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

attire, looked as brisk and independent as a modern Diogenes or a Robert Macaire. To the questions put to him by the captain, he replied somewhat in the style of the Grecian philosopher to Alexander the Great. There was, however, this difference--those great men understood each other, while the captain’s English was entirely lost upon the ragged hero. After several attempts and failures on the part of the captain, a gentleman, Mr. Souter, who spoke the Russian language, interrogated him, and asked him how he got on board. His reply was, “With the baggage, to be sure.” He then, boldly and in a fine tone of voice, suiting the action to the word, told the following tale:--“I am an orphan and a Russian serf belonging to Prince Meshersky. My name is Daniel Maximovitch Chimachenka; and since my owner, the prince, went to the war, the serfs have been much ill-treated by the agent in charge. This was particularly the case with myself, as I was attached to the agent’s personal service. He beat me daily, and gave me scarcely anything to eat. One day, two English officers passed through the village, and I held their horses for them while they took some refreshment. When they came out, they gave me a shilling. Though it was nearly dark, I watched the road they went, and followed them at a distance. After walking some time, I lost sight of them, and slept in the wood till daybreak. Two days after, having travelled through forests and over mountains in order to avoid detection, I found myself at Balaklava. This was only just before the departure of the fleet. I was determined to follow those kind people the English, who had given me so much money for so little work. Being aware that you were all going away, I bethought myself of hiding on board one of your ships, thinking that when discovered you could not treat me worse than the prince’s agent had done. I made the attempt in two different vessels, but was discovered and put on shore again. This vessel being