“Wait a few minutes.”—“I will.”
It was getting dusk, and having waited nearly twenty minutes, I made inquiries as to whether it was likely that Lord Raglan was going to Balaklava.
“No,” was the answer from one of the Staff, “for he is very busily engaged.”
I started for the Turkish camp. On my arrival there, I found that Omer Pacha was dining out; so I left my card and respectful compliments, and took the road through the artillery camp. This gave me an opportunity of visiting Colonel St. George, who resided near the small village of Carrara, about two miles from Balaklava. The kind reception I met with from the Colonel, whom I had not seen since I left Scutari, caused some little delay, and I did not get on board till nearly nine o’clock. To my surprise, I learned that Lord Raglan had just left the London, after paying a farewell visit to Miss Nightingale. This I could hardly believe to be true—the space of time was so short. I much regretted not having waited longer, though certain that his lordship could not be offended, as I had left a message with the man on duty in the entrance hall to the effect that I was informed that he was not coming.
CHAPTER XXIII.
OUR STEAM VOYAGE IN THE “LONDON.”
Orders to start—An accident in port—Farewells—Colonel Dennis’s good luck—Admiral Boxer’s kindness—En route at last—Crimean Zouave flies—At sea—New scene of enchantment—A good dinner—Rough usage—A fog in the Black Sea—Out of our course—Fittings of the London—Enter the Bosphorus—Conversation with Miss Nightingale.
WE slept that night on board the Baraguay d’Hilliers, though all our baggage had been removed to the London, and at seven next morning we went on board. Miss Nightingale had passed a most excellent night, and the weather was very fine. Lord Ward, who had slept at the Commandant’s, came on board at half-past seven. After inquiring of Mrs. Roberts, the nurse, whether Miss Nightingale had been comfortable, he gave the captain orders for departure, which he had fixed for twelve o’clock, instead of nine. As the weather was so fine, he proposed that a sofa-bed should be placed upon deck, and that the captain should take us as far as the Bay of Sebastopol, where we might have a fine view of the besieged city, without incurring the slightest danger.
One of the mates told the captain that a vessel full of powder had taken fire in the night, and that Admiral Boxer had been there since two in the morning, working like a negro with the men, and therefore that he could not see him. I believe Lord Ward knew this, but did not speak of it for fear of causing alarm, and this was no doubt the cause of the delay in our departure. The deck was crowded the whole morning with visitors, particularly officials, who wished to pay their respects to Miss Nightingale; but the doctors had given positive orders for her to see no one. Balaklava was in a great state of excitement, on account of the fire on board the powder-ship. Some called it the Gunpowder-plot at Balaklava, and an attempt to destroy the British fleet. This was the opinion in the French camp and at Kamiesch. The fleet, by-the-bye, was at that time at least twenty miles from the supposed scene of explosion.
As there were several matters which I wished to settle before my departure, I asked the captain whether I could land for an hour.
“Certainly you can. I don’t think we shall sail before three o’clock; but be on board by twelve, if possible, or half past at the latest.”