There was another long stoppage at Smyrna. From the water, the town appears to great advantage, but inside it is like every other Turkish town; and this sufficiently describes it. I went to see, among other things, the packing of figs for exportation, and the sight was not calculated to induce me to eat them.

A more

Crowds of deck passengers came on board here, bringing boxes and bundles with them, and filled up the whole vacant space on the quarter-deck, so that there was hardly room to move. The screeching of the Greeks was dreadful. I am certain that a Greek says more, and makes more noise, in ten minutes, than an Englishman does in a day. uncomfortable ship I was never in, and if I had the power of choice, would avoid an Austrian steamer. The ship creaked incessantly, and the noise was deafening. What with that, the rolling, and chattering, I had hardly an hour's quiet between Trieste and Constantinople. The ship was dirty; the cabin-passengers were dirty; the attendants were dirty and bad; and the whole concern was an abomination.

PIGS v. PASSENGERS.

39

I have been on board a steamer with eight hundred pigs, stinking and squealing; but that was elysium compared to being shipmate with these dirty Greeks, Turks, Jews, and Levantines. There appeared to be no limit to the numbers the agent was allowed to cram on board; and there was not the least regard for the comfort of the chief cabin-passengers, who might have been just as well off in the second cabin.

In the evening we started, and, when night came on, the noise gradually ceased, as the numerous never-washed rolled themselves into bundles of blankets and carpets, and slept.

Before leaving, a talkative passenger came on board, with endless stories about Sebastopol; how Eupatoria had been re-taken by the Russians; how the Highlanders had been annihilated; and a host of what I knew to be fables. I at once set him down for—and, if I was wrong, he ought to have been-the editor of that highly veracious specimen of Perote journalism-the Journal de Constantinople.

On the morning of the 22nd, the anchor

was let go in the Golden Horn. I had been nine days on board the Italia, and was delighted to leave her, hoping I might never again have to make a passage on board so uncomfortable a ship.

I went up to my old quarters, at Misserie's, where I heard of the opening of the batteries, and the attack upon the sea-forts of Sebastopol by the allied fleet, on the 17th.

I lost no time in crossing over to Scutari, and visiting the barracks-lately converted into a hospital-and where some of my most intimate friends lay wounded. Some had lost arms, others had lost legs, and all were more or less seriously hurt. It was my first insight into the reality of war. My visit afforded them an opportunity to fight the battle of Alma over again, and all related to me their individual experiences and feelings on the occasion.

CHAPTER IV.

BALAKLAVA AND THE BATTLE.

I WAS most desirous to get on to the Crimea, with as little delay as possible. The Danube, a small steamer, built for running on that river, and purchased into our service, was going up with the mails; and Lieutenant Cator, R.N., the commander, was kind enough to offer me a passage, which I gladly accepted —and I now beg to thank him for it. There was not much time to get ready—but, as I resolved only to take with me as much baggage as I could myself carry, in case of necessity, it did not much matter. I put a few

42

START FOR THE CRIMEA.

small necessaries into a small carpet bag-and this, together with a plaid, an India-rubber coat, and a sheet of the same material, formed the whole of my kit-except a revolver.

In the afternoon of the 23rd, we left the Golden Horn; and, after waiting some time at Therapia, for Lord Stratford's despatcheswhich, as usual, were not ready-we entered the Black Sea.

I shall now generally adopt the form of a journal, in which my notes were kept. It will, however, be occasionally advisable to revert to the style of a narrative.

October 25th.-Early in the morning, the high cliffs near Balaklava were indistinctly seen; but, as it was not daylight, the flashes of the guns were plainly visible, although very distant. As soon as it became light, we could see a very thick smoke, arising from the batteries as we then supposed; but, no doubt, a great part of it was caused by the Russian field batteries, in the plain near Balaklavafor, as it afterwards appeared, the battle began about that time.