* * * * *

All through the spring the cholera raged, and at length some of the
nurses, weakened by the strain on mind and body, and the lack of
nourishing food, fell victims. One of them was a personal friend of Miss
Nightingale's, others were Irish nuns working in Balaclava, and their
graves were kept gay with flowers planted by the soldiers. Thus the
Lady-in-Chief found them when in May 1855 she set out to inspect the
hospitals in the Crimea.

What a rest it must have been to be able to lie on deck and watch the
blue waters without feeling that every moment of peace was stolen from
some duty. She had several nurses with her; also her friend Mr.
Bracebridge, whose wife had taken charge of the stores at Scutari, and a
little drummer of twelve, called Thomas, who got amusement out of
everything and kept up their spirits when the outlook seemed gloomiest.

The moment she landed Miss Nightingale, accompanied by a train of
doctors, went at once to the hospitals, thus missing lord Raglan who
came to give her a hearty welcome. Next day, when as in duty bound she
returned his visit, she had the pleasure once more of feeling a horse
under her, and old memories came back and it seemed as if she was again
a child riding with the vicar. As we are told by a Frenchman that she
wore a regular riding-dress, she probably borrowed this from one of the
four English ladies then in the Crimea, for she is not likely to have
had a habit of her own. Her horse was fresh and spirited and nervous,
after the manner of horses, and the noise and confusion of the road that
led to the camp was too much for his nerves. He plunged and kicked and
reared and bucked, and did all that a horse does when he wants to be
unpleasant, but Miss Nightingale did not mind at all--in fact she quite
enjoyed it.

All day long the Lady-in-Chief went about, visiting the hospitals and
even penetrating into the trenches while sharp firing was going on. The
weather was intensely hot--for it is the greatest mistake to look on
the Crimea, which is as far south as Venice or Genoa, as being always
cold--and one day Miss Nightingale was struck down with sudden fever.
She was at once taken to the Sanatorium on a stretcher, which was
followed by the faithful Thomas, and great was the dismay and sorrow of
the whole camp. Fortunately after a fortnight she began to recover,
thanks to the care that was taken of her, but she absolutely refused to
go