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

being for a party of thirty. I perceived that my anticipation had been fully realized, and that after the proclamation of peace, the whole camp was converted into an immense banqueting-hall. The continued demand for my assistance in reference to dinner-parties, and invitations to the same, almost made me regret the war-time, during which I used to live in comparative peace, at least as far as high cookery went, having only to attend to my duties, which of course I did not neglect. In addition to all this, I felt compelled, in return for all these polite invitations, to tender hospitalities at home, and thus kept my camp establishment a regular _petit_ Lucullusian temple. The day fixed for the grand festival was at this period drawing near; the number invited increased daily, while the temple only occupied the same space of ground. The places were measured to an inch, and it was found that it would just hold fifty-four with ease, or sixty if they were packed like sardines in a tin box. The number was therefore limited to fifty. To do the thing well for such a party in the Crimea, required both judgment and perseverance. In the intervals between the hours of duty, I laid out my plans, how I should not only please, but also astonish my illustrious guests. A number of regiments were daily leaving; and this caused fresh invitations to be made and issued, in order to fill up the vacancies. At last the day arrived. The morning was very wet, and the sky clouded; two of my men were ill, as was usually the case when anything of importance was about to take place; and consequently the commencement was inauspicious. Owing to the rain, to my great annoyance, the muddy soil of the Crimea accumulated in the hut, caused by the ingress and egress of half-a-dozen soldiers, who had been kindly granted for a few hours to fetch some green plants from a distant ravine to ornament my _fête champêtre_ and harmonical soirée. It was nevertheless very refreshing to see for the first time