Although I had frequently conversed with Miss Nightingale upon business transactions, this was the first and best opportunity I had of appreciating her amiable character and interesting powers of conversation. For more than an hour I talked with her, upon the deck of the good ship _Robert Lowe_. The subject was her duty, not of what she had already done, but of what she was about to do. She gave me good advice as to the best way for me to proceed in my new undertaking. “Monsieur Soyer,” she said, “you will find everything very different in the Crimea to what it was at Scutari, though you had there a great many difficulties, the distance from supplies being so much greater.” We then arranged that as soon as we were a little organized, our first visit should be to the General Hospital and the Sanatorium, next to the General Camp Hospital before Balaklava. The first thing Miss Nightingale did after our arrival was to write to the commander-in-chief, Lord Raglan, announcing it. I remarked that I had an official letter to his lordship from the War Department. “I am aware of that, Monsieur Soyer, and that you and Mr. Bracebridge should go to head-quarters together the day we arrive; but it is important his lordship should be immediately acquainted by letter of our arrival.” “Well, Mademoiselle,” said I, “you have been in the military service longer than I have, and I am not surprised at your being better acquainted with the rules of war than myself.” Miss Nightingale smiled kindly at the remark. Having had the honour and the opportunity of seeing Miss Nightingale almost daily for above a year, my readers will no doubt be pleased, and feel interested, by my giving a short description of this estimable lady, whose fame in this war has been almost universal.