ON BOARD THE TROOPSHIP WAIWERA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXIII, Issue 271, 30 November 1899, Page 4

ON BOARD THE TROOPSHIP WAIWERA.

A LETTER FEOM A VOLUNTEER. The following extracts from a private letter received from Corporal B. R. Avery Ohinemuri Rifles (late of the Waimea Rifles (, and one of the Now Zealand contingent for the Transvaal, written on board tbo Waiwera, will be interesting to many readers of the " Mail " ■.— " I suppose you know all about the fuss that was made when we left Wellington, the troopship being followed to the Heads by 25 steamboats, the esplanades, etc, being lined with people, and the cheers that were given and returned. Our fellows were so glad to be off that I believe they would have cheered old Kruger himself if he had waved a hankey. . . . There are one or two on board who are very bad indeed j but most of us are getting over the seasickness by this time. The jam, preserved fruit, etc., given by citizens of Wellington and other places, are verj- acceptable now that the boys are getting about again. One thing wo mUs very much, and that is fresh water to wash in ; the lavatories being fitted with salt water, they stopped as using from the fresh water tap. ... 1 had to stop writing just to answer a call to do some flagsticks that were wanted for signalling. Our duties are as follows in answer to the following calls : — Reveille, 5.30 a.m. ; stable warning, 5.45 ; stables, 6, water and feed horses ; breakfast, 8 ; 6tables, 10, feed only ; parade, 11, drill order ; dinner, 12 ; stables, 1 p.m., feed and water ; parade, 2.30, marching order; tea, 5 ; stables. 0 ; first pest, 9, prepare for bed ; last post, 9.30, lights ont. Well, it is time that I began to see abont getting ready to go on parade ; but I intend to get ont of it if I can, being carpenter's mate to-day. I was on guard yesterday and the day before, pacing up and down between two rows of horses' in tho hold — a very disagreeable but necessary routine where there aro so many horses, as somo of them get on their sides or knees in rough weather. There is a great deal of work connected with the horses on board, they having to bo fed often with small f eeds. They are placed with 4-inch rails padded with sheepskins, between each, their heads being held with halters fastened to a chain, which gives just room to eat to the bottom of the manger. I don't think I told you how we feed and water our horses. Well, to begin with, thero iB a rush for the hose (there being only two fresh water ones on board.) Sometimes a man is told off to get it first, honestly if he can, but get it first. Then, the hose is fixed to a tank of ;f rrsh water which is pumped up from the main supply below. Each horse has a water-tight manger, into which is run 2 gallons of water at Ist and 3rd feeds. Then comes a hay feed ; then chaff and oats. The chaff is put into a hand-barrow with a man at each end, and another to put the chaff in the mangers -, three more men oome with another barrow with oats, then one comes after to mix tho feed up. Then the stables are swept up, and the men file away. Tho stalls are only just wide enough for the horses to stand in ; there is no room to clean them out, so we have a 3-inch canvas hose, and wash them out twice a day with salt water. . . . We are living well on board. Plain food of course, but good. Porridga, steak, stew, bread and butter, and milked water or treacle for the porridge, and potatoes for breakfast j meat, roast and corned, two vegetables, bread and butter, and pudding (two wsekly) for dinnar ; meat again for tea, also jam The bugler ii a good cornet player ; ho is playing somo popular airs, the boys joining in right hearty style, with piano accompaniment. Oh, there goes tho Holy City cornet and piano ; one of my favourite aira The table orderlies have let down those tables — quite ingenious affairs, I can tell you, with a ledge all round to keep the plates and things off ths floor when thero is rough weather, and which let down when not required for use, so as to give more space. . . . Guard duty is rather disagreeable oh board ship, There are eight posts to be guarded on the transport, 3 men for each; that requires 24 men and a corporal and sergeant of the guard. Tho new guard mounts duty at 7 p.m. and Btays on guard for 24 hours. There goes " stables," so 1 must be off. . . . Sunday. We were turned out at 5.30 this morning as on any other day, which did not quite agree with my " health." We had a short eervieo in our quarters this morning, tho Major reading the service that was used in camp at Karori, and tho men's voices ringing ont in right gocd style, led by the piano. " There was a temporary stoppage of the engines yesterday for about 2 hours, owing to the condenser leaking, and which bad to* be repaired. It was very annoying, as we want to get to Albany to hear news of the war. There are all sorts of speculations as to how long we shall stay at Albany, whore we arrive at 4 a.m. to-morrow. I believe we aro to have six hours ashore ; half the company in the morning to 3 p.m., and half in tho afternoon until 9 p.m. So I will post this off from there.* ■mrrrn-1 n tm.