THE BOER WAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11794, 25 July 1900, Page 2

THE BOER WAR.

THE FOURTH CONTIN-

GENT.

OTAGO; SOUTHLAND, AND COAST

COMPANIES,

'(From Otjk Own Correspondent.)

Rhodesia, Camp Marandellas, May 29, 1900.

Here we are at last at the base camp of Marandcllas, some 124 miles inside the Rhodesian border, and heartily thankful we are to.be here.

But to go back to Beira. We understood when we left the Monowai that we would be almost immediately entrained for the base camp, but in this we were much mistaken. We had to remain in camp for three weeks waiting our turn, a3 soino of the Australian contingents had landed before us. We had a very bad time. Fever and dysentery broke out, and for a week before we left we had about 40 men in the hospital. The fever is not of a very violent form, and the-majority of the men recover after a week's nursing. Our first ptage was to a place called Bamboo Creek,, where we found all the evils of Beira

aggravated. The liistance-—55 miles—was successfully negotiated in 13^ hours. Of course, this was on the narrow' gauge part of the line. Here wo were delayed for 10 days, owing to the line being blocked with transport material. The broad gauge begins here. I'rom .Bamboo Creek we wore sent forward in small detachments, owing to the insufficiency of rolling stock. We had some lively experiences on the road. The engine drawing the tram I was on ran out of water about 20 miles from Bamboo CreeJt. just about half-a---mile from the next water tank. We all got out of the trucks, attached drag ropes to the engine, and hauled her about half the distance, but we came to a stiff grade, and there we remained for 12 hours. We despatched a nigger back to Bamboo Creek, asking the authorities to send up another engine, but we made a fatal mistake in paying him first. lhen a train came down the line, and drew us on to the water tank, where we again got up steam, and resumed, our journey. Fortunately, the line was duplicated at this point, and we were able to pass the other train. Our next stopping place was IJmtali, four miles inside the Rhodesian border, where we disembarked our horsas, watered and fed Tins distance—lßo miles—we did in 20 hours! ifie remaining distance of 120 miles was accomplished in'ls hours. Such slow travelling is very trying, particularly to the horses? I here is no coal in the country, so wood is burnt on the engines. This accounts to a certain extent for the slow rate of travelling. .Lhe horses wqre conveyed in fly-proof trucks as a precaution against the bite of the tse-tse fly. which is fatal to horses and cattle. The last of our men,,with the exception of tho=e in the hospital at TJmtali, arrived here to-day. About 20 of our contingent are still in the hospitals: but there are no cases that need cause any alarm to friends in New Zealand. V\hen in Boira, there was a considerable amount of competition' among the different contingents in the matter of trucking horses, before our turn came the record was held by the Westralians, who trucked 100 in 59min. iNo. 10 Company of our contingent succeeded m lowering the record by no less, than 25min —having trucked 100 horses in 3* minutes! Several attempts have since been made to lower our record, but they have all proved unsuccessful.

Now a word as to the country we are in. It consists of open, rolling downs, stretching as far as the eye can reach on every" side. It js well watered, and is covered with coarse, long grass. The heat in mid-day is no greater than on an average summer day in Now Zealand, but the nights are extremely cold, and the dews very heavy. One would think to look at the country that it is a splendid one in every respect. Yet. it is unhealthy. If horses eat the grass when the. dew is 'on it they are liable to take horse-sickness and die. The water looks fresh and good, yet it cannot be drunk with safety. Fever is common. Shoap cannot be reared in this part on account of a disease called blue-tongue, to which they are very liable. Certainly, the country has suffered some severe checks. Four or five years ago rinderpest swept over the country, and killed off every cattle beast, but a preventive in the form of inoculation has since been discovered, and there is now no danger to be feared from that evil. Then the Mashcinas rose in rebellion, and murdered many whiles, and destroyed their farm property. We are at present camped within a mile of a battlefield on which 2000 British and Masbonas are buried. A considerable -amount of gold-mining is being done, but the reefs have not yet proved, very rich. I think the future of the country 7 as far as we have seen it, will depend on cattle-rearing. Round about Salisbury, some 60 miles from hers, and' the northern terminus of the railway, there is a large area of rich agricultural land. Altogether, I think that when the BuluwayoSalisbury section of the line is completed, and communication opened up with Capetown, that the country will be a prosperous one. Naturally, stores are very dear, and particularly so at this time, when the railway authorities will carry nothing but war material. While waiting the arrival of a train a morning or two ago I went into the only hotel in the place and had a plate of porridge, for which I was charged ss. I don't know what a full breakfast costs, but if it was pro rata, I am glad my train came.

A new drill book. "Regulations for Mounted Infantry. 1899/' has been issued to us, so our drill has been altered to a large extent.. It is no doub.fc desirable thr.t there should be uniform drill throughout the whole of the Rhodosian Field Force. The carbines supplied .to us in New Zealand have bean called in, and the, latest pattern of the magazine rifle has been supplied. It is more complex in its construction than the Martini, but is said to be a very much superior weapon.

There has again bedn considerable mortality among our horses, in spite of the great care we take of them. Several were injured in tho trucks during the carriage from Beira, and othei'ij have died, chiefly from bluetongue, which they contracted at Bamboo Creek. Since we landed in Beira we have lost 15.

It is understood that the whole of the fourth contingent are to constitute a regiment, to be called the "First New Zealand Regiment Mounted Rifles." The staff appointments in connoction with it have'not yet been made.

Mr Rutherfurd. well known in banking circles in New Zealand and Fiji, arrived some days ago and obtained a commission from the general, b\it it is not yet decided to which company he will be attached.

The following appointments have been confirmed in No. 9 Company:—Shnlders to be Sergeant-major; G. A. Ross, Jolly, Collis, and A. E. White to be sergeants; Bowling, Roberts, Jones. Newman, and Orbcll to be Corporals; Sergeant-major Jickell, of No. 10 Company, to be regimental sergeant-major; and Sergeant Saxby to be sergeant-major.

The Royal Artillery have fitted up three batteries of field guns, and have been recruiting among tho colonial contingents, as they brought comparatively few men with them. About a dozen men of our contingent have joined them. Captain Major and 100 men of tho Auckland section of the fifth have also joined them. It is probable that we shall accompany the Artillery to the front. Now lhat our final equipment lias been almost completed, we are anxious to be moved on to the fighting line. We expect the order to march at any moment.