WAR.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 7048, 9 October 1900, Page 5

WAR.

FROM MAFEKING.

Unaer date August 2nd, Trooper Meuli writes as follows to his brother and sister at Eltham:— "Arrived here on the Ist, from Bulawayo, by train, and expect to smell powder at any time now, as the Boers are quite close yet. We had two nights and three days in the train ; no sleep, for we were packed in trucks. Forty of us were pnt in one open truck, capable of holding only 16 men. During those three days we only had one day's rations. The first night we got here, Borne of us had to go on guard, and all of us have to tarn out at 3 o'clock in the morning, and go one mile outside the town, in case the Boots should make an attempt in the early morning. I have little time, so I will just give you a rough account of what we have gone through since we left Marandellas. It took as 26 days to get to Bulawayo. Here we stopped two days. Had my photo taken, and will send you copies. Then we were ordered to Fort Tuh, northern border of the Transvaal. Got within 40 miles, when we were ordered back (were then 11 days on the march, and thus lost 22 days), via Bulawayo, to Mafeking. The cause of our retreat was that the position the Boers held was supposed to be impregnable, and the water all the way to Pietersberg poisoned. Well, we got back to Bulawayo, and next day left for here. About oar march : We have not slept inside a tent, or even under a tree, for the last two months. We sleep on the bare ground, just in our overcoats, with our saddles ior pillows. Have not had rain yet, but very heavy frosts. Our overcoats are generally frozen stiff of a. morning, and our limbs are much the same. We go without food for two or threo days, and think nothing of it, we are so used to the deprivation. About 78 men are fit for duty in my camp (200 men). lam as well now as ever I have been in my life, which surprises myself, considering the food and rest we get. We cook for ourselves when we are on the march; that is, if we get anything to cook. As a rule, however, we can find neither water nor wood, both of which are very scarce. At times, for days we have to go without water. Some more of our horses died after leaving for here ; nearly all of them got badly knocked about. Mine did not fare too well, but will be all right soon. When wo got within two miles of Mafeking an armoured train took us the rest of the way. An attempt had been made to wreck the line the day before we came down. Mafeking is not the place we thought it was. You may compare it with Manaia. It stands on a vory level plain ; not a hill nt>r a rise as far as the eye can see. That accounts for the Boers not being able to take it. If this were a hilly country, no doubt they would have taken it long ago. Mafeking is iv the same state now as it was when it was relieved ; considerably knocked about, and deserted by all civilians. The only people you see here are soldiers and blacks. Water is very bad, and there is little of it. There is a good deal of sickness amongst tbe garrison. Wood is hardly obtainable, unless you pay the blacks 23 for enough to boil a pannikin of water. About our sleeping department: Well, as I have told you. we always sleep in the open ; never trouble with tents unless we are in regular camp. All the clothes we are allowed to carry (on our saddles) are an overcoat and horse blanket, the uniform we stand up in, and one change of underclothing, which latter we carry in our saddle-bags. The rest of our things wo had to throw away. What we want badly are a good bath and our clothes well washed. Fancy sleeping in all your olothes for months; not even allowed to take off your spurs. It is just a fortnight now since I had my boots off. No one has tho slightest idea what active service means until they see for themselves. I believe seven men's lives are considered equal to one horse's life. In any case, the horses get far better treated than the men. Every morning, at 3 o'clock, we have to go out scouting till sunrise. It is surmised tbe enemy will make another attack on the town."