to
go through, or how many of our fine fellows would leave their bones in a
foreign land. Everything was well arranged on board. Strict discipline
was kept up. Our rations were good, and regularly served out to us; and
as the weather was fine, we had as pleasant a voyage as we could wish.
We landed at Scutari, a place on the Bosphorus, the strait that leads
into the Black Sea, opposite the big city of Constantinople. Here we
remained for three weeks hard at work, drilling. Some of the troops
were in huge barracks, and we with others were encamped. Fighting was
going on at a town called Silistria, between the Turks, who bravely
defended it, helped by two or three English officers, and the Russians,
who had tried to take it, but could not. A great many Turks were
brought into the hospital badly wounded, and one poor fellow had both
his arms and legs cut off. He was the subject of conversation for many
an evening in our tents. We were in the light division, under Sir Colin
Campbell. The first British soldier who lost his life during the war
was killed here by his own rifle, which sent a shot through, his leg
above the knee. Here also we were supplied with the Minie rifle, having
hitherto used the old percussion smooth bore.

Scutari is a beautiful spot, with the blue waters of the strait, and the
glittering white city, surrounded by dark trees, and vessels and gay
boats of all sorts moving about. We should have been content to remain
there if we had not thought on the work before us. In July we again
embarked, and proceeded to Varna, in company with numerous vessels,
crowded with English, French, and Turks. We and the French were allies,
helping the Turks, though there were only 7000 of them, while we and the
French had each rather more than 26,000 men of all arms.

Varna is on the shore of the Black Sea, not far from the Crimea, and
belongs to the Turks. We were here encamped with the Guards and other
regiments on a dreary plain in different villages some tray out of
Varna. We were kept hard at work with frequent drills, getting ready
for real fighting. One night we were roused up with the sound of heavy
firing in a wood close to us. The bugle sounded to arms. We sprang to
our feet, but before we could get under arms the supposed enemy was
away. They were a company of the 60th Rifles and Rifle Brigade,
supplied with a few rounds of blank ammunition. This sort of work took
place frequently, to accust