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

splendid square; while the French army, though more numerous, being in a line, covered more ground, but produced less effect. I remarked this to General della Marmora, with whom I was conversing. He seemed to be of my opinion. The Scotch, with their bagpipes merrily playing, were then filing past the Etat-Major, and the vibrating sounds of their wild mountain music impressed itself for ever on my ear. It was their last song on the Crimean shore. A few minutes more, and all was over. General Lüders entered his carriage, and started full gallop, followed by his Staff. General Codrington and suite lined the fields on either side the road along which the carriage passed. On reaching the Balaklava road, which crosses the high mountain leading to the Guards’ camp, the Russian general made a full stop; so did Sir W. Codrington and suite. They bade each other adieu; and after General Lüders had returned thanks for the excellent reception he had received, Sir William said, “I hope, general, you are not over-tired?” “No, not at all, thank you. I only felt rather cold standing still during the last review.” This was spoken in French. The Russian cavalcade galloped away towards the Tchernaya, whilst the English returned to head-quarters. It was getting quite dark; the weather, which had been so warm in the morning, turned very cold--the sky looked grey, and not a soul was to be seen. I ascended the rocky and steep mountain on horseback. A few minutes after, I was in lonely solitude on the top of the plateau. Not a sign, of life was to be seen or heard; graveyards alone ornamented this desolate spot. “What a curious life mine is!” said I, musing. “Compare the last forty-eight hours with the time when I was hanging by one hand, suspended between life and death, from the man-rope of the _Alar_, in the harbour of Balaklava.” It reminded me of a rocket, which, while soaring brightly in its flight towards the sky, shines radiant for a few seconds only, and then vanishes in space. CHAPTER XXXIV. CRIMEAN