WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF MRS. SEACOLE IN MANY LANDS

 EDITED BY W. J. S. 

 WITH AN INTRODUCTORY PREFACE

 BY

 W. H. RUSSELL, ESQ. , THE "TIMES" CORRESPONDENT IN THE CRIMEA. 

 LONDON: JAMES BLACKWOOD, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1857. 

[Illustration: MRS. SEACOLE'S HOTEL IN THE CRIMEA. ]

LONDON:THOMAS HARRILD, PRINTER, 11, SALISBURY SQUARE, FLEET STREET. 

 DEDICATED, BY PERMISSION, TO

 MAJOR-GENERAL LORD ROKEBY, K. C. B. , BY HIS LORDSHIP'S

 HUMBLE AND MOST GRATEFUL SERVANT, MARY SEACOLE. 

TO THE READER. 

I should have thought that no preface would have been required tointroduce Mrs. Seacole to the British public, or to recommend a bookwhich must, from the circumstances in which the subject of it wasplaced, be unique in literature. 

If singleness of heart, true charity, and Christian works; if trialsand sufferings, dangers and perils, encountered boldly by a helplesswoman on her errand of mercy in the camp and in the battle-field, canexcite sympathy or move curiosity, Mary Seacole will have many friendsand many readers. 

She is no Anna Comnena, who presents us with a verbose history, but aplain truth-speaking woman, who has lived an adventurous life amidscenes which have never yet found a historian among the actors on thestage where they passed. 

I have witnessed her devotion and her courage; I have already bornetestimony to her services to all who needed them. She is the first whohas redeemed the name of "sutler" from the suspicion of worthlessness, mercenary baseness, and plunder; and I trust that England will notforget one who nursed her sick, who sought out her wounded to aid andsuccour them, and who performed the last offices for some of herillustrious dead. 

 W. H. RUSSELL. 

CONTENTS. 

 CHAPTER I. 

 My Birth and Parentage--Early Tastes and Travels--Marriage, and Widowhood 1

 CHAPTER II. 

 Struggles for Life--The Cholera in Jamaica--I leave Kingston for the Isthmus of Panama--Chagres, Navy Bay, and Gatun--Life in Panama--Up the River Chagres to Gorgona and Cruces 6

 CHAPTER III. 

 My Reception at the Independent Hotel--A Cruces Table d'Hôte--Life in Cruces--Amusements of the Crowds--A Novel Four-post Bed 17

 CHAPTER IV. 

 An Unwelcome Visitor in Cruces--The Cholera--Success of the Yellow Doctress--Fearful Scene at the Mule-owner's--The Burying Parties--The Cholera attacks me 23

 CHAPTER V. 

 American Sympathy--I take an Hotel in Cruces--My Customers--Lola Montes--Miss Hayes and the Bishop--Gambling in Cruces--Quarrels amongst the Travellers--New Granadan Military--The Thieves of Cruces--A Narrow Escape 34

 CHAPTER VI. 

 Migration to Gorgona--Farewell Dinners and Speeches--A Building Speculation--Life in Gorgona--Sympathy with American Slaves--Dr. Casey in Trouble--Floods and Fires--Yankee Independence and Freedom 46

 CHAPTER VII. 

 The Yellow Fever in Jamaica--My Experience of Death-bed Scenes--I leave again for Navy Bay, and open a Store there--I am attacked with the Gold Fever, and start for Escribanos--Life in the Interior of the Republic of New Granada--A Revolutionary Conspiracy on a small scale--The Dinner Delicacies of Escribanos--Journey up the Palmilla River--A Few Words on the Present Aspect of Affairs on the Isthmus of Panama 59

 CHAPTER VIII. 

 I long to join the British Army before Sebastopol--My Wanderings about London for that purpose--How I failed--Establishment of the Firm of "Day and Martin"--I Embark for Turkey 73

 CHAPTER IX. 

 Voyage to Constantinople--Malta--Gibraltar--Constantinople, and what I thought of it--Visit to Scutari Hospital--Miss Nightingale 82

 CHAPTER X. 

 "Jew Johnny"--I Start for Balaclava--Kindness of my old Friends--On Board the "Medora"--My Life on Shore--The Sick Wharf 92

 CHAPTER XI. 

 Alarms in the Harbour--Getting the Stores on Shore--Robbery by Night and Day--The Predatory Tribes of Balaclava--Activity of the Authorities--We obtain leave to erect our Store, and fix upon Spring Hill as its Site--The Turkish Pacha--The Flood--Our Carpenters--I become an English Schoolmistress Abroad 102

 CHAPTER XII. 

 The British Hotel--Domestic Difficulties--Our Enemies--The Russian Rats--Adventures in Search of a Cat--Light-fingered Zouaves--Crimean Thieves--Powdering a Horse 113

 CHAPTER XIII. 

 My Work in the Crimea 124

 CHAPTER XIV. 

 My Customers at the British Hotel 135

 CHAPTER XV. 

 My First Glimpse of War--Advance of my Turkish Friends on Kamara--Visitors to the Camp--Miss Nightingale--Mons. Soyer and the Cholera--Summer in the Crimea--"Thirsty Souls"--Death busy in the Trenches 146

 CHAPTER XVI. 

 Under Fire on the fatal 18th of June--Before the Redan--At the Cemetery--The Armistice--Deaths at Head-quarters--Depression in the Camp--Plenty in the Crimea--The Plague of Flies--Under Fire at the Battle of the Tchernaya--Work on the Field--My Patients 154

 CHAPTER XVII. 

 Inside Sebastopol--The Last Bombardment of Sebastopol--On Cathcart's Hill--Rumours in the Camp--The Attack on the Malakhoff--The Old Work again--A Sunday Excursion--Inside "Our" City--I am taken for a Spy, and thereat lose my Temper--I Visit the Redan, etc. --My Share of the Plunder 167

 CHAPTER XVIII. 

 Holiday in the Camp--A New Enemy, Time--Amusements in the Crimea--My share in them--Dinner at Spring Hill--At the Races--Christmas Day in the British Hotel--New Year's Day in the Hospital 177

 CHAPTER XIX. 

 New Year in the Crimea--Good News--The Armistice--Barter with the Russians--War and Peace--Tidings of Peace--Excursions into the Interior of the Crimea--To Simpheropol, Baktchiserai, etc. --The Troops begin to leave the Crimea--Friends' Farewells--The Cemeteries--We remove from Spring Hill to Balaclava--Alarming Sacrifice of our Stock--A last Glimpse of Sebastopol--Home! 188

 Conclusion 197

ADVENTURES OF MRS. SEACOLEIN MANY LANDS. 

CHAPTER I. 

 MY BIRTH AND PARENTAGE--EARLY TASTES AND TRAVELS--MARRIAGE, AND WIDOWHOOD. 

I was born in the town of Kingston, in the island of Jamaica, sometime in the present century. As a female, and a widow, I may be wellexcused giving the precise date of this important event. But I do notmind confessing that the century and myself were both young together, and that we have grown side by side into age and consequence. I am aCreole, and have good Scotch blood coursing in my veins. My father wasa soldier, of an old Scotch family; and to him I often trace myaffection for a camp-life, and my sympathy with what I have heard myfriends call "the pomp, pride, and circumstance of glorious war. " Manypeople have also traced to my Scotch blood that energy and activitywhich are not always found in the Creole race, and which have carriedme to so many varied scenes: and perhaps they are right. I have oftenheard the term "lazy Creole" applied to my country people; but I amsure I do not know what it is to be indolent. All my life long I havefollowed the impulse which led me to be up and doing; and so far fromresting idle anywhere, I have never wanted inclination to rove, norwill powerful enough to find a way to carry out my wishes. That thesequalities have led me into many countries, and brought me into somestrange and amusing adventures, the reader, if he or she has thepatience to get through this book, will see. Some people, indeed, havecalled me quite a female Ulysses. I believe that they intended it as acompliment; but from my experience of the Greeks, I do not consider ita very flattering one. 

It is not my intention to dwell at any length upon the recollectionsof my childhood. My mother kept a boarding-house in Kingston, and was, like very many of the Creole women, an admirable doctress; in highrepute with the officers of both services, and their wives, who werefrom time to time stationed at Kingston. It was very natural that Ishould inherit her tastes; and so I had from early youth a yearningfor medical knowledge and practice which has never deserted me. When Iwas a very young child I was taken by an old lady, who brought me upin her household among her own grandchildren, and who could scarcelyhave shown me more kindness had I been one of them; indeed, I was sospoiled by my kind patroness that, but for being frequently with mymother, I might very likely have grown up idle and useless. But I sawso much of her, and of her patients, that the ambition to become adoctress early took firm root in my mind; and I was very young when Ibegan to make use of the little knowledge I had acquired from watchingmy mother, upon a great sufferer--my doll. I have noticed always whatactors children are. If you leave one alone in a room, how soon itclears a little stage; and, making an audience out of a few chairs andstools, proceeds to act its childish griefs and blandishments upon itsdoll. So I also made good use of my dumb companion and confidante; andwhatever disease was most prevalent in Kingston, be sure my poor dollsoon contracted it. I have had many medical triumphs in later days, and saved some valuable lives; but I really think that few have givenme more real gratification than the rewarding glow of health which myfancy used to picture stealing over my patient's waxen face after longand precarious illness. 

Before long it was very natural that I should seek to extend mypractice; and so I found other patients in the dogs and cats aroundme. Many luckless brutes were made to simulate diseases which wereraging among their owners, and had forced down their reluctant throatsthe remedies which I deemed most likely to suit their supposedcomplaints. And after a time I rose still higher in my ambition; anddespairing of finding another human patient, I proceeded to try mysimples and essences upon--myself. 

When I was about twelve years old I was more frequently at my mother'shouse, and used to assist her in her duties; very often sharing withher the task of attending upon invalid officers or their wives, whocame to her house from the adjacent camp at Up-Park, or the militarystation at Newcastle. 

As I grew into womanhood, I began to indulge that longing to travelwhich will never leave me while I have health and vigour. I was neverweary of tracing upon an old map the route to England; and neverfollowed with my gaze the stately ships homeward bound without longingto be in them, and see the blue hills of Jamaica fade into thedistance. At that time it seemed most improbable that these girlishwishes should be gratified; but circumstances, which I need notexplain, enabled me to accompany some relatives to England while I wasyet a very young woman. 

I shall never forget my first impressions of London. Of course, I amnot going to bore the reader with them; but they are as vivid now asthough the year 18-- (I had very nearly let my age slip then) had notbeen long ago numbered with the past. Strangely enough, some of themost vivid of my recollections are the efforts of the Londonstreet-boys to poke fun at my and my companion's complexion. I am onlya little brown--a few shades duskier than the brunettes whom you alladmire so much; but my companion was very dark, and a fair (if I canapply the term to her) subject for their rude wit. She washot-tempered, poor thing! and as there were no policemen to awe theboys and turn our servants' heads in those days, our progress throughthe London streets was sometimes a rather chequered one. 

I remained in England, upon the occasion of my first visit, about ayear; and then returned to Kingston. Before long I again started forLondon, bringing with me this time a large stock of West Indianpreserves and pickles for sale. After remaining two years here, Iagain started home; and on the way my life and adventures were verynearly brought to a premature conclusion. Christmas-day had been keptvery merrily on board our ship the "Velusia;" and on the following daya fire broke out in the hold. I dare say it would have resisted allthe crew's efforts to put it out, had not another ship appeared insight; upon which the fire quietly allowed itself to be extinguished. Although considerably alarmed, I did not lose my senses; but duringthe time when the contest between fire and water was doubtful, Ientered into an amicable arrangement with the ship's cook, whereby, inconsideration of two pounds--which I was not, however, to pay untilthe crisis arrived--he agreed to lash me on to a large hen-coop. 

Before I had been long in Jamaica I started upon other trips, many ofthem undertaken with a view to gain. Thus I spent some time in NewProvidence, bringing home with me a large collection of handsomeshells and rare shell-work, which created quite a sensation inKingston, and had a rapid sale; I visited also Hayti and Cuba. But Ihasten onward in my narrative. 

Returned to Kingston, I nursed my old indulgent patroness in her lastlong illness. After she died, in my arms, I went to my mother's house, where I stayed, making myself useful in a variety of ways, andlearning a great deal of Creole medicinal art, until I couldn't findcourage to say "no" to a certain arrangement timidly proposed by Mr. Seacole, but married him, and took him down to Black River, where weestablished a store. Poor man! he was very delicate; and before Iundertook the charge of him, several doctors had expressed mostunfavourable opinions of his health. I kept him alive by kind nursingand attention as long as I could; but at last he grew so ill that weleft Black River, and returned to my mother's house at Kingston. Within a month of our arrival there he died. This was my first greattrouble, and I felt it bitterly. For days I never stirred--lost to allthat passed around me in a dull stupor of despair. If you had told methat the time would soon come when I should remember this sorrowcalmly, I should not have believed it possible: and yet it was so. Ido not think that we hot-blooded Creoles sorrow less for showing it soimpetuously; but I do think that the sharp edge of our grief wearsdown sooner than theirs who preserve an outward demeanour of calmness, and nurse their woe secretly in their hearts. 

CHAPTER II. 

 STRUGGLES FOR LIFE--THE CHOLERA IN JAMAICA--I LEAVE KINGSTON FOR THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA--CHAGRES, NAVY BAY, AND GATUN--LIFE IN PANAMA--UP THE RIVER CHAGRES TO GORGONA AND CRUCES. 

I had one other great grief to master--the loss of my mother, and thenI was left alone to battle with the world as best I might. Thestruggles which it cost me to succeed in life were sometimes verytrying; nor have they ended yet. But I have always turned a bold frontto fortune, and taken, and shall continue to take, as my brave friendsin the army and navy have shown me how, "my hurts before. " Although itwas no easy thing for a widow to make ends meet, I never allowedmyself to know what repining or depression was, and so succeeded ingaining not only my daily bread, but many comforts besides from thebeginning. Indeed, my experience of the world--it is not finished yet, but I do not think it will give me reason to change my opinion--leadsme to the conclusion that it is by no means the hard bad world whichsome selfish people would have us believe it. It may be as my editorsays--

 "That gently comes the world to those That are cast in gentle mould;"

hinting at the same time, politely, that the rule may apply to mepersonally. And perhaps he is right, for although I was always ahearty, strong woman--plain-spoken people might say stout--I think myheart is soft enough. 

How slowly and gradually I succeeded in life, need not be told atlength. My fortunes underwent the variations which befall all. Sometimes I was rich one day, and poor the next. I never thought tooexclusively of money, believing rather that we were born to be happy, and that the surest way to be wretched is to prize it overmuch. Had Idone so, I should have mourned over many a promising speculationproving a failure, over many a pan of preserves or guava jelly burntin the making; and perhaps lost my mind when the great fire of 1843, which devastated Kingston, burnt down my poor home. As it was, I verynearly lost my life, for I would not leave my house until every chanceof saving it had gone, and it was wrapped in flames. But, of course, Iset to work again in a humbler way, and rebuilt my house by degrees, and restocked it, succeeding better than before; for I had gained areputation as a skilful nurse and doctress, and my house was alwaysfull of invalid officers and their wives from Newcastle, or theadjacent Up-Park Camp. Sometimes I had a naval or military surgeonunder my roof, from whom I never failed to glean instruction, given, when they learned my love for their profession, with a readiness andkindness I am never likely to forget. Many of these kind friends arealive now. I met with some when my adventures had carried me to thebattle-fields of the Crimea; and to those whose eyes may rest uponthese pages I again offer my acknowledgments for their past kindness, which helped me to be useful to my kind in many lands. 

And here I may take the opportunity of explaining that it was from aconfidence in my own powers, and not at all from necessity, that Iremained an unprotected female. Indeed, I do not mind confessing to myreader, in a friendly confidential way, that one of the hardeststruggles of my life in Kingston was to resist the pressing candidatesfor the late Mr. Seacole's shoes. 

Officers of high rank sometimes took up their abode in my house. Others of inferior rank were familiar with me, long before theirbravery, and, alas! too often death, in the Crimea, made them worldfamous. There were few officers of the 97th to whom Mother Seacole wasnot well known, before she joined them in front of Sebastopol; andamong the best known was good-hearted, loveable, noble H---- V----, whose death shocked me so terribly, and with whose useful heroic lifethe English public have become so familiar. I can hear the ring of hisboyish laughter even now. 

In the year 1850, the cholera swept over the island of Jamaica withterrible force. Our idea--perhaps an unfounded one--was, that asteamer from New Orleans was the means of introducing it into theisland. Anyhow, they sent some clothes on shore to be washed, and poorDolly Johnson, the washerwoman, whom we all knew, sickened and died ofthe terrible disease. While the cholera raged, I had but too manyopportunities of watching its nature, and from a Dr. B----, who wasthen lodging in my house, received many hints as to its treatmentwhich I afterwards found invaluable. 

Early in the same year my brother had left Kingston for the Isthmus ofPanama, then the great high-road to and from golden California, wherehe had established a considerable store and hotel. Ever since he haddone so, I had found some difficulty in checking my revivingdisposition to roam, and at last persuading myself that I might be ofuse to him (he was far from strong), I resigned my house into thehands of a cousin, and made arrangements to journey to Chagres. Havingcome to this conclusion, I allowed no grass to grow beneath my feet, but set to work busily, for I was not going to him empty-handed. Myhouse was full for weeks, of tailors, making up rough coats, trousers, etc. , and sempstresses cutting out and making shirts. In addition tothese, my kitchen was filled with busy people, manufacturingpreserves, guava jelly, and other delicacies, while a considerable sumwas invested in the purchase of preserved meats, vegetables, and eggs. It will be as well, perhaps, if I explain, in as few words aspossible, the then condition of the Isthmus of Panama. 

All my readers must know--a glance at the map will show it to thosewho do not--that between North America and the envied shores ofCalifornia stretches a little neck of land, insignificant-lookingenough on the map, dividing the Atlantic from the Pacific. By crossingthis, the travellers from America avoided a long, weary, and dangeroussea voyage round Cape Horn, or an almost impossible journey by land. 

But that journey across the Isthmus, insignificant in distance as itwas, was by no means an easy one. It seemed as if nature haddetermined to throw every conceivable obstacle in the way of those whoshould seek to join the two great oceans of the world. I have read andheard many accounts of old endeavours to effect this important andgigantic work, and how miserably they failed. It was reserved for themen of our age to accomplish what so many had died in attempting, andiron and steam, twin giants, subdued to man's will, have put a girdleover rocks and rivers, so that travellers can glide as smoothly, ifnot as inexpensively, over the once terrible Isthmus of Darien, asthey can from London to Brighton. Not yet, however, does civilization, rule at Panama. The weak sway of the New Granada Republic, despised bylawless men, and respected by none, is powerless to control the refuseof every nation which meet together upon its soil. Whenever they feelinclined now they overpower the law easily; but seven years ago, whenI visited the Isthmus of Panama, things were much worse, and a licenceexisted, compared to which the present lawless state of affairs isenviable. 

When, after passing Chagres, an old-world, tumble-down town, for aboutseven miles, the steamer reached Navy Bay, I thought I had never seena more luckless, dreary spot. Three sides of the place were a mereswamp, and the town itself stood upon a sand-reef, the houses beingbuilt upon piles, which some one told me rotted regularly every threeyears. The railway, which now connects the bay with Panama, was thenbuilding, and ran, as far as we could see, on piles, connected withthe town by a wooden jetty. It seemed as capital a nursery for agueand fever as Death could hit upon anywhere, and those on board thesteamer who knew it confirmed my opinion. As we arrived a steadydown-pour of rain was falling from an inky sky; the white men who metus on the wharf appeared ghostly and wraith-like, and the very negroesseemed pale and wan. The news which met us did not tempt me to loseany time in getting up the country to my brother. According to allaccounts, fever and ague, with some minor diseases, especially dropsy, were having it all their own way at Navy Bay, and, although I onlystayed one night in the place, my medicine chest was called intorequisition. But the sufferers wanted remedies which I could not givethem--warmth, nourishment, and fresh air. Beneath leaky tents, damphuts, and even under broken railway waggons, I saw men dying fromsheer exhaustion. Indeed, I was very glad when, with the morning, thecrowd, as the Yankees called the bands of pilgrims to and fromCalifornia, made ready to ascend to Panama. 

The first stage of our journey was by railway to Gatun, about twelvemiles distant. For the greater portion of that distance the lines ranon piles, over as unhealthy and wretched a country as the eye couldwell grow weary of; but, at last, the country improved, and you caughtglimpses of distant hills and English-like scenery. Every mile of thatfatal railway cost the world thousands of lives. I was assured thatits site was marked thickly by graves, and that so great was themortality among the labourers that three times the survivors struck ina body, and their places had to be supplied by fresh victims fromAmerica, tempted by unheard-of rates of wages. It is a giganticundertaking, and shows what the energy and enterprise of man canaccomplish. Everything requisite for its construction, even thetimber, had to be prepared in, and brought from, America. 

The railway then ran no further than Gatun, and here we were to takewater and ascend the River Chagres to Gorgona, the next stage on theway to Cruces, where my brother was. The cars landed us at the bottomof a somewhat steep cutting through a reddish clay, and deposited meand my suite, consisting of a black servant, named "Mac, " and a littlegirl, in safety in the midst of my many packages, not altogethersatisfied with my prospects; for the rain was falling heavily andsteadily, and the Gatun porters were possessing themselves of myluggage with that same avidity which distinguishes their brethren onthe pier of Calais or the quays of Pera. There are two species ofindividuals whom I have found alike wherever my travels have carriedme--the reader can guess their professions--porters and lawyers. 

It was as much as I could do to gather my packages together, sit inthe midst with a determined look to awe the hungry crowd around me, and send "Mac" up the steep slippery bank to report progress. After alittle while he returned to say that the river-side was not far off, where boats could be hired for the upward journey. The word given, theporters threw themselves upon my packages; a pitched battle ensued, out of which issued the strongest Spanish Indians, with their hardlyearned prizes, and we commenced the ascent of the clayey bank. Now, although the surveyors of the Darien highways had considerately cutsteps up the steep incline, they had become worse than useless, so Ifloundered about terribly, more than once losing my footingaltogether. And as with that due regard to personal appearance, whichI have always deemed a duty as well as a pleasure to study, I had, before leaving Navy Bay, attired myself in a delicate light bluedress, a white bonnet prettily trimmed, and an equally chaste shawl, the reader can sympathise with my distress. However, I gained thesummit, and after an arduous descent, of a few minutes duration, reached the river-side; in a most piteous plight, however, for mypretty dress, from its contact with the Gatun clay, looked as red asif, in the pursuit of science, I had passed it through a strongsolution of muriatic acid. 

By the water-side I found my travelling companions arguing angrilywith the shrewd boatmen, and bating down their fares. Upon collectingmy luggage, I found, as I had expected, that the porters had notneglected the glorious opportunity of robbing a woman, and thatseveral articles were missing. Complaints, I knew, would not avail me, and stronger measures seemed hazardous and barely advisable in alawless out-of-the-way spot, where

 "The simple plan, That they should take who have the power, And they should keep who can, "

seemed universally practised, and would very likely have been defendedby its practitioners upon principle. 

It was not so easy to hire a boat as I had been led to expect. Thelarge crowd had made the boatmen somewhat exorbitant in their demands, and there were several reasons why I should engage one for my ownexclusive use, instead of sharing one with some of my travellingcompanions. In the first place, my luggage was somewhat bulky; and, inthe second place, my experience of travel had not failed to teach methat Americans (even from the Northern States) are alwaysuncomfortable in the company of coloured people, and very often showthis feeling in stronger ways than by sour looks and rude words. Ithink, if I have a little prejudice against our cousins across theAtlantic--and I do confess to a little--it is not unreasonable. I havea few shades of deeper brown upon my skin which shows me related--andI am proud of the relationship--to those poor mortals whom you onceheld enslaved, and whose bodies America still owns. And having thisbond, and knowing what slavery is; having seen with my eyes and heardwith my ears proof positive enough of its horrors--let others affectto doubt them if they will--is it surprising that I should be somewhatimpatient of the airs of superiority which many Americans haveendeavoured to assume over me? Mind, I am not speaking of all. I havemet with some delightful exceptions. 

At length I succeeded in hiring a boat for the modest consideration often pounds, to carry me and my fortunes to Cruces. My boat was farfrom uncomfortable. Large and flat-bottomed, with an awning, dirty itmust be confessed, beneath which swung a hammock, of which I tookimmediate possession. By the way, the Central Americans should adoptthe hammock as their national badge; but for sheer necessity theywould never leave it. The master of the boat, the padrone, was a finetall negro, his crew were four common enough specimens of humanity, with a marked disregard of the prejudices of society with respect toclothing. A dirty handkerchief rolled over the head, and a wisp ofsomething, which might have been linen, bound round the loins, formedtheir attire. Perhaps, however, the thick coating of dirt whichcovered them kept them warmer than more civilized clothing, besidesbeing indisputably more economical. 

The boat was generally propelled by paddles, but when the river wasshallow, poles were used to punt us along, as on English rivers; theblack padrone, whose superior position was indicated by the use ofdecent clothing, standing at the helm, gesticulating wildly, andswearing Spanish oaths with a vehemence that would have put CorporalTrim's comrades in Flanders to the blush. Very much shocked, ofcourse, but finding it perfectly useless to remonstrate with him, Iswung myself in my hammock and leisurely watched the river scene. 

The river Chagres lolled with considerable force, now between lowmarshy shores, now narrowing, between steep, thickly wooded banks. Itwas liable, as are all rivers in hilly districts, to sudden and heavyfloods; and although the padrone, on leaving Gatun, had pledged hissoul to land me at Cruces that night, I had not been long afloatbefore I saw that he would forfeit his worthless pledge; for the windrose to a gale, ruffling the river here and there into a little sea;the rain came down in torrents, while the river rose rapidly, bearingdown on its swollen stream trunks of trees, and similar waifs andstrays, which it tossed about like a giant in sport, threatening tosnag us with its playthings every moment. And when we came to asheltered reach, and found that the little fleet of boats which hadpreceded us had laid to there, I came to the conclusion that, stiff, tired, and hungry, I should have to pass a night upon the riverChagres. All I could get to eat was some guavas, which grew wild uponthe banks, and then I watched the padrone curl his long body up amongmy luggage, and listened to the crew, who had rolled together at thebottom of the boat, snore as peacefully as if they slept between fairlinen sheets, in the purest of calico night-gear, and the mostunexceptionable of nightcaps, until somehow I fell into a troubled, dreamy sleep. 

At daybreak we were enabled to pursue our journey, and in a short timereached Gorgona. I was glad enough to go on shore, as you may imagine. Gorgona was a mere temporary town of bamboo and wood houses, hastilyerected to serve as a station for the crowd. In the present rainyseason, when the river was navigable up to Cruces, the chief part ofthe population migrated thither, so that Gorgona was almost deserted, and looked indescribably damp, dirty, and dull. With some difficulty Ifound a bakery and a butcher's shop. The meat was not very tempting, for the Gorgona butchers did not trouble themselves about joints, butcut the flesh into strips about three inches wide, and of variouslengths. These were hung upon rails, so that you bought your meat bythe yard, and were spared any difficulty in the choice of joint. Icannot say that I was favourably impressed with this novel and simpleway of avoiding trouble, but I was far too hungry to be particular, and buying a strip for a quarter of a real, carried it off to Mac tocook. 

Late that afternoon, the padrone and his crew landed me, tired, wretched, and out of temper, upon the miserable wharf of Cruces. 

CHAPTER III. 

 MY RECEPTION AT THE INDEPENDENT HOTEL--A CRUCES TABLE D'HÔTE--LIFE IN CRUCES--AMUSEMENTS OF THE CROWDS--A NOVEL FOUR-POST BED. 

The sympathising reader, who very likely has been laughing heartily atmy late troubles, can fancy that I was looking forward with no littlepleasurable anticipation to reaching my brother's cheerful home atCruces. After the long night spent on board the wretched boat in mystiff, clayey dress, and the hours of fasting, the warmth and goodcheer of the Independent Hotel could not fail to be acceptable. Mybrother met me on the rickety wharf with the kindest welcome in hisface, although he did not attempt to conceal a smile at my forlornappearance, and giving the necessary instructions about my luggage, led the way at once to his house, which was situated at the upper endof the street. A capital site, he said, when the rest of the town wasunder water--which agreeable variety occurred twice or thrice a yearunexpectedly. On our way, he rather damped my hopes by expressing hisfears that he should be unable to provide his sister with theaccommodation he could wish. For you see, he said, the crowd fromPanama has just come in, meeting your crowd from Navy Bay; and Ishouldn't be at all surprised if very many of them have no better bedthan the store floors. But, despite this warning, I was miserablyunprepared for the reception that awaited me. To be sure, I foundCruces as like Gorgona, in its dampness, dirt, and confusion, as itwell could be; but the crowd from the gold-fields of California hadjust arrived, having made the journey from Panama on mules, and thestreet was filled with motley groups in picturesque variety of attire. The hotels were also full of them, while many lounged in the verandahsafter their day's journey. Rude, coarse gold-diggers, in gay-colouredshirts, and long, serviceable boots, elbowed, in perfect equality, keen Yankee speculators, as close shaven, neat, and clean on theIsthmus of Panama as in the streets of New York or New Orleans. Thewomen alone kept aloof from each other, and well they might; for, while a very few seemed not ashamed of their sex, it was somewhatdifficult to distinguish the majority from their male companions, saveby their bolder and more reckless voice and manner. I must say, however, that many of them adopted male attire for the journey acrossthe Isthmus only, as it spared them many compliments which theirhusbands were often disposed to resent, however flattering they mightbe to their choice. 

Through all these I pressed on, stiff, cold, and hungry, to theIndependent Hotel, eagerly anticipating the comforts which awaited methere. At length we reached it. But, rest! warmth! comfort!--miserabledelusions! Picture to yourself, sympathising reader, a long, low hut, built of rough, unhewn, unplaned logs, filled up with mud and splitbamboo; a long, sloping roof and a large verandah, already full ofvisitors. And the interior: a long room, gaily hung with dirtycalico, in stripes of red and white; above it another room, in whichthe guests slept, having the benefit of sharing in any orgies whichmight be going on below them, through the broad chinks between therough, irregular planks which formed its floor. At the further end, asmall corner, partitioned roughly off, formed a bar, and around itwere shelves laden with stores for the travellers, while behind it wasa little room used by my brother as his private apartment; but threefemale travellers had hired it for their own especial use for thenight, paying the enormous sum of £10 for so exclusive a luxury. Atthe entrance sat a black man, taking toll of the comers-in, givingthem in exchange for coin or gold-dust (he had a rusty pair of scalesto weigh the latter) a dirty ticket, which guaranteed them supper, anight's lodging, and breakfast. I saw all this very quickly, andturned round upon my brother in angry despair. 

"What am I to do? Why did you ever bring me to this place? See what astate I am in--cold, hungry, and wretched. I want to wash, to changemy clothes, to eat, to----"

But poor Edward could only shrug his shoulders and shake his head, inanswer to my indignant remonstrances. At last he made room for me in acorner of the crowded bar, set before me some food, and left me towatch the strange life I had come to; and before long I soon forgot mytroubles in the novelty of my position. 

The difference between the passengers to and from California was verydistinguishable. Those bound for the gold country were to a certainextent fresh from civilization, and had scarcely thrown off itscontrol; whereas the homeward bound revelled in disgusting excess oflicence. Although many of the women on their way to California showedclearly enough that the life of licence they sought would not bealtogether unfamiliar to them, they still retained some appearance ofdecency in their attire and manner; but in many cases (as I havebefore said) the female companions of the successful gold-diggersappeared in no hurry to resume the dress or obligations of their sex. Many were clothed as the men were, in flannel shirt and boots; rodetheir mules in unfeminine fashion, but with much ease and courage; andin their conversation successfully rivalled the coarseness of theirlords. I think, on the whole, that those French lady writers whodesire to enjoy the privileges of man, with the irresponsibility ofthe other sex, would have been delighted with the disciples who werecarrying their principles into practice in the streets of Cruces. 

The chief object of all the travellers seemed to be dinner or supper;I do not know what term they gave it. Down the entire length of theIndependent Hotel ran a table covered with a green oilskin cloth, andat proper intervals were placed knives and forks, plates, and cups andsaucers turned down; and when a new-comer received his ticket, andwished to secure his place for the coming repast, he would turn hisplate, cup, and saucer up; which mode of reserving seats seemedrespected by the rest. And as the evening wore on, the shouting andquarrelling at the doorway in Yankee twang increased momentarily;while some seated themselves at the table, and hammering upon it withthe handles of their knives, hallooed out to the excited nigger cooksto make haste with the slapjack. Amidst all this confusion, mybrother was quietly selling shirts, boots, trousers, etc. , to thetravellers; while above all the din could be heard the screamingvoices of his touters without, drawing attention to the good cheer ofthe Independent Hotel. Over and over again, while I cowered in my snugcorner, wishing to avoid the notice of all, did I wish myself safeback in my pleasant home in Kingston; but it was too late to find outmy mistake now. 

At last the table was nearly filled with a motley assemblage of menand women, and the slapjack, hot and steaming, was carried in by theblack cooks. The hungry diners welcomed its advent with a shout ofdelight; and yet it did not seem particularly tempting. But beyond alldoubt it was a capital _pièce de résistance_ for great eaters; andbefore the dinner was over, I saw ample reasons to induce anyhotel-keeper to give it his patronage. In truth, it was a thicksubstantial pancake of flour, salt, and water--eggs were far tooexpensive to be used in its composition; and by the time the supplyhad disappeared, I thought the largest appetites must have beenstayed. But it was followed by pork, strips of beef stewed with harddumplings, hams, great dishes of rice, jugs of molasses and treaclefor sauce; the whole being washed down with an abundance of tea andcoffee. Chickens and eggs were provided for those who were prepared topay for these luxuries of Panama life. But, so scarce and expensivewere they, that, as I afterwards discovered, those hotel-keepers whoselarders were so stocked would hang out a chicken upon their signposts, as a sure attraction for the richer and more reckless diggers; whilethe touter's cry of "Eggs and chickens here" was a very telling one. Wine and spirits were also obtainable, but were seldom taken by theAmericans, who are abstemious abroad as well as at home. 

After dinner the store soon cleared. Gambling was a great attraction;but my brother, dreading its consequences with these hot-brainedarmed men, allowed none to take place in his hotel. So some loungedaway to the faro and monte tables, which were doing a busy trade;others loitered in the verandah, smoking, and looking at the nativewomen, who sang and danced fandangos before them. The whole of thedirty, woe-begone place, which had looked so wretched by the light ofday, was brilliantly illuminated now. Night would bring no rest toCruces, while the crowds were there to be fed, cheated, or amused. Daybreak would find the faro-tables, with their piles of silver andlittle heaps of gold-dust, still surrounded by haggard gamblers;daybreak would gleam sickly upon the tawdry finery of the poorSpanish singers and dancers, whose weary night's work would enablethem to live upon the travellers' bounty for the next week or so. These few hours of gaiety and excitement were to provide the Crucespeople with food and clothing for as many days; and while theirtransitory sun shone, I will do them the justice to say they gatheredin their hay busily. In the exciting race for gold, we need not besurprised at the strange groups which line the race-course. All thatI wondered at was, that I had not foreseen what I found, or that myrage for change and novelty had closed my ears against the warningvoices of those who knew somewhat of the high-road to California; butI was too tired to moralise long, and begged my brother to find me abed somewhere. He failed to do so completely, and in despair I tookthe matter in my own hands; and stripping the green oilskin clothfrom the rough table--it would not be wanted again until to-morrow'sbreakfast--pinned up some curtains round the table's legs, and turnedin with my little servant beneath it. It was some comfort to knowthat my brother, his servants, and Mac brought their mattresses, andslept upon it above us. It was a novel bed, and required some slightstretch of the imagination to fancy it a four-poster; but I was tootired to be particular, and slept soundly. 

We were up right early on the following morning; and refreshed with mynight's sleep, I entered heartily into the preparations for breakfast. That meal over, the homeward-bound passengers took boats _en route_for Gorgona, while those bound for California hired mules for the landjourney to Panama. So after awhile all cleared away, and Cruces wasleft to its unhealthy solitude. 

CHAPTER IV. 

 AN UNWELCOME VISITOR IN CRUCES--THE CHOLERA--SUCCESS OF THE YELLOW DOCTRESS--FEARFUL SCENE AT THE MULE-OWNER'S--THE BURYING PARTIES--THE CHOLERA ATTACKS ME. 

I do not think I have ever known what it is to despair, or even todespond (if such were my inclination, I have had some opportunitiesrecently), and it was not long before I began to find out the brightside of Cruces life, and enter into schemes for staying there. But itwould be a week or so before the advent of another crowd would wakeCruces to life and activity again; and in the meanwhile, and until Icould find a convenient hut for my intended hotel, I remained mybrother's guest. 

But it was destined that I should not be long in Cruces before mymedicinal skill and knowledge were put to the test. Before thepassengers for Panama had been many days gone, it was found that theyhad left one of their number behind them, and that one--the cholera. Ibelieve that the faculty have not yet come to the conclusion that thecholera is contagious, and I am not presumptuous enough to forestallthem; but my people have always considered it to be so, and the poorCruces folks did not hesitate to say that this new and terrible plaguehad been a fellow-traveller with the Americans from New Orleans orsome other of its favoured haunts. I had the first intimation of itsunwelcome presence in the following abrupt and unpleasant manner:--

A Spaniard, an old and intimate friend of my brother, had supped withhim one evening, and upon returning home had been taken ill, and aftera short period of intense suffering had died. So sudden and somysterious a death gave rise to the rumour that he had been poisoned, and suspicion rested for a time, perhaps not unnaturally, upon mybrother, in whose company the dead man had last been. Anxious for manyreasons--the chief one, perhaps, the position of my brother--I wentdown to see the corpse. A single glance at the poor fellow showed methe terrible truth. The distressed face, sunken eyes, cramped limbs, and discoloured shrivelled skin were all symptoms which I had beenfamiliar with very recently; and at once I pronounced the cause ofdeath to be cholera. The Cruces people were mightily angry with mefor expressing such an opinion; even my brother, although it relievedhim of the odium of a great crime, was as annoyed as the rest. But bytwelve o'clock that morning one of the Spaniard's friends was attackedsimilarly, and the very people who had been most angry with me a fewhours previously, came to me now eager for advice. There was no doctorin Cruces; the nearest approach to one was a little timid dentist, whowas there by accident, and who refused to prescribe for the sufferer, and I was obliged to do my best. Selecting from my medicine chest--Inever travel anywhere without it--what I deemed necessary, I wenthastily to the patient, and at once adopted the remedies I consideredfit. It was a very obstinate case, but by dint of mustard emetics, warm fomentations, mustard plasters on the stomach and the back, andcalomel, at first in large then in gradually smaller doses, Isucceeded in saving my first cholera patient in Cruces. 

For a few days the terrible disease made such slow progress amongst usthat we almost hoped it had passed on its way and spared us; but allat once it spread rapidly, and affrighted faces and cries of woe soonshowed how fatally the destroyer was at work. And in so great requestwere my services, that for days and nights together I scarcely knewwhat it was to enjoy two successive hours' rest. 

And here I must pause to set myself right with my kind reader. He orshe will not, I hope, think that, in narrating these incidents, I amexalting my poor part in them unduly. I do not deny (it is the onlything indeed that I have to be proud of) that I _am_ pleased andgratified when I look back upon my past life, and see times now andthen, and places here and there, when and where I have been enabled tobenefit my fellow-creatures suffering from ills my skill could oftenremedy. Nor do I think that the kind reader will consider this feelingan unworthy one. If it be so, and if, in the following pages, theaccount of what Providence has given me strength to do on largerfields of action be considered vain or egotistical, still I cannothelp narrating them, for my share in them appears to be the one andonly claim I have to interest the public ear. Moreover I shall besadly disappointed, if those years of life which may be still in storefor me are not permitted by Providence to be devoted to similarusefulness. I am not ashamed to confess--for the gratification is, after all, a selfish one--that I love to be of service to those whoneed a woman's help. And wherever the need arises--on whatever distantshore--I ask no greater or higher privilege than to minister to it. After this explanation, I resume more freely the account of my laboursin Cruces. 

It was scarcely surprising that the cholera should spread rapidly, forfear is its powerful auxiliary, and the Cruces people bowed downbefore the plague in slavish despair. The Americans and otherforeigners in the place showed a brave front, but the natives, constitutionally cowardly, made not the feeblest show of resistance. Beyond filling the poor church, and making the priests bring out intothe streets figures of tawdry dirty saints, supposed to possess somemiraculous influence which they never exerted, before which theyprostrated themselves, invoking their aid with passionate prayers andcries, they did nothing. Very likely the saints would have got thecredit of helping them if they had helped themselves; but the poorcowards never stirred a finger to clean out their close, reeking huts, or rid the damp streets of the rotting accumulation of months. I thinktheir chief reliance was on "the yellow woman from Jamaica with thecholera medicine. " Nor was this surprising; for the Spanish doctor, who was sent for from Panama, became nervous and frightened at thehorrors around him, and the people soon saw that he was not familiarwith the terrible disease he was called upon to do battle with, andpreferred trusting to one who was. 

It must be understood that many of those who could afford to pay formy services did so handsomely, but the great majority of my patientshad nothing better to give their doctress than thanks. The best partof my practice lay amongst the American store and hotel keepers, theworst among the native boatmen and muleteers. These latter died byscores, and among them I saw some scenes of horror I would fainforget, if it were possible. One terrible night, passed with some ofthem, has often haunted me. I will endeavour to narrate it, and shouldthe reader be supposed to think it highly coloured and doubtful, Iwill only tell him that, terrible as it seems, I saw almost as fearfulscenes on the Crimean peninsula among British men, a few thousandmiles only from comfort and plenty. 

It was late in the evening when the largest mule-owner in Cruces cameto me and implored me to accompany him to his kraal, a short distancefrom the town, where he said some of his men were dying. One inparticular, his head muleteer, a very valuable servant, he was mostselfishly anxious for, and, on the way thither, promised me a largeremuneration if I should succeed in saving him. Our journey was not along one, but it rained hard, and the fields were flooded, so that ittook us some time to reach the long, low hut which he called his home. I would rather not see such another scene as the interior of that hutpresented. Its roof scarcely sheltered its wretched inmates from thesearching rain; its floor was the damp, rank turf, trodden by themules' hoofs and the muleteers' feet into thick mud. Around, in dirtyhammocks, and on the damp floor, were the inmates of this wretchedplace, male and female, the strong and the sick together, breathingair that nearly choked me, accustomed as I had grown to live in impureatmosphere; for beneath the same roof the mules, more valuable totheir master than his human servants, were stabled, their fore-feetlocked, and beside them were heaps of saddles, packs, and harness. Thegroans of the sufferers and the anxiety and fear of their comradeswere so painful to hear and witness, that for a few minutes I felt analmost uncontrollable impulse to run out into the stormy night, andflee from this plague-spot. But the weak feeling vanished, and I setabout my duty. The mule-owner was so frightened that he did nothesitate to obey orders, and, by my directions, doors and shutterswere thrown open, fires were lighted, and every effort made toventilate the place; and then, with the aid of the frightened women, Iapplied myself to my poor patients. Two were beyond my skill. Deathalone could give them relief. The others I could help. But no words ofmine could induce them to bear their terrible sufferings like men. They screamed and groaned, not like women, for few would have been socraven-hearted, but like children; calling, in the intervals ofviolent pain, upon Jesu, the Madonna, and all the saints of heavenwhom their lives had scandalised. I stayed with them until midnight, and then got away for a little time. But I had not long been quiet, before the mule-master was after me again. The men were worse; would Ireturn with him. The rain was drifting heavily on the thatched roof, as it only does in tropical climates, and I was tired to death; but Icould not resist his appeal. He had brought with him a pair of tall, thick boots, in which I was to wade through the flooded fields; andwith some difficulty I again reached the kraal. I found the worstcases sinking fast, one of the others had relapsed, while fear hadparalysed the efforts of the rest. At last I restored some order; and, with the help of the bravest of the women, fixed up rude screensaround the dying men. But no screens could shut out from the otherstheir awful groans and cries for the aid that no mortal power couldgive them. So the long night passed away; first a deathlike stillnessbehind one screen, and then a sudden silence behind the other, showingthat the fierce battle with death was over, and who had been thevictor. And, meanwhile, I sat before the flickering fire, with my lastpatient in my lap--a poor, little, brown-faced orphan infant, scarce ayear old, was dying in my arms, and I was powerless to save it. It mayseem strange, but it is a fact, that I thought more of that littlechild than I did of the men who were struggling for their lives, andprayed very earnestly and solemnly to God to spare it. But it did notplease Him to grant my prayer, and towards morning the wee spiritleft this sinful world for the home above it had so lately left, andwhat was mortal of the little infant lay dead in my arms. Then it wasthat I began to think--how the idea first arose in my mind I canhardly say--that, if it were possible to take this little child andexamine it, I should learn more of the terrible disease which wassparing neither young nor old, and should know better how to do battlewith it. I was not afraid to use my baby patient thus. I knew its fledspirit would not reproach me, for I had done all I could for it inlife--had shed tears over it, and prayed for it. 

It was cold grey dawn, and the rain had ceased, when I followed theman who had taken the dead child away to bury it, and bribed him tocarry it by an unfrequented path down to the river-side, and accompanyme to the thick retired bush on the opposite bank. Having persuadedhim thus much, it was not difficult, with the help of silver argumentsto convince him that it would be for the general benefit and his own, if I could learn from this poor little thing the secret inner workingsof our common foe; and ultimately he stayed by me, and aided me in myfirst and last _post mortem_ examination. It seems a strange deed toaccomplish, and I am sure I could not wield the scalpel or thesubstitute I then used now, but at that time the excitement hadstrung my mind up to a high pitch of courage and determination; andperhaps the daily, almost hourly, scenes of death had made me somewhatcallous. I need not linger on this scene, nor give the readers theresults of my operation; although novel to me, and decidedly useful, they were what every medical man well knows. 

We buried the poor little body beneath a piece of luxuriant turf, andstole back into Cruces like guilty things. But the knowledge I hadobtained thus strangely was very valuable to me, and was soon put intopractice. But that I dreaded boring my readers, I would fain give themsome idea of my treatment of this terrible disease. I have no doubtthat at first I made some lamentable blunders, and, may be, lostpatients which a little later I could have saved. I know I cameacross, the other day, some notes of cholera medicines which made meshudder, and I dare say they have been used in their turn and foundwanting. The simplest remedies were perhaps the best. Mustardplasters, and emetics, and calomel; the mercury applied externally, where the veins were nearest the surface, were my usual resources. Opium I rather dreaded, as its effect is to incapacitate the systemfrom making any exertion, and it lulls the patient into a sleep whichis often the sleep of death. When my patients felt thirsty, I wouldgive them water in which cinnamon had been boiled. One stubborn attacksuccumbed to an additional dose of ten grains of sugar of lead, mixedin a pint of water, given in doses of a table-spoonful every quarterof an hour. Another patient, a girl, I rubbed over with warm oil, camphor, and spirits of wine. Above all, I never neglected to applymustard poultices to the stomach, spine, and neck, and particularly tokeep my patient warm about the region of the heart. Nor did I relax mycare when the disease had passed by, for danger did not cease when thegreat foe was beaten off. The patient was left prostrate;strengthening medicines had to be given cautiously, for fever, oftenof the brain, would follow. But, after all, one great conclusion, which my practice in cholera cases enabled me to come to, was the oldone, that few constitutions permitted the use of exactly similarremedies, and that the course of treatment which saved one man, would, if persisted in, have very likely killed his brother. 

Generally speaking, the cholera showed premonitory symptoms; such asgiddiness, sickness, diarrhoea, or sunken eyes and distressed look;but sometimes the substance followed its forecoming shadow so quickly, and the crisis was so rapid, that there was no time to apply anyremedies. An American carpenter complained of giddiness andsickness--warning signs--succeeded so quickly by the worst symptoms ofcholera, that in less than an hour his face became of an indigo tint, his limbs were doubled up horribly with violent cramps, and he died. 

To the convicts--and if there could be grades of wretchedness inCruces, these poor creatures were the lowest--belonged the terribletask of burying the dead; a duty to which they showed the utmostrepugnance. Not unfrequently, at some fancied alarm, they would flingdown their burden, until at last it became necessary to employ thesoldiers to see that they discharged the task allotted to them. Ordinarily, the victims were buried immediately after death, with suchimperfect rites of sepulture as the harassed frightened priests wouldpay them, and very seldom was time afforded by the authorities to thesurvivors to pay those last offices to the departed which a Spaniardand a Catholic considers so important. Once I was present at aterrible scene in the house of a New Granada grandee, whose pride andpoverty justified many of the old Spanish proverbs levelled at hiscaste. 

It was when the cholera was at its height, and yet he hadleft--perhaps on important business--his wife and family, and gone toPanama for three days. On the day after his departure, the plaguebroke out in his house, and my services were required promptly. Ifound the miserable household in terrible alarm, and yet confiningtheir exertions to praying to a coarse black priest in a blacksurplice, who, kneeling beside the couch of the Spanish lady, waspraying (in his turn) to some favourite saint in Cruces. The suffererwas a beautiful woman, suffering from a violent attack of cholera, with no one to help her, or even to take from her arms the poor littlechild they had allowed her to retain. In her intervals of comparativefreedom from pain, her cries to the Madonna and her husband wereheartrending to hear. I had the greatest difficulty to rout the stupidpriest and his as stupid worshippers, and do what I could for thesufferer. It was very little, and before long the unconscious Spaniardwas a widower. Soon after, the authorities came for the body. I neversaw such passionate anger and despair as were shown by her relativesand servants, old and young, at the intrusion--rage that she, who hadbeen so exalted in life, should go to her grave like the poor, poorclay she was. Orders were given to bar the door against the convictgang who had come to discharge their unpleasant duty, and while allwere busy decking out the unconscious corpse in gayest attire, nonepaid any heed to me bending over the fire with the motherless child, journeying fast to join its dead parent. I had made more than oneeffort to escape, for I felt more sick and wretched than at anysimilar scene of woe; but finding exit impossible, I turned my backupon them, and attended to the dying child. Nor did I heed theiractions until I heard orders given to admit the burial party, and thenI found that they had dressed the corpse in rich white satin, anddecked her head with flowers. 

The agitation and excitement of this scene had affected me as noprevious horror had done, and I could not help fancying that symptomswere showing themselves in me with which I was familiar enough inothers. Leaving the dying infant to the care of its relatives (whenthe Spaniard returned he found himself widowed and childless), Ihastened to my brother's house. When there, I felt an unpleasant chillcome over me, and went to bed at once. Other symptoms followedquickly, and, before nightfall, I knew full well that my turn had comeat last, and that the cholera had attacked me, perhaps its greatestfoe in Cruces. 

CHAPTER V. 

 AMERICAN SYMPATHY--I TAKE AN HOTEL IN CRUCES--MY CUSTOMERS--LOLA MONTES--MISS HAYES AND THE BISHOP--GAMBLING IN CRUCES--QUARRELS AMONGST THE TRAVELLERS--NEW GRANADA MILITARY--THE THIEVES OF CRUCES--A NARROW ESCAPE. 

When it became known that their "yellow doctress" had the cholera, Imust do the people of Cruces the justice to say that they gave herplenty of sympathy, and would have shown their regard for her moreactively, had there been any occasion. Indeed, when I most wantedquiet, it was difficult to keep out the sympathising Americans andsorrowing natives who came to inquire after me; and who, not contentwith making their inquiries, and leaving their offerings of blankets, flannel, etc. , must see with their own eyes what chance the yellowwoman had of recovery. The rickety door of my little room could neverbe kept shut for many minutes together. A visitor would open itsilently, poke his long face in with an expression of sympathy thatalmost made me laugh in spite of my pain, draw it out again, betweenthe narrowest possible opening, as if he were anxious to admit aslittle air as he could; while another would come in bodily, and afterlooking at me curiously and inquisitively, as he would eye a horse ornigger he had some thoughts of making a bid for, would help to carpetmy room, with the result perhaps of his meditations, and saying, gravely, "Air you better, Aunty Seacole, now? Isn't there a somethingwe can du for you, ma'am?" would as gravely give place to another andanother yet, until I was almost inclined to throw something at them, or call them bad names, like the Scotch king does the ghosts in theplay. [A] But, fortunately, the attack was a very mild one, and by thenext day all danger had gone by, although I still felt weak andexhausted. 

After a few weeks, the first force of the cholera was spent, andalthough it lingered with us, as though loath to leave so fine aresting-place, for some months, it no longer gave us much alarm; andbefore long, life went on as briskly and selfishly as ever with theCruces survivors, and the terrible past was conveniently forgotten. Perhaps it is so everywhere; but the haste with which the Crucespeople buried their memory seemed indecent. Old houses found newmasters; the mules new drivers; the great Spaniard chose anotherpretty woman, and had a grand, poor, dirty wedding, and was married bythe same lazy black priest who had buried his wife, dead a few monthsback; and very likely they would all have hastened as quickly toforget their doctress, had circumstances permitted them: but every nowand then one of them sickened and died of the old complaint; and thereputation I had established founded for me a considerable practice. The Americans in the place gladly retained me as their medicalattendant, and in one way or other gave me plenty to do; but, inaddition to this, I determined to follow my original scheme of keepingan hotel in Cruces. 

Right opposite my brother's Independent Hotel there was a place to letwhich it was considered I could adapt to my purpose. It was a meretumble-down hut, with wattled sides, and a rotten thatched roof, containing two rooms, one small enough to serve as a bedroom. For thischarming residence--very openly situated, and well ventilated--twentypounds a month was considered a fair and by no means exorbitant rent. And yet I was glad to take possession of it; and in a few days hadhung its rude walls with calico of gayest colour in stripes, with anexuberance of fringes, frills, and bows (the Americans love showdearly), and prepared it to accommodate fifty dinner guests. I haddetermined that it should be simply a _table d'hôte_, and that I wouldreceive no lodgers. Once, and once only, I relaxed this rule in favourof two American women, who sent me to sleep by a lengthy quarrel ofwords, woke me in the night to witness its crisis in a fisticuff_duello_, and left in the morning, after having taken a fancy to someof my moveables which were most easily removeable. I had on my staffmy black servant Mac, the little girl I have before alluded to, and anative cook. I had had many opportunities of seeing how my brotherconducted his business; and adopted his tariff of charges. For anordinary dinner my charge was four shillings; eggs and chickens were, as I have before said, distinct luxuries, and fetched high prices. 

Four crowds generally passed through Cruces every month. In these wereto be found passengers to and from Chili, Peru, and Lima, as well asCalifornia and America. The distance from Cruces to Panama was notgreat--only twenty miles, in fact; but the journey, from the want ofroads and the roughness of the country, was a most fatiguing one. Insome parts--as I found when I made the journey, in company with mybrother--it was almost impassable; and for more than half thedistance, three miles an hour was considered splendid progress. Thegreat majority of the travellers were rough, rude men, of dirty, quarrelsome habits; the others were more civilized and more dangerous. And it was not long before I grew very tired of life in Cruces, although I made money rapidly, and pressed my brother to return toKingston. Poor fellow! it would have been well for him had he done so;for he stayed only to find a grave on the Isthmus of Panama. 

The company at my _table d'hôte_ was not over select; and it was oftenvery difficult for an unprotected female to manage them, although Ialways did my best to put them in good humour. Among other comforts, Iused to hire a black barber, for the rather large consideration of twopounds, to shave my male guests. You can scarcely conceive thepleasure and comfort an American feels in a clean chin; and I believemy barber attracted considerable custom to the British Hotel atCruces. I had a little out-house erected for his especial convenience;and there, well provided with towels, and armed with plenty of razors, a brush of extraordinary size, and a foaming sea of lather, Joséshaved the new-comers. The rivalry to get within reach of his hugebrush was very great; and the threats used by the neglected, when thegrinning black was considered guilty of any interested partiality, were of the fiercest description. 

This duty over, they and their coarser female companions--many of themwell known to us, for they travelled backwards and forwards across theIsthmus, hanging on to the foolish gold-finders--attacked the dinner, very often with great lack of decency. It was no use giving themcarving-knives and forks, for very often they laid their own down toinsert a dirty hairy hand into a full dish; while the floor soon boreevidences of the great national American habit of expectoration. Veryoften quarrels would arise during the progress of dinner; and morethan once I thought the knives, which they nearly swallowed at everymouthful, would have been turned against one another. It was, I alwaysthought, extremely fortunate that the reckless men rarely stimulatedtheir excitable passions with strong drink. Tea and coffee were thecommon beverages of the Americans; Englishmen, and men of othernations, being generally distinguishable by their demand for wine andspirits. But the Yankee's capacity for swilling tea and coffee wasprodigious. I saw one man drink ten cups of coffee; and finding hisappetite still unsatisfied, I ran across to my brother for advice. There was a merry twinkle in his eyes as he whispered, "I always putin a good spoonful of salt after the sixth cup. It chokes them offadmirably. "

It was no easy thing to avoid being robbed and cheated by the lessscrupulous travellers; although I think it was only the 'cutest Yankeewho stood any fair chance of outwitting me. I remember an instance ofthe biter bit, which I will narrate, hoping it may make my readerlaugh as heartily as its recollection makes me. He was a tall, thinYankee, with a furtive glance of the eyes, and an amazing appetite, which he seemed nothing loath to indulge: his appetite for eggsespecially seemed unbounded. Now, I have more than once said howexpensive eggs were; and this day they happened to be eightpenceapiece. Our plan was to charge every diner according to the number ofshells found upon his plate. Now, I noticed how eagerly my thin guestattacked my eggs, and marvelled somewhat at the scanty pile of shellsbefore him. My suspicions once excited, I soon fathomed my Yankeefriend's dodge. As soon as he had devoured the eggs, he conveyedfurtively the shells beneath the table, and distributed themimpartially at the feet of his companions. I gave my little black maida piece of chalk, and instructions; and creeping under the table, shecounted the scattered shells, and chalked the number on the tail ofhis coat. And when he came up to pay his score, he gave up his numberof eggs in a loud voice; and when I contradicted him, and referred tothe coat-_tale_ in corroboration of _my_ score, there was a generallaugh against him. But there was a nasty expression in his cat-likeeyes, and an unpleasant allusion to mine, which were not agreeable, and dissuaded me from playing any more practical jokes upon theYankees. 

I followed my brother's example closely, and forbade all gambling inmy hotel. But I got some idea of its fruits from the cases brought tome for surgical treatment from the faro and monte tables. Gambling atCruces, and on the Isthmus generally, was a business by which moneywas wormed out of the gold-seekers and gold-finders. No attempt wasmade to render it attractive, as I have seen done elsewhere. Thegambling-house was often plainer than our hotels; and but for thegreen tables, with their piles of money and gold-dust, watched over bya well-armed determined banker, and the eager gamblers around, youwould not know that you were in the vicinity of a spot which theEnglish at home designate by a very decided and extreme name. A Dr. Casey--everybody familiar with the Americans knows their fondness fortitles--owned the most favoured table in Cruces; and this, although hewas known to be a reckless and unscrupulous villain. Most of them knewthat he had been hunted out of San Francisco; and at that time--yearsbefore the Vigilance Committee commenced their labours ofpurification--a man too bad for that city must have been a prodigy ofcrime: and yet, and although he was violent-tempered, and had a knackof referring the slightest dispute to his revolver, his table wasalways crowded; probably because--the greatest rogues have some goodqualities--he was honest in his way, and played fairly. 

Occasionally some distinguished passengers passed on the upward anddownward tides of rascality and ruffianism, that swept periodicallythrough Cruces. Came one day, Lola Montes, in the full zenith of herevil fame, bound for California, with a strange suite. A good-looking, bold woman, with fine, bad eyes, and a determined bearing; dressedostentatiously in perfect male attire, with shirt-collar turned downover a velvet lapelled coat, richly worked shirt-front, black hat, French unmentionables, and natty, polished boots with spurs. Shecarried in her hand a handsome riding-whip, which she could use aswell in the streets of Cruces as in the towns of Europe; for animpertinent American, presuming--perhaps not unnaturally--upon herreputation, laid hold jestingly of the tails of her long coat, and asa lesson received a cut across his face that must have marked him forsome days. I did not wait to see the row that followed, and was gladwhen the wretched woman rode off on the following morning. A verydifferent notoriety followed her at some interval of time--MissCatherine Hayes, on her successful singing tour, who disappointed usall by refusing to sing at Cruces; and after her came an Englishbishop from Australia, who need have been a member of the churchmilitant to secure his pretty wife from the host of admirers she hadgained during her day's journey from Panama. 

Very quarrelsome were the majority of the crowds, holding life cheap, as all bad men strangely do--equally prepared to take or lose it uponthe slightest provocation. Few tales of horror in Panama could bequestioned on the ground of improbability. Not less partial were manyof the natives of Cruces to the use of the knife; preferring, by theway, to administer sly stabs in the back, when no one was by to seethe dastard blow dealt. Terribly bullied by the Americans were theboatmen and muleteers, who were reviled, shot, and stabbed by thesefree and independent filibusters, who would fain whop all creationabroad as they do their slaves at home. Whenever any Englishmen werepresent, and in a position to interfere with success, this bullyingwas checked; and they found, instead of the poor Spanish Indians, foemen worthy of their steel or lead. I must do them credit to say, that they were never loath to fight any one that desired that passingexcitement, and thought little of ending their journey of lifeabruptly at the wretched wayside town of Cruces. It very oftenhappened so, and over many a hasty head and ready hand have I seen thesod roughly pressed down, their hot hearts stilled suddenly in somesenseless quarrel. And so in time I grew to have some considerableexperience in the treatment of knife and gun-shot wounds. 

One night I heard a great noise outside my window, and on rising founda poor boatman moaning piteously, and in a strange jumble of manylanguages begging me to help him. At first I was afraid to open thedoor, on account of the noisy mob which soon joined him, for villainywas very shrewd at Cruces; but at last I admitted him, and found thatthe poor wretch's ears had been cruelly split by some hasty citizen ofthe United States. I stitched them up as well as I could, and silencedhis cries. And at any time, if you happened to be near the river whena crowd were arriving or departing, your ears would be regaled with achoice chorus of threats, of which ear-splitting, eye-gouging, cow-hiding, and the application of revolvers were the mildest. Againstthe negroes, of whom there were many in the Isthmus, and who almostinvariably filled the municipal offices, and took the lead in everyway, the Yankees had a strong prejudice; but it was wonderful to seehow freedom and equality elevate men, and the same negro who perhapsin Tennessee would have cowered like a beaten child or dog beneath anAmerican's uplifted hand, would face him boldly here, and by equalcourage and superior physical strength cow his old oppressor. 

When more than ordinary squabbles occurred in the street or at thegambling-tables, the assistance of the soldier-police of New Granadawas called in, and the affair sometimes assumed the character of aregular skirmish. The soldiers--I wish I could speak better ofthem--were a dirty, cowardly, indolent set, more prone to use theirknives than their legitimate arms, and bore old rusty muskets, andvery often marched unshod. Their officers were in outward appearance afew shades superior to the men they commanded, but, as respectsmilitary proficiency, were their equals. Add to this description oftheir _personnel_ the well-known fact, that you might commit thegrossest injustice, and could obtain the simplest justice only bylavish bribery, and you may form some idea of our military protectors. 

Very practised and skilful in thieving were the native population ofCruces--I speak of the majority, and except the negroes--always moreinclined to do a dishonest night's labour at great risk, than anhonest day's work for fair wages; for justice was always administeredstrictly to the poor natives--it was only the foreigners who couldevade it or purchase exemption. Punishment was severe; and in extremecases the convicts were sent to Carthagena, there to sufferimprisonment of a terrible character. Indeed, from what I heard of theNew Granada prisons, I thought no other country could match them, andcontinued to think so until I read how the ingenuity in cruelty of hisMajesty the King of Naples put the torturers of the New GranadaRepublic to the blush. 

I generally avoided claiming the protection of the law whilst on theIsthmus, for I found it was--as is the case in civilized England fromother causes--rather an expensive luxury. Once only I took a thiefcaught in the act before the alcalde, and claimed the administrationof justice. The court-house was a low bamboo shed, before which somedirty Spanish-Indian soldiers were lounging; and inside, the alcalde, a negro, was reclining in a dirty hammock, smoking coolly, hearingevidence, and pronouncing judgment upon the wretched culprits, whowere trembling before his dusky majesty. I had attended him whilesuffering from an attack of cholera, and directly he saw me he rosefrom his hammock, and received me in a ceremonious, grand manner, andgave orders that coffee should be brought to me. He had a very prettywhite wife, who joined us; and then the alcalde politely offered me a_cigarito_--having declined which, he listened to my statement withgreat attention. All this, however, did not prevent my leaving thenecessary fee in furtherance of justice, nor his accepting it. Itsconsequence was, that the thief, instead of being punished as acriminal, was ordered to pay me the value of the stolen goods; which, after weeks of hesitation and delay, she eventually did, in pearls, combs, and other curiosities. 

Whenever an American was arrested by the New Granada authorities, justice had a hard struggle for the mastery, and rarely obtained it. Once I was present at the court-house, when an American was brought inheavily ironed, charged with having committed a highway robbery--if Imay use the term where there were no roads--on some travellers fromChili. Around the frightened soldiers swelled an angry crowd ofbrother Americans, abusing and threatening the authorities in nomeasured terms, all of them indignant that a nigger should presume tojudge one of their countrymen. At last their violence so roused thesleepy alcalde, that he positively threw himself from his hammock, laid down his cigarito, and gave such very determined orders to hissoldiers that he succeeded in checking the riot. Then, with an air ofdecision that puzzled everybody, he addressed the crowd, declaringangrily, that since the Americans came the country had known no peace, that robberies and crimes of every sort had increased, and ending byexpressing his determination to make strangers respect the laws of theRepublic, and to retain the prisoner; and if found guilty, punish himas he deserved. The Americans seemed too astonished at the audacity ofthe black man, who dared thus to beard them, to offer any resistance;but I believe that the prisoner was allowed ultimately to escape. 

I once had a narrow escape from the thieves of Cruces. I had been downto Chagres for some stores, and returning, late in the evening, tootired to put away my packages, had retired to rest at once. My littlemaid, who was not so fatigued as I was, and slept more lightly, wokeme in the night to listen to a noise in the thatch, at the further endof the store; but I was so accustomed to hear the half-starved mulesof Cruces munching my thatch, that I listened lazily for a fewminutes, and then went unsuspiciously into another heavy sleep. I donot know how long it was before I was again awoke by the child's loudscreams and cries of "Hombro--landro;" and sure enough, by the lightof the dying fire, I saw a fellow stealing away with my dress, in thepocket of which was my purse. I was about to rush forward, when thefire gleamed on a villainous-looking knife in his hand; so I stoodstill, and screamed loudly, hoping to arouse my brother over the way. For a moment the thief seemed inclined to silence me, and had taken afew steps forward, when I took up an old rusty horse-pistol which mybrother had given me that I might look determined, and snatching downthe can of ground coffee, proceeded to prime it, still screaming asloudly as my strong lungs would permit, until the rascal turned tailand stole away through the roof. The thieves usually buried theirspoil like dogs, as they were; but this fellow had only time to hideit behind a bush, where it was found on the following morning, andclaimed by me. 

FOOTNOTE:

[A] Mrs. Seacole very likely refers to Macbeth. But it was the witcheshe abused. --Ed. 

CHAPTER VI. 

 MIGRATION TO GORGONA--FAREWELL DINNERS AND SPEECHES--A BUILDING SPECULATION--LIFE IN GORGONA--SYMPATHY WITH AMERICAN SLAVES--DR. CASEY IN TROUBLE--FLOODS AND FIRES--YANKEE INDEPENDENCE AND FREEDOM. 

I remained at Cruces until the rainy months came to an end, and theriver grew too shallow to be navigable by the boats higher up thanGorgona; and then we all made preparations for a flitting to thatplace. But before starting, it appeared to be the custom for the storeand hotel keepers to exchange parting visits, and to many of theseparties I, in virtue of my recent services to the community, receivedinvitations. The most important social meeting took place on theanniversary of the declaration of American independence, at mybrother's hotel, where a score of zealous Americans dined mostheartily--as they never fail to do; and, as it was an especialoccasion, drank champagne liberally at twelve shillings a bottle. And, after the usual patriotic toasts had been duly honoured, they proposed"the ladies, " with an especial reference to myself, in a speech whichI thought worth noting down at the time. The spokesman was a thin, sallow-looking American, with a pompous and yet rapid delivery, and ahabit of turning over his words with his quid before delivering them, and clearing his mouth after each sentence, perhaps to make room forthe next. I shall beg the reader to consider that the blanks expressthe time expended on this operation. He dashed into his work at once, rolling up and getting rid of his sentences as he went on:--

"Well, gentlemen, I expect you'll all support me in a drinking of thistoast that I du----. Aunty Seacole, gentlemen; I give you, AuntySeacole----. We can't du less for her, after what she's done forus----, when the cholera was among us, gentlemen----, not many monthsago----. So, I say, God bless the best yaller woman He ever made----, from Jamaica, gentlemen----, from the Isle of Springs----Well, gentlemen, I expect there are only tu things we're vexed for----; andthe first is, that she ain't one of us----, a citizen of the greatUnited States----; and the other thing is, gentlemen----, thatProvidence made her a yaller woman. I calculate, gentlemen, you're allas vexed as I am that she's not wholly white----, but I du reckon onyour rejoicing with me that she's so many shades removed from beingentirely black----; and I guess, if we could bleach her by any meanswe would----, and thus make her as acceptable in any company as shedeserves to be----. Gentlemen, I give you Aunty Seacole!"

And so the orator sat down amidst much applause. It may be supposedthat I did not need much persuasion to return thanks, burning, as Iwas, to tell them my mind on the subject of my colour. Indeed, if mybrother had not checked me, I should have given them my thoughtssomewhat too freely. As it was, I said:--

"Gentlemen, --I return you my best thanks for your kindness in drinkingmy health. As for what I have done in Cruces, Providence evidentlymade me to be useful, and I can't help it. But, I must say, that Idon't altogether appreciate your friend's kind wishes with respect tomy complexion. If it had been as dark as any nigger's, I should havebeen just as happy and as useful, and as much respected by those whoserespect I value; and as to his offer of bleaching me, I should, evenif it were practicable, decline it without any thanks. As to thesociety which the process might gain me admission into, all I can sayis, that, judging from the specimens I have met with here andelsewhere, I don't think that I shall lose much by being excluded fromit. So, gentlemen, I drink to you and the general reformation ofAmerican manners. "

I do not think that they altogether admired my speech, but I was asomewhat privileged person, and they laughed at it good-naturedlyenough. Perhaps (for I was not in the best humour myself) I shouldhave been better pleased if they had been angry. 

Rightly, I ought to have gone down to Gorgona a few weeks beforeCruces was deserted, and secured an hotel; but I did not give up allhope of persuading my brother to leave the Isthmus until the very lastmoment, and then, of course, a suitable house was not to be hired inGorgona for love or money. Seeing his fixed determination to stay, Iconsented to remain with him, for he was young and often ill, and sethard to work to settle myself somewhere. With the aid of an oldJamaica friend, who had settled at Gorgona, I at last found amiserable little hut for sale, and bought it for a hundred dollars. Itconsisted of one room only, and was, in its then condition, utterlyunfit for my purpose; but I determined to set to work and build on toit--by no means the hazardous speculation in Gorgona, where bricks andmortar are unknown, that it is in England. The alcalde's permission tomake use of the adjacent ground was obtained for a moderateconsideration, and plenty of material was procurable from the oppositebank of the river. An American, whom I had cured of the cholera atCruces, lent me his boat, and I hired two or three natives to cut downand shape the posts and bamboo poles. Directly these were raised, Macand my little maid set to work and filled up the spaces between themwith split bamboo canes and reeds, and before long my new hotel wasready to be roofed. The building process was simple enough, and I soonfound myself in possession of a capital dining-room some thirty feetin length, which was gaily hung with coloured calico, concealing alldefects of construction, and lighted with large oil lamps; astore-room, bar, and a small private apartment for ladies. Altogether, although I had to pay my labourers four shillings a day, the wholebuilding did not cost me more than my brother paid for three months'rent of his hotel. I gave the travelling world to understand that Iintended to devote my establishment principally to the entertainmentof ladies, and the care of those who might fall ill on the route, andI found the scheme answered admirably. And yet, although the speculationpaid well, I soon grew as weary of my life in Gorgona as I had been atCruces; and when I found my brother proof against all persuasion toquit the Isthmus, I began to entertain serious thoughts of leavinghim. 

Nor was it altogether my old roving inclination which led me to desirea change, although I dare say it had something to do with it. Mypresent life was not agreeable for a woman with the least delicacy orrefinement; and of female society I had none. Indeed, the females whocrossed my path were about as unpleasant specimens of the fair sex asone could well wish to avoid. With very few exceptions, those who werenot bad were very disagreeable, and as the majority came from theSouthern States of America, and showed an instinctive repugnanceagainst any one whose countenance claimed for her kindred with theirslaves, my position was far from a pleasant one. Not that it ever gaveme any annoyance; they were glad of my stores and comforts, I mademoney out of their wants; nor do I think our bond of connection wasever closer; only this, if any of them came to me sick and suffering(I say this out of simple justice to myself), I forgot everything, except that she was my sister, and that it was my duty to help her. 

I may have before said that the citizens of the New Granada Republichad a strong prejudice against all Americans. It is not difficult toassign a cause for this. In the first place, many of the negroes, fugitive from the Southern States, had sought refuge in this and theother States of Central America, where every profession was open tothem; and as they were generally superior men--evinced perhaps bytheir hatred of their old condition and their successful flight--theysoon rose to positions of eminence in New Granada. In the priesthood, in the army, in all municipal offices, the self-liberated negroes wereinvariably found in the foremost rank; and the people, for somereason--perhaps because they recognised in them superior talents foradministration--always respected them more than, and preferred themto, their native rulers. So that, influenced naturally by these freedslaves, who bore themselves before their old masters bravely and likemen, the New Granada people were strongly prejudiced against theAmericans. And in the second and third places, they feared theirquarrelsome, bullying habits--be it remembered that the crowds toCalifornia were of the lowest sorts, many of whom have sincefertilised Cuban and Nicaraguan soil--and dreaded their schemes forannexation. To such an extent was this amusingly carried, that whenthe American Railway Company took possession of Navy Bay, andchristened it Aspinwall, after the name of their Chairman, the nativeauthorities refused to recognise their right to name any portion ofthe Republic, and pertinaciously returned all letters directed toAspinwall, with "no such place known" marked upon them in the veryspot for which they were intended. And, in addition to this, the legalauthorities refused to compel any defendant to appear who wasdescribed as of Aspinwall, and put every plaintiff out of court whodescribed himself as residing in that unrecognised place. 

Under these circumstances, my readers can easily understand that whenany Americans crossed the Isthmus, accompanied by their slaves, theCruces and Gorgona people were restlessly anxious to whisper intotheir ears offers of freedom and hints how easy escape would be. Norwere the authorities at all inclined to aid in the recapture of arunaway slave. So that, as it was necessary for the losers to go onwith the crowd, the fugitive invariably escaped. It is one of themaxims of the New Granada constitution--as it is, I believe, of theEnglish--that on a slave touching its soil his chains fall from him. Rather than irritate so dangerous a neighbour as America, this rulewas rarely supported; but I remember the following instance of itssuccessful application. 

A young American woman, whose character can be best described by theword "vicious, " fell ill at Gorgona, and was left behind by hercompanions under the charge of a young negro, her slave, whom shetreated most inhumanly, as was evinced by the poor girl's frequentscreams when under the lash. One night her cries were so distressing, that Gorgona could stand it no longer, but broke into the house andfound the chattel bound hand and foot, naked, and being severelylashed. Despite the threats and astonishment of the mistress, theywere both carried off on the following morning, before the alcalde, himself a man of colour, and of a very humane disposition. When theparticulars of the case were laid before him, he became stronglyexcited, and called upon the woman to offer an explanation of hercruelty. She treated it with the coolest unconcern--"The girl was herproperty, worth so many dollars, and a child at New Orleans; hadmisbehaved herself, and been properly corrected. The alcalde must bedrunk or a fool, or both together, to interfere between an Americanand her property. " Her coolness vanished, however, when the alcaldeturned round to the girl and told her that she was free to leave hermistress when she liked; and when she heard the irrepressible cheeringof the crowded court-hut at the alcalde's humanity and boldness, andsaw the slave's face flush with delight at the judge's words, shebecame terribly enraged; made use of the most fearful threats, andwould have wreaked summary vengeance on her late chattel had not theclumsy soldiery interfered. Then, with demoniac refinement of cruelty, she bethought herself of the girl's baby at New Orleans still in herpower, and threatened most horrible torture to the child if its motherdared to accept the alcalde's offer. 

The poor girl trembled and covered her face with her hands, as thoughto shut out some fearful sight, and, I think, had we not persuaded herto the contrary, that she would have sacrificed her newly won freedomfor the child's sake. But we knew very well that when the heat ofpassion had subsided, the threatener would be too 'cute to injure herown property; and at once set afloat a subscription for the purchaseof the child. The issue of the tale I do not know, as the woman wasvery properly removed into the interior of the country. 

Life at Gorgona resembled life at Cruces so nearly that it does notneed a separate description. Down with the store and hotel keeperscame the muleteers and mules, porters and hangers-on, idlers andthieves, gamblers and dancing women; and soon the monte-tables werefitted up, and plying their deadly trade; and the dancers charmed thesusceptible travellers as successfully in the dirty streets of Gorgonaas they had previously done in the unwholesome precincts of Cruces. And Dr. Casey was very nearly getting himself into serious trouble, from too great a readiness to use his revolver. Still, he had a betterexcuse for bloodshed this time than might have been found for hisprevious breaches of the sixth commandment. Among the desperadoes whofrequented his gambling-hut, during their short stay in Gorgona, wasconceived the desperate plan of putting out the lights, and upsettingCasey's table--trusting in the confusion to carry off the piles ofmoney upon it. The first part of their programme was successfullycarried out; but the second was frustrated by the Doctor promptlyfiring his revolver into the dark, and hitting an unoffending boy inthe hip. And at this crisis the Gorgona police entered, carried offall the parties they could lay hands upon (including the Doctor) toprison, and brought the wounded boy to me. 

On the following morning came a most urgent request that I would visitthe imprisoned Doctor. I found him desperately angry, but somewhatnervous too, for the alcalde was known to be no friend to theAmericans, owed Casey more than one grudge, and had shown recently adisposition to enforce the laws. 

"I say, Mrs. Seacole, how's that ---- boy?"

"Oh, Dr. Casey, how could you shoot the poor lad, and now call him badnames, as though he'd injured you? He is very ill indeed--may die; soI advise you to think seriously of your position. "

"But, Madame Seacole, " (this in a very altered tone), "_you'll_ surelyhelp me? _you'll_ surely tell the alcalde that the wound's a slightone? He's a friend of yours, and will let me out of this hole. Come, Madame Seacole, you'll never leave me to be murdered by thesebloodthirsty savages?"

"What can I do or say, Dr. Casey? I must speak the truth, and the ballis still in the poor lad's hip, " I answered, for I enjoyed thefellow's fear too much to help him. However, he sent some of hisfriends to the boy's father, and bribed him to take the lad from mycare, and send him to Navy Bay, to a surgeon there. Of course, henever returned to prosecute Dr. Casey; and he was left with thealcalde only to deal with, who, although he hated the man, could notresist his money, and so set him free. 

Gorgona lying lower than Cruces, its inhabitants more frequentlyenjoyed the excitement of a flood. After heavy rains, the river wouldrise so rapidly that in a few hours the chief part of the place wouldbe under water. On such occasions the scene was unusually exciting. Asthe water crept up the street, the frightened householders keptremoving their goods and furniture to higher ground; while here andthere, where the waters had surrounded them unawares, boats were sentto their rescue. The houses, not made to resist much wind or water, often gave way, and were carried down the Chagres. Meanwhile, thethieves were the busiest--the honest folks, forgetting the true oldadage, "God helps those who help themselves, " confining theirexertions to bringing down their favourite saints to the water's edge, and invoking their interposition. 

Fortunately my hotel was at the upper end of the town, where thefloods had been rarely known to extend; and although there was asufficient chance of the water reaching me to compel me to have all mystores, etc. , ready packed for removal, I escaped. Some distressinglosses occurred. A Frenchman, a near neighbour, whose house wassurrounded by the waters before he could remove his goods, grew sofrantic at the loss, that he obstinately refused to quit his fallinghouse; and some force had to be used before they could save his life. 

Scarcely had the ravages of the last flood been repaired when firemarked Gorgona for its prey. The conflagration began at a store by theriver-side; but it spread rapidly, and before long all Gorgona was indanger. The town happened to be very full that night, two crowdshaving met there, and there was great confusion; but at last the lazysoldier-police, aided by the Americans, succeeded in pulling down someold crazy huts, and checking the fire's progress. The travellers werein sore plight, many of them being reduced to sleep upon theirluggage, piled in the drenched streets. My hotel had some interestinginmates, for a poor young creature, borne in from one of the burninghouses, became a mother during the night; and a stout little lassieopened its eyes upon this waesome world during the excitement anddanger of a Gorgona conflagration. 

Shortly after this, tired to death of life in Panama, I handed over myhotel to my brother, and returned to Kingston. On the way thither Iexperienced another instance of American politeness, which I cannothelp recording; first reminding my readers of what I have previouslysaid of the character of the Californian travellers. Anxious to gethome quickly, I took my passage in the first steamer that left NavyBay--an American one; and late in the evening said farewell to thefriends I had been staying with, and went on board. A very kindfriend, an American merchant, doing a large business at Navy Bay, hadtried hard to persuade me to delay my journey until the Englishcompany's steamer called; without, however, giving any good reasonsfor his wish. So, with Mac and my little maid, I passed through thecrowd of female passengers on deck, and sought the privacy of thesaloon. Before I had been long there, two ladies came to me, and intheir cool, straightforward manner, questioned me. 

"Where air you going?"

"To Kingston. "

"And how air you going?"

"By sea. "

"Don't be impertinent, yaller woman. By what conveyance air yougoing?"

"By this steamer, of course. I've paid for my passage. "

They went away with this information; and in a short time eight ornine others came and surrounded me, asking the same questions. Myanswers--and I was very particular--raised quite a storm ofuncomplimentary remarks. 

"Guess a nigger woman don't go along with us in this saloon, " saidone. "I never travelled with a nigger yet, and I expect I shan't beginnow, " said another; while some children had taken my little servantMary in hand, and were practising on her the politenesses which theirparents were favouring me with--only, as is the wont of children, theywere crueller. I cannot help it if I shock my readers; but the _truth_is, that one positively spat in poor little Mary's frightened yellowface. 

At last an old American lady came to where I sat, and gave me somestaid advice. "Well, now, I tell you for your good, you'd better quitthis, and not drive my people to extremities. If you do, you'll besorry for it, I expect. " Thus harassed, I appealed to thestewardess--a tall sour-looking woman, flat and thin as a dressed-upbroomstick. She asked me sundry questions as to how and when I hadtaken my passage; until, tired beyond all endurance, I said, "My goodwoman, put me anywhere--under a boat--in your store-room, so that Ican get to Kingston somehow. " But the stewardess was not to be moved. 

"There's nowhere but the saloon, and you can't expect to stay with thewhite people, that's clear. Flesh and blood can stand a good deal ofaggravation; but not that. If the Britishers is so took up withcoloured people, that's their business; but it won't do here. "

This last remark was in answer to an Englishman, whose advice to mewas not to leave my seat for any of them. He made matters worse; untilat last I lost my temper, and calling Mac, bade him get my thingstogether, and went up to the captain--a good honest man. He and someof the black crew and the black cook, who showed his teeth mostviciously, were much annoyed. Muttering about its being a custom ofthe country, the captain gave me an order upon the agent for the moneyI had paid; and so, at twelve o'clock at night, I was landed againupon the wharf of Navy Bay. 

My American friends were vastly annoyed, but not much surprised; andtwo days later, the English steamer, the "Eagle, " in charge of my oldfriend, Captain B----, touched at Navy Bay, and carried me toKingston. 

CHAPTER VII. 

 THE YELLOW FEVER IN JAMAICA--MY EXPERIENCE OF DEATH-BED SCENES--I LEAVE AGAIN FOR NAVY BAY, AND OPEN A STORE THERE--I AM ATTACKED WITH THE GOLD FEVER, AND START FOR ESCRIBANOS--LIFE IN THE INTERIOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF NEW GRANADA--A REVOLUTIONARY CONSPIRACY ON A SMALL SCALE--THE DINNER DELICACIES OF ESCRIBANOS--JOURNEY UP THE PALMILLA RIVER--A FEW WORDS ON THE PRESENT ASPECT OF AFFAIRS ON THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 

I stayed in Jamaica eight months out of the year 1853, stillremembered in the island for its suffering and gloom. I returned justin time to find my services, with many others, needful; for the yellowfever never made a more determined effort to exterminate the Englishin Jamaica than it did in that dreadful year. So violent was theepidemic, that some of my people fell victims to its fury, a thingrarely heard of before. My house was full of sufferers--officers, their wives and children. Very often they were borne in from the shipsin the harbour--sometimes in a dying state, sometimes--after long anddistressing struggles with the grim foe--to recover. Habituated as Ihad become with death in its most harrowing forms, I found thesescenes more difficult to bear than any I had previously borne a partin; and for this reason perhaps, that I had not only to cheer thedeath-bed of the sufferer, but, far more trying task, to soothe thepassionate grief of wife or husband left behind. It was a terriblething to see young people in the youth and bloom of life suddenlystricken down, not in battle with an enemy that threatened theircountry, but in vain contest with a climate that refused to adoptthem. Indeed, the mother country pays a dear price for the possessionof her colonies. 

I think all who are familiar with the West Indies will acknowledgethat Nature has been favourable to strangers in a few respects, andthat one of these has been in instilling into the hearts of theCreoles an affection for English people and an anxiety for theirwelfare, which shows itself warmest when they are sick and suffering. I can safely appeal on this point to any one who is acquainted withlife in Jamaica. Another benefit has been conferred upon them byinclining the Creoles to practise the healing art, and inducing themto seek out the simple remedies which are available for the terriblediseases by which foreigners are attacked, and which are found growingunder the same circumstances which produce the ills they minister to. So true is it that beside the nettle ever grows the cure for itssting. 

I do not willingly care to dwell upon scenes of suffering and death, but it is with such scenes that my life's experience has made me mostfamiliar, and it is impossible to avoid their description now andthen; and here I would fain record, in humble spirit, my conclusions, drawn from the bearing of those whom I have now and then accompanied alittle distance on their way into the Valley of the Shadow of Death, on the awful and important question of religious feeling. Death isalways terrible--no one need be ashamed to fear it. How we bear itdepends much upon our constitutions. I have seen some brave men, whohave smiled at the cruellest amputation, die trembling like children;while others, whose lives have been spent in avoidance of the leastdanger or trouble, have drawn their last painful breath like heroes, striking at their foe to the last, robbing him of his victory, andmaking their defeat a triumph. But I cannot trace _all_ the peace andresignation which I have witnessed on many death-beds to temperamentalone, although I believe it has much more to do with them than manyteachers will allow. I have stood by receiving the last blessings ofChristians; and closing the eyes of those who had nothing to trust tobut the mercy of a God who will be far more merciful to us than we areto one another; and I say decidedly that the Christian's death is theglorious one, as is his life. You can never find a good man who is nota worker; he is no laggard in the race of life. Three, two, or onescore years of life have been to him a season of labour in hisappointed sphere; and as the work of the hands earns for us sweet restby night, so does the heart's labour of a lifetime make the repose ofheaven acceptable. This is my experience; and I remember one death, ofa man whom I grew to love in a few short weeks, the thought of whichstirs my heart now, and has sustained me in seasons of great danger;for before that time, if I had never feared death, I had not learnt tomeet him with a brave, smiling face, and this he taught me. 

I must not tell you his name, for his friends live yet, and have beenkind to me in many ways. One of them we shall meet on Crimean soil. Hewas a young surgeon, and as busy, light-hearted, and joyous as a goodman should be; and when he fell ill they brought him to my house, where I nursed him, and grew fond of him--almost as fond as the poorlady his mother in England far away. For some time we thought himsafe, but at last the most terrible symptoms of the cruel diseaseshowed themselves, and he knew that he must die. His thoughts werenever for himself, but for those he had to leave behind; all his pitywas for them. It was trying to see his poor hands tremblingly penningthe last few words of leave-taking--trying to see how piteously thepoor worn heart longed to see once more the old familiar faces of theloved ones in unconscious happiness at home; and yet I had to supporthim while this sad task was effected, and to give him all the help Icould. I think he had some fondness for me, or, perhaps, his kindheart feigned a feeling that he saw would give me joy; for I used tocall him "My son--my dear child, " and to weep over him in a very weakand silly manner perhaps. 

He sent for an old friend, Captain S----; and when he came, I had tolisten to the dictation of his simple will--his dog to one friend, hisring to another, his books to a third, his love and kind wishes toall; and that over, my poor son prepared himself to die--a child inall save a man's calm courage. He beckoned me to raise him in the bed, and, as I passed my arms around him, he saw the tears I could notrepress, rolling down my brown cheeks, and thanked me with a fewwords. "Let me lay my head upon your breast;" and so he rested, nowand then speaking lowly to himself, "It's only that I miss my mother;but Heaven's will be done. " He repeated this many times, until theHeaven he obeyed sent him in its mercy forgetfulness, and his thoughtsno longer wandered to his earthly home. I heard glad words feeblyuttered as I bent over him--words about "Heaven--rest--rest"--a holyName many times repeated; and then with a smile and a stronger voice, "Home! home!" And so in a little while my arms no longer held him. 

I have a little gold brooch with his hair in it now. I wonder whatinducement could be strong enough to cause me to part with thatmemorial, sent me by his mother some months later, with the followingletter:--

 "My dear Madam, --Will you do me the favour to accept the enclosed trifle, in remembrance of that dear son whose last moments were soothed by your kindness, and as a mark of the gratitude of, my dear Madam, "Your ever sincere and obliged, "M---- S----. "

After this, I was sent for by the medical authorities to providenurses for the sick at Up-Park Camp, about a mile from Kingston; andleaving some nurses and my sister at home, I went there and did mybest; but it was little we could do to mitigate the severity of theepidemic. 

About eight months after my return to Jamaica, it became necessarythat some one should go to the Isthmus of Panama to wind up theaffairs of my late hotel; and having another fit of restlessness, Iprepared to return there myself. I found Navy Bay but little altered. It was evening when I arrived there; and my friend Mr. H----, who cameto meet me on the wharf, carefully piloted me through the wretchedstreets, giving me especial warning not to stumble over what lookedlike three long boxes, loosely covered with the _débris_ of a fallenhouse. They had such a peculiar look about them that I stopped to askwhat they were, receiving an answer which revived all my formermemories of Darien life, "Oh, they're only three Irishmen killed in arow a week ago, whom it's nobody's business to bury. "

I went to Gorgona, wound up the affairs of the hotel, and, beforereturning to Navy Bay, took the occasion of accompanying my brother tothe town of Panama. We did not go with the crowd, but rode alone onmules, taking with us three native guides on foot; and although thedistance was not much over twenty miles, and we started at daybreak, we did not reach Panama until nightfall. But far from being surprisedat this, my chief wonder was that we ever succeeded in getting overthe journey. Through sand and mud, over hill and plain--through thickforests, deep gulleys, and over rapid streams, ran the track; the roadsometimes being made of logs of wood laid transversely, with faggotsstuffed between; while here and there we had to work our way through atangled network of brushwood, and over broken rocks that seemed tohave been piled together as stones for some giant's sling. We foundPanama an old-fashioned, irregular town, with queer stone houses, almost all of which had been turned by the traders into stores. 

On my return to Navy Bay--or Colon, as the New Granadans would have itcalled--I again opened a store, and stayed there for three months orso. I did not find that society had improved much in my absence;indeed, it appeared to have grown more lawless. Endless quarrels, often resulting in bloodshed, took place between the strangers and thenatives, and disturbed the peace of the town. Once the Spanish wereincensed to such an extent, that they planned a general rising againstthe foreigners; and but for the opportune arrival of an Englishwar-steamer, the consequences might have been terrible. The Americanswere well armed and ready; but the native population far outnumberedthem. 

Altogether, I was not sorry when an opportunity offered itself to dosomething at one of the stations of the New Granada Gold-miningCompany, Escribanos, about seventy miles from Navy Bay. I made thejourney there in a little vessel, all communication by land from NavyBay being impossible, on account of the thick, dense forests, thatwould have resisted the attempts of an army to cut its way throughthem. As I was at this place for some months altogether, and as it wasthe only portion of my life devoted to gold-seeking, I shall make noapologies for endeavouring to describe the out-of-the-way village-lifeof New Granada. 

Escribanos is in the province of Veraguas, in the State of NewGranada--information uninteresting enough, I have little doubt, to allbut a very few of my readers. It lies near the mouth of a rivuletbearing that name, which, leaving the river Belen, runs away to thesea on its own account, about a mile from the mouth of that river. Itis a great neighbourhood for gold-mines; and about that time companiesand private individuals were trying hard to turn them to good account. Near it is the Fort Bowen mine, and several others; some yieldingsilver, others gold ore, in small quantities. Others lie in thevicinity of the Palmilla--another river, which discharges itself intothe sea about ten miles from Escribanos; and there were more eastwardof it, near a similar river, the Coquelet. Legends were rife at thattime, and they may be revived at no distant date, of the treasures tobe found at Cucuyo, Zapetero, Pananomé, and many other Indianvillages on their banks, which in times gone by had yielded up goldentreasures to the Old World. But at this time the yield of gold did notrepay the labour and capital necessary to extract it from the quartz;and it can only prove successful if more economical methods can bediscovered than those now used for that purpose. 

Carlos Alexander, the alcalde of Escribanos, had made a good thing outof the gold mania. The mine had belonged to him; had been sold at afine price, and, passing through several hands, had at last come intopossession of the Company who were now working it; its former ownersettling down as ruler over the little community of two hundred soulsthat had collected at Escribanos. He was a black man; was fond oftalking of his early life in slavery, and how he had escaped; andpossessed no ordinary intellect. He possessed, also, a house, which inEngland a well-bred hound would not have accepted as a kennel; a whitewife, and a pretty daughter, with a whity-brown complexion and apleasant name--Juliana. 

Of this mine Mr. Day--by whose invitation, when I saw him at Navy Bay, I went there--was at that time superintendent. He was a distantconnection of my late husband, and treated me with great kindness. Strangely enough, we met again in a far different part of the world, and became more closely connected. But I am anticipating. 

The major part of the population of Escribanos, including even thewomen and children, worked at the mine. The labour was hard anddisagreeable. I often used to watch them at their work; and wouldsometimes wander about by myself, thinking it possible that I mighttumble across some gold in my rambles. And I once did come upon someheavy yellow material, that brought my heart into my mouth with thatstrange thrilling delight which all who have hunted for the preciousmetal understand so well. I think it was very wrong; but I kept thesecret of the place from the alcalde and every one else, and filledsome bottles with the precious dust, to carry down to Navy Bay. I didnot go for some time; but when I did, one of my first visits was to agold-buyer; and you can imagine my feelings when he coolly laughed, and told me it was some material (I forget its name) very like gold, but--valueless. The worst part of it was that, in my annoyance andshame, I threw all I had away, and among it some which I had reason tobelieve subsequently was genuine. 

The landing at Escribanos was very difficult, and when the surf ranhigh, impossible; and I was once witness to a harrowing scene there. Alittle boat, manned by three sailors, grounded on a rock not far fromshore, at a terrible season, when to reach it from the land was, aftermany attempts, found impossible. The hapless crew lingered on for twodays, suffering cruelly from hunger and thirst, their cries ringing inour ears above the storm's pitiless fury. On the third day, two ofthem took to the sea, and were drowned; the third was not strongenough to leave the boat, and died in it. 

I did not stay long at Escribanos, on my first visit, as the alcalde'sguest; but, having made arrangements for a longer sojourn, I went backto Navy Bay, where I laid in a good stock of the stores I should havemost use for, and returned to Escribanos in safety. I remained theresome months, pleased with the novelty of the life, and busy withschemes for seeking for--or, as the gold-diggers call it, prospectingfor--other mines. 

The foreigners were just as troublesome in this little out-of-the-wayplace as they were, and are, in every other part of Central America;and quarrels were as frequent in our little community as at Cruces orNavy Bay. Indeed, Alexander had hard work to maintain peace in hissmall kingdom; and although ably seconded by Mr. Day, more than onceAmerican disregard of his sway was almost too strong for him. Veryoften the few foreigners would quarrel among themselves; and once whenthey came to blows, and an Irishman was stabbed by an American namedCampfield, the alcalde roused himself to punish the culprit. Thenative population were glad enough to have an American in their power;and when I heard Alexander give his men instructions to shoot theculprit if he resisted, I started off to his hut, and reached it intime to prevent bloodshed. He was taken and kept in confinement; andsoft-hearted Juliana and I had enough to do to prevent his being madea stern example of. But we got him off for a fine of five hundreddollars. 

Again the little community of Escribanos was very near getting up arevolution against its constituted government--a very common amusementin Central America. Twelve sailors, deserters from an American ship, found their way there, and before long plotted to dethrone Alexander, and take possession of the mine. Mr. Day gained information of theirplan. The whole population of Escribanos were roused and warned; andarming a score of the boldest natives, he surrounded the house inwhich they were, and captured the conspirators, who were too muchtaken by surprise to offer resistance, and sent them down to NavyBay, there to be handed over to the Government whose service they hadleft. 

Of course, my medical skill did not rust for want of practice atEscribanos. The place was not healthy, and strangers to the climatesuffered severely. A surgeon himself, sent there by the West GranadaGold-mining Company, was glad to throw _his_ physic to the dogs, andbe cured in my way by mine; while I was fortunately able to nurse Mr. Day through a sharp attack of illness. 

In consequence of the difficulty of communication with Navy Bay, ourfare was of the simplest at Escribanos. It consisted mainly of saltmeat, rice, and roasted Indian corn. The native fare was not tempting, and some of their delicacies were absolutely disgusting. With whatpleasure, for instance, could one foreign to their tastes and habitsdine off a roasted monkey, whose grilled head bore a strongresemblance to a negro baby's? And yet the Indians used to bring themto us for sale, strung on a stick. They were worse still stewed insoup, when it was positively frightful to dip your ladle inunsuspectingly, and bring up what closely resembled a brown baby'slimb. I got on better with the parrots, and could agree with the"senorita, buono buono" with which the natives recommended them; andyet their flesh, what little there was of it, was very coarse andhard. Nor did I always refuse to concede praise to a squirrel, if wellcooked. But although the flesh of the iguana--another favouritedish--was white and tender as any chicken, I never could stomach it. These iguanas are immense green lizards, or rather moderate-sizedcrocodiles, sometimes three feet in length, but weighing generallyabout seven or eight pounds. The Indians used to bring them down inboats, alive, on their backs, with their legs tied behind them; sothat they had the most comical look of distress it is possible toimagine. The Spanish Indians have a proverb referring to an iguana sobound, the purport of which has slipped from my memory, but whichshows the habit to be an old one. Their eggs are highly prized, andtheir captors have a cruel habit of extracting these delicacies fromthem while alive, and roughly sewing up the wound, which I never couldmuster sufficient courage to witness. 

The rivers near Escribanos were well stocked with crocodiles, the seahad its fair share of sharks, while on land you too often met withsnakes and other venomous reptiles. The sting of some of them was verydangerous. One man, who was bitten when I was there, swelled to anenormous size, and bled even at the roots of his hair. The remedy ofthe natives appeared to be copious bleeding. 

Before I left Escribanos I made a journey, in company with a gentlemannamed Little, my maid, and the alcalde's daughter, into the interiorof the country, for a short distance, following the course of thePalmilla river. This was for the purpose of prospecting a mine on thatriver, said to be obtainable at an easy price. Its course was a verywinding one; and we often had to leave the canoe and walk through theshallow waters, that every now and then interfered with our progress. As we progressed, Little carefully sounded the channel of the river, with the view of ascertaining to what extent it was navigable. 

The tropical scenery was very grand; but I am afraid I only markedwhat was most curious in it--at least, that is foremost in my memorynow. I know I wondered much what motive Nature could have had intwisting the roots and branches of the trees into such strangefantastic contortions. I watched with unfailing interest the birds andanimals we disturbed in our progress, from the huge peccary or wildboar, that went tearing through the brushwood, to the tiniestbright-hued bird that dashed like a flash of many-coloured fire beforeour eyes. And very much surprised was I when the Indians stoppedbefore a large tree, and on their making an incision in the bark witha matcheto (hatchet), there exuded a thick creamy liquid, which theywished me to taste, saying that this was the famous milk-tree. Ineeded some persuasion at first; but when I had tasted some upon abiscuit, I was so charmed with its flavour that I should soon havetaken more than was good for me had not Mr. Little interfered withsome judicious advice. We reached the mine, and brought back specimensof the quartz, some of which I have now. 

Soon after this I left Escribanos, and stopping but a short time atNavy Bay, came on direct to England. I had claims on a Mining Companywhich are still unsatisfied; I had to look after my share in thePalmilla Mine speculation; and, above all, I had long been troubledwith a secret desire to embark in a very novel speculation, aboutwhich I have as yet said nothing to the reader. But before I finallyleave the republic of New Granada, I may be allowed to write a fewwords on the present aspect of affairs on the Isthmus of Panama. 

Recent news from America bring the intelligence that the Government ofthe United States has at length succeeded in finding a reasonableexcuse for exercising a protectorate over, or in other wordsannexing, the Isthmus of Panama. To any one at all acquainted withAmerican policy in Central America, this intelligence can give nosurprise; our only wonder being that some such excuse was not madeyears ago. At this crisis, then, a few remarks from the humblestobserver of life in the republic of New Granada must possess someinterest for the curious, if not value. 

I found something to admire in the people of New Granada, but notmuch; and I found very much more to condemn most unequivocally. Whatever was of any worth in their institutions, such as theircomparative freedom, religious toleration, etc. , was owing mainly tothe negroes who had sought the protection of the republic. I found theSpanish Indians treacherous, passionate, and indolent, with no higheraim or object but simply to enjoy the present after their own torpid, useless fashion. Like most fallen nations, they are very conservativein their habits and principles; while the blacks are enterprising, andin their opinions incline not unnaturally to democracy. But for theirold antipathy, there is no doubt that the negroes would lean towardsAmerica; but they gladly encourage the prejudice of the New Granadans, and foster it in every way. Hence the ceaseless quarrels which havedisturbed Chagres and Panama, until it has become necessary for anAmerican force to garrison those towns. For humanity andcivilization's sake, there can be little doubt as to the expediency ofthis step; but I should not be at all surprised to hear that therepublic was preparing to make some show of resistance against itspowerful brother; for, as the reader will have perceived, the NewGranadans' experiences of American manners have not been favourable;and they do not know, as we do, how little real sympathy theGovernment of the United States has with the extreme class of itscitizens who have made themselves so conspicuous in the greathigh-road to California. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

 I LONG TO JOIN THE BRITISH ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL--MY WANDERINGS ABOUT LONDON FOR THAT PURPOSE--HOW I FAIL--ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FIRM OF "DAY AND MARTIN"--I EMBARK FOR TURKEY. 

Before I left Jamaica for Navy Bay, as narrated in the last chapter, war had been declared against Russia, and we were all anxiouslyexpecting news of a descent upon the Crimea. Now, no sooner had Iheard of war somewhere, than I longed to witness it; and when I wastold that many of the regiments I had known so well in Jamaica hadleft England for the scene of action, the desire to join them becamestronger than ever. I used to stand for hours in silent thought beforean old map of the world, in a little corner of which some one hadchalked a red cross, to enable me to distinguish where the Crimea was;and as I traced the route thither, all difficulties would vanish. Butwhen I came to talk over the project with my friends, the best schemeI could devise seemed so wild and improbable, that I was fain toresign my hopes for a time, and so started for Navy Bay. 

But all the way to England, from Navy Bay, I was turning my old wishover and over in my mind; and when I found myself in London, in theautumn of 1854, just after the battle of Alma had been fought, and myold friends were fairly before the walls of Sebastopol, how to jointhem there took up far more of my thoughts than that visionarygold-mining speculation on the river Palmilla, which seemed sofeasible to us in New Granada, but was considered so wild andunprofitable a speculation in London. And, as time wore on, theinclination to join my old friends of the 97th, 48th, and otherregiments, battling with worse foes than yellow fever or cholera, tooksuch exclusive possession of my mind, that I threw over the goldspeculation altogether, and devoted all my energies to my new scheme. 

Heaven knows it was visionary enough! I had no friends who could helpme in such a project--nay, who would understand why I desired to go, and what I desired to do when I got there. My funds, although theymight, carefully husbanded, carry me over the three thousand miles, and land me at Balaclava, would not support me there long; while topersuade the public that an unknown Creole woman would be useful totheir army before Sebastopol was too improbable an achievement to bethought of for an instant. Circumstances, however, assisted me. 

As the winter wore on, came hints from various quarters ofmismanagement, want, and suffering in the Crimea; and after thebattles of Balaclava and Inkermann, and the fearful storm of the 14thof November, the worst anticipations were realized. Then we knew thatthe hospitals were full to suffocation, that scarcity and exposurewere the fate of all in the camp, and that the brave fellows for whomany of us at home would have split our last shilling, and shared ourlast meal, were dying thousands of miles away from the active sympathyof their fellow-countrymen. Fast and thick upon the news of Inkermann, fought by a handful of fasting and enfeebled men against eight timestheir number of picked Russians, brought fresh and animated to thecontest, and while all England was reeling beneath the shock of thatfearful victory, came the sad news that hundreds were dying whom theRussian shot and sword had spared, and that the hospitals of Scutariwere utterly unable to shelter, or their inadequate staff to attendto, the ship-loads of sick and wounded which were sent to them acrossthe stormy Black Sea. 

But directly England knew the worst, she set about repairing her pastneglect. In every household busy fingers were working for the poorsoldier--money flowed in golden streams wherever need was--andChristian ladies, mindful of the sublime example, "I was sick, and yevisited me, " hastened to volunteer their services by those sick-bedswhich only women know how to soothe and bless. 

Need I be ashamed to confess that I shared in the general enthusiasm, and longed more than ever to carry my busy (and the reader will nothesitate to add experienced) fingers where the sword or bullet hadbeen busiest, and pestilence most rife. I had seen much of sorrow anddeath elsewhere, but they had never daunted me; and if I could feelhappy binding up the wounds of quarrelsome Americans and treacherousSpaniards, what delight should I not experience if I could be usefulto my own "sons, " suffering for a cause it was so glorious to fightand bleed for! I never stayed to discuss probabilities, or enter intoconjectures as to my chances of reaching the scene of action. I madeup my mind that if the army wanted nurses, they would be glad of me, and with all the ardour of my nature, which ever carried me whereinclination prompted, I decided that I _would_ go to the Crimea; andgo I did, as all the world knows. 

Of course, had it not been for my old strong-mindedness (which hasnothing to do with obstinacy, and is in no way related to it--the bestterm I can think of to express it being "judicious decisiveness"), Ishould have given up the scheme a score of times in as many days; soregularly did each successive day give birth to a fresh set of rebuffsand disappointments. I shall make no excuse to my readers for givingthem a pretty full history of my struggles to become a Crimean_heroine_!

My first idea (and knowing that I was well fitted for the work, andwould be the right woman in the right place, the reader can fancy myaudacity) was to apply to the War Office for the post of hospitalnurse. Among the diseases which I understood were most prevalent inthe Crimea were cholera, diarrhoea, and dysentery, all of them moreor less known in tropical climates; and with which, as the reader willremember, my Panama experience had made me tolerably familiar. Now, noone will accuse me of presumption, if I say that I thought (and so itafterwards proved) that my knowledge of these human ills would notonly render my services as a nurse more valuable, but would enable meto be of use to the overworked doctors. That others thought so too, Itook with me ample testimony. I cannot resist the temptation ofgiving my readers one of the testimonials I had, it seems so eminentlypractical and to the point:--

 "I became acquainted with Mrs. Seacole through the instrumentality of T. B. Cowan, Esq. , H. B. M. Consul at Colon, on the Isthmus of Panama, and have had many opportunities of witnessing her professional zeal and ability in the treatment of aggravated forms of tropical diseases. 

 "I am myself personally much indebted for her indefatigable kindness and skill at a time when I am apt to believe the advice of a practitioner qualified in the North would have little availed. 

 "Her peculiar fitness, in a constitutional point of view, for the duties of a medical attendant, needs no comment. 

 (Signed) "A. G. M. , "Late Medical Officer, West Granada Gold-mining Company. "

So I made long and unwearied application at the War Office, inblissful ignorance of the labour and time I was throwing away. I havereason to believe that I considerably interfered with the repose ofsundry messengers, and disturbed, to an alarming degree, the officialgravity of some nice gentlemanly young fellows, who were working outtheir salaries in an easy, off-hand way. But my ridiculous endeavoursto gain an interview with the Secretary-at-War of course failed, andglad at last to oblige a distracted messenger, I transferred myattentions to the Quartermaster-General's department. Here I sawanother gentleman, who listened to me with a great deal of politeenjoyment, and--his amusement ended--hinted, had I not better applyto the Medical Department; and accordingly I attached myself to theirquarters with the same unwearying ardour. But, of course, I grew tiredat last, and then I changed my plans. 

Now, I am not for a single instant going to blame the authorities whowould not listen to the offer of a motherly yellow woman to go to theCrimea and nurse her "sons" there, suffering from cholera, diarrhoea, and a host of lesser ills. In my country, where peopleknow our use, it would have been different; but here it was naturalenough--although I had references, and other voices spoke for me--thatthey should laugh, good-naturedly enough, at my offer. War, I know, isa serious game, but sometimes very humble actors are of great use init, and if the reader, when he comes in time to peruse the evidence ofthose who had to do with the Sebastopol drama, of my share in it, willturn back to this chapter, he will confess perhaps that, after all, the impulse which led me to the War Department was not unnatural. 

My new scheme was, I candidly confess, worse devised than the onewhich had failed. Miss Nightingale had left England for the Crimea, but other nurses were still to follow, and my new plan was simply tooffer myself to Mrs. H---- as a recruit. Feeling that I was one of thevery women they most wanted, experienced and fond of the work, Ijumped at once to the conclusion that they would gladly enrol me intheir number. To go to Cox's, the army agents, who were most obligingto me, and obtain the Secretary-at-War's private address, did not takelong; and that done, I laid the same pertinacious siege to his greathouse in ---- Square, as I had previously done to his place ofbusiness. 

Many a long hour did I wait in his great hall, while scores passed inand out; many of them looking curiously at me. The flunkeys, noblecreatures! marvelled exceedingly at the yellow woman whom no excusescould get rid of, nor impertinence dismay, and showed me very clearlythat they resented my persisting in remaining there in mute appealfrom their sovereign will. At last I gave that up, after a messagefrom Mrs. H. That the full complement of nurses had been secured, andthat my offer could not be entertained. Once again I tried, and had aninterview this time with one of Miss Nightingale's companions. Shegave me the same reply, and I read in her face the fact, that hadthere been a vacancy, I should not have been chosen to fill it. 

As a last resort, I applied to the managers of the Crimean Fund toknow whether they would give me a passage to the camp--once there Iwould trust to something turning up. But this failed also, and onecold evening I stood in the twilight, which was fast deepening intowintry night, and looked back upon the ruins of my last castle in theair. The disappointment seemed a cruel one. I was so conscious of theunselfishness of the motives which induced me to leave England--socertain of the service I could render among the sick soldiery, and yetI found it so difficult to convince others of these facts. Doubts andsuspicions arose in my heart for the first and last time, thankHeaven. Was it possible that American prejudices against colour hadsome root here? Did these ladies shrink from accepting my aid becausemy blood flowed beneath a somewhat duskier skin than theirs? Tearsstreamed down my foolish cheeks, as I stood in the fast thinningstreets; tears of grief that any should doubt my motives--that Heavenshould deny me the opportunity that I sought. Then I stood still, andlooking upward through and through the dark clouds that shadowedLondon, prayed aloud for help. I dare say that I was a strange sightto the few passers-by, who hastened homeward through the gloom andmist of that wintry night. I dare say those who read these pages willwonder at me as much as they who saw me did; but you must all rememberthat I am one of an impulsive people, and find it hard to put thatrestraint upon my feelings which to you is so easy and natural. 

The morrow, however, brought fresh hope. A good night's rest hadserved to strengthen my determination. Let what might happen, to theCrimea I would go. If in no other way, then would I upon my ownresponsibility and at my own cost. There were those there who hadknown me in Jamaica, who had been under my care; doctors who wouldvouch for my skill and willingness to aid them, and a general who hadmore than once helped me, and would do so still. Why not trust totheir welcome and kindness, and start at once? If the authorities hadallowed me, I would willingly have given them my services as a nurse;but as they declined them, should I not open an hotel for invalids inthe Crimea in my own way? I had no more idea of what the Crimea wasthan the home authorities themselves perhaps, but having once made upmy mind, it was not long before cards were printed and speeding acrossthe Mediterranean to my friends before Sebastopol. Here is one ofthem:--

 "BRITISH HOTEL. Mrs. Mary Seacole (_Late of Kingston, Jamaica_), Respectfully announces to her former kind friends, and to the Officers of the Army and Navy generally, That she has taken her passage in the screw-steamer "Hollander, " to start from London on the 25th of January, intending on her arrival at Balaclava to establish a mess table and comfortable quarters for sick and convalescent officers. "

This bold programme would reach the Crimea in the end of January, at atime when any officer would have considered a stall in an Englishstable luxurious quarters compared to those he possessed, and hadnearly forgotten the comforts of a mess-table. It must have read tothem rather like a mockery, and yet, as the reader will see, Isucceeded in redeeming my pledge. 

While this new scheme was maturing, I again met Mr. Day in England. Hewas bound to Balaclava upon some shipping business, and we came to theunderstanding that (if it were found desirable) we should togetheropen a store as well as an hotel in the neighbourhood of the camp. Sowas originated the well-known firm of Seacole and Day (I am sorry tosay, the camp wits dubbed it Day and Martin), which, for so manymonths, did business upon the now deserted high-road from the thenbusy harbour of Balaclava to the front of the British army beforeSebastopol. 

These new arrangements were not allowed to interfere in any way withthe main object of my journey. A great portion of my limited capitalwas, with the kind aid of a medical friend, invested in medicineswhich I had reason to believe would be useful; with the remainder Ipurchased those home comforts which I thought would be most difficultto obtain away from England. 

I had scarcely set my foot on board the "Hollander, " before I met afriend. The supercargo was the brother of the Mr. S----, whose deathin Jamaica the reader will not have forgotten, and he gave me a heartywelcome. I thought the meeting augured well, and when I told him myplans he gave me the most cheering encouragement. I was glad, indeed, of any support, for, beyond all doubt, my project was a hazardous one. 

So cheered at the outset, I watched without a pang the shores ofEngland sink behind the smooth sea, and turned my gaze hopefully tothe as yet landless horizon, beyond which lay that little peninsula towhich the eyes and hearts of all England were so earnestly directed. 

So, cheerily! the good ship ploughed its way eastward ho! for Turkey. 

CHAPTER IX. 

 VOYAGE TO CONSTANTINOPLE--MALTA--GIBRALTAR--CONSTANTINOPLE, AND WHAT I THOUGHT OF IT--VISIT TO SCUTARI HOSPITAL--MISS NIGHTINGALE. 

I am not going to risk the danger of wearying the reader with a longaccount of the voyage to Constantinople, already worn threadbare bybook-making tourists. It was a very interesting one, and, as I am agood sailor, I had not even the temporary horrors of sea-sickness tomar it. The weather, although cold, was fine, and the seagood-humouredly calm, and I enjoyed the voyage amazingly. And as dayby day we drew nearer to the scene of action, my doubts of successgrew less and less, until I had a conviction of the rightness of thestep I had taken, which would have carried me buoyantly through anydifficulties. 

On the way, of course, I was called up from my berth at anunreasonable hour to gaze upon the Cape of St. Vincent, and expectedto feel duly impressed when the long bay where Trafalgar's fight waswon came in view, with the white convent walls on the cliffs abovebathed in the early sunlight. I never failed to take an almostchildish interest in the signals which passed between the "Hollander"and the fleet of vessels whose sails whitened the track to and fromthe Crimea, trying to puzzle out the language these children of theocean spoke in their hurried course, and wondering whether any, orwhat sufficiently important thing _could_ happen which would warranttheir stopping on their busy way. 

We spent a short time at Gibraltar, and you may imagine that I wassoon on shore making the best use of the few hours' reprieve grantedto the "Hollander's" weary engines. I had an idea that I should dobetter alone, so I declined all offers of companionship, and selectinga brisk young fellow from the mob of cicerones who offered theirservices, saw more of the art of fortification in an hour or so than Icould understand in as many years. The pleasure was rather fatiguing, and I was not sorry to return to the market-place, where I stoodcuriously watching its strange and motley population. While soengaged, I heard for the first time an exclamation which becamefamiliar enough to me afterwards. 

"Why, bless my soul, old fellow, if this is not our good old MotherSeacole!" I turned round, and saw two officers, whose features, set ina broad frame of Crimean beard, I had some difficulty in recognising. But I soon remembered that they were two of the 48th, who had beenoften in my house at Kingston. Glad were the kind-hearted fellows, andnot a little surprised withal, to meet their old hostess in themarket-place of Gibraltar, bound for the scene of action which theyhad left invalided; and it was not long before we were talking oldtimes over some wine--Spanish, I suppose--but it was very nasty. 

"And you are going to the front, old lady--you, of all people in theworld?"

"Why not, my sons?--won't they be glad to have me there?"

"By Jove! yes, mother, " answered one, an Irishman. "It isn't manywomen--God bless them!--we've had to spoil us out there. But it's notthe place even for you, who know what hardship is. You'll never get aroof to cover you at Balaclava, nor on the road either. " So theyrattled on, telling me of the difficulties that were in store for me. But they could not shake my resolution. 

"Do you think I shall be of any use to you when I get there?"

"Surely. "

"Then I'll go, were the place a hundred times worse than you describeit. Can't I rig up a hut with the packing-cases, and sleep, if needbe, on straw, like Margery Daw?"

So they laughed, and drank success to me, and to our next meeting;for, although they were going home invalided, the brave fellows'hearts were with their companions, for all the hardships they hadpassed through. 

We stopped at Malta also, where, of course, I landed, and stared aboutme, and submitted to be robbed by the lazy Maltese with all atraveller's resignation. Here, also, I met friends--some medicalofficers who had known me in Kingston; and one of them, Dr. F----, lately arrived from Scutari, gave me, when he heard my plans, a letterof introduction to Miss Nightingale, then hard at work, evoking orderout of confusion, and bravely resisting the despotism of death, at thehospital of Scutari. 

So on, past beautiful islands and shores, until we are steamingagainst a swift current, and an adverse wind, between twotower-crested promontories of rock, which they tell me stand in Europeand in Asia, and are connected with some pretty tale of love in dayslong gone by. Ah! travel where a woman may, in the New World, or theOld, she meets this old, old tale everywhere. It is the one bond ofsympathy which I have found existing in three quarters of the worldalike. So on, until the cable rattles over the windlass, as the goodship's anchor plunges down fathoms deep into the blue waters of theBosphorus--her voyage ended. 

I do not think that Constantinople impressed me so much as I hadexpected; and I thought its streets would match those of Navy Bay notunfairly. The caicques, also, of which I had ample experience--for Ispent six days here, wandering about Pera and Stamboul in the daytime, and returning to the "Hollander" at nightfall--might be made moresafe and commodious for stout ladies, even if the process interfered alittle with their ornament. Time and trouble combined have left mewith a well-filled-out, portly form--the envy of many an angularYankee female--and, more than once, it was in no slight danger ofbecoming too intimately acquainted with the temperature of theBosphorus. But I will do the Turkish boatmen the justice to say thatthey were as politely careful of my safety as their astonishment andregard for the well-being of their caicques (which they appear to loveas an Arab does his horse, or an Esquimaux his dogs, and for the samereason perhaps) would admit. Somewhat surprised, also, seemed thecunning-eyed Greeks, who throng the streets of Pera, at theunprotected Creole woman, who took Constantinople so coolly (it wouldrequire something more to surprise her); while the grave Englishraised their eyebrows wonderingly, and the more vivacious Frenchshrugged their pliant shoulders into the strangest contortions. Iaccepted it all as a compliment to a stout female tourist, neatlydressed in a red or yellow dress, a plain shawl of some other colour, and a simple straw wide-awake, with bright red streamers. I flattermyself that I woke up sundry sleepy-eyed Turks, who seemed to thinkthat the great object of life was to avoid showing surprise atanything; while the Turkish women gathered around me, and jabberedabout me, in the most flattering manner. 

How I ever succeeded in getting Mr. Day's letters from thePost-office, Constantinople, puzzles me now; but I did--and I shallever regard my success as one of the great triumphs of my life. Theircontents were not very cheering. He gave a very dreary account ofBalaclava and of camp life, and almost dissuaded me from continuing myjourney; but his last letter ended by giving me instructions as to thepurchases I had best make, if I still determined upon making theadventure; so I forgot all the rest, and busied myself in laying inthe stores he recommended. 

But I found time, before I left the "Hollander, " to charter a crazycaicque, to carry me to Scutari, intending to present Dr. F----'sletter to Miss Nightingale. 

It was afternoon when the boatmen set me down in safety at thelanding-place of Scutari, and I walked up the slight ascent, to thegreat dull-looking hospital. Thinking of the many noble fellows whohad been borne, or had painfully crept along this path, only to diewithin that dreary building, I felt rather dull; and directly Ientered the hospital, and came upon the long wards of sufferers, lyingthere so quiet and still, a rush of tears came to my eyes, and blottedout the sight for a few minutes. But I soon felt at home, and lookedabout me with great interest. The men were, many of them, very quiet. Some of the convalescent formed themselves into little groups aroundone who read a newspaper; others had books in their hands, or by theirside, where they had fallen when slumber overtook the readers, whilehospital orderlies moved to and fro, and now and then the femalenurses, in their quiet uniform, passed noiselessly on some mission ofkindness. 

I was fortunate enough to find an old acquaintance, who accompanied methrough the wards, and rendered it unnecessary for me to trouble thebusy nurses. This was an old 97th man--a Sergeant T----, whom I hadknown in Kingston, and who was slowly recovering from an attack ofdysentery, and making himself of use here until the doctors should lethim go back and have another "shy at the Rooshians. " He is very gladto meet me, and tells me his history very socially, and takes me tothe bedsides of some comrades, who had also known me at Up-Park Camp. My poor fellows! how their eyes glisten when they light upon an oldfriend's face in these Turkish barracks--put to so sad a use, threethousand miles from home. Here is one of them--"hurt in the trenches, "says the Sergeant, with shaven bandaged head, and bright, restless, Irish eyes, who hallooes out, "Mother Seacole! Mother Seacole!" insuch an excited tone of voice; and when he has shaken hands a score oftimes, falls back upon his pillow very wearily. But I sit by his side, and try to cheer him with talk about the future, when he shall growwell, and see home, and hear them all thank him for what he has beenhelping to do, so that he grows all right in a few minutes; but, hearing that I am on the way to the front, gets excited again; for, you see, illness and weakness make these strong men as children, notleast in the patient unmurmuring resignation with which they suffer. Ithink my Irish friend had an indistinct idea of a "muddle" somewhere, which had kept him for weeks on salt meat and biscuit, until it gavehim the "scurvy, " for he is very anxious that I should take overplenty of vegetables, of every sort. "And, oh! mother!"--and it isstrange to hear his almost plaintive tone as he urges this--"take themplenty of eggs, mother; we never saw eggs over there. "

At some slight risk of giving offence, I cannot resist the temptationof lending a helping hand here and there--replacing a slippedbandage, or easing a stiff one. But I do not think any one wasoffended; and one doctor, who had with some surprise and, at first, alarm on his face, watched me replace a bandage, which was givingpain, said, very kindly, when I had finished, "Thank you, ma'am. "

One thought never left my mind as I walked through the fearful milesof suffering in that great hospital. If it is so here, what must itnot be at the scene of war--on the spot where the poor fellows arestricken down by pestilence or Russian bullets, and days and nights ofagony must be passed before a woman's hand can dress their wounds. AndI felt happy in the conviction that _I must_ be useful three or fourdays nearer to their pressing wants than this. 

It was growing late before I felt tired, or thought of leavingScutari, and Dr. S----, another Jamaica friend, who had kindly borneme company for the last half-hour agreed with me that the caicque wasnot the safest conveyance by night on the Bosphorus, and recommendedme to present my letter to Miss Nightingale, and perhaps a lodging forthe night could be found for me. So, still under the Sergeant'spatient guidance, we thread our way through passages and corridors, all used as sick-wards, until we reach the corner tower of thebuilding, in which are the nurses' quarters. 

I think Mrs. B----, who saw me, felt more surprise than she couldpolitely show (I never found women so quick to understand me as themen) when I handed her Dr. F----'s kind letter respecting me, andapologized for troubling Miss Nightingale. There is that in theDoctor's letter (he had been much at Scutari) which prevents myrequest being refused, and I am asked to wait until Miss Nightingale, whose every moment is valuable, can see me. Meanwhile Mrs. B. Questions me very kindly, but with the same look of curiosity andsurprise. 

What object has Mrs. Seacole in coming out? This is the purport of herquestions. And I say, frankly, to be of use somewhere; for otherconsiderations I had not, until necessity forced them upon me. Willingly, had they accepted me, I would have worked for the wounded, in return for bread and water. I fancy Mrs. B---- thought that Isought for employment at Scutari, for she said, very kindly--

"Miss Nightingale has the entire management of our hospital staff, butI do not think that any vacancy--"

"Excuse me, ma'am, " I interrupt her with, "but I am bound for thefront in a few days;" and my questioner leaves me, more surprised thanever. The room I waited in was used as a kitchen. Upon the stoves werecans of soup, broth, and arrow-root, while nurses passed in and outwith noiseless tread and subdued manner. I thought many of them hadthat strange expression of the eyes which those who have gazed long onscenes of woe or horror seldom lose. 

In half an hour's time I am admitted to Miss Nightingale's presence. Aslight figure, in the nurses' dress; with a pale, gentle, and withalfirm face, resting lightly in the palm of one white hand, while theother supports the elbow--a position which gives to her countenance akeen inquiring expression, which is rather marked. Standing thus inrepose, and yet keenly observant--the greatest sign of impatience atany time[B] a slight, perhaps unwitting motion of the firmly plantedright foot--was Florence Nightingale--that Englishwoman whose nameshall never die, but sound like music on the lips of British men untilthe hour of doom. 

She has read Dr. F----'s letter, which lies on the table by her side, and asks, in her gentle but eminently practical and business-like way, "What do you want, Mrs. Seacole--anything that we can do for you? Ifit lies in my power, I shall be very happy. "

So I tell her of my dread of the night journey by caicque, and theimprobability of my finding the "Hollander" in the dark; and, withsome diffidence, threw myself upon the hospitality of Scutari, offering to nurse the sick for the night. Now unfortunately, for manyreasons, room even for one in Scutari Hospital was at that time noeasy matter to find; but at last a bed was discovered to be unoccupiedat the hospital washerwomen's quarters. 

My experience of washerwomen, all the world over, is the same--thatthey are kind soft-hearted folks. Possibly the soap-suds they almostlive in find their way into their hearts and tempers, and soften them. This Scutari washerwoman is no exception to the rule, and welcomes memost heartily. With her, also, are some invalid nurses; and after theyhave gone to bed, we spend some hours of the night talking over ouradventures, and giving one another scraps of our respectivebiographies. I hadn't long retired to my couch before I wished mostheartily that we had continued our chat; for unbidden and mostunwelcome companions took the washerwoman's place, and persisted notonly in dividing my bed, but my plump person also. Upon my word, Ibelieve the fleas are the only industrious creatures in all Turkey. Some of their relatives would seem to have migrated into Russia; for Ifound them in the Crimea equally prosperous and ubiquitous. 

In the morning, a breakfast is sent to my mangled remains, and a kindmessage from Mrs. B----, having reference to how I spent the night. And, after an interview with some other medical men, whoseacquaintance I had made in Jamaica, I shake hands with thesoft-hearted washerwoman, up to her shoulders in soap-suds already, and start for the "Hollander. "

FOOTNOTE:

[B] Subsequently I saw much of Miss Nightingale, at Balaclava. 

CHAPTER X. 

 "JEW JOHNNY"--I START FOR BALACLAVA--KINDNESS OF MY OLD FRIENDS--ON BOARD THE "MEDORA"--MY LIFE ON SHORE--THE SICK WHARF. 

During my stay in Constantinople, I was accustomed to employ, as aguide, a young Greek Jew, whose name it is no use my attempting tospell, but whom I called by the one common name there--"Johnny. "Wishing, however, to distinguish my Johnny from the legion of otherJohnnies, I prefixed the term Jew to his other name, and addressed himas Jew Johnny. How he had picked up his knowledge I cannot tell, buthe could talk a little broken English, besides French, which, had Ibeen qualified to criticise it, I should have found, perhaps, asbroken as his English. He attached himself very closely to me, andseemed very anxious to share my fortunes; and after he had pleadedhard, many times, to be taken to the Crimea, I gave in, and formallyhired him. He was the best and faithfullest servant I had in theCrimea, and, so far from regretting having picked up Jew Johnny fromthe streets of Pera, I should have been very badly off without him. 

More letters come from Mr. Day, giving even worse accounts of thestate of things at Balaclava; but it is too late for hesitation now. My plans are perfected, my purchases made, and passage secured in the"Albatross"--a transport laden with cattle and commissariat officersfor Balaclava. I thought I should never have transported my thingsfrom the "Hollander" to the "Albatross. " It was a terrible day, andagainst the strong current and hurricane of wind Turkish and Greekarms seemed of little avail; but at last, after an hour or more ofterrible anxiety and fear, the "Albatross's" side was reached, and Iclambered on deck, drenched and wretched. 

My companions are cheerful, pleasant fellows, and the short, althoughsomewhat hazardous, voyage across the Black Sea is safely made, andone morning we become excited at seeing a dark rock-bound coast, onwhich they tell us is Balaclava. As we steam on we see, away to theright, clouds of light smoke, which the knowing travellers tell us arenot altogether natural, but show that Sebastopol is not yet taken, until the "Albatross" lays-to within sight of where the "Prince, " withher ill-fated companions, went down in that fearful November storm, four short months ago, while application is made to the harbour-masterfor leave to enter the port of Balaclava. It does not appear thesimplest favour in the world that we are applying for--licence toescape from the hazards of the Black Sea. But at last it comes, and weslowly wind through a narrow channel, and emerge into a smalllandlocked basin, so filled with shipping that their masts bend in thebreeze like a wintry forest. Whatever might have been the case at onetime, there is order in Balaclava Harbour now, and the "Albatross, "with the aid of her boats, moves along to her appointed moorings. 

Such a busy scene as that small harbour presented could be rarely metwith elsewhere. Crowded with shipping, of every size and variety, fromthe noble English steamer to the smallest long-shore craft, whilebetween them and the shore passed and repassed innumerable boats;men-of-war's boats, trim and stern; merchant-ship's boats, laden tothe gunwales; Greek and Maltese boats, carrying their ownerseverywhere on their missions of sharp dealing and roguery. Coming fromthe quiet gloomy sea into this little nook of life and bustle thetransition is very sudden and startling, and gives one enough to thinkabout without desiring to go on shore this afternoon. 

On the following morning, Mr. Day, apprised of my arrival, came onboard the "Albatross, " and our plans were laid. I must leave the"Albatross, " of course, and, until we decide upon our future, I hadbetter take up my quarters on board the "Medora, " which is hired bythe Government, at a great cost, as an ammunition ship. The proposalwas not a very agreeable one, but I have no choice left me. Ourstores, too, had to be landed at once. Warehouses were unheard of inBalaclava, and we had to stack them upon the shore and protect them aswell as we were able. 

My first task, directly I had become settled on board the "Medora, "was to send word to my friends of my arrival in the Crimea, andsolicit their aid. I gave a Greek idler one pound to carry a letterto the camp of the 97th, while I sent another to Captain Peel, who washard at work battering the defences of Sebastopol about the ears ofthe Russians, from the batteries of the Royal Naval Brigade. Iaddressed others to many of the medical men who had known me in otherlands; nor did I neglect to send word to my kind patron, Sir JohnCampbell, then commanding a division: and my old friends answered myletters most kindly. As the various officers came down on duty orbusiness to Balaclava they did not fail to find me out, and welcome meto the Crimea, while Captain Peel and Sir J. Campbell sent the kindestmessages; and when they saw me, promised me every assistance, theGeneral adding that he is glad to see me where there is so much to do. Among others, poor H. Vicars, whose kind face had so often lighted upmy old house in Kingston, came to take me by the hand in thisout-of-the-way corner of the world. I never felt so sure of thesuccess of any step as I did of this, before I had been a week inBalaclava. But I had plenty of difficulties to contend with on everyside. 

Among the first, one of the ships, in which were many of our stores, the "Nonpareil, " was ordered out of the harbour before we could landthem all, and there was more than a probability that she would carryback to Constantinople many of the things we had most pressingoccasion for. It became necessary, therefore, that some one should seeAdmiral Boxer, and try to interest that mild-spoken and affableofficer in our favour. When I mentioned it to Mr. Day, he did not seeminclined to undertake the mission, and nothing was left but for me toface the terrible Port-Admiral. Fortunately, Captain H----, of the"Diamond, " was inclined to be my friend, and, not a little amusedwith his mission, carried me right off to the Admiral. I confess thatI was as nearly frightened out of my wits as I ever have been, for theAdmiral's kind heart beat under a decidedly rough husk; and whenCaptain H---- told him that I wanted his permission for the"Nonpareil" to remain in the harbour for a few days, as there werestores on board, he let fly enough hard words to frighten any woman. But when I spoke up, and told him that I had known his son in the WestIndies, he relented, and granted my petition. But it was not withoutmore hard words, and much grumbling that a parcel of women should becoming out to a place where they were not wanted. 

Now, the Admiral did not repeat this remark a few days afterwards, when he saw me attending the sick and wounded upon the sick wharf. 

I remained six weeks in Balaclava, spending my days on shore, and mynights on board ship. Over our stores, stacked on the shore, a fewsheets of rough tarpaulin were suspended; and beneath these--my soleprotection against the Crimean rain and wind--I spent some portion ofeach day, receiving visitors and selling stores. 

But my chief occupation, and one with which I never allowed anybusiness to interfere, was helping the doctors to transfer the sickand wounded from the mules and ambulances into the transports that hadto carry them to the hospitals of Scutari and Buyukdere. I did notforget the main object of my journey, to which I would have devotedmyself exclusively had I been allowed; and very familiar did I becomebefore long with the sick wharf of Balaclava. My acquaintance with itbegan very shortly after I had reached Balaclava. The very first daythat I approached the wharf, a party of sick and wounded had justarrived. Here was work for me, I felt sure. With so many patients, thedoctors must be glad of all the hands they could get. Indeed, sostrong was the old impulse within me, that I waited for no permission, but seeing a poor artilleryman stretched upon a pallet, groaningheavily, I ran up to him at once, and eased the stiff dressings. Lightly my practised fingers ran over the familiar work, and well wasI rewarded when the poor fellow's groans subsided into a restlessuneasy mutter. God help him! He had been hit in the forehead, and Ithink his sight was gone. I stooped down, and raised some tea to hisbaked lips (here and there upon the wharf were rows of littlepannikins containing this beverage). Then his hand touched mine, andrested there, and I heard him mutter indistinctly, as though thediscovery had arrested his wandering senses--

"Ha! this is surely a woman's hand. "

I couldn't say much, but I tried to whisper something about hope andtrust in God; but all the while I think his thoughts were running onthis strange discovery. Perhaps I had brought to his poor mindmemories of his home, and the loving ones there, who would ask nogreater favour than the privilege of helping him thus; for hecontinued to hold my hand in his feeble grasp, and whisper "God blessyou, _woman_--whoever you are, God bless you!"--over and over again. 

I do not think that the surgeons noticed me at first, although, asthis was my introduction to Balaclava, I had not neglected my personalappearance, and wore my favourite yellow dress, and blue bonnet, withthe red ribbons; but I noticed one coming to me, who, I think, wouldhave laughed very merrily had it not been for the poor fellow at myfeet. As it was, he came forward, and shook hands very kindly, saying, "How do you do, ma'am? Much obliged to you for looking after my poorfellow; very glad to see you here. " And glad they always were, thekind-hearted doctors, to let me help them look after the sick andwounded sufferers brought to that fearful wharf. 

I wonder if I can ever forget the scenes I witnessed there? Oh! theywere heartrending. I declare that I saw rough bearded men stand by andcry like the softest-hearted women at the sights of suffering theysaw; while some who scorned comfort for themselves, would fidget aboutfor hours before the long trains of mules and ambulances came in, nervous lest the most trifling thing that could minister to thesufferers' comfort should be neglected. I have often heard men talkand preach very learnedly and conclusively about the great wickednessand selfishness of the human heart; I used to wonder whether theywould have modified those opinions if they had been my companions forone day of the six weeks I spent upon that wharf, and seen but oneday's experience of the Christian sympathy and brotherly love shown bythe strong to the weak. The task was a trying one, and familiarity, you might think, would have worn down their keener feelings of pityand sympathy; but it was not so. 

I was in the midst of my sad work one day when the Admiral came up, and stood looking on. He vouchsafed no word nor look of recognition inanswer to my salute, but stood silently by, his hands behind his back, watching the sick being lifted into the boats. You might have thoughtthat he had little feeling, so stern and expressionless was his face;but once, when they raised a sufferer somewhat awkwardly, and hegroaned deeply, that rough man broke out all at once with an oath, that was strangely like a prayer, and bade the men, for God's sake, take more care. And, coming up to me, he clapped me on the shoulder, saying, "I am glad to see you here, old lady, among these poorfellows;" while, I am most strangely deceived if I did not see atear-drop gathering in his eye. It was on this same day, I think, thatbending down over a poor fellow whose senses had quite gone, and, Ifear me, would never return to him in this world, he took me for hiswife, and calling me "Mary, Mary, " many times, asked me how it was hehad got home so quickly, and why he did not see the children; and saidhe felt sure he should soon get better now. Poor fellow! I could notundeceive him. I think the fancy happily caused by the touch of awoman's hand soothed his dying hour; for I do not fancy he could havelived to reach Scutari. I never knew it for certain, but I always feltsure that he would never wake from that dream of home in this world. 

And here, lest the reader should consider that I am speaking toohighly of my own actions, I must have recourse to a plan which I shallfrequently adopt in the following pages, and let another voice speakfor me in the kind letter received long after Balaclava had been leftto its old masters, by one who had not forgotten his old companion onthe sick-wharf. The writer, Major (then Captain) R----, had charge ofthe wharf while I was there. 

 "Glasgow, Sept. 1856. 

 "Dear Mrs. Seacole, --I am very sorry to hear that you have been unfortunate in business; but I am glad to hear that you have found friends in Lord R---- and others, who are ready to help you. No one knows better than I do how much you did to help poor sick and wounded soldiers; and I feel sure you will find in your day of trouble that they have not forgotten it. "

Major R---- was a brave and experienced officer, but the scenes on thesick-wharf unmanned him often. I have known him nervously restless ifthe people were behindhand, even for a few minutes, in theirpreparations for the wounded. But in this feeling all shared alike. Only women could have done more than they did who attended to thismelancholy duty; and they, not because their hearts could be softer, but because their hands are moulded for this work. 

But it must not be supposed that we had no cheerful scenes upon thesick-wharf. Sometimes a light-hearted fellow--generally asailor--would forget his pain, and do his best to keep the rest ingood spirits. Once I heard my name eagerly pronounced, and turninground, recognised a sailor whom I remembered as one of the crew of the"Alarm, " stationed at Kingston, a few years back. 

"Why, as I live, if this ain't Aunty Seacole, of Jamaica! Shiver allthat's left of my poor timbers"--and I saw that the left leg wasgone--"if this ain't a rum go, mates!"

"Ah! my man, I'm sorry to see you in this sad plight. "

"Never fear for me, Aunty Seacole; I'll make the best of the leg theRooshians have left me. I'll get at them soon again, never fear. Youdon't think, messmates"--he never left his wounded comradesalone--"that they'll think less of us at home for coming back with alimb or so short?"

"You bear your troubles well, my son. "

"Eh! do I, Aunty?" and he seemed surprised. "Why, look'ye, when I'veseen so many pretty fellows knocked off the ship's roll altogether, don't you think I ought to be thankful if I can answer the bo'swain'scall anyhow?"

And this was the sailors' philosophy always. And this brave fellow, after he had sipped some lemonade, and laid down, when he heard themen groaning, raised his head and comforted them in the same strainagain; and, it may seem strange, but it quieted them. 

I used to make sponge-cakes on board the "Medora, " with eggs broughtfrom Constantinople. Only the other day, Captain S----, who had chargeof the "Medora, " reminded me of them. These, with some lemonade, wereall the doctors would allow me to give to the wounded. They all likedthe cake, poor fellows, better than anything else: perhaps because ittasted of "home. "

CHAPTER XI. 

 ALARMS IN THE HARBOUR--GETTING THE STORES ON SHORE--ROBBERY BY NIGHT AND DAY--THE PREDATORY TRIBES OF BALACLAVA--ACTIVITY OF THE AUTHORITIES--WE OBTAIN LEAVE TO ERECT OUR STORE, AND FIX UPON SPRING HILL AS ITS SITE--THE TURKISH PACHA--THE FLOOD--OUR CARPENTERS--I BECOME AN ENGLISH SCHOOLMISTRESS ABROAD. 

My life in Balaclava could not but be a rough one. The exposure by daywas enough to try any woman's strength; and at night one was notalways certain of repose. Nor was it the easiest thing to clamber upthe steep sides of the "Medora;" and more than once I narrowly escapeda sousing in the harbour. Why it should be so difficult to climb aship's side, when a few more staves in the ladder, and those a littlebroader, would make it so easy, I have never been able to guess. Andonce on board the "Medora, " my berth would not altogether have suiteda delicate female with weak nerves. It was an ammunition ship, and weslept over barrels of gunpowder and tons of cartridges, with the by nomeans impossible contingency of their prematurely igniting, and givingus no time to say our prayers before launching us into eternity. Greatcare was enjoined, and at eight o'clock every evening Captain S----would come down, and order all lights out for the night. But I used toput my lantern into a deep basin, behind some boxes, and so evaded theregulation. I felt rather ashamed of this breach of discipline onenight, when another ammunition ship caught fire in the crowdedharbour, and threatened us all with speedy destruction. We all knew, if they failed in extinguishing the fire pretty quickly, what ourchances of life were worth, and I think the bravest drew his breathheavily at the thought of our danger. Fortunately, they succeeded inextinguishing the firebrand before any mischief was done; but I do notthink the crew of the "Medora" slept very comfortably that night. Itwas said that the Russians had employed an incendiary; but it wouldhave been strange if in that densely crowded harbour some accidentshad not happened without their agency. 

Harassing work, indeed, was the getting our stores on shore, with theaid of the Greek and Maltese boatmen, whose profession is thievery. Not only did they demand exorbitant sums for the carriage, but theycontrived to rob us by the way in the most ingenious manner. Thus manythings of value were lost in the little journey from the "Albatross"and "Nonpareil" to the shore, which had made the long voyage fromEngland safely. Keep as sharp a look out as I might, some package orbox would be tipped overboard by the sudden swaying of the boat, orpassing by of one of the boatmen--of course, accidentally--and nowords could induce the rascals, in their feigned ignorance of mylanguage, to stop; and, looking back at the helpless waif, it was notaltogether consolatory to see another boat dart from between someshipping, where it had been waiting, as accidentally, ready to pounceupon any such wind or waterfalls. 

Still more harassing work was it to keep the things together on theshore: often in the open light of day, while I sat there (after myduties on the sick-wharf were over) selling stores, or administeringmedicine to the men of the Land Transport and Army Works Corps, andothers, who soon found out my skill, valuable things would beabstracted; while there was no limit to the depredations by night. Ofcourse we hired men to watch; but our choice of servants was verylimited, and very often those we employed not only shut their eyes tothe plunder of their companions, but helped themselves freely. Theadage, "set a thief to catch a thief, " answered very badly inBalaclava. 

Sometimes Jew Johnny would volunteer to watch for the night; and gladI was when I knew that the honest lynx-eyed fellow was there. Onenight he caught a great-limbed Turk making off with a firkin of butterand some other things. The fellow broke away from Johnny's grasp withthe butter, but the lad marked him down to his wretched den, behindthe engineers' quarters, and, on the following morning, quietlyintroduced me to the lazy culprit, who was making up for the partialloss of his night's rest among as evil-looking a set of comrades as Ihave ever seen. There was a great row, and much indignation shown atthe purpose of my visit; but I considered myself justified in callingin the aid of one of the Provost marshal's officers, and, in thepresence of this most invaluable official, a confession was soon made. Beneath the fellow's dirty bed, the butter was found buried; and, inits company, a two-dozen case of sherry, which the rogue had, inflagrant defiance of the Prophet's injunction, stolen for his ownprivate drinking, a few nights previously. 

The thievery in this little out-of-the way port was somethingmarvellous; and the skill and ingenuity of the operators would havereflected credit upon the _élite_ of their profession practising inthe most civilized city of Europe. Nor was the thievery confinedaltogether to the professionals, who had crowded to this scene ofaction from the cities and islands of the Mediterranean. They robbedus, the Turks, and one another; but a stronger hand was sometimes laidon them. The Turk, however, was sure to be the victim, let who mightbe the oppressor. 

In this predatory warfare, as in more honourable service, the Zouavesparticularly distinguished themselves. These undoubtedly gallantlittle fellows, always restless for action, of some sort, would, whenthe luxury of a brash with the Russians was occasionally denied them, come down to Balaclava, in search of opportunities of waging waragainst society at large. Their complete and utter absence ofconscientious scruples as to the rights of property was most amusing. To see a Zouave gravely cheat a Turk, or trip up a Greekstreet-merchant, or Maltese fruit-seller, and scud away with thespoil, cleverly stowed in his roomy red pantaloons, was an operation, for its coolness, expedition, and perfectness, well worth seeing. And, to a great extent, they escaped scatheless, for the English Provostmarshal's department was rather chary of interfering with theeccentricities of our gallant allies; while if the French had takenclose cognizance of the Zouaves' amusements out of school, one-half ofthe regiments would have been always engaged punishing the other half. 

The poor Turk! it is lamentable to think how he was robbed, abused, and bullied by his friends. Why didn't he show a little pluck? Therewasn't a rough sailor, or shrewd boy--the English boy, in all hisimpudence and prejudice, flourished in Balaclava--who would not gladlyhave patted him upon the back if he would but have held up his head, and shown ever so little spirit. But the Englishman cannot understanda coward--will scarcely take the trouble to pity him; and even thecraven Greek could lord it over the degenerate descendants of thefierce Arabs, who--so they told me on the spot--had wrestedConstantinople from the Christians, in those old times of which I knowso little. Very often an injured Turk would run up to where I sat, andstand there, wildly telegraphing his complaints against somevillainous-looking Greek, or Italian, whom a stout English lad wouldhave shaken out of his dirty skin in five minutes. 

Once, however, I saw the tables turned. As the anecdote will help toillustrate the relative positions of the predatory tribes ofBalaclava, I will narrate it. Hearing one morning a louder hubbub thanwas usual upon the completion of a bargain, and the inevitablequarrelling that always followed, I went up to where I saw an excitedcrowd collected around a Turk, in whose hands a Greek was strugglingvainly. This Greek had, it seemed, robbed his enemy, but the Turk wasmaster this time, and had, in order to force from the robber aconfession of the place where the stolen things were deposited (likedogs, as they were, these fellows were fond of burying their plunder), resorted to torture. This was effected most ingeniously and simply bymeans of some packthread, which, bound round the Greek's two thumbs, was tightened on the tourniquet principle, until the pain elicited aconfession. But the Turk, stimulated to retaliation by his triumph, bagged the Greek's basket, which contained amongst other things twowatches, which their present owner had no doubt stolen. Driven to themost ludicrous show of despair, the Greek was about to attempt anotherdesperate struggle for the recovery of his goods, when two Zouaveselbowed their small persons upon the crowded stage, and were eagerlyreferred to by all the parties concerned in the squabble. How theycontrived it, I cannot say, so prompt were their movements; but, in avery few minutes, the watches were in their possession, and going muchfaster than was agreeable either to Turk or Greek, who both combinedto arrest this new movement, and thereby added a sharp thrashing totheir other injuries. The Zouaves effected their escape safely, whilethe Greek, with a despair that had in it an equal share of theludicrous and the tragic, threw himself upon the dusty ground, andtore his thin hair out by handfuls. I believe that the poor wretch, whom we could not help pitying, journeyed to Kamiesch, to discover hisoppressors; but I fear he didn't gain much information there. 

Had it not been for the unremitting activity of the authorities, nolife would have been safe in Balaclava, with its population ofvillains of every nation. As it was, murder was sometimes added torobbery, and many of the rascals themselves died suspicious deaths, with the particulars of which the authorities did not troublethemselves. But the officials worked hard, both in the harbour and onshore, to keep order; few men could have worked harder. I often sawthe old grey-haired Admiral about before the sun had fairly shownitself; and those of his subordinates must have been somewhat heavysleepers who could play the sluggard then. 

At length the necessary preparations to establish our store were made. We hit upon a spot about two miles from Balaclava, in advance ofKadikoi, close to where the railway engines were stationed, and withina mile of head-quarters. Leave having been obtained to erect buildingshere, we set to work briskly, and soon altered the appearance ofSpring Hill--so we christened our new home. Sometimes on horseback, sometimes getting a lift on the commissariat carts, and occasionallyon the ammunition railway-waggons, I managed to visit Spring Hilldaily, and very soon fitted up a shed sufficiently large to take up myabode in. But the difficulty of building our store was immense. Toobtain material was next to impossible; but that collected (not alittle was, by leave of the Admiral, gleaned from the floating rubbishin the harbour), to find workmen to make use of it was still moredifficult. I spent days going round the shipping, offering greatwages, even, for an invalid able to handle saw and hammer, howeverroughly, and many a long ride through the camps did I take on the sameerrand. At length, by dint of hard canvassing, we obtained the aid oftwo English sailors, whom I nicknamed "Big and Little Chips, " and someTurks, and set to work in good earnest. 

I procured the Turks from the Pacha who commanded the divisionencamped in the neighbourhood of Spring Hill. It was decided that weshould apply to him for help, and accordingly I became ambassadress onthis delicate mission, and rode over to the Pacha's quarters, JewJohnny attending me as interpreter. I was received by the Pacha withconsiderable kindness and no trifling amount of formality, and aftertaking coffee I proceeded, through Jew Johnny, to explain the objectof my visit, while his Excellency, a tall man, with a dark pleasingface, smoked gravely, and took my request into his graciousconsideration. 

On the following day came the answer to my request, in the persons oftwo curious Turkish carpenters, who were placed at our orders. After alittle while, too, a Turkish officer, whom I christened Captain AliBaba, took so great an interest in our labours that he would work likeany carpenter, and with a delight and zeal that were astonishing. Tosee him fall back, and look smilingly at every piece of hisworkmanship, was a sight to restore the most severely tried temper. Ireally think that the good-hearted fellow thought it splendid fun, andnever wearied of it. But for him I do not know how we should havemanaged with our other Turkish "chips"--chips of the true old Turkishblock they were--deliberate, slow, and indolent, breaking off intoendless interruptions for the sacred duties of eating and praying, andgetting into out-of-the-way corners at all times of the day to smokethemselves to sleep. 

In the midst of our work a calamity occurred, which was very nearlybecoming a catastrophe. By the giving way of a dam, after some heavyrains, the little stream which threaded its silvery way past SpringHill swelled without any warning into a torrent, which, sweepingthrough my temporary hut, very nearly carried us all away, anddestroyed stores of between one and two hundred pounds in value. Thiscalamity might have had a tragical issue for me, for seeing a littlebox which contained some things, valuable as relics of the past, beingcarried away, I plunged in after it, and losing my balance, was rolledover and over by the stream, and with some difficulty reached theshore. Some of Lord Raglan's staff passing our wreck on the followingday, made inquiries respecting the loss we had sustained, and amessenger was sent from head-quarters, who made many purchases, intoken of their sympathy. 

My visit to the Turkish Pacha laid the foundation of a lastingfriendship. He soon found his way to Spring Hill, and before longbecame one of my best customers and most frequent visitors. It wasastonishing to note how completely, now that he was in the land of theGiaours, he adapted himself to the tastes and habits of the infidels. Like a Scotch Presbyterian, on the Continent for a holiday, he threwaside all the prejudices of his education, and drank bottled beer, sherry, and champagne with an appreciation of their qualities that nothirsty-souled Christian could have expressed more gratefully. He wasvery affable with us all, and would sometimes keep Jew Johnny awayfrom his work for hours, chatting with us or the English officers whowould lounge into our as yet unfinished store. Sometimes he would comedown to breakfast, and spend the greater part of the day at SpringHill. Indeed, the wits of Spring Hill used to laugh, and say that thecrafty Pacha was throwing his pocket-handkerchief at Madame Seacole, widow; but as the honest fellow candidly confessed he had three wivesalready at home, I acquit him of any desire to add to their number. 

The Pacha's great ambition was to be familiar with the Englishlanguage, and at last nothing would do but he must take lessons of me. So he would come down, and sitting in my store, with a Turk or so athis feet, to attend to his most important pipe, by inserting littlered-hot pieces of charcoal at intervals, would try hard to sow a fewEnglish sentences in his treacherous memory. He never got beyond halfa dozen; and I think if we had continued in the relation of pupil andmistress until now, the number would not have been increased greatly. "Madame Seacole, " "Gentlemen, good morning, " and "More champagne, "with each syllable much dwelt upon, were his favourite sentences. Itwas capital fun to hear him, when I was called away suddenly to attendto a customer, or to give a sick man medicine, repeating gravely thesentence we had been studying, until I passed him, and started himwith another. 

Very frequently he would compliment me by ordering his band down toSpring Hill for my amusement. They played excellently well, and I usedto think that I preferred their music to that of the French andEnglish regimental bands. I laughed heartily one day, when, incompliance with the kind-hearted Anglo-Turkish Pacha's orders, theycame out with a grand new tune, in which I with difficulty recogniseda very distant resemblance to "God save the Queen. "

Altogether he was a capital neighbour, and gave such strict orders tohis men to respect our property that we rarely lost anything. On thewhole, the Turks were the most honest of the nations there (I exceptthe English and the Sardinians), and the most tractable. But theGreeks hated them, and showed their hate in every way. In bringing upthings for the Pacha's use they would let the mules down, and smashtheir loads most relentlessly. Now and then they suffered, as was thecase one day when I passed through the camp and saw my friendsuperintending the correction of a Greek who was being bastinadoed. Itseemed a painful punishment. 

I was sorry, therefore, when my friend's division was ordered toKamara, and we lost our neighbours. But my pupil did not forget hisschoolmistress. A few days after they had left the neighbourhood ofSpring Hill came a messenger, with a present of lambs, poultry, andeggs, and a letter, which I could not decipher, as many of theinterpreters could speak English far better than they could write it. But we discovered that the letter contained an invitation, to Mr. Dayand myself, to go over to Kamara, and select from the spoil of thevillage anything that might be useful in our new buildings. And a fewdays later came over a large araba, drawn by four mules, and ladenwith a pair of glass-doors, and some window-frames, which thethoughtful kind Pacha had judged--and judged rightly--would be a veryacceptable present. And very often the good-natured fellow would rideover from Kamara, and resume his acquaintance with myself and mychampagne, and practise his English sentences. 

We felt the loss of our Turkish neighbours in more ways than one. Theneighbourhood, after their departure, was left lonely and unprotected, and it was not until a division of the Land Transport Corps came andtook up their quarters near us, that I felt at all secure of personalsafety. Mr. Day rarely returned to Spring Hill until nightfallrelieved him from his many duties, and I depended chiefly upon twosailors, both of questionable character, two black servants, JewJohnny, and my own reputation for determination and courage--a poordelusion, which I took care to heighten by the judicious display of adouble-barrelled pistol, lent me for the purpose by Mr. Day, and whichI couldn't have loaded to save my life. 

CHAPTER XII. 

 THE BRITISH HOTEL--DOMESTIC DIFFICULTIES--OUR ENEMIES--THE RUSSIAN RATS--ADVENTURES IN SEARCH OF A CAT--LIGHT-FINGERED ZOUAVES--CRIMEAN THIEVES--POWDERING A HORSE. 

Summer was fairly advanced before the British Hotel was anything likefinished; indeed, it never was completed, and when we left the Hill, ayear later, it still wanted shutters. But long before that time SpringHill had gained a great reputation. Of course, I have nothing to dowith what occurred in the camp, although I could not help hearing agreat deal about it. Mismanagement and privation there might havebeen, but my business was to make things right in my sphere, andwhatever confusion, and disorder existed elsewhere, comfort and orderwere always to be found at Spring Hill. When there was no sunelsewhere, some few gleams--so its grateful visitors said--alwaysseemed to have stayed behind, to cheer the weary soldiers thatgathered in the British Hotel. And, perhaps, as my kind friend _Punch_said, after all these things had become pleasant memories of the past. 

 "The cold without gave a zest, no doubt, To the welcome warmth within; But her smile, good old soul, lent heat to the coal, And power to the pannikin. "

Let me, in a few words, describe the British Hotel. It wasacknowledged by all to be the most complete thing there. It cost noless than £800. The buildings and yards took up at least an acre ofground, and were as perfect as we could make them. The hotel andstorehouse consisted of a long iron room, with counters, closets, andshelves; above it was another low room, used by us for storing ourgoods, and above this floated a large union-jack. Attached to thisbuilding was a little kitchen, not unlike a ship's caboose--all stovesand shelves. In addition to the iron house were two wooden houses, with sleeping apartments for myself and Mr. Day, out-houses for ourservants, a canteen for the soldiery, and a large enclosed yard forour stock, full of stables, low huts, and sties. Everything, althoughrough and unpolished, was comfortable and warm; and there was acompleteness about the whole which won general admiration. The readermay judge of the manner in which we had stocked the interior of ourstore from the remark, often repeated by the officers, that you mightget everything at Mother Seacole's, from an anchor down to a needle. 

In addition, we had for our transport service four carts, and as manyhorses and mules as could be kept from the thieves. To reckon uponbeing in possession of these, at any future time, was impossible; wehave more than once seen a fair stud stabled at night-time, and on thefollowing morning been compelled to borrow cattle from the LandTransport camp, to fetch our things up from Balaclava. 

But it must not be supposed that my domestic difficulties came to anend with the completion of the hotel. True, I was in a better positionto bear the Crimean cold and rain, but my other foes were as busy asever they had been on the beach at Balaclava. Thieves, biped andquadruped, human and animal, troubled me more than ever; and perhapsthe most difficult to deal with were the least dangerous. The Crimeanrats, for instance, who had the appetites of London aldermen, and wereas little dainty as hungry schoolboys. Whether they had leftSebastopol, guided by the instinct which leads their kindred in otherparts of the world to forsake sinking ships, or because the garrisonrations offended their palates, or whether they had patrioticallyemigrated, to make war against the English larders, I do not pretendto guess; but, whatever was their motive, it drew them in greatabundance to Spring Hill. They occasionally did us damage, in a singlenight, to the tune of two or three pounds--wasting what they could notdevour. You could keep nothing sacred from their strong teeth. Whenhard pressed they more than once attacked the live sheep; and at lastthey went so far as to nibble one of our black cooks, Francis, whoslept among the flour barrels. On the following morning he came to me, his eyes rolling angrily, and his white teeth gleaming, to show me amangled finger, which they had bitten, and ask me to dress it. He madea great fuss; and a few mornings later he came in a violent passionthis time, and gave me instant notice to quit my service, although wewere paying him two pounds a week, with board and rations. This timethe rats had, it appeared, been bolder, and attacked his head, in aspot where its natural armour, the wool, was thinnest, and the sillyfellow had a notion that the souls of the slain Russian soldiers hadentered the bodies of the rats, and made vengeful war upon their lateenemies. Driven to such an extremity, I made up my mind to scour thecamp, in search of a cat, and, after a long day's hunt, I came to theconclusion that the tale of Whittington was by no means an improbableone. Indeed, had a brisk young fellow with a cat, of even ordinaryskill in its profession, made their appearance at Spring Hill, I wouldgladly have put them in the way--of laying the foundation, atleast--of a fortune. At last I found a benefactor, in the Guards'camp, in Colonel D----, of the Coldstreams, who kindly promised me agreat pet, well known in the camp, and perhaps by some who may readthese pages, by the name of Pinkie. Pinkie was then helping a brotherofficer to clear his hut, but on the following day a Guardsman broughtthe noble fellow down. He lived in clover for a few days, but he hadan English cat-like attachment for his old house, and despite theabundance of game, Pinkie soon stole away to his old master'squarters, three miles off. More than once the men brought him back tome, but the attractions of Spring Hill were never strong enough todetain him long with me. 

From the human thieves that surrounded Spring Hill I had to stand assharp a siege as the Russians had in that poor city against which weheard the guns thundering daily; while the most cunning and desperatesorties were often made upon the most exposed parts of my defences, and sometimes with success. Scores of the keenest eyes and hundreds ofthe sharpest fingers in the world were always ready to take advantageof the least oversight. I had to keep two boys, whose chief occupationwas to watch the officers' horses, tied up to the doorposts of theBritish Hotel. Before I adopted this safeguard, more than one officerwould leave his horse for a few minutes, and on his return find itgone to the neighbourhood of the Naval Brigade, or the horse-fair atKamiesch. My old friends, the Zouaves, soon found me out at SpringHill, and the wiry, light-fingered, fighting-loving gentry spent muchof their leisure there. Those confounded trowsers of theirs offeredconveniences of stowage-room which they made rare use of. Nothing wastoo small, and few things too unwieldy, to ride in them; like thepockets of clown in a pantomime, they could accommodate a well-grownbaby or a pound of sausages equally well. I have a firm convictionthat they stuffed turkeys, geese, and fowls into them, and Ipositively know that my only respectable teapot travelled off in thesame conveyance, while I detected one little fellow, who had tied themdown tight at his ankles, stowing away some pounds of tea and coffeemixed. Some officers, who were present, cut the cords, and, holding upthe little scamp by the neck, shook his trowsers empty amid shouts oflaughter. 

Our live stock, from the horses and mules down to the geese and fowls, suffered terribly. Although we kept a sharp look-out by day, and paida man five shillings a night as watchman, our losses were very great. During the time we were in the Crimea we lost over a score of horses, four mules, eighty goats, many sheep, pigs, and poultry, by thievingalone. We missed in a single night forty goats and seven sheep, and onMr. Day's going to head-quarters with intelligence of the disaster, they told him that Lord Raglan had recently received forty sheep fromAsia, all of which had disappeared in the same manner. The geese, turkeys, and fowls vanished by scores. We found out afterwards thatthe watchman paid to guard the sheep, used to kill a few occasionally. As he represented them to have died a natural death during the night, he got permission to bury them, instead of which he sold them. KingFrost claimed his share of our stock too, and on one December night, of the winter of 1855, killed no less than forty sheep. It is all verywell to smile at these things now, but at the time they wereheartrending enough, and helped, if they did not cause, the ruin whicheventually overtook the firm of Seacole and Day. The determination andzeal which besiegers and besieged showed with respect to a poor pig, which was quietly and unconsciously fattening in its sty, are worthyof record. 

Fresh pork, in the spring of 1855, was certainly one of those luxuriesnot easily obtainable in that part of the Crimea to which the Britisharmy was confined, and when it became known that Mother Seacole hadpurchased a promising young porker from one of the ships in Balaclava, and that, brave woman! she had formed the courageous resolution offattening it for her favourites, the excitement among the frequentersof Spring Hill was very great. I could laugh heartily now, when Ithink of the amount of persuasion and courting I stood out for beforeI bound myself how its four legs were to be disposed of. I learnt moreat that time of the trials and privileges of authority than I am everlikely to experience again. Upon my word, I think if the poor thinghad possessed as many legs as my editor tells me somebody called theHydra (with whom my readers are perhaps more familiar than I am) hadheads, I should have found candidates for them. As it was, the contestfor those I had to bestow was very keen, and the lucky individuals whowere favoured by me looked after their interests most carefully. Oneof them, to render mistake or misunderstanding impossible, entered mypromise in my day-book. The reader will perhaps smile at the followingimportant memorandum in the gallant officer's writing:--

 "Memorandum that Mrs. Seacole did this day, in the presence of Major A---- and Lieutenant W----, promise Captain H----, R. A. , a leg of _the_ pig. "

Now it was well known that many greedy eyes and fingers were directedtowards the plump fellow, and considerable interest was manifested inthe result of the struggle, "Mrs. Seacole _versus_ Thievery. " I thinkthey had some confidence in me, and that I was the favourite; butthere was a large field against me, which found its backers also; andmany a bet was laughingly laid on the ultimate fate of the unconsciousporker. 

I baffled many a knavish trick to gain possession of the fine fellow;but, after all, I lost him in the middle of the day, when I thoughtthe boldest rogues would not have run the risk. The shouts andlaughter of some officers who were riding down from the front firstinformed me of my loss. Up they rode, calling out--"Mother Seacole!old lady! quick!--_the_ pig's gone!"

I rushed out, injured woman that I was, and saw it all at a glance. But that my straw wide-awake was in the way, I could have torn my hairin my vexation. I rushed to the sty, found the nest warm, and withprompt decision prepared for speedy pursuit. Back I came to thehorsemen, calling out--"Off with you, my sons!--they can't have gotvery far away yet. Do your best to save my bacon!"

Delighted with the fun, the horsemen dispersed, laughing andshouting--"Stole away! hark away!" while I ran indoors, turned out allmy available body-guard, and started in pursuit also. Not half a mileoff we soon saw a horseman wave his cap; and starting off into a run, came to a little hollow, where the poor panting animal and two Greekthieves had been run down. The Provost-marshal took the latter in handwillingly, and Piggy was brought home in triumph. But those who hadpork expectancies, hearing of the adventure, grew so seriously alarmedat the narrow escape, that they petitioned me to run so desperate ahazard no longer; and the poor thing was killed on the following day, and distributed according to promise. A certain portion was reservedfor sausages, which, fried with mashed potatoes, were quite the rageat the British Hotel for some days. Some pork was also sent tohead-quarters, with an account of the dangers we ran from thieves. Itdrew the following kind acknowledgment from General B----:

 "Head-Quarters. 

 "My dear Mrs. Seacole, --I am very much obliged to you indeed for your pork. I have spoken to Colonel P---- as to the police of your neighbourhood, and he will see what arrangement can be made for the general protection of that line of road. When the high-road is finished, you will be better off. Let me know at the time of any depredations that are committed, and we will try and protect you. --I am, faithfully yours, "M. L. B----. "

For the truth was--although I can laugh at my fears now--I was oftenmost horribly frightened at Spring Hill; and there was cause for ittoo. My washerwoman, who, with her family, lived not half a mile fromus, was with me one day, and carried off some things for the wash. Onthe following morning I was horrified to learn that she, her father, husband, and children--in all, seven--had been most foully murderedduring the night: only one of the whole family recovered from herwounds, and lived to tell the tale. It created a great sensation atthe time, and caused me to pass many a sleepless night, for themurderers were never discovered. 

Whilst I am upon the subject of Crimean thievery, I may as wellexhaust it without paying any regard to the chronological order of myreminiscences. I have before mentioned what I suffered from theFrench. One day I caught one of our allies in my kitchen, robbing mein the most ungrateful manner. He had met with an accident near SpringHill (I believe he belonged to a French regiment lent to assist theEnglish in road-making), and had been doctored by me; and now I foundhim filling his pockets, before taking "French" leave of us. My blackman, Francis, pulled from his pockets a yet warm fowl, and otherprovisions. We kicked him off the premises, and he found refuge withsome men of the Army Works Corps, who pitied him and gave him shelter. He woke them in the middle of the night, laying hands rather clumsilyon everything that was removeable; and in the morning they brought himto me, to ask what they should do with him. Unluckily for him, aFrench officer of rank happened to be in the store, who, on hearingour tale, packed him off to his regiment. I gathered from theexpression of the officer's face, and the dread legible upon theculprit's, that it might be some considerable time before his itch forbreaking the eighth commandment could be again indulged in. 

The trouble I underwent respecting a useful black mare, for which Mr. Day had given thirty guineas, and which carried me beautifully, wasimmense. Before it had been many weeks in our store it wasgone--whither, I failed to discover. Keeping my eyes wide open, however, I saw "Angelina"--so I christened her--coming quietly downthe hill, carrying an elderly naval officer. I was ready to receivethe unconscious couple, and soon made my claim good. Of course, theofficer was not to blame. He had bought it of a sailor, who in histurn had purchased the animal of a messmate, who of course hadobtained it from another, and so on; but eventually it returned to itsold quarters, where it only remained about a fortnight. I grew tiredof looking for Angelina, and had given her up, when one day she turnedup, in capital condition, in the possession of a French officer ofChasseurs. But nothing I could say to the Frenchman would induce himto take the view of the matter I wished, but had no right to enforce. He had bought the horse at Kamiesch, and intended to keep it. We grewhot at last; and our dispute drew out so large an audience that theFrenchman took alarm, and tried to make off. I held on to Angelinafor a little while; but at last the mare broke away from me, as Tam o'Shanter's Maggie did from the witches (I don't mean that she left meeven her tail), and vanished in a cloud of dust. It was the last Iever saw of Angelina. 

More than once the Crimean thievery reduced us to woeful straits. To aGreek, returning to Constantinople, we entrusted (after the murder ofour washerwoman) two trunks, containing "things for the wash, " whichhe was to bring back as soon as possible. But neither upon Greek, trunks, nor their contents did we ever set eyes again. It was aserious loss. The best part of our table-cloths and other domesticlinen, all my clothes, except two suits, and all of Mr. Day's linenvanished, and had to be replaced as best we could by fresh purchasesfrom Kamiesch and Kadikoi. 

Perhaps the most ridiculous shift I was ever put to by the Crimeanthieves happened when we rose one morning and found the greater partof our stud missing. I had, in the course of the day, urgent occasionto ride over to the French camp on the Tchernaya; the only animalavailable for my transport was an old grey mare, who had contractedsome equine disease of which I do not know the name, but which gaveher considerable resemblance to a dog suffering from the mange. Now, go to the French camp I must; to borrow a horse was impossible, andsomething must be done with the grey. Suddenly one of those happythoughts, which sometimes help us over our greatest difficulties, entered into my scheming brains. Could I not conceal the poor mare'sworst blemishes. Her colour was grey; would not a thick coating offlour from my dredger make all right? There was no time to be lost;the remedy was administered successfully, and off I started; but, alas! the wind was high and swept the skirts of my riding habit sodeterminedly against the side of the poor beast, that before long itsfalse coat was transferred to the dark cloth, and my innocent _ruse_exposed. The French are proverbially and really a polite andconsiderate nation, but I never heard more hearty peals of laughterfrom any sides than those which conveyed to me the horrible assurancethat my scheme had unhappily failed. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

 MY WORK IN THE CRIMEA. 

I hope the reader will give me credit for the assertion that I amabout to make, viz. , that I enter upon the particulars of this chapterwith great reluctance; but I cannot omit them, for the simple reasonthat they strengthen my one and only claim to interest the public, viz. , my services to the brave British army in the Crimea. But, fortunately, I can follow a course which will not only render itunnecessary for me to sound my own trumpet, but will be moresatisfactory to the reader. I can put on record the written opinionsof those who had ample means of judging and ascertaining how Ifulfilled the great object which I had in view in leaving England forthe Crimea; and before I do so, I must solicit my readers' attentionto the position I held in the camp as doctress, nurse, and "mother. "

I have never been long in any place before I have found my practicalexperience in the science of medicine useful. Even in London I havefound it of service to others. And in the Crimea, where the doctorswere so overworked, and sickness was so prevalent, I could not be longidle; for I never forgot that my intention in seeking the army was tohelp the kind-hearted doctors, to be useful to whom I have ever lookedupon and still regard as so high a privilege. 

But before very long I found myself surrounded with patients of myown, and this for two simple reasons. In the first place, the men (Iam speaking of the "ranks" now) had a very serious objection to goinginto hospital for any but urgent reasons, and the regimental doctorswere rather fond of sending them there; and, in the second place, theycould and did get at my store sick-comforts and nourishing food, whichthe heads of the medical staff would sometimes find it difficult toprocure. These reasons, with the additional one that I was veryfamiliar with the diseases which they suffered most from, andsuccessful in their treatment (I say this in no spirit of vanity), were quite sufficient to account for the numbers who came daily to theBritish Hotel for medical treatment. 

That the officers were glad of me as a doctress and nurse may beeasily understood. When a poor fellow lay sickening in his cheerlesshut and sent down to me, he knew very well that I should not ride upin answer to his message empty-handed. And although I did not hesitateto charge him with the value of the necessaries I took him, still hewas thankful enough to be able to _purchase_ them. When we lie ill athome surrounded with comfort, we never think of feeling any specialgratitude for the sick-room delicacies which we accept as aconsequence of our illness; but the poor officer lying ill and wearyin his crazy hut, dependent for the merest necessaries of existenceupon a clumsy, ignorant soldier-cook, who would almost prefer eatinghis meat raw to having the trouble of cooking it (our English soldiersare bad campaigners), often finds his greatest troubles in the want ofthose little delicacies with which a weak stomach must be humouredinto retaining nourishment. How often have I felt sad at the sight ofpoor lads, who in England thought attending early parade a hardship, and felt harassed if their neckcloths set awry, or the natty littleboots would not retain their polish, bearing, and bearing so nobly andbravely, trials and hardships to which the veteran campaignerfrequently succumbed. Don't you think, reader, if you were lying, withparched lips and fading appetite, thousands of miles from mother, wife, or sister, loathing the rough food by your side, and thinkingregretfully of that English home where nothing that could minister toyour great need would be left untried--don't you think that you wouldwelcome the familiar figure of the stout lady whose bony horse hasjust pulled up at the door of your hut, and whose panniers containsome cooling drink, a little broth, some homely cake, or a dish ofjelly or blanc-mange--don't you think, under such circumstances, thatyou would heartily agree with my friend _Punch's_ remark:--

 "That berry-brown face, with a kind heart's trace Impressed on each wrinkle sly, Was a sight to behold, through the snow-clouds rolled Across that iron sky. "

I tell you, reader, I have seen many a bold fellow's eyes moisten atsuch a season, when a woman's voice and a woman's care have brought totheir minds recollections of those happy English homes which some ofthem never saw again; but many did, who will remember theirwoman-comrade upon the bleak and barren heights before Sebastopol. 

Then their calling me "mother" was not, I think, altogether unmeaning. I used to fancy that there was something homely in the word; and, reader, you cannot think how dear to them was the smallest thing thatreminded them of home. 

Some of my Crimean patients, who were glad of me as nurse anddoctress, bore names familiar to all England, and perhaps, did I askthem, they would allow me to publish those names. I am proud to thinkthat a gallant sailor, on whose brave breast the order of Victoriarests--a more gallant man can never wear it--sent for the doctresswhom he had known in Kingston, when his arm, wounded on the fatal 18thof June, refused to heal, and I think that the application Irecommended did it good; but I shall let some of my patients' letters, taken from a large bundle, speak for me. Of course I must suppressmost of their names. Here are two from one of my best and kindestsons. 

 "My dear Mamma, --Will you kindly give the bearer the bottle you promised me when you were here this morning, for my jaundice. Please let me know how much I am to take of it. Yours truly, "F. M. , _C. E. _"

You see the medicine does him good, for a few days later comes anotherfrom the same writer:--

 "My dear Mrs. Seacole, --I have finished the bottle, which has done my jaundice a deal of good. Will you kindly send another by bearer. Truly yours, "F. M. "

It was a capital prescription which had done his jaundice good. Therewas so great a demand for it, that I kept it mixed in a large pan, ready to ladle it out to the scores of applicants who came for it. 

Sometimes they would send for other and no less important medicines. Here is such an application from a sick officer:--

 "Mrs. Seacole would confer a favour on the writer, who is very ill, by giving his servant (the bearer) a boiled or roast fowl; if it be impossible to obtain them, some chicken broth would be very acceptable. 

 "I am yours, truly obliged, "J. K. , 18th R. S. "

Doesn't that read like a sick man's letter, glad enough to welcome anywoman's face? Here are some gentlemen of the Commissariat anxious tospeak for me:--

 "Arthur C----, Comm. Staff Officer, having been attacked one evening with a very bad diarrhoea at Mrs. Seacole's, took some of her good medicine. It cured me before the next morning, and I have never been attacked since. --October 17th, 1855. "

 "Archibald R. L----, Comm. Staff, Crimea, was suffering from diarrhoea for a week or more; after taking Mrs. Seacole's good medicines for two days, he became quite well, and remained so to this day. --October 17th, 1855. "

Here is Mr. M----, paymaster of the Land Transport Corps, ready with agood account of my services:--

 "I certify that Madame Seacole twice cured me effectually of dysentery while in the Crimea, and also my clerk and the men of my corps, to my certain knowledge. "

And some of the men shall speak for themselves:--

 "Stationary Engine, December 1, 1855. 

 "I certify that I was severely attacked by diarrhoea after landing in the Crimea. I took a great deal of medicine, but nothing served me until I called on Mrs. Seacole. She gave me her medicine but once, and I was cured effectually. 

 "Wm. Knollys, Sergt. , L. T. C. "

 "This is to certify that Wm. Row, L. T. C, had a severe attack of illness, and was in a short time restored to health by the prompt attention and medical skill of Mrs. Seacole, British Hotel, Spring Hill, Crimea. "

Many of my patients belonged to the Land Transport and Army WorksCorps. The former indeed were in my close neighbourhood, and theirhospital was nearly opposite to the British Hotel. I did all I couldfor them, and have many letters expressive of their gratitude. Fromthem I select the following:--

 "Head-Quarters, Camp, Crimea, June 30, 1856. 

 "I have much pleasure in bearing testimony to Mrs. Seacole's kindness and attention to the sick of the Railway Labourers' Army Works Corps and Land Transport Corps during the winters of 1854 and 1855. 

 "She not only, from the knowledge she had acquired in the West Indies, was enabled to administer appropriate remedies for their ailments, but, what was of as much or more importance, she charitably furnished them with proper nourishment, which they had no means of obtaining except in the hospital, and most of that class had an objection to go into hospital, particularly the railway labourers and the men of the Army Works Corps. 

 "John Hall, "Inspector-General of Hospitals. "

I hope that Mr. P----, of the Army Works Corps, will pardon my layingthe following letter before the public:--

 "Dear Mrs. Seacole, --It is with feelings of great pleasure that I hear you are safely arrived in England, upon which I beg to congratulate you, and return you many thanks for your kindness whilst in the Crimea. 

 "The bitter sherry you kindly made up for me was in truth a great blessing to both myself and my son, and as I expect to go to Bombay shortly, I would feel grateful to you if you would favour me with the receipt for making it, as it appears to be so very grateful a beverage for weakness and bowel complaints in a warm climate. With many kind regards, believe me, dear madam, your obliged servant, "Samuel P----, "Late Superintendent Army Works Corps. "

Here is a certificate from one of the Army Works' men, to whose case Idevoted no little time and trouble:--

 "I certify that I was labouring under a severe attack of diarrhoea last August, and that I was restored to health through the instrumentality and kindness of Mrs. Seacole. 

 "I also certify that my fingers were severely jammed whilst at work at Frenchman's Hill, and Mrs. Seacole cured me after three doctors had fruitlessly attempted to cure them. 

 "And I cannot leave the Crimea without testifying to the kindness and skill of Mrs. Seacole, and may God reward her for it. 

 "James Wallen, "5th Division Army Works Corps. "

Here are three more letters--and the last I shall print--from asailor, a soldier, and a civilian:--

 "This is to certify that Wm. Adams, caulker, of H. M. S. 'Wasp, ' and belonging to the Royal Naval Brigade, had a severe attack of cholera, and was cured in a few hours by Mrs. Seacole. "

 "I certify that I was troubled by a severe inflammation of the chest, caused by exposure in the trenches, for about four months, and that Mrs. Seacole's medicine completely cured me in one month, and may God reward her. 

 "Charles Flinn, Sergt. 3rd Co. R. S. M. "

 "Upper Clapton, Middlesex, March 2, 1856. 

 "Dear Madam, --Having been informed by my son, Mr. Edward Gill, of St. George's Store, Crimea, of his recent illness (jaundice), and of your kind attention and advice to him during that illness, and up to the time he was, by the blessing of God and your assistance, restored to health, permit me, on behalf of myself, my wife, and my family, to return you our most grateful thanks, trusting you may be spared for many years to come, in health of body and vigour of mind, to carry out your benevolent intention. Believe me, my dear madam, yours most gratefully, "Edward Gill. "

And now that I have made this a chapter of testimonials, I may aswell finish them right off, and have done with them altogether. Ishall trouble the patient reader with four more only, which I have notthe heart to omit. 

 "Sebastopol, July 1, 1856. 

 "Mrs. Seacole was with the British army in the Crimea from February, 1855, to this time. This excellent woman has frequently exerted herself in the most praiseworthy manner in attending wounded men, even in positions of great danger, and in assisting sick soldiers by all means in her power. In addition, she kept a very good store, and supplied us with many comforts at a time we much required them. 

 "Wm. P----, "Adjutant-General of the British Army in the Crimea. "

 "July 1, 1856. 

 "I have much pleasure in stating that I am acquainted with Mrs. Seacole, and from all that I have seen or heard of her, I believe her to be a useful and good person, kind and charitable. 

 "C. A. W----, "Lt. -Gen. Comm. Of Sebastopol. "

The third is from the pen of one who at that time was more looked to, and better known, than any other man in the Crimea. In the 2nd vol. OfRussell's "Letters from the Seat of War, " p. 187, is the followingentry:--

 "In the hour of their illness these men (Army Works Corps), in common with many others, have found a kind and successful physician. Close to the railway, half-way between the Col de Balaclava and Kadikoi, Mrs. Seacole, formerly of Kingston and of several other parts of the world, such as Panama and Chagres, has pitched her abode--an iron storehouse with wooden sheds and outlying tributaries--and here she doctors and cures all manner of men with extraordinary success. She is always in attendance near the battle-field to aid the wounded, and has earned many a poor fellow's blessings. "

Yes! I cannot--referring to that time--conscientiously charge myselfwith doing less for the men who had only thanks to give me, than forthe officers whose gratitude gave me the necessaries of life. I thinkI was ever ready to turn from the latter to help the former, humble asthey might be; and they were grateful in their way, and as far as theycould be. They would buy me apples and other fruit at Balaclava, andleave them at my store. One made me promise, when I returned home, tosend word to his Irish mother, who was to send me a cow in token ofher gratitude for the help I had been to her son. I have a book filledwith hundreds of the names of those who came to me for medicines andother aids; and never a train of sick or wounded men from the frontpassed the British Hotel but its hostess was awaiting them to offercomforts to the poor fellows, for whose suffering her heart bled. 

_Punch_, who allowed my poor name to appear in the pages which hadwelcomed Miss Nightingale home--_Punch_, that whimsical mouthpiece ofsome of the noblest hearts that ever beat beneath black coats--shalllast of all raise its voice, that never yet pleaded an unworthy cause, for the Mother Seacole that takes shame to herself for speaking thusof the poor part she bore of the trials and hardships endured on thatdistant shore, where Britain's best and bravest wrung hardlySebastopol from the grasp of Britain's foe:--

 "No store she set by the epaulette, Be it worsted or gold lace; For K. C. B. Or plain private Smith, She had still one pleasant face. 

 "And not alone was her kindness shown To the hale and hungry lot Who drank her grog and ate her prog, And paid their honest shot. 

 "The sick and sorry can tell the story Of her nursing and dosing deeds; Regimental M. D. Never worked as she, In helping sick men's needs. 

 "Of such work, God knows, was as much as she chose That dreary winter-tide, When Death hung o'er the damp and pestilent camp, And his scythe swung far and wide. 

 "She gave her aid to all who prayed, To hungry and sick and cold; Open hand and heart, alike ready to part Kind words and acts, and gold. 

 * * * * *

 "And--be the right man in the right place who can-- The right woman was Dame Seacole. "

Reader, now that we have come to the end of this chapter, I can saywhat I have been all anxiety to tell you from its beginning. Pleaselook back to Chapter VIII. , and see how hard the right woman had tostruggle to convey herself to the right place. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

 MY CUSTOMERS AT THE BRITISH HOTEL. 

I shall proceed in this chapter to make the reader acquainted withsome of the customers of the British Hotel, who came there for itscreature comforts as well as its hostess's medicines when need was;and if he or she should be inclined to doubt or should hesitate ataccepting my experience of Crimean life as entirely credible, I begthat individual to refer to the accounts which were given in thenewspapers of the spring of 1855, and I feel sure they will acquit meof any intention to exaggerate. If I were to speak of all the namelesshorrors of that spring as plainly as I could, I should really disgustyou; but those I shall bring before your notice have all something ofthe humorous in them--and so it ever is. Time is a great restorer, andchanges surely the greatest sorrow into a pleasing memory. The sunshines this spring-time upon green grass that covers the graves of thepoor fellows we left behind sadly a few short months ago: brightflowers grow up upon ruins of batteries and crumbling trenches, andcover the sod that presses on many a mouldering token of the old timeof battle and death. I dare say that, if I went to the Crimea now, Ishould see a smiling landscape, instead of the blood-stained scenewhich I shall ever associate with distress and death; and as it iswith nature so it is with human kind. Whenever I meet those who havesurvived that dreary spring of 1855, we seldom talk about its horrors;but remembering its transient gleams of sunshine, smile at the fun andgood nature that varied its long and weary monotony. And now that I amanxious to remember all I can that will interest my readers, my memoryprefers to dwell upon what was pleasing and amusing, although the timewill never come when it will cease to retain most vividly the pathosand woe of those dreadful months. 

I have said that the winter had not ended when we began operations atthe British Hotel; and very often, after we considered we were fairlyunder spring's influence, our old enemy would come back with an angryroar of wind and rain, levelling tents, unroofing huts, destroyingroads, and handing over May to the command of General Fevrier. But thesun fought bravely for us, and in time always dispersed the leadenclouds and gilded the iron sky, and made us cheerful again. During theend of March, the whole of April, and a considerable portion of May, however, the army was but a little better off for the advent ofspring. The military road to the camp was only in progress--therailway only carried ammunition. A few hours' rain rendered the oldroad all but impassable, and scarcity often existed in the frontbefore Sebastopol, although the frightened and anxious Commissariattoiled hard to avert such a mishap; so that very often to the BritishHotel came officers starved out on the heights above us. The dandiesof Rotten Row would come down riding on sorry nags, ready to carryback--their servants were on duty in the trenches--anything that wouldbe available for dinner. A single glance at their personal appearancewould suffice to show the hardships of the life they were called uponto lead. Before I left London for the seat of war I had been more thanonce to the United Service Club, seeking to gain the interest ofofficers whom I had known in Jamaica; and I often thought afterwardsof the difference between those I saw there trimly shaven, handsomelydressed, with spotless linen and dandy air, and these theircompanions, who in England would resemble them. Roughly, warmlydressed, with great fur caps, which met their beards and left nothingexposed but lips and nose, and not much of those; you would easilybelieve that soap and water were luxuries not readily obtainable, thatshirts and socks were often comforts to dream about rather thanpossess, and that they were familiar with horrors you would shudder tohear named. Tell me, reader, can you fancy what the want of so simplea thing as a pocket-handkerchief is? To put a case--have you ever goneout for the day without one; sat in a draught and caught a sneezingcold in the head? You say the question is an unnecessarily unpleasantone, and yet what I am about to tell you is true, and the sufferer is, I believe, still alive. 

An officer had ridden down one day to obtain refreshments (this was veryearly in the spring); some nice fowls had just been taken from the spit, and I offered one to him. Paper was one of the most hardly obtainableluxuries of the Crimea, and I rarely had any to waste upon my customers;so I called out, "Give me your pocket-handkerchief, my son, that I maywrap it up. " You see we could not be very particular out there; but hesmiled very bitterly as he answered, "Pocket-handkerchief, mother--byJove! I wish I had one. I tore my last shirt into shreds a fortnightago, and there's not a bit of it left now. "

Shortly after, a hundred dozen of these useful articles came to mystore, and I sold them all to officers and men very speedily. 

For some time, and until I found the task beyond my strength, I keptup a capital table at the British Hotel; but at last I gave up doingso professedly, and my hungry customers had to make shift withwhatever was on the premises. Fortunately they were not over-dainty, and had few antipathies. My duties increased so rapidly, thatsometimes it was with difficulty that I found time to eat and sleep. Could I have obtained good servants, my daily labours would have beenlightened greatly; but my staff never consisted of more than a fewboys, two black cooks, some Turks--one of whom, Osman, had enough todo to kill and pluck the poultry, while the others looked after thestock and killed our goats and sheep--and as many runaway sailors orgood-for-noughts in search of employment as we could from time to timelay our hands upon; but they never found my larder entirely empty. Ioften used to roast a score or so of fowls daily, besides boiling hamsand tongues. Either these or a slice from a joint of beef or muttonyou would be pretty sure of finding at your service in the larder ofthe British Hotel. 

Would you like, gentle reader, to know what other things suggestive ofhome and its comforts your relatives and friends in the Crimea couldobtain from the hostess of Spring Hill? I do not tell you that thefollowing articles were all obtainable at the commencement, but manywere. The time was indeed when, had you asked me for mock turtle andvenison, you should have had them, preserved in tins, but that waswhen the Crimea was flooded with plenty--too late, alas! to save manywhom want had killed; but had you been doing your best to batterSebastopol about the ears of the Russians in the spring and summer ofthe year before last, the firm of Seacole and Day would have beenhappy to have served you with (I omit ordinary things) linen andhosiery, saddlery, caps, boots and shoes, for the outer man; and forthe inner man, meat and soups of every variety in tins (you canscarcely conceive how disgusted we all became at last with preservedprovisions); salmon, lobsters, and oysters, also in tins, which lastbeaten up into fritters, with onions, butter, eggs, pepper, and salt, were very good; game, wild fowl, vegetables, also preserved, eggs, sardines, curry powder, cigars, tobacco, snuff, cigarette papers, tea, coffee, tooth powder, and currant jelly. When cargoes came in fromConstantinople, we bought great supplies of potatoes, carrots, turnips, and greens. Ah! what a rush there used to be for the greens. You might sometimes get hot rolls; but, generally speaking, I boughtthe Turkish bread (_ekmek_), baked at Balaclava. 

Or had you felt too ill to partake of your rough camp fare, coarselycooked by a soldier cook, who, unlike the French, could turn his handto few things but fighting, and had ridden down that muddy road to theCol, to see what Mother Seacole could give you for dinner, the chanceswere you would have found a good joint of mutton, not of the fattest, forsooth; for in such miserable condition were the poor beasts landed, that once, when there came an urgent order from head-quarters fortwenty-five pounds of mutton, we had to cut up one sheep and a halfto provide the quantity; or you would have stumbled upon somethingcurried, or upon a good Irish stew, nice and hot, with plenty ofonions and potatoes, or upon some capital meat-pies. I found thepreserved meats were better relished cooked in this fashion, and welldoctored with stimulants. Before long I grew as familiar with themysteries of seasoning as any London pieman, and could accommodatemyself to the requirements of the seasons as readily. Or had therebeen nothing better, you might have gone further and fared on worsefare than one of my Welch rabbits, for the manufacture of which Ibecame so famous. And had you been fortunate enough to have visitedthe British Hotel upon rice-pudding day, I warrant you would haveridden back to your hut with kind thoughts of Mother Seacole'sendeavours to give you a taste of home. If I had nothing else to beproud of, I think my rice puddings, made without milk, upon the highroad to Sebastopol, would have gained me a reputation. What a shoutthere used to be when I came out of my little caboose, hot andflurried, and called out, "Rice-pudding day, my sons. " Some of themwere baked in large shallow pans, for the men and the sick, who alwayssaid that it reminded them of home. You would scarcely expect tofinish up your dinner with pastry, but very often you would have founda good stock of it in my larder. Whenever I had a few leisure moments, I used to wash my hands, roll up my sleeves and roll out pastry. Veryoften I was interrupted to dispense medicines; but if the tarts had aflavour of senna, or the puddings tasted of rhubarb, it neverinterfered with their consumption. I declare I never heard or read ofan army so partial to pastry as that British army before Sebastopol;while I had a reputation for my sponge-cakes that any pastry-cook inLondon, even Gunter, might have been proud of. The officers, full offun and high spirits, used to crowd into the little kitchen, and, despite all my remonstrances, which were not always confined to words, for they made me frantic sometimes, and an iron spoon is a temptingweapon, would carry off the tarts hot from the oven, while thegood-for-nothing black cooks, instead of lending me their aid, wouldstand by and laugh with all their teeth. And when the hot seasoncommenced, the crowds that came to the British Hotel for my claret andcider cups, and other cooling summer drinks, were very complimentaryin their expressions of appreciation of my skill. 

Now, supposing that you had made a hearty dinner and were thinking ofstarting homeward--if I can use so pleasant a term in reference toyour cheerless quarters--it was very natural that you should beanxious to carry back something to your hut. Perhaps you expected tobe sent into the trenches (many a supper cooked by me has beenconsumed in those fearful trenches by brave men, who could eat it withkeen appetites while the messengers of death were speeding aroundthem); or perhaps you had planned a little dinner-party, and wanted togive your friends something better than their ordinary fare. Anyhow, you would in all probability have some good reason for returning ladenwith comforts and necessaries from Spring Hill. You would not be veryparticular about carrying them. You might have been a great swell athome, where you would have shuddered if Bond Street had seen youcarrying a parcel no larger than your card-case; but thoseconsiderations rarely troubled you here. Very likely, your servant waslying crouched in a rifle pit, having "pots" at the Russians, orkeeping watch and ward in the long lines of trenches, or, stripped tohis shirt, shovelling powder and shot into the great guns, whosesteady roar broke the evening's calm. So if you did not wait uponyourself, you would stand a very fair chance of being starved. But youwould open your knapsack, if you had brought one, for me to fill itwith potatoes, and halloo out, "Never mind, mother!" although thegravy from the fowls on your saddle before you was soaking through thelittle modicum of paper which was all I could afford you. So laden, you would cheerfully start up the hill of mud hutward; and well foryou if you did not come to grief on that treacherous sea of mud thatlay swelling between the Col and your destination. Many a mishap, ludicrous but for their consequences, happened on it. I remember ayoung officer coming down one day just in time to carry off my lastfowl and meat pie. Before he had gone far, the horse so floundered inthe mud that the saddle-girths broke, and while the pies rolled intothe clayey soil in one direction, the fowl flew in another. To makematters worse, the horse, in his efforts to extricate himself, did forthem entirely; and in terrible distress, the poor fellow came back forme to set him up again. I shook my head for a long time, but at last, after he had over and over again urged upon me pathetically that hehad two fellows coming to dine with him at six, and nothing in theworld in his hut but salt pork, I resigned a plump fowl which I hadkept back for my own dinner. Off he started again, but soon came backwith, "Oh, mother, I forgot all about the potatoes; they've all rolledout upon that ---- road; you must fill my bag again. " We all laughedheartily at him, but this state of things _had_ been rather tragical. 

Before I bring this chapter to a close, I should like, with thereader's permission, to describe one day of my life in the Crimea. They were all pretty much alike, except when there was fighting upon alarge scale going on, and duty called me to the field. I was generallyup and busy by daybreak, sometimes earlier, for in the summer my bedhad no attractions strong enough to bind me to it after four. Therewas plenty to do before the work of the day began. There was thepoultry to pluck and prepare for cooking, which had been killed on theprevious night; the joints to be cut up and got ready for the samepurpose; the medicines to be mixed; the store to be swept and cleaned. Of very great importance, with all these things to see after, were thefew hours of quiet before the road became alive with travellers. Byseven o'clock the morning coffee would be ready, hot and refreshing, and eagerly sought for by the officers of the Army Works Corps engagedupon making the great high-road to the front, and the Commissariat andLand Transport men carrying stores from Balaclava to the heights. There was always a great demand for coffee by those who knew itsrefreshing and strengthening qualities, milk I could not give them (Ikept it in tins for special use); but they had it hot and strong, withplenty of sugar and a slice of butter, which I recommend as a capitalsubstitute for milk. From that time until nine, officers on duty inthe neighbourhood, or passing by, would look in for breakfast, andabout half-past nine my sick patients began to show themselves. Inthe following hour they came thickly, and sometimes it was past twelvebefore I had got through this duty. They came with every variety ofsuffering and disease; the cases I most disliked were the frostbittenfingers and feet in the winter. That over, there was the hospital tovisit across the way, which was sometimes overcrowded with patients. Iwas a good deal there, and as often as possible would take over booksand papers, which I used to borrow for that purpose from my friendsand the officers I knew. Once, a great packet of tracts was sent to mefrom Plymouth anonymously, and these I distributed in the same manner. By this time the day's news had come from the front, and perhaps amongthe casualties over night there would be some one wounded or sick, whowould be glad to see me ride up with the comforts he stood most inneed of; and during the day, if any accident occurred in theneighbourhood or on the road near the British Hotel, the men generallybrought the sufferer there, whence, if the hurt was serious, he wouldbe transferred to the hospital of the Land Transport opposite. I usednot always to stand upon too much ceremony when I heard of sick orwounded officers in the front. Sometimes their friends would ask me togo to them, though very often I waited for no hint, but took thechance of meeting with a kind reception. I used to think of theirrelatives at home, who would have given so much to possess myprivilege; and more than one officer have I startled by appearingbefore him, and telling him abruptly that he must have a mother, wife, or sister at home whom he missed, and that he must therefore be gladof some woman to take their place. 

Until evening the store would be filled with customers wantingstores, dinners, and luncheons; loungers and idlers seekingconversation and amusement; and at eight o'clock the curtain descendedon that day's labour, and I could sit down and eat at leisure. It wasno easy thing to clear the store, canteen, and yards; but wedetermined upon adhering to the rule that nothing should be sold afterthat hour, and succeeded. Any one who came after that time, camesimply as a friend. There could be no necessity for any one, except onextraordinary occasions, when the rule could be relaxed, to purchasethings after eight o'clock. And drunkenness or excess were discouragedat Spring Hill in every way; indeed, my few unpleasant scenes arosechiefly from my refusing to sell liquor where I saw it was wanted tobe abused. I could appeal with a clear conscience to all who knew methere, to back my assertion that I neither permitted drunkenness amongthe men nor gambling among the officers. Whatever happened elsewhere, intoxication, cards, and dice were never to be seen, within theprecincts of the British Hotel. My regulations were well known, and akind-hearted officer of the Royals, who was much there, and whopermitted me to use a familiarity towards him which I trust I neverabused, undertook to be my Provost-marshal, but his duties were verylight. 

At first we kept our store open on Sunday from sheer necessity, butafter a little while, when stores in abundance were established atKadikoi and elsewhere, and the absolute necessity no longer existed, Sunday became a day of most grateful rest at Spring Hill. This stepalso met with opposition from the men; but again we were determined, and again we triumphed. I am sure we needed rest. I have oftenwondered since how it was that I never fell ill or came home "onurgent private affairs. " I am afraid that I was not sufficientlythankful to the Providence which gave me strength to carry out thework I loved so well, and felt so happy in being engaged upon; butalthough I never had a week's illness during my campaign, the labour, anxiety, and perhaps the few trials that followed it, have told uponme. I have never felt since that time the strong and hearty woman thatI was when I braved with impunity the pestilence of Navy Bay andCruces. It would kill me easily now. 

CHAPTER XV. 

 MY FIRST GLIMPSE OF WAR--ADVANCE OF MY TURKISH FRIENDS ON KAMARA--VISITORS TO THE CAMP--MISS NIGHTINGALE--MONS. SOYER AND THE CHOLERA--SUMMER IN THE CRIMEA--"THIRSTY SOULS"--DEATH BUSY IN THE TRENCHES. 

In the last three chapters, I have attempted, without anyconsideration of dates, to give my readers some idea of my life in theCrimea. I am fully aware that I have jumbled up events strangely, talking in the same page, and even sentence, of events which occurredat different times; but I have three excuses to offer for myunhistorical inexactness. In the first place, my memory is far fromtrustworthy, and I kept no written diary; in the second place, thereader must have had more than enough of journals and chronicles ofCrimean life, and I am only the historian of Spring Hill; and in thethird place, unless I am allowed to tell the story of my life in myown way, I cannot tell it at all. 

I shall now endeavour to describe my out-of-door life as much aspossible, and write of those great events in the field of which I wasa humble witness. But I shall continue to speak from my own experiencesimply; and if the reader should be surprised at my leaving anymemorable action of the army unnoticed, he may be sure that it isbecause I was mixing medicines or making good things in the kitchen ofthe British Hotel, and first heard the particulars of it, perhaps, from the newspapers which came from home. My readers must know, too, that they were much more familiar with the history of the camp attheir own firesides, than we who lived in it. Just as a spectatorseeing one of the battles from a hill, as I did the Tchernaya, knowsmore about it than the combatant in the valley below, who only thinksof the enemy whom it is his immediate duty to repel; so you, throughthe valuable aid of the cleverest man in the whole camp, read in the_Times'_ columns the details of that great campaign, while we, theactors in it, had enough to do to discharge our own duties well, andrarely concerned ourselves in what seemed of such importance to you. And so very often a desperate skirmish or hard-fought action, the newsof which created so much sensation in England, was but little regardedat Spring Hill. 

My first experience of battle was pleasant enough. Before we had beenlong at Spring Hill, Omar Pasha got something for his Turks to do, andone fine morning they were marched away towards the Russian outpostson the road to Baidar. I accompanied them on horseback, and enjoyedthe sight amazingly. English and French cavalry preceded the Turkishinfantry over the plain yet full of memorials of the terrible LightCavalry charge a few months before; and while one detachment of theTurks made a reconnaissance to the right of the Tchernaya, anotherpushed their way up the hill, towards Kamara, driving in the Russianoutposts, after what seemed but a slight resistance. It was verypretty to see them advance, and to watch how every now and then littleclouds of white smoke puffed up from behind bushes and the crests ofhills, and were answered by similar puffs from the long line of busyskirmishers that preceded the main body. This was my first experienceof actual battle, and I felt that strange excitement which I do notremember on future occasions, coupled with an earnest longing to seemore of warfare, and to share in its hazards. It was not long beforemy wish was gratified. 

I do not know much of the second bombardment of Sebastopol in themonth of April, although I was as assiduous as I could be in myattendance at Cathcart's Hill. I could judge of its severity by thelong trains of wounded which passed the British Hotel. I had astretcher laid near the door, and very often a poor fellow was laidupon it, outwearied by the terrible conveyance from the front. 

After this unsuccessful bombardment, it seemed to us that there was asudden lull in the progress of the siege; and other things began tointerest us. There were several arrivals to talk over. MissNightingale came to supervise the Balaclava hospitals, and, beforelong, she had practical experience of Crimean fever. After her, camethe Duke of Newcastle, and the great high priest of the mysteries ofcookery, Mons. Alexis Soyer. He was often at Spring Hill, with themost smiling of faces and in the most gorgeous of irregular uniforms, and never failed to praise my soups and dainties. I always flatteredmyself that I was his match, and with our West Indian dishes could ofcourse beat him hollow, and more than once I challenged him to a trialof skill; but the gallant Frenchman only shrugged his shoulders, anddisclaimed my challenge with many flourishes of his jewelled hands, declaring that Madame proposed a contest where victory would cost himhis reputation for gallantry, and be more disastrous than defeat. Andall because I was a woman, forsooth. What nonsense to talk like that, when I was doing the work of half a dozen men. Then he would laugh anddeclare that, when our campaigns were over, we would render rivalryimpossible, by combining to open the first restaurant in Europe. Therewas always fun in the store when the good-natured Frenchman was there. 

One dark, tempestuous night, I was knocked up by the arrival of othervisitors. These were the first regiment of Sardinian Grenadiers, who, benighted on their way to the position assigned them, remained atSpring Hill until the morning. We soon turned out our staff, andlighted up the store, and entertained the officers as well as we couldinside, while the soldiers bivouacked in the yards around. Not asingle thing was stolen or disturbed that night, although they hadmany opportunities. We all admired and liked the Sardinians; they werehonest, well-disciplined fellows, and I wish there had been no worsemen or soldiers in the Crimea. 

As the season advanced many visitors came to the Crimea from allparts of the world, and many of them were glad to make Spring Hilltheir head-quarters. We should have been better off if some of themhad spared us this compliment. A Captain St. Clair, for instance--whocould doubt any one with such a name?--stayed some time with us, hadthe best of everything, and paid us most honourably with one bill uponhis agents, while we cashed another to provide him with money for hishomeward route. He was an accomplished fellow, and I really liked him;but, unfortunately for us, he was a swindler. 

I saw much of another visitor to the camp in the Crimea--an oldacquaintance of mine with whom I had had many a hard bout in pasttimes--the cholera. There were many cases in the hospital of the LandTransport Corps opposite, and I prescribed for many others personally. The raki sold in too many of the stores in Balaclava and Kadikoi wasmost pernicious; and although the authorities forbade the sutlers tosell it, under heavy penalties, it found its way into the camp inlarge quantities. 

During May, and while preparations were being made for the third greatbombardment of the ill-fated city, summer broke beautifully, and theweather, chequered occasionally by fitful intervals of cold and rain, made us all cheerful. You would scarcely have believed that the happy, good-humoured, and jocular visitors to the British Hotel were the samemen who had a few weeks before ridden gloomily through the muddy roadto its door. It was a period of relaxation, and they all enjoyed it. Amusement was the order of the day. Races, dog-hunts, cricket-matches, and dinner-parties were eagerly indulged in, and in all I could be ofuse to provide the good cheer which was so essential a part of theseentertainments; and when the warm weather came in all its intensity, and I took to manufacturing cooling beverages for my friends andcustomers, my store was always full. To please all was somewhatdifficult, and occasionally some of them were scarcely so polite asthey should have been to a perplexed hostess, who could scarcely beexpected to remember that Lieutenant A. Had bespoken his sangaree aninstant before Captain B. And his friends had ordered their claretcup. 

In anticipation of the hot weather, I had laid in a large stock ofraspberry vinegar, which, properly managed, helps to make a pleasantdrink; and there was a great demand for sangaree, claret, and cidercups, the cups being battered pewter pots. Would you like, reader, toknow my recipe for the favourite claret cup? It is simple enough. Claret, water, lemon-peel, sugar, nutmeg, and--ice--yes, ice, but notoften and not for long, for the eager officers soon made an end of it. Sometimes there were dinner-parties at Spring Hill, but of these morehereafter. At one of the earliest, when the _Times_ correspondent wasto be present, I rode down to Kadikoi, bought some calico and cut itup into table napkins. They all laughed very heartily, and thoughtperhaps of a few weeks previously, when every available piece of linenin the camp would have been snapped up for pocket-handkerchiefs. 

But the reader must not forget that all this time, although theremight be only a few short and sullen roars of the great guns by day, few nights passed without some fighting in the trenches; and veryoften the news of the morning would be that one or other of those Iknew had fallen. These tidings often saddened me, and when I awoke inthe night and heard the thunder of the guns fiercer than usual, I havequite dreaded the dawn which might usher in bad news. 

The deaths in the trenches touched me deeply, perhaps for this reason. It was very usual, when a young officer was ordered into the trenches, for him to ride down to Spring Hill to dine, or obtain something morethan his ordinary fare to brighten his weary hours in those fearfulditches. They seldom failed on these occasions to shake me by the handat parting, and sometimes would say, "You see, Mrs. Seacole, I can'tsay good-bye to the dear ones at home, so I'll bid you good-bye forthem. Perhaps you'll see them some day, and if the Russians shouldknock me over, mother, just tell them I thought of them all--willyou?" And although all this might be said in a light-hearted manner, it was rather solemn. I felt it to be so, for I never failed (althoughwho was I, that I should preach?) to say something about God'sprovidence and relying upon it; and they were very good. No army ofparsons could be much better than my sons. They would listen verygravely, and shake me by the hand again, while I felt that there wasnothing in the world I would not do for them. Then very often the menwould say, "I'm going in with my master to-night, Mrs. Seacole; comeand look after him, if he's hit;" and so often as this happened Iwould pass the night restlessly, awaiting with anxiety the morning, and yet dreading to hear the news it held in store for me. I used tothink it was like having a large family of children ill with fever, and dreading to hear which one had passed away in the night. 

And as often as the bad news came, I thought it my duty to ride up tothe hut of the sufferer and do my woman's work. But I felt it deeply. How could it be otherwise? There was one poor boy in the Artillery, with blue eyes and light golden hair, whom I nursed through a long andweary sickness, borne with all a man's spirit, and whom I grew to lovelike a fond old-fashioned mother. I thought if ever angels watchedover any life, they would shelter his; but one day, but a short timeafter he had left his sick-bed, he was struck down on his battery, working like a young hero. It was a long time before I could banishfrom my mind the thought of him as I saw him last, the yellow hair, stiff and stained with his life-blood, and the blue eyes closed in thesleep of death. Of course, I saw him buried, as I did poor H----V----, my old Jamaica friend, whose kind face was so familiar to me ofold. Another good friend I mourned bitterly--Captain B----, of theColdstreams--a great cricketer. He had been with me on the previousevening, had seemed dull, but had supped at my store, and on thefollowing morning a brother officer told me he was shot dead whilesetting his pickets, which made me ill and unfit for work for thewhole day. Mind you, a day was a long time to give to sorrow in theCrimea. 

I could give many other similar instances, but why should I saddenmyself or my readers? Others have described the horrors of those fataltrenches; but their real history has never been written, and perhapsit is as well that so harrowing a tale should be left in oblivion. Such anecdotes as the following were very current in the Camp, but Ihave no means of answering for its truth. Two sergeants met in thetrenches, who had been schoolmates in their youth; years had passedsince they set out for the battle of life by different roads, and nowthey met again under the fire of a common enemy. With one impulse theystarted forward to exchange the hearty hand-shake and the mutualgreetings, and while their hands were still clasped, a chance shotkilled both. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

 UNDER FIRE ON THE FATAL 18TH OF JUNE--BEFORE THE REDAN--AT THE CEMETERY--THE ARMISTICE--DEATHS AT HEAD-QUARTERS--DEPRESSION IN THE CAMP--PLENTY IN THE CRIMEA--THE PLAGUE OF FLIES--UNDER FIRE AT THE BATTLE OF THE TCHERNAYA--WORK ON THE FIELD--MY PATIENTS. 

Before I left the Crimea to return to England, the Adjutant-General ofthe British Army gave me a testimonial, which the reader has alreadyread in Chapter XIV. , in which he stated that I had "frequentlyexerted myself in the most praiseworthy manner in attending woundedmen, even in positions of great danger. " The simple meaning of thissentence is that, in the discharge of what I conceived to be my duty, I was frequently "under fire. " Now I am far from wishing to speak ofthis fact with any vanity or pride, because, after all, one soon getsaccustomed to it, and it fails at last to create more than temporaryuneasiness. Indeed, after Sebastopol was ours, you might often seeofficers and men strolling coolly, even leisurely, across and alongthose streets, exposed to the enemy's fire, when a little haste wouldhave carried them beyond the reach of danger. The truth was, Ibelieve, they had grown so habituated to being in peril from shot orshell, that they rather liked the sensation, and found it difficult toget on without a little gratuitous excitement and danger. 

But putting aside the great engagements, where I underwentconsiderable peril, one could scarcely move about the various campswithout some risk. The Russians had, it seemed, sunk great ships' gunsinto the earth, from which they fired shot and shell at a very longrange, which came tumbling and plunging between, and sometimes intothe huts and tents, in a very unwieldy and generally harmless fashion. Once when I was riding through the camp of the Rifles, a round shotcame plunging towards me, and before I or the horse had time to bemuch frightened, the ugly fellow buried itself in the earth, with aheavy "thud, " a little distance in front of us. 

In the first week of June, the third bombardment of Sebastopol opened, and the Spring Hill visitors had plenty to talk about. Many were thesurmises as to when the assault would take place, of the success ofwhich nobody entertained a doubt. Somehow or other, important secretsoozed out in various parts of the camp, which the Russians would havegiven much to know, and one of these places was the British Hotel. Some such whispers were afloat on the evening of Sunday the 17th ofJune, and excited me strangely. Any stranger not in my secret wouldhave considered that my conduct fully justified my partner, Mr. Day, in sending me home, as better fitted for a cell in Bedlam than thecharge of an hotel in the Crimea. I never remember feeling moreexcited or more restless than upon that day, and no sooner had nightfairly closed in upon us than, instead of making preparations for bed, this same stranger would have seen me wrap up--the nights were stillcold--and start off for a long walk to Cathcart's Hill, three milesand a half away. I stayed there until past midnight, but when Ireturned home, there was no rest for me; for I had found out that, inthe stillness of the night, many regiments were marching down to thetrenches, and that the dawn of day would be the signal that should letthem loose upon the Russians. The few hours still left beforedaybreak, were made the most of at Spring Hill. We were all busilyoccupied in cutting bread and cheese and sandwiches, packing up fowls, tongues, and ham, wine and spirits, while I carefully filled the largebag, which I always carried into the field slung across my shoulder, with lint, bandages, needles, thread, and medicines; and soon afterdaybreak everything was ready packed upon two mules, in charge of mysteadiest lad, and, I leading the way on horseback, the littlecavalcade left the British Hotel before the sun of the fatal 18th ofJune had been many hours old. 

It was not long before our progress was arrested by the cavalrypickets closely stationed to stop all stragglers and spectators fromreaching the scene of action. But after a Blight parley and when theyfound out who I was, and how I was prepared for the day's work, themen raised a shout for me, and, with their officer's sanction, allowedme to pass. So I reached Cathcart's Hill crowded with non-combatants, and, leaving there the mules, loaded myself with what provisions Icould carry, and--it was a work of no little difficulty anddanger--succeeded in reaching the reserves of Sir Henry Barnard'sdivision, which was to have stormed something, I forget what; but whenthey found the attack upon the Redan was a failure, very wiselyabstained. Here I found plenty of officers who soon relieved me of myrefreshments, and some wounded men who found the contents of my bagvery useful. At length I made my way to the Woronzoff Road, where thetemporary hospital had been erected, and there I found the doctorshard enough at work, and hastened to help them as best I could. Ibound up the wounds and ministered to the wants of a good many, andstayed there some considerable time. 

Upon the way, and even here, I was "under fire. " More frequently thanwas agreeable, a shot would come ploughing up the ground and raisingclouds of dust, or a shell whizz above us. Upon these occasions thosearound would cry out, "Lie down, mother, lie down!" and with veryundignified and unladylike haste I had to embrace the earth, andremain there until the same voices would laughingly assure me that thedanger was over, or one, more thoughtful than the rest, would come togive me a helping hand, and hope that the old lady was neither hit norfrightened. Several times in my wanderings on that eventful day, ofwhich I confess to have a most confused remembrance, only knowing thatI looked after many wounded men, I was ordered back, but each time mybag of bandages and comforts for the wounded proved my passport. Whileat the hospital I was chiefly of use looking after those, who, eitherfrom lack of hands or because their hurts were less serious, had towait, pained and weary, until the kind-hearted doctors--who, however, _looked_ more like murderers--could attend to them. And the gratefulwords and smile which rewarded me for binding up a wound or givingcooling drink was a pleasure worth risking life for at any time. Itwas here that I received my only wound during the campaign. I threwmyself too hastily on the ground, in obedience to the command of thosearound me, to escape a threatening shell, and fell heavily on thethumb of my right hand, dislocating it. It was bound up on the spotand did not inconvenience me much, but it has never returned to itsproper shape. 

After this, first washing my hands in some sherry from lack of water, I went back to Cathcart's Hill, where I found my horse, and heard thatthe good-for-nothing lad, either frightened or tired of waiting, hadgone away with the mules. I had to ride three miles after him, andthen the only satisfaction I had arose from laying my horse-whip abouthis shoulders. After that, working my way round, how I can scarcelytell, I got to the extreme left attack, where General Eyre's divisionhad been hotly engaged all day, and had suffered severely. I left myhorse in charge of some men, and with no little difficulty, and at nolittle risk, crept down to where some wounded men lay, with whom Ileft refreshments. And then--it was growing late--I started for SpringHill, where I heard all about the events of the luckless day fromthose who had seen them from posts of safety, while I, who had been inthe midst of it all day, knew so little. 

On the following day some Irishmen of the 8th Royals brought me, intoken of my having been among them, a Russian woman's dress and a poorpigeon, which they had brought away from one of the houses in thesuburb where their regiment suffered so severely. 

But that evening of the 18th of June was a sad one, and the news thatcame in of those that had fallen were most heartrending. Both theleaders, who fell so gloriously before the Redan, had been very goodto the mistress of Spring Hill. But a few days before the 18th, Col. Y---- had merrily declared that I should have a silver salver to handabout things upon, instead of the poor shabby one I had been reducedto; while Sir John C---- had been my kind patron for some years. Itwas in my house in Jamaica that Lady C---- had once lodged when herhusband was stationed in that island. And when the recall home came, Lady C----, who, had she been like most women, would have shrunk fromany exertion, declared that she was a soldier's wife and wouldaccompany him. Fortunately the "Blenheim" was detained in the roads afew days after the time expected for her departure, and I put into itsfather's arms a little Scotchman, born within sight of the blue hillsof Jamaica. And yet with these at home, the brave general--as I readin the _Times_ a few weeks later--displayed a courage amounting torashness, and, sending away his aides-de-camp, rushed on to a certaindeath. 

On the following day, directly I heard of the armistice, I hastened tothe scene of action, anxious to see once more the faces of those whohad been so kind to me in life. That battle-field was a fearful sightfor a woman to witness, and if I do not pray God that I may never seeits like again, it is because I wish to be useful all my life, and itis in scenes of horror and distress that a woman can do so much. Itwas late in the afternoon, not, I think, until half-past four, thatthe Russians brought over the bodies of the two leaders of yesterday'sassault. They had stripped Sir John of epaulettes, sword, and boots. Ah! how my heart felt for those at home who would so soon hear of thisday's fatal work. It was on the following day, I think, that I sawthem bury him near Cathcart's Hill, where his tent had been pitched. If I had been in the least humour for what was ludicrous, the looksand curiosity of the Russians who saw me during the armistice wouldhave afforded me considerable amusement. I wonder what rank theyassigned me. 

How true it is, as somebody has said, that misfortunes never comesingly. N. B. Pleasures often do. For while we were dull enough at thisgreat trouble, we had cholera raging around us, carrying off itsvictims of all ranks. There was great distress in the Sardinian campon this account, and I soon lost another good customer, General E----, carried off by the same terrible plague. Before Mrs. E---- left theCrimea, she sent several useful things, kept back from the sale of thegeneral's effects. At this sale I wanted to buy a useful waggon, butdid not like to bid against Lord W----, who purchased it; but (I tellthis anecdote to show how kind they all were to me) when his lordshipheard of this he sent it over to Spring Hill, with a message that itwas mine for a far lower price than he had given for it. And since myreturn home I have had to thank the same nobleman for still greaterfavours. But who, indeed, has not been kind to me?

Within a week after General E----'s death, a still greater calamityhappened. Lord Raglan died--that great soldier who had such ironcourage, with the gentle smile and kind word that always show thegood man. I was familiar enough with his person; for, although peopledid not know it in England, he was continually in the saddle lookingafter his suffering men, and scheming plans for their benefit. And thehumblest soldier will remember that, let who might look stern anddistant, the first man in the British army ever had a kind word togive him. 

During the time he was ill I was at head-quarters several times, andonce his servants allowed me to peep into the room where their masterlay. I do not think they knew that he was dying, but they seemed verysad and low--far more so than he for whom they feared. And on the dayof his funeral I was there again. I never saw such heartfelt gloom asthat which brooded on the faces of his attendants; but it was good tohear how they all, even the humblest, had some kind memory of thegreat general whom Providence had called from his post at such aseason of danger and distress. And once again they let me into theroom in which the coffin lay, and I timidly stretched out my hand andtouched a corner of the union-jack which lay upon it; and then Iwatched it wind its way through the long lines of soldiery towardsKamiesch, while, ever and anon, the guns thundered forth in sorrow, not in anger. And for days after I could not help thinking of the"Caradoc, " which was ploughing its way through the sunny sea with itssad burden. 

It was not in the nature of the British army to remain long dull, andbefore very long we went on gaily as ever, forgetting the terrible18th of June, or only remembering it to look forward to the nextassault compensating for all. And once more the British Hotel wasfilled with a busy throng, and laughter and fun re-echoed through itsiron rafters. Nothing of consequence was done in the front for weeks, possibly because Mr. Russell was taking holiday, and would not returnuntil August. 

About this time the stores of the British Hotel were well filled, notonly with every conceivable necessary of life, but with many of itsmost expensive luxuries. It was at this period that you could haveasked for few things that I could not have supplied you with on thespot, or obtained for you, if you had a little patience and did notmind a few weeks' delay. Not only Spring Hill and Kadikoi, which--apoor place enough when we came--had grown into a town of stores, andhad its market regulations and police, but the whole camp shared inthis unusual plenty. Even the men could afford to despise salt meatand pork, and fed as well, if not better, than if they had been inquarters at home. And there were coffee-houses and places of amusementopened at Balaclava, and balls given in some of them, which raised mytemper to an unwonted pitch, because I foresaw the dangers which theyhad for the young and impulsive; and sure enough they cost severalofficers their commissions. Right glad was I one day when the greatpurifier, Fire, burnt down the worst of these places and ruined itsowner, a bad Frenchwoman. And the railway was in full work, and thegreat road nearly finished, and the old one passable, and the mulesand horses looked in such fair condition, that you would scarcely havebelieved Farrier C----, of the Land Transport Corps, who would havetold you then, and will tell you now, that he superintended, on onebleak morning of February, not six months agone, the task of throwingthe corpses of one hundred and eight mules over the cliffs at Karanyiinto the Black Sea beneath. 

Of course the summer introduced its own plagues, and among the worstof these were the flies. I shall never forget those Crimean flies, andmost sincerely hope that, like the Patagonians, they are only to befound in one part of the world. Nature must surely have intended themfor blackbeetles, and accidentally given them wings. There was noexterminating them--no thinning them--no escaping from them by nightor by day. One of my boys confined himself almost entirely to layingbaits and traps for their destruction, and used to boast that hedestroyed them at the rate of a gallon a day; but I never noticed anyperceptible decrease in their powers of mischief and annoyance. Theofficers in the front suffered terribly from them. One of my kindestcustomers, a lieutenant serving in the Royal Naval Brigade, who was aclose relative of the Queen, whose uniform he wore, came to me ingreat perplexity. He evidently considered the fly nuisance the mosttrying portion of the campaign, and of far more consequence than theRussian shot and shell. "Mami, " he said (he had been in the WestIndies, and so called me by the familiar term used by the Creolechildren), "Mami, these flies respect nothing. Not content with eatingmy prog, they set to at night and make a supper of me, " and his faceshowed traces of their attacks. "Confound them, they'll kill me, mami;they're everywhere, even in the trenches, and you'd suppose theywouldn't care to go there from choice. What can you do for me, mami?"

Not much; but I rode down to Mr. B----'s store, at Kadikoi, where Iwas lucky in being able to procure a piece of muslin, which I pinnedup (time was too precious to allow me to use needle and thread) into amosquito net, with which the prince was delighted. He fell ill laterin the summer, when I went up to his quarters and did all I could forhim. 

As the summer wore on, busily passed by all of us at the BritishHotel, rumours stronger than ever were heard of a great battle soon tobe fought by the reinforcements which were known to have joined theRussian army. And I think that no one was much surprised when onepleasant August morning, at early dawn, heavy firing was heard towardsthe French position on the right, by the Tchernaya, and the stream oftroops and on-lookers poured from all quarters in that direction. Prepared and loaded as usual, I was soon riding in the same direction, and saw the chief part of the morning's battle. I saw the Russianscross and recross the river. I saw their officers cheer and wave themon in the coolest, bravest manner, until they were shot down byscores. I was near enough to hear at times, in the lull of artillery, and above the rattle of the musketry, the excited cheers which told ofa daring attack or a successful repulse; and beneath where I stood Icould see--what the Russians could not--steadily drawn up, quiet andexpectant, the squadrons of English and French cavalry, calmly yetimpatiently waiting until the Russians' partial success should bringtheir sabres into play. But the contingency never happened; and we sawthe Russians fall slowly back in good order, while the dark-plumedSardinians and red-pantalooned French spread out in pursuit, andformed a picture so excitingly beautiful that we forgot the sufferingand death they left behind. And then I descended with the rest intothe field of battle. 

It was a fearful scene; but why repeat this remark. All death istrying to witness--even that of the good man who lays down his lifehopefully and peacefully; but on the battle-field, when the poor bodyis torn and rent in hideous ways, and the scared spirit struggles toloose itself from the still strong frame that holds it tightly to thelast, death is fearful indeed. It had come peacefully enough to some. They lay with half-opened eyes, and a quiet smile about the lips thatshowed their end to have been painless; others it had arrested in theheat of passion, and frozen on their pallid faces a glare of hatredand defiance that made your warm blood run cold. But little time hadwe to think of the dead, whose business it was to see after the dying, who might yet be saved. The ground was thickly cumbered with thewounded, some of them calm and resigned, others impatient andrestless, a few filling the air with their cries of pain--all wantingwater, and grateful to those who administered it, and more substantialcomforts. You might see officers and strangers, visitors to the camp, riding about the field on this errand of mercy. And this, although--surely it could not have been intentional--Russian gunsstill played upon the scene of action. There were many others there, bent on a more selfish task. The plunderers were busy everywhere. Itwas marvellous to see how eagerly the French stripped the dead of whatwas valuable, not always, in their brutal work, paying much regard tothe presence of a lady. Some of the officers, when I complained ratherangrily, laughed, and said it was spoiling the Egyptians; but I _do_think the Israelites spared their enemies those garments, which, perhaps, were not so unmentionable in those days as they have sincebecome. 

I attended to the wounds of many French and Sardinians, and helped tolift them into the ambulances, which came tearing up to the scene ofaction. I derived no little gratification from being able to dress thewounds of several Russians; indeed, they were as kindly treated as theothers. One of them was badly shot in the lower jaw, and was beyond myor any human skill. Incautiously I inserted my finger into his mouthto feel where the ball had lodged, and his teeth closed upon it, inthe agonies of death, so tightly that I had to call to those around torelease it, which was not done until it had been bitten so deeply thatI shall carry the scar with me to my grave. Poor fellow, he meant meno harm, for, as the near approach of death softened his features, asmile spread over his rough inexpressive face, and so he died. 

I attended another Russian, a handsome fellow, and an officer, shot inthe side, who bore his cruel suffering with a firmness that was verynoble. In return for the little use I was to him, he took a ring offhis finger and gave it to me, and after I had helped to lift him intothe ambulance he kissed my hand and smiled far more thanks than I hadearned. I do not know whether he survived his wounds, but I fear not. Many others, on that day, gave me thanks in words the meaning of whichwas lost upon me, and all of them in that one common language of thewhole world--smiles. 

I carried two patients off the field; one a French officer wounded onthe hip, who chose to go back to Spring Hill and be attended by methere, and who, on leaving, told us that he was a relative of theMarshal (Pelissier); the other, a poor Cossack colt I found runninground its dam, which lay beside its Cossack master dead, with itstongue hanging from its mouth. The colt was already wounded in theears and fore-foot, and I was only just in time to prevent a Frenchcorporal who, perhaps for pity's sake, was preparing to give it it's_coup de grace_. I saved the poor thing by promising to give theFrenchman ten shillings if he would bring it down to the BritishHotel, which he did that same evening. I attended to its hurts, andsucceeded in rearing it, and it became a great pet at Spring Hill, andaccompanied me to England. 

I picked up some trophies from the battle-field, but not many, andthose of little value. I cannot bear the idea of plundering either theliving or the dead; but I picked up a Russian metal cross, and tookfrom the bodies of some of the poor fellows nothing of more value thana few buttons, which I severed from their coarse grey coats. 

So end my reminiscences of the battle of the Tchernaya, fought, as allthe world knows, on the 16th of August, 1855. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

 INSIDE SEBASTOPOL--THE LAST BOMBARDMENT OF SEBASTOPOL--ON CATHCART'S HILL--RUMOURS IN THE CAMP--THE ATTACK ON THE MALAKHOFF--THE OLD WORK AGAIN--A SUNDAY EXCURSION--INSIDE "OUR" CITY--I AM TAKEN FOR A SPY, AND THEREAT LOSE MY TEMPER--I VISIT THE REDAN, ETC. --MY SHARE OF THE "PLUNDER. "

The three weeks following the battle of the Tchernaya were, I shouldthink, some of the busiest and most eventful the world has ever seen. There was little doing at Spring Hill. Every one was either at hispost, or too anxiously awaiting the issue of the last greatbombardment to spend much time at the British Hotel. I think that Ilost more of my patients and customers during those few weeks thanduring the whole previous progress of the siege. Scarce a night passedthat I was not lulled to sleep with the heavy continuous roar of theartillery; scarce a morning dawned that the same sound did not usherin my day's work. The ear grew so accustomed during those weeks to theterrible roar, that when Sebastopol fell the sudden quiet seemedunnatural, and made us dull. And during the whole of this time themost perplexing rumours flew about, some having reference to the dayof assault, the majority relative to the last great effort which itwas supposed the Russians would make to drive us into the sea. Iconfess these latter rumours now and then caused me temporaryuneasiness, Spring Hill being on the direct line of route which theactors in such a tragedy must take. 

I spent much of my time on Cathcart's Hill, watching, with a curiosityand excitement which became intense, the progress of the terriblebombardment. Now and then a shell would fall among the crowd ofon-lookers which covered the hill; but it never disturbed us, so keenand feverish and so deadened to danger had the excitement andexpectation made us. 

In the midst of the bombardment took place the important ceremony ofdistributing the Order of the Bath to those selected for that honour. I contrived to witness this ceremony very pleasantly; and although itcost me a day, I considered that I had fairly earned the pleasure. Iwas anxious to have some personal share in the affair, so I made, andforwarded to head-quarters, a cake which Gunter might have been atsome loss to manufacture with the materials at my command, and which Iadorned gaily with banners, flags, etc. I received great kindness fromthe officials at the ceremony, and from the officers--some ofrank--who recognised me; indeed, I held quite a little _levée_ aroundmy chair. 

Well, a few days after this ceremony, I thought the end of the world, instead of the war, was at hand, when every battery opened and poureda perfect hail of shot and shell upon the beautiful city which I hadleft the night before sleeping so calm and peaceful beneath the stars. The firing began at early dawn, and was fearful. Sleep was impossible;so I arose, and set out for my old station on Cathcart's Hill. Andhere, with refreshments for the anxious lookers-on, I spent most of mytime, right glad of any excuse to witness the last scene of the siege. It was from this spot that I saw fire after fire break out inSebastopol, and watched all night the beautiful yet terrible effect ofa great ship blazing in the harbour, and lighting up the adjoiningcountry for miles. 

The weather changed, as it often did in the Crimea, most capriciously;and the morning of the memorable 8th of September broke cold andwintry. The same little bird which had let me into so many secrets, also gave me a hint of what this day was pregnant with; and very earlyin the morning I was on horseback, with my bandages and refreshments, ready to repeat the work of the 18th of June last. A line of sentriesforbade all strangers passing through without orders, even toCathcart's Hill; but once more I found that my reputation served as apermit, and the officers relaxed the rule in my favour everywhere. So, early in the day, I was in my old spot, with my old appliances for thewounded and fatigued; little expecting, however, that this day wouldso closely resemble the day of the last attack in its disastrousresults. 

It was noon before the cannonading suddenly ceased; and we saw, with astrange feeling of excitement, the French tumble out of their advancedtrenches, and roll into the Malakhoff like a human flood. Onward theyseemed to go into the dust and smoke, swallowed up by hundreds; butthey never returned, and before long we saw workmen levelling parapetsand filling up ditches, over which they drove, with headlong speed andimpetuosity, artillery and ammunition-waggons, until there could be nodoubt that the Malakhoff was taken, although the tide of battle stillsurged around it with violence, and wounded men were borne from it inlarge numbers. And before this, our men had made their attack, and thefearful assault of the Redan was going on, and failing. But I was soontoo busy to see much, for the wounded were borne in even in greaternumbers than at the last assault; whilst stragglers, slightly hurt, limped in, in fast-increasing numbers, and engrossed our attention. Inow and then found time to ask them rapid questions; but they did notappear to know anything more than that everything had gone wrong. Thesailors, as before, showed their gallantry, and even recklessness, conspicuously. The wounded of the ladder and sandbag parties came upeven with a laugh, and joked about their hurts in the happiestconceivable manner. 

I saw many officers of the 97th wounded; and, as far as possible, Ireserved my attentions for my old regiment, known so well in my nativeisland. My poor 97th! their loss was terrible. I dressed the wound ofone of its officers, seriously hit in the mouth; I attended to anotherwounded in the throat, and bandaged the hand of a third, terriblycrushed by a rifle-bullet. In the midst of this we were ofteninterrupted by those unwelcome and impartial Russian visitors--theshells. One fell so near that I thought my last hour was come; and, although I had sufficient firmness to throw myself upon the ground, Iwas so seriously frightened that I never thought of rising from myrecumbent position until the hearty laugh of those around convinced methat the danger had passed by. Afterwards I picked up a piece of thishuge shell, and brought it home with me. 

It was on this, as on every similar occasion, that I saw the _Times_correspondent eagerly taking down notes and sketches of the scene, under fire--listening apparently with attention to all the busy littlecrowd that surrounded him, but without laying down his pencil; and yetfinding time, even in his busiest moment, to lend a helping hand tothe wounded. It may have been on this occasion that his keen eyenoticed me, and his mind, albeit engrossed with far more importantmemories, found room to remember me. I may well be proud of histestimony, borne so generously only the other day, and may well beexcused for transcribing it from the columns of the _Times_:--"I haveseen her go down, under fire, with her little store of creaturecomforts for our wounded men; and a more tender or skilful hand abouta wound or broken limb could not be found among our best surgeons. Isaw her at the assault on the Redan, at the Tchernaya, at the fall ofSebastopol, laden, not with plunder, good old soul! but with wine, bandages, and food for the wounded or the prisoners. "

I remained on Cathcart's Hill far into the night, and watched the cityblazing beneath us, awe-struck at the terrible sight, until the bitterwind found its way through my thin clothing, and chilled me to thebone; and not till then did I leave for Spring Hill. I had littlesleep that night. The night was made a ruddy lurid day with the glareof the blazing town; while every now and then came reports which shookthe earth to its centre. And yet I believe very many of the soldiers, wearied with their day's labour, slept soundly throughout thatterrible night, and awoke to find their work completed: for in thenight, covered by the burning city, Sebastopol was left, a heap ofruins, to its victors; and before noon on the following day, none butdead and dying Russians were in the south side of the once famous andbeautiful mistress-city of the Euxine. 

The good news soon spread through the camp. It gave great pleasure;but I almost think the soldiers would have been better pleased had theRussians delayed their parting twelve hours longer, and given theHighlanders and their comrades a chance of retrieving the disasters ofthe previous day. Nothing else could wipe away the soreness of defeat, or compensate for the better fortune which had befallen our allies theFrench. 

The news of the evacuation of Sebastopol soon carried away all tracesof yesterday's fatigue. For weeks past I had been offering bets toevery one that I would not only be the first woman to enterSebastopol from the English lines, but that I would be the first tocarry refreshments into the fallen city. And now the time I had longedfor had come. I borrowed some mules from the Land TransportCorps--mine were knocked up by yesterday's work--and loading them withgood things, started off with my partner and some other friends earlyon that memorable Sunday morning for Cathcart's Hill. 

When I found that strict orders had been given to admit no one insideSebastopol, I became quite excited; and making my way to GeneralGarrett's quarters, I made such an earnest representation of what Iconsidered my right that I soon obtained a pass, of which thefollowing is a copy:--

 "Pass Mrs. Seacole and her attendants, with refreshments for officers and soldiers in the Redan and in Sebastopol. 

 "Garrett, M. G. 

 "Cathcart's Hill, Sept. 9, 1855. "

So many attached themselves to my staff, becoming for the nonce myattendants, that I had some difficulty at starting; but at last Ipassed all the sentries safely, much to the annoyance of manyofficers, who were trying every conceivable scheme to evade them, andentered the city. I can give you no very clear description of itscondition on that Sunday morning, a year and a half ago. Many parts ofit were still blazing furiously--explosions were taking place in alldirections--every step had a score of dangers; and yet curiosity andexcitement carried us on and on. I was often stopped to giverefreshments to officers and men, who had been fasting for hours. Some, on the other hand, had found their way to Russian cellars; andone body of men were most ingloriously drunk, and playing the wildestpranks. They were dancing, yelling, and singing--some of them withRussian women's dresses fastened round their waists, and old bonnetsstuck upon their heads. 

I was offered many trophies. All plunder was stopped by the sentries, and confiscated, so that the soldiers could afford to be liberal. By oneI was offered a great velvet sofa; another pressed a huge arm-chair, which had graced some Sebastopol study, upon me; while a third begged myacceptance of a portion of a grand piano. What I did carry away was veryunimportant: a gaily-decorated altar-candle, studded with gold andsilver stars, which the present Commander-in-Chief condescended toaccept as a Sebastopol memorial; an old cracked China teapot, which inhappier times had very likely dispensed pleasure to many a smalltea-party; a cracked bell, which had rung many to prayers during thesiege, and which I bore away on my saddle; and a parasol, given me by adrunken soldier. He had a silk skirt on, and torn lace upon his wrists, and he came mincingly up, holding the parasol above his head, andimitating the walk of an affected lady, to the vociferous delight of hiscomrades. And all this, and much more, in that fearful charnel city, with death and suffering on every side. 

It was very hazardous to pass along some of the streets exposed to thefire of the Russians on the north side of the harbour. We had to waitand watch our opportunity, and then gallop for it. Some of us hadclose shaves of being hit. More than this, fires still kept breakingout around; while mines and fougasses not unfrequently exploded fromunknown causes. We saw two officers emerge from a heap of ruins, covered and almost blinded with smoke and dust, from some suchunlooked-for explosion. With considerable difficulty we succeeded ingetting into the quarter of the town held by the French, where I wasnearly getting into serious trouble. 

I had loitered somewhat behind my party, watching, with pardonablecuriosity, the adroitness with which a party of French were plunderinga house; and by the time my curiosity had been satisfied, I foundmyself quite alone, my retinue having preceded me by some few hundredyards. This would have been of little consequence, had not an Americansailor lad, actuated either by mischief or folly, whispered to theFrenchmen that I was a Russian spy; and had they not, instead oflaughing at him, credited his assertion, and proceeded to arrest me. Now, such a charge was enough to make a lion of a lamb; so I refusedpositively to dismount, and made matters worse by knocking in the capof the first soldier who laid hands upon me, with the bell that hungat my saddle. Upon this, six or seven tried to force me to theguard-house in rather a rough manner, while I resisted with all myforce, screaming out for Mr. Day, and using the bell for a weapon. HowI longed for a better one I need not tell the reader. In the midst ofthis scene came up a French officer, whom I recognised as the patientI had taken to Spring Hill after the battle of the Tchernaya, and whotook my part at once, and ordered them to release me. Although Irather weakened my cause, it was most natural that, directly I wasreleased, I should fly at the varlet who had caused me this trouble;and I did so, using my bell most effectually, and aided, when my partyreturned, by their riding-whips. 

This little adventure took up altogether so much time that, when theFrench soldiers had made their apologies to me, and I had returned thecompliment to the one whose head had been dented by my bell, it wasgrowing late, and we made our way back to Cathcart's Hill. On the way, a little French soldier begged hard of me to buy a picture, which hadbeen cut from above the altar of some church in Sebastopol. It was toodark to see much of his prize, but I ultimately became its possessor, and brought it home with me. It is some eight or ten feet in length, and represents, I should think, the Madonna. I am no judge of suchthings, but I think, although the painting is rather coarse, that theface of the Virgin, and the heads of Cherubim that fill the cloud fromwhich she is descending, are soft and beautiful. There is a look ofdivine calmness and heavenly love in the Madonna's face which is verystriking; and, perhaps, during the long and awful siege many a kneewas bent in worship before it, and many a heart found comfort in itssoft loving gaze. 

On the following day I again entered Sebastopol, and saw still more ofits horrors. But I have refrained from describing so many scenes ofwoe, that I am loth to dwell much on these. The very recollection ofthat woeful hospital, where thousands of dead and dying had been leftby the retreating Russians, is enough to unnerve the strongest andsicken the most experienced. I would give much if I had never seenthat harrowing sight. I believe some Englishmen were found in italive; but it was as well that they did not live to tell theirfearful experience. 

I made my way into the Redan also, although every step was dangerous, and took from it some brown bread, which seemed to have been left inthe oven by the baker when he fled. 

Before many days were passed, some Frenchwomen opened houses inSebastopol; but in that quarter of the town held by the English theprospect was not sufficiently tempting for me to follow their example, and so I saw out the remainder of the campaign from my old quarters atSpring Hill. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

 HOLIDAY IN THE CAMP--A NEW ENEMY, TIME--AMUSEMENTS IN THE CRIMEA--MY SHARE IN THEM--DINNER AT SPRING HILL--AT THE RACES--CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE BRITISH HOTEL--NEW YEAR'S DAY IN THE HOSPITAL. 

Well, the great work was accomplished--Sebastopol was taken. TheRussians had retired sullenly to their stronghold on the north side ofthe harbour, from which, every now and then, they sent a few vain shotand shell, which sent the amateurs in the streets of Sebastopolscampering, but gave the experienced no concern. In a few days thecamp could find plenty to talk about in their novel position--and whatthen? What was to be done? More fighting? Another equally terrible andlengthy siege of the north? That was the business of a few athead-quarters and in council at home, between whom the electric wiresflashed many a message. In the meanwhile, the real workers appliedthemselves to plan amusements, and the same energy and activity whichhad made Sebastopol a heap of ruins and a well-filled cemetery--whichhad dug the miles of trenches, and held them when made against adesperate foe--which had manned the many guns, and worked them sowell, set to work as eager to kill their present enemy, Time, as theyhad lately been to destroy their fled enemies, the Russians. 

All who were before Sebastopol will long remember the beautiful autumnwhich succeeded to so eventful a summer, and ushered in so pleasantlythe second winter of the campaign. It was appreciated as only thosewho earn the right to enjoyment can enjoy relaxation. The camp wasfull of visitors of every rank. They thronged the streets ofSebastopol, sketching its ruins and setting up photographic apparatus, in contemptuous indifference of the shot with which the Russiansgenerally favoured every conspicuous group. 

Pleasure was hunted keenly. Cricket matches, pic-nics, dinner parties, races, theatricals, all found their admirers. My restaurant was alwaysfull, and once more merry laughter was heard, and many a dinner partywas held, beneath the iron roof of the British Hotel. Several weregiven in compliment to our allies, and many distinguished Frenchmenhave tested my powers of cooking. You might have seen at one partysome of their most famous officers. At once were present a Prince ofthe Imperial family of France, the Duc de Rouchefoucault, and acertain corporal in the French service, who was perhaps the best knownman in the whole army, the Viscount Talon. They expressed themselveshighly gratified at the _carte_, and perhaps were not a littlesurprised as course after course made its appearance, and to soup andfish succeeded turkeys, saddle of mutton, fowls, ham, tongue, curry, pastry of many sorts, custards, jelly, blanc-mange, and olives. I tooka peculiar pride in doing my best when they were present, for I knew alittle of the secrets of the French commissariat. I wonder if theworld will ever know more. I wonder if the system of secresy which hasso long kept veiled the sufferings of the French army beforeSebastopol will ever yield to truth. I used to guess something ofthose sufferings when I saw, even after the fall of Sebastopol, half-starved French soldiers prowling about my store, taking eagerlyeven what the Turks rejected as unfit for human food; and no one couldaccuse _them_ of squeamishness. I cannot but believe that in somedesks or bureaux lie notes or diaries which shall one day be given tothe world; and when this happens, the terrible distresses of theEnglish army will pall before the unheard-of sufferings of the French. It is true that they carried from Sebastopol the lion's share ofglory. My belief is that they deserved it, having borne by far alarger proportion of suffering. 

There were few dinners at Spring Hill at which the guests did not showtheir appreciation of their hostess's labour by drinking her health;and at the dinner I have above alluded to, the toast was responded towith such enthusiasm that I felt compelled to put my acknowledgmentsinto the form of a little speech, which Talon interpreted to hiscountrymen. The French Prince was, after this occasion, several timesat the British Hotel. He was there once when some Americans werereceived by me with scarcely that cordiality which I have been tolddistinguished my reception of guests; and upon their leaving I toldhim--quite forgetting his own connection with America--of my prejudiceagainst the Yankees. He heard me for a little while, and then heinterrupted me. 

"Tenez! Madame Seacole, I too am American a little. "

What a pity I was not born a countess! I am sure I should have made acapital courtier. Witness my impromptu answer:--

"I should never have guessed it, Prince. "--And he seemed amused. 

With the theatricals directly I had nothing to do. Had I been a littleyounger the companies would very likely have been glad of me, for noone liked to sacrifice their beards to become Miss Julia or plain MaryAnn; and even the beardless subalterns had voices which no coaxingcould soften down. But I lent them plenty of dresses; indeed, it wasthe only airing which a great many gay-coloured muslins had in theCrimea. How was I to know when I brought them what camp-life was? Andin addition to this, I found it necessary to convert my kitchen into atemporary green-room, where, to the wonderment, and perhaps scandal, of the black cook, the ladies of the company of the 1st Royals weretaught to manage their petticoats with becoming grace, and neither toshow their awkward booted ankles, nor trip themselves up over theirtrains. It was a difficult task in many respects. Although I lacedthem in until they grew blue in the face, their waists were a disgraceto the sex; while--crinoline being unknown then--my struggles to givethem becoming _embonpoint_ may be imagined. It was not until a yearlater that _Punch_ thought of using a clothes-basket; and I would havegiven much for such a hint when I was dresser to the theatricalcompany of the 1st Royals. The hair was another difficulty. To besure, there was plenty in the camp, only it was in the wrong place, and many an application was made to me for a set of curls. However, Iam happy to say I am not become a customer of the wigmakers yet. 

My recollections of hunting in the Crimea are confined to seeingtroops of horsemen sweep by with shouts and yells after some wretcheddog. Once I was very nearly frightened out of my wits--my firstimpression being that the Russians had carried into effect their oldthreat of driving us into the sea--by the startling appearance of alarge body of horsemen tearing down the hill after, apparently, nothing. However I discovered in good time that, in default of vermin, they were chasing a brother officer with a paper bag. 

My experience of Crimean races are perfect, for I was present, in thecharacter of cantiniere, at all the more important meetings. Some ofthem took place before Christmas, and some after; but I shall exhaustthe subject at once. I had no little difficulty to get the things onto the course; and in particular, after I had sat up the whole nightmaking preparations for the December races, at the Monastery of St. George, I could not get my poor mules over the rough country, andfound myself, in the middle of the day, some miles from the course. Atlast I gave it up as hopeless, and, dismounting, sat down by theroadside to consider how I could possibly dispose of the piles ofsandwiches, bread, cheese, pies, and tarts, which had been preparedfor the hungry spectators. At last, some officers, who expected melong before, came to look after me, and by their aid we reached thecourse. 

I was better off at the next meeting, for a kind-hearted Major ofArtillery provided me with a small bell-tent that was very useful, andenabled me to keep my stores out of reach of the light-fingeredgentry, who were as busy in the Crimea as at Epsom or Hampton Court. Over this tent waved the flag of the British Hotel, but, during theday, it was struck, for an accident happening to one Captain D----, hewas brought to my tent insensible, where I quickly improvised a couchof some straw, covered with the Union Jack, and brought him round. Imention this trifle to show how ready of contrivance a littlecampaigning causes one to become. I had several patients inconsequence of accidents at the races. Nor was I altogether free fromaccidents myself. On the occasion of the races by the Tchernaya, afterthe armistice, my cart, on turning a sudden bend in the steep track, upset, and the crates, containing plates and dishes, rolled over andover until their contents were completely broken up; so that I wasreduced to hand about sandwiches, etc. , on broken pieces ofearthenware and scraps of paper. I saved some glasses, but not many, and some of the officers were obliged to drink out of stiff papertwisted into funnel-shaped glasses. 

It was astonishing how well the managers of these Crimean races hadcontrived to imitate the old familiar scenes at home. You might wellwonder where the racing saddles and boots, and silk caps and jacketshad come from; but our connection with England was very different towhat it had been when I first came to the Crimea, and many a wife andsister's fingers had been busy making the racing gear for the Crimeameetings. And in order that the course should still more closelyresemble Ascot or Epsom, some soldiers blackened their faces and cameout as Ethiopian serenaders admirably, although it would puzzle themost ingenious to guess where they got their wigs and banjoes from. Icaught one of them behind my tent in the act of knocking off the neckof a bottle of champagne, and, paralysed by the wine's hasty exit, theonly excuse he offered was, that he wanted to know if the officers'luxury was better than rum. 

A few weeks before Christmas, happened that fearful explosion, in theFrench ammunition park, which destroyed so many lives. We hadexperienced nothing at all like it before. The earth beneath us, evenat the distance of three miles, reeled and trembled with the shock;and so great was the force of the explosion, that a piece of stone washurled with some violence against the door of the British Hotel. Weall felt for the French very much, although I do not think that thearmies agreed quite so well after the taking of the Malakhoff, and theunsuccessful assault upon the Redan, as they had done previously. Isaw several instances of unpleasantness and collision, arising fromallusions to sore points. One, in particular, occurred in my store. 

The French, when they wanted--it was very seldom--to wound the prideof the English soldiery, used to say significantly, in that jargon bywhich the various nations in the Crimea endeavoured to obviate theconsequences of what occurred at the Tower of Babel, some time ago, "Malakhoff bono--Redan no bono. " And this, of course, usually led torecriminatory statements, and history was ransacked to find somethingconsolatory to English pride. Once I noticed a brawny man, of the ArmyWorks Corps, bringing a small French Zouave to my canteen, evidentlywith the view of standing treat. The Frenchman seemed mischievouslyinclined, and, probably relying upon the good humour on thecountenance of his gigantic companion, began a little playfulbadinage, ending with the taunt of "Redan, no bono--Redan, no bono. " Inever saw any man look so helplessly angry as the Englishman did. Fora few minutes he seemed absolutely rooted to the ground. Of course hecould have crushed his mocking friend with ease, but how could heanswer his taunt. All at once, however, a happy thought struck him, and rushing up to the Zouave, he caught him round the waist and threwhim down, roaring out, "Waterloo was bono--Waterloo was bono. " It wasas much as the people on the premises could do to part them, soconvulsed were we all with laughter. 

And before Christmas, occurred my first and last attack of illness inthe Crimea. It was not of much consequence, nor should I mention itbut to show the kindness of my soldier-friends. I think it arose fromthe sudden commencement of winter, for which I was but poorlyprovided. However, I soon received much sympathy and many presents ofwarm clothing, etc. ; but the most delicate piece of attention wasshown me by one of the Sappers and Miners, who, hearing the reportthat I was dead, positively came down to Spring Hill to take mymeasure for a coffin. This may seem a questionable compliment, but Ireally felt flattered and touched with such a mark of thoughtfulattention. Very few in the Crimea had the luxury of any better coffinthan a blanket-shroud, and it was very good of the grateful fellow todetermine that his old friend, the mistress of Spring Hill, shouldhave an honour conceded to so very few of the illustrious dead beforeSebastopol. 

So Christmas came, and with it pleasant memories of home and of homecomforts. With it came also news of home--some not of the mostpleasant description--and kind wishes from absent friends. "A merryChristmas to you, " writes one, "and many of them. Although you willnot write to us, we see your name frequently in the newspapers, fromwhich we judge that you are strong and hearty. All your old Jamaicafriends are delighted to hear of you, and say that you are an honourto the Isle of Springs. "

I wonder if the people of other countries are as fond of carrying withthem everywhere their home habits as the English. I think not. I thinkthere was something purely and essentially English in thedetermination of the camp to spend the Christmas-day of 1855 after thegood old "home" fashion. It showed itself weeks before the eventfulday. In the dinner parties which were got up--in the orders sent toEngland--in the supplies which came out, and in the many applicationsmade to the hostess of the British Hotel for plum-puddings andmince-pies. The demand for them, and the material necessary tomanufacture them, was marvellous. I can fancy that if returns could begot at of the flour, plums, currants, and eggs consumed onChristmas-day in the out-of-the-way Crimean peninsula, they wouldastonish us. One determination appeared to have taken possession ofevery mind--to spend the festive day with the mirth and jollity whichthe changed prospect of affairs warranted; and the recollection of ayear ago, when death and misery were the camp's chief guests, onlyserved to heighten this resolve. 

For three weeks previous to Christmas-day, my time was fully occupiedin making preparations for it. Pages of my books are filled withorders for plum-puddings and mince-pies, besides which I sold animmense quantity of raw material to those who were too far off to senddown for the manufactured article on Christmas-day, and to suchpurchasers I gave a plain recipe for their guidance. Will the readertake any interest in my Crimean Christmas-pudding? It was plain, butdecidedly good. However, you shall judge for yourself:--"One pound offlour, three-quarters of a pound of raisins, three-quarters of a poundof fat pork, chopped fine, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, a littlecinnamon or chopped lemon, half-pint of milk or water; mix these welltogether, and boil four hours. "

From an early hour in the morning until long after the night had setin, were I and my cooks busy endeavouring to supply the great demandfor Christmas fare. We had considerable difficulty in keeping ourengagements, but by substituting mince-pies for plum-puddings, in afew cases, we succeeded. The scene in the crowded store, and even inthe little over-heated kitchen, with the officers' servants, who camein for their masters' dinners, cannot well be described. Some wereimpatient themselves, others dreaded their masters' impatience as theappointed dinner hour passed by--all combined by entreaties, threats, cajolery, and fun to drive me distracted. Angry cries for the major'splum-pudding, which was to have been ready an hour ago, alternatedwith an entreaty that I should cook the captain's mince-pies to aturn--"Sure, he likes them well done, ma'am. Bake 'em as brown as yourown purty face, darlint. "

I did not get my dinner until eight o'clock, and then I dined in peaceoff a fine wild turkey or bustard, shot for me on the marshes by theTchernaya. It weighed twenty-two pounds, and, although somewhat coarsein colour, had a capital flavour. 

Upon New Year's-day I had another large cooking of plum-puddings andmince-pies; this time upon my own account. I took them to the hospitalof the Land Transport Corps, to remind the patients of the homecomforts they longed so much for. It was a sad sight to see the oncefine fellows, in their blue gowns, lying quiet and still, and reducedto such a level of weakness and helplessness. They all seemed glad forthe little home tokens I took them. 

There was one patient who had been a most industrious and honestfellow, and who did not go into the hospital until long and wearingillness compelled him. I was particularly anxious to look after him, but I found him very weak and ill. I stayed with him until evening, and before I left him, kind fancy had brought to his bedside his wifeand children from his village-home in England, and I could hear himtalking to them in a low and joyful tone. Poor, poor fellow! the NewYear so full of hope and happiness had dawned upon him, but he did notlive to see the wild flowers spring up peacefully through thewar-trodden sod before Sebastopol. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

 NEW YEAR IN THE CRIMEA--GOOD NEWS--THE ARMISTICE--BARTER WITH THE RUSSIANS--WAR AND PEACE--TIDINGS OF PEACE--EXCURSIONS INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CRIMEA--TO SIMPHEROPOL, BAKTCHISERAI, ETC. --THE TROOPS BEGIN TO LEAVE THE CRIMEA--FRIENDS' FAREWELLS--THE CEMETERIES--WE REMOVE FROM SPRING HILL TO BALACLAVA--ALARMING SACRIFICE OF OUR STOCK--A LAST GLIMPSE OF SEBASTOPOL--HOME!

Before the New Year was far advanced we all began to think of goinghome, making sure that peace would soon be concluded. And never didmore welcome message come anywhere than that which brought usintelligence of the armistice, and the firing, which had grown moreand more slack lately, ceased altogether. Of course the army did notdesire peace because they had any distaste for fighting; so far fromit, I believe the only more welcome intelligence would have been newsof a campaign in the field, but they were most heartily weary ofsieges, and the prospect of another year before the gloomy north ofSebastopol damped the ardour of the most sanguine. Before thearmistice was signed, the Russians and their old foes made advances offriendship, and the banks of the Tchernaya used to be thronged withstrangers, and many strange acquaintances were thus began. I was oneof the first to ride down to the Tchernaya, and very much delightedseemed the Russians to see an English woman. I wonder if they thoughtthey all had my complexion. I soon entered heartily into the thencurrent amusement--that of exchanging coin, etc. , with the Russians. Istole a march upon my companions by making the sign of the cross uponmy bosom, upon which a Russian threw me, in exchange for some pence, alittle metal figure of some ugly saint. Then we wrapped up halfpencein clay, and received coins of less value in exchange. Seeing asoldier eating some white bread, I made signs of wanting some, andthrew over a piece of money. I had great difficulty in making the manunderstand me, but after considerable pantomime, with surprise in hisround bullet eyes, he wrapped up his bread in some paper, then coatedit with clay and sent it over to me. I thought it would look wellbeside my brown bread taken from the strange oven in the terribleRedan, and that the two would typify war and peace. There was a greattraffic going on in such things, and a wag of an officer, who couldtalk Russian imperfectly, set himself to work to persuade an innocentRussian that I was his wife, and having succeeded in doing so promptlyoffered to dispose of me for the medal hanging at his breast. 

The last firing of any consequence was the salutes with which the goodtidings of peace were received by army and navy. After this soon beganthe home-going with happy faces and light hearts, and some kindthoughts and warm tears for the comrades left behind. 

I was very glad to hear of peace, also, although it must have beenapparent to every one that it would cause our ruin. We had lately madeextensive additions to our store and out-houses--our shelves werefilled with articles laid in at a great cost, and which were nowunsaleable, and which it would be equally impossible to carry home. Everything, from our stud of horses and mules down to our latestconsignments from home, must be sold for any price; and, as ithappened, for many things, worth a year ago their weight in gold, nopurchaser could now be found. However, more of this hereafter. 

Before leaving the Crimea, I made various excursions into theinterior, visiting Simpheropol and Baktchiserai. I travelled toSimpheropol with a pretty large party, and had a very amusing journey. My companions were young and full of fun, and tried hard to persuadethe Russians that I was Queen Victoria, by paying me the most absurdreverence. When this failed they fell back a little, and declared thatI was the Queen's first cousin. Anyhow, they attracted crowds aboutme, and I became quite a lioness in the streets of Simpheropol, untilthe arrival of some Highlanders in their uniform cut me out. 

My excursion to Baktchiserai was still more amusing and pleasant. Ifound it necessary to go to beat up a Russian merchant, who, after thedeclaration of peace, had purchased stores of us, and some youngofficers made up a party for the purpose. We hired an araba, filled itwith straw, and some boxes to sit upon, and set out very early, withtwo old umbrellas to shield us from the mid-day sun and the nightdews. We had with us a hamper carefully packed, before parting, with acold duck, some cold meat, a tart, etc. The Tartar's two horses weresoon knocked up, and the fellow obtained a third at a little village, and so we rolled on until mid-day, when, thoroughly exhausted, we leftour clumsy vehicle and carried our hamper beneath the shade of abeautiful cherry-tree, and determined to lunch. Upon opening it thefirst thing that met our eyes was a fine rat, who made a speedyescape. Somewhat gravely, we proceeded to unpack its contents, withoutcaring to express our fears to one another, and quite soon enough wefound them realized. How or where the rat had gained access to ourhamper it was impossible to say, but he had made no bad use of histime, and both wings of the cold duck had flown, while the tart wasconsiderably mangled. Sad discovery this for people who, although, hungry, were still squeamish. We made out as well as we could with thecold beef, and gave the rest to our Tartar driver, who had apparentlyno disinclination to eating after the rat, and would very likely havedespised us heartily for such weakness. After dinner we went on morebriskly, and succeeded in reaching Baktchiserai. My journey wasperfectly unavailing. I could not find my debtor at home, and if I hadI was told it would take three weeks before the Russian law wouldassist me to recover my claim. Determined, however, to have somecompensation, I carried off a raven, who had been croaking angrily atmy intrusion. Before we had been long on our homeward journey, however, Lieut. C---- sat upon it, of course accidentally, and wethrew it to its relatives--the crows. 

As the spring advanced, the troops began to move away at a brisk pace. As they passed the Iron House upon the Col--old for the Crimea, whereso much of life's action had been compressed into so short a space oftime--they would stop and give us a parting cheer, while very oftenthe band struck up some familiar tune of that home they were so gladlyseeking. And very often the kind-hearted officers would find time torun into the British Hotel to bid us good-bye, and give us a farewellshake of the hand; for you see war, like death, is a great leveller, and mutual suffering and endurance had made us all friends. "My dearMrs. Seacole, and my dear Mr. Day, " wrote one on a scrap of paper lefton the counter, "I have called here four times this day, to wish yougood-bye. I am so sorry I was not fortunate enough to see you. I shallstill hope to see you to-morrow morning. We march at seven a. M. "

And yet all this going home seemed strange and somewhat sad, andsometimes I felt that I could not sympathise with the glad faces andhappy hearts of those who were looking forward to the delights ofhome, and the joy of seeing once more the old familiar facesremembered so fondly in the fearful trenches and the hard-foughtbattle-fields. Now and then we would see a lounger with a blank face, taking no interest in the bustle of departure, and with him Iacknowledged to have more fellow-feeling than with the others, for he, as well as I, clearly had no home to go to. He was a soldier by choiceand necessity, as well as by profession. He had no home, no lovedfriends; the peace would bring no particular pleasure to him, whereaswar and action were necessary to his existence, gave him excitement, occupation, the chance of promotion. Now and then, but seldom, however, you came across such a disappointed one. Was it not so withme? Had I not been happy through the months of toil and danger, neverknowing what fear or depression was, finding every moment of the daymortgaged hours in advance, and earning sound sleep and contentment bysheer hard work? What better or happier lot could possibly befall me?And, alas! how likely was it that my present occupation gone, I mightlong in vain for another so stirring and so useful. Besides which, itwas pretty sure that I should go to England poorer than I left it, and although I was not ashamed of poverty, beginning life again inthe autumn--I mean late in the summer of life--is hard up-hill work. 

Peace concluded, the little jealousies which may have sprung upbetween the French and their allies seemed forgotten, and every onewas anxious, ere the parting came, to make the most of the time yetleft in improving old friendships and founding new. Among others, the47th, encamped near the Woronzoff Road, gave a grand partingentertainment to a large company of their French neighbours, at whichmany officers of high rank were present. I was applied to by thecommittee of management to superintend the affair, and, for the lasttime in the Crimea, the health of Madame Seacole was proposed and dulyhonoured. I had grown so accustomed to the honour that I had nodifficulty in returning thanks in a speech which Colonel B----interpreted amid roars of laughter to the French guests. 

As the various regiments moved off, I received many acknowledgmentsfrom those who thought they owed me gratitude. Little presents, warmfarewell words, kind letters full of grateful acknowledgments forservices so small that I had forgotten them long, long ago--how easyit is to reach warm hearts!--little thoughtful acts of kindness, evenfrom the humblest. And these touched me the most. I value the lettersreceived from the working men far more than the testimonials of theirofficers. I had nothing to gain from the former, and can point totheir testimony fearlessly. I am strongly tempted to insert some ofthese acknowledgments, but I will confine myself to one:--

 "Camp, near Karani, June 16, 1856. 

 "My dear Mrs. Seacole, --As you are about to leave the Crimea, I avail myself of the only opportunity which may occur for some time, to acknowledge my gratitude to you, and to thank you for the kindness which I, in common with many others, received at your hands, when attacked with cholera in the spring of 1855. But I have no language to do it suitably. 

 "I am truly sensible that your kindness far exceeded my claims upon your sympathy. It is said by some of your friends, I hope truly, that you are going to England. There can be none from the Crimea more welcome there, for your kindness in the sick-tent, and your heroism in the battle-field, have endeared you to the whole army. 

 "I am sure when her most gracious Majesty the Queen shall have become acquainted with the service you have gratuitously rendered to so many of her brave soldiers, her generous heart will thank you. For you have been an instrument in the hands of the Almighty to preserve many a gallant heart to the empire, to fight and win her battles, if ever again war may become a necessity. Please to accept this from your most grateful humble servant, "W. J. Tynan. "

But I had other friends in the Crimea--friends who could never thankme. Some of them lay in their last sleep, beneath indistinguishablemounds of earth; some in the half-filled trenches, a few beneath theblue waters of the Euxine. I might in vain attempt to gather the wildflowers which sprung up above many of their graves, but I knew wheresome lay, and could visit their last homes on earth. And to all thecemeteries where friends rested so calmly, sleeping well after alife's work nobly done, I went many times, lingering long over many amound that bore the names of those whom I had been familiar with inlife, thinking of what they had been, and what I had known of them. Over some I planted shrubs and flowers, little lilac trees, obtainedwith no small trouble, and flowering evergreens, which looked quitegay and pretty ere I left, and may in time become great trees, andwitness strange scenes, or be cut down as fuel for another besiegingarmy--who can tell? And from many graves I picked up pebbles, andplucked simple wild-flowers, or tufts of grass, as memorials forrelatives at home. How pretty the cemeteries used to look beneath theblue peaceful sky; neatly enclosed with stone walls, and full of thegrave-stones reared by friends over friends. I met many here, thoughtfully taking their last look of the resting-places of thosethey knew and loved. I saw many a proud head bowed down above them. Iknew that many a proud heart laid aside its pride here, and stood inthe presence of death, humble and childlike. And by the clasped handand moistened eye, I knew that from many a heart sped upward agrateful prayer to the Providence which had thought fit in hisjudgment to take some, and in his mercy to spare the rest. 

Some three weeks before the Crimea was finally evacuated, we movedfrom our old quarters to Balaclava, where we had obtained permissionto fit up a store for the short time which would elapse before thelast red coat left Russian soil. The poor old British Hotel! We coulddo nothing with it. The iron house was pulled down, and packed up forconveyance home, but the Russians got all of the out-houses and shedswhich was not used as fuel. All the kitchen fittings and stoves, thathad cost us so much, fell also into their hands. I only wish some cookworthy to possess them has them now. We could sell nothing. Our horseswere almost given away, our large stores of provisions, etc. , were atany one's service. It makes my heart sick to talk of the reallyalarming sacrifices we made. The Russians crowded down ostensibly topurchase, in reality to plunder. Prime cheeses, which had cost ustenpence a pound, were sold to them for less than a penny a pound; forwine, for which we had paid forty-eight shillings a dozen, they bidfour shillings. I could not stand this, and in a fit of desperation, Isnatched up a hammer and broke up case after case, while thebystanders held out their hands and caught the ruby stream. It mayhave been wrong, but I was too excited to think. There was no more ofmy own people to give it to, and I would rather not present it to ourold foes. 

We were among the last to leave the Crimea. Before going I borrowed ahorse, easy enough now, and rode up the old well-known road--howunfamiliar in its loneliness and quiet--to Cathcart's Hill. I wishedonce more to impress the scene upon my mind. It was a beautifullyclear evening, and we could see miles away across the darkening sea. Ispent some time there with my companions, pointing out to each otherthe sites of scenes we all remembered so well. There were thetrenches, already becoming indistinguishable, out of which, on the 8thof September, we had seen the storming parties tumble in confused andscattered bodies, before they ran up the broken height of the Redan. There the Malakhoff, into which we had also seen the luckier Frenchpour in one unbroken stream; below lay the crumbling city and thequiet harbour, with scarce a ripple on its surface, while aroundstretched away the deserted huts for miles. It was with something likeregret that we said to one another that the play was fairly over, thatpeace had rung the curtain down, and that we, humble actors in some ofits most stirring scenes, must seek engagements elsewhere. 

I lingered behind, and stooping down, once more gathered little tuftsof grass, and some simple blossoms from above the graves of some whoin life had been very kind to me, and I left behind, in exchange, afew tears which were sincere. 

A few days latter, and I stood on board a crowded steamer, taking mylast look of the shores of the Crimea. 

CONCLUSION. 

I did not return to England by the most direct route, but took theopportunity of seeing more of men and manners in yet other lands. Arrived in England at last, we set to work bravely at Aldershott toretrieve our fallen fortunes, and stem off the ruin originated in theCrimea, but all in vain; and at last defeated by fortune, but not Ithink disgraced, we were obliged to capitulate on very honourableconditions. In plain truth, the old Crimean firm of Seacole and Daywas dissolved finally, and its partners had to recommence the worldanew. And so ended _our_ campaign. One of us started only the otherday for the Antipodes, while the other is ready to take any journey toany place where a stout heart and two experienced hands may be of use. 

Perhaps it would be right if I were to express more shame andannoyance than I really feel at the pecuniarily disastrous issue of myCrimean adventures, but I cannot--I really cannot. When I would tryand feel ashamed of myself for being poor and helpless, I onlyexperience a glow of pride at the other and more pleasing events of mycareer; when I think of the few whom I failed to pay in full (and sofar from blaming me some of them are now my firmest friends), I cannothelp remembering also the many who profess themselves indebted to me. 

Let me, in as few words as possible, state the results of my Crimeancampaign. To be sure, I returned from it shaken in health. I came homewounded, as many others did. Few constitutions, indeed, were thebetter for those winters before Sebastopol, and I was too hard workednot to feel their effects; for a little labour fatigues me now--Icannot watch by sick-beds as I could--a week's want of rest quiteknocks me up now. Then I returned bankrupt in fortune. Whereas othersin my position may have come back to England rich and prosperous, Ifound myself poor--beggared. So few words can tell what I have lost. 

But what have I gained? I should need a volume to describe thatfairly; so much is it, and so cheaply purchased by suffering ten timesworse than what I have experienced. I have more than once heard peoplesay that they would gladly suffer illness to enjoy the delights ofconvalescence, and so, by enduring a few days' pain, gain the tenderlove of relatives and sympathy of friends. And on this principle Irejoice in the trials which have borne me such pleasures as those Inow enjoy, for wherever I go I am sure to meet some smiling face;every step I take in the crowded London streets may bring me incontact with some friend, forgotten by me, perhaps, but who soonreminds me of our old life before Sebastopol; it seems very long agonow, when I was of use to him and he to me. 

Where, indeed, do I not find friends. In omnibuses, in riversteamboats, in places of public amusement, in quiet streets andcourts, where taking short cuts I lose my way oft-times, spring up oldfamiliar faces to remind me of the months spent on Spring Hill. Thesentries at Whitehall relax from the discharge of their important dutyof guarding nothing to give me a smile of recognition; the verynewspaper offices look friendly as I pass them by; busy Printing-houseYard puts on a cheering smile, and the _Punch_ office in Fleet Streetsometimes laughs outright. Now, would all this have happened if I hadreturned to England a rich woman? Surely not. 

A few words more ere I bring these egotistical remarks to a close. Itis naturally with feelings of pride and pleasure that I allude to thecommittee recently organized to aid me; and if I indulge in the vanityof placing their names before my readers, it is simply because everyone of the following noblemen and gentlemen knew me in the Crimea, andby consenting to assist me now record publicly their opinion of myservices there. And yet I may reasonably on other grounds be proud ofthe fact, that it has been stated publicly that my presentembarrassments originated in my charities and incessant labours amongthe army, by

 Major-General Lord Rokeby, K. C. B. H. S. H. Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, C. B. His Grace the Duke of Wellington. His Grace the Duke of Newcastle. The Right Hon. Lord Ward. General Sir John Burgoyne, K. C. B. Major-General Sir Richard Airey, K. C. B. Rear-Admiral Sir Stephen Lushington, K. C. B. Colonel M'Murdo, C. B. Colonel Chapman, C. B. Lieutenant-Colonel Ridley, C. B. Major the Hon. F. Keane. W. H. Russell, Esq. (_Times_ Correspondent). W. T. Doyne, Esq. 

THE END. 

London: Printed by Thomas Harrild, 11, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street. 

Transcriber's Note

Minor typographic errors have been corrected without note. 

Page 42--omitted 'I' added--"I must do them credit to say, that theywere never loath ... "

Page 94--omitted 'the' added--"... Which is hired by the Government, atgreat cost ... "

There are also a few Scots words in this text. These include 'waesome', meaning sorrowful, woeful; and 'brash', meaning attack. Some archaicspelling is also used (for example, secresy), which has been retained. 

The few oe ligatures have not been retained in this version.