The morning after our arrival orders were given for the cavalry to land. We had been lurching and tumbling in the waves all night, getting but little sleep, and our horses having been in slings the whole voyage, sadly needed exercise; and although the wind almost blew a whole gale, the order was welcome. Our vessel, the magnificent _Himalaya_, was the first to commence operations. We had nearly 400 horses and about 700 men aboard. The rest of the vessels stood in as near shore as possible, and commenced to land. One of Lord Raglan's horses was the first to tumble off a horse-float into the water, and was drowned; several more followed suit, chiefly officers' horses, through being, perhaps, better fed and higher bred than common troopers. A dozen horses were lowered in slings from the decks of the vessels on to these floats, with a soldier to each horse's head when he got aboard. The floats were coupled to each other to the number of eight or ten, and then they were tugged as near shore as possible by steam-tugs that had accompanied the transports in readiness for any such service. In this manner most of the cavalry were landed, being rowed the remainder of the way until the floats bumped on the beach, when the horses were led or pushed along planks resting on the bow of the float, and walked into the water; through which, with sundry wild plunges and snorting, they romped on to the shingle, shook their sides, gave a shrill neigh to their companions, and trotted after them farther away on shore, both horse and trooper drenched in sea-water. After the cavalry had been disembarked, the tents--so much required the night before--were got on shore, and the men, infantry and cavalry, lay in comparative comfort the second night after our landing in the Crimea. CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. How stands the glass around? For shame! ye take no care, my boys; How stands the glass around? Let the mirth and wine abound. The trumpets sound, The colours flying are, my boys, To fight, kill, or wound; May we still be found Content with our hard fare, my boys, On the cold ground. ------------------------------------------------------------------------