I was flattered to find my Generals preferred sleeping on board; however, hearing heavy firing in the night, they landed prepared to fight. Wenny Coke was much amused when he found the Generals went off so suddenly; he said, if they had only awoke him he could have informed them the same thing happened every night. Was struck yesterday with the cheeriness of officers and men. Visited the post-office; observed in one corner an ominous-looking bag, which appeared full, marked “Dead.” The troops, both officers and men, form a motley mixture. It is difficult to recognise any one by his dress. They have now, when too late, warm clothing: fur caps, sheep-skin coats, and brown boots. [Sidenote: Feb. 3.] Sharp frost, with cold cutting wind, it having snowed hard during the night. Rokeby in his canvas bag, his moustache frozen white. Bromley, Colonel Carlton, Sir James Dunlop and nephew, Henry Hill, on board to dine and sleep. Landed Henry with stock of brandy, poultry, and tongue. Thermometer below 19°. [Sidenote: Feb. 4.] Carlton and Bromley landed after breakfast, Dunlop and Wenny remaining. Weighed in afternoon. Anchored off Sevastopol. [Sidenote: The Guards’ Camp.] While the ship was at Balaclava I met on shore no end of old friends. In the Guards’ camp, although they, what was left of them, were bright and cheery, I avoided inquiring about the many I missed. I dined quietly one afternoon with my kinsman, Bob Lindsay, but it was difficult to draw from him what his thoughts and feelings were on the occasion when he so gallantly carried the Guards’ colours at the Alma. There was Billy Russell, ever bright and cheery, but never seemed inclined to be pumped as to what he had seen and knew. I had repeated gallops with one or other of the Inkerman heroes. When that ride was proposed I never admitted I had been over the field before, and delighted to hear over and over again answers to my questions. The most melancholy spectacle was the wretched condition of the horses, ten and twelve being harnessed to an ammunition waggon that on other occasions would be drawn by four. The painful subject everywhere was the thinned ranks of infantry regiments. The Guards were reduced from 4100 to 500. Poor Lord Rokeby tried to hide his tears when he saw the remnant of the Brigade. It will take from fifteen to twenty years to make them what they were a year ago. After a while no one knew the whole country better than Lord Rokeby. I enjoyed my rides with him; always as fast as his good mounts could carry us. The barrier of sunken ships across the harbour of Sevastopol I do not think much of, but there is a mysterious-looking line about two cables’ length inside the sunken ships that I cannot make out, leading about two-thirds of the way across. Carlton and Bromley landed after breakfast, Dunlop and Wenny Coke remaining. Up screw, weighed in afternoon, and worked round to anchorage off Kamiesch Bay. [Sidenote: Kamiesch, Feb. 5.]