[Sidenote: Dec. 11.] Visit from Cecil Rice--6 feet 2. [Sidenote: Dec. 12.] Rode to front. Young Willy Barnard ill. Mail in. Sir E. Lyons a full Admiral: am so glad. Confidential despatch summoning him to a conference in Paris, also Pellissier and La Marmora. [Sidenote: Dec. 14.] Accompanied my Admiral to headquarters. Admiral and I dined with Hardinge, meeting Generals Barnard and Dupuis. [Sidenote: Dec. 15.] My Admiral, Prince Victor, and self to Kazatch, on a visit to Sir E. Lyons. Brigadier Spencer and large party to dinner. [Sidenote: Dec. 16.] Across to Kaimesch to see Inglefield’s sketches and walk with him. Hugh Rose joined dinner party. [Sidenote: Dec. 17.] Snow and frost, slippery riding. Returned to Balaklava. [Sidenote: Dec. 19.] Thousands upon thousands of that beautiful bird the bustard (there are two sorts, one much larger), continually passing over to the northward. Several of them shot from the heights in time for Christmas. [Sidenote: Dec. 23.] Rode to headquarters. George Cadogan and I to Kazatch on visit to Beauchamp Seymour. Found Fitz Berkeley. We making jolly quartette on board _Meteor_. [Sidenote: Dec. 25.] Ate my Christmas dinner with Charlie Windham: jolly party. Letter from Sir Charles Wood, offering me division of gunboats: the thing of all others I most coveted! Took passage in _Orinoco_. [Sidenote: Dec. 27.] Rode up with my Admiral to headquarters to take leave: uncommon good luncheon. [Sidenote: Dec. 28.] Mail in from England. My name in papers as Commodore! [Sidenote: Dec. 29.] Took leave of my kind chief and Seymour, the latter agreeing to go as my captain in case of my being a real Commodore. Embarked on board _Orinoco_ at 1 P.M. from Balaklava. [Sidenote: Dec. 30.] Came to, in afternoon, in the entrance to the Golden Horn. Dined with Borlase on board _Melapus_, 42, to meet the Admiral, Sir Houston-Stewart. [Sidenote: Constantinople, Dec. 31.] No end of friends going both ways. Misseri’s full; H. de Bathe on way to Crimea. At Embassy found Lady George Paget; Lady Powlett at Misseri’s. Dined with Admiral on board _Hannibal_. Met there the Turkish Admiral, our Adolphus Slade. CHAPTER LXII ARRIVAL FROM CRIMEA--THENCE IN _COLOSSUS_--SHORE TIME [Sidenote: 1856. Jan. 1.] Constantinople.--Put up at Misseri’s Hotel, when Dalrymple Hay, of Flagship, announced that _Orinoco_ only waited for Captain Keppel. Adieu to Constantinople. [Sidenote: Malta, Jan. 5.] Arrived early in Malta. Found Lady Talbot, Lady Victoria looking beautiful, but, I fear, not long for this world. Charlie Talbot dining with me. To opera, and re-embarked. [Sidenote: Jan. 6.] Steamed at an early hour. [Sidenote: England, Jan. 17.] Passed through the Needles passage a little before 8 A.M. Landed at Southampton and started for London by train. Dined with Stephenson, felt there was “no place like home.” [Sidenote: London, Jan. 18.]