THE NINTH CONTINGENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 166, 15 July 1902, Page 2

THE NINTH CONTINGENT.

WITH THE NORTH ISLAND BATTALION.

SECOND NEW ZEALAND BRIGADE,

(Special to "Star.")

The last letter was written just prior to our departure from Volksriist, and since then there has no* been much excitement until now, when we have a couple of cases of scarlet fever and one of measles in our camp, and find ourselves quarantined for the present, and in dulness at the spot on the Vaal Eiver where it is joined by the Klip River. The South Island have also one or two cases of scarlet fever. This has hit the nail en the head, and quite driven it home, but though, to us, the story of our late doings is only dull hammering, yet the recital may be pleasant to the ears of those most interested in our lives. At Volksrust we sent back our spare baggage to Pietermaritzburg, where it is in charge of Sergeant Atkins. Our kits were all packed u/> on Monday, May 5, and the whole battalion mo.rcb.ed down to the station, where the horses were entrained, and a very uncomfortable night Avas spent before we could also entrain. When the Coronation Contingent left us, with our Regimental Ser-geant-Major Hesp, the officer commanding. Major O'Brien, appointed the sergeant-major of G Squadron, O. T. Herbert, of Eketahuna, to act in his place. Although he had previously seen no African service to qualify him for so important a position, yet his abilities, tact and ten years' experience as a colonial volunteer served to fit him for his duties, and justify the choice. None were sorry to leave dusty and droughty Volksrust, although we would have liked to have had those Boers who raided the cattle. Sixty of them, we hear, are now captured, and all*"the stock. The train journey was dull enough, and gave time for smoking— our only comfort! We were all ready for a fray at any moment should they stop our train. We arrived at Elandsfontein on the 7th, and found there Colonel Porter and staff, the South Island Battalion —the two battalions of the Ninth Contingent from the Second New Zealand Brigade—and camped beside them. We were most happy to greet the Seventh New Zealand Contingent ready to break up for home. Soon it was a conference in which all were ready to talk. They were most interested in the home news, while we wanted to hear the interesting details each had to give of their experiences in the fight at Langewacht, the capture of De Wet's guns, etc., etc. A number of the Seventh's men joined us as details, and made up a squadron in each battalion. We found that the South Island Battalion had suffered severely from dysentery, and over 100 men were then in hospital, mostly in Newcastle; one died. We fortunately have only a few in hospital. We left Dr. R. H. Bakewell at Pinetown, near Durban. We hope he will return to Auckland, only benefited by the voyage. For, though aged, he is not lacking in courage, and even on s.tormy nights made some venturesome visits about the Devon. He did good service on the voyage. At Elandsfontein we were also supplied with a convoy of waggons, with nrules and oxen, Scotch carts with mules, and Cape carts with mules and native drivers.