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

to recollect and inform the commander how the quarrel began, when another, who imagined he had completely recovered, stated the fact thus: “General, if you will allow me, I will tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and instead of kissing the good book, which I have not got by me, but which I had when I paid my last visit to his Majesty the Lord Mayor of London, let me kiss your glove instead.” “We want no nonsense here; so look sharp, and tell us what it was all about.” “Yes, Colonel, I will, as far as I know. You see, Jarvis, who is a relation of Martin’s wife, called her ugly names, and said she wasn’t proper. Upon that we fought--Joe fought--I fought--till we couldn’t fight any longer, and being dark we found it very troublesome, as we didn’t know whom we might be hitting. I do not know who said she wasn’t proper--I don’t know the wench--she might be proper, after all, for what I know--that’s all.” “Corporal,” said the Major, “don’t let those men land till I see you.” By this time the Russian coast was in view. Breakfast was just over, and everybody was on deck--the weather being beautiful. Miss Nightingale, Mr. Bracebridge, and myself, with telescopes, were looking at the convent and the monastery, still inhabited by Russian monks. The first reports of the cannon of Sebastopol were here faintly heard--the wind being favourable, as the captain informed us. On the right hand, on a lofty high peaked mountain, the Russian picket was plainly seen mounting guard. An hour after we were in the Bay of Balaklava, in view of the Genoese Tower, planted on a high rock, at the elevation of about two hundred feet above the level of the sea, at the spur of a range of mountains extending along the shore. A few topmasts are all that can be seen on entering the gorge; and no one can imagine, though so near, that such a harbour is in existence as the one we were approaching. The