AT THE FRONT.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 31, Issue 9220, 8 June 1900, Page 1

AT THE FRONT.

The following extracts from letters to his friends here by Mr I). J. Stewart, who is at present with our troops in South Africa,, will prove interesting, i The Train, Past De- Aar, Feb. 27,1900. We are now on our way to the front and are -being harried forward as fast as- possible-. "We were in camp at Maitland, four miles? fromCapetown, since Monday, 19th Feb., to Sunday, 25th, when we started off , for Naanpoost.. On arrival at De Aar, however, we found orders had been received Co send us on to- the Modder River, and therefore it is quite. likely jwe shall be in the thick of the fighting before long,. When in Capetown we haclour horses allotted to us, and I : obtained' a splendid! little . bay pony,, j whilst my saddle is admitted: by al!l to be the best in the regiment. You see, ! I had special opportunities, being the cleric, of making the-selection.. The authorities are establishing at Capetown a large depot for all Australians and New Zealand troops. 1 Here all sick Australians and those who don't go on dirpct to the front will be sent Our officers made great efforts to. get me to. remain behind to | take charge- of the depot, -saying it ' was necessary that there should be a man who could be relied on to db- the work properly. Of; course, I appreciated the ttompliment but a couple of days in the office showed me- very plainly that if I once accepted the position I would not bevaltowed' a chance of going to the front. I mentioned this to the officers and they then offered to make me a sergeant and to give me a tent to myself in which to live if I would remain. I felt tempted for a time to accept it, 'for it was- a responsible position which I knew I could fill creditably, and it would' give me ample oppor- ! tunities for meeting returning soldiers and getting plenty of material for 1 Press But my main object in j coming to South Africa was to take my part in actual warfare in the interests of the Empire, awdi although it :is quite possible I could have served the country better in that position than I can on the battle field, I decided not Ito stay behind i&'l could'possibly help jit, and at last the commanding, officer ' agreed to> look out for- another; and eventually got one. When in Capetown one night I saw a party of Highlanders marching down the street.. I' inquired who they, ware,, and found they were members of the Black Watch, Argyle and Seaforth j Gordons, and Highland; Light Horse

who> had been wounded but were-now convalescent and were on their way to be entertained at a smoke concert by the Highland Society of Capetown. One oh them asked me to accompany them, and I gladly did so. When I told the ,iman atr the door : that; I was the secretary o£ the Highland Society at Illawarra ■ he at once communicated the fact to the chairman, and I can't describe the vrarmth of the ,welcome that they.gave me.'' I was made to. take a seat in:the front beside Captain M'Qrae of the Black Watch, my health was boasted,, and when I was leaving my arm was; nearly shaken off by the soldiers. We started from Capetown at 5 o'clock on Sunday,, and it is now 10 i o'clock on Tuesday. We had been in the train the whole time and ten or twelve hours will take us to Modder River. We passed- several trains conveying Boer prisoners and refugees from Kimberley and other places to Capetown, bub I cannot, just now give you a description of the journey.