BALACLAVA, _December 18_.
Along a flat, dirty causeway, rather below the level of the harbour,
are boats and barges of all kinds, laden with biscuits, barrels of
beef, pork, rum, bales of winter clothing, siege guns, boxes of Minié
ammunition, piles of shell, trusses of hay, and sacks of barley and
potatoes. These are landed in the wet, and stacked in the mud, until
all the provisions that will spoil are sufficiently impregnated with
both to be fit for issuing to the men. The motley crowd that is
perpetually wading about among these piles of uneatable eatables is
something beyond description. The very ragged, gaunt, hungry-looking
men with matted beards and moustachios, features grimed with dirt,
and torn great-coats stiff with layers of mud—these men are picked
soldiers from our different regiments, strong men selected to carry
up provisions for the rest of the camp. The rough, heavy-looking men
in tarpaulin coats, sou’-wester caps, and high boots, are generally
officers in the Guards. The very seedy-looking men in dilapidated
garments, with bread-bags tied round their legs, are officers from the
naval brigade; and so on.