At the end of the table was seated a Russian officer, screaming at the top of his voice some inscrutable snatches of song, for which he prepared himself by copious doses of brandy, sherry, and Crim wine. He was offensively drunk, but the terror which he inspired in the landlord and landlady was not the less on that account, and was evidently only equalled by their hatred of him. We are told that the Eussians read the London papers so diligently that they know everything that passes as well as we do ourselves. I do not wish to get our good host and his wife, or even the inebriated Muscovite, into a scrape, or I would relate a few particulars respecting their demeanour which might prove amusing.
The Colonel of the Aloupka district, when he heard of the condition of his brother " authority," gave orders that he should be turned out, but these were not carried into effect till late in the evening. He spoke a little French, and I think he understood English, though he professed not to know a word. Our dinner consisted of salt meat and an omelette au lard, washed down with plenty of Crim wine. We had also a tin of preserved beef. It was very fat, and we all put away the excess of adipose matter on a plate, where it formed a pretty large pile. The Colonel, who had been eating the meat, suddenly seized upon this plate, and stuffed huge mouthfids of. the fat and grease downs his throat on the point of a knife with infinite gusto.
A Cossack brought us in our passes. In spite of his standing at attention, the man's look betrayed a feeling of greater disgust at the Colonel's condition than I should have given him credit for. Our horses, which were put in a distant stable, could only be fed by the intervention of some others of our Dons, who also undertook to guard them all night, — "the Greeks were such robbers." Our beds were clean and comfortable, and we slept well till morning, although the Colonel kicked up at intervals a dreadful row outside. The Guardsmen arrived about an hour after us, and assisted us in entertaining the Colonel. Monday. Distance lends enchantment to the view of Prince Woronzoff's PRINCE WORONZOFF's palace from the sea.
Hence it seems a splendid combination of Tartar and Norman architecture, donjons and keeps, and battlemented wallS) strangely intermingling with minarets and the dome of a mosque. It is quite close to our hotel, and is approached by a beautiful walk, like the back lodge avenue in an English estate. The path is marked by a wooden palmg, inside which are olives and fruit trees, and evergreens, and immense chestnut and walnut trees and silvery poplars. We pass a quiet chateau with a verandah and terraced front. It was the Prince's residence before he built his palace, and it is now used as asummer retreat by his son. The furniture is simple and handsome, and there is a beautiful view from the windows. A Eussjan servant (the only one wo saw about the place) readily showed us over the premises.
What we saw there, at the Empress's palace of Orianda, at Yalta, Aloushta, Simpheropol, and Bakshiserai, I must reserve for another letter, as this has, I fear, exceeded all tolerable limits. I have since then revisited, the Alma, which exhibits more traces of fight than the valley of Likermann, the plain of Balaklava, or the banks of the Tchernaj'a. Friday. Of all the painful and pitiable sights which have been presented to me in the com'se of the war which is past, there was not one so affecting as that of the Tartar Exodus and their flight out of the Crimea. Whether they are animated, as they say, by the dread of their Russian taskmasters, or by their desire to improve their condition, the motive must be powerful which can drive a whole race from their homes.
They leave those peaceful and beautiful valleys for ever, and flock into Balaklava with all their goods, in the hope of obtaining the means of escape. On Thursday the whole population in the valleys outside th Russian lines began their mournful procession. They left their homes silently. The old men, women, and childi'en were placed on the arabas, above the pile of cushions which seem to constitute all their household furniture. Many of them cried bitterly. Several of these poor pilgrims were so exhausted from illness or old age that there was little chance of their ever seeing the land they seek to gain. Each araba was drawn by two small bullocks or oxen, led by the head of the family; the elder children kept by his side or followed on foot.