Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil InstitutionsSoyer, Alexis
History
Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil Institutions
Soyer, Alexis
Cooking for military personnel; Crimean War, 1853-1856
We then passed before the Godfrey Tower, proudly standing on its rocky
shore, at the base of which myriads of tombstones stagger about in
pompous disorder, under the shady wings of multitudes of dark
cypress-trees, the solemn guardians of this land of repose. Then we came
to the Sweet Waters of Asia, where thousands of Turks and Turkish ladies
resort on their days of festival. We next passed Therapia, where all the
foreign ambassadors reside in summer; and I exchanged a few words with
Miss Nightingale respecting the Naval Hospital there. Buyukderé, the
Brighton of Constantinople, came next; and the large marble palace on
our right, built, but never finished, by Ibrahim Pacha, and that of the
Sultan Valide, the Giant’s Mountain. Ten minutes after, we entered the
Euxine or Black Sea, full sail, with a fair wind and fine weather.
The Oriental coast had partly disappeared, and every one was anxious to
inspect his fellow-passengers, and find out whether he had any friends
on board. The vessel was crammed with military men and Government
officials, besides about six hundred troops. Having the pleasure of
knowing many of the officers, a general conversation relating to the war
soon commenced. Miss Nightingale had retired, with, several of her
Sisters, to their apartment, and very few persons were aware of the fact
of her being on board, and they were all very anxious to see her; but
evening came on, and we were not again favoured with her presence that
day. The next day being Sunday, Miss Nightingale and myself, accompanied
by the captain, went round the lower deck to visit the soldiers, who
were busily employed making their pudding. Having questioned them upon
their method of cooking, and visited the cook-house, I at once perceived
what facilities were offered to me for making an immense amelioration in
the present system of naval cookery, especially in the method of cooking
salt meat, &c. (See naval recipes in Addenda.) I took the opportunity of
giving them a few hints. Miss Nightingale heard that there were some
invalids on board, and she asked to see them. One poor fellow, who had
been suffering from an attack of fever since our departure, refused to
take his medicine. Miss Nightingale asked the reason of his objection.
He replied, “Because I took some once, and it made me sick; and I
haven’t liked physic ever since.”
We could not help laughing at his simple remark. Miss Nightingale said,
“But if I give it you myself, you will take it, wont you?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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