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desperate and bloody engagements implied。 Great detachments of
wounded were already beginning to pour in。 The men； after
receiving such summary treatment as could be given them at the
smaller hospitals in the Crimea itself； were forthwith shipped in
batches of 200 across the Black Sea to Scutari。 This voyage was
in normal times one of four days and a half； but the times were
no longer normal； and now the transit often lasted for a
fortnight or three weeks。 It received； not without reason； the
name of the 'middle passage'。 Between； and sometimes on the
decks； the wounded； the sick； and the dying were crowded men
who had just undergone the amputation of limbs； men in the
clutches of fever or of frostbite； men in the last stages of
dysentry and cholera without beds； sometimes without blankets；
often hardly clothed。 The one or two surgeons on board did what
they could； but medical stores were lacking； and the only form of
nursing available was that provided by a handful of invalid
soldiers who were usually themselves prostrate by the end of the
voyage。 There was no other food beside the ordinary salt rations
of ship diet； and even the water was sometimes so stored that it
was out of reach of the weak。 For many months； the average of
deaths during these voyages was seventy…four in 1；000； the
corpses were shot out into the waters； and who shall say that
they were the most unfortunate？ At Scutari； the landing…stage；
constructed with all the perverseness of Oriental ingenuity；
could only be approached with great difficulty； and； in rough
weather； not at all。 When it was reached； what remained of the
men in the ships had first to be disembarked； and then conveyed
up a steep slope of a quarter of a mile to the nearest of the
hospitals。 The most serious cases might be put upon stretchers
for there were far too few for all； the rest were carried or
dragged up the hill by such convalescent soldiers as could be got
together； who were not too obviously infirm for the work。 At last
the journey was accomplished； slowly； one by one； living or
dying； the wounded were carried up into the hospital。 And in the
hospital what did they find？
Lasciate ogni speranza； voi ch'entrate： the delusive doors bore
no such inscription； and yet behind them Hell yawned。 Want；
neglect； confusion； misery in every shape and in every degree
of intensity filled the endless corridors and the vast
apartments of the gigantic barrack…house； which； without
forethought or preparation； had been hurriedly set aside as the
chief shelter for the victims of the war。 The very building
itself was radically defective。 Huge sewers underlay it； and
cesspools loaded with filth wafted their poison into the upper
rooms。 The floors were in so rotten a condition that many of them
could not be scrubbed； the walls were thick with dirt； incredible
multitudes of vermin swarmed everywhere。 And； enormous as the
building was； it was yet too small。 It contained four miles of
beds； crushed together so close that there was but just room to
pass between them。 Under such conditions； the most elaborate
system of ventilation might well have been at fault； but here
there was no ventilation。 The stench was indescribable。 'I have
been well acquainted；' said Miss Nightingale； 'with the dwellings
of the worst parts of most of the great cities in Europe； but
have never been in any atmosphere which I could compare with that
of the Barrack Hospital at night。' The structural defects were
equalled by the deficiencies in the commonest objects of hospital
use。 There were not enough bedsteads； the sheets were of canvas；
and so coarse that the wounded men recoiled from them； begging to
be left in their blankets； there was no bedroom furniture of any
kind； and empty beer bottles were used for candlesticks。 There
were no basins； no towels； no soap； no brooms； no mops； no trays；
no plates； there were neither slippers nor scissors； neither
shoe…brushes nor blacking； there were no knives or forks or
spoons。 The supply of fuel was constantly deficient。 The cooking
arrangements were preposterously inadequate； and the laundry was
a farce。 As for purely medical materials； the tale was no better。
Stretchers； splints； bandagesall were lacking； and so were the
most ordinary drugs。
To replace such wants； to struggle against such difficulties；
there was a handful of men overburdened by the strain of
ceaseless work； bound down by the traditions of official routine；
and enfeebled either by old age or inexperience or sheer
incompetence。 They had proved utterly unequal to their task。 The
principal doctor was lost in the imbecilities of a senile
optimism。 The wretched official whose business it was to provide
for the wants of the hospital was tied fast hand and foot by red
tape。 A few of the younger doctors struggled valiantly； but what
could they do？ Unprepared； disorganised； with such help only as
they could find among the miserable band of convalescent soldiers
drafted off to tend their sick comrades； they were faced with
disease； mutilation； and death in all their most appalling forms；
crowded multitudinously about them in an ever…increasing mass。
They were like men in a shipwreck； fighting； not for safety； but
for the next moment's bare existence to gain； by yet another
frenzied effort； some brief respite from the waters of
destruction。
In these surroundings； those who had been long inured to scenes
of human suffering surgeons with a world…wide knowledge of
agonies； soldiers familiar with fields of carnage； missionaries
with remembrances of famine and of plague yet found a depth of
horror which they had never known before。 There were moments；
there were places； in the Barrack Hospital at Scutari； where the
strongest hand was struck with trembling； and the boldest eye
would turn away its gaze。
Miss Nightingale came； and she； at any rate； in that inferno； did
not abandon hope。 For one thing； she brought material succour。
Before she left London she had consulted Dr。 Andrew Smith； the
head of the Army Medical Board； as to whether it would be useful
to take out stores of any kind to Scutari； and Dr。 Andrew Smith
had told her that 'nothing was needed'。 Even Sidney Herbert had
given her similar assurances； possibly； owing to an oversight；
there might have been some delay in the delivery of the medical
stores； which； he said； had been sent out from England 'in
profusion'； but 'four days would have remedied this'。 She
preferred to trust her own instincts； and at Marseilles purchased
a large quantity of miscellaneous provisions； which were of the
utmost use at Scutari。 She came； too； amply provided with money
in all； during her stay in the East； about ￡7；000 reached her
from private sources； and； in addition； she was able to avail
herself of another valuable means of help。
At the same time as herself； Mr。 Macdonald； of The Times； had
arrived at Scutari； charged with the duty of administering