166 REMINISCENCES OF 



large park of artillery, but not many cavalry. We 

 returned by Shamba. The country about there is 

 splendid. I got ophthalmia from the sun, and have 

 been sick ever since, but am off to-day. All the 

 horses get bad eyes, and have suffered a good deal 

 four dead on the road, mostly from fever in the 

 feet and the absurd weight we have to carry, convey- 

 ing besides blanket, etc., etc., two and three days' 

 barley and provisions ! They don't give the horses 

 half grub enough. We got tremendous praise from 

 Lord Cardigan, who is a capital fellow to be under at 

 this work. Of course it was exciting up at Silistria, 

 as we expected every day to see a Cossack outpost. 

 We expect to go to the Crimea or . . ., but we 

 know nothing. The Times is our chief authority, 

 though quite wrong about the Russian entire retreat. 

 The regiment has only lost three nags coming out ; 

 my own are pretty well. The native horses are 

 clippers, about the size and cut of your grey pony of 

 Cross's. All ponies, but good ones. The soldiers 

 look such oddities all rags and filth. There are no 

 French here. The flies and heat very annoying. 

 We have regular camp here ; races, etc. There is 

 no shooting at present, but it will be good. There 

 is a great deal of bad diarrhoea among the men and 

 officers. Pray remember me most kindly to Mrs. 

 Thomson and Dick Alkin and all friends at Ather- 

 stone. How are the dogs ? We must have some 

 out here in the winter. We have capital dog hunts 

 with poles on ponies. Wallachia looks such a hunt- 

 ing country to look at, and the finest woodlands about 



