white marble ,nightingale ,cross1 which1 as ,i have before mentioned1 had just been erected by that lady to the memory of departed heroes1 and the deceased ,sisters of ,charity and ,mercy4 ,so rough a day had not visited us since that eventful one on which ,sebastopol had fallen4 ,it was getting dark1 and a misty rain kept falling1 which made any but joyful reminiscences of our final departure from the theatre of war and the arid soil of the ,crimea4 ,the sable veil of night soon fell over our colossal steamer1 the ,argo1 as she pitched and rolled in the hollow of the sea1 having on board three hundred horses--a rather awkward cargo1--besides having been only recently patched up from some serious damage she had received in consequence of a collision with a ,french man-of-war4 ,it had made a large hole in her1 and carried away her figure-head4 ,she had been for some time in the greatest danger in consequence of this1 and though not materially so on the night of our departure1 the remembrance of the accident was disagreeable enough to make all uncomfortable and spoil our appetites4 ,a few extras had been added to the bill of fare in anticipation of the visit of our ,russian friends2 but ,i beg to inform my readers that ,i and a few of my compagnons de voyage saw no more of the banquet than did our much-disappointed guests on shore1 who may probably think the invitation was a joke played off upon them by the captain1 and that he was aware of the time of his departure4#bi ,at about eleven1 most of the passengers retired to their fully-inhabited cabin4 ,the captain passed the night upon deck2 so did ,i partly1 as ,morpheus often refuses to visit me when ,i am upon the mighty ocean1 in either rough or smooth weather4 ,three times was the deck submerged by the heavy seas2 washing the passengers from larboard to starboard1 and vice vers--a sort of gymnastic exercise neither pleasant to man nor beast4 ,several horses broke their lashings and fell during those heavy shocks4 ,the next morning was not more pleasant1 but the afternoon turned out fine4 ,at about three everybody was on deck1 cheerfully conversing1 walking1 reading1 smoking1 c4 ,nothing1 ,i believe1 is so soon forgotten as rough weather at sea1 especially when the sun favours one with a few brilliant smiles4 ,the dinner-table was well attended1 and everybody very chatty4 ,i sat near the captain and ,general ,garrett4 ,the former 7whose anxiety seemed to have entirely disappeared7 said to me1 8,i am going to relate a curious incident respecting yourself1 ,monsieur1 of which you are perhaps not aware1 but you will call it to mind when ,i tell you40 8,what is it8 ,i hope it is nothing likely to bring me into discredit1 or to shock my modesty80 8,on the contrary1 it is all in your favour40 8,such being the case1 pray proceed4 ,what think you1 ,general ,garrett80 said ,i4 8,by all means10 he replied4 8,do you remember10 the captain began1 8on the morning of the #hth ,september1 as you were coming back to your camp1 meeting with two naval officers who were endeavouring to pass the lines in order to get to ,cathcart's ,hill and have a sight of the storming of ,sebastopol80 8,that ,i do2 and what's more extraordinary1 ,i do not know their names3 in fact1 ,i could not make out who they were1 nor where they came from40 8,these are the very points on which ,i am about to enlighten you4 ,you rendered them an important service on that occasion by your hospitality1 for which ,i can assure you they are even to this day very grateful40 8,they were very welcome2 but who were they80 8,at the time the adventure occurred1 they both belonged to this ship3 one was our doctor1 and the other the son of a member of the company1 who intends1 upon your arrival in ,england1 to give you an invitation to spend a few days at his seat near ,southampton40 8,i am much obliged2 but pray1 when you see them1 say ,i am already highly repaid for anything ,i did1 as it was entirely through them ,i had the high honour of dining with ,general ,windham upon the day on which he immortalized himself as the hero of the ,redan40 8,you don't say so60 exclaimed the captain4 ,perceiving his astonishment1 ,i related the circumstances mentioned in a former chapter4 ,of course these were well known to ,general ,garrett4 ,it was with regret ,i was leaving the ,crimea without knowing the heroes of this simple1 though to me singular1 adventure4 ,how strange it is that at last1 and upon my way home1 ,i should ascertain that which ,i had so often inquired about6 ,a few rounds of champagne to their health and prosperity terminated this singular affair4 ,the invalided ,argo had regained her perpendicular upon the smooth surface of the ocean1 and stood as firm as ,st4 ,paul's upon its foundations4 ,in fact1 the good vessel appeared quite motionless1 and made our ocean saloon as lively as any upon terra firma4 ,the night seemed to be jealous of the fineness of the day1 and not a breath of wind disturbed its serenity4 ,the unwieldy ship glided over the sea1 which flashed as though it had been a lake of diamonds4 ,the breeze was just strong enough to fill the few sails spread to catch it4 ,every one was upon deck1 as busy as bees upon a hot summer's day4 ,the order was given to muster the soldiers and lower-deck passengers1 and in a few minutes they were all upon the main-deck4 ,amongst them appeared a lad all in rags1 barefooted1 and with a black and a blue eye4 ,his dirty1 ragged jacket was covered with blood and mud4 ,he stood cross-legged and leaning upon his elbow against the coping of the bulwarks1 his right hand thrust in the hole where a pocket had no doubt once existed4 ,the lad1 in spite of his attire1 looked as brisk and independent as a modern ,diogenes or a ,robert ,macaire4 ,to the questions put to him by the captain1 he replied somewhat in the style of the ,grecian philosopher to ,alexander the ,great4 ,there was1 however1 this difference--those great men understood each other1 while the captain's ,english was entirely lost upon the ragged hero4 ,after several attempts and failures on the part of the captain1 a gentleman1 ,mr4 ,souter1 who spoke the ,russian language1 interrogated him1 and asked him how he got on board4 ,his reply was1 8,with the baggage1 to be sure40 ,he then1 boldly and in a fine tone of voice1 suiting the action to the word1 told the following tale3--8,i am an orphan and a ,russian serf belonging to ,prince ,meshersky4 ,my name is ,daniel ,maximovitch ,chimachenka2 and since my owner1 the prince1 went to the war1 the serfs have been much ill-treated by the agent in charge4 ,this was particularly the case with myself1 as ,i was attached to the agent's personal service4 ,he beat me daily1 and gave me scarcely anything to eat4 ,one day1 two ,english officers passed through the village1 and ,i held their horses for them while they took some refreshment4 ,when they came out1 they gave me a shilling4 ,though it was nearly dark1 ,i watched the road they went1 and followed them at a distance4 ,after walking some time1 ,i lost sight of them1 and slept in the wood till daybreak4 ,two days after1 having travelled through forests and over mountains in order to avoid detection1 ,i found myself at ,balaklava4 ,this was only just before the departure of the fleet4 ,i was determined to follow those kind people the ,english1 who had given me so much money for so little work4 ,being aware that you were all going away1 ,i bethought myself of hiding on board one of your ships1 thinking that when discovered you could not treat me worse than the prince's agent had done4 ,i made the attempt in two different vessels1 but was discovered and put on shore again4 ,this vessel being one of the last1 ,i went on board assisting some ,maltese sailors with the luggage1 and amidst the bustle managed to hide away amongst the horses40 ,in this manner the youth got to ,constantinople4 ,the following letter1 published in the journal of that city1 will inform my readers of the rest3-- ,monsieur ,soyer1 now so well known in the ,east1 has taken under his protection a ,russian boy who was in the greatest destitution1 having stowed himself away on board the steam-ship ,argo at ,balaklava4 ,he was only discovered when the muster of soldiers and deck-passengers was called4 ,the poor lad was in rags and barefooted4 ,he had received a terrible contusion on the head1 and his black swollen eyes and blood-stained face rendered his appearance anything but prepossessing4 ,being cross-questioned by a passenger who understood ,russian1 he stated that he got on board under pretence of assisting the sailors with some luggage1 and contrived to hide himself amongst the horses till the ship was at sea1 fearing that he should be put on shore1 as had already happened to him twice before4 ,during the night1 he came upon deck and fell asleep4 ,about three in the morning1 a violent hurricane came on1 and a heavy sea broke over the bows1 nearly washing the soldiers and himself overboard4 ,it was at this juncture that he received the contusion1 and became for some time senseless4 ,he asked for nothing to eat during the passage1 fearing discovery1 but satisfied the cravings of hunger with orange-peel and pieces of broken biscuit1 which the soldiers had thrown about the deck4 ,he said that he was an orphan1 twelve years old1 and left his native village through the ill-treatment of his owner's agent4 ,some ,english gentlemen1 in passing through the village1 gave him a piece of money for holding their horses2 so he decided upon following such kind people1 in the hope of obtaining employment and living amongst them4#cj ,he appears very intelligent1 and is quite indignant at being taken for a ,tartar4 ,he is1 he says1 a true ,russian4 ,instead of allowing him to be turned adrift in ,constantinople1 ,monsieur ,soyer claimed and took him under his protection1 taking a certificate from the captain to that effect1 in presence of ,general ,garrett and his ,staff1 who were passengers on board the ,argo4 ,as he is now free1 no doubt a prosperous future is in store for the poor ,russian lad1 through the kindness of ,monsieur ,soyer4--,journal de ,constantinople et ,echo de l',orient1 ,thursday1 #bast ,july1 #ahef4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,boy ,,as ,,found4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,boy ,,as ,,he ,,is4 ,while on shore at ,constantinople1 ,i sent this unsightly and dirty-looking urchin to a ,turkish bath1 and by this simple1 8gentle10 and delightful ,oriental process removed two or three coats of dirt from his skin4 ,i had a suit of livery la ,russe made for him1 which greatly improved his appearance4 ,when quite recovered from the effects of his bruises and black eye1 he turned out to be a very smart1 clean1 and extremely intelligent lad4 ,so grateful was he for my kindness1 that he came every morning at six o'clock to fetch my clothes to brush1 kissing my hands at the same time1 whether awake or asleep1 as a mark of his gratitude4 ,i have him with me in ,london1 and intend to educate him1 and hope he will turn out a good man of business and useful to society4 ,it is most probable that had he been left to himself in ,constantinople1 he would have become a great rascal or a thief2 for he possesses enough intelligence to be either a clever1 honest man1 or an arrant rogue4 ,we were anchored in the ,bosphorus1 opposite the ,barrack ,hospital4 ,it was about ten in the morning4 ,everybody had an extra wash upon the occasion1 and all were dressed in their best4 ,the weather was very warm and fine1 and all appeared gay and merry4 ,general ,garrett being anxious to see the wonders of the ,mahomedan city1 ,i offered1 as ,i was now pretty well acquainted with its chefs-d'uvre1 to be his cicerone1 which offer he immediately accepted4 ,we started1 accompanied by ,colonel ,hughes and ,major ,dallas4 ,after paying our respects to ,admiral ,grey at the ,admiralty1 we hired two caiques and repaired to the ancient quarter of ,stamboul4 ,there we took horses1 and for six hours ascended and descended the intolerable muddy and badly-paved streets of the real ,constantinople1 where are to be seen so many ,mussulman works of art--viz43 ,st4 ,sophia1 the ,bazaar1 ,seraglio ,palace1 and ,hippodrome1 c4 c4 c41 with which the general and suite were much delighted4 ,our intention was to dine at ,messirie's ,hotel1 and we had just arrived there1 when we were informed that the ,sultan that day intended to give a grand dinner in honour of ,generals ,pelissier and ,codrington4 ,captain ,hall1 who brought the news1 requested ,general ,garrett to pay an immediate visit to ,lord ,redcliffe1 adding1 that no doubt the ambassador would wish him to be present4 ,general ,garrett replied--8,it would be utterly impossible for me to be present at the ceremony1 inasmuch as ,i cannot get my uniform1 which is at the bottom of the hold of the ,argo4 ,i will1 however1 pay my respects to ,lord ,stratford40 ,we immediately started for that purpose4 ,the general remained some time with our ambassador1 and upon coming out informed us of the kind reception and invitation he had received to be present at the grand ,dolma ,batchi ,palace banquet1 saying he must manage to go somehow4 ,the only difficulty was to get his own uniform1 or any other that would fit him1 for the occasion4 ,i merely left my card at the ,embassy1 intending to pay my respects to ,lord ,stratford some other day4 ,this banquet had been postponed for several days1 on account of the non-arrival of ,sir ,w4 ,codrington from ,balaklava4 ,the dinner was at last decided to take place on the #ahth of ,july1 #ahef1 at seven o'clock4 ,the ,english general had not arrived1 but was hourly expected4 ,about three ,p4,m4 his ship appeared in sight1 and at five entered the ,bosphorus4 ,all on board who were invited were ready dressed2 so they only had to disembark at the splendid marble terrace which forms the landing-place of the ,sultan's new palace of ,dolma ,batchi1 where numerous attendants were waiting to receive them4 ,but1 as usual1 8,man proposes1 and ,god disposes40 ,the severe gale we encountered on leaving ,balaklava1 far from sparing the great ,algiers1 had delayed her more than it did our good ship4 ,while passing in front of ,therapia1 her progress was again arrested by one of the most furious hurricanes ever known in the ,bosphorus4 ,the illustrious guests had arrived minus the ,commander-in-chief1 who was expected every minute4 ,they were sitting in the grand reception-room4 ,the dinner-hour arrived1 and the doors of the magnificent ,mahomedan hall were thrown open to the assembled guests4 ,they were amazed at the splendour and richness of the architecture of that cathedral-like throne-room1 which is a perfect copy of ,st4 ,sophia on a very splendid scale1 the dome being only fourteen feet less in height than that of ,st4 ,sophia4 ,the appearance of the table1 placed in the centre1 though very large and well garnished with elegant table ornaments1 fruits1 flowers1 and a most recherch dessert1 left1 as far as the dinner goes1 much to desire4 ,the mixture of ,french and ,turkish cookery1 of which ,i much approve1 would have been preferable to all ,french1 so difficult of perfect execution1 particularly at ,constantinople4 ,as a whole1 the coup-d'il was perfectly pyramidal and magical4 ,the guests were seated according to rank and precedence1 and each had his name and number on his plate1 which plan prevented any confusion4 ,the soup1 as well as several hors-d'uvres and other dishes1 had been handed round1 when a tremendous hurricane shook the frame of the stupendous edifice1 extinguished the lights in the orchestra1 and made the colossal chandelier 7perhaps the largest in the world7 swing to and fro until fears were entertained of its falling4 ,for a short time we were uncertain whether it was a hurricane or an earthquake2 and though the festive board was encircled by old invincibles whom the cannon of ,sebastopol had never unnerved for a minute1 it must be confessed that the fear of an earthquake produced an ominous silence4 ,in a short time the music recommenced1 and every one was himself again4 ,the busy traffic of a large banquet had resumed its regular course2 the guests had forgotten this vexatious event1 and were conversing cheerfully4 ,when the dinner had been removed1 and the dessert was placed upon the table1 the band played the 8,sultan's ,grand ,march10 and his ,sublime ,majesty entered in all his ,oriental pomp1 followed by the dignitaries of the empire4 ,this pageant was indeed worthy of the antique style of ,oriental grandeur4 ,still1 it is to be regretted that it had lost much of its magnificence from having been simplified and modernized4 ,after this gracious mark of cordial union between the ,mahomedan monarch and his ,allied guests1 which has been so well and elegantly described by the public press1 the ,sultan retired2 and thus ended this sumptuous entertainment1 which will ever hold a distinguished place in the gastronomic annals of nations4 ,it was at least the first1 and probably will prove the last1 at which the magnates of three great nations met together beneath the roof of the great ,pacha's palace to partake of ,mahomedan hospitality la ,franaise1 which in my opinion ought to have been ,anglo-,franko1 but at all events half ,turko4 ,the only thing to be regretted was the untoward absence of ,sir ,w4 ,codrington1 which happened as follows3--,the ,algiers started a few hours after the ,argo2 but being considerably heavier than that vessel--being a man of war--and owing to the bad weather and foul winds1 she arrived ten hours after us1 instead of four or six1 as had been expected4 ,in spite of this delay1 she would have arrived in time1 but for the extraordinary hurricane which came on as she entered the ,bosphorus4 ,every gentleman invited was dressed and ready to land upon arriving at ,dolma ,batchi ,stairs4 ,it was all to no purpose2 for on coming before ,therapia1 the safety of the ship compelled the captain to order the anchors to be let go2 and as no caiques could venture out1 it was impossible to land4 ,my chief reason for mentioning this fact is because it was reported in ,constantinople and ,pera that the ,french and ,english commanders of the ,allied armies disagreed politically1 and would not meet4 ,through my friendly influence with important persons in ,constantinople and ,pera1 ,i caused this report to be contradicted by the press1 as it might have left an evil impression upon the public mind4 ,the ,argo was to sail about four ,p4,m4 the next day4 ,at two ,i went on board to claim my ,russian protg1 and found the boy1 who was aware of my being in ,constantinople1 and as the steamer was about to sail1 had lost all hope of being rescued by me4 ,in expectation of being landed at ,constantinople and left to the mercy of the world1 he was seated on the poop of the ship1 anxiously looking out with the same anxiety as ,sister ,anne from the top of the tower1 in the tale of ,bluebeard1 to see if any one was coming4 ,at length he perceived a caique with two caidjees approaching the ship ,argo2 in it was seated a rather stout gentleman1 dressed in the ,oriental style1 as he afterwards related1 with a large white round hat1 encircled with a turban of white and red gauze1 and wearing a bournous4 8,it can only be my new master10 exclaimed the boy to those around--or at all events he made them comprehend as much4 ,nothing could exceed the boy's joy when ,i set foot upon deck2 but1 as ,i was not aware of his anxiety1 ,i took but little notice of him1 as ,i had many persons to see in a short space of time4 ,observing this1 the poor lad began to cry4 ,had he been retaken1 he would have been sent to the mines for fifteen years1 and afterwards as a soldier for life4 ,i requested the captain to draw up a statement to the effect that the boy had run away of his own accord1 and begged of ,general ,garrett to be present as a witness2 and he was accordingly transmitted to me as a free boy from the time of his destitution4 ,the following is a copy of the statement3-- ,steam-ship 8,argo10 ,constantinople1 #afth ,july1 #ahef4 ,i hereby certify that a ,russian boy1 about twelve or fifteen years of ago1 was found on board this ship after leaving the ,crimea4 ,he states that he came on board for the purpose of getting employment4 ,his name1 he says1 is ,daniel1 and that he was a serf of ,prince ,meshersky's4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 a passenger on board1 now takes him into his service1 to prevent his starving4 ,h4 ,b4 ,,benson1 ,commander4 ,n4,b4--,the boy's name is ,daniel ,maximovitch ,chimachenka4 ,he says he is an orphan--has been very badly treated by his master's steward--and begged of ,monsieur ,soyer to grant him protection1 and is very willing to go with him wheresoever he pleases rather than return to his former master4 ,as he was quite destitute on arriving at ,constantinople1 ,monsieur ,soyer is kind enough to take him under his protection4 ,i hereby certify that the above is quite correct1 having interrogated the boy in his own language 7,russian74 ,p4 ,,pouteau1 ,kt4 ,s4 ,a4 ,i then bade a cordial farewell to all my compagnons de voyage1 who were very anxious to have my company to ,london2 but ,i had made up my mind to take six months' holiday1 and travel wherever my fancy might lead me1 especially to my native city of ,meaux1 which ,i had not seen for twenty-six long years4 ,i also wished to write this work in peace1 having lost my notes4 ,i informed them that ,i could not have the pleasure of accompanying them1 as ,i meant to take a ,continental tour1 but hoped to meet them in ,london upon my return1 which would probably be in the beginning of the then ensuing spring4 ,wishing to visit at my leisure the civil and military institutions of this interesting city of ,constantine1 and1 above all1 to become well acquainted with the system of cookery1 in which ,i had already recognised a deal of merit and originality1 ,i determined to remain some weeks at ,constantinople1 as well as to offer to his ,sublime ,majesty the ,sultan1 through the kind intercession of ,lord de ,redcliffe1 to whom ,i had paid my humble duty1 a complete set of my various culinary works1 as well as my magic and model stoves4 ,i established myself at the hotel1 and1 accompanied by a friend1 and my ,russian boy dressed la ,cosaque1 proceeded to visit on horseback all the curiosities of the ,mahomedan city4 ,as ,i have already observed1 though ,i frequently wished to inspect minutely the great metropolis of ,constantine1 my incessant duties never allowed me time for this3 ,i therefore now devoted my leisure time to seeing ,constantinople4 ,i had fixed three weeks as the space requisite to visit in detail the wonders of that city4 ,to do this1 ,i engaged a dragoman of some intelligence1 and requested him to conduct me to every place worthy of being seen1 at the same time acquainting him that three weeks would be the utmost stay ,i should make in ,constantinople4 ,having obtained a firman1 or passe-partout1 we were to be seen flying from palace to palace1 mosque to mosque1 bazaar to bazaar1 kiosque to kiosque1 hospital to hospital1 cemetery to cemetery1 prison to prison2 from turning to howling dervishes1 and from the ,sweet ,waters of ,europe to those of ,asia1 and last1 not least1 to the ,sultan's kitchen1 which to me was the only object of paramount interest4 ,almost every one attached to the army had left the banks of the ,bosphorus and returned to ,england4 ,only now and then did one meet a ,british uniform in ,pera4 ,these were the officers of the ,commissariat or the ,turkish ,contingent4 ,amongst the former were ,commissaries ,smith1 ,adams1 ,osborn1 c4 ,the post-office and hospitals were given up3 ,therapia and ,buyukder alone could boast of possessing the tail of the ,british army and navy4 ,general ,storks was still on a visit to ,lord ,stratford de ,redcliffe2 ,sir ,edmund ,lyons was on board his splendid man-of-war1 the ,royal ,albert1 in the ,bosphorus2 ,admiral ,grey had left1 and only a few acting naval men remained at the ,admiralty4 ,i afterwards addressed the following letter which appeared in the ,times3-- ,m4 ,,soyer ,,at ,,constantinople4 ,to the ,editor of the ,times4 ,,sir1--,in reply to no end of inquiries from persons meeting me in the streets of ,pera1 ,bujukder1 ,therapia1 the ,isles des ,princes1 c41 as to what ,i am doing in ,turkey now the whole of the army has gone1 and as every one here seems so anxious1 probably others may feel interested1 it has struck me1 sir1 to inform you personally why ,i remain here4 ,in the first place1 ,constantinople and its vicinity are far from being destitute of vital interest1 and those who have only seen its beauty from the ,bosphorus1 and then at first sight condemned the interior of this gigantic city of ,constantine1 have seen nothing1 and are utterly incompetent to speak of it1 much less to write upon the curiosities1 manners1 customs1 and way of living1 of this singular and almost unknown people1 though lodged nearly in the centre of ,europe4 ,thanks now to my last visit to ,constantinople1 which time nor duty did not admit of before1 ,i now know it and its neighbourhood as well as ,london1 and much better than ,paris4 ,i am pretty well acquainted with ,turkish institutions1 as well as manners and habits1 which indeed deviate so much from our fashions that they cannot prove uninteresting to relate1 if not to follow4 ,though so many authors have written upon ,turkey1 they have yet left me several virgin pages1 and those pages are upon the national cookery of the ,moslem people4 ,they have many dishes which are indeed worthy of the table of the greatest epicure1 and ,i shall not consider my ,oriental mission terminated to my satisfaction till ,i see in the bills of fare of ,france and ,england their pure de volaille au ris1 tomates1 et concombres1 and pure de ,bahmia aromatise la crme1 by the side of our potages la ,reine1 ,tortue1 ,jullienne1 and ,mulligatawny2 near our whitebait1 red mullets1 turbot1 and salmon1 their fried sardines1 bar fish1 gurnet1 sturgeon1 red mullets aux herbes1 oyster pilaff1 mackerel1 salad1 c42 and with our roast beef1 saddle-back of mutton1 and haunch of venison1 their sheep1 lamb1 or kid roasted whole1 and the monster and delicious kebab2 by our entres of suprme de volaille1 salmis1 and vol-aux-vents1 their doulmas kioftee1 sis kebabs1 haharram bouton1 pilaff au cailles1 c42 with our vegetables1 their ,bahmia1 fried leeks and celery1 ,partligan bastici1 and sakath kabac bastici2 with our macdoines1 jellies1 charlottes1 c41 their lokounds1 moukahalibi1 ,baclava gyneristi1 ekmekataive4 ,their coffee1 iced milk1 and sherbet--in fact1 all their principal dishes might1 with the best advantage1 be adopted and ,frenchified and ,anglicised4 ,not so their method of serving1 in which they mix sweet and savoury dishes throughout the repast2 and less likely still their method of eating with their fingers1 though1 after several trials1 ,i must admit that it has some peculiar advantages2 their sauces being of a thinnish nature1 require to be absorbed with a piece of bread in order to partake of them1 which could not be performed equally well with a knife or fork4 ,their custom of serving only one hot dish at a time is not new to us1 we having borrowed it from the ,russians1 who probably took it from the ,turks4 ,no nation as yet has been able to boast of having introduced a single innovation in the way of living to this singularly incommunicative race1 the cause of which ,i can only attribute to the immense distance placed between the relative social position of the two sexes3 for while in ,europe the 8beau sexe0 forms the soul of society and sociability1 in ,turkey they are kept in entire seclusion1 and almost without any kind of education4 ,my stay here has not only produced me the high honour of an interview with the ,sultan1 but also the advantage of becoming acquainted with one of the most useful and principal officers of his ,sublime ,majesty's household1 called the ,hachji ,bachji1 or general-in-chief of the culinary department of his ,sublime ,majesty the ,padischah1 and he speaks with pride of having held that office five years with the late ,sultan and ,padischah ,mahmoud1 and has now retained it seventeen years with his present ,sublime ,majesty4 ,independent of the private kitchen of the ,sultan1 he has under his command in the various palaces about six hundred men cooks1 and had in the time of ,sultan ,mahmoud upwards of one thousand4 ,having expressed a wish to become acquainted with some of the principal ,turkish dishes1 and the way in which the dinner was served1 he not only gave me the required information1 but invited me to a dinner1 8 la ,turc10 at the new palace of ,dolma ,batchi4 ,we were only four guests1 including himself2 above seventy small dishes formed a luxurious bill of fare1 which1 after the ,turkish fashion1 were partaken of quickly1 as the ,moslems only taste a mouthful of each dish which may take their fancy4 ,he then informed me that the repast we had partaken of was the fac-simile of the dinner daily served up to his ,majesty the ,padischah1 who always takes his meals alone1 and as no bill of fare is made1 every dish in the ,turkish cookery code must be prepared daily throughout the year1 and only varies in quantity according to the abundance or scarcity of the provisions to be obtained in the various seasons1 so that his ,sublime ,majesty may find everything he may desire within his ,imperial call4 ,further details upon this subject ,i shall give when ,i publish my other work1 which will be entitled 8,the ,culinary ,wonder of all ,nations40 ,the ,armenian cookery turns very much upon the ,turkish style1 while the ,greek has a type of its own1 which1 ,i regret to say1 is far from meeting with my approbation1 though in high ,greek families ,i have partaken of most excellent dinners2 but the ,turkish dishes were always the most satisfactory1 the common cookery of the ,greeks being sloppy and greasy1 while1 per contra1 the ,turk has studied the art of preserving the essence of all the provisions employed1 which method will at all times produce a palatable as well as a nutritive food4 ,prior to my departure1 which will be in a few days1 ,i shall pay a visit to ,scutari1 to contrast the present state of that busy spot with its now1 as ,i hear1 totally deserted aspect4 ,my remarks upon this subject ,i shall do myself the pleasure of sending in a future letter1 in hopes that they may prove interesting to the thousands who have visited that celebrated place on the ,asiatic side of the ,bosphorus4 ,with the highest consideration1 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,sir1 your obedient servant1 ,pera1 ,constantinople1 ,hotel d',angleterre1 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,sept4 #h1 #ahef4 ,this visit was more laborious than most persons may imagine1 but the idea of beginning a new and agreeable campaign1 after having terminated a long1 dreary1 and perilous one1 was very pleasing4 ,i was free as regarded my actions1 and my health was partly restored4 ,shortly after my arrival at ,scutari1 my governmental mission as well as hospital duties ceased1 these establishments being closed4 ,i therefore settled everything with the ,purveyor-in-chief1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,s4 ,robertson1 ,general ,storks1 ,miss ,nightingale1 and ,lord ,stratford de ,redcliffe1 who all honoured me with documents expressive of their high approbation of my services4 ,prior to my final departure1 ,i sent the full report of my proceedings and labours at ,scutari1 as well as in the camp1 to ,lord ,stratford de ,redcliffe4 ,the following is his ,excellency's reply3-- ,,therapia1 ,august #bnd1 #ahef4 ,,dear ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,i return you the papers you were good enough to send for my perusal4 ,the honourable testimonials you have obtained have been well earned4 ,i shall have much pleasure in asking the ,sultan's permission as to your sending him the articles you mention4 ,sincerely yours1 ,,stratford ,,de ,,redcliffe4 ,a ,monsieur ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,the day after the receipt of the above letter from his ,excellency ,i was summoned by ,mr4 ,etienne ,pizanni1 the first dragoman of the ,embassy1 who left a message at the ,htel d',angleterre to the effect that the following morning ,i was to be at ,topan ,cannon ,foundry landing-place1 with the various articles ,i intended to offer for the acceptance of his ,sublime ,majesty4 ,at ten o'clock precisely ,i arrived4 ,the caique of the ,embassy was already waiting4 ,a few minutes after we had crossed the short and chopping waves1 aux collerettes d'argent1 or bright silver hue1 which1 with the morning breeze1 take birth in that fairy lake1 the cradle of romance and beauty1 as night approaches4 ,shortly after we were safely landed on the monster marble quay1 the private landing-place of the ,sultan1 which proudly unites the ,bosphorus with the gigantic palace of ,dolma ,batchi2 from here we were inducted to the ,grand ,chamberlain's kiosque1 where coffee-cups and chiboques of great value1 being ornamented with gold1 pearls1 emeralds1 and diamonds1 were filled by slaves and handed to us1 and partaken of with great gusto4 ,in a few minutes ,prince ,galamaki was shown into the apartment4 ,he had come for the purpose of taking leave of his ,sublime master prior to leaving ,turkey for his post as ambassador to the ,court of ,vienna2 and having myself had the honour of knowing this distinguished diplomatist when he was ambassador to the ,court of ,st4 ,james's1 he at once recognised me1 and the conversation being opened by ,mr4 ,pizanni1 we had a most interesting dialogue on semi-diplomatic matters1 embracing a period of fifteen years4 ,two hours had now elapsed4 ,chibouques and coffee had been handed round many times1 when the ,prince remarked that his ,majesty was later than usual4 ,shortly after1 an officer of the palace entered1 and desired ,mr4 ,pizanni and myself to accompany him to the ,sultan's private palace1 a distance of several hundred yards4 ,crossing a floral carpet of sweet perfume1 interwoven with plots of choice exotic plants and flowers1 marble fountains1 vases1 baths1 c41 we ascended a staircase1 and were introduced to a simply1 but costly-furnished apartment1 when ,mr4 ,pizanni remarked that we had already made a near approach to the person of his ,majesty4 ,hardly had he uttered the remark1 when a eunuch entered1 and requested us to follow him4 ,we passed through several long dark corridors1 richly tapestried1 and here and there interposed with coloured glass1 which threw a golden-yellow light1 reflecting a peculiar hue on the eunuchs who were here and there stationed1 keeping guard4 ,silence reigned supreme4 ,we soon reached a very spacious area4 ,a screen was suddenly removed1 when1 standing on the summit of a grand crystal staircase1 most brilliantly illuminated with resplendent vermilion glass shades1 stood erect a figure1 which1 at first sight1 ,i took for an idol or statue belonging to this enchanting place4 ,mr4 ,pizanni advanced1 with great veneration1 towards it1 bidding me follow1 over a highly-polished glassy-looking floor1 which ,i did not without fear of slipping--when1 to my astonishment1 ,i found myself standing before ,abdul ,medjid ,khan1 the ,padischah1 who1 though simply attired in a rich robe de chambre and a plain fez1--which ,i believe is the oriental dress of reception1--the sublimity of the monarch's countenance will never be effaced from my memory4 ,mr4 ,pizanni1 addressing his ,majesty in the ,turkish language1 introduced me1 when1 through that gentleman1 ,i ascertained that his ,majesty wished me well1 and that his heart was well disposed towards me 7meaning a great deal in a few words74 ,his ,majesty was then informed of the purport of my mission1 commencing at the hospitals of the ,bosphorus1 then in the ,crimea4 ,his approbation was expressed by the slow movement of the head from left to right1 the body remaining motionless4 ,then took place the offering of my various productions1 culinary and literary1 eight in number1 which lay on a large1 richly-ornamented piece of furniture1 in the centre of this large cupola4 ,the simplicity of the field-stove obtained his ,majesty's high approbation4 8,i well understand them10 said he1 talking all the time to ,mr4 ,pizanni1 who translated word for word to me4 ,after having complimented me very highly on the services of my undertaking1 8,i am much pleased10 were the last words his ,majesty uttered4 ,we then retreated backwards4 ,though the conversation had been varied and animated1 not a movement on the part of his ,majesty did ,i perceive all the twenty minutes we were conversing4 ,we left the idol as we found it4#ca 99 99 99 99 99 ,the time fixed for my stay in the far-famed city of ,constantinople was fast drawing to a close2 a short visit to the ,isles des ,princes1 that focus of nightly revels1 was to put a final seal to my ,mahometan review4 ,i went there on a ,sunday1 and had the pleasure of meeting1 amongst thousands1 with ,admiral ,lyons and his maritime staff4 ,here monks1 caidjees1 donkeys1 green fruit1 cakes1 fireworks1 and gambling-tables thrive in a most flourishing manner4 ,as the night approached1 the ,admiral left to join his ship1 escorted down the silvery ,bosphorus by hundreds of lighted torches1 and shouts from thousands of visitors4 ,the next day ,i was on board the ,albert1 anchored before ,bujukdr1 and bade adieu to the gallant admiral4 ,i then paid my farewell respects to his ,excellency ,lord de ,redcliffe and his family2 the day was now fixed for my departure1 everything was packed up1 and my ,russian boy1 ,daniel ,maximovitch ,chimachenka1 had1 with the greatest intelligence and delight1 corded my last box1 and seemed as if he was already breathing the air of freedom4 ,for some time previous1 a monster gipsy party had been in embryo2 illness had prevented this rural festivity coming off1 but on my return to ,pera1 it was luckily fixed for the following day--the illustrious ,mr4 ,messirie being the giver of this monster pic-nic4 ,at five the next morning every one was attired in their best summer array1 and streams of people were pouring from all directions to the ,galata ,pier4 ,a steamer1 gaily trimmed1 was waiting for the guests4 ,when all were on board1 the paddles commenced their revolutions2 and1 as we floated along the limpid bay of the ,golden ,horn1 ,greek music kept time with our race4 ,soon we arrived at ,therapia1 and landed on the pier of the ,htel d',angleterre1 where light refreshments were provided for the innumerable guests4 ,about forty caiques with double caidjees were waiting near the shore1 while two caiques of large dimensions were filled with instrumental musicians4 ,we then all started1 crossing the ,bosphorus towards ,ibraham ,pasha's marble palace1 and to the melodious sound of the music1 we landed in one of the many pretty valleys of which the ,bosphorus alone can boast2 it was called the ,sultana1 near the ,sultan's valley4 ,such a culinary encampment ,i never before beheld2 four men-cooks were busily engaged in dishing up sixteen hot entres1 fowls were being grilled1 quails and dotrelles were being roasted1 kaboub frizzling1 and all kinds of fish were submitted to the science of cookery2 four sheep and two lambs were roasted whole in the adjacent forest1 while a table for about a hundred and fifty people was laid out under the shadowy folds of a huge tree1 luxuriously situated at the base of a delightful ,turkish fountain2 sherbet1 ices1 jam1 and cakes were also freely partaken of4 ,at twelve1 to the minute1 the open-air banquet was placed upon the table1 and soon the warning note of the tum-tum assembled all around it4 ,oriental fruit and flowers profusely ornamented the festive board1 while ,smyrna melons of large dimensions perfumed the air4 ,the banquet lasted two hours1 after which dancing and oriental games were in full swing in all directions1 including the ,greek1 ,armenian1 and ,albany dances1 accompanied by the twang of music1 to the great delight of the participators1 as well as the admiration of several hundred ,turkish spectators1 both men and women1 dressed in their best1 this being their ,sabbath4 ,it gave this scene a purely oriental aspect1 which cannot be beheld anywhere but under the heavenly paradise of ,mahomet4 ,as the evening approached1 more animated became the party1 and no finale could have wound up the day's fun better than the dance of all creeds1 each dancer holding a lighted torch1 which flickered about the forest like so many will-o'-the-wisps4 ,turkish fireworks terminated this day of romance1 which ended to the sorrow of all4 ,iron pots elevated on poles1 along the shore1 filled with wood and vitriol1 were then fired1 throwing a blaze of light on the caidjees1 who were gaily fluttering round the shore on the agitated ripples of the ,bosphorus2 each caique1 headed by its pot of fire--blue1 green1 or yellow--bands of music1 hurrahs of twelve times three to ,mr4 ,messirie1 the donor of this magnificent fte1 and at midnight1 landing at ,therapia terminated this ever to be remembered day4 ,my last day was devoted to my grand review of the ,asiatic shore1 ,barrack ,hospital1 c41 and ,i devoted the morning hour to my final call on numerous oriental friends from whom ,i had received so much kindness and friendship during my long sojourn in the ,east4 ,arriving early the next morning at ,smyrna1 where forests of fig-trees abound1 caravans of camels and noted brigands thrive--while at the ,htel des deux ,augustes1 ,i wrote my ,scutari journal1 of which the following is a copy1 being the continuation of that which appears at page #dif3 ,h,,tel ,,des ,,deux ,,augustes1 ,,smyrna1 ,september #adth1 #ahef4 ,having devoted my last day in ,constantinople to visit the ,asiatic side of the ,bosphorus1 ,i and a few friends went accordingly to ,scutari4 ,our first visit was to the ,selinie ,quicklaci1 so well known by the ,english as the ,barrack ,hospital1 in anticipation of gathering the latest details relating to that once so celebrated spot4 ,we found it occupied by four thousand ,turkish soldiers of the ,imperial ,guard1 lately arrived from ,erzeroum4 ,ten or twelve thousand is the number it will hold2 but at a pinch1 as we were informed by one of the officers1 8and no one acquainted with the place can doubt it10 fifteen thousand may be quartered in this monster barracks1 which1 in consequence of the events of the last three years1 will be long remembered in the history of ,england4 ,after some formalities1 we obtained permission from the governor1 ,selim ,pacha1 to enter the precincts of the late ,british ,hospital2 and the scene1 ,i need not say1 was entirely changed1 everything having put on an ,oriental aspect1 and nothing remains as evidence of its late occupation by the ,british army but a few shelves and numbers of the beds in the various wards and corridors2 and on the staircase1 the partitions of the dispensaries and extra-diet kitchens1 which in a few weeks longer will have passed into oblivion4 ,the various offices which were from morning to night crowded1 as well as the residence of ,general ,storks1 are now occupied by the commanding officers of the ,turkish army1 by whom business seems to be transacted quietly by signs1 salutations1 and kissing of hands1 such being the ,turkish fashion1 scarcely a word being spoken by these living automatons4 ,we were very politely shown through the building1 accompanied by several officers4 ,the large kitchen in the yard1 which ,i had the fitting of1 still remains1 the partition which formerly divided it to form an extra-diet kitchen only being removed1 making it now one vast cook-house4 ,the twenty-four large boilers1 set in marble1 were in use for making the daily meal for the troops1 which that day was the meat ,pilaff1 a dish suitable for the million of any nation1 it being composed principally of rice1 and the addition of a little spice or curry-powder will make it highly palatable to the ,english soldier4 ,the kitchen-floor1 after the ,turkish fashion1 was anything but cleanly2 but in their cooking apparatus the contrary exists1 the copper boilers being well tinned and very clean4 ,the meat-house1 store-rooms1 c41 present but a meagre appearance contrasted with that1 when filled with meat and provisions of all kinds1 during their occupation by the ,english4 ,returning thence1 we were attracted to the building by a band of music rehearsing in the ,malakoff ward1 the brassy sounds of which in former days would have proved anything but harmonious to the ears of the patients3 several airs arranged by the late ,donizetti1 the ,sultan's band-master1 and brother of the celebrated maestro1 were performed for us with great precision1 especially 8,god save the ,queen0 and the 8,sultan's ,march10 though still with the ,oriental twang1 which at first is anything but agreeable or pleasing to a ,european ear4 ,we then walked round the barracks1 through those ,i recollect once encumbered1 but now empty corridors1 the immensity of which is almost indescribable3 the centre of the pavement alone1 which in some parts is nearly worn out by the daily traffic between the rows of beds placed on either side1 brought to my mind those days of sorrow and anguish in which so many brave men had nobly expired in the service of their country4 ,before leaving1 ,i was very anxious to visit another department1 viz41 the one so lately occupied by ,miss ,nightingale1 when1 to my astonishment1 our cicerone1 without being asked1 conducted us to it4 ,but what an extraordinary change was there6--no longer were hangings of black cloth curtains before the doors2 neither was seen within the pleasing appearance of the well though simply furnished apartment1 erst filled on all sides with religious books1 c41 relics of departed soldiers bequeathed to their friends and relations1 and numerous samples of diet comforts1 many of which ,i had experimented upon before that benevolent lady in her sanctorum4 ,the walls were also devoid of a fine portrait of her ,majesty1 and numerous scripture drawings2 added to that1 the loss of the gentle voice of that excellent lady mingled with that of her devoted satellites4 ,no article of furniture is now to be seen there1 with the exception of a common ,turkish divan1 8which is far from breaking the monotony of the bare whitewashed walls10 round which were seated a dozen of dark-coloured warlike-looking officers1 who very politely rose when we entered4 ,hardly had we seated ourselves1 at their request1 than an army of ,chiboukchi ,bachis entered and presented us with long chibouques2 which while we were smoking1 the same formidable army re-appeared1 each bearing a cup of coffee and sherbet1 which we partook of2 and a few minutes after1 we retired1 through thick clouds of smoke1 the smell of coffee1 and no end of salutations from our illustrious hosts1 among whom were ,osman ,pacha1 whose politeness will for ever be engraved upon my memory4 ,my mind was so struck with the sudden changement vue at the time1 that ,i could almost have attributed it to an effect of the magic wand of ,harlequin4 ,thanking them for their kind entertainment1 we retired1 they politely conducting us to the grand entrance4 ,we then took a stroll through the town1 which we found comparatively deserted3 the names of the streets remain1 as well as the designations of ,clarendon ,house1 ,russell ,house1 ,chaplain ,house1 ,victoria ,house1 c4 ,we next visited ,hyder ,pacha1 called the ,general ,hospital1 where there were about three hundred and forty sick1 and amongst them were about ten sick ,polish soldiers3 there were no cases of cholera1 and but few of fever1 dysentery1 c4 ,nothing there seemed changed1 except the introduction of ,turkish utensils in lieu of ,english ones4 ,the numbers of the beds were engraved upon copper crescents1 and each man had a round tinned copper tray1 tankard1 and spitting-vase2 and here and there were copper water-jugs of an elegant form1 and basins of elaborate workmanship for the doctors to wash their hands4 ,cleanliness seemed to be closely attended to4 ,the kitchen there remains exactly as ,i had planned it2 and the extra diets1 though very limited1 were prepared on charcoal stoves4 ,we then went to the ,cemetery1 which we found in very good order1 with the exception of two tombstones not yet fixed2 one in memory of ,capt4 ,w4 ,r4 ,n4 ,campbell1 of the #eth ,dragoon ,guards1 who died at ,scutari1 the #bcrd of ,december1 #ahed2 and the other to the memory of ,lieut4 ,j4 ,m4 ,holford1 #beth ,regiment1 who died ,november #bith1 #ahed4 ,and though there was a ,turkish guard or labourer in the ,cemetery1 he could not inform our dragoman when or where they were to be placed2 and as there are no ,english remaining in ,scutari1 it would be prudent of the friends of the deceased to inquire as to their placement1 for if left to the ,turkish authorities a mistake might occur1 and we could find no indication of the spot where the remains were interred4 ,the grave of ,major ,sorrell1 with whom ,i had the pleasure of being acquainted1 and whose death 7by fever7 was so lamented1 he being only ill one day1 is marked by a plain piece of board bearing his name4 ,there is also the grave of the ,russian ,general ,chekachoff1 who was wounded at the ,alma and taken prisoner3 he died a few days after his arrival at ,scutari1 in his last moments expressing his gratitude for the kindness he had received from the medical officers who attended him4 ,this fact was related to me by ,signor ,marco ,vido of the ,british ,embassy1 who was present at his decease4 ,his grave bears no more permanent memento4 ,the spot selected for the ,scutari ,monument about to be erected1 though not in the centre of the ,cemetery1 will be a lasting national testimonial to the memory of the brave1 as it will form a landmark which cannot fail to be seen from the ,sea of ,marmora1 ,pera1 ,stamboul1 the ,isles des ,princes1 ,kadikoi1 c4 c4 ,the tombstones1 though not numerous1 are well executed and in good preservation3 amongst them may be mentioned those of the ,honourable ,grey ,neville1 #eth ,dragoon ,guards1 and ,henry ,neville1 ,grenadier ,guards1 sons of ,lord ,braybrooke1 surviving each other only six days--both wounded at ,inkermann4 ,there is also a memento to ,william ,frederic ,viscount ,chewton1 son of the ,earl of ,waldegrave1 killed at ,alma1 ,september #bjth1 #ahed4 ,the wooden cavalry barracks present a most desolate heap of ruins and destruction1 and are about to be removed4 ,we were now obliged to return through the grand ,champ des ,morts1 the vast and mournful spot where millions of souls have rested for centuries in the dark shade of the cypress forest2 and ,i can assure you1 ,mr4 ,editor1 that the day was anything but one of gaiety1 but1 on the contrary1 very solemn though interesting4 ,with the highest consideration1 ,i have the honour to remain1 c4 ,our next stay was at ,malta1 where ,i received a most gratifying reception from the governor1 military and civil authorities1 as well as from the gentlemen of the press4 ,a stay of ten days in that city of ancient chivalry will in my memory form an historical page of most agreeable reminiscences1 and could ,i have accepted all the dinners offered me by the officers of various regiments1 whom ,i had met in the ,crimea1 three months would hardly have sufficed in fulfilling the invitations4 ,to ,colonel ,haley of the #dgth1 ,i cannot but feel grateful for the magnificent banquet he gave on the occasion1 when about fifty of the heads of the army there stationed sat around the festive board1 and at which our epicurean soldier distinguished himself by concocting a most excellent potage aux crevettes1 and two dressed fish1 peculiar to ,malta4#cb ,our next stay was at ,marseilles1 and being accompanied by ,mr4 ,robertson1 the celebrated photographist of ,constantinople1 we once more degustated the celebrated bouillabaisse4 ,we afterwards took a stroll through the part of ,france so lately inundated1 where we met the celebrated ,horace ,vernet2 after a few hours at ,lyons1 we reached ,paris the same evening1 which to our astonished eyes displayed quite a new aspect1 with her ,rivoli rods of fire1 magnificent palaces1 and stupendous streets4 ,above two years had elapsed since my last visit1 and had created1 under the guidance of the imperial wand of ,napoleon ,,iii41 these wonders4 ,after gazing with amazement over that far-famed city1 ,i retired to my native place1 ,meaux en ,brie1 the birthplace of ,bossuet1 which ,i had not visited for upwards of twenty-six years1 having only a local interest in the place1 ,i being the last of my family left4 ,during the progress of this work1 when returning to ,paris1 ,i had1 after an application1 the honour of an interview with his ,imperial ,majesty the ,emperor1 who took a most vivid interest in the descriptive narrative ,i gave him of my ,eastern mission1 and entered into the most minute details on hospital and camp cookery1 c4 ,our interview took place at the ,chateau des ,tuileries1 and lasted about half an hour2 and after submitting and explaining to his ,imperial ,majesty a model of my field-stove1 he desired to have an ordinary one forwarded from ,london1 to serve as a model for his army4 ,his ,majesty also took a vivid interest in the perusal of my simple hospital dietary and army receipts4 ,the affability of his ,majesty towards me in alluding to his high appreciation of my services in the ,east1 more than repays me for my very humble duties4#cc 99 99 99 99 99 ,in accordance with my aforementioned promise1 having already gathered so much matter for this narrative work1 ,i find myself compelled to reserve what ,i have so carefully collected for another work1 already mentioned in a note at the foot of preceding page1 in which ,i shall insert only the dishes most renowned in each country1 and thus render them practical everywhere4 ,i have1 during my six months' travels since leaving the ,crimea1 personally visited and become acquainted with the cookery of ,russia1 ,turkey1 ,germany1 ,greece1 ,malta1 ,italy1 and ,france1 also that of its great provincial towns--of the latter till now unknown to me4 ,they all enjoy a high reputation for peculiar dishes so much esteemed by the real gourmet4 ,with ,strasbourg1 my culinary peregrinations closed4 ,i addressed to the local paper of that antique and interesting city the following letter respecting the production of its delicious foies gras and erroneous ,inquisitional ,romance3-- ,,article ,,published ,,in ,,the 8,,courier ,,du ,,bas ,,rhin40 ,it has been said and generally credited in ,england and in ,france1 that the enormous development of the fat livers is obtained by a system of torture inflicted by the ,strasburghers upon the unfortunate goose1 the protecting bird of the ,capitol4 ,a certain ,english publication states1 8they are confined in dark cellars1 nailed to the floor by the feet before a slow fire which is kept constantly burning1 and they are then crammed to repletion1 so much so that the first cramming keeps the digestive organs in action for weeks4 ,this system of torture1 worthy of the mysteries of the ,spanish ,inquisition1 dries up the frame of the poor bird to a skeleton1 and thus the liver acquires its enormous development under the combined influence of cramming1 want of exercise1 and the constant slow heat40 8,i am happy10 says ,monsieur ,soyer1 8to show there is no truth in this statement1 and1 from personal observation while at ,strasbourg1 to be able to contradict those absurd fables so long credited in ,england4 ,i can certify that the geese intended for fattening are allowed to roam about the farms and grass-fields in ,alsace till they are seven or eight months old1 kept in flocks1 and well watched and tended4 8,having reached their requisite degree of maturity1 they are brought to the city market by the country farmers and sold to persons who make the fattening a special business4 ,they are now crammed three times a day with dry and ripe ,indian meal1 kept in clean wooden cages1 and allowed to drink as much water as they like2 others1 in greater numbers1 roam about in large barns1 very light and well ventilated3 these are also kept extremely clean4 ,each bird consumes about a bushel of ,indian meal before attaining the requisite fatness1 and but few die from disease during the process4 ,i have been assured that the quality of the water in ,strasbourg contributes greatly to the development of the livers1 but cannot vouch for the authenticity of this statement40 ,here is the whole of the mystery of the cruel process so long commented upon in ,england2 and1 far from being ,torquemadas1 the parties who follow this business1 on the contrary1 treat the victims destined for the celebrated pts de foies with great care and humanity4 ,every ,englishman may henceforth eat his pt with a clear conscience1 as does the ,french gourmet1 without contravening the law of ,grammont4 ,the livers are usually sold at five1 six1 ten1 and even twelve and fifteen francs each1 according to the size and quality4 ,there is no special market for them1 but the fatteners carry them round for sale to the pastry-cooks and private establishments4 ,independently of the liver1 the dealer reaps a further profit upon the goose 7which is in general very plump and fat71 besides the down and the goose-grease4 ,i purpose adding to this recherch and universal bill of fare1 a few receipts from ,spain1 ,portugal1 ,america1 ,india1 and ,china2 closing this small but well-filled volume with the roast-beef and plum-pudding of ,old ,england1 which they are at present totally incapable of cooking properly in ,paris1 but which ,i intend compelling them to do1 inasmuch as they now have in that city of gourmets and cradle of gastronomy nearly as good meat as any to be found in the ,english metropolis4 ,the work will be published at a moderate price1 and printed in different languages1 and will1 ,i hope1 prove acceptable to the public1 as well as beneficial1 in a culinary point of view1 to all nations4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a few weeks after my visit to his ,majesty the ,emperor ,napoleon ,,iii41 and having delivered my report upon the kitchens for the working classes1 to my joy the time had arrived to sail for ,england's happy land1 which two years previous ,i had so unexpectedly left4 ,double pleasure was attached to my return1 for ,i felt assured that within its sea-girt shore thousands of true ,british hearts were wishing me well1 to use his ,majesty the ,sultan's term4 ,and indeed ,i was not disappointed1 for in less than forty-eight hours after my arrival in its mighty metropolis1 ,i had been so fervently shaken by the hand1 that ,i could not but help exclaiming for a short time1 8,save me from my friends40 ,added to this1 my kind reception by the home authorities was to me more than gratifying3 then the last1 though not least1 reminiscence of my late campaign which occurred in ,hyde ,park1 on the occasion of the distribution of the ,order of ,valour by her ,most ,gracious ,majesty1 when1 being recognised amongst the thousands assembled in the stand by the valiant general1 ,sir ,colin ,campbell1 the elevation of my hat was not sufficient for the impetuosity of the major-domo of this grand and imposing ceremony--the last link of the late memorable ,crimean ,campaign4 ,on my going towards ,sir ,colin ,i was greeted with a hearty shake of the hand1 and the usual kind and affable inquiries so peculiar to the amiable ,general having passed between us1 ,i could not help expressing to the gallant warrior how highly gratified ,i had been by the admirable and perfect manuvring of the troops4 ,shortly after he bade me adieu1 and1 accompanied by his staff1 left the ground4 ,at this time ,i much regretted not having had the opportunity of paying my duty to one of the generals in command1 as it would have closed1 in a most apropos manner1 the last page of this work1 my 8,culinary ,campaign20 but1 thanks to my star1 an hour after the termination of the proceedings1 while walking along ,piccadilly towards my residence1 a friend's voice behind me exclaimed--8,halloo1 ,monsieur ,soyer60 ,on turning round1 who1 to my astonishment1 should ,i perceive1 mounted on his ,balaklava charger1 and followed by his aide-de-camp1 but the very gallant general whose absence ,i had just been regretting4 ,it was no other than ,lord ,william ,paulet1 who was turning the corner to enter his chambers in the ,albany4 8,i have10 exclaimed his lordship1 8been looking out everywhere for you1 having learned from ,sir ,colin ,campbell that you were upon the ground40 8,so have ,i been looking for you1 my lord1 and with great anxiety1 but unfortunately ,i was deprived of the pleasure of meeting you40 8,by-the-bye1 ,soyer1 ,i saw your portrait in the historical ,scutari painting1 by ,barrett1 this morning at ,buckingham ,palace1 and ,i consider it an excellent likeness40 8,i am glad you think so1 my lord1 and for my part ,i consider the whole of the picture remarkably well executed4 ,at the same time allow me to inform your lordship1 that as you are so near home1 ,i should have been very sorry to have had the pleasure of meeting you in the ,park40 8,why so1 ,soyer80 remarked his lordship1 leaning over his charger1 and still retaining my hand in his4 8,well1 my lord1 the reason is simple4 ,having so prosperously commenced my culinary campaign under your command and very kind assistance1 while your lordship was ,brigadier-general of ,scutari1 nothing could be more in accordance with my wishes than that the last page of a work which ,i am now about completing1 in anticipation of perpetuating the style of cookery introduced by me both at ,scutari and in the camp before ,sebastopol1 should terminate at the very threshold of your door1 and while you were returning from the last national ceremony relating to the great ,crimean campaign40 8,well1 upon my word1 it is very remarkable2 and ,i am happy to think1 ,soyer1 that you have written a work upon so important and interesting a subject40 ,we then parted4 ,a few minutes had thrown a curtain over this grand military display1 which will ever be remembered in history1 as well as graven on the memory of man4 ,the ,author1 after his laborious campaign1 in bidding adieu to his readers1 does not intend to remain ,soyer tranquille1 as he is most anxious1 after having chronicled his culinary reminiscences of the late war1 to put his views into action by simple practice2 and as he had no other object in writing this book1 he sincerely hopes it may be the means of causing a lasting amelioration in the cooking for both army and navy1 and all public institutions4 ,such a result to his labours1 after his long culinary experience1 would make the author happy indeed1 and he would for the future be found as traced below4 ,illustration3 ,,soyer ,,tr,s ,,heureux4 ,,addenda4 ,,introduction4--,,this ,,part ,,of ,,the ,,work1 ,,though ,,the ,,last1 ,i ,,consider ,,not ,,the ,,least1 ,,being ,,the ,,most ,,useful4 ,,it ,,needs ,,no ,,preface4 ,,its ,,contents ,,are ,,as ,,follows3 ,,first1 ,,the ,,new ,,hospital ,,diets2 ,,secondly1 ,,the ,,cooking ,,for ,,the ,,army ,,and ,,navy2 ,,thirdly1 ,,the ,,london ,,supper2 ,,fourthly1 ,,the ,,cheap ,,receipts1 ,,whereby ,,the ,,wealthy ,,can1 ,,at ,a ,,trifling ,,expense1 ,,aid ,,in ,,winter ,,the ,,working ,,classes ,,and ,,the ,,needy4 ,,soyer',s ,,hospital ,,diets1 ,,as ,,introduced ,,by ,,him ,,with ,,the ,,concurrence ,,of ,,the ,,leading ,,medical ,,gentlemen ,,of ,,the ,,british ,,military ,,hospitals ,,in ,,the ,,east4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,remark4--,,the ,,importance ,,attaching ,,to ,,weights ,,and ,,measures ,,in ,,the ,,accompanying ,,receipts ,,is ,,fully ,,recognised2 ,,it ,,is ,,therefore ,,necessary ,,that ,,regimental ,,as ,,well ,,as ,,civil ,,hospitals ,,should ,,be ,,supplied ,,with ,,scales1 ,,and ,,with ,,measures ,,for ,,liquids4 99 99 99 99 99 ,correct ,bill of ,fare for ,hospital ,diet for the ,army in the ,east1 as first introduced by ,monsieur ,soyer in the ,great ,barrack ,hospital1 ,scutari1 and subsequently in others1 while on his ,government ,mission during the late ,war1 for the ,sick1 ,wounded1 and ,convalescent1 and applicable to all ,hospitals throughout the ,united ,kingdom of ,great ,britain4 ,,no4 #a4--,,semi-,,stewed ,,mutton ,,and ,,barley4 ,,soup ,,for #ajj ,,men4#cd ,put in a convenient-sized caldron #acj pints of cold water1 #gj lbs4 of meat1 or about that quantity1 #ab lbs4 of plain mixed vegetables 7the best that can be obtained71 #ilbs4 #foz4 of barley1 #alb4 #goz4 of salt1 #alb4 #doz4 of flour1 #alb4 #doz4 of sugar1 #aoz4 of pepper4 ,put all the ingredients into the pan at once1 except the flour2 set it on the fire1 and when beginning to boil1 diminish the heat1 and simmer gently for two hours and a half2 take the joints of meat out1 and keep them warm in the orderly's pan2 add to the soup your flour1 which you have mixed with enough water to form a light batter2 stir well together with a large spoon2 boil another half-hour1 skim off the fat1 and serve the soup and meat separate4 ,the meat may be put back into the soup for a few minutes to warm again prior to serving4 ,the soup should be stirred now and then while making1 to prevent burning or sticking to the bottom of the caldron4 ,the joints are cooked whole1 and afterwards cut up in different messes2 being cooked this way1 in a rather thick stock1 the meat becomes more nutritious4 ,note4--,the word 8about0 is applied to the half and full diet1 which varies the weight of the meat2 but lb4 of mutton will always make a pint of good soup3 #clbs4 of mixed preserved vegetables must be used when fresh are not to be obtained1 and put in one hour and a half prior to serving1 instead of at first2 they will then show better in the soup1 and still be well done4 ,all the following receipts may be increased to large quantities1 but by all means closely follow the weight and measure4 ,,no4 #b4--;,,beef ,,soup4 ,proceed the same as for mutton1 only leave the meat in till serving1 as it will take longer than mutton4 ,the pieces are not to be above #d or #elbs4 weight2 and for a change1 half rice may be introduced2 the addition of #blbs4 more will make it thicker and more nutritive2 lb4 of curry powder will make an excellent change also4 ,to vary the same1 half a pint of burnt sugar water may be added--it will give the soup a very rich brown colour4 7,vide ,receipt ,no4 #cb47 ,,no4 #c4--;,,beef ,,tea4 ,,receipt ,,for ,,six ,,pints4 ,cut #clbs4 of beef into pieces the size of walnuts1 and chop up the bones1 if any2 put it into a convenient-sized kettle1 with lb4 of mixed vegetables1 such as onions1 leeks1 celery1 turnips1 carrots 7or one or two of these1 if all are not to be obtained71 #aoz4 of salt1 a little pepper1 #a teaspoonful of sugar1 #boz4 of butter1 half a pint of water4 ,set it on a sharp fire for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour1 stirring now and then with a spoon1 till it forms a rather thick gravy at bottom1 but not brown3 then add #g pints of hot or cold water1 but hot is preferable2 when boiling1 let it simmer gently for an hour2 skim off all the fat1 strain it through a sieve1 and serve4 ,,no4 #c;,a4--,,essence ,,of ,,beef ,,tea4 ,for camp hospitals4--8,quarter pound tin case of essence40 ,if in winter set it near the fire to melt2 pour the contents in a stew-pan and twelve times the case full of water over it1 hot or cold2 add to it two or three slices of onion1 a sprig or two of parsley1 a leaf or two of celery1 if handy1 two teaspoonfuls of salt1 one of sugar2 pass through a colander and serve4 ,if required stronger1 eight cases of water will suffice1 decreasing the seasoning in proportion4 ,in case you have no vegetables1 sugar1 or pepper1 salt alone will do1 but the broth will not be so succulent4 ,,no4 #d4--,,thick ,,beef ,,tea4 ,dissolve a good teaspoonful of arrowroot in a gill of water1 and pour it into the beef tea twenty minutes before passing through the sieve--it is then ready4 ,,no4 #e4--,,strengthening ,,beef ,,tea1 ,,with ,,calves-,,foot ,,jelly ,,or ,,isinglass4 ,add oz4 calves-foot gelatine to the above quantity of beef tea previous to serving1 when cooking4 ,,no4 #f4--,,mutton ,,and ,,veal ,,tea4 ,mutton and veal will make good tea by proceeding precisely the same as above4 ,the addition of a little aromatic herbs is always desirable4 ,if no fresh vegetables are at hand1 use #boz4 of mixed preserved vegetables to any of the above receipts4 ,,no4 #g4--;,,chicken ,,broth4 ,put in a stewpan a fowl1 #c pints of water1 #b teaspoonfuls of rice1 #a teaspoonful of salt1 a middle-sized onion1 or #boz4 of mixed vegetables2 boil the whole gently for three quarters of an hour3 if an old fowl1 simmer from one hour and a half to two hours1 adding #a pint more water2 skim off the fat1 and serve4 ,a small fowl will do4 ,note4--,a light mutton broth may be made precisely the same1 by using a pound and a half of scrag of mutton instead of fowl4 ,for thick mutton broth proceed as for thick beef tea1 omitting the rice2 a tablespoonful of burnt sugar water will give a rich colour to the broth4 ,,no4 #h4--,,plain ,,boiled ,,rice4 ,put #b quarts of water in a stewpan1 with a teaspoonful of salt2 when boiling1 add to it lb4 of rice1 well washed2 boil for ten minutes1 or till each grain becomes rather soft2 drain it into a colander1 slightly grease the pot with butter1 and put the rice back into it2 let it swell slowly for about twenty minutes near the fire1 or in a slow oven2 each grain will then swell up1 and be well separated2 it is then ready for use4 ,,no4 #i4--,,sweet ,,rice4 ,add to the plain boiled rice #a oz4 of butter1 #b tablespoonfuls of sugar1 a little cinnamon1 a quarter of a pint of milk2 stir it with a fork1 and serve2 a little currant jelly or jam maybe added to the rice4 ,,no4 #aj4--,,rice ,,with ,,gravy4 ,add to the rice #d tablespoonfuls of the essence of beef1 a little butter1 if fresh1 half a teaspoonful of salt2 stir together with a fork1 and serve4 ,a teaspoonful of ,soyer's ,sultana ,sauce1 or relish1 will make it very wholesome and palatable1 as well as invigorating to a fatigued stomach4#ce ,,no4 #aa4--,,plain ,,oatmeal4 ,put in a pan lb4 of oatmeal1 #aoz4 of sugar1 half a teaspoonful of salt1 and #c pints of water2 boil slowly for twenty minutes1 8stirring continually10 and serve4 ,a quarter of a pint of boiled milk1 an ounce of butter1 and a little pounded cinnamon or spice added previous to serving is a good variation4 ,this receipt has been found most useful at the commencement of dysentery by the medical authorities4 ,,no4 #ab4--;,,calves-,,foot ,,jelly4 ,put in a proper sized stewpan #boz4 of calves-foot gelatine1 #doz4 of white sugar1 #d whites of eggs and shells1 the peel of a lemon1 the juice of three middle-sized lemons1 half a pint of ,marsala wine2 beat all well together with the egg-beater for a few minutes1 then add #d pints of cold water2 set it on a slow fire1 and keep whipping it till boiling4 ,set it on the corner of the stove1 partly covered with the lid1 upon which you place a few pieces of burning charcoal2 let it simmer gently for ten minutes1 and strain it through a jelly-bag4 ,it is then ready to put in the ice or some cool place4 ,sherry will do if ,marsala is not at hand4 ,for orange jelly use only #a lemon and #b oranges4 ,any delicate flavour may be introduced4 ,note4--,i find that the preparation now manufactured by ,messrs4 ,crosse and ,blackwell1 of ,soho-square1 ,london1 is preferable to any other1 being also cheaper than boiling calves' feet on purpose1 which takes a very long time1 and is more difficult to make4 ,this preparation will keep as long as isinglass1 to prove which ,i am induced at the same time to give the following receipt1 when the other cannot be procured4 ,ox-feet or cow-heel may be used instead of calves-feet1 only requiring an hour more simmering4 ,in summer ice must be used to set the jelly4 ,,jelly ,,stock1 ,made from calf's feet1 requires to be made the day previous to being used1 requiring to be very hard to extract the fat4 ,take two calf's feet1 cut them up1 and boil in three quarts of water2 as soon as it boils remove it to the corner of the fire1 and simmer for five hours1 keeping it skimmed1 pass through a hair sieve into a basin1 and let it remain until quite hard1 then remove the oil and fat1 and wipe the top dry4 ,place in a stew-pan half a pint of water1 one of sherry1 half a pound of lump sugar1 the juice of four lemons1 the rinds of two1 and the whites and shells of five eggs2 whisk until the sugar is melted1 then add the jelly1 place it on the fire1 and whisk until boiling1 pass it through a jelly-bag1 pouring that back again which comes through first until quite clear2 it is then ready for use1 by putting it in moulds or glasses4 ,vary the flavour according to fancy4 ,,no4 #ac4--,,sago ,,jelly4 ,put into a pan1 #coz4 of sago1 #aoz4 of sugar1 half a lemon-peel cut very thin1 teaspoonful of ground cinnamon1 or a small stick of the same2 put to it #c pints of water and a little salt2 boil ten minutes1 or rather longer1 stirring continually1 until rather thick1 then add a little port1 sherry1 or ,marsala wine2 mix well1 and serve hot or cold4 ,,no4 #ad4--;,,arrowroot ,,milk4 ,put into a pan #doz4 of arrowroot1 #coz4 of sugar1 the peel of half a lemon1 teaspoonful of salt1 #b pints of milk2 set it on the fire1 stir round gently1 boil for ten minutes1 and serve4 ,if no lemons at hand1 a little essence of any kind will do4 ,when short of milk1 use half water2 half an ounce of fresh butter is an improvement before serving4 ,if required thicker1 put a little milk4 ,,no4 #ae4--,,thick ,,arrowroot ,,panada4 ,put in a pan #eoz4 of arrowroot1 #boz4 of white sugar1 the peel of half a lemon1 a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt1 #d pints of water2 mix all well1 set on the fire1 boil for ten minutes2 it is then ready4 ,the juice of a lemon is an improvement2 a gill of wine may also be introduced1 and oz4 of calf's-foot gelatine previously dissolved in water will be strengthening4 ,milk1 however1 is preferable1 if at hand4 ,,no4 #af4--;,,arrowroot ,,water4 ,put into a pan #coz4 of arrowroot1 #boz4 of white sugar1 the peel of a lemon1 teaspoonful of salt1 #d pints of water2 mix well1 set on the fire1 boil for ten minutes4 ,it is then ready to serve either hot or cold4 ,,no4 #ag4--,,rice ,,water4 ,put #g pints of water to boil1 add to it #b ounces of rice washed1 #boz4 of sugar1 the peel of two-thirds of a lemon2 boil gently for three-quarters of an hour2 it will reduce to #e pints2 strain through a colander2 it is then ready4 ,the rice may be left in the beverage or made into a pudding1 or by the addition of a little sugar or jam1 will be found very good for either children or invalids4 ,,no4 #ah4--;,,barley ,,water4 ,put in a saucepan #g pints of water1 #boz4 of barley1 which stir now and then while boiling2 add #boz4 of white sugar1 the rind of half a lemon1 thinly peeled2 let it boil gently for about two hours1 without covering it2 pass it through a sieve or colander2 it is then ready4 ,the barley and lemon may be left in it4 ,,no4 #ai4--,,soyer',s ,,plain ,,lemonade4 ,thinly peel the third part of a lemon1 which put into a basin with #b tablespoonfuls of sugar2 roll the lemon with your hand upon the table to soften it2 cut it into two1 lengthwise1 squeeze the juice over the peel1 c41 stir round for a minute with a spoon to form a sort of syrup2 pour over a pint of water1 mix well1 and remove the pips2 it is then ready for use4 ,if a very large lemon1 and full of juice1 and very fresh1 you may make a pint and a half to a quart1 adding sugar and peel in proportion to the increase of water4 ,the juice only of the lemon and sugar will make lemonade1 but will then be deprived of the aroma which the rind contains1 the said rind being generally thrown away4 ,,no4 #bj4--,,semi-,,citric ,,lemonade4 ,,receipt ,,for ,,fifty ,,pints4 ,put #aoz4 of citric acid to dissolve in a pint of water2 peel #bj lemons thinly1 and put the peel in a large vessel1 with #clbs4 #boz4 of white sugar well broken2 roll each lemon on the table to soften it1 which will facilitate the extraction of the juice2 cut them into two1 and press out the juice into a colander or sieve1 over the peel and sugar1 then pour half a pint of water through the colander1 so as to leave no juice remaining2 triturate the sugar1 juice and peel together for a minute or two with a spoon1 so as to form a sort of syrup1 and extract the aroma from the peel and the dissolved citric acid2 mix all well together1 pour on #ej pints of cold water1 stir well together2 it is then ready4 ,a little ice in summer is a great addition4 99 99 99 99 99 ,observation4--,the two following ,lemonades1 which have been submitted to eminent ,doctors at ,scutari1 have been approved of1 and can be made for either the ,hospitals or the ,camp1 and will be found to answer equally for domestic consumption1 if lemons are not to be obtained4 ,,no4 #ba4--,,soyer',s ,,cheap ,,crimean ,,lemonade4 ,put into a basin #b tablespoonfuls of white or brown sugar1 a tablespoonful of lime juice1 mix well together for one minute1 add #a pint of water1 and the beverage is ready4 ,a drop of rum will make a good variation1 as lime juice and rum are daily issued to the soldiers4 ,,no4 #bb4--,,tartaric ,,lemonade4 ,dissolve #aoz4 of crystallized tartaric acid in a pint of cold water1 which put in a large vessel2 when dissolved1 add #alb4 #ioz4 of white or brown sugar--the former is preferable2 mix well to form a thick syrup2 add to it #bd pints of cold water1 slowly mixing well2 it is then ready4 ,it may be strained through either a colander or a jelly-bag2 if required very light1 add #e pints more water1 and sugar in proportion2 if citric acid be used1 put only #bj pints of water to each ounce4 ,,no4 #bc4--;,,cheap ,,plain ,,rice ,,pudding1 ,,for ,,campaigning1 ,in which no eggs or milk are required3 important in the ,crimea or the field4 ,put on the fire1 in a moderate-sized saucepan1 #ab pints of water2 when boiling1 add to it #alb4 of rice or #af tablespoonsful1 #doz4 of brown sugar or #d tablespoonsful1 #a large teaspoonful of salt1 and the rind of a lemon thinly pealed2 boil gently for half an hour1 then strain all the water from the rice1 keeping it as dry as possible4 ,the rice-water is then ready for drinking1 either warm or cold4 ,the juice of a lemon may be introduced1 which will make it more palatable and refreshing4 ,,the ,,pudding4 ,add to the rice #coz4 of sugar1 #d tablespoonsful of flour1 half a teaspoonful of pounded cinnamon2 stir it on the fire carefully for five or ten minutes2 put it in a tin or a pie-dish1 and bake4 ,by boiling the rice a quarter of an hour longer1 it will be very good to eat without baking4 ,cinnamon may be omitted4 ,,no4 #bc;,a4--,,batter ,,pudding4 ,break two fresh eggs in a basin1 beat them well1 add one tablespoonful and a half of flour1 which beat up with your eggs with a fork until no lumps remain2 add a gill of milk1 a teaspoonful of salt1 butter a teacup or a basin1 pour in your mixture1 put some water in a stew-pan1 enough to immerge half way up the cup or basin in water2 when boiling put in your cup or basin and boil twenty minutes1 or till your pudding is well set2 pass a knife to loosen it1 turn out on a plate1 pour pounded sugar and a pat of fresh butter over1 and serve4 ,a little lemon1 cinnamon1 or a drop of any essence may be introduced4 ,a little light melted butter1 sherry1 and sugar1 may be poured over4 ,if required more delicate1 add a little less flour4 ,it may be served plain4 ,,no4 #bd4--;,,bread ,,and ,,butter ,,pudding4 ,butter a tart-dish well1 and sprinkle some currants all round it1 then lay in a few slices of bread and butter2 boil one pint of milk1 pour it on two eggs well whipped1 and then on the bread and butter2 bake it in a hot oven for half an hour4 ,currants may be omitted4 ,,no4 #be4--;,,bread ,,pudding4 ,boil one pint of milk1 with a piece of cinnamon and lemon-peel2 pour it on two ounces of bread-crumbs2 then add two eggs1 half an ounce of currants1 and a little sugar3 steam it in a buttered mould for one hour4 ,,no4 #bf4--;,,custard ,,pudding4 ,boil one pint of milk1 with a small piece of lemon-peel and half a bay-leaf1 for three minutes2 then pour these on to three eggs1 mix it with one ounce of sugar well together1 and pour it into a buttered mould3 steam it twenty-five minutes in a stew-pan with some water 7see ,no4 #aae71 turn out on a plate and serve4 ,,no4 #bg4--,,rich ,,rice ,,pudding4 ,put in lb4 of rice in a stew-pan1 washed1 #c pints of milk1 #a pint of water1 #coz4 of sugar1 #a lemon peel1 #aoz4 of fresh butter2 boil gently half an hour1 or until the rice is tender2 add #d eggs1 well beaten1 mix well1 and bake quickly for half an hour1 and serve3 it may be steamed if preferred4 ,,no4 #bh--,,stewed ,,macaroni4 ,put in a stewpan #b quarts of water1 half a tablespoonful of salt1 #boz4 of butter2 set on the fire2 when boiling1 add #alb4 of macaroni1 broken up rather small2 when boiled very soft1 throw off the water2 mix well into the macaroni a tablespoonful of flour1 add enough milk to make it of the consistency of thin melted butter2 boil gently twenty minutes2 add in a tablespoonful of either brown or white sugar1 or honey1 and serve4 ,a little cinnamon1 nutmeg1 lemon-peel1 or orange-flower water may be introduced to impart a flavour2 stir quick4 ,a gill of milk or cream may now be thrown in three minutes before serving4 ,nothing can be more light and nutritious than macaroni done this way4 ,if no milk1 use water4 ,,no4 #bi4--,,macaroni ,,pudding4 ,put #b pints of water to boil1 add to it #boz4 of macaroni1 broken in small pieces2 boil till tender1 drain off the water and add half a tablespoonful of flour1 #boz4 of white sugar1 a quarter of a pint of milk1 and boil together for ten minutes2 beat an egg up1 pour it to the other ingredients1 a nut of butter2 mix well and bake1 or steam4 ,it can be served plain1 and may be flavoured with either cinnamon1 lemon1 or other essences1 as orange flower-water1 vanilla1 c4 ,,no4 #cj4--,,sago ,,pudding4 ,put in a pan #doz4 of sago1 #boz4 of sugar1 half a lemon peel or a little cinnamon1 a small pat of fresh butter1 if handy1 half a pint of milk2 boil for a few minutes1 or until rather thick1 stirring all the while2 beat up #b eggs and mix quickly with the same2 it is then ready for either baking or steaming1 or may be served plain4 ,,no4 #ca4--,,tapioca ,,pudding4 ,put in a pan #boz4 of tapioca1 #a pint of milk1 #aoz4 of white or brown sugar1 a little salt1 set on the fire1 boil gently for fifteen minutes1 or until the tapioca is tender1 stirring now and then to prevent its sticking to the bottom1 or burning2 then add two eggs well beaten2 steam or bake1 and serve4 ,it will take about twenty minutes steaming1 or a quarter of an hour baking slightly4 ,flavour with either lemon1 cinnamon1 or any other essence4 ,,no4 #cb4--;,,boiled ,,rice ,,semi-,,curried1 ,,for ,,the ,,premonitory ,,symptoms ,,of ,,diarrh,a4 ,put #a quart of water in a pot or saucepan2 when boiling1 wash lb4 of rice and throw it into the water2 boil fast for ten minutes2 drain your rice in a colander1 put it back in the saucepan1 which you have slightly greased with butter2 let it swell slowly near the fire1 or in a slow oven till tender2 each grain will then be light and well separated4 ,add to the above a small tablespoonful of aromatic sauce1 called 8,soyer's ,relish or ,sultana ,sauce10 with a quarter of a teaspoonful of curry powder2 mix together with a fork lightly1 and serve4 ,this quantity will be sufficient for two or three people1 according to the prescriptions of the attending physician4 ,,no4 #cc4--;,,figs ,,and ,,apple ,,beverage4 ,have #b quarts of water boiling1 into which throw #f dry figs previously opened1 and #b apples1 cut into six or eight slices each2 let the whole boil together twenty minutes1 then pour them into a basin to cool2 pass through a sieve2 drain the figs1 which will be good to eat with a little sugar or jam4 ,,no4 #cd4--,,stewed ,,french ,,plums4 ,put #ab large or #ah small-size ,french plums1 soak them for half an hour1 put in a stew-pan with a spoonful of brown sugar1 a gill of water1 a little cinnamon1 and some thin rind of lemon2 let them stew gently twenty minutes1 then put them in a basin till cold with a little of the juice4 ,a small glass of either port1 sherry1 or claret is a very good addition4 ,the syrup is excellent4 ,,no4 #ce4--;,,french ,,herb ,,broth4 ,this is a very favourite beverage in ,france1 as well with people in health as with invalids1 especially in spring1 when the herbs are young and green4 ,put a quart of water to boil1 having previously prepared about #dj leaves of sorrel1 a cabbage lettuce1 and #aj sprigs of chervil1 the whole well washed2 when the water is boiling1 throw in the herbs1 with the addition of a teaspoonful of salt1 and oz4 of fresh butter2 cover the saucepan close1 and let simmer a few minutes1 then strain it through1 a sieve or colander4 ,this is to be drunk cold1 especially in the spring of the year1 after the change from winter4 ,i generally drink about a quart per day for a week at that time2 but if for sick people it must be made less strong of herbs1 and taken a little warm4 ,to prove that it is wholesome1 we have only to refer to the instinct which teaches dogs to eat grass at that season of the year4 ,i do not pretend to say that it would suit persons in every malady1 because the doctors are to decide upon the food and beverage of their patients1 and study its changes as well as change their medicines2 but ,i repeat that this is most useful and refreshing for the blood4 ,,no4 #cf4--;,,browning ,,for ,,soups1 ,,etc4 ,put lb4 of moist sugar into an iron pan and melt it over a moderate fire till quite black1 stirring it continually1 which will take about twenty-five minutes3 it must colour by degrees1 as too sudden a heat will make it bitter2 then add #b quarts of water1 and in ten minutes the sugar will be dissolved4 ,you may then bottle it for use4 ,it will keep good for a month1 and will always be found very useful4 ,,no4 #cg4--,,toast-,,and-,,water4 ,cut a piece of crusty bread1 about a lb4 in weight1 place it upon a toasting-fork1 and hold it about six inches from the fire2 turn it often1 and keep moving it gently until of a light-yellow colour1 then place it nearer the fire1 and when of a good brown chocolate colour1 put it in a jug and pour over #c pints of boiling water2 cover the jug until cold1 then strain it into a clean jug1 and it is ready for use4 ,never leave the toast in it1 for in summer it would cause fermentation in a short time4 ,i would almost venture to say that such toast-and-water as ,i have described1 though so very simple1 is the only way toast-water should be made1 and that it would keep good a considerable time in bottles4 ,baked ,apple ,toast-and-,water4--,a piece of apple1 slowly toasted till it gets quite black1 and added to the above1 makes a very nice and refreshing drink for invalids4 ,apple ,rice ,water4--,half a pound of rice1 boiled in the above until in pulp1 passed through a colander1 and drunk when cold4 ,all kinds of fruit may be done the same way4 ,figs and ,french plums are excellent2 also raisins4 ,a little ginger1 if approved of1 may be used4 ,apple ,barley ,water4--,a quarter of a pound of pearl barley instead of toast added to the above1 and boil for one hour1 is also a very nice drink4 ,citronade4--,put a gallon of water on to boil1 cut up one pound of apples1 each one into quarters1 two lemons in thin slices1 put them in the water1 and boil them until they can be pulped1 pass the liquor through a colander1 boil it up again with half a pound of brown sugar1 skim1 and bottle for use1 taking care not to cork the bottle1 and keep it in a cool place4 ,for ,spring ,drink4--,rhubarb1 in the same quantities1 and done in the same way as apples1 adding more sugar1 is very cooling4 ,also green gooseberries4 ,for ,summer ,drink4--,one pound of red currants1 bruised with some raspberry1 half a pound of sugar added to a gallon of cold water1 well stirred1 and allowed to settle4 ,the juice of a lemon4 ,mulberry4--,the same1 adding a little lemon-peel4 ,a little cream of tartar or citric acid added to these renders them more cooling in summer and spring4 ,plain ,lemonade4--,cut in very thin slices three lemons1 put them in a basin1 add half a pound of sugar1 either white or brown2 bruise all together1 add a gallon of water1 and stir well4 ,it is then ready4 ,french ,plum ,water4--,boil #c pints of water2 add in #f or #h dried plums previously split1 #b or #c slices of lemon1 a spoonful of honey or sugar2 boil half an hour and serve4 ,for ,fig1 ,date1 and ,raisin ,water1 proceed as above1 adding the juice of half a lemon to any of the above4 ,if for fig water1 use #f figs4 ,any quantity of the above fruits may be used with advantage in rice1 barley1 or arrowroot water4 ,,effervescent ,,beverages4 ,raspberry ,water4--,put #b tablespoonfuls of vinegar into a large glass1 pour in half a pint of water2 mix well4 ,pine-apple ,syrup4--,three tablespoonfuls to a pint4 ,currant ,syrup4--,proceed the same4 ,syrup of ,orgeat4--,the same4 ,orange-,flower ,water4--,the same1 adding an ounce of lump sugar1 is a most soothing drink1 and is to be procured at ,verrey's1 in ,regent ,street1 or ,kuntz's1 opposite ,verrey's4 ,put two tablespoonfuls to a glass of water4 ,it is also extremely good with either ,soda1 ,seltzer1 or ,vichy ,water1 the last of which is to be obtained at the dept1 ,margaret-street1 ,cavendish-square4 ,,army ,,receipts4 ,,soyer',s ,,field ,,and ,,barrack ,,cookery ,,for ,,the ,,army4 ,n4,b4--,these receipts are also applicable for barracks1 in camp1 or while on the march1 by the use of ,soyer's ,new ,field ,stove1 now adopted by the military authorities4 ,these receipts answer equally as well for the navy4 ,illustration ,each stove will consume not more than from #ab to #aelbs4 of fuel1 and allowing #bj stoves to a regiment1 the consumption would be #cjjlbs4 per thousand men4 ,the allowance per man is1 ,i believe1 #clbs4 each1 which gives a total of #cejjlbs4 per thousand men4 ,the economy of fuel would consequently be #cbjj lbs4 per regiment daily4 ,coal will burn with the same advantage4 ,salt beef1 pork1 ,irish stew1 stewed beef1 tea1 coffee1 cocoa1 c41 can be prepared in these stoves1 and with the same economy4 ,they can also be fitted with an apparatus for baking1 roasting1 and steaming4 ,,no4 #a4--,,soyer',s ,,receipt ,,to ,,cook ,,salt ,,meat ,,for ,,fifty ,,men4 ,head-,quarters1 ,crimea1 #abth ,may1 #ahef4 #a4 ,put #ej lbs4 of meat in the boiler4 #b4 ,fill with water1 and let soak all night4 #c4 ,next morning wash the meat well4 #d4 ,fill with fresh water1 and boil gently three hours1 and serve4 ,skim off the fat1 which1 when cold1 is an excellent substitute for butter4 ,for salt pork proceed as above1 or boil half beef and half pork--the pieces of beef may be smaller than the pork1 requiring a little longer time doing4 ,dumplings1 ,no4 #ba1 may be added to either pork or beef in proportion2 and when pork is properly soaked1 the liquor will make a very good soup4 ,the large yellow peas as used by the navy1 may be introduced2 it is important to have them1 as they are a great improvement4 ,when properly soaked1 ,french haricot beans and lentils may also be used to advantage4 ,by the addition of #e pounds of split peas1 half a pound of brown sugar1 #b tablespoonfuls of pepper1 #aj onions2 simmer gently till in pulp1 remove the fat and serve2 broken biscuit may be introduced4 ,this will make an excellent mess4 ,,no4 #a;,a4--,,how ,,to ,,soak ,,and ,,plain-,,boil ,,the ,,rations ,,of ,,salt ,,beef ,,and ,,pork1 ,,on ,,land ,,or ,,at ,,sea4 ,to each pound of meat allow about a pint of water4 ,do not have the pieces above #c or #d lbs4 in weight4 ,let it soak for #g or #h hours1 or all night if possible4 ,wash each piece well with your hand in order to extract as much salt as possible4 ,it is then ready for cooking4 ,if less time be allowed1 cut the pieces smaller and proceed the same1 or parboil the meat for #bj minutes in the above quantity of water1 which throw off and add fresh4 ,meat may be soaked in sea water1 but by all means boiled in fresh when possible4 ,i should advise1 at sea1 to have a perforated iron box made1 large enough to contain half a ton or more of meat1 which box will ascend and descend by pulleys2 have also a frame made on which the box might rest when lowered overboard1 the meat being placed outside the ship on a level with the water1 the night before using2 the water beating against the meat through the perforations will extract all the salt4 ,meat may be soaked in sea water1 but by all means washed4 ,,no4 #b4--,,soyer',s ,,army ,,soup ,,for ,,fifty ,,men4 ,head-,quarters1 #abth ,may1 #ahef4 #a4 ,put in the boiler #fj pints1 #g gallons1 or #e camp kettles of water4 #b4 ,add to it #ejlbs4 of meat1 either beef or mutton4 #c4 ,the rations of preserved or fresh vegetables4 #d4 ,ten small tablespoonfuls of salt4 #e4 ,simmer three hours1 and serve4 ,p4,s4--,when rice is issued put it in when boiling4 ,three pounds will be sufficient4 ,about eight pounds of fresh vegetables4 ,or four squares from a cake of preserved ditto4 ,a tablespoonful of pepper1 if handy4 ,skim off the fat1 which1 when cold1 is an excellent substitute for butter4 ,,no4 #b;,a4--,,salt ,,pork ,,with ,,mashed ,,peas1 ,,for ,,one ,,hundred ,,men4 ,put in two stoves #ejlbs4 of pork each1 divide #bdlbs4 in four pudding-cloths1 rather loosely tied2 putting to boil at the same time as your pork1 let all boil gently till done1 say about two hours2 take out the pudding and peas1 put all meat in one caldron1 remove the liquor from the other pan1 turning back the peas in it1 add two teaspoonfuls of pepper1 a pound of the fat1 and with the wooden spatula smash the peas1 and serve both4 ,the addition of about half a pound of flour and two quarts of liquor1 boiled ten minutes1 makes a great improvement4 ,six sliced onions1 fried and added to it1 makes it very delicate4 ,,no4 #c4--,,stewed ,,salt ,,beef ,,and ,,pork4 ,for a ,company of ,one ,hundred ,men1 or a ,regiment of ,one ,thousand ,men4 ,head-,quarters1 #abth ,june1 #ahee4 ,put in a boiler1 of well-soaked beef #cjlbs41 cut in pieces of a quarter of a pound each4 #bjlbs4 of pork4 #alb4 of sugar4 #hlbs4 of onions1 sliced1 #be quarts of water4 #dlbs4 of rice4 ,simmer gently for three hours1 skim the fat off the top1 and serve4 ,note4--,how to soak the meat for the above mess4--,put #ejlbs4 of meat in each boiler1 having filled them with water1 and let soak all night2 and prior to using it1 wash it and squeeze with your hands1 to extract the salt4 ,in case the meat is still too salt1 boil it for twenty minutes1 throw away the water1 and put fresh to your stew4 ,by closely following the above receipt you will have an excellent dish4 ,,no4 #d4--,,soyer',s ,,food ,,for ,,one ,,hundred ,,men1 ,,using ,,two ,,stoves4 ,head-,quarters1 ,crimea4 ,cut or chop #ejlbs4 of fresh beef in pieces of about a lb4 each2 put in the boiler1 with #aj tablespoonfuls of salt1 two ditto of pepper1 four ditto of sugar1 onions #glbs4 cut in slices3 light the fire now1 and then stir the meat with a spatula1 let it stew from #bj to #cj minutes1 or till it forms a thick gravy1 then add a pound and a half of flour2 mix well together1 put in the boiler #ah quarts of water1 stir well for a minute or two1 regulate the stove to a moderate heat1 and let simmer for about two hours4 ,mutton1 pork1 or veal1 can be stewed in a similar manner1 but will take half an hour less cooking4 ,note4--,a pound of rice may be added with great advantage1 ditto plain dumplings1 ditto potatoes1 as well as mixed vegetables4 ,for a regiment of #ajjj men use #bj stoves4 ,,no4 #e4--,,plain ,,irish ,,stew ,,for ,,fifty ,,men4 ,cut #ejlbs4 of mutton into pieces of a quarter of a pound each1 put them in the pan1 add #hlbs4 of large onions1 #ablbs4 of whole potatoes1 #h tablespoonfuls of salt1 #c tablespoonfuls of pepper2 cover all with water1 giving about half a pint to each pound2 then light the fire2 one hour and a half of gentle ebullition will make a most excellent stew2 mash some of the potatoes to thicken the gravy1 and serve4 ,fresh beef1 veal1 or pork1 will also make a good stew4 ,beef takes two hours doing4 ,dumplings may be added half an hour before done4 ,,no4 #f4--,,to ,,cook ,,for ,a ,,regiment ,,of ,a ,,thousand ,,men4 ,head-,quarters1 ,crimea1 #bjth ,june1 #ahee4 ,place twenty stoves in a row1 in the open air or under cover4 ,put #cj quarts of water in each boiler1 #ejlbs4 of ration meat1 #d squares from a cake of dried vegetables--or1 if fresh mixed vegetables are issued1 #ablbs4 weight--#aj small tablespoonfuls of salt1 #a ditto of pepper1 light the fire1 simmer gently from two hours to two hours and a half1 skim the fat from the top1 and serve4 ,it will require only four cooks per regiment1 the provision and water being carried to the kitchen by fatigue-parties2 the kitchen being central1 instead of the kitchen going to each company1 each company sends two men to the kitchen with a pole to carry the meat4 ,,no4 #g4--,,salt ,,pork ,,and ,,puddings ,,with ,,cabbage ,,and ,,potatoes4 ,put #belbs4 of salt pork in each boiler1 with the other #ejlbs4 from which you have extracted the large bones1 cut in dice1 and made into puddings2 when on the boil1 put five puddings in each1 boil rather fast for two hours4 ,you have peeled #ablbs4 of potatoes and put in a net in each caldron2 put also #b winter cabbages in nets1 three-quarters of an hour before your pudding is done2 divide the pork1 pudding1 and cabbage in proportion1 or let fifty of the men have pudding that day and meat the other2 remove the fat1 and serve4 ,the liquor will make very good soup by adding peas or rice1 as ,no4 #a;a4 ,for the pudding-paste put one quarter of a pound of dripping1 or beef or mutton suet1 to every pound of flour you use2 roll your paste for each half an inch thick1 put a pudding-cloth in a basin1 flour round1 lay in your paste1 add your meat in proportion2 season with pepper and a minced onion2 close your pudding in a cloth1 and boil4 ,this receipt is more applicable to barrack and public institutions than a camp4 ,fresh meat of any kind may be done the same1 and boiled with either salt pork or beef4 ,,no4 #h4--,,turkish ,,pilaff ,,for ,,one ,,hundred ,,men4 ,put in the caldron #blbs4 of fat1 which you have saved from salt pork1 add to it #dlbs4 of peeled and sliced onions2 let them fry in the fat for about ten minutes2 add in then #ablbs4 of rice1 cover the rice over with water1 the rice being submerged two inches1 add to it #g tablespoonfuls of salt1 and #a of pepper2 let simmer gently for about an hour1 stirring it with a spatula occasionally to prevent it burning1 but when commencing to boil1 a very little fire ought to be kept under4 ,each grain ought to be swollen to the full size of rice1 and separate4 ,in the other stove put fat and onions the same quantity with the same seasoning2 cut the flesh of the mutton1 veal1 pork1 or beef from the bone1 cut in dice of about #boz4 each1 put in the pan with the fat and onions1 set it going with a very sharp fire1 having put in #b quarts of water3 steam gently1 stirring occasionally for about half an hour1 till forming rather a rich thick gravy4 ,when both the rice and meat are done1 take half the rice and mix with the meat1 and then the remainder of the meat and rice1 and serve4 ,save the bones for soup for the following day4 ,salt pork or beef1 well soaked1 may be used--omitting the salt4 ,any kind of vegetables may be frizzled with the onions4 ,,no4 #i4--;,,baking ,,and ,,roasting ,,with ,,the ,,field ,,stove4 ,by the removal of the caldron1 and the application of a false bottom put over the fire1 bread bakes extremely well in the oven1 as well as meat1 potatoes1 puddings1 c4 ,bread might be baked in oven at every available opportunity1 at a trifling cost of fuel4 ,the last experiment ,i made with one was a piece of beef weighing about #belbs41 a large ,yorkshire pudding1 and about #ajlbs4 of potatoes1 the whole doing at considerably under one pennyworth of fuel1 being a mixture of coal and coke2 the whole was done to perfection1 and of a nice brown colour4 ,any kind of meat would1 of course1 roast the same4 ,baking in fixed ,oven4--,in barracks1 or large institutions1 where an oven is handy1 ,i would recommend that a long iron trough be made1 four feet in length1 with a two-story movable grating in it1 the meat on the top of the upper one giving a nice elevation to get the heat from the roof1 and the potatoes on the grating under1 and a ,yorkshire pudding1 at the bottom4 ,four or five pieces of meat may be done on one trough4 ,if no pudding is made1 add a quart more water4 ,,no4 #aj4--;,,french ,,beef ,,soup1 ,,or ,,pot-,,au-,,feu1 ,,camp ,,fashion4 ,,for ,,the ,,ordinary ,,canteen-,,pan4 ,put in the canteen saucepan #flbs4 of beef1 cut in two or three pieces1 bones included1 lb4 of plain mixed vegetables1 as onions1 carrots1 turnips1 celery1 leeks1 or such of these as can be obtained1 or #coz4 of preserved in cakes1 as now given to the troops2 #c teaspoonfuls of salt1 #a ditto of pepper1 #a ditto of sugar1 if handy2 #h pints of water1 let it boil gently three hours1 remove some of the fat1 and serve4 ,the addition of #alb4 of bread cut into slices or #alb4 of broken biscuits1 well soaked1 in the broth1 will make a very nutritious soup2 skimming is not required4 ,,no4 #aa4--,,semi-,,frying1 ,,camp ,,fashion1 ,,chops1 ,,steaks1 ,,and ,,all ,,kinds ,,meat ,,of4 ,if it is difficult to broil to perfection1 it is considerably more so to cook meat of any kind in a frying-pan4 ,place your pan on the fire for a minute or so1 wipe it very clean2 when the pan is very hot1 add in it either fat or butter1 but the fat from salt and ration meat is preferable2 the fat will immediately get very hot2 then add the meat you are going to cook1 turn it several times to have it equally done2 season to each pound a small teaspoonful of salt1 quarter that of pepper1 and serve4 ,any sauce or matre d'htel butter may be added4 ,a few fried onions in the remaining fat1 with the addition of a little flour to the onion1 a quarter of a pint of water1 two tablespoonfuls of vinegar1 a few chopped pickles or piccalilly1 will be very relishing4 ,,no4 #aa;,a4--,,tea ,,for ,,eighty ,,men1 ,which often constitutes a whole ,company4 ,one boiler will1 with ease1 make tea for eighty men1 allowing a pint each man4 ,put forty quarts of water to boil1 place the rations of tea in a fine net1 very loose1 or in a large perforated ball2 give one minute to boil1 take out the fire1 if too much1 shut down the cover2 in ten minutes it is ready to serve4 ,,no4 #ab4--;,,coffee ,a ,,la ,,zouave ,,for ,a ,,mess ,,of ,,ten ,,soldiers1 ,as ,i have taught many how to make it in the camp1 the canteen saucepan holding #aj pints4 ,put #i pints of water into a canteen saucepan on the fire2 when boiling add #g oz4 of coffee1 which forms the ration1 mix them well together with a spoon or a piece of wood1 leave on the fire for a few minutes longer1 or until just beginning to boil4 ,take it off and pour in #a pint of cold water1 let the whole remain for ten minutes or a little longer4 ,the dregs of the coffee will fall to the bottom1 and your coffee will be clear4 ,pour it from one vessel to the other1 leaving the dregs at the bottom1 add your ration sugar or #b teaspoonfuls to the pint2 if any milk is to be had make #b pints of coffee less2 add that quantity of milk to your coffee1 the former may be boiled previously1 and serve4 ,this is a very good way for making coffee even in any family1 especially a numerous one1 using #a oz4 to the quart if required stronger4 ,for a company of eighty men use the field-stove and four times the quantity of ingredients4 ,,no4 #ac4--;,,coffee1 ,,turkish ,,fashion4 ,when the water is just on the boil add the coffee and sugar1 mix well as above1 give just a boil and serve4 ,the grouts of coffee will in a few seconds fall to the bottom of the cups4 ,the ,turks wisely leave it there1 ,i would advise every one in camp to do the same4 ,,no4 #ad4--;,,cocoa ,,for ,,eighty ,,men4 ,break eighty portions of ration cocoa in rather small pieces1 put them in the boiler1 with five or six pints of water1 light the fire1 stir the cocoa round till melted1 and forming a pulp not too thick1 preventing any lumps forming1 add to it the remaining water1 hot or cold2 add the ration sugar1 and when just boiling1 it is ready for serving4 ,if short of cocoa in campaigning1 put about sixty rations1 and when in pulp1 add half a pound of flour or arrowroot4 ,,easy ,,and ,,excellent ,,way ,,of ,,cooking ,,in ,,earthen ,,pans4 ,a very favourite and plain dish amongst the convalescent and orderlies at ,scutari was the following3-- ,soyer's ,baking ,stewing ,pan1 the drawing of which ,i extract from my 8,shilling ,cookery40 ,the simplicity of the process1 and the economical system of cooking which may be produced in it1 induced me to introduce it here4 ,each pan is capable of cooking for fifteen men1 and no matter how hard may be the meat1 or small the cutting1 or poor the quality1--while fresh it would always make an excellent dish4 ,proceed as follows3--,cut any part of either beef 7cheek or tail71 veal1 mutton1 or pork1 in fact any hard part of the animal1 in #doz4 slices2 have ready for each #d or #e onions and #d or #e pounds of potatoes cut in slices2 put a layer of potatoes at the bottom of the pan1 then a layer of meat1 season to each pound #a teaspoonful of salt1 quarter #a of pepper1 and some onion you have already minced2 then lay in layers of meat and potatoes alternately till full2 put in #b pints of water1 lay on the lid1 close the bar1 lock the pot1 bake two hours1 and serve4 ,illustration3 ,,soyer',s ,,baking ,,stewing ,,pan4 ,remove some of the fat from the top1 if too much2 a few dumplings1 as ,no4 #ba1 in it will also be found excellent4 ,by adding over each layer a little flour it makes a thick rich sauce4 ,half fresh meat and salt ditto will also be found excellent4 ,the price of these pans is moderate1 and they last a long time--manufacturers1 ,messrs4 ,deane and ,dray4#cf ,,series ,,of ,,small ,,receipts ,,for ,a ,,squad1 ,,outpost1 ,,or ,,picket ,,of ,,men1 ,which may be increased in proportion of companies4 ,,camp ,,receipts ,,for ,,the ,,army ,,in ,,the ,,east4 7,from the ,times of the #bbnd ,january1 #ahee47cg ,no4 #ae4 ,camp ,soup4--,put half a pound of salt pork in a saucepan1 two ounces of rice1 two pints and a half of cold water1 and1 when boiling1 let simmer another hour1 stirring once or twice2 break in six ounces of biscuit1 let soak ten minutes2 it is then ready1 adding one teaspoonful of sugar1 and a quarter one of pepper1 if handy4 ,no4 #af4 ,beef ,soup4--,proceed as above1 boil an hour longer1 adding a pint more water4 ,note4--,those who can obtain any of the following vegetables will find them a great improvement to the above soups3--,add four ounces of either onions1 carrots1 celery1 turnips1 leeks1 greens1 cabbage1 or potatoes1 previously well washed or peeled1 or any of these mixed to make up four ounces1 putting them in the pot with the meat4 ,i have used the green tops of leeks and the leaf of celery as well as the stem1 and found1 that for stewing they are preferable to the white part for flavour4 ,the meat being generally salted with rock salt1 it ought to be well scraped and washed1 or even soaked in water a few hours if convenient2 but if the last cannot be done1 and the meat is therefore too salt1 which would spoil the broth1 parboil it for twenty minutes in water1 before using for soup1 taking care to throw this water away4 ,no4 #ag4--;,for fresh beef proceed1 as far as the cooking goes1 as for salt beef1 adding a teaspoonful of salt to the water4 ,no4 #ah4 ,pea ,soup4--,put in your pot half a pound of salt pork1 half a pint of peas1 three pints of water1 one teaspoonful of sugar1 half one of pepper1 four ounces of vegetables1 cut in slices1 if to be had2 boil gently two hours1 or until the peas are tender1 as some require boiling longer than others--and serve4 ,no4 #ai4 ,stewed ,fresh ,beef and ,rice4--,put an ounce of fat in a pot1 cut half a pound of meat in large dice1 add a teaspoonful of salt1 half one of sugar1 an onion sliced2 put on the fire to stew for fifteen minutes1 stirring occasionally1 then add two ounces of rice1 a pint of water2 stew gently till done1 and serve4 ,any savoury herb will improve the flavour4 ,fresh pork1 veal1 or mutton1 may be done the same way1 and half a pound of potatoes used instead of the rice1 and as rations are served out for three days1 the whole of the provisions may be cooked at once1 as it will keep for some days this time of the year1 and is easily warmed up again4 ,n4,b4 ,for a regular canteen pan triple the quantity4 ,,no4 #bj4--,,receipts ,,for ,,the ,,frying-,,pan4 ,those who are fortunate enough to possess a frying-pan will find the following receipts very useful3--,cut in small dice half a pound of solid meat1 keeping the bones for soup2 put your pan1 which should be quite clean1 on the fire2 when hot through1 add an ounce of fat1 melt it and put in the meat1 season with half a teaspoonful of salt2 fry for ten minutes1 stirring now and then2 add a teaspoonful of flour1 mix all well1 put in half a pint of water1 let simmer for fifteen minutes1 pour over a biscuit previously soaked1 and serve4 ,the addition of a little pepper and sugar1 if handy1 is an improvement1 as is also a pinch of cayenne1 curry-powder1 or spice2 sauces and pickles used in small quantities would be very relishing2 these are articles which will keep for any length of time4 ,as fresh meat is not easily obtained1 any of the cold salt meat may be dressed as above1 omitting the salt1 and only requires warming2 or1 for a change1 boil the meat plainly1 or with greens1 or cabbage1 or dumplings1 as for beef2 then the next day cut what is left in small dice--say four ounces--put in a pan an ounce of fat2 when very hot1 pour in the following3--,mix in a basin a tablespoonful of flour1 moisten with water to form the consistency of thick melted butter1 then pour it in the pan1 letting it remain for one or two minutes1 or until set2 put in the meat1 shake the pan to loosen it1 turn it over1 let it remain a few minutes longer1 and serve4 ,to cook bacon1 chops1 steaks1 slices of any kind of meat1 salt or fresh sausages1 black puddings1 c4 ,make the pan very hot1 having wiped it clean1 add in fat1 dripping1 butter1 or oil1 about an ounce of either2 put in the meat1 turn three or four times1 and season with salt and pepper4 ,a few minutes will do it4 ,if the meat is salt1 it must be well soaked previously4 ,,no4 #ba4--,,suet ,,dumplings4 ,take half a pound of flour1 half a teaspoonful of salt1 a quarter teaspoonful of pepper1 a quarter of a pound of chopped fat pork or beef suet1 eight tablespoonfuls of water1 mixed well together4 ,it will form a thick paste1 and when formed1 divide it into six or eight pieces1 which roll in flour1 and boil with the meat for twenty minutes to half an hour4 ,little chopped onion or aromatic herbs will give it a flavour4 ,a plainer way1 when ,fat is not to be obtained4--,put the same quantity of flour and seasoning in a little more water1 and make it softer1 and divide it into sixteen pieces2 boil about ten minutes4 ,serve round the meat4 ,one plain pudding may be made of the above1 also peas and rice pudding thus3--,one pound of peas well tied in a cloth1 or rice ditto with the beef4 ,it will form a good pudding4 ,the following ingredients may be added3 a little salt1 sugar1 pepper1 chopped onions1 aromatic herbs1 and two ounces of chopped fat will make these puddings palatable and delicate4 ,,bill ,,of ,,fare ,,for ,,london ,,suppers4 ,in introducing the subjoined ,bill of ,fare1 applicable to the ,london suppers1 ,i must here repeat that which ,i have previously mentioned1 that my idea is far from replacing the dishes now so much in vogue both at the 8,albion10 ,simpson's in the ,strand1 ,evans' ,cider ,cellars1 and such-like places2 but now and then a couple of dishes taken from these receipts cannot fail to prove agreeable to the partakers1 without much interfering with the regular routine of the nightly business of such establishments4 ,,no4 #a4--,,plain ,,mutton ,,chops ,,and ,,rump ,,steaks4 ,though almost anybody can boast of being able to cook a plain steak or a chop1 very few can say they can do them to perfection4 ,first of all1 to obtain this important point1 either the mutton or beef ought to be kept till properly set1 according to season2 secondly1 the chop especially is more preferable when cut and beat1 some time before cooking1 so as to set the meat and prevent its shrinking2 it at all times requires a sharp fire 7the broiling ,city fires may be taken as an example1 and the continual red heat of the gridiron72 lay your gridiron over a sharp fire1 two minutes after lay on your chop or steak1 turn three or four times2 when half done1 season highly with salt and pepper1 and when done1 serve immediately1 on a very hot dish4 ,ten minutes will do a steak of #alb41 and about six minutes a chop4 ,,no4 #b4--,,rumpsteak ,,and ,,potatoes4 ,of all steaks1 rumpsteaks are far more preferable than any other1 not excepting the fillet of beef1 as the meat in ,england is so rich1 while in ,france they eat only the fillet of beef--that being the only eatable steak of a ,french ox4 ,have your steak cut as even as possible1 nearly an inch thick1 and weighing from about #albs4 to #blbs42 broil it sharply as described above1 season when properly done1 lay it on a very hot dish1 put on #boz4 or more of matre d'htel butter 7,no4 #b71 turn it three or four times on the dish quickly1 when a most delicious gravy will be formed1 then place about a pound of fried potatoes round it1 and serve4 ,for smaller steaks1 for cooking be guided by size4 ,ditto with ,anchovy ,butter1 of which use #boz4 in lieu of the matre d'htel butter1 and omit the potatoes4 ,same with ,pimento ,butter4 ,same with ,shalot ,butter1 well rubbing the dish prior to putting the steak on it4 ,,no4 #c4--,,mutton ,,and ,,lamb ,,cutlets ,a ,,la ,,bouchere4 ,the word la bouchere1 in ,english1 means the butcher's wife's plain fashion1 and at one time had only the merit of economy2 but a real gourmet1 the illustrious ,cambaceres1 who lived in the time of the first ,empire1 being served with this dish at a little country inn1 while travelling1 discovered the correctness of the proverb that 8the nearer the bone the sweeter the meat10 and on returning to ,paris introduced it to the fashionable circle1 and for a long period this exquisite cotelettes d'agneaux de maison1 or house-lamb cutlet1 and the dainty and justly celebrated cutlets de presal1 were figuring on all the banqueting tables of the ,paris gourmets in perfect neglig1 being dressed in the following unceremonious manner3--,take either a neck of lamb or mutton1 neither too fat nor too lean1 chop the cutlets about six inches in length1 cutting them as usual1 leaving a bone in each2 flatten them with the chopper1 not trimming them at all1 season them highly with salt and pepper1 broil them very quick1 and serve hot4 ,lamb1 mutton1 and veal cutlets may be done the same4 ,for plain cutlets with fried potatoes1 cut them either la bouchere or trim them1 and proceed as for rumpsteak4 ,ditto for ,cutlets la matre d'htel4 ,for relishing sauce1 see ,list of ,sauces4 ,,no4 #d--,,lamb ,,and ,,mutton ,,cutlets1 ,,semi-,,bouchere4 ,cut your cutlets from the neck1 one inch thick2 beat them flat with a chopper without trimming them1 roll them in flour1 butter over2 season with salt1 pepper1 a little chopped shalot2 broil on a sharp fire1 turn three or four times1 and serve4 ,,no4 #e4--,,relishing ,,steak4 7,mutton1 ,veal1 ,pork1 ,chops and ,cutlets1 ,fowls1 ,pigeons1 ,grilled ,bones1 ,kidneys1 c47 ,chop fine a tablespoonful of green pickled chillies3 mix with two pats of butter1 a little mustard1 a spoonful of grated horseradish2 have a nice thick steak1 spread the steak on both sides with the above1 season with half a teaspoonful of salt1 put on a gridiron on a sharp fire1 turn three or four times2 put on a hot dish with the juice of half a lemon and two teaspoonfuls of walnut ketchup1 and serve4 ,if glaze is handy1 spread a little over the steak4 ,mutton1 lamb1 veal1 pork1 chops and cutlets may be done the same2 as well as kidneys2 also grilled fowls1 pigeons--the latter may be egged and bread-crumbed4 ,proceed the same for cooking according to size4 ,any of the above may be half done before rubbing in the ,chili butter4 ,,no4 #f4--;,,fillet ,,de ,b,,uf1 ,,parisian ,,fashion4 ,cut a piece of the fillet of beef crosswise1 including some fat1 the thickness of an inch2 beat it slightly flat with a chopper1 set on a gridiron1 put it on a very sharp fire1 turn it two or three times2 when half done1 season with a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt1 quarter that of pepper1 put on a hot plate1 rub over with an ounce of matre d'htel butter 7as ,no4 #b72 serve up with fried potatoes4 ,mutton chops1 veal chops1 and lamb chops may be dressed similar4 ,,no4 #g4--;,,fillet ,,of ,,beef1 ,,semi-,,chateaubriant4 ,cut it double the thickness of the above1 butter lightly over1 set on the gridiron on a slowish fire1 turn several times2 when half done1 place it nearer the fire2 season with half a teaspoonful of salt1 quarter one of pepper1 a little cayenne1 and serve with sauce la ,mussulman 7as ,no4 #ag74 ,matre d'htel butter or anchovy butter may be used instead2 serve fried chipped potatoes round4 ,,no4 #h4--;,,chops1 ,,semi-,,proven,,al1 ,,or ,,marseilles ,,fashion4 ,when the chop is half broiled1 scrape half a clove of garlic and rub over on both sides of the chop2 serve with the juice of a lemon4 ,for semi-,provenal1 the clove of garlic is cut in two1 and the flat part is placed at the end of a fork and rubbed on the chop4 ,,no4 #i4--;,,chop ,,or ,,steak ,a ,,la ,,sultana4 ,add a tablespoonful of ,sultana sauce in a dish to each pound of meat2 place in a dish and serve2 when the steak is done1 turn it in it three or four times1 and it will make a most delicious gravy4 ,,no4 #aj4--,,mushroom ,,kidney ,,sandwich4 ,broil #c plain kidneys la ,brochette to keep them flat4 ,broil also #f large mushroom heads2 well season with salt and pepper 7cayenne if approved of74 ,a few minutes will do them2 then rub a little fresh butter inside the mushrooms2 dish up each kidney between two mushrooms while very hot1 and serve4 ,if a large quantity is required1 proceed thus--well butter a sautpan1 lay in #bj or more heads of large mushrooms just washed1 season well with salt and pepper2 let stew for twenty minutes gently in an oven1 or till done2 make your kidney sandwich as above1 add a tablespoonful of the gravy over1 and serve4 ,the same may be served on thin toast2 a tablespoonful of the ,sultana ,sauce to every half-dozen kidneys1 make a dish worthy an ,epicurean4 ,the stems of the mushrooms may be stewed and served with the dish4 ,,no4 #aa4--,,minced ,,sandwiches4 ,cut in small thin slices some dressed ham1 ox tongue1 game1 or poultry1 with a few pickled gherkins and olives1 the whole in equal portions2 mix well together2 butter the bread and spread some mustard over1 place the cut meat over the butter1 cover over with the other slice1 cut small1 and serve4 ,,no4 #ab4--,,kidneys ,,saute1 ,,with ,,sherry1 ,,port1 ,,or ,,champagne4 ,cut three kidneys each in five pieces1 put an ounce of butter in the pan2 when very hot1 and beginning to smoke1 add the kidneys2 stir round for two or three minutes with a spoon till set2 add a teaspoonful of flour1 quarter ditto of salt1 the third part of that of pepper2 mix well2 add half a gill of broth1 a small wineglass of either of the above wines2 if no broth1 use water1 adding a little glaze4 ,a tablespoonful of colouring 7,no4 #ae7 is a great improvement to the appearance of the sauce4 ,ox1 calf1 or pig's kidneys may be dressed the same1 following the proportions according to the quantity made4 ,all the above are extremely good on toast1 which would require a little more liquor4 ,a few mushrooms are an improvement4 ,if brown sauce can be obtained1 omit the flour and broth4 ,do not let them boil2 a few minutes will do them4 ,,no4 #ac4--,,semi-,,curried ,,kidneys4 ,take three kidneys1 which forms a portion1 make a small incision in the fleshy part1 so as to enable you to remove the outer skin2 cut each in five pieces crosswise1 put some butter in a stewpan1 salt1 pepper1 a little chopped onions1 give it a fry1 add the kidneys1 stir them for a few minutes till set1 put four tablespoonfuls of curry sauce 7,no4 #i71 and serve4 ,if no curry sauce1 add a quarter of a teaspoonful of curry powder1 one of flour1 and one gill of broth2 serve with rice4 ,,no4 #ad4--,,kidney ,,toast4 ,split the kidney in two1 remove the sinews and outer skin1 mince it up1 and then chop fine2 place in a stewpan some chopped eschalot and parsley1 with a small piece of butter1 and fry the same lightly2 when done1 add a small spoonful of ,sultana ,sauce1 a little flour1 and boil again2 while boiling1 mix in the chopped kidneys2 add salt1 pepper1 and nutmeg to taste4 ,spread the composition upon slices of toast slightly buttered2 mask them up with bread-crumbs mixed with ,parmesan cheese1 place in a sharp oven for ten minutes1 brown them with the salamander1 and serve quite hot4 ,,no4 #ae4--,,mutton1 ,,lamb1 ,,or ,,veal ,,cutlets ,,en ,,papillote1 ,,or ,,wrapped ,,in ,,paper4 ,,ditto1 ,,quarter ,,of ,,fowls ,,and ,,half ,,pigeons1 ,,devilled4 ,cut two or three veal or mutton cutlets half an inch thick1 then put in a saut1 or frying-pan1 four tablespoonfuls of oil1 season your chops thoroughly with salt and pepper1 cook them gently in the pan1 turning them several times2 before they are quite done1 take them off1 add in2 mix with oil remaining in the pan two tablespoonfuls of fine chopped onions1 one tablespoonful of chopped parsley1 fry these gently on the fire for a few minutes1 stirring continually2 when they become a little yellowish1 add a tablespoonful of flour1 mix quick1 then put in a pint of broth1 boil till forming a thick sauce1 add salt and pepper in proportion2 put back the chops into the pan1 simmer a few minutes1 turning them2 cut some paper in the shape of a heart1 large enough to envelope one chop1 oil it well1 put a tablespoonful of the sauce on the paper1 then place on it a chop1 then more sauce1 and plait the paper round the edge of the cutlet to inclose it2 then place in the pan in a hot oven1 or broil slowly4 ,these cutlets might be prepared the day before using1 and placed more conveniently in paper when cold4 ,,no4 #af4--,,pork ,,chops ,a ,,la ,,tartare1 ,which has one great charm--simplicity4 ,it is seldom to be obtained1 even in ,crim ,tartary1 and when it is1 the animal is in no very nice condition4 ,when procurable in a first-class ,tartar family1 they are dipped in vinegar for about an hour prior to being fried or broiled4 ,thin slices of raw onions are eaten with the above1 and a kind of cucumber peculiar to ,russia1 and most delicious when properly pickled2 they are cut in slices with the onions very thinly1 the chop is then placed over a layer while very hot1 and another layer placed over the chop1 until it forms a vegetable sandwich4 ,such is the dish so much relished by our hospitable ,tartar families4 ,,no4 #ag4--,,lamb ,,chops ,a ,l',,africaine4 ,cut a lamb chop as usual1 broil it very sharply1 turning it continually2 when nearly done1 season highly with salt and pepper1 rub over with chutnee 7about a teaspoonful to each chop7 on both sides1 then broil another minute and serve4 ,light melted butter with a chopped girkin makes a good variation for such as veal1 pork1 and broiled fowls1 pigeons1 and also for devilled poultry4 ,i must also observe that chutnee is excellent with all kinds of broiled devils2 a little curry-powder may be introduced4 ,,lamb ,,chops ,a ,,la ,,printaniere4 ,add to the matre d'htel butter 7as ,no4 #b7 chopped tarragon and chervil instead of parsley4 ,,pork ,,chops ,,with ,,pimento ,,butter4 ,plain broil1 and rub over1 in proportion1 half an ounce to each chop4 ,add two tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup on the dish4 ,,no4 #ah4--,,lamb ,,chops ,a ,,la ,,boulangere4 ,this lady1 the boulangre1 or baker's wife1 was invented by a lady of the ,french ,court1 in opposition to the masculine manners of the butcher's wife4 ,cut and trim neatly1 eight1 ten1 or twelve small lamb cutlets1 enough for a small entre2 season lightly with salt1 pepper1 and a little cayenne2 dip them gently in olive oil1 then in the flour box1 and broil very gently on a slow fire2 while doing put a gill of cream in a stewpan1 set it on the fire1 and when boiling add in two ounces of fresh butter1 a tablespoonful of chopped chervil1 the juice of half a lemon1 a little salt and pepper2 stir quick till the butter is melted and it forms a nice smooth sauce1 then pour it over your cutlets and serve quick4 ,,no4 #ai4--,,stewed ,,tripe4 ,select two pounds of double tripe1 cut in strips of a quarter pound each1 put in a clean stew-pan1 add a pint of water1 ditto of milk1 two teaspoonfuls of salt1 half that of pepper1 eight middling-sized onions carefully peeled1 which put in2 set to boil rather fast1 then simmer till done1 which will be in half an hour or rather more2 turn out into a deep dish or tureen1 and serve4 ,,no4 #bj4--;,,curried ,,tripe4 ,make about a pint of curry sauce1 as ,no4 #i2 cut each half-pound in four pieces2 warm gently in it for half an hour1 and serve with rice4 ,,no4 #ba4--;,,gratin ,,tripe ,,in ,,shell4 ,add to the above #b yolks of eggs2 mix quick2 having taken the stewpan off the fire1 stir quick2 put in the scolloped shells1 throw breadcrumbs over a little butter1 put in an oven1 salamander the top1 and serve4 ,,no4 #bb4--,,tripe ,,lyonnaise ,,fashion4 ,when any cold tripe remains2 cut in thin slices about the thickness of an inch square1 mince #b onions1 put some butter1 in proportion1 in a frying-pan1 add in the onions1 fry till they are partly done1 add the tripe1 let fry for about #aj minutes1 tossing them2 season with salt and pepper1 three teaspoonfuls of vinegar to each #alb41 and serve4 ,this is a very favourite dish in ,lyons and ,paris1 both amongst the gourmet and the gourmand4 ,well dry the tripe on a cloth before frying2 it will take #c ounces of butter to the pound4 ,,no4 #bc4--;,,grilled ,,chicken ,,with ,,sharp ,,sauce4 ,prepare your chicken as for grill1 oil it over slightly1 season with salt and pepper in proportion to size1 then place it on a gridiron1 on a rather fierce fire4 ,when ready done1 put by degrees two tablespoonfuls of ,sultana ,sauce over it1 losing none of it4 ,when done1 have on a dish an ounce of butter2 pour over the butter another tablespoonful of sauce2 mix well1 and after turning the chicken two or three times1 serve it up4 ,for ,relishing ,sauce proceed the same1 pouring half a pint of that sauce over it1 ,no4 #ab4 ,,no4 #bd4--;,,broiling ,,or ,,universal ,,devil4 ,any kind of bones which are to undergo the process of broiling ought not to exceed a quarter of a pound each in weight1 a deep incision being made in the fleshy part4 ,the same for game and poultry4 ,rub each piece with the ,mixture ,no4 #gj1 the quantity according to palate1 and broil very sharply1 turning the bones often4 ,strong plain gravy may be served under all4 ,,no4 #be4--,,sandwiches ,,for ,,evening ,,parties4 ,chop fine some cold dressed ham--say about a quarter of a pound1 put it in a basin with a tablespoonful of chopped gherkins and a teaspoonful of mustard1 a little pepper or cayenne2 put about #foz4 of butter in a basin1 and with a spoon stir quickly till it forms a kind of cream2 add the ham and seasoning1 mix all well2 have the sandwich bread cut in thin slices4 ,have already cut1 thinly intermixed with fat1 either cold roast beef1 veal1 lamb1 mutton1 poultry1 fowl1 pheasant1 grouse1 partridge1 c41 either of which lay evenly1 and not too thick1 on your bread2 season with a little salt and pepper1 cover over with another piece of bread2 when your sandwich is ready1 cut them in any shape you like1 but rather small and tastily1 and serve4 ,you may keep them in a cold place1 if not wanted1 as they will keep good under cover for twelve hours4 ,chopped tongue may be introduced instead of ham1 in thin slices4 ,,no4 #bf4--,,lamb',s ,,fry4 ,cut in middling-sized pieces about #alb4 of lamb's fry1 fairly mixed2 put one quart of water in a stew-pan2 when boiling1 add in the fry1 boil fast for ten minutes1 lay the fry on a cloth1 dry it well1 have some fine bread-crumbs ready made1 to which you add a teaspoonful of salt1 two of chopped parsley1 a little grated nutmeg1 break and beat one or two eggs well1 dip the fry in by pieces1 roll them in the breadcrumbs1 and slightly beat with a knife1 to make the breadcrumbs adhere to the fry2 have some fat or lard very hot1 though not burning1 ready in a frying-pan1 in which place your fry for three or four minutes1 when nicely coloured take off1 and dish very hot on a napkin2 serve with either fried parsley or chervel1 free from water1 which have ready in a wire colander2 dip the colander in the fat1 which will fry the parsley in less than a minute4 ,for lamb fry devilled1 rub over with mixture prior to using4 ,see receipt ,no4 #gj4 ,this ,i consider a light dish for supper4 ,,no4 #bg4--,,mutton ,,or ,,lamb ,,chops ,a ,,la ,,turc4 ,cut either thin1 put on a dish1 season with salt and pepper1 mince an onion2 pick out #bj leaves of parsley1 add over a little oil1 rub the chop in it well1 let them soak in it two hours2 plain broil sharply1 and serve4 ,this is an imitation of the ,turkish kybob4 ,,no4 #bh4--,,lobster ,,curry4 ,make about a pint of curry sauce1 ,no4 #i1 take the flesh of a middle-sized lobster1 which cut in neat slices1 let them simmer for ten minutes in the sauce2 serve on a dish1 on toast1 or in the shell1 or bordered by rice4 ,boiled as ,no4 #h in ,hospital ,receipts4 ,,no4 #bi4--,,lobster ,,curry ,,in ,,the ,,shell4 ,add one or two raw yolks of eggs to the above receipt while boiling hot1 mix quickly2 when the eggs are set1 put the meat back in the shells1 cover the surface with bread crumbs1 a few small pieces of butter on each2 put in the oven2 when nicely browned1 serve4 ,by extracting the meat from the body1 tail1 and claws1 without breaking the shells1 they can be filled again with the preparation1 and put together as a whole lobster2 or split the lobster lengthways and serve in two halves4 ,,scalloped ,,lobster4 ,put in scallop in lieu of shell4 ,proceed the same4 ,,no4 #cj4--,,lobster ,,au ,,gratin ,,for ,,those ,,that ,,do ,,not ,,like ,,curry4 ,chop a middling-sized onion1 and put it in a stewpan with #boz4 of butter2 fry of a light brown1 add a small tablespoonful of flour1 stir together1 pour over half a pint of milk1 season with half a teaspoonful of salt1 a quarter of pepper1 and an eighth of cayenne1 a little sugar1 nutmeg1 and chopped parsley2 boil a few minutes1 till rather thick1 add the lobster meat1 give a boil1 add the yolk of an egg1 mix quick1 fill the shells--egg and bread-crumb1 put in an oven for ten minutes1 brown on the top with a hot salamander or shovel1 and serve4 ,,no4 #ca4--,,lobster ,,cutlets4 ,cut a lobster in dice1 letting the flesh weigh about half a pound2 when done1 put in a pan #boz4 of butter1 #b teaspoonfuls of chopped onions2 put all on the fire1 fry for a minute or two1 add #a teaspoonful of flour2 mix well1 stir in for a minute2 add half a pint of milk2 season with salt1 pepper1 and one saltspoonful of cayenne1 two teaspoonfuls of chopped parsley2 let all boil for a minute or two1 stirring all the time2 add in your lobster1 give it a boil2 add two yolks of eggs2 mix quick1 put on a dish to cool4 ,when quite cool and firm1 divide in six parts1 giving each the shape of a small cutlet2 egg and breadcrumb twice4 ,put a piece of the very small claw to the end of each cutlet1 so as to form a bone2 fry for a few minutes1 like you would a sole1 in plenty of fat2 lay on a cloth1 and serve on a napkin1 with plenty of fried parsley2 you may adopt any shape you choose1 if cutlets are too troublesome1 as you would a croquette4 ,no sauce is requisite4 ,the lobsters for the two preceding receipts may be prepared1 shaped1 and bread-crumbed hours before wanted4 ,,no4 #cb4--;,,crabs ,,au ,,gratin ,,in ,,the ,,shell4 ,have the crab prepared as for plain1 lay in the empty shell a layer of the soft part1 then a layer of ,american crackers or biscuit1 grated1 then add the fleshy part of the crab over1 on which pour a tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup1 cover it with slices of cold1 hard eggs1 cut crosswise2 season with a little salt1 pepper1 and cayenne2 cover all with the remainder of the soft part of the crab1 make it even with a knife2 egg1 and breadcrumb over1 or more grated biscuit2 put a few nuts of butter on the top1 set in an oven for twenty minutes or half an hour1 and serve very hot4 ,,no4 #cc4--,,stewed ,,oysters ,,on ,,toast4 ,open a dozen of oysters1 put them in a small stew-pan1 add to them two grains of black pepper1 a little salt1 butter1 cayenne1 and sugar2 set on the stove for a few minutes until set--say three or four minutes2 having only given them a slight boil1 put in a piece of butter as big as a walnut1 which you have mixed with half a teaspoonful of flour1 shake the stew-pan round by the handle1 to melt the contents1 put it back on the fire just to simmer1 and serve on toast4 ,a drop of cream is an improvement4 ,if not enough liquor add a drop of milk4 ,over-stewed oysters are as bad as over-cooked kidneys4 ,for a large quantity1 proceed the same4 ,the only thing to be observed is1 that the oysters are properly set before serving1 they being neither raw nor overdone4 ,,no4 #cd4--,,oysters ,,stewed ,,american ,,fashion4 ,take a dozen large oysters in their liquor1 bring them to a boil1 add salt1 pepper1 and a piece of butter about the size of a nutmeg1 and half a teaspoonful of chopped chervil1 and serve with cracker biscuits4 ,,no4 #ce4--;,,fried ,,oysters1 ,,new ,,york ,,way4 ,take #ab large raw oysters1 dip them in ,indian meal1 throw them into the hot fat immediately1 like you would fried fish1 and serve as soon as browned4 ,,no4 #cf4--,,oyster ,,soup1 ,,new ,,york ,,way1 ,,for ,a ,,party ,,of ,,five ,,persons4 ,take #ej oysters and the liquor1 place them in a pan with salt1 cayenne pepper1 and a teaspoonful of chopped chervil2 when boiling1 add a liason 7or thickening7 of #e yolks of eggs1 with a piece of butter the size of an egg1 and serve4 ,should the oysters not give liquor sufficient1 add water and salt1 if necessary4 ,one-fourth of this quantity may1 of course1 be made4 ,,no4 #cg4--;,,game ,,for ,,supper4 ,in spite of the petite soupers de la ,rgence1 in the early part of the reign of ,louis ,,xv41 when the gastronomic art was nightly unfolding its luxurious delicacies before the illustrious guests of the ,court of ,france1 game1 dressed in numerous shapes1 forming the most succulent dishes1 used to adorn the bills of fare of those nocturnal bacchanalian repasts which had almost triumphed over the daily festive board1 the dinners then at ,court being only a secondary consideration when compared with the suppers4 ,for my part1 ,i much prefer the former1 which1 as ,i have already mentioned1 forms the focus of sociability2 but when you are compelled to sup late1 why not partake of game1 which is much lighter food than solid meat1 overdone kidneys1 or oysters2 for what can be more relishing and palatable for supper than the remains of either pheasant1 grouse1 partridge1 c41 devilled or plain broiled1 while plain roast game is also highly recommendable for such meals4 ,,no4 #ch4--,,soyer',s ,,grouse ,,and ,,black ,,game ,,salad4 ,this dish is also very commendable and relishing4 ,roast a young grouse1 not overdone2 when cold1 cut in eight pieces2 put in a salad bowl enough salad for two persons1 lay the pieces of grouse over with #b or #d hard eggs cut lengthwise2 make the sauce thin1 put in a basin a tablespoonful of finely-chopped shalot1 #a ditto of parsley1 ditto of pounded white sugar1 the yolks of #b raw eggs1 a teaspoonful of salt1 quarter one of pepper1 #b tablespoonfuls of ,chili vinegar1 #d of oil2 mix all together with a spoon1 whip half a pint of cream1 which add carefully to your mixture2 it will then constitute a delicious salad sauce2 pour over your salad1 and mix carefully4 ,pheasants and partridges1 when properly kept1 are also very good4 ,,no4 #ci4--,,lobster ,,salad1 ,,for ,,two ,,persons4 ,take a middle-sized lobster1 break the claw carefully1 extract the tail without splitting it1 cut your lobster in fine1 though large1 slices1 crosswise1 put some salad in a bowl in proportion for two1 either coss or cabbage lettuce1 or endive1 or mixed salad1 have boiled #c or #d hard eggs1 cut crosswise when cold1 then form a crown on your salad by intermixing alternate layers of egg and lobster1 placing the soft part of the interior of the fish in the centre4 ,cucumber and beet-root may be used instead of eggs4 ,then put into a basin a small teaspoonful of salt1 quarter ditto of pepper1 #b tablespoonfuls of vinegar1 #d of oil1 a little sugar1 stir well together1 pour over your salad1 which mix gently with a spoon and fork1 and serve2 the addition of chopped parsley1 tarragon1 and chervil1 or chopped shalot1 is an improvement4 ,,no4 #dj4--;,,crab ,,salad1 ,,with ,,eggs4 ,place the soft part of the crab in a bowl1 having made it into a pulp2 add to it the quantum of oil1 vinegar1 salt1 pepper2 mix all well together1 as above4 ,if too thick1 add half a gill of milk1 to form a thinnish sauce2 put your salad in a bowl according to proportion1 over which put lightly the meat of the crab2 pour your sauce over1 having cut four eggs lengthwise in quarters2 toss it well1 stir round1 and serve as above4 ,,no4 #da4--,,new ,,salad1 ,,tartar ,,fashion4 ,prepare your salad1 well washed and dried2 7cabbage or coss lettuce are preferable72 boil #d onions2 when cold cut in thick slices2 cut also #d pickled cucumbers1 ,israelite fashion1 put a layer of the salad at the bottom1 then a bed of cucumber and onion1 and another of salad1 at the top2 have #b mild salt herrings1 ready broiled1 with all the bones extracted2 cut it in small square pieces1 season with salt1 pepper1 vinegar1 and oil1 in proportion1 tossing all well together1 as this plan is preferable to using a spoon and fork4 ,,no4 #db4--,,plain ,,salad1 ,,with ,,anchovies4 ,put your salad in a bowl1 wash and shake as above2 wash and scrape a dozen of anchovies2 bone them by splitting them up2 have #b hard eggs1 chopped fine2 put them over the salad2 chop about #boz4 of either piccalilli1 pickle1 or plain gherkin4 ,the above is for four persons2 then add salad enough for that number2 season with a teaspoonful of salt1 a quarter that of pepper1 #d tablespoons of oil1 #b of vinegar2 stir well1 but lightly1 and serve4 ,coss and cabbage lettuce are preferable4 ,any one who does not object to oil1 #e tablespoonfuls may be used to #b of the best ,french vinegar4 ,for mixed salads proceed the same4 ,anchovies1 eggs1 and gherkins may be omitted1 and yet will make an excellent salad4 ,,no4 #dc4--;,,endive ,,salad4 ,highly appreciated by ,french gourmets4 ,wash quickly four heads of very white endive4 ,the ,french is much preferable to the ,english1 and is imported in abundance to the ,london markets4 ,why they should be washed quickly is1 that if they remain in the water any length of time they become as bitter as gall4 ,take off the green leaves1 if any2 cut the stem off and the leaf in two when too long1 shake well in a cloth to dry1 and put in your salad bowl1 which you have previously rubbed with a piece of garlic2 add in your salad1 a teaspoonful of salt1 quarter one of pepper1 #e tablespoonfuls of oil1 #b of vinegar2 rub a piece of garlic on two crusts of bread1 each about the size of a walnut2 add them to your salad1 which you stir well for a few minutes with a spoon and fork1 and serve4 ,the garlic in this salad1 far from being objectionable1 gives only a slight flavour1 to which no one can object1 but which1 on the contrary1 is highly appreciated by the gourmet4 ,garlic may be either increased or diminished according to taste4 ,,no4 #dd4--,,omelettes ,,with ,,fine ,,herbs4 ,six eggs will make a nice omelette for two persons for supper2 add a teaspoonful of salt1 quarter ditto of pepper1 break them carefully in a basin1 as a tainted egg will spoil all the rest2 add three-quarters of a tablespoonful of salt1 a quarter one of pepper1 two of chopped parsley1 half a one of fine chopped onions2 beat them well2 add #boz4 of butter in a nice clean and dry frying-pan1 place it then on the fire1 and when the butter is very hot then pour in your eggs1 which keep mixing quick with a spoon until all is delicately set1 then let it slip to the edge of the pan1 en masse1 laying hold of the handle1 raising it slantwise1 which will give an elongated form to the omelette2 turning the edges1 let it set a minute1 turn on a dish1 and serve4 ,,no4 #de4--,,omelettes ,,with ,,mushrooms4 ,add in a couple of middling-sized mushrooms1 cut very thin1 and proceed as above4 ,,no4 #df4--;,,for ,,bacon ,,and ,,ham ,,omelettes4 ,cut #boz4 of either in small dice1 not too salt1 fry two or three minutes in the butter before putting in the eggs1--and proceed as above4 ,,no4 #dg4--,,omelettes ,,with ,,sprue ,,grass4 ,cut the sprue half an inch in length1 plain boil them in salt and water till done1 add two tablespoonfuls to your eggs1--and proceed as above4 ,,no4 #dh4--,,omelettes ,,with ,,parmesan4 ,for ,parmesan omelettes1 put into your eggs two tablespoonfuls of grated ,parmesan cheese--,gruyre or any good dry ,english cheese will do as well4 ,,no4 #di4--,,poached ,,eggs ,,with ,,cream4 ,put in a small pan a pint of water1 a teaspoonful of salt1 four of vinegar2 when boiling break carefully in the pan two1 three1 or four nice fresh eggs1 simmer for four or five minutes1 or till properly set firm1 but not hard2 serve either on toast or on a plain dish4 ,put in a small stewpan half a gill of cream1 a little salt1 pepper1 and sugar2 when the cream is on the boil add an ounce of fresh butter1 take off the stewpan1 toss it round till the butter is melted1 pour over and serve4 ,fried ham and bacon may be laid on toast1 poached eggs placed over1 and served plain4 ,none other but fresh eggs will poach2 the quality may be ascertained by holding them up to the candle2 if the shell is spotted1 they are useless for poaching1 though of use for other purposes4 ,,no4 #ej4--,,poached ,,eggs ,,with ,,maitre ,d',,hotel ,,butter4 ,put two ounces of matre d'htel butter in a hot stewpan1 and stir round till melted2 pour over your eggs which you have placed on toast4 ,,no4 #ea4--,,poached ,,eggs1 ,,semi-,,curried1 ,,with ,,ham ,,or ,,bacon4 ,proceed as ,no4 #ef1 pouring a gill of curry sauce over4 ,,no4 #eb4--;,,battered ,,eggs ,,with ,,mushrooms4 ,put in a stewpan #boz4 of butter1 break over four fresh eggs1 add a tablespoonful of chopped mushrooms1 half a teaspoonful of salt1 quarter that of pepper4 ,set on the fire1 and stir continually with a wooden spoon till it forms a thickish consistency2 have buttered toast on a plate1 pour your eggs over1 and serve4 ,,no4 #ec4--;,,battered ,,eggs ,,with ,,sprue ,,grass4 ,add #b tablespoonfuls of boiled sprue grass 7as ,no4 #dg71 and proceed as above4 ,,no4 #ed4--;,,ham ,,with ,,shalots1 ,,parsley1 ,,and ,,chervil4 ,cut in small dice #a oz4 of clean cooked ham1 put in your eggs1 and cook as above4 ,a spoonful of either shalot1 parsley1 or chervil will vary this dish4 ,,no4 #ee4--,,mirrored ,,eggs4 ,put #a oz4 of butter into a small tin pan1 spreading it all over1 in it crack #d eggs without breaking the yolk if possible1 season over with salt and pepper1 and small nuts of butter here and there2 put in an oven before the fire till set1 and serve4 ,,no4 #ef4--;,,eggs ,,au ,,miroir1 ,,with ,,ham ,,or ,,bacon4 ,cut the ham or bacon in thin slices1 fry a few minutes in a pan1 put on your plate1 break your eggs over1 set in oven till set1 and serve1 and proceed as above4 ,the ham may be cut in thicker slices if preferred1 but will take rather longer cooking4 ,,no4 #eg4--;,,eggs ,,with ,,chopped ,,ham ,,or ,,tongue4 ,cut #boz4 of dressed ham in small dice1 butter the bottom of the plate or dish1 and place the ham upon it2 break the eggs over1 season1 and proceed as before4 ,,no4 #eh4--;,,eggs ,,and ,,mushrooms4 ,wash1 peel1 and slice a few mushrooms1 butter the dish thickly1 spread the mushrooms over1 season with salt and pepper1 and set the dish in the oven till the mushrooms are done2 break the eggs over and proceed as before4 ,,no4 #ei4--;,,eggs ,,and ,,truffles4 ,wash1 peel1 and cut in very thin slices1 a fresh truffle1 butter the dish1 add a tablespoonful of sherry2 salt and pepper2 lay the slices of truffles flat over the bottom of the dish1 and put it in the oven a few minutes2 when boiled a minute or two1 break the eggs over and cook as usual4 ,english truffles are excellent for this purpose4 ,,no4 #fj4--;,,eggs ,,with ,,sprue ,,grass4 ,boil about a quarter of a pint of sprue grass2 butter the dish as usual1 spread the grass over1 season with a little powdered sugar1 salt1 and pepper2 break the eggs over1 place in the oven1 and proceed as before4 ,,no4 #fa4--;,,eggs ,a ,,la ,,bonne ,,femme4 ,cut a middle-sized onion in dice1 put it in a stewpan with a pat of butter1 and fry of a light brown2 when done add a teaspoonful of vinegar2 butter the dish lightly1 spread the onions over1 season with pepper and salt1 and break the eggs over2 put in the oven2 when done mask the eggs with fried bread-crumbs1 and serve4 ,,no4 #fb4--;,,curried ,,eggs4 ,boil three eggs for ten minutes1 put them in cold water2 when1 cold1 shell1 cut them in two lengthwise1 and throw them into a curry sauce1 give them a boil1 dish them on the flat side in the form of a star2 this will make a very good and pretty dish4 ,eggs boiled too hard are very unwholesome1 especially for supper2 done this way they will be perfect2 they may be put entire in the sauce1 and cut when dished up2 they will take the flavour of the curry just the same4 ,,no4 #fc4--;,,eggs ,a ,,la ,,tripe1 ,,or ,,onion ,,sauce4 ,boil #c eggs as above1 cut them in slices1 and put in a sauce you have prepared thus3-- ,cut #b middle-sized onions in slices1 put them in a stewpan with an ounce of butter1 and fry them till done without taking colour2 add a small tablespoonful of flour1 and moisten with a teacupful of milk3 season with salt1 pepper1 and nutmeg1 give a boil1 toss the eggs up in the sauce1 and serve4 ,the same may be served with tomato sauce4 ,,no4 #fd4--;,,eggs ,,with ,,tomato ,,sauce4 ,proceed as for curried eggs1 using tomato sauce instead of curry4 ,,no4 #fe4--,,rarebit ,a ,,la ,,soyer1 ,,with ,,sherry ,,or ,,champagne4 ,cut half a pound of rich cheese in small dice2 put in a stewpan #b pats of butter with a teaspoonful of mixed ,durham mustard1 a little salt1 half a teaspoonful of pepper1 one wineglass of sherry or champagne2 put on a slow fire1 stir gently with a wooden spoon till properly melted1 though not stringy1 which might occur if turned too quickly2 have a nice toast half an inch thick done at the last minute1 pour your cheese over and serve4 ,leaving it a few minutes in an oven is an improvement4 ,,no4 #ff4--;,,fried ,,potatoes4 ,fried potatoes being much lighter for supper than baked ones1 would be an excellent introduction to the ,london supper bill of fare4 ,i shall also observe that a potato when well fried does not retain a particle of grease1 and therefore is not rich1 or likely to be so1 when properly done4 ,where a quantity are required1 put in a wide stew-pan1 three or four pounds of either lard1 beef1 or mutton fat2--see receipt ,no4 #bj1 page #edd1 how to clarify the two last4 ,set it upon the fire1 and while heating1 peel a pound of potatoes about the size of a large egg1 cut them in thin slices crosswise upon a clean cloth1 to absorb the moisture1 taking care they are well separated2 when the fat is hot1 8but not burning10 which you will ascertain by its giving out a light smoke1 or else dip your finger in cold water and let a drop fall in the fat--if it hisses it is then at a proper heat2 throw in the potatoes1 and keep moving them with a skimmer to prevent them sticking together2 in about three or four minutes they will be cooked and well fried1 of a pale gold colour2 take2 them out upon a cloth1 sieve1 or colander2 sprinkle scientifically with salt1 and serve plain1 or upon a napkin1 or round a steak1 fillet of beef1 c4 ,,no4 #fg4--;,,fried ,,potatoes ,,with ,,maitre ,d',,hotel ,,butter4 ,while in the colander1 and just having been fried1 add to a portion of potatoes about half an ounce of matre d'htel butter1 toast till melted1 and serve either plain or round steak4 ,,no4 #fh4--;,,fried ,,potatoes ,,with ,,cayenne ,,pepper4 ,when just done throw half a saltspoonful of cayenne over them1 toast them1 and serve4 ,,no4 #fi4--;,,chipped ,,or ,,ribboned ,,potatoes4 ,cut some potatoes crosswise about the thickness of an inch1 then peel them thinly in ribbons1 fry as above--they will require a little longer doing2 when they are crisp take them out1 place them on a clean cloth1 and sprinkle them over with salt1 cayenne1 and black pepper to fancy1 and serve4 ,,no4 #gj4--,,soyer',s ,,universal ,,devil ,,mixture1 ,which will be found applicable to all devilled food4 ,to devil the same1 rub each piece over with the following mixture1 laving made a deep incision in any article of food that may be subjected to this ,mephistophelean process4 ,put in a bowl a good tablespoonful of ,durham mustard1 which mix with four tablespoonfuls of ,chili vinegar2 add to it a tablespoonful of grated horseradish1 two bruised shalots1 a teaspoonful of salt1 half ditto of cayenne1 ditto of black pepper1 and one of pounded sugar1 two teaspoonfuls of chopped chillies1 if handy2 add the yolks of two raw eggs12 take a paste-brush1 and after having slightly seasoned each piece with salt1 rub over each piece with the same1 probing some in the incisions4 ,first broil slowly1 and then the last few minutes as near as possible the ,pandemonium fire4 ,the yolks may be omitted4 ,,no4 #ga4--;,a ,,plainer ,,way ,,for ,,the ,,million4 ,mix the mustard with plain vinegar2 add one half more cayenne2 use the same quantity of salt1 pepper1 and sugar2 use onions instead of shalots4 ,the liquor of pickles is even preferable to vinegar4 ,proceed as above for grilling2 remains of meat1 game1 and poultry are very relishing when done as above1 especially for an early luncheon or a late supper4 ,,no4 #gb4--;,,chicken1 ,,american ,,fashion4 ,have a small fowl ready for grilling1 season with salt1 pepper1 and a little cayenne2 beat an egg well1 rub it over2 mix some ,american grated crackers with maize1 roll it in and beat it with a knife to make it adhere to the chicken2 put it on a gridiron1 and when hot through put small nuts of butter here and there2 broil to a very nice colour and serve #b doz4 stewed oysters1 as ,no4 #cc1 on toast1 which place under the fowl4 ,any sharp sauce instead of oysters will do for this dish4 ,,no4 #gc4--;,,herring ,a ,,la ,,rob ,,roy4 ,well wash and clean a red herring1 wipe it dry and place it in a pie-dish1 having cut off the head1 and split it in two up the back2 put a gill or two of whiskey over the herring1 according to size1 hold it on one side of the dish1 so that it is covered with the spirit1 set it alight1 and when the flame goes out the fish is done4 ,,no4 #gd4--;,,cold ,,asparagus ,,salad1 ,,while ,,in ,,season4 ,a very refreshing and delicious dish for supper4 ,when this vegetable is in season1 put in a soup plate a tablespoonful of vinegar1 two of oil1 quarter teaspoonful of salt1 half that of pepper1 mix together1 a little chopped parsley may be introduced1 and dip each head of cold grass as you eat them in the mixture4 ,,no4 #ge4--,,new ,,potato ,,salad1 ,,german ,,fashion4 ,boil some rather waxy potatoes1 peel when just done1 cut in slices1 put them in a bowl1 add to every pound one tablespoonful of vinegar1 two of oil1 half a teaspoonful of salt1 quarter that of pepper toss up well1 and eat it cold4 ,add a little chopped parsley4 ,,no4 #gf4--,,new ,,potato ,,salad1 ,,french ,,haricot1 ,,and ,,haricot ,,beans4 ,have your vegetables properly cooked1 and when cold put a pound of ,french or the other beans in a bowl1 season with salt1 pepper1 oil1 vinegar1 as above1 and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley2 toss well1 and serve4 ,the ,french beans only require to be boiled in a plain way4 ,the ,french haricots--put a pint in two quarts of cold water1 add one ounce of butter1 and boil very gently for two hours1 or till tender1 let it get cold and make your salad4 ,for lentils proceed the same as haricots4 ,,no4 #gg4--;,,bouillabaisse ,,anglicised4 ,the fish ,i would recommend in ,england for that far-famed dish would be red mullet1 whiting1 and barble1 or a small turbot1 all cut up crosswise1 in pieces of about two ounces to a quarter of a pound each2 slice up two large onions1 place them in a good-sized stewpan1 large enough to contain your fish all at the bottom--a flat wide pan is preferable4 ,add to this two tablespoonfuls of olive oil1 and fry the onions of a pale brown colour2 next place the pieces of fish in the pan1 cover them with warm water1 only just to the depth of the contents4 ,to each pound of fish1 sprinkle about half a teaspoonful of salt1 or a little more1 a quarter that quantity of pepper1 half a bay leaf1 the flesh of half a lemon1 without pips or rind1 cut in dice2 cut also two tomatos in dice1 having extracted the seed1 add a glass or two of sherry or light wine1 a few peppercorns1 and half a clove of garlic1 instead of four1 as done at ,marseilles1 as mentioned at page #fa2 set on a fierce fire1 and boil very fast from ten to twelve minutes4 ,by this time the liquor should be reduced to a third of its original quantity2 add a small portion of saffron1 according to taste1 a tablespoonful of fresh chopped parsley2 allow all to boil one minute longer1 and remove from the fire1 for it is then ready for dishing up4 7,for which process see page #fa47 ,second-class ,bouillabaisse4--,use gurnet1 plaice1 soles1 c4 ,bouillabaisse may be made also of fresh-water fish1 such as perch1 tench1 trout1 and pike1 proceeding precisely as above2 if the broth is required for an invalid1 omit the wine and some of the seasoning1 according to the order of the doctor4 ,,no4 #gh4--,,soyer',s ,,crimean ,,cup ,a ,,la ,,wyndham4 ,thinly peel the rind of half an orange1 put it into a bowl with a tablespoonful of crushed sugar1 and macerate with the ladle for a minute2 then add one large wine-glass of ,maraschino1 half one of ,cognac1 half one of ,curaoa4 ,mix well together1 pour in two bottles of soda-water1 and one of champagne1 during which time work it up and down with the punch ladle1 and it is ready4 ,half a pound of ,wenham ,lake ice1 if to be procured1 is a great improvement4 ,,no4 #gi4--,,soyer',s ,,balaklava ,,nectar4 ,thinly peel the rind of half a lemon1 shred it fine1 and put it in a punch-bowl2 add #b tablespoonfuls of crushed sugar and the juice of #b lemons1 the half of a small cucumber sliced thin with the peel on2 toss it up several times1 then add #b bottles of soda-water1 #b of claret1 #a of champagne1 stir well together and serve4 ,,no4 #hj4--,,pierce',s ,,claret ,,and ,,champagne ,,cup ,a ,,la ,,brunow4 ,this gentleman1 whose excellent and useful book ,i have quoted in the body of this work1 has favoured me with the following claret and champagne cup1 which ought1 from its excellency1 to be called1 the nectar of the ,czar1 as it is so highly appreciated in ,russia1 where for many years it has enjoyed a high reputation amongst the aristocracy of the ,muscovite empire4 ,to three bottles of claret1 take two-thirds of a pint of ,curaoa1 one pint of sherry1 half ditto of brandy1 two wine-glasses of ratafia1 three oranges1 and one lemon1 cut in slices2 some sprigs of green balm1 ditto of borage1 a small piece of rind of cucumber1 two bottles of ,german ,seltzer-water1 three ditto of soda-water2 stir this together1 and sweeten with capillaire or pounded sugar until it ferments1 let it stand one hour1 strain it1 and ice it well2 it is then fit for use4 ,the same for ,champagne ,cup4--,champagne instead of claret2 noyeau instead of ratafia4 ,this quantity is for an evening party of forty persons4 ,for a smaller number reduce the proportions4 ,,sauces4 #a4--,,melted ,,butter4 ,put #boz4 of butter in a stew-pan holding about a quart1 and #boz4 of flour1 half a teaspoonful of salt1 a quarter one of pepper2 mix together with a spoon till forming a thick paste1 add a pint of cold water1 place all on a fire1 stir continually2 take the pan off the fire when it simmers2 add another of fresh butter in it1 stir till melted2 it is then ready for use4 ,a little grated nutmeg and a drop of vinegar is an improvement4 ,this sauce being the base of so many others1 requires attention in making1 and as flour will sometimes be stronger than at others1 and likely to make it too thin or too thick1 take for a rule that the proper thickness when done ought to form a transparent coating over the back of the spoon4 #b4--;,,beurre ,a ,,la ,,maitre ,d',,hotel1 ,,or ,,hotel ,,keeper',s ,,butter4 ,put on a plate a quarter of a pound of fresh butter1 a quarter of a spoonful of salt1 ditto of pepper1 two of chopped parsley1 the juice of a middle-sized lemon 7if no lemon1 use vinegar71 and a little grated nutmeg2 mix well together1 and keep in a cool place till required4 ,this is excellent with kidneys and all broiled meats4 ,nutmeg may be omitted4 #c4--;,,anchovy ,,butter1 ,,or ,,beurre ,d',,anchoix4 ,take #f anchovies from a bottle1 scrape and wash them1 pound and pulp them1 or bruise them on a board2 mix #foz4 of fresh butter1 pass through a sieve1 and use when required4 ,keep the sauce in a cold place4 #d4--;,,chervil ,,and ,,tarragon ,,butter4 ,to #boz4 of butter add a teaspoonful of chopped chervil and tarragon2 add salt1 pepper1 a little cayenne1 #a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar1 or the juice of half a lemon4 #e4--,,pimento1 ,,or ,,chili ,,butter4 ,for #boz4 of butter put a teaspoonful of chilies chopped fine1 #a of parsley1 a scrape of garlic as large as a pea2 add to it half a teaspoonful of salt1 a little pepper1 and the juice of half a lemon2 mix well4 #f4--,,shalot ,,butter4 ,put a quarter of a pound of butter and a teaspoonful of chopped shalot in a dish1 a little cayenne1 salt1 pepper1 half a teaspoonful of mustard1 the juice of a lemon2 mix together4 #g4--;,,black ,,butter1 ,,or ,,beurre ,,noir4 ,put #boz4 of butter in a stewpan1 set it on the fire till it acquires a brownish colour1 throw in about #bj parsley leaves1 #b tablespoonfuls of vinegar1 half a teaspoonful of salt1 a quarter of pepper2 boil together one minute4 ,it is also excellent with boiled mackerel and skate4 #h4--,,onion ,,sauce1 ,,or ,,sauce ,a ,,la ,,tripe4 ,peel and cut #f onions in slices1 put them in a stewpan with #boz4 of butter1 a teaspoonful of salt1 one of sugar1 half one of pepper2 place on a slow fire to simmer till in pulp1 stirring now and then1 to prevent getting brown2 add a tablespoonful of flour1 a pint of milk1 and boil till of a proper thickness4 ,this sauce should be a little thicker than melted butter4 #i4--;,,curry ,,sauce4 ,peel and cut #b middling-sized onions in slices1 #a apple1 cut in dice1 and an ounce of bacon2 put them in a stewpan with two ounces of butter2 put it on the fire and fry gently for five or six minutes2 add #c teaspoonfuls of flour1 #a of curry powder1 moisten with a pint and a half of milk1 add half a teaspoonful of salt1 and #a of sugar2 boil till rather thick2 pass through a sieve1 and serve with any article requiring curry sauce4 #aj4--;,,bread ,,sauce4 ,put in a stewpan #d tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs1 a quarter of one of salt1 an eighth of pepper1 #f pepper corns2 peel a small onion1 cut it in four1 add it to the crumbs1 with half a pint of milk and half an ounce of butter4 ,boil for ten minutes1 and you will have an excellent sauce4 ,add more milk if requisite4 #aa4--,,maitre ,d',,hotel ,,sauce4 ,mix #boz4 of matre d'htel butter to half a pint of hot melted butter sauce1 and shake1 and when the butter is melted it is ready4 #ab4--,,relishing ,,sauce1 ,for broiled bones1 fowls1 meat1 fish1 c4 c4 ,put a tablespoonful of chopped onions into a stewpan1 with #a of ,chili vinegar1 #a of common vinegar1 #c of water1 #b of mushroom ketchup1 #b of ,harvey's sauce1 #a of anchovies2 add to it a pint of melted butter1 as receipt ,no4 #a2 let it simmer until it adheres to the back of the spoon2 add half a teaspoonful of sugar2 it is then ready for use4 ,the many ingredients found in this are always to be obtained in every tavern4 #ac4--,,tomato ,,sauce4 ,cut in dice #boz4 of lean ham or bacon1 put either in a stewpan1 with #boz4 of butter1 a sliced onion1 a few sprigs of parsley1 #d peppercorns1 and #a bay-leaf2 fry on the fire till getting slightly brown2 add in then about #blb4 of fresh tomatoes1 cut across1 lightly extract the seed2 let them stew about fifteen minutes1 or till in pulp2 add to it #b tablespoonfuls of flour2 mix well2 then about a pint of broth or milk1 a teaspoonful of salt1 quarter that of pepper1 one of sugar1 a sprinkle of cayenne1 boil all ten minutes2 pass through a sieve or colander2 put them back again in the stewpan2 give another boil1 it is then ready for use when required4 ,a tablespoonful of ketchup may be added2 also a piece of glaze1 if handy4 #ad4--,,semi-,,sultana4 ,add #c tablespoonfuls to #a pint of thin melted butter2 boil a few minutes2 it is then ready4 #ae4--,,piccalilly ,,sauce4 ,cut in slices1 or in small dice1 #boz4 of mixed pickles1 called piccalilly1 add it to half a pint melted butter1 with #b tablespoonfuls of liqueur1 and use when required4 #af4--;,,browning ,,for ,,sauces4 ,put half a pound of brown sugar into an iron saucepan1 and melt it over a moderate fire for about twenty-five minutes1 stirring it continually1 until quite black1 but it must become so by degrees1 or too sudden a heat will make it bitter1 then add two quarts of water1 and in ten minutes the sugar will be dissolved4 ,bottle for use4 #ag4--,,new ,,mayonnaise ,,sauce4 ,put a quarter of a pint of melted aspic or savoury jelly upon ice in a stew-pan1 which keep whisking until becoming a white froth1 then add half a pint of salad oil and six spoonfuls of tarragon vinegar1 by degrees--first oil and then vinegar1 continually whisking until it forms a white smooth sauce1 to all appearance like a cream2 season with half a teaspoonful of salt1 a quarter ditto of pepper1 and a little sugar2 whisk it a little more1 and it is ready to serve2 it is usually dressed pyramidically over the article it is served with4 ,the advantage of this sauce 7which is more delicate than any other7 is1 that you may dress it to any height you like1 and it will remain so for a long time2 if the temperature is not too hot1 it will remain hours without melting or appearing greasy4 ,,no4 #ah4--,,mussulman ,,sauce4 ,put in a pint stew-pan two yolks of eggs1 a quarter of a pound of butter1 a quarter teaspoonful of salt1 half that of pepper1 the juice of a middling-sized lemon2 put on a slow fire1 and stir round quickly till the whole forms a thick rich sauce2 it is then ready for using4 ,this must be done extremely quick1 else it will turn to oil2 two minutes will do it4 ,if too thick1 add a drop of milk4 #ai4--,,tomatoes1 ,,american ,,way4 ,cut the tomatoes in two1 leaving the seeds and juice in2 cut a middling-sized onion in dice1 pass it in butter till slightly browned2 add the tomatoes1 salt1 pepper1 a teaspoonful of vinegar1 and sufficient bread-crumbs to thicken them2 stew gently for twenty minutes1 and serve with roast meat or poultry4 ,bread ,crumbs4--,take a piece of the crumb of a stale loaf1 not too hard1 put it in a cloth1 bruise it with your hand well1 till it falls in crumbs2 pass it through either a wire sieve or colander1 and use when required4 #bj4--;,,how ,,to ,,melt ,,fat4 ,take #c or #dlbs4 of either beef or mutton suet1 cut in small dice2 put in a stewpan1 with half a pint of water2 place on the fire to melt1 stirring now and then2 when the suet turns to a light yellow colour1 pour it through a colander1 which you have already placed in a basin1 press the suet with the back of a spoon to extract the oil of the fat2 it is then ready for use1 and will keep a long time without spoiling2 you may fry many times with the same4 #ba4--;,,chopping ,,of ,,herbs1 ,,parsley1 ,,chervil1 ,c4 ,this may appear a very simple thing to do well1 yet it is often done badly1 by which the flavour is lost4 ,the herbs should be well washed and dried1 and then the leaves taken in the left hand1 pressing upon them with your fingers1 and chop as fine as possible1 not by placing the point of the knife on the board1 and raising it and letting it fall1 but with a good sharp cut1 so that they are cut1 not pressed4 ,onions should be peeled1 and cut in halves lengthwise1 and then with a thin knife cut each half in slices1 leaving them joined at the root2 again cut into slices contrariwise1 and then from top to bottom2 thus having cut into very small squares1 chop it with both hands with the knife4 ,you may also wash them4 ,when half-chopped1 press them in a cloth1 and chop them still finer1 and use when required4 ,proceed the same for shalots4 ,,receipts ,,for ,,the ,,needy4 ,having promised a friend1 when first ,i commenced this work1 that ,i would insert in its pages a number of receipts for the poor1 ,i fulfil my obligation by re-publishing some receipts which ,i first brought out in the year of the famine1 #ahdg2 and with all the intention ,i had of still further simplifying them ,i find their improvement an impossibility4 ,i have1 however1 withdrawn some receipts of dishes1 which were only applicable to that period1 and ,i have at the same time introduced a few new ones1 which ,i feel confident will tend to the comfort of humble families4 ,in making the receipts ,nos4 #a and #b public1 ,i did not suppose that they would meet with the entire approbation of the nation1 particularly by those who imagine that nothing can be good except plenty of animal food is used for the subsistence of man4 ,i shall not enter into a culinary digression to prove it1 but ,i am so satisfied of the failure of the quantity of nourishment generally obtained by those who cannot make anything good1 even with plenty1 for want of having the practical judgment1 that ,i make bold to affirm1 that the little animal substance ,i recommend1 if closely followed1 will produce all the nourishment requisite when amalgamated in the way described4 ,as regards the peelings and ends of vegetables which ,i use in my receipts1 it is a well-known fact1 that the exterior of every vegetable1 roots in particular1 contains more flavour than the interior of it2 which is my reason for recommending only the washing well of those vegetables before they are cut for use1 thereby increasing the vegetable produce of the country1 and using that which has hitherto only increased the 8malaria0 of our courts and alleys by its decomposition4 ,having thus explained my reasons1 ,i now give publicity to my receipts for making soups and other dishes in this form2 which ,i trust will prove useful to the benevolent and the whole laborious and industrious population of the county1 and produce economy in all charitable institutions1 and comfort in every cottage4 ,almost all the productions of nature can be made available1 and produce wholesome and nutritious food for man4 ,the following is a short list1 taking them in rotation1 according to the quantity of nutriment they contain3--,beef1 mutton1 venison1 pork1 veal1 lamb1 hare1 rabbits1 bacon1 lard1 dripping1 butter1 oil3 of farinaceous substances1#ch ,indian corn1 wheat1 rice1 barley1 rye1 buck-wheat1 oats1 peas1 beans1 lentils3 of vegetables and roots--yams1 potatoes1 ,jerusalem artichokes1 parsnips1 turnips1 carrots1 mangel wurzel1 onions1 leeks1 green peas1 cauliflowers1 celery1 kelp1 ,irish moss1 dillisk1 ,french beans1 greens1 spinach1 sorrel1 salads of all kinds3 of condiments--as salt1 pepper1 cayenne1 curry1 chilies1 mustard1 allspice1 mace1 cloves1 ginger1 cinnamon1 c43 of herbs--savory1 parsley1 mint1 thyme1 marjoram1 basil1 bay-leaf1 and all sorts1 both culinary and medicinal1 or their essences1 all of which1 when properly blended with food1 add to its nourishing qualities2 but the grand secret is1 to obtain from the above all the nutriment they possess1 which is done by following my receipts1 and reducing the animal and vegetable substances to a glaze1 and mixing it with the farinaceous1 and thereby obtaining a palatable and agreeable food1 and economizing the productions of nature to an immense extent2 for1 by the system at present adopted1 more than fifty per cent4 of the animal and vegetable productions are lost1 and the nutriment from the farinaceous ingredients is rendered less1 in consequence of being unpalatable4 ,in my visits to the different charitable institutions of this city1 ,i have been surprised at the want of knowledge manifested in making of soups4 ,in some parishes1 ,i found #ajj pounds of meat1 cut into pieces of a quarter of a pound each1 put into #ajj gallons of water1 at twelve o'clock of one day1 to be boiled until twelve o'clock the next day2 by such proceedings the osmazome of the meat is lost by evaporation from the boiler1 and only the gelatine and fibrine is left2 the former has been proved by a medical board1 instituted at ,paris1 for the purpose of inquiring into the subject1 to contain no nutriment whatever1 and the latter contains about the same as a piece of dry wood4 ,what would be said of a cook who would put a quarter of a pound of meat1 or even a piece weighing thirty pounds1 to roast before a large fire for twenty-four hours8 ,what nutriment would it contain at the end of that period8 ,my principle is easily illustrated by putting twelve onions into a gallon of water1 and boiling them for as many hours2 no smell arises from it2 but cut the half of one1 and fry it1 and the perfume will be diffused over the whole house3 thus ,i extract the aroma of every ingredient which ,i employ1 and any one carefully following the receipts will produce a palatable and nourishing food4 ,the old plan of soaking farinaceous ingredients is not bad1 but in many instances it cannot be practised1 in which case ,i would recommend that peas be put into soft boiling water1#ci and that the ebullition does not cease until the peas are reduced to a pulp4 ,indian meal must also be put into boiling water1 and be well boiled for two hours4 ,rice and barley may be put into cold water1 and be boiled until they can be easily mashed between the fingers2 the length of time depends upon their quality4--,all kinds of food made of farinaceous ingredients1 as ,indian meal1 peas1 rice1 c41 increase in quantity when made the day previous1 and require more water when warmed up4 ,it will be perceived that ,i have omitted all kinds of spice except in those dishes which are intended expressly for them1 as ,i consider they only flatter the appetite and irritate the stomach1 and make it crave for more food2 my object being not to create an appetite but to satisfy it2 and when those dishes in which spice is introduced are given to the poor1 it should only be done by the advice of the medical man2 but in those cases where they have been accustomed to have them1 they must be reduced by degrees until their taste is brought round to that point most conducive to health4 ,,no4 #a4--;,,for ,,two ,,gallons4 ,two ounces of dripping #j ,quarter of a pound of solid meat1 at #d;d4 per lb4 7cut into dice one inch square7 #a ,quarter pound of onions1 sliced thin ,quarter pound of turnips2 the peel will do1 or one whole one cut into small dice #a ,two ounces of leeks2 the green tops will do1 sliced thin ,three ounces of celery ,three quarters of a pound of common flour #a ,half a pound of pure barley1 or one pound of ,scotch #a ,three ounces of salt ,quarter of an ounce of brown sugar #j ,fuel #j ,two gallons of water #j -- #f ,i first put two ounces of dripping into a saucepan 7capable of holding two gallons of water71 with a quarter of a pound of leg of beef without bones1#dj cut into square pieces of about an inch2 and two middling-sized onions1 peeled and sliced2 ,i then set the saucepan over a coal fire1 and stirred the contents round for a few minutes with a wooden 7or iron7 spoon until fried lightly brown4 ,i had then ready washed the peeling of two turnips1 fifteen green leaves or tops of celery1 and the green part of two leeks2 7the whole of which1 ,i must observe1 are always thrown away47 ,having cut the above vegetables into small pieces1 ,i threw them into the saucepan with the other ingredients1 stirring them occasionally over the fire for another ten minutes2 then added one quart of cold water1 and three quarters of a pound of common flour1 and half a pound of pearl barley1 mixing all well together2 ,i then added seven quarts of hot water1 seasoned with three ounces of salt1 and a quarter of an ounce of brown sugar1 stirred occasionally until boiling1 and allowed it to simmer very gently for three hours2 at the end of which time ,i found the barley perfectly tender4 ,the above soup has been tasted by numerous noblemen1 members of parliament1 and several ladies who have lately visited my kitchen department1 and who have considered it very good and nourishing4 ,this soup will keep several days when made as above described2 but ,i must observe1 not to keep it in a deep pan1 but in rather a flat vessel1 where the air could act freely upon it4 ,stir it now and then1 until nearly cold3 or otherwise the next day it will be in a state of fermentation3 this does not denote the weakness of the soup1 because the same evil exists with the very strongest of stock1 or sauce1 if not stirred1 or if confined in a warm place--7a fact known to every first-rate cook74 ,the expenses make it come to three farthings per quart in ,london2 but1 as almost everything can be had at less cost in the country1 the price of this soup will be still more reduced4 ,in that case a little additional meat might be used1 and by giving away a small portion of bread or biscuit1 better support would be given to the poor at a trifling cost1 and no one1 it is to be hoped1 hereafter1 would hear of the dreadful calamity of starvation4 ,the same for one hundred gallons1 to be made in the boilers1 such as are given by the different relief committees1 or in any other vessel1 either iron or copper1 in general use4 ,twelve pounds of solid meat1 at #d;d4 per lb41 cut into pieces one inch square1 or sixteen pounds with bones1 at #c;d4 per lb4 #d #j ,three pounds two ounces of dripping #a #j ,twelve pounds of onions1 sliced thin #j #h ,six pounds of leeks1 ditto ,six pounds of celery1 ditto #c #a ,eight pounds of turnips1 washed only1 and cut into half an inch square ,thirty-seven pounds and a half of flour1 seconds #g #j ,twenty-five pounds of pearl barley previously soaked #f #i ,nine pounds of salt #j #c ,one pound seven ounces of sugar #j #i -------- #a #a #h ,have ready a spatula1 or a piece of board the shape of a cricket-bat1 about six inches wide1 tapering towards the top as a handle 7which must be from one foot and a half to two feet above the surface of the vessel71 to stir with2 take twelve pounds of solid meat1 or sixteen pounds with the bones 7legs or clods of beef are excellent for the purpose1 but any kind of edible meat1 from beef to doe venison will do71 cut in pieces about one inch square2 put the dripping#da in the boiler2 light the fire2 when the fat is melted1 add the onions3 fry ten minutes1 stirring it all the time2 add the vegetables and the meat2 fry for twenty minutes1 or until a thick glaze is produced2 then add the salt and sugar1 and four gallons of cold water2 then add the flour2 keep stirring quickly1 until quite smooth2 add the barley1 and fill by degrees with hot water2#db boil for three hours1 or until the barley is quite tender1 and serve4#dc ,in case either the barley or rice does not produce the thickness required 7as those ingredients may differ in quality71 then add1 if too thin1 a few pounds of flour or oatmeal1 previously mixed with cold water1 to make it in a liquid batter1 and pour it in when boiling about twenty minutes before serving it out4 ,but the proper thickness is easily ascertained when the soup hangs lightly on the back of the spatula or ladle1 and near the consistence of a thin stirabout4 ,,no4 #b4--;,,for ,,two ,,gallons4 ,quarter of a pound of beef1 at #d;d41 cut into pieces of one inch square #a ,two ounces of dripping1 or melted suet #j ,quarter of a pound of turnips or carrots1 cut into dice half an inch square #j ,four drops of essences #j ,one and a half pound of maize flour #c ,three ounces of salt ,quarter ounce of brown sugar #j ,one teaspoonful of black pepper1 ground fine ,fuel #j -- #f ,take two ounces of either dripping1 ,american lard1 or suet1 to which add the turnips or carrots2 fry for ten minutes1 add one quart of cold water and the meal1 well mixing1 and moisten by degrees with seven quarts of hot water2 boil for two hours1 and season with three ounces of salt1 one quarter ounce of brown sugar1 one teaspoonful of black pepper1 two drops of essence of garlic1 one drop of essence of mint1 one drop of essence of celery2 stir quickly1 and serve directly4 ,,receipt ,,no4 #c4 ,no4 #b4 #f ,as ,no4 #b--;and add one pound of potatoes #a -- #g ,for those who have the chance of procuring a few potatoes once a week1 they may be used with advantage in the following manner3-- ,having prepared the soup according to ,receipt ,no4 #b1 when nearly done1 wash a pound of potatoes1 pick out the black spots1 if any1 and cut them in very small dice2 put them into the soup to boil for twenty minutes1 or a little longer1 until done1 and the soup is ready1 and will strongly taste of potato2 the short time of ebullition preserving all the aroma of that inconstant root4 ,having promised to make my receipts public1 for the benefit of the laborious classes of society1 as well as for the poor1 ,i think that if a man could treat his family once a week with a food called potato soup1 each member of it1 who had previously fed on that root1 and who are now nearly deprived of that food1 would worship the day of the week when such a luxury should be displayed on their humble table4 ,,receipt ,,no4 #d4 ,quarter of a pound of bacon #a ,one ounce of dripping #j ,quarter of a pound of onions ,quarter of a pound of turnips or carrots ,two ounces of leeks and celery #a ,quarter ounce of mint1 shred fine ,pound and a quarter of yellow peas #c ,half-pound of common flour #a ,two ounces and a half of salt ,half ounce of sugar #j -- #g ,have a quarter of a pound of fat bacon#dd cut into dice1 peel and slice two good-sized onions1 or three small ones1 and put both into a stewpan1 with one ounce of dripping2 fry them gently until lightly brown1 then add two ounces of turnips1 two ounces of carrots1 and one ounce of leeks1 and one ounce of celery2 cut them thin and slanting 7but1 as ,i have before observed1 any kind of vegetable will answer the purpose1 if the same proportion is used72 fry for ten minutes1 and fill up with seven quarts of water1 and1 when boiling1 add a pound and a quarter of split peas1 and let them simmer for two or three hours1 until reduced to a pulp1 which depends on the quality of the pea2 then add two ounces of salt1 half an ounce of sugar1 quarter of an ounce of mint1 mix one half pound of flour in twelve ounces of water1 to a thin batter1 pour into the soup1 stir it well1 boil one quarter of an hour1 and serve4 ,,no4 #e4--,,meagre ,,pea ,,soup4 ,this is the same as the former1 with the exception that the bacon and dripping are omitted1 and oil or butter used in their stead4 ,buttermilk could with advantage be used2 in which case1 add three ounces of salt4 ,although this food is entirely deprived of animal substance1 yet the farinaceous ingredients will act generously on the digestive organs1 particularly to a stomach which has suffered from want of food4 ,,no4 #f4--,,the ,,fisherman',s ,,food ,,for ,,the ,,coast4 ,four pounds of fish #d ,three ounces of salt ,one half-ounce of sugar #j ,one quarter-ounce of pepper ,bay-leaf1 thyme #j ,two pounds of oatmeal #d -- #h ,cut four pounds of fresh fish of any kind in large pieces2 put it in your pan1 with three ounces of salt1 half an ounce of sugar1 a little pepper1 two bay leaves1 a little thyme1 one quart of water1 and let it stew gently2 mix two pounds of oatmeal with seven quarts of lukewarm water1 and pour it over the fish2 stir it gently1 so as not to break it too much2 let it boil twenty minutes1 and it is done4 ,a red herring or dried salt fish1 previously soaked1 is exceedingly good to make this food2 but omit the salt if all salt fish is used4 ,,no4 #g4--;,,curry ,,fish4 ,four onions1 sliced ,one bay-leaf #j ,two apples1 sliced ,quarter of a pound of fat #a ,three ounces of salt ,half an ounce of sugar #j ,one pound of rice #b ,an ounce of curry powder #j ,six pounds of fish #f --- #aa ,put into a stew-pan four onions1 a small bunch of bay-leaf1 thyme1 and savory2 two apples1 if convenient1 with a quarter pound of fat1 three ounces of salt1 and quarter ounce of sugar1 and fry for fifteen minutes4 ,put one pound of rice1 and four quarts of water1 and boil till tender3 add one ounce of curry powder1 mixed in a little water4 ,cut up six pounds of cheap fish into pieces of the size of an egg2 add to the above1 and boil for twenty or thirty minutes1 according to the kind of fish4 ,salt and dried fish1 previously soaked1 cooked in this way1 is excellent1 omitting the salt4 ,,no4 #h4--;,,food ,,for ,,the ,,coast4 ,three haddocks #c ,two pounds of salt ,quarter of an ounce of sugar #j -- #c ,take three middle-sized haddocks2 remove the gills and interior1 and cut open2 rub them with two pounds of salt1 a quarter of an ounce of sugar2 let them remain twenty-four hours1 turning occasionally2 pass a twig through the eyes1 and hang them in a cool1 well ventilated place1 until rather dry4 ,conger eel cut into slices one inch thick1 halibut1 plaice1 mackerel1 treated in the same manner 7if large they must be crimped7 will keep for some time2 they can he boiled1 baked1 broiled1 or fried4 ,a pound haddock will take twelve minutes broiling1 from fifteen to twenty frying1 twenty minutes baking or boiling4 ,,no4 #i4--,,savoury ,,rice ,,food4 ,six pounds of bones #c ,ten quarts of water ,three ounces of salt ,bay-leaf1 c4 ,two onions1 cut thin #a ,half an ounce of sugar ,half a pound of vegetables1 cut small ,half a pound of oatmeal #a ,pound of rice #b ,two ounces of dripping #j -- #h ,the bones can be sold after using for #b -- #f ,having saved the bones of the previous day1 a very good food may be made as follows3--,take six pounds of bones1 which break into small pieces1 and boil in ten quarts of water for four hours2 having added three ounces of salt1 a small bunch of thyme1 bay-leaf and savory1 put into a stew-pan the fat1 and two onions cut thin1 half a pound of vegetables1 as carrots1 turnips1 celery1 c41 cut very thin1 half ounce of sugar2 put it on the fire for fifteen minutes1 stirring occasionally2 add half a pound of oatmeal1 and mix well2 moisten with two gallons of the stock from the bones1 add one and a quarter pound of rice1 previously soaked2 boil till tender1 and serve4 ,,no4 #aj4--,,rice ,,panada4 ,one pound of rice #b ,three-quarters of an ounce of sugar ,two ounces of salt #j ,one pound of flour #b ,half an ounce of curry powder at #f;d41 or a quarter of a pound of treacle #j -- #e ,boil a pound of rice 7previously washed7 in one gallon of water1 for one hour2 add three quarters of an ounce of sugar1 two ounces of salt2 mix with some cold water1 to make a thin paste1 one pound of flour or oatmeal1 and half an ounce of curry powder2 add it to the rice1 and boil for twenty minutes1 and serve4 ,should it be preferred sweet1 add a quarter of a pound of treacle instead of the curry4 ,this will make ten pounds of solid food4 ,,no4 #aa4--,,peas ,,panada4 ,quarter of a pound of fat bacon or ,american pork #b ,two ounces of dripping #j ,four ounces of onions or leeks #j ,one pound and a half of peas #c ,half an ounce of salt ,half a pound of ,indian meal #a -- #f ,cut a quarter of a pound of fat bacon or ,american pork into small dice1 put it into a stew-pan with two onions or tops of leeks2 well wash1 and cut them thin1 and fry ten minutes2 add one pound and a half of peas1 half ounce of salt1 quarter ounce of sugar1 and one gallon of water1 boil till it becomes a pure or pulp1 then add sufficient oatmeal1 common flour1 or ,indian meal1 to make it thick1 and boil thirty minutes4#de ,this food is very strengthening1 and might be made several days previous to using2 it will keep well--if no vegetable is to be obtained1 a small quantity of essence of herbs would improve it4 ,,no4 #ab4--,,peas ,,panada1 ,,sweet4 ,one pound of peas ,half an ounce of salt #b ,an ounce of dripping #j ,half a pound of ,indian meal #a ,quarter pound of treacle #a -- #d ,boil in one gallon of water1 one pound of peas1 add half an ounce of salt1 one ounce of dripping or melted suet1 mix with it half a pound of ,indian meal1 boil for two hours1 stirring it well1 add a quarter of a pound of treacle2 this can be eaten hot or cold4 ,,no4 #ac4--;,,cheese ,,stirabout4 ,one pound of ,indian meal #b ,three ounces of salt #j ,half a pound of cheese #b ,quarter ounce of mustard #j -- #d ,put two gallons of water in a stewpan1 and boil2 take some ,indian meal1 the quantity depends on the quality1 and add it gradually to the water1 stirring it all the time so that it should be quite smooth and thick3 add three ounces of salt2 simmer on the side of the fire for two hours1 taking care that it does not burn2 add half a pound of strong cheese1 broken small or grated1 with a little mustard3 give it a boil and serve4 ,or put it into baking tins1 allow it to get cold1 cut it into pieces1 which fry or bake4 ,,no4 #ad4--;,,indian ,,meal ,,poullenta4 ,one pound of meal #b ,quarter of a pound of sausage meat #a -- #c ,prepare the meal as above 7which must be very thick7 without the cheese2 place it in baking tins2 place a thin layer of sausage meat or black pudding upon it1 and cover it with more of the meal2 bake it for twenty minutes and serve4 ,this is an excellent and cheap dish1 and fit for the tables of the wealthy if a strong gravy is poured over it when served4 ,,no4 #ae4--,,savoury ,,hominy4 ,two quarts or four pounds of ,indian corn #h ,quarter of a pound of dripping #a ,two onions ,three ounces of salt #j -- #i ,take two quarts of ,indian corn and soak it for twenty-four hours in water1 put it into a pot containing two gallons of boiling water and simmer for five hours2 draw off the water1 if any1 add a quarter of a pound of dripping1 two onions1 sliced thin1 three ounces of salt1 put it on the fire for twenty minutes1 keep stirring it all the time1 so that it does not burn1 and serve4 ,this will produce two gallons of excellent food4 ,the pure made from the whole corn1 as above1 is much sweeter and more wholesome than that made from the ground meal4 ,the great mistake at present in the use of ,indian meal is1 that it is not cooked enough1 it being used similar to flour2 it should1 on the contrary1 be well mixed with boiling water and allowed to simmer for never less than two hours2 it then loses its raw taste and increases in quantity4 ,,no4 #af4--,,st4 ,,patrick',s ,,soup4 ,one pound of meat at #d;d4 #d ,two ounces of dripping #j ,vegetables #a ,salt1 sugar ,flour #a ,spice ,dillisk#df #j -- #g ,take one pound of meat without bones1 and cut into small pieces1 put into a stew-pan two ounces of dripping1 one ounce of leeks1 one ounce of celery1 one ounce of carrots1 two ounces of turnips1 and fry for ten minutes2 then add the meat with two ounces of salt1 half ounce of sugar1 and fry until a thick glaze is produced2 then add one quart of cold water and half a pound of flour2 then add two ounces of dillisk1 well washed and chopped fine2 a little mixed spice and pepper4 ,boil three-quarters of an hour1 and serve4 ,,no4 #ag4--;,,cheap ,,oyster ,,porridge4 ,on many parts of the coast oysters can be had for three shillings per thousand2 they can be made1 without much trouble1 into a nourishing and palatable food1 by putting two dozen into an earthen pan1 with the liquor from them1 and add three spoonfuls of flour2 place it on the fire1 stirring them round2 add a little salt and pepper and they are done4 ,this can be added to the porridge made of the ,indian corn and rice1 or in the other receipts1 where fish is used2 a little lard is an improvement2 also a bay-leaf1 mint1 and an onion sliced4 ,mussels and cockles can be used in the same way in proportion of two dozen to the quart4 ,,no4 #ah4--;,,cabbage ,,stirabout4 ,well wash two pounds of cabbage1 take out the stalks1 and cut it slanting in slices2 put into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of dripping1 lard1 or butter2 half ounce of salt1 quarter ounce of pepper1 one ounce of sugar1 put it on the fire for ten minutes1 stir it well1 then cover it with water and stew for twenty minutes1 and mix it with stirabout1 previously made of ,indian corn meal4 ,young nettles done in this way are exceedingly wholesome1 and any kind of green vegetables can be cooked in this manner4 ,,no4 #ai4--;,,conger ,,eels4 ,put a slice of about two pounds weight into a saucepan1 or earthen pot1 with two onions sliced thin2 a small quantity of dillisk1 well washed and chopped fine1 quarter ounce of salt1 and a little pepper1 add two quarts of water1 and stew for one hour2 ten minutes before using take out the fish and thicken with a little flour1 previously mixed with some water2 boil ten minutes1 pour it over the fish1 and serve--if onions or dillisk are not to be had1 use half a pound of any vegetable cut fine3 halibut and similar fish can be cooked in the same manner4 ,,receipt ,,no4 #bj4 ,take three dozen of mussels1 wash them1 and place them in a stewing pan over the fire for five minutes1 so that the shell is open2 take them off1 and remove the upper shell3 sometimes a small crab will be found in them1 which remove1 as they are rather unwholesome2 replace them1 with their liquor and bottom shell1 in the pan1 add a spoonful of flour1 mixed with some butter or lard1 and a spoonful of chopped parsley2 stir it in1 and stew for five minutes1 and serve4 ,for a large quantity have ready the large boiler1 put therein four pounds of lard or butter1 and four pounds of sliced onions1 and fry for five minutes2 have ready two pails full of mussels with their liquor out of their shell1 which put in the boiler1 with one pound of salt1 two ounces of pepper1 two ounces of sugar1 and two pounds of chopped parsley2 have ready two pounds of flour1 mixed with water1 to the consistence of good cream1 and put it into the boiler2 boil for ten to fifteen minutes1 stir it gently with a wooden spatula1 and serve2 if not required meagre1 use instead of the flour and water the same quantity of boiling stock1 from the bones of meat1 or from cow-heel1 well stewed1 parts of which1 cut small1 can be added3 any flavour of herbs may be given1 if liked4 ,,no4 #ba4--,,the ,,poor ,,man',s ,,potato ,,pie4 ,wash and peel six pounds of good potatoes1 cut in slices1 take one pound of fat mutton or beef cut into small dice1 mix the whole with pepper and salt1 cover with #ea paste1 and bake one hour and half1 and serve4 ,in all the foregoing receipts1 a greater quantity of meat may be used by those who can afford it1 as ,i am a great advocate that every trade should flourish and that wealth should support luxury4 ,however great the quantity of meat that may be used1 no longer time should be used in cooking it4 ,take the same proportion of the receipts for any larger quantity4 ,,anecdotes1 ,,etc4 ,,the ,,duke ,,of ,,cambridge',s ,,head-,,quarters ,,prior ,,to ,,the ,,battle ,,of ,,inkermann4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,dawn ,,of ,,inkermann4 ,his ,royal ,highness's quarters were situate about one hundred and thirty yards to the left of the windmill on the ,woronzoff ,road4 ,five parallel bell-tents were occupied--one by the duke1 the others by ,colonel ,macdonald1 ,colonel ,tyrwhitt1 ,major ,clifton1 and ,dr4 ,gibson1 his staff4 ,m4 ,comte1 chef de cuisine to the duke1 and to whose devotion to all who came in his way and needed help while in the ,crimea ,i before have had in this work occasion to allude1 has since related to me that on the morning of the ,battle of ,inkermann he got up at three o'clock1 the weather being chilly and damp and a thick heavy fog surrounding the camp1 and having lit his fire he made himself some tea1 when1 about five1 as he was quietly smoking his pipe la bivouacaire1 within range of the fire 7of his open-air battery7 the duke came up to him1 exclaiming1 8,halloo6 ,m4 ,comte1 you are about early this morning40 8,yes1 your ,highness10 he replied2 8the fact is1 the weather is so cold and damp1 that for the life of me ,i could not sleep1 therefore ,i turned out and made myself a cup of tea40 8,you are right10 said the duke1 warming his feet by the fire2 8the weather is truly wretched40 ,hardly had the duke said these words1 than several volleys of musketry and loud shouts reverberated through the camp1 something like the growls of thousands of wild animals4 ,leaving no doubt that it was an attack of the enemy1 the duke immediately left me and ran for his horse1 and was soon mounted1 and started alone towards the scene of action2 a few minutes after1 his staff followed in the wake of their gallant leader4 ,so sudden was his departure1 that1 having made a bowl of tea which ,i had intended for him1 though ,i ran after him with it in my hand1 his ,highness started without partaking of it4 ,not till five o'clock in the evening did the duke return1 his horse wounded1 and a bullet having passed through his coat-sleeve without injuring him4 ,major ,clifton had been wounded in the cheek during the battle1 and came back to quarters during the day to have his wound dressed by ,dr4 ,gibson4 ,on returning once more to the field of battle1 he had his horse shot under him4 ,when he again returned he was seen carrying the saddle of his defunct animal on his back4 ,at the return of the staff in the evening1 the outside of the duke's head-quarters had the appearance of a field hospital1 ,m4 ,comte having taken on himself to supply refreshment to all the wounded who were brought to his nursing care4 ,i have heard that no less than six or seven hundred had been supplied with succour in the course of two or three days by his ,highness's faithful chef de cuisine4 ,on the #aath of the same month1 and while the duke was staying on board the ,resolution1 in the harbour of ,balaklava1 our heroic chef de cuisine was ordered to remain in possession of the commandant's house in ,balaklava1 awaiting the return of his royal master1 and also having under his charge no less than fifteen female prisoners of war1 whom he was charged by the authorities to watch over with the aid of sentries1 as it was thought that these female ,amazons might fire ,balaklava4 ,amongst them was the ,governor's wife and children4 ,all the men being ordered out of the establishment1 the ,governor's lady1 with a smile on her lips1 in very good ,french1 inquired of ,m4 ,comte if two gentlemen present would be allowed to remain1 which favour1 after serious consideration on the part of the new ,governor pro tem41 was granted1 these gentlemen being of the advanced ages respectively of three and five years4 8,never did ,i feel a greater relief10 said ,m4 ,comte1 8than when these lady prisoners were taken out of my charge1 as each day discovered some fresh attempts at conspiracy40 ,it was during the governorship of this semi-warrior that the dreadful storm took place in the ,bay of ,balaklava1 and uprooted the beautiful avenue of poplar trees which ornamented his capital1 and which1 to his sorrow1 much disfigured the prettiest part of his dominions4 ,on a previous occasion1 just after landing1 before the battle of the ,alma1 this indefatigable culinary artist1 who by the bye is an old traveller1 was seen1 under a heavy shower of rain1 cooking beneath the wings of an open umbrella1 preparing a dish of fried croquettes1 at a time when the duke himself did not anticipate such a delicacy4 ,the umbrella was used to stop the rain falling in the pan1 which would have prevented the completion of this dainty dish1 water and fat being irreconcilable foes4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,storm ,,in ,a ,,frying-,,pan4 ,early the following morning an alarm took place1 when our warrior-cook deserted his umbrella1 and shouldered his gun in his right as commander-in-chief of his own battery 7de cuisine74 ,the moon was faintly shining1 and with its rays appeared the duke1 who indistinctly seeing some one1 exclaimed1 8,who's there80 when ,m4 ,comte replied1 8,it is me1 your ,highness4 ,having heard the alarm1 ,i considered your tent and my battery could not be too well guarded1 so ,i have just taken up this musket to be on the defensive40 ,the duke replied1 8,really1 ,comte1 vous tes impayable20 and immediately started with his staff to the supposed scene of action4 ,after a few hours everything was restored to order1 when ,comte grounded arms1 inspected his battery1 and had breakfast ready to the minute as usual4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,culinary ,,sentry4 ,a ,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,sultan',s ,,new ,,palace ,,of ,,dolma ,,batchi4 ,in the month of ,march1 #ahef1 ,i was fortunate enough to obtain an order1 which ,i procured by great favour1 to visit this huge pile of marble1 prior to its final completion and occupation by his ,majesty the ,sultan and his harem2 and although many parts of it were open to the public by ticket1 yet very few visitors could boast of having seen so much of the interior as myself of this stupendous and most elegant area1 where the modern houri of ,mahomet were shortly to be located1 they at this time still remaining in the old palace on the ,bosphorus4 ,the large room preparing for the reception of the ,sultan's favourites had but very little moveable furniture1 but at the same time was most elegantly decorated4 ,nothing but couches were placed round the room1 while the flooring was of highly-polished wood of a most tasty design2 the whole of the hangings and coverings were of a rich satin of a lavender colour1 with a large flowery pattern2 twenty chandeliers1 of immense dimensions--about seven feet in height--sprang from the ground1 proudly bearing each more than one hundred wax-lights4 ,the wall was after the ,oriental fashion1 which ,i do not much admire1 here and there painted al fresco1 representing various views of either landscape1 colonnades1 palaces1 c4 ,in spite of this defect1 the effect was so peculiar at the first glance1 that it produced on me a most extraordinary sensation4 ,to my surprise ,i found the ceiling remarkably low1 but which ,i found1 on consideration1 would not appear so to its future innumerable tenants1 from their habit of squatting on the floor4 ,the effect of the light on this apartment had been tried two nights before1 and the ends of the wax-lights still remained in the sockets of the chandeliers1 and which1 when lit1 must have had a most extraordinary effect4 ,here for the first time ,i had an uninterrupted view from the interior of a harem1 through the latticed windows1 which are now made on an improved principle to the old ,turkish style1 which give you more than ever an opportunity to see from the inside without being seen1 the exterior of which is also painted with views of landscapes1 which are visible from the ,bosphorus4 ,at the further end of this stupendous kind of drawing-room were several apartments for the favourites1 most gorgeously decorated by valuable ,oriental tapestry1 hanging curtains1 ottomans1 c4 ,next ,i was shown a narrow corridor with three doors2 ,i learned that these were the penitential cells for any of the naughty beauties who might need correction2 however1 the dungeons did not bear a very dreadful aspect4 ,from here we went to the ,sultan's bedroom1 which was gorgeously decorated with deep golden fringe and crimson velvet hangings of the richest description2 the decorations of this room are almost indescribable4 ,we then visited another room1 called the ,sultan's ,cabinet de ,travail1 where ,i was much struck to see it entirely fitted up in the ,european style1 quite la ,franaise1 after the style of ,louis ,,xv4 ,upon inquiring of my ciceroni1 ,i learned that the whole of the furniture of the apartment had been presented to the ,sultan by the ,emperor of the ,french1 ,napoleon ,,iii41 and ,i must say that the quiet1 though superb1 manner in which it was fitted was a most pleasant relief to me after wandering through so many gaudy and superfluously grand apartments4 ,the ,sultan had already occupied himself in this room4 ,the carpet and table were covered with the finest red ,french cloth1 while the ceiling was of a good elevation2 in fact1 the ,tuileries 7which ,i have lately visited7 cannot boast a more tasty or better fitted-up apartment4 ,the staircase leading to the harem was very striking1 the lantern at the summit being covered with paintings1 representing windows with pots of flowers1 vases1 birds1 c42 yet the whole of these1 though well painted1 presented quite a theatrical aspect to the really charming appearance of the marble staircase4 ,my guide had observed to me while in the ,cabinet de ,travail1 that he never recollected any stranger entering it before2 he then showed me the chef-d'uvres of the palace1 which were the ladies' baths--the most expensive and luxurious part of this costly palace1 the bath being the greatest luxury of the ,turks1 the whole of them being inlaid with sapphire stone boldly carved4 ,we then passed through the ,throne ,room1 which ,i have already described in this work3 it is a regular facsimile of ,st4 ,sophia1 but more gaudy4 ,we then walked through the ,reception ,room for the ambassadors1 which is simply decorated with gold and white1 in the ,european style4 ,on turning to the left1 we came to the grand crystal staircase with its thousand jets of red light4 ,i then begged to be shown the kitchen1 which request at first ,i perceived was objected to by my guide1 who expressed himself that it was impossible2 but being armed with formidable letters1 and making use of ,m4 ,roco ,vido's name1 who is well known to the ,sultan's grand hatchi batchi1 or chief cook1 ,i at length prevailed on him to induct me to this pandmonium of scientific handicraft1 where between three and four hundred cooks were busily engaged manipulating the most recherch dishes la ,turk1 many of which ,i had the pleasure of tasting4 ,the appearance and bustle of the kitchen1 which was quite new to me1 put me more in mind of a public market than what it really was2 every man-cook was dressed in the ,oriental fashion1 all looking very clean4 ,the copper vessels which they use are daily tinned--which fact ,i learnt from the ,chef1--and shone like so much silver4 ,the process of the ,turkish cookery1 though slow1 ,i much approve of1 as the succulence and aroma of every kind of food are retained1 and it is far superior to our system1 everything being cooked or stewed on the top of red-hot ashes laid on slabs of stone or marble4 ,the floor of the kitchen was rather ill-paved1 and the attendants were in the habit of strewing everything on the ground not wanted for use--an untidy trick4 ,i could trace from the interior of this monster establishment no less than twenty huge shaft chimneys sprouting out from the roof of this gastronomic temple4 ,it was now near twelve o'clock1 when a shower of tray-bearers made their appearance in the kitchen1 and with the greatest celerity were loaded with heaps of dishes belonging to the first1 second1 and third course4 ,i ascertained on inquiry that these were for the dinners of the ladies of the harem4 ,white snowy-looking cloths were thrown over each tray1 and they were carried1 to my astonishment1 to the old palace on the ,bosphorus1 a distance of nearly half a mile1 on the bearers' heads1--the large kitchen at the latter place having been destroyed by fire1 and the ,sultan's meals only being prepared there in a private kitchen1 his ,majesty always dining alone2 which order was instituted by ,mahomed ,,ii41 the story being1 that that monarch had so little confidence in those around him1 that he always feared they would rob him of his food while carrying it from plate to mouth4 ,delighted with my visit1 ,i deposited in my cicerone's hands the golden key1 in the shape of bakschish1 with which ,i had so successfully opened the palace door of the ,sublime ,porte4 ,,the ,,parisian ,,kitchen ,,for ,,the ,,working-,,classes1 ,,or ,,fourneant ,,de ,l',,imperatrice ,the kitchens for the working-classes are sixty-eight in number1 each capable of supplying from one thousand to twelve hundred mechanics with good food1 for which each one pays about two-thirds of the value received1 although nothing is given gratuitously4 ,they are attended by ,sisters of ,charity1 and kept extremely clean1 while the deficit is1 ,i believe1 made up by her ,majesty the ,empress and the municipality of ,paris1 from whom these institutions derive their name of ,fourneant de l',impratrice4 ,the provisions are supplied from the central market of ,paris1 the ,halle au ,bl1 which is under the superintendence of the ,comptroller-,general1 ,m4 ,durand1 by whom ,i was treated with the greatest courtesy while drawing up the report ,i made to his ,majesty by imperial command2 and ,i much regret that want of space prevents my giving it at full length here1 although the report had chiefly a local importance4 ,wagons take the different articles of food early in the morning to all the establishments4 ,these are most useful institutions1 and in case of a scarcity of food1 provisions could always1 at a trifling expense1 be dressed here for the needy4 ,indeed1 every metropolis1 and all large mercantile towns1 ought to follow this excellent example1 which1 ,i believe1 owes its origin to ,england4 ,,the ,,travelling ,,gentlemen ,,of ,,the ,,crimea4 ,i cannot pass without notice the following little anecdote1 related to me by ,colonel ,carleton of the ,coldstreams--the principal personage connected with it4 ,the day after the battle of ,inkermann 7said the gallant colonel7 the field was visited by many ,t4 ,g4's1 some of them contorting their optics with eye-glasses1 and taking a survey of the many dead on the field1 near to the spot where he was busily engaged in paying the last duty to the remains of the defunct brave2 whereupon he made inquiry of one of his men if the gentlemen were known who seemingly took such an interest in the awful spectacle4 ,he then desired them to come to him1 which request1 with a kind smile1 they soon obeyed2 but much were they disappointed when1 instead of addressing them in a friendly manner1 the ,colonel ordered them to take their coats off and shoulder a pick and dig graves1 which disagreeable task they could not avoid1 as discipline was the order of the day1 though very disgusting the task to our curious and no doubt wealthy pleasure-hunters4 ,they were1 the ,colonel afterwards ascertained1 merchants from one of our great commercial cities4 ,when trapped1 it was morning2 when they finished their task1 it was night4 ,thus our amateur gravediggers had not only a hard day's work1 but a very unpleasant one in the bargain4 ,,the ,,consumption ,,hospital1 ,,brompton4 ,a ,visit to the ,kitchen1 by ,request4 ,while at the ,reform ,club1 ,captain ,lyons1 ,r4,m41 requested me to visit the kitchen of the above hospital1 in the anticipation that ,i might be able to make some improvements in that department1 if any should be requisite4 ,the day following ,i went and found the place in the most perfect order1 while all at once a stove of a very showy structure caught my eye1 in which were placed eight or ten copper caldrons1 well fixed in either iron or brick frames1 each being labelled beef-tea1 coffee1 tea1 c4 ,i could not but approve of the elegant appearance these utensils presented1 but at the same time give my disapprobation of their having copper in use1 while screwed down so tightly that but a small chance remained of their being properly tinned4 ,in removing the lid1 ,i remarked to the ,captain that not the slightest particle of tin remained1 and that therefore the cooking could not be done in any other but a highly dangerous manner4 ,i then explained to the woman cook where the danger lay2 when she quietly answered that there could be no danger1 as she had each boiler cleansed two or three times a day2 which of course was the root of the evil1 having no doubt been the cause of the entire disappearance of the tin4 ,in asking her how long it was since they were tinned1 she replied1--8,not since she had been engaged there1 nor1 probably1 since they had been fixed up20 when ,i explained to her the sad mistake in not having well tinned all such boilers1 in large establishments such as this1 where the utensils are in daily use1 as they ought to be tinned at least once in every three months4 ,i then made about a gallon of beef-tea with the hospital rations1 in less than an hour1 to which quick process she much objected1 saying that she was certain the patients would not like it1 as in that time it could not be thoroughly done1 as she always stewed it for at least six or seven hours1 by which time the meat was done to ribbons4 ,i begged the ,captain to allow several basins of my broth to be sent to the different wards to various patients1 which was done1 whom we afterwards visited4 ,when the ,captain inquired of one how he felt1 he answered that he felt a great deal better that day1 his taste having returned to him1 which was a proof of the superiority of my plan over that of their cook's--a system1 ,i regret to say1 practised in many large establishments4 7,for ,beef-tea1 see ,hospital ,diets47 ,,copies ,,of ,,letters ,,from ,,the ,,military ,,authorities1 ,,addressed ,,to ,m4 ,,soyer ,,during ,,his ,,stay ,,in ,,turkey ,,and ,,the ,,crimea4 ,,head-,,quarters1 ,,scutari1 ,august #crd1 #ahee4 ,,dear ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,as you are about to leave the hospitals at ,scutari for ,balaklava1 ,i think1 in justice to your unremitting attention and zeal in your endeavours to improve the culinary department1 it is incumbent on me1 as the military commanding officer of the troops in the ,bosphorus and ,dardanelles1 to express to you how much the sick and wounded of this army1 as well as those who have their interest at heart1 are indebted to you for the improvement you have made in the cooking of these establishments4 ,your alterations of the kitchens and stoves must add much to the economy of fuel1 which is of the greatest consequence here2 and your successful attempts1 combined with simplicity of making such palatable beverages and soups out of so small a portion of ingredients1 is highly advantageous4 ,wishing you a pleasant voyage1 and hoping to find the cooking in camp as much improved as the cooking here1 ,i am1 yours ever faithfully1 7,signed7 ,w4 ,,paulet1 ,brigadier-,general4 ,i am sure ,general ,simpson will afford you every assistance in carrying out your wishes4 ,,head-,,quarters1 ,,scutari1 #bjth ,nov41 #ahee4 ,,my ,,dear ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,i regret exceedingly to learn that you have been ill1 and hope you are recovered by this time4 ,when do you leave for the ,crimea8 ,i hope to have the pleasure of seeing you before you depart4 ,the ,british army owes you much1 and is grateful for all you have done4 ,thanks to your exertions1 we have at least ameliorated our military system of cookery1 and we thank you sincerely for it4 ,accept my best wishes1 and believe me1 yours truly1 ,h4 ,k4 ,,storks1 ,brigadier-,general4 ,,head-,,quarters1 ,,scutari1 ,march #bbnd1 #ahef4 ,,my ,,dear ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,i cannot allow you to leave ,scutari without expressing my perfect satisfaction with all you have done to ameliorate the culinary system for our soldiers4 ,the kitchens you have established at ,scutari answer admirably1 and ,i am satisfied that we are as much redevable1 if not more so1 to the cooks for the good health we now enjoy1 as to the doctors4 ,pray receive1 my dear ,monsieur ,soyer1 the assurance of my sentiments of kind regard4 ,yours truly1 ,h4 ,k4 ,,storks1 ,brigadier-,general4 ,to ,monsieur ,alexis ,soyer4 ,,soyer',s ,,villarette1 ,may #aeth1 #ahef4 ,after doubting many of your enthusiastic views as to cooking1 ,i acknowledge that ,i am fairly beaten4 ,every one to his trade4 ,yours very truly1 ,c4 ,a4 ,,windham1 ,major-,general1 ,commander of ,staff4 ,,camp1 ,,first ,,division1 ,may #beth1 #ahef4 ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,i accept1 with many thanks1 the portable cooking-stove you have been kind enough to present me2 and ,i perceive it will henceforth be the means of my eating after a civilized fashion1 so long as ,i have a coat-pocket to carry it in4 ,i beg your acceptance of an inkstand1 made with a ,russian grapeshot4 ,it bears upon its surface the proof of having been projected during the siege1 and will1 therefore1 serve you as a lasting reminiscence of your sojourn in the camp4 ,i also hope it will cause you to bear in mind the assurance of the value ,i attach to all the exertions and arrangements you have made to ameliorate the position of our brave soldiers1 by teaching them to utilize their rations1 and improve the cooking of their food--formerly so often spoiled or wasted4 ,pray accept the assurance of my highest consideration4 ,,rokeby4 ,,head-,,quarters1 ,,scutari1 ,may1 #ahef4 ,,dear ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,many thanks for your obliging letter of the #bith ,april4 ,i thank you for the trouble you have taken with ,marshal ,pelissier1 and am much flattered by the cordial acknowledgment of his ,excellency4 ,should you have occasion to see him again1 pray tell him so4 ,i sincerely compliment you upon the success of your stoves4 ,the ,british army owes you much2 and ,i assure you we are highly sensible of the value of your devotion1 and the disinterested and honourable sentiments you have displayed4 ,our system of military cookery much required reform1 and in introducing a new one you have rendered us immense service4 ,pray accept1 my dear ,monsieur ,soyer1 the assurance of my esteem and highest consideration4 ,h4 ,k4 ,,storks1 ,brigadier-,general4 ,,light ,,division ,,camp1 ,,sebastopol1 ,june #gth1 #ahef4 ,general ,lord ,william ,paulet1 commanding ,light ,division1 having inspected the camp cooking-stoves issued by ,monsieur ,soyer for trial to the ten regiments composing his division1 has much pleasure in stating that they answer in every respect4 ,they consume not a quarter so much fuel2 they boil the meat more regularly1 and the vegetables1 and therefore make better soup2 they never smoke1 which is invariably the case with all barrack cook-houses4 ,you can use them either out of doors or inside1 and would prove useful in all standing camps or barracks2 and may be issued to the troops according to the number required occupying a barrack1 and the remainder being kept in store1 they being so portable4 ,lord ,william would like to see them in all quarters occupied by troops where the cook-houses are not good1 and the saving of fuel would pay the expense4 ,,scutari ,,barracks ,,hospital1 ,april #ith1 #ahee4 ,it gives me great pleasure to testify1 after visiting ,monsieur ,soyer's kitchen in the above establishment1 and comparing the quality and economy of the many excellent preparations made for the use of the sick1 that those prepared from his formul are very superior to those previously supplied4 ,i consider1 if the suggestions of ,monsieur ,soyer be acted on1 that he will have conferred a great boon on the sick and convalescent soldier1 and for such improvement will deserve the thanks of every person having feeling for the ,british soldier1 and who desires to ameliorate his condition4 ,,hugh ,,birt1 ,f4,r4,c4,s4,e41 ,civil ,surgeon of the #ast ,class to the ,scutari ,hospital4 ,,hyder ,,pasha ,,hospitals1 ,,scutari1 ,may #ast1 #ahee4 ,this is to certify that ,monsieur ,soyer has1 in his visits to the above hospitals1 rendered a very important service1 by clearly demonstrating that the dietary for the sick may1 by his improved method of cooking1 be greatly enhanced in value by making it1 out of the usual materials1 more nutritious1 more palatable1 and more advantageous for every purpose4 ,h4 ,g4 ,w4 ,,macellery1 #ast ,class ,s4 ,surgeon1 ,superintending ,medical ,officer1 ,hyder ,pasha ,hospitals4 ,,balaklava1 ,june #aeth1 #ahee4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,in reply to your letter of the #gth instant1 there will be no difficulty whatever in giving to the troops occasionally salt beef and pork on the same day1 should they wish it4 ,trusting soon to have the pleasure of seeing you in the ,crimea1 ,i remain1 yours very truly1 ,,william ,,filder4 ,a4 ,soyer1 ,esq41 c4 c4 c4 ,june #afth1 #ahee4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,i am much obliged to you for the trouble you have taken in my behalf1 and feel confident that any arrangement entered into by you will be as excellent as the other results ,i have witnessed1 of that ability and energy by which our poor fellows have so much benefited4 ,i will deliver your message to ,colonel ,daniell4 ,believe me1 my dear ,sir1 yours very truly1 ,j4 ,w4 ,,carleton4 #crd ,september1 #ahee4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,i was not well the day of your former feast1 which unfortunately deprived me of the pleasure of tasting your good things2 and to-day ,i am compelled to go down to ,balaklava to see after stores for the troops embarking for ,kertch4 ,but ,i know all will do well under your able direction1 and hereafter ,i shall have the satisfaction of witnessing the beneficial results of your labours in the camp kitchens4 ,sincerely yours1 ,j4 ,,hall4 ,,purveyor-,,in-,,chief',s ,,office1 ,,scutari1 ,august #hth1 #ahee4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have much pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of your letter4 ,if ,i have done anything to help you1 it is because ,i have seen it to be my duty to the public1 and because your admirable arrangements have all the object of making the sick man delight in his diet1 which1 ,i fear1 was not the case previous to your arrival4 ,i can1 perhaps1 more than any one appreciate the good you have done4 ,why1 then1 should ,i not heart and soul help you in an object1 the attainment of which induced you to leave ,england8--viz41 the good of the soldier4 ,go on1 and success to you4 ,i will endeavour to help you as much as ,i can at ,balaklava1 as ,i have felt it my duty and pleasure to do here4 ,i am1 my dear ,sir1 yours truly1 ,j4 ,,scott ,,robertson4 ,monsieur ,alexis ,soyer1 ,balaklava4 ,,guards' ,,camp1 ,,first ,,division1 ,,sebastopol1 ,october #afth1 #ahee4 ,i hereby acknowledge the receipt of five of ,monsieur ,a4 ,soyer's field-kitchens or camp stoves1 which are now in active use by the cooks of the ,coldstream ,guards4 ,and ,i hereby further acknowledge the receipt of a sixth camp-stove from ,monsieur ,soyer1 for the use of the hospital of the said regiment4 ,i cannot speak too highly in praise of these camp-kitchens for the great comfort and convenience they afford1 the great economy and diminution of fuel1 whether placed in the open air or under cover1 and enabling the cooks to soak their salt meat properly2 also to make puddings of rice and other things2 and in cases of emergency1 any quantity of rice-water1 barley-water1 or lemonade can be made1 as well as soup1 beef-tea1 c4 ,if split peas were issued as rations by the ,commissariat once or twice a week1 when salt pork and beef are given1 it would be a great addition to the soldier's comfort1 as well as a most wholesome and nutritious food1 and very strongly recommended by ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,speaking for the ,brigade of ,guards1 which ,i have the honour at this time to command1 ,i have to thank ,monsieur ,soyer for all his kindness1 and the very great boon he has given us by granting us the use of his stoves1 which are the models for the rest of the army in the ,crimea4 ,,gordon ,,drummond1 ,colonel1 ,commanding ,brigade of ,guards4 ,monsieur ,a4 ,soyer1 ,guards' ,encampment1 ,sebastopol4 ,,balaklava1 #ith ,dec41 #ahee4 ,,dear ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,i am favoured with your letter of #bith ult41 and am glad to hear so favourable a report of the compressed vegetables which have recently arrived out4 ,i sent to ,constantinople some time ago for a supply of haricot beans1 with1 the view to being issued with salt pork1 as you recommended2 and their introduction generally will be greatly benefited by your personal superintendence and advice1 as you propose4 ,we shall all have great pleasure in seeing you here again1 and availing ourselves of your valuable suggestions and services4 ,the winter has fairly set in1 after two months of beautiful weather4 ,cold1 damp1 and discomfort prevail to a certain extent1 and we move about in a sea of mud2 but1 as a set-off1 we have abundance of supplies of all kinds1 including fuel--the men are well clothed1 and the erection of the huts is well advanced1 notwithstanding their late arrival and the difficulty in transporting them to the front4 ,i remain1 dear ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,yours very faithfully1 ,,geo4 ,,maclean4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 c41 ,scutari4 ,p4 ,s4--,i have written for a six months' supply of ,chorlet's compressed vegetables as a reserve1 and to guard against unforeseen contingencies4 ,we have fresh vegetables1 potatoes1 and onions1 more regularly2 but cannot always expect this will continue4 ,the quantity sent for will be about #aj1jjj1jjj of rations4--,g4 ,m4 ,,camp1 ,may #aath1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,one of your cooking-stoves was tried by me yesterday and to-day4 ,it answers to perfection2 ,i never tasted better soup than was this day made by a soldier out of the regular rations4 ,the quantity of fuel saved by this stove is enormous4 ,i trust that your information is correct--viz41 that ,government have made arrangements to supply the army with these cooking-stoves4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your obedient servant1 ,,alexander ,,maxwell1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #dfth ,regiment4 ,monsieur ,alexis ,soyer4 ,,camp1 ,,sevastopol1 ,may #bast1 #ahef4 ,,my ,,dear ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,i can have no hesitation in saying that your stove is the best ,i have seen1 and the men of my regiment are very much pleased with it4 ,i think you told me that ovens could be fitted to them also2 if so1 they will be a boon conferred on the ,british soldier1 which he will1 ,i am sure1 highly appreciate4 ,yours very faithfully1 ,b4 ,,daubeney1 ,commanding #eeth ,regiment4 ,,camp1 ,,near ,,sebastopol1 ,may #bcrd1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,i have the honour to report that the result of the experimental cooking by ,monsieur ,soyer's stove and boiler has been most satisfactory4 ,the small quantity of fuel required is a great advantage1 a small stick carried by each man of a company would afford sufficient fuel to cook a meal4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your most obedient humble servant1 ,w4 ,,sparke1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #chth ,regiment4 ,the ,major of ,brigade4 ,,camp1 ,,sebastopol1 ,may #beth1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,i have to acknowledge your letter of this morning1 and have much pleasure in stating that during the short period we had the opportunity of using your field-stove1 nothing could be more satisfactory1 both in its superiority as a means of cooking a large quantity of rations in a short time1 and also from the small quantity of fuel used in doing so4 ,i must also give it as my opinion1 that it is admirably suited for operations in the field1 but requires to have the outer casing protected in some way2 probably an open netting of iron wire would do so1 with a couple of loops1 so that two stoves could be attached and carried by one mule or horse4 ,i remain1 ,sir1 ,yours very faithfully1 ,,ramsay ,,stuart1 ,lieutenant-,colonel #bast ,fusiliers4 ,alexis ,soyer1 ,esq41 c4 c4 c41 ,crimea4 ,,camp1 ,,sebastopol1 #bfth ,may1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,i beg leave to state that ,i approve most highly of your field-stoves4 ,each company in my regiment has had good opportunities of fully testing their qualities2 and both in the cooking of fresh and salt meat have been found to answer the purpose for which they were intended1 remarkably well4 ,i have the honor to be1 ,sir1 ,your most obedient humble servant1 ,b4 ,,riley1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #dhth ,regiment4 ,monsieur ,a4 ,soyer4 ,,fourth ,,division1 ,,camp1 ,,sebastopol1 #bfth ,may1 #ahef4 ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,in reply to your letter of the #bast of this month1 relative to the field-stoves1 ,i beg to state that the stove has been tried by the #egth ,regiment1 and ,i am of opinion that it is well adapted for the purpose intended4 ,it affords every facility for cooking1 and saves a considerable quantity of fuel2 and two of the stoves to one company on the march would be far preferable to the camp-kettles now in use4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,,john ,a4 ,,street1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #egth ,regiment4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,fourth ,division4 ,,camp1 ,,sevastopol1 #bgth ,may1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,i have the honour to state1 for the information of the ,major-,general commanding the ,fourth ,division1 that ,monsieur ,soyer's cooking-stove has been tried in the #egth ,regiment1 and ,i am of opinion that it is well adapted for the purpose intended2 there is a very considerable saving of fuel1 and little difficulty in cooking2 and two stoves per company would be far preferable to the camp-kettles now in use4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your obedient servant1 ,,john ,a4 ,,street1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #egth ,regiment4 ,lieut4-,col4 ,smith1 ,a4,a4,g41 ,fourth ,division4 ,,camp ,,before ,,sebastopol1 #bfth ,may1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,with reference to ,no4 #c of this day's order1 ,i have the honour to state that during the short period we had the opportunity of using ,monsieur ,soyer's field-stove1 nothing could be more satisfactory1 both in its superiority as a means of cooking a large quantity of rations in a short time1 and also from the small quantity of fuel used in doing so4 ,i must also give it as my opinion that it is admirably suited for operations in the field1 but requires to have the outer casing protected in some way2 probably an open netting of iron wire would do so1 with a couple of loops1 so that two stoves could then be attached and carried by one mule or horse4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 your most obedient servant1 ,,ramsay ,,stuart1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #bast ,fusiliers4 ,the ,assistant-,adjutant-,general1 c4 c4 c41 ,fourth ,division4 ,,camp1 ,,sebastopol1 #bfth ,may1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,in compliance with ,division ,order ,no4 #c of this day's date1 ,i beg leave to state that ,i approve most highly of the ,soyer field-stoves4 ,each company in my regiment has had good opportunities of fully testing their qualities2 and both in the cooking of fresh and salt meat1 they have been found to answer the purpose for which they were intended1 remarkably well4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your most obedient humble servant1 ,b4 ,,riley1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #dhth ,regiment4 ,the ,brigade-,major1 ,second ,brigade1 ,fourth ,division ,camp4 ,,camp1 ,,fourth ,,division1 #bgth ,may1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,in compliance with divisional orders of yesterday's date1 directing officers commanding corps to report on ,monsieur ,soyer's stove1 ,i have the honour to state ,i consider ,monsieur ,soyer's stove cooks the men's rations infinitely better than the ordinary way4 ,the saving of fuel1 also1 to ,government is a very important consideration2 and moreover ,i am informed by ,monsieur ,soyer that the men's rations can easily be baked by his stove1 which ,i consider very desirable1 so as to enable the men to have a change in the way of cooking their dinner4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your most obedient servant1 ,f4 ,c4 ,,evelegh1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #bjth ,regiment4 ,the ,assistant-,adjutant-,general1 ,fourth ,division4 ,,camp1 ,,sebastopol1 #bgth ,may1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,having had one of your field-stoves in use for some weeks1 for the men of the #bc;d ,fusiliers1 and all the companies having taken their turn of cooking with it1 ,i am happy to be able to bear testimony to the great improvement you have effected in the soldiers' cooking4 ,your field-stoves are clean1 easy to use1 and very economical of fuel2 they cook the soldiers' food extremely well1 and the men like them very much1 each company having been anxious to retain the stove as long as possible4 ,the great saving of fuel1 also1 renders these stoves particularly valuable in a camp like this4 ,i am1 ,sir1 ,your obedient servant1 ,,henry ,w4 ,,bunbury1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #bcrd ,fusiliers4 ,monsieur ,alexis ,soyer1 c4 c4 c4 ,,light ,,division ,,camp1 ,may #bgth1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,i beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter respecting the field-stove1 and have no hesitation in giving my testimony as to its great efficiency1 both as to economy of fuel and the simple method of cooking1 the result of which can scarcely fail to be satisfactory1 even with the most ignorant and unskilful performer4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your most obedient servant1 ,,percy ,,hill1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #bnd ,bat4 ,rifle ,brigade4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 ,fourth ,division ,camp4 ,,camp ,,of ,,the ,,light ,,division ,,before ,,sebastopol1 #bgth ,may1 #ahef4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,i am happy to inform you that your new stove has been used1 with great success1 in the #ggth ,regiment4 ,it dresses the men's dinners remarkably well1 and a great saving of fuel is effected by using it--about a stone of coals a day4 ,i consider it admirably adapted for cooking in the field1 and it is very portable4 ,i am1 my dear ,sir1 ,very faithfully yours1 ,r4 ,j4 ,,straton1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #ggth ,regiment4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 c4 c4 ,,camp ,,before ,,sevastopol1 #bhth ,may1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,having tried your stove1 ,i consider it the best possible cooking apparatus for the army1 whether in barracks or standing camp4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your most obedient servant1 ,a4 ,,russell1 ,major1 ,commanding #ast ,bat4 ,rifle ,brigade4 ,monsieur ,a4 ,soyer1 ,camp1 ,fourth ,division4 ,,camp1 ,,sevastopol1 #bhth ,may #ahef4 ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,the cooking-stove sent to my regiment on trial was in use one week1 and ,i am glad to be able to tell you was highly approved of4 ,the soup was richer and superior in flavour1 and the meat better boiled4 ,it has the great advantage of cleanliness1 also being capable of service in the open air1 needing only a shed to keep the weather off those employed4 ,yours very obediently1 ,w4 ,h4 ,,wellesley1 ,colonel1 ,commanding ,royal ,fusiliers4 ,monsieur ,a4 ,soyer4 ,,crimea1 #cast ,may1 #ahef4 ,i hereby certify that ,soyer's field-kitchen for fifty men has recently been tried in the battalion under my command1 in cooking soldiers' rations1 and that it appears perfectly to answer all purposes4 ,it possesses many advantages--viz41 the small quantity of fuel required1 its lightness and portability1 and requiring1 when in use1 the attendance of only one man4 ,it is in every respect preferable to the cooking coppers generally used in barracks4 ,r4 ,w4 ,,huey1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #bnd ,bat4 #ast ,royal ,regiment4 ,,camp1 ,,kamara1 #ast ,june1 #ahef4 ,i have much pleasure in bearing my testimony to the great advantage of ,monsieur ,soyer's field-stove over the usual method of cooking practised by an army1 from the economy in fuel1 the little attention it requires when the fire is once lighted1 and its construction enabling the soldier to cook in the open air in all weathers4 ,the slow process of boiling1 also1 which is easily regulated by the men after a day's instruction1 produces a more nutritious soup1 and renders the meat more tender than when cooked in the ordinary way4 ,altogether1 ,i consider the improvement one of great utility4 ,,john ,,douglas1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #gith ,highlanders4 ,to ,monsieur ,alexis ,soyer4 ,,crimea1 ,june #bnd1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,i have much pleasure in bearing testimony in favour of your stove1 which is highly approved by my men2 and from its cleanliness1 and economy in fuel1 ,i think it must supersede the old method of cooking4 ,i remain1 ,sir1 ,your obedient servant1 ,,edward ,w4 ,,walker1 ,colonel1 ,commanding ,fusilier ,guards4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 c4 c4 ,,camp1 ,,kamara1 #bnd ,june1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,in answer to yours of the #bast ,may last1 ,i am of opinion that your 8field-stove10 if taken into general use in the army1 would be a great improvement over the old system of cooking with camp-kettles4 ,it requires but little attendance1 a great deal less fuel1 without the least regard to situation1 and may be used with perfect freedom in any description of weather4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your obedient servant1 ,a4 ,,leith ,,hay1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #icrd ,highlanders4 ,monsieur ,alexis ,soyer1 ,cathcart's ,hill1 ,crimea4 ,,light ,,division ,,camp1 #dth ,june1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,i have much pleasure in being able to bear testimony to the efficacy of your field-stoves4 ,their extreme simplicity and their consuming so little fuel1 render them particularly applicable to the use of soldiers4 ,the men of the regiment under my command all approve of them4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,sir1 ,your obedient servant1 ,a4 ,c4 ,,goodenough1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #cdth ,regiment4 ,monsieur ,alexis ,soyer1 ,cathcart's ,hill4 ,,camp1 ,,sebastopol1 #gth ,june1 #ahef4 ,i have witnessed the working of ,monsieur ,soyer's patent portable kitchen for troops1 and consider it most excellent--the process simple1 saving of fuel great1 and always insuring a good meal to the soldier1 in camp or barrack1 it will be a great boon1 should it be generally adopted4 ,,thomas ,,kelly1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #cast ,regiment4 ,,camp ,,before ,,sebastopol1 ,,fourth ,,division1 ,june #adth1 #ahef4 ,major-,general ,garrett approves highly of the cooking-stoves introduced by ,monsieur ,soyer1 which have been made trial of by all the regiments of the ,fourth ,division1 and have given great satisfaction to the men1 and have been approved by commanding officers4 ,in a standing camp1 or in quarters1 they are admirable2 they can be put up in an instant anywhere1 either in or out of doors1 and they never smoke4 ,if attention is paid to the proportions of meat1 water1 and the necessary ingredients1 when cooking commences1 the most careless soldier can scarcely fail in making a good mess4 ,there is also a great saving of fuel2 and as only a certain amount of fire can be kept going1 a steady and even process of cooking is insured1 by which1 without any great skill on the part of the soldier1 a good dinner is in due course produced4 ,a4 ,,garrett1 ,major-,general1 ,commanding ,fourth ,division4 ,,light ,,division ,,camp1 ,,crimea1 #adth ,june1 #ahef4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,it gives me great pleasure to send you my opinion of your camp-stove--the #ijth ,light ,infantry under my command having had one on trial for some weeks1 during which time ,i watched it very closely4 ,if generally used in the army1 ,i consider it will be as great a boon to soldiers as it must be a saving to the public4 ,its portability for camp purposes1 where one mule can carry two stoves to cook everything for one hundred men1 and without the necessity for a cook-house1 is an important consideration2 but the more so when its portability does not affect its qualities for general purposes in barracks1 c4 ,the smallest quantity of fuel is required to light it and to keep it sufficiently hot1 and the degree of heat being so well and simply regulated1 waste of fuel becomes impossible1 and the cooking much improved over ordinary coppers in the usual barrack cook-houses4 ,with the addition of your very simple receipts1 it appears to me that there is everything we can require1 not only to make the most of a soldier's rations1 but to render them both wholesome and palatable4 ,you were good enough to superintend personally at my cook-houses--until that time1 the soldiers threw away1 or used for other purposes than intended1 the fat of the pork ration2 with your plain instructions1 they afterwards spread it on their bread as butter1 and no wonder they were exceedingly fond of it1 for it was pure and sweet1 and far superior to the rank bad butter they purchased in the canteens1 c41 in the ,crimea4 ,it will not be wasted again4 ,i am happy to have this opportunity to acknowledge a great service rendered1 and ,i wish that your camp-stoves may meet with the success they deserve1 that they may be generally used in the army1 not only in camp1 but in quarters1 hospitals1 c4 ,i am1 dear ,sir1 very faithfully yours1 ,,robert ,,campbell1 ,colonel1 ,commanding #ijth ,light ,infantry4 ,monsieur ,alexis ,soyer1 c4 c4 ,,camp1 ,,sebastopol1 #adth ,june1 #ahef4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have just received your letter4 ,in reply1 ,i have now to state1 from what ,i have seen of your stoves1 that they are most admirably adapted for the purpose intended4 ,they economize fuel1 which is a great thing2 and they will be a great 8boon0 to the soldier1 in every respect4 ,i am1 yours very truly1 ,,thomas ,,ingram1 ,lieut-,col41 ,commanding #igth ,regiment4 ,to ,monsieur ,soyer1 c4 ,barrack ,hospital1 ,scutari4 ,,head-,,quarters1 ,,sebastopol1 #aith ,june1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,in acknowledging your letter of the #aeth instant1 ,i have to observe that one of your camp-stoves has been in constant use in the #efth ,regiment for the last two months1 and from inquiries from the men themselves1 and my own observation1 ,i am decidedly of opinion that they possess very considerable advantages over any other means of cooking at present in use in the ,british army1 and ,i would strongly advocate their being furnished to all barracks1 not only on account of their superiority in rendering the soldiers' ration much more wholesome than when prepared by the means ordinarily used1 but also for their great economy of fuel and labour4 ,all these advantages were clearly demonstrated on the occasion of ,lord ,gough's visit to the camp of the #efth1 when1 with ten of the stoves in operation1 you superintended so successfully the cooking of five hundred men's rations4 ,i remain1 your very obedient servant1 ,a4 ,w4 ,,lacy1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #efth ,regiment4 ,monsieur ,soyer1 c4 c4 ,,camp1 ,,kadikoi1 ,june #bfth1 #ahef4 ,,dear ,,monsieur ,,soyer1--,the kitchen which you were kind enough to leave in our camp has been working admirably2 the men are quite delighted with it1 because it saves them so much trouble and cooks their rations so far superior to the old way3 the saving in fuel must be immense4 ,i trust1 when we get back to ,england1 every regiment may be served with them4 ,believe me1 very truly yours1 ,w4 ,,peel1 ,lieut4-,col41 ,commanding #aath ,hussars4 ,,scutari1 ,august #aath1 #ahef4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,the department to which ,i belong having been broken up consequent on the return of the ,english army from the ,east1 ,i hope you will allow me1 before ,i leave this country1 to express to you the obligation ,i feel for your invaluable services in the hospitals here and at ,kululee4 ,to the important information and improvements which from the first you brought to bear upon the culinary department at each hospital1 have the sick been indebted for much of the comforts they enjoyed when in hospital2 nothing does tend to console a patient1 or to restore him1 so much as the nicety of the food which is given him3 on the other hand1 the badly-cooked food which is so often found in hospitals where the cooks have not been trained1 retard no doubt the convalescence of the sick1 the patient rather turning from his meal than desiring it4 ,it was not so1 however1 with the hospitals here from the time you commenced your improvements in the kitchens4 ,i could not1 for myself1 have desired anything better than the meals which1 through your management1 were furnished daily to the patients4 ,i think the general management of the kitchen has been admirable1 and1 considering the vast numbers which had to be cooked for1 in every way successful4 ,i believe your system introduced into the general hospitals of the army generally1 would be attended with incalculable advantage in every way1 to the sick as well as the convalescents1 and1 ,i have no doubt1 with much economy4 ,you are aware how much pleasure it gave me to see the working of your excellent field-kitchens at the ,first ,division1 when ,i visited the ,crimea in ,september last on duty4 ,so much was ,i struck with their excellence1 and the little expense attending them1 that ,i addressed a letter to ,sir ,benjamin ,hawes on the subject at the time1 suggesting the propriety of at once introducing them into the hospitals in the front1 where ,i believe they were very much wanted4 ,i can only hope that ere long not a regiment in the service will be without them2 and ,i am sure that will be the wish of all who have seen them in operation4 ,wishing you a happy return to ,england1 where you left your family and friends with the patriotic and humane object of rendering your gratuitous services to the army in the ,east at a time when so much suffering was endured by the soldiers both in hospital and in the field1 and with my thanks for your valuable assistance to my department1 ,believe me to be1 yours very sincerely1 ,t4 ,,scott ,,robertson1 ,purveyor-in-,chief4 ,to ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,,malta1 ,september #hth1 #ahef4 ,,sir1--,in reply to your letter requesting me to give you my opinion on the subject of your military cooking stove1 ,i now beg to give you the opinion ,i have formed of them4 ,i will first mention that the stove was used by each of the companies of the #dgth ,regiment in succession4 ,the non-commissioned officers and soldiers all spoke most favourably of it4 ,the portable cooking stove has1 in my mind1 many important advantages to recommend it--one very important one being that it can cook in any situation whatsoever1 and in any weather1 and with the smallest possible consumption of fuel of any kind which may be available--a very great consideration in localities where fuel is scarce or difficult of access4 ,i imagine those stoves would have answered admirably for cooking in the trenches before ,sebastopol1 taking little room1 consuming little fuel1 and showing but little smoke1 and cooking the food as securely and perfectly in bad weather as in fine4 ,for field hospitals they would answer admirably1 especially as carrying their own fuel on a march4 ,the cooking for the sick could commence instantly on the halt taking place4 ,i think here at ,malta they would be very useful in many of the encampments2 in fact1 anywhere that troops are suddenly placed they 7the cooking stoves7 would be found of great use4 ,even they could answer very well in the event of troops having on any emergency to embark in vessels inadequately provided with cooking apparatus4 ,fully convinced of their merits1 ,i wish the invention all the military success and encouragement it deserves4 ,i have the honour to be your very obedient servant1 ,m4 ,j4 ,,haley1 ,colonel commanding #dgth ,regiment4 ,to ,monsieur ,alexis ,soyer4 ,p4,s4 ,there is one observation ,i cannot help adding1 which is that1 however desirable it is to give the army improved utensils for cooking1 little progress will be made in military cookery and teaching the soldiers to turn such rations or other articles of food to account in the most advantageous and ready manner1 unless it is some one person's particular business to teach cooking4 ,we ought to have a non-commissioned officer for the special duty1 and who would be responsible for imparting instruction in that most essential craft2 recollecting a most important maxime de guerre3--8,c'est la soupe qui fait le soldat40 #ac1 ,,kensington ,,park ,,terrace ,,north1 ,july1 #aheg4 ,,dear ,,sir1--,i understand that you are about to publish some observations respecting your valuable labours in the culinary department in the military hospitals of ,scutari and the ,crimea4 ,if you permit me1 ,i shall be happy to add a few remarks1 such as occurred to me during the period ,i was engaged by the ,government as one of the physicians in the ,barrack ,hospital4 ,one of the first duties in the treatment of the sick was to ascertain the quality of the food adapted to invalids labouring under every form of fever1 of acute and chronic diarrha1 and especially dysentery4 ,it is in vain to attempt to cure these diseases by medicines only2 a carefully regulated diet was of the first consequence2 and ,i was early disappointed and embarrassed by the wretched state of the kitchens and diet intended for the sick4 ,i was in the habit of frequenting the kitchen which belonged to the division of the hospital in which ,i was doing duty1 and observing the mode of cooking1 and soon found that the soldier-cooks were quite ignorant of their art4 ,i have constantly examined and tasted the mutton and fowls1 the soups1 the vegetables1 and the puddings1 and ,i do not hesitate to affirm that they were as unpalatable and unsavoury and as objectionable as they could be4 ,the practice of cooking the fowls was to put them into nets--a dozen or more in one net2 several nets were placed in large coppers2 and then to boil them as rapidly as possible1 with fierce heat4 ,i have many times examined their quality after this process of rapid boiling1 and always found them extremely tough and uneatable1 and generally the sick soldier could not masticate them1 especially as so many of the sick were suffering from spongy gums and decayed teeth1 the effects of scurvy4 ,the mutton1 generally bad in quality1 was always very badly cooked1 and the broths or soups very destitute of flavour4 ,no one1 sir1 can know so well as a physician the great value of palatable and easily digestible food--it is of more consequence than the whole contents of the apothecary's shop4 ,i do not desire to flatter you1 nor unnecessarily to disparage the former miserable system of cooking4 ,your presence in that essential department of the healing art inspired us with new hopes4 ,in a few days we discovered the superiority of your successful efforts to unite the agreeable and nutritive qualities of food4 ,under your instructions1 the meat became savoury and eatable--the soups were relished--the puddings were pleasant1 and enjoyed--the tea and coffee were refreshing4 ,those invalids who before your arrival seemed to yield most patiently to their hard lot of semi-starvation1 and often went without the medical comforts1 now looked out anxiously for the hour when these creature blessings were usually distributed4 ,the ,government1 with a proper generosity1 gave almost a carte blanche to the ,medical ,staff to order every medical comfort to the poor sick soldier who could no longer wield a sword or shoulder a musket1 and who were perishing by diseases aggravated by improper diet and bad cooking4 ,the art of the cuisine yields not in importance to medicine itself--it is the handmaid of the physician2 and ,i would rather trust to its curative powers than to the physic of the doctors1 if ,i were limited to the alternative of either the one or the other4 ,i am1 dear ,sir1 your obedient servant1 ,,robert ,,woollaston1 ,m4,d4 ,lond41 ,f4,s4,c4,s41 ,late one of the ,physicians of the ,barrack ,hospital at ,scutari4 ,to ,monsieur ,soyer4 ,copy of ,letter addressed by the ,author to the ,right ,honourable the ,lord ,panmure1 ,k4,t41 c4 c4 c41 relating to the completion of his ,mission1 in the shape of a ,journal4 ,,my ,,lord1--,i beg to close this little journal by stating the reason of my long absence since the treaty of peace4 ,it was with the intention of writing a work which will1 ,i hope1 perpetuate the ameliorations ,i have been enabled 7through the confidence reposed in me by your lordship7 to introduce in the diets for the hospitals1 as well as the cooking for the army4 ,and this can be effected in a very short time1 without increasing the expense to the nation1 but will1 on the contrary1 be likely to tend to economy1 it being well recognised by the faculty that change of food is as essential to the soldier in health as change of diet is to the invalid4 ,this work will also1 with little trouble1 have the effect of making cooks of the soldiers1 and teach them at the same time to make the most of their rations either in camp or in barracks4 ,with the most profound respect1 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,your ,lordship's obedient servant1 ,a4 ,,soyer4 ,,useful ,,inventions ,,soyer',s ,,scutari ,,teapot4 ,this teapot1 which is registered1 is manufactured by ,messrs4 ,deane and ,dray1 ,london ,bridge1 and sold by all ironmongers in the kingdom4 ,illustration ,the top of the minaret forms the lid1 and the tube which holds the tea1 being moveable1 allows every facility for cleaning1 and amongst its many advantages the most prominent are its cheapness1 elegance1 and simplicity4 ,it can be made any size4 ,,patent ,,rotary ,,knife-,,cleaner4 ,amongst the many tribulations of small families1 one of the worst is knife-cleaning1 which is one of the most disagreeable of all household duties--and what is worse than a dirty knife8 ,yet where is the house where the housewife is not well up in the household duties who does not experience this inconvenience8 ,a gentleman named ,detheir1 a nephew of the celebrated ,detheir of the ,great ,northern ,hotel1 has really invented a knife-cleaner which ought to be introduced in all public institutions1 commercial houses1 and private families4 ,so much do ,i approve of this machine as a public boon1 that ,i trust they will be made at such a moderate price as to come within the reach of all4 ,,index ,,to ,,addenda4 ,,hospital ,,diets4 ,apple ,barley ,water1 #ebc ,arrowroot ,milk1 #eag ,arrowroot ,water1 #eag ,baked ,apple ,toast-and-,water1 #ebb ,barley ,water1 #eah ,batter ,pudding1 #eai ,beef ,soup1 #ead ,beef ,tea1 #ead ,boiled ,rice1 #eba ,bread-and-,butter ,pudding1 #ebj ,bread ,pudding1 #ebj ,browning for ,soups1 #ebb ,calf's-foot ,jelly1 #eaf ,cheap ,plain ,rice ,pudding for ,campaigning1 #eai ,chicken ,broth1 #eae ,citronade1 #ebc ,currant ,syrup1 #ebc ,custard ,pudding1 #ebj ,date ,water1 #ebc ,effervescent ,beverages1 #ebc ,essence of ,beef ,tea1 #eae ,figs and ,apple ,beverages1 #eba ,fig ,water1 #ebc ,french ,herb ,broth1 #ebb ,jelly ,stock1 #eag ,macaroni ,pudding1 #ebj ,mulberry ,water1 #ebc ,mutton and ,veal ,tea1 #aae ,orange-,flower ,water1 #ebc ,pine ,apple ,syrup1 #ebc ,plain-boiled ,rice1 #eae ,plain ,lemonade1 #ebc ,plain ,oatmeal1 #eaf ,raisin ,water1 #ebc ,raspberry ,water1 #ebc ,rice with ,gravy1 #eaf ,rich ,rice ,pudding1 #ebj ,rice ,water1 #eah ,sago ,jelly1 #eag ,sago ,pudding1 #eba ,semi-citric ,lemonade1 #eah ,semi-stewed ,mutton and ,barley ,soup for one hundred ,men1 #eac ,soyer's ,cheap ,lemonade1 #eai ,soyer's ,plain ,lemonade1 #eah ,spring ,drink1 #ebc ,stewed ,french ,plums1 #eba ,stewed ,macaroni1 #ebj ,strengthening ,beef ,tea1 #eae ,summer ,drink1 #ebc ,sweet ,rice1 #eaf ,syrup of ,orgeat1 #ebc ,tapioca ,pudding1 #eba ,tartaric ,lemonade1 #eai ,thick ,arrowroot ,milk1 #eag ,thick ,beef ,tea1 #eae ,toast-and-,water1 #ebb ,,army ,,receipts4 ,army ,soup for fifty ,men1 #ebf ,baking and ,roasting with the ,field ,stove1 #ebh ,baking in ,oven1 #ebi ,beef ,soup1 #ecb ,camp ,soup1 #eca ,cocoa for eighty ,men1 #ecj ,coffee for ten or eighty ,men1 #ebi ,easy way of ,cooking in ,earthen ,pan1 #ecj ,french ,beef ,soup1 or ,pot-au-,feu1 #ecj ,how to ,soak and ,plain-boil ,rations of ,salt ,beef and ,pork on ,land and at ,sea1 #ebe ,how to ,cook for a ,regiment of one thousand ,men1 #ebg ,pea ,soup1 #ecb ,plain ,irish ,stew for fifty ,men1 #ebg ,receipts for ,frying-pan1 #ecb ,salt ,meat for fifty ,men1 #ebe ,salt ,pork1 with ,mashed ,peas1 for one hundred ,men1 #efb ,salt ,pork and ,pudding1 with ,cabbage and ,potatoes1 #ebg ,semi-,frying1 ,camp ,fashion1 #ecj ,soyer's ,food for one hundred ,men1 for using two stoves1 #ebg ,stewed ,salt ,beef and ,pork for one hundred ,men1 or a ,regiment of one thousand ,men1 #ebf ,stewed ,fresh ,beef and ,rice1 #ecb ,suet ,dumplings1 #ecc ,tea for eighty ,men1 #ebi ,turkish ,pilaff for one hundred ,men1 #ebh ,,bill ,,of ,,fare ,,for ,,london ,,suppers4 ,battered ,eggs with ,mushrooms1 #edf ,battered ,eggs with ,sprue ,grass1 #edf ,bouillabaisse ,anglicised1 #eej ,ditto1 ,second ,class1 #eej ,chicken1 ,american fashion1 #edi ,chipped or ribboned ,potatoes1 #edh ,chop or ,steak la ,sultana1 #ecf ,chops semi-,provenal1 or ,marseilles fashion1 #ecf ,cold ,asparagus ,salad1 #edi ,crab ,salad1 #edc ,crabs au ,gratin in the ,shell1 #eda ,curried ,eggs1 #edg ,curried ,tripe1 #eci ,eggs with ,tomato ,sauce1 #edg ,eggs with chopped ,ham or ,tongue1 #edf ,eggs with ,mushrooms1 #edf ,eggs with ,truffles1 #edf ,eggs with ,sprue ,grass1 #edg ,eggs la ,bonne ,femme1 #edg ,eggs au ,miroir with ,ham or ,bacon1 #edf ,eggs la ,tripe or ,onion ,sauce1 #edg ,endive ,salad1 #edd ,fillet de ,buf1 ,parisian fashion1 #ece ,fillet de ,buf1 semi-,chateaubriant1 #ecf ,fried ,oysters1 ,new ,york way1 #edb ,fried ,potatoes1 #edg ,fried ,potatoes with ,matre d',htel ,butter1 #edh ,fried ,potatoes with ,cayenne ,pepper1 #edh ,game for ,supper1 #edb ,gratin ,tripe in ,shell1 #eci ,grilled ,chicken with ,sharp ,sauce1 #eci ,ham and ,bacon ,omelettes1 #ede ,ham with ,shalots1 ,parsley1 and ,chervil1 #edf ,herring la ,rob ,roy1 #edi ,kidneys ,saute1 with ,sherry1 ,port1 or ,champagne1 #ecg ,kidney ,toast1 #ecg ,lamb ,chops l',africaine1 #ech ,lamb ,chops la ,printaniere1 #ech ,lamb ,chops la ,boulogne1 #ech ,lamb's ,fry1 #edj ,lobster ,curry1 #edj ,lobster ,curry in ,shell1 #edj ,lobster au ,gratin1 #edj ,lobster ,cutlets1 #edj ,lobster ,salad1 #edc ,minced ,sandwiches1 #ecf ,mirrored ,eggs1 #edf ,mushroom ,kidney ,sandwich1 #ecf ,mutton and ,lamb ,cutlets la ,bouchre1 #ece ,mutton and ,lamb ,cutlets semi-,bouchre1 #ece ,mutton1 ,lamb1 or ,veal ,cutlets1 en ,papillote1 #ecg ,mutton or ,lamb ,chops la ,turc1 #edj ,new ,potato ,salad1 ,german fashion1 #edi ,ditto1 with ,french or ,harict ,beans1 #edi ,omelettes with fine ,herbs1 #edd ,omelettes with ,mushrooms #ede ,omelettes with ,sprue ,grass1 #ede ,omelettes with ,parmesan1 #ede ,oysters stewed ,american fashion1 #edb ,plain ,mutton ,chops and ,steaks1 #ece ,plain ,salad with ,anchovies1 #edd ,poached ,eggs with ,cream1 #ede ,poached ,eggs with ,matre d',htel ,butter1 #ede ,poached ,eggs semi-curried with ,ham or ,bacon1 #ede ,pork ,chops la ,tartare1 #ech ,pork ,chops with ,pimento ,butter1 #ech ,rarebit la ,soyer1 with ,sherry or ,champagne1 #edg ,relishing ,steak1 #ece ,rumpsteak and ,potatoes1 #ecd ,salad1 new1 ,tartar fashion1 #edc ,sandwiches for ,evening ,parties1 #edj ,sauces1 ,list of1 #eea to #eed ,scalloped ,lobster1 #edj ,semi-curried kidneys1 #ecg ,soyer's ,broiling or ,universal ,devil1 #eci ,soyer's ,grouse ,salad1 #edc ,soyer's ,universal ,devil ,mixture1 #edh ,ditto for the ,million1 #edi ,soyer's ,balaklava ,nectar1 #efj ,soyer's ,crimean ,cup la ,wyndham1 #eej ,stewed ,tripe1 #eci ,stewed ,oysters on toast1 #edb ,tripe ,lyonnaise fashion1 #eci ,a ,,series ,,of ,,receipts ,,for ,,the ,,needy1 #eee ,,to #eff4 ,,anecdotes1 ,,etc4 ,the ,duke of ,cambridge's ,head-,quarters prior to the ,battle of ,inkermann1 #efg ,a ,visit to ,dolma ,batchi ,palace1 #egj ,the ,travelling ,gentleman of the ,crimea1 #egc ,the ,consumption ,hospital1 #egd ,copies of ,letters1 #ege to #eia ,patent ,rotary ,knife ,cleaner1 #eic ,,london3 ,,savill ,,and ,,edwards1 ,,printers1 ,,chandos ,,street1 ,,covent-,,garden4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,soyer',s ,,sultana',s ,,sauce1 ,analysed by ,dr4 ,hassall4 ,i have examined with much care several samples of ,m4 ,,soyer',s ,,new ,,eastern ,,or ,,sultana ,,sauce1 and ,i am of opinion that it is an excellent preparation4 ,while it is a good stomachic1 its flavour is delicious2 moreover the ingredients of which it is composed are of the purest and most wholesome description4 ,,arthur ,,william ,,hassall1 ,m4,d41 ,author of 8,food and its ,adulterations10 8,adulterations ,detected10 c4 c4 #h1 ,,bennett ,,street1 ,,st4 ,,james',s ,,street1 #adth ,august1 #aheg4 ,illustration ,,sole ,,agents--,,messrs4 ,,crosse ,,and ,,blackwell4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,sultana',s ,,sauce ,is an entirely ,new ,concoction1 in which most wholesome ,oriental ,ingredients and ,aromatic ,herbs are introduced4 ,it is at once appetizing and nutritious1 and applicable to all kinds of cold ,meat1 ,hashes1 ,stews1 ,chops1 ,steaks1 ,fish1 ,soups1 ,poultry1 and above all1 ,salads4 ,a small quantity will suffice to give a most exquisite relish to any of the above dishes4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,he also approved of my observation1 that ,i was well aware that people could not expect to find those dishes on the bill of fare every day1 but only one or two nightly4 ,to insure success1 ,i would advise the proprietors of all extensive supper-houses to adopt the plan ,i so successfully introduced at the ,reform ,club many years since1 which was to make a small bill of fare of eight or ten dishes which were ready1 and cross out such as run short during the evening1 recommending only those which remained4 ,this saved time1 words1 and confusion2 besides giving an opportunity of introducing one or two novelties daily1 which would pay well if properly attended to4 ,it would also gratify the consumer1 who should not be kept waiting for his supper till fresh provisions were sent for and cooked1 as at that hour many persons would content themselves with a less variety of dishes rather than wait4 #b ,for ,receipts1 see ,addenda4 #c ,this spot is little known to the ,english in general1 and to many who have travelled over the world2 but as no such delightful place exists anywhere but in ,england1 how can it possibly interest an ,englishman8 ,first of all1 it is too close for the wealthy1 and too far for the people1 being six miles by coach from either ,windsor or ,staines4 ,during the five months ,i spent there last summer1 the greatest number of visitors ,i counted daily was about twenty or thirty round the lake1 which is seven and a half miles in circumference4 ,i should also observe that ,louis ,napoleon1 being a man of great taste1 has imitated it in the ,bois de ,bologne as nearly as possible2 and by going there1 every ,englishman will have an idea of that which he possesses at home1 without troubling himself1 while in ,london1 to go as far as ,virginia ,water4 #d ,i have since learned that this gentleman during the campaign did so much good1 and was so earnest in his endeavours to relieve the sufferings of the wounded at the battle of ,inkermann1 the allied as well as the ,russian troops1 that ,i intend to devote a page of this work to him1 and also mention the names of the generals and others who spoke in such high terms of his exertions4 #e ,i had bought a cash-belt1 but upon trying it1 on the point of our departure1 ,i found it too short4 ,this circumstance caused me to place everything in my pocket-book4 #f ,that his ,majesty was going early in ,march to the ,crimea ,i can assert as a positive fact4 ,having met with many unbelievers on this subject in the ,crimea is the cause of my relating this anecdote2 and no doubt nothing but the following unexpected news could have prevented his majesty from following out his determination4 #g ,a magnificent palace1 dedicated to the ,empress ,eugnie1 designed by the ,emperor1 is now in course of erection near the spot4 #h ,this remark may probably come to the notice of his friends1 and lead to a monument being erected to his memory1 which1 no doubt1 he well deserves4 #i ,i earnestly recommend the adoption of this plan in every public institution1 civil or military4 ,for example1 put in the caldron1 which we will suppose holds fifty gallons1 so much water1 so many pounds of meat1 vegetables1 salt1 pepper1 and sugar2 add the barley1 light the fire2 stir now and then with a long wooden spaddle to prevent the barley sticking at the bottom of the caldron2 when boiling1 reduce the fire4 ,simmer gently two and a half hours1 if mutton is used2 if beef1 three hours4 ,never skim it1 only take the fat off1 if any1 which use for other purposes1 or instead of butter 7see ,hospital receipt in ,addenda74 ,if two or more boilers are required1 the quantities given in the scale only need increasing4 #aj ,if ,i dwell so minutely upon these apparently frivolous details1 it is only because ,i wish to show that ,i did not introduce anything until it had first met with the approval of the medical gentlemen4 #aa ,i believe ,i am correct in stating that1 in the ,french army1 one soldier has to cook for a squad of sixteen men1 while in camp3 and that he has charge of two canteen kettles4 ,i always saw five or six men cooking for a company in each kitchen2 there were ten kitchens to a regiment of ten companies4 ,this the soldiers told me themselves4 ,i make this remark to corroborate what ,i afterwards said in ,paris before several ,french officers who contradicted me1 but who1 ,i believe1 were not in the ,crimean war4 ,they stated that they only had two cooks to one company while campaigning4 ,upon making inquiries of a corporal who had charge of that department in his regiment while in the ,crimea1 he assured me that it was one man to each kettle1 and not one to two--afterwards divided into two messes1 forming a squad of nine or ten men1 which would be equal to one hundred men to a regiment of one thousand in strength1 instead of eight1 as ,i at first calculated1 or about ten squads to a company4 ,while in barracks1 comparatively speaking1 it only requires a few men per regiment4 #ab ,if ,i have here related this anecdote1 it is with the intention of showing the effect produced by the report upon all engaged in the hospitals1 who felt that a gentleman of that age1 though very capable1 might1 with his antique notions1 upset what was then going on so well4 #ac ,i have such confidence in the nutritive qualities and the importance to the army and navy of these bread-biscuits1 that ,i intend to recommend their adoption in both departments4 ,for a campaign they are invaluable2 and at sea they would make an excellent change1 being as light as bread4 #ad ,the difficulty of recollecting the names and the rank of military men in the ,crimea is great4 ,this is particularly the case with me4 ,the performance of my manifold duties compelled me to cross and re-cross hundreds of times from vessel to vessel1 hospital to hospital1 and camp to camp4 ,i met and received attentions and aid from numbers1 of whom it is impossible to retain more than a slight photographic sketch of their noble ,saxon countenances4 ,from the peculiarity of my costume1 ,i was almost as well known to every one in the camp as a chien du rgiment4 ,i offer this explanation as an apology to any one whom ,i may have inadvertently annoyed--if any such there be--in my account of my ,crimean campaign1 by not giving the proper rank or name4 #ae ,a peculiar kind of turbot found in the ,black ,sea1 with scales1 each scale something like the head of a large iron nail2 and though1 when the fish is thickly covered1 it in a measure spoils its appearance1 yet it does not in the slightest interfere with the quality1 but1 on the contrary1 leaves a gelatinous succulence round it1 entirely peculiar to this rough-outfitted denizen of the ocean4 #af ,sir ,michael ,shaw ,stewart's sister4 #ag ,this is the ancient who1 after partaking of the best dinner ever prepared1 unfortunately inquired of his private secretary how his cash account stood1 and finding that he had only a few millions of dollars remaining1 for fear of being in future obliged to dine badly1 or at least compelled to curtail his incalculable expenditure1 one day dined magnificently by himself1 and ordering the most luxurious banquet that ,rome could boast of4 ,on that solemn occasion1 though there were enough culinary chefs-d'uvre to delight an immense number of epicures1 he only invited himself6 8,sublime idea60 he ejaculated2 8after dining like two ,vitelliuses1 or several ,luculluses1 to die in the midst of plenty60 ,thereupon he swallowed poison1 and was found dead at the head of his table4 #ah ,ahmet ,pacha1 who speaks ,french1 has his country residence at the greater ,chamlija2 and that of ,selim ,pacha1 where we dined1 is in the lesser ,chamlija4 #ai ,that kitchen was put up at the ,south ,union ,workhouse1 where no doubt it still remains4 ,in some institutions steam tubes have since been introduced into the boiler amongst the food4 ,this1 ,i beg to say1 forms no part of my plan1 as has been publicly reported4 ,i disapprove of the system altogether1 for many reasons1 which it would be out of place to discuss in this work4 #bj ,he related the following anecdote of something that had passed between him and ,sir ,john ,campbell1 on the eve of the attack of the #ahth of ,june4 ,sir ,john had for some time inquired after him1 and at last meeting him going to his master's quarters1 called out and said1 8,franois1 how much am ,i in your debt80 8,why1 ,colonel1 it is only the middle of the month2 ,i will give you your small bill at the end40 8,no1 no10 said ,sir ,john1 8,i want it now1 ,franois40 8,have ,i offended you1 ,colonel80 8,offended me1 no6 on the contrary1 ,i am much obliged to you for your kind services2 but the end of this month may be to-morrow for me1 as we shall have a terrible attack upon the ,redan2 so ,i want to settle all my little affairs to-day40 8,oh1 ,i'm sure1 ,general1 it will be all right40 8,indeed ,i must have it--how much does it amount to80 8,well1 ,general1 if ,i must1 ,i must--it is one pound seventeen1 or somewhere thereabouts40 ,the ,general wished him good night1 and with a smile upon his countenance returned to his cave1 and ,franois to his duty4 ,that noble-hearted man seemed to have a presentiment that he should not survive the attack4 ,the tears stood in his eyes while he was relating this to me1 and ,i found my own in much the same state in listening to the recital4 #ba ,a few days after1 his ,majesty honoured with his presence the grand anniversary ball given at the ,french ,embassy by ,monsieur ,thouvenel1 the ,french ambassador4 ,it was also very splendid1 but not being a fancy one1 did not offer the same points of interest4 ,the ,english ball had the advantage of being the first ever attended by a ,moslem monarch3 nevertheless1 his ,sublime ,majesty remained longer at the latter than at the former1 having1 doubtless1 taken a fancy to our ,european social customs4 #bb ,when ,i say 8according to common sense10 ,i am speaking within bounds4 ,salt and pepper1 fresh and preserved vegetables 7the latter either in tins or in cakes71 were distributed from the regimental quartermaster's stores to the cooks of each company for three days' consumption at a time4 ,the consequence was that1 in a couple of days1 and sometimes in one1 the three days' rations had either been consumed or were wasted4 ,the first day1 the soup or other food was badly prepared1 on account of the excess of these ingredients2 and it was still worse on the following days1 on account of their being short of all with the exception of the meat1 which was therefore boiled in plain water with rice1 but often without either salt or vegetables4 ,the food was thus rendered insipid and unwholesome4 ,such was the system ,i found in general use1 and it was a great pity1 seeing the ,government had so liberally provided all that was required4 ,proper regulation was all that was needed in order to increase the comforts of the men4 ,the meals of the whole army constitute a very important matter4 ,any improvement was certain to be felt daily2 for can anything be more unpalatable than a piece of fresh beef boiled in plain water1 without seasoning8 ,there was no salt to eat with it1 although plenty was allowed for each man4 ,this is what ,i call want of attention and lack of common sense4 ,i do not mean to say this was always the case1 as some quartermasters1 who noticed the evil1 distributed the vegetables daily1 instead of for three days at once4 ,many of the men were intelligent enough to divide the allowance1 but the greater number were very careless2 it therefore became of the utmost importance to establish a rule which would not leave them the chance of doing wrong4 ,the great evil is1 that after being thus deprived of salt for a day or two1 they then receive salt rations1 which they boil in small tin camp-kettles1 and without soaking1 in merely a few pints of water1 which becomes like so much brine4 ,thus various diseases1 which are seldom attributed to the real cause1 are engendered1 and all medicinal equilibrium is completely upset4 ,the rectifying of this was one of the numerous difficulties ,i had to encounter during my mission4 #bc ,for a regiment of one thousand men1 increase the number of stoves in proportion4 ,if one hundred regiments are to be cooked for1 repeat the same in each regiment1 when you will have cooked enough food to perfection without much trouble for an army of one hundred thousand men1 at the same time effecting a saving of above #djj per cent4 in fuel4 #bd ,for letters of approval from generals of division1 colonels in command of regiments1 medical and other authorities1 see ,addenda4 #be ,a few hundred yards further1 where the ,french review had taken place1 on an ill-selected spot1 the dust was blinding both to men and horses1 the wind being very high4 #bf ,it was commenced by ,general ,bentinck1 continued by ,general ,wyndham and ,lord ,w4 ,paulet1 and finished by ,general ,garrett4 ,it was situated on the spot once inhabited by ,sir ,john ,campbell4 ,the ,duke of ,newcastle also had his tent pitched there during his stay in the ,crimea1 not fifty yards from the place where ,general ,cathcart and other great heroes are interred4 ,the reader's humble and respectful servant is not a little proud to have had the honour of having his last culinary encampment1 called ,soyer's ,villarette1 on that celebrated and glorious locality4 #bg ,upon my asking ,general ,garrett the reason why the lunch was fixed so early1 8,so early1 say you60 answered the general1 laughing4 8,what do you think8 ,when ,i asked ,major-,general ,vassileffsky what was the most convenient time for him to pay me a visit1 his reply was--from four to five in the morning40 8,which1 no doubt1 general1 you thought too late1 or too early40 8,true enough10 said the general4 #bh ,lately published by ,george ,routledge ,co4 #bi ,i take this opportunity of informing ,monsieur le ,conte de ,maison1 to whom ,i shall do myself the pleasure of sending a copy of this work1 that the disappointment was on our side1 and that--the captain in particular--all regretted the impossibility of acquainting those gentlemen with our sudden departure4 #cj ,yalta1 the place from whence he started1 was a distance of forty miles by road from ,balaklava2 the journey1 however1 took the lad six days1 as he did not know the direct road4 ,he also informed me that at night he used to climb and sleep in a tree1 fearing the wild animals1 feeding on wild fruit and beech-nuts4 #ca ,for a description of the interior of the ,palace1 see ,addenda4 #cb ,the ,maltese culinary productions1 and well-provided markets1 ,i must defer commenting upon till my work entitled 8,the ,culinary ,wonders of all ,nations0 is produced4 #cc ,a few days after1 ,i was deputed1 by order of the ,emperor1 to visit and report on the public kitchen for the working classes in ,paris1 called the ,fourneaux de l',impratrice2 for description of which see ,addenda4 #cd ,this receipt1 so much approved of by the medical authorities1 was in daily use for more than fifteen months from the date of its introduction by me4 #ce ,the following is from the ,lancet of ,august the #bbnd1 #aheg3--8;,dyspeptic4--,we recommend our correspondent to try some of ,m4 ,soyer's new sauce1 called the ,sultana ,sauce4 ,it is made after the ,turkish receipt1 its flavour is excellent1 and it affords considerable aid in cases of slow and weak digestion40 #cf ,if no oven1 put the pan in water three-parts up1 and give half an hour longer4 ,for public institutions1 fish1 meat1 and game may be cooked in a similar manner1 for which receipts refer to my 8,shilling ,cookery40 #cg ,the following receipts were written by me in reply to a request inserted in the ,times in ,january1 #ahee4 ,each receipt is for two men1 but may be increased by adding to the proportions4 #ch ,indian corn contains #gej parts of starch1 #bje gluten1 #cj sugar1 #ae tannin4 ,potatoes contain #bjj parts of starch1 #dj gluten1 #bj sugar4 #ci ,if hard water is used1 add soda4 #dj ,for the use of the bones1 see ,receipt ,no4 #i4 #da ,if dripping cannot be had1 use four pounds of fat4--,see ,receipt ,no4 #ba4 #db ,hot water is the best to use1 if convenient4 #dc ,if colour is required1 add a quart of ,receipt ,no4 #ba4 #dd ,if bacon cannot be had1 the same quantity of solid meat of any kind will do4 #de ,if ,indian meal is used1 it must be boiled two hours4 #df ,porphyna ,purpura--if not to be had1 use laver or slook--the ulva lactuca4 99 99 99 99 99 ,typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber3 martys to the science of cookery martys to the science of cookery pg #ag a letter of introducton a letter of introduction pg #dj ,m4 ,giraldo1 who had superintended the disembarkation ,mr4 ,giraldo1 who had superintended the disembarkation pg #fb transcendantly beautiful transcendently beautiful pg #afc being but meagrely being but meagerly pg #bch it wont take you ten minutes it won't take you ten minutes pg #bhf he created quited a sensation he created quite a sensation pg #ccd ,i cannot recal where ,i cannot recall where pg #cde becomes more nutritous becomes more nutritious pg #ead cut very then cut very thin pg #eag a little cayanne a little cayenne pg #edi in his vists to the above in his visits to the above pg #egg good opportuties of fully good opportunities of fully pg #ehb ,fouth ,division ,fourth ,division pg #ehc don't recal those things don't recall those things pg #ccb ,eggs au ,mivoir with ,ham or ,bacon1 #edf ,eggs au ,miroir with ,ham or ,bacon1 #edf index