it was to hear the rippHng of the water, and refresh one's eyes with the sight of a clear running stream. The Light Division, the cavalry and two batteries of artillery, are encamped in this large and beautiful plain, and half-way up the side of one of the hills is the village of Devna. We paid our respects to the General, who told us that he was expecting a visit from Omar Pasha, who would pass by there on his way from Silistria to Varna to consult over future operations with the French and English generals. About two o'clock a Turkish soldier arrived, announcing the approach of Omar. We mounted our horses and galloped into the country to meet him. We soon saw winding down one of the ravines two britzkas-and-four and a squadron of cavalry. We met them at a little hamlet on the river-side. The cavalcade was an interesting one; the postboys to Omar's britzkas were not like the peaceful British " Horney," but artillery drivers armed to the teeth. Omar Pasha went into one of the houses, and there we were all introduced to him. He is a fine handsome man of about fifty-eight, with grey hair, moustache grey, and a closely trimmed beard, a round and well-formed head, and an agreeable expression of countenance; his smile is very pleasing. He has a capital figure, svelte and very upright and soldier-like, and is about 5 ft. 9 in. in height. Omar Pasha told us that the Russians were in all eight divisions, that they were retreating from Kalarasch opposite Silistria and were nearly all gone, that they were moving in the direction of Brailow, to occupy an entrenched position on the river Sereth, which separates Walachia from Moldavia; you will see that this is the shortest road into the Russian territor}^ We told him that we had lately heard strong rumours of an armistice; he replied, " Une armistice ne serait pas bonne, il faudra livrer une bataille d'abord — et aprks cela une armistice." He told us the Russian cavalry, of which we had heard so much, was immensely exaggerated, that they were very slow and were with difficulty got into movement, and he added, "One of your regiments would ride down four of theirs;" he evidently thought very lightly of that arm, and he is well able to judge, having in former days himself charged them. He was accompanied by a Captain Simmons in our Engineer Corps, who did him immense service in Silistria, and is his right-hand man. (Lord Raglan speaks most highly of his services.) He told us that the defence of Silistria was a wonderful one,|that the Turks fought to admiration, but that for all that he could not understand why the Russians failed to take it, for he said the outworks where all the fighting was, was a low, narrow breastwork with a very small ditch in front which a horse might ride over. General Schildees, the Russian Chief Engineer, had lost a leg, and a Russian Division-General and two Brigadier-Generals had been killed; deserters had spoken in strong terms of the misery and disease in the Russian army, and they calculated that their loss in killed, sickness, etc., amounted to 30,000. On the eve of breaking up the siege the Russians' order of the day was that the army would retreat in consequence of the threatening attitude of Austria. But Austria, Omar Pasha said, had not yet entered the provinces. After our conference Omar Pasha reviewed our troops encamped in the valley, and you never saw men turn out quicker or cleaner, or move better. He made the cavalry charge, and rode with them, to see the pace they could go. He is now at Varna discussing matters with Lord Raglan and Marshal St. Arnaud.... — Ever your affectionate son, Fredk. Stephenson.
P.S. — Poor dear Ella is, I suppose, with you by this time. Tell me all about her when you next write. I am thinking of her morning, noon, and night.
To Lady Stephenson
Camp Aladyn, July 17, 1854. My dear Mother, — I must write to you for all my sisters, to acknowledge all the kind congratulations I
1 854] PLEASURE AT PROMOTION 91