The break in the continuity of the Crimean letters was in consequence of the visit home rendered necessary by ill-health between the dates of August 7 and November 16, 1855.
(From an oil sketcli Ijy Lady Munro)
[fragment illegible in the scan of the first edition]
To Lady Stephenson
[fragment illegible in the scan of the first edition]
My dear Mother, — We have just received the order to embark for foreign service on the i8th inst. — Saturday week; possibly we may not go till Monday 20th. I believe we go straight to Constantinople, but shall of course touch at Malta on our way — whether we go direct from thence to the Danube or not I cannot say,... Three battalions of Guards will go, consisting of 850 men each, and I shall be Brigade-Major, as I was at Chobham, the most charming appointment I could have. And so at last the great object and ambition of my life is about to be realised, and I am actually going on service.... — Ever your affectionate son,
Fredk. Stephenson. Wellington Barracks, Friday.
To Lady Stephenson
On Board Orinoco, Mediterranean, March 2, 1854.
My dear Mother, — As we expect to arrive at Malta the day after to-morrow (Saturday the 4th) I write you a few lines on board ship, as I expect to be too much occupied when we get on shore to enable me to write many letters then. We are now a little more than half-way between Gibraltar and Malta, and have had throughout the entire voyage the most calm and lovely weather it is possible to conceive. The Mediterranean is at this moment without a ripple, and it is so deliciously warm that at night I sleep with my port open.... The people cheered us most lustily as we left the Dock, and the next morning as we passed the Needles we were as heartily cheered from Hurst Castle by a quantity of sailors, etc., who were on the look out for us there. The weather was so warm when we were off Cape Finisterre that we were lying on the deck basking in the sun; we did not, however, see land until we were off Cape St. Vincent, which is a noble headland with a most forbidding aspect, and doubly interesting from its glorious associations. We kept land in view for some hours longer, and a great amusement it was making out the different farmhouses and towns we could see with our glasses. The next day at sunrise we were steaming through the Straits oif Gibraltar. We did not land, however, at Gib., but had to content ourselves with a distant view of it. It is difficult to say which is the finest coast, that of Europe or of Africa. The beautiful bold mountain on the African coast, Apis Hill, with the Bay of Ceuta beyond, is very lovely, but perhaps does not quite equal the view on the opposite shore, where there is so much interest attached to its other charms. We saw it all under most favourable circumstances, for by entering the Straits before sunrise we were enabled to witness the gradual lighting up of the whole scene, which became more and more enchanting as each additional ray of the sun revealed some fresh beauty, until as we were well past the Rock the light upon the white cliffs was quite dazzling. Here we are now after one of the most charming and successful passages it is possible to conceive, quietly gliding through this lovely lake between Algiers and Bona, the African coast dimly visible. We are now anxiously looking forward to landing, so as to hear what news has transpired since we left England. Lord Raglan * will arrive somewhere about the 24th, when I suppose we shall start immediately for our unknown destination. When you write send me plenty of news, for at Malta we get none but what comes from England. Nothing can exceed the ^ Figures refer to the notes at the end of each section.
health and spirits of all on board, and what is better still, their eagerness to be at work. I shall leave a little space at the bottom in case I have time to add a few lines after seeing Ella and Isabella ^ (imagine what a meeting!). And now God bless you, my dear mother. Give my best love to the girls, and believe me ever your affectionate son, Fredk. Stephenson.
To Lady Stephenson