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

it had been explained to me by the man who set it going, as he called it. Although he was nearest to the deadly missile when it exploded, he was not even scratched. The affair happened thus:--About half-way up the hill they found a live shell, and for amusement, as they said, rolled it about the ravine. In doing this some of the powder escaped, of which one of the party made a devil: this he placed on a stone. In the meantime the shell had rolled some distance, leaving in its course a train of powder. Not perceiving this, he set the devil on fire; it communicated with the train, and ignited the shell. “How imprudent those foolish sailors are!” said General Dacres; “they are all alike.” As no doctor made his appearance, the general observed the best plan would be to convey the wounded man on board the _Gladiator_ steam-frigate: she was the first foreign ship of war that had entered the harbour. On our way we met two doctors who had been visiting the ruins. They examined the sailor’s wound, and having attended to it, followed him to the _Gladiator’s_ boat, which was waiting at the floating bridge from the Karabelnaia to the French side. I saw him on board, and the surgeon of the ship, Dr. Thompson, immediately amputated his leg. The other two went their way, one of them patched up in four places, but able to walk. I afterwards heard from the doctor that his patient was doing well, and that he was a deserter, for which he would be punished. “A double gratification, doctor,” said I: “that’s what a sailor calls a day’s spree.” The most remarkable part of the affair was the escape of the man who had set the shell a-going; he was not even scratched. The reason of this he explained thus:--“When I had set the devil on fire, to my surprise I saw the flame running towards the shell; I expected it would explode, and threw myself flat upon my face. My eyes! wasn’t it a rum ‘un!--it gave