The number of officers, their wives, and soldiers on the deck,
increased at every station, very few being landed from the ship.
The deck was soon so covered with furniture, chests, and trunks,
that there was scarcely a place to sit down, except on the top of a
pile of goods. I never saw such an encampment on board a ship.
In fine weather, this life afforded me much amusement; there was
always something new to see; every one was animated and happy, and
appeared to belong to the same family; but if a heavy rain came on
suddenly, or a wave washed over the deck, the passengers began to
shout and cry, and the contents of every chest became public. One
cried, "How shall I shelter my sugar-loaves?" another, "Oh, my meal
will be spoiled." There a woman complained that her bonnet would be
full of spots; here, another, that the uniform of her husband would
certainly be injured.
At some of the smaller stations, we had taken on board sick
soldiers, in order to carry them to the hospital at Kertsch. This
was done, as I was told, less on account of nursing them than as a
measure of safety.
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