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

signal having been given by hoisting the flag on the top of the Genoese Tower, we entered the far-famed, and now universally known, grand, though small, Harbour of Balaklava, the entrance to which seems impracticable. We then slowly threaded our way through that forest of masts and huge vessels piled and packed so close together in the little harbour. The principal vessels at that time lying there were.,--the _Himalaya_, _Jura_, _Ætna_, _Leander_, _Star of the South_, _London_, _Baraguay d’Hilliers_, &c. 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 quarter. Many people were aware that Miss Nightingale was coming that day in the _Robert Lowe_, and the decks of all the large vessels at anchor were crowded with curious spectators, in expectation of seeing that lady, of whose devotion to the sick and wounded they had heard so much. COSSACK BAY. We had no sooner entered the harbour than, to P. M.’s horror, he saw painted on the rock in large letters--“Cossack Bay.” At this moment, five or six ill-looking Bashi Bazouks, and as many Turks, with their large turbans, yathagans, kresses, daggers, firelocks, &c., were descending the mountain to the rock upon which the fatal name was written, and immediately caused P. M. to inquire if they were enemies. I replied that I thought they were, being upon Cossack Bay. “I say, Monsieur Soyer,” said P. M., “this is beyond a joke; for if those ugly fellows choose to fire upon us, they can do so as easy as possible.” “No doubt they can,” said I. “I shall not give them a chance,” cried P. M., and off he bolted. The _Robert Lowe_ had anchored, and was moored in her new berth on the right-hand side of the harbour, nearly opposite the commandant’s house. Although the operation of getting in had taken nearly two hours, so interesting was the sight that no one had thought of making preparations to leave the vessel, which is generally the first thing