THE RETURNING CONTINGENTS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10955, 3 May 1901, Page 5

THE RETURNING CONTINGENTS.

SOME RECENT EXPERIENCES. ,

MISTAKEN FOR BOERS.

(from our special correspondent.) N.Z. Camp, Springfontein, March _st. My last letter took you np to the day w« took De Wet's big gun and pom pom. On the following morning we started for Hope, town, eighteen miles distant. When about six miles from town the general sent on a despatch rider and six men, who were accompanied by Lieutenant Todd_. Dr. Craig, and myself. Passing through the advance guard we were soon about half a mile ahead, with one man in the advance and one on each flank. It was not anticipated we. should meet any of the enemy, as a convoy hnd just conn from Hopetown, end reported "all clear." However, suddenly we were surprised by a shower of bullets from a small rise 200 yards away. We scattered, and galloped for our lives under a perfect hail of bullets. After a gallop of about 800 yards we took cover, and the advance guard came up, and, with tha aid of a pom pom soon drove our assailants out of their position. Seeing them gallop away we pushed on, and soon saw a man advancing with a white flag. He turned out to be the captain of the Hopetown Town Guard, who had mistaken us for Boers, and accordingly caused tho little skirmish. Things might have been serious, for had they b -r.i even passable shots they would have accounted for some of us. Wo wcimd'-d three of them, and they told mc that it was awful to face a pom pom. However, they had never faced the music before, and show-d great pluck in sticking to it so long. On arrival in Hopetown we camped for two day.. Hcire we d-raw a few remounts, and oil again to Orange River was our next order. General Plumer was congratulated on ail sides for his brilliant work. News came in daily that the Boers were crossing the Orange River in small parties, and making north. Others were making for Colesburg. We were all quite willing to have another go at De Wet, although we had received word of our relief from New Zealand. It is really tune we got a spell, for there are not fifty fit men in the two Contingents. Men are going into the hospital every day, staying a -week, and then rejoining, only to be knocked up again. The remounts we get are disgraceful. It is a shame that men like colonials should be asked to ride such stuff. _ They are the men who can ride a horse, and it is heartbreaking to see them dragging their horsealong mile after mile, and then footpadding it till the end of the day. Hundreds of horses have been sent from New Zealand ! which we have never seen.