We were then all going towards the new kitchen. I showed my plan to Miss Nightingale and Dr. Sutherland, who both admired its simplicity and expedition as regards cooking. I observed that this one, when completed, would serve as a model for any others which might be required in the camp. “Where are the utensils?” asked the hospital purveyor; “we have nothing in store.” “I assure you you are mistaken,” said I, “because it was only yesterday that I saw them in Mr. Fitzgerald’s store-room.” “I declare,” said he, “that for days and days I have been asking for kitchen utensils, and the only things I could get were some spoons, a frying-pan, and large forks.” “Oh,” said I, “very likely; but they only arrived with us, and were ordered, at my suggestion, by Mr. Robertson, the purveyor-in-chief at Scutari.” “I beg your pardon; that’s all right; but I can assure you that if you had depended upon the Balaklava or Kadikoi tinkers, they would have made you pay as much as five or six shillings for an article worth one in London.” Miss Nightingale and party were by this time half way to Balaklava, but we soon caught them. The weather was bad, the road worse, and rain kept falling. In fact, the mud was so deep in front of the ship, that we were obliged to form a kind of bridge across the road for the lady to get to the boat to go on board. Dr. Sutherland, the captain of the _Diamond_, and the doctor of the Naval Brigade, then made an appointment to go and visit the new hospital building for the sick sailors on the Leander Bay side, facing the Genoese Tower. After this we parted--to meet early the next morning. Upon our return, a message was delivered from the admiral, to the effect that there were two ships at our disposal, and requesting Mr. Bracebridge to go and see them, and choose the one he liked best without delay, as probably the _Robert Lowe_ would leave the harbour for Constantinople. Mr. Bracebridge attended to the order immediately, and having inspected both, selected the _London_, as she was likely to remain the longest. The captain informed us that it had at one time been called the _Great London_, and that it was launched in the beginning of the reign of George the Third. The inhabitants of London used to go and view it as a curiosity; but when it sailed from the Thames the crowd was immense. It was built by Mr. Green.