THE SEVENTH CONTINGENT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12535, 24 June 1901, Page 4

THE SEVENTH CONTINGENT.

ARRIVAL at moot river. THE NEW ZEALAND SISTERS’ VISIT TO THE CAMP. (By NURSE WEBSTER.) N»- « G“ eral Tte , A (Wit S Seventh New J command of ct. to Colonel Porter, of M«or. « 9 J) Md ed on TBursday, M.c y > ngxfc morß ing. ! entered the I lßr ™ j droops were «nAfter a short Reeded to trained in «• M°oi for borse Durban was voyage Rom » good andthe tem- . pleasant, the weatntx B VO yage perature delignited- g given, at musical which some r f all > |, ter v/aS untiring m pjaycd. Ga P tol “J J ; t ' ll6 me n comfortable his efforts to mak was lucky m and happy, * of the vessel, and having him m cnarg ,j the men. Colonel Porter ™ officers and Colonel R°rter is nten, who say - a . war cry of the they will foilo\ • . translation of St-*— ! ” b, “" “ brave!” . t Mooi River The Confciog ' at o nce went depot, abmit a 5 S P a half from **£ £* they have I’cmarne tll elr horses and had a busy time o ffi cer equipment. Ihre P H ital t he day were brought into • nothing very after arrival, but there Wq of serious the matter wi ’ . their the troopers (?"“ get to' company again to day> . here, r r^rr*Ste 4 dS e ** his leg, wmen, f or travel. heS«6 £5 -to «»• *“* I? ieT w Ideu tenant Sodden ("^P' 6 V-tiio**>■ t,t“: Siffli * aftenvocm tea. the neat *■ j%£sss, m js: So- 1 - werf appointed. Captain Gabitee bang the only one ■who could get away, they t] “® " bIISY lb has been quite a S to tCI the toe, geteiPß ** equipment . from the station and trainmg their horses. So we have S een very of them, except meeting Them at the A. tion or in the township of Mooi River. Some Of the- Sisters went over W the camp to-day mid found everything in a state of bustle -and excitement. A wne had just been received from L^ 1 saying the Seventh was warded at Stan derton, as it is supposed! there is some big move on'there. It was most interesting to watch them mount and dismount (some totally untrained horses) as they were belni formed up in companies, ready to go to the station to be entrained. The work of entraining took some hours, and indeed ifc was late at night before they all got away. We.were sorry in one way to see tne last of them, although they were so enthusiastic and -anxious to- be at the front. Before they left they very kindly gratified the desire of the New Zealand Sisters by giving us their war cry. The Contingent certainly have had a taste of South African winter weather. The wind the first day or two was terrific, and not to mention dust, the remainder of tneir stay was spent in from 14 to 17 degrees -of frost- We sympathise with them lying out with -Only one blanket, as we find it intensely cold in a tent with six. I -overheard a remark at the station by one of.the troopers, “Tdi give five bob for a wash.” I wonder what be will offer in five weeks’ or five months’ time? I sincerely hope they will fare better than the poor Tommies'who have just come in from General French’s -column, and have had no* thing but xnealie meal, and! were turned out into a mealie field to eat green mealies like cattle. Or indeed like General Bundle’s “ greyhounds,” who did not have a wash or change of clothes for five months, and arrived at Harriamith without boots, putties tied round their feet and blankets for clothes.

The New Zealanders speak well of the treatment-they received at the cavalry depot, and everyone remarked what a splendid Contingent they were—all the men looking so fit and ready for the work; We wished that we had been going on with them. They all wished they had New Zealand horses.