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LETTERS FROM OUR BOYS.

We have been permitted bo make extracts from Trooper Amos M'Kegg'a letter to a friend. It was written from Arundel, near Culeaberg, on December 13, 1899: I have a little time to myself just now, and I thought I could uot do better than write to you. lluve had a gteat old time since leaving Naauwpoort Junction, of which I will give you a short outline.' Leaving Na<uwpoort last Monday about 4 a.m., we camped at a farmhouse that night after nine hours in the saddle under a blazing hot bud. Of courso, wo did not travel very fast. The mule waggons come on hehind up, and we could not leave them; they bring on the baggage and horse feed. It is great fun watching the darkies driving their ten in hand. The little mules get along, at a good pace. Ono of the blocks runs alongside with a great bullock whip und gives the leaders " jip " • they can handle the whip properly. Well, tu.vt afternoon we helped to unload the horses from the train belonging to the Mounted Rifles and the Lancers. There were three tiain-loflds of them, and we ran them out quick snd lively; they were in cattle trucks, eight or nine in each. That night we had about two or three hours, rolled in our blankets in front of our horses. The horses rcmaiuitig saddled wo were ready to mount at a moments notice' The next day we came on here and patrolled out to the front a few miles, and then returned to camp, took the saddles off our horse* and rigged them up, and after a drink of coffea and a piece of bread and potted moat we turned in; that is, I rolled mj- blanket round roe aud lay down on the ground beside Sam Gourlcy, and had a good night's sleep. Next morning we all moved out under Colonel PorterTn company with the mounted men (Mounted Rifles) the 12th Lancers, and the Royal Horse Artillery No. 1 Company of our boys met. the enemy, and were fired on. 1 hey soughtshelterunder cov*r of an adjoining kopje, and returned the fire with a will. Some of our boys had a few barrow shaven, but I do not think there was any damage done—the range was too great. The No. S Company—l helong to the third division of No. % Campany -were held in reserve along with the few Lancers in the centre of the plain or veldt, and we could see all that was going on. After remaining therefor some time the Boers fired a few sheila at us, but none of them coming near 'enough to do any damage we were moved up to the shelter of a kopje. Returned to camp in the evening, camping, as usual, on the "hard." ' ■'•!: last few days we have been deiDg Cossaok pot and patrolling- in email parties, turning out ..i. all hour*. On Saturday we hid a rest, aod the iirst New Zealand mail reached ur thu afternoon. On Monday night, at eleven o'clodlt, we were roused, and wero in the saddle and away before. 1 s.m., arrnmpanied by the New Seuth Wales Lancer*. About 10 a.m, we got within range of a,

kopje- crowded with boers, and they sent a shower of millets nt us, the most of them passing overour heads. I could hear the pint; ping of iheir bullets much too close tn be comfortable, especially when we could not return the fire, but had to Mtnply fulire out of range, and while retiring four'of our horses were struck. It seems marvellous that none of us got a pill. From there we went some miles to the left, _ and did not return until five o'clock at night dead tired. When we left camo there was a very cold, raw wind blowing until about ton o'clock in the day, and then it changed to blinding hot sun and no wind. This climate is a fair devil—cold at night and very hot and dusty by day. Turned in early, and had to get up and goon guard on the horse Hoes from 12.30 to 3 a.m. Housed again at 5 .30, and the whole camp had to turn out (no breakfast) with the exception of number three's ot sections, and take up a position on the hills in front of the camp. The Boers were advancing. The R-H. Artillery galloped out, wheeled, and were firing on the Boers before you could say "knife." TUey are the hoys to move. Tho Boers had taken up positions on kopjes quite close to our camp, but the artillery quickly shifted them. From the top of our hill we could watch the movements of the Boers and could see tho shells bursting over thern. Three of our men returning from patrol duty had to gallop past a small kopje under a perfect hail of bullets. I had the officer's glosses at' the time, anil could see the bullets landing all around them, but none of them were touched. After about two hours' firiyg, the Boers commenced to retire, and at ten o'clock wc were allowed to leave tho breastwork to get some breakfast-coffee, bread, and potted meat. Some of the Lancers were shot; Ido not know how many died. I saw one poor chap carried in on a stretcher. Another one brought iu on his horse, led by one of his comrades lucked very seedy and could not sit uo Ktrtught. Such is life. This is a wonderful country for defensive purposes; parts of it look not unlike the Kuri Hills, looking across them, only the lulls arc further apart, and tho tops are covered with great bouhlers. I think that there will be a genera! engagement here soon, and then we will have a good old go in, just what we have all been wait ing for. The Now Zealunders have a great name here already. M-ijor-general French has styled us the Independent Two Hundred, or the New Zealand Independent Cavalry. Colonel Porter, in charge here, also thinks a great deal of us. He says we are the sort of men he wants: never go out without bringing home something-sheep, cattle, horses, and—oue of the cannon balls that was fired at us. Major-general French has taken charge of the cannon hall as a memento of the New Zealanders. Got our tents pitched on Saturday night, and are more comfortable now. Fancy writing a letter on the top of a kopje in South Africa, and to you. On my right the artillery have been blazing away all morning, and in front, about twoi milesaway, lean see small purties of Boers movingbackwardsand forwards. Thereis avcldtabout two miles long just in front, so the Boers are safe beyond that. Ted Valmer is sitting beside me. We have been talking about you; would like to have you hero. He is very anxinus to get into my section : has spoken to our oltirer about it, and he has promised to shift him. Have seen a lot of curious animals out here; saw seven springtoks yesterday, a few deer the othsr dav a lot of strange birds, and a number of small reptiles and insect-. There are hundreds of scorpions where we are now, and a bite from one of them would lay a man up for six mouths You remember those shoulder straps we had when we left. Well, they have taken them awav and given ns the bandolier, holding fifty cartridges. We still have the bolt and one pouch, cirried in the centre of the hack—holds 100 cartridges. We also have the sword bayonet. You would be surprised to fee the horse* standing at the peket tied by the head to a ropi stretched alon" the ground, and tethered by thohe4 to a peg driven into the ground, and they stand heel ropes likeold cows.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19000131.2.40.6

Bibliographic details

Evening Star, Issue 11153, 31 January 1900, Page 4

Word Count
1,318

LETTERS FROM OUR BOYS. Evening Star, Issue 11153, 31 January 1900, Page 4

LETTERS FROM OUR BOYS. Evening Star, Issue 11153, 31 January 1900, Page 4

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