day's labour, and I could sit down and eat at leisure. It was
no easy thing to clear the store, canteen, and yards; but we
determined upon adhering to the rule that nothing should be sold after
that hour, and succeeded. Any one who came after that time, came
simply as a friend. There could be no necessity for any one, except on
extraordinary occasions, when the rule could be relaxed, to purchase
things after eight o'clock. And drunkenness or excess were discouraged
at Spring Hill in every way; indeed, my few unpleasant scenes arose
chiefly from my refusing to sell liquor where I saw it was wanted to
be abused. I could appeal with a clear conscience to all who knew me
there, to back my assertion that I neither permitted drunkenness among
the men nor gambling among the officers. Whatever happened elsewhere,
intoxication, cards, and dice were never to be seen, within the
precincts of the British Hotel. My regulations were well known, and a
kind-hearted officer of the Royals, who was much there, and who
permitted me to use a familiarity towards him which I trust I never
abused, undertook to be my Provost-marshal, but his duties were very
light.

At first we kept our store open on Sunday from sheer necessity, but
after a little while, when stores in abundance were established at
Kadikoi and elsewhere, and the absolute necessity no longer existed,
Sunday became a day of most grateful rest at Spring Hill. This step
also met with opposition from the men; but again we were determined,
and again we triumphed. I am sure we needed rest. I have often
wondered since how it was that I never fell ill or came home "on
urgent private affairs." I am afraid that I was not sufficiently
thankful to the Providence which gave me strength to carry out the
work I loved so well, and felt so happy in being engaged upon; but
although I never had a week's illness during my campaign, the labour,
anxiety, and perhaps the few trials that followed it, have told upon
me. I have never felt since that time the strong and hearty woman that
I was when I braved with impunity the pestilence of Navy Bay and
Cruces. 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 any
consideration of d