Accompanied Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons on horseback to Lord Raglan’s headquarters. Very interesting conversation by the way, giving me a clear insight into state of things. [Sidenote: Feb. 6.] _Princess Royal_, Captain Lord Clarence Paget, arrived, bringing General Sir Harry Jones. Received a letter from Lady Wilmot announcing sad death of my poor Fred Wilmot Horton. Too down to dine with Admiral. [Sidenote: Feb. 7.] Accompanied Admiral in _Terrible_ to see entrance to the harbour. Ugly and formidable-looking batteries. Barriers of sunken ships’ bars, spars, and cables across; some tempting-looking liners inside. Dined with Sir Edmund. Right man in right place. [Sidenote: Feb. 8.] George Goldsmith of _Sidon_, 22, paddle wheel, came to a quiet dinner. [Sidenote: Feb. 9.] Thompson to dinner; he had visited the muddy camp. More snow falling. [Sidenote: Feb. 10.] Admiral Houston Stewart arrived from Malta in _Spiteful_. Captain Ryder and young Yorke to dinner. [Sidenote: Feb. 12.] The enemy keeping pace with us in forming defences against our increase of batteries, likewise in their reinforcements of supplies and troops. Sevastopol likely to hold out until completely invested. Dined with Commander-in-Chief. Breeze blowing up, stopped the night. [Sidenote: Feb. 14.] Telegraph by Admiral; change of Ministry. Lord Palmerston, Premier, and Sir James Graham still at Admiralty, which I like. [Sidenote: Feb. 16.] Visited our worthy Chief. Flag shifted to the _Royal Albert_. [Sidenote: Feb. 17.] Charlie Talbot to dine, also Oldfield from the trenches, and Commander Willie Partridge. [Sidenote: Feb. 18.] Ship looking clear and clean; herself again. Being near, commenced building a stable: a weakness I have long had. [Sidenote: Feb. 20.] Thermometer 7 degrees below freezing. French ship on shore, must go to pieces. (Which she did with a cargo of horses and bullocks. Seven horses saved out of forty. No human lives lost.) [Illustration: _How the Guards looked._] [Sidenote: Feb. 23.] Mail in. F. Johnson promoted. Good fellow--a loss to us. [Sidenote: Feb. 24.] Carpenters while on shore erecting stables, discovered a small French town, which smelt so strongly of brandy that my building was delayed. [Sidenote: Feb. 25.] Dined with the Admiral. _Rodney_ laid up near, crew had landed with Naval Brigade, she having no steam power. [Sidenote: Feb. 27.] Walk on shore with Talbot. Stable progressing. Sad quantity of dead horses about. Of a fresh heap of eighteen, several appeared in good condition. Dined with Talbot. The horses were French. [Sidenote: Feb. 28.] Mail in during the night. Harry Stephenson has entered the navy, his brother Sussex in the Fusilier Guards. [Sidenote: Mar. 1.] Another “no communication” day. My company, young Stanley Graham, recovering from chickenpox. [Sidenote: Mar. 2.] Went in with portmanteau to dine with Admiral. Put up by Mends. [Sidenote: Mar. 3.]