342 THE WINTEU TKOUBLES. CHAP. X. Other wants ouppliud. Symptoms of iinprove- iiient dis- cerned by Lord liaglan ; and by others ' and if the Commissariat was adequately pro- vided with transport, and the huts could be at once brought up, there would be no other cause
- of suffering than the severity of a Crimean
' winter, and the duties impcjsed of carrying on ' a siege in such a climate at this season of the ' year.' (}^) These results were obtained by our people without having had the advantage of either a metalled road or a railway, and without having yet received aid from the Land-transport Corps then only in course of formation. The now abundant warm clothing and other supplies of all kinds did not quite at once bring any increase of the number of men out of hos- pital ; and indeed till the last week of February, the Sick List, instead of diminishing, was always growing more and more heavy ; (^^) but whilst giving the weight it deserved to this dismal indication. Lord Raglan still dwelt, and dwelt hopefully, upon one encouraging sign which he found with his own practised eye. In the look and the bearing of the soldiers on duty he saw what appeared to be a higher condition of health than that which only suftices to keep brave men out of hospital ; (^^) and by others at about the same time a like improvement was marked. ' Are not things now at last beginning to look ' rather better ? ' said an officer of the Guards to one of his sergeants. ' They are, sir,' answered the sergeant with military l)riskness and deci- sion ; ' the men are beginning to swear again ! '
