Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil Institutions

tears in the evening. The sails were furled, and the awning was now stretched amidships. About twelve o’clock all the soldiers, under command of Major Campbell, about six hundred in number, met upon deck; and divine service was read by the Major himself. Miss Nightingale, Mr. Bracebridge, myself, and all the officers on board, were present. Nothing recurs more vividly to my recollection than the impression made upon my mind by that religious ceremony, performed so solemnly, between heaven and the ocean. It appeared as though all were impressed with the sacred mission they were called upon to fulfil, and that every brave fellow present was saying his last prayer, and preparing himself in case of emergency, should it be his fate to succumb on the field of battle in the defence of his country, to appear with a free and pure conscience before his Creator, in whose hands alone are the issues of life and death. Many of those poor fellows afterwards paid that tribute to their country. Such are the chances of war. This ceremony, though not performed by a clergyman, had such an effect upon my mind, that I shall never forget it. The remainder of the afternoon was passed on deck, and as it was a day of rest and delightful weather, we were favoured with the company of the ladies, including that of Miss Nightingale. Although I had frequently conversed with Miss Nightingale upon business transactions, this was the first and best opportunity I had of appreciating her amiable character and interesting powers of conversation. For more than an hour I talked with her, upon the deck of the good ship _Robert Lowe_. The subject was her duty, not of what she had already done, but of what she was about to do. She gave me good advice as to the best way for me to proceed in my new undertaking. “Monsieur Soyer,” she said, “you will find everything very different in the Crimea to what it was at Scutari, though you had there a great many difficulties, the distance from supplies being so much