LETTERS FROM THE CONTINGENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2410, 10 May 1900, Page 67

LETTERS FROM THE CONTINGENT.

The following are extracts from a letter received by Mr J.'Crombie, of the Chief Post Office, Dunedin, from Trooper G. Arnold (Balclutha), of the First New Zealand Contingent, dated from Kimberley Hospital, the 25th March: —

I have been laid up in hospital for about three wetJks with enteric fever, but am now fully recovered, and leave to-morrow to rejoin my regiment, which is at Thabanchu, about 50 miles east of Bloemfontein. I was at the relief of Kimberley, which was a very tame affair. "We had a fair nglifc at Modder River, but after that we had no stoppage, with the exception of a few brushes with the Boers on some kopjes, as we passed along; but it was not much, althotigh one shell nearly finished another chap and me, as it landed between my horse's legs, but, the ground being soft, it did not bmst. We had a very rough time coming into Ivmiberley. At Modder we were served with three days' rations, which were almost impossible to cairy, so half the men lost them and had to starve in consequence. At first you coiilcl see tinned meat and biscuits scattered everywhere. After we got into Eimberley the company that I belong to was ordered out at 4 o'clock the next morning to escort a battery of artillery to shell some Boer camps round here. We were engaged several times during the day, but drove the Boers all out of their several camps and entrenchments, which took iis until about 4 p.m. Our company was the last to come in, and we were coolly informed that we would have to stay out at a farmhouse for three days. We had no rations of any description, so we had to starve, but the emergency rations suffered. It was that tiip which gave me the fever, drinking" bad waCer and having nothing to eat. Fever cases are very numerous here just now, there being about 400 in hospital. I saw the capture of Cronje and also Mrs C. They were a worthy pair. The Boers were in a bad state, nearly starving, and it was funny to see the effect the capture had on the different men. Some welcomed their capture with joy, while others were very sulky and wotild not speak. Whether they could or not I do not know, as a great many people hero cannot speak English. I have little more to add, as I suppose

know as much about the war a3 I do. ' You will hear all about it now that we are getting the best of it, but the news was pretty well censored when we were getting beaten everywhere. Lord Roberts is a wonder. He goes amongst the troops, and cheers them up with cunning little remarks, which he knows will touch their vanity. He stroked down the Highland Brigade and our regiment very nicely. Of course you have to allow a liberal discount.

Under date the 13th March, Trooper Hastie wrote to his father from Bloemfontein. We are permitted to make the following extracts :

Here we aie camped on the outskirts of Bloemfontein, with the Pice State licers all dealing out, so you see we are getting on, pud it looks as if it will soon be over. I have bad j news to cell you. Poor little Bill [Trooper I Hastie's horse] gave in yestcrdsy en the march, I ai^d lay clown and could jiot get up again, so J I had to take my srddle oft and leave him. Luckily a New South Wales Lincor came along leading a. lame horse, so I put my saddle on him and so goi into camp. The houses have had a very hard time lately, as they have only teen on half rations these last three weeks, and have had very hard work. All Billy | wanted was a spell, and I wanted to put my [ gear on the transport waggon and lead him plong, but they told me to ride him until he dropped. So L did. He is in the middle of a gia&sy plain with plenty of water, so he will get fat, and some other regiment will pick him up. I wrote you from Kimbsrley, and I the next morning we started from Ivoodoosraud Drift, and took part in the capture ot Cionje, although ours was a very small part — simply i watching at night to see that none of them escaped. We had a very hard time of it, as the transpoit could not always get through, a:;d we only got half rations (one dny we only .got one biscuit), and it was raining nearly eveiy day, and, as we do not have tents, we did get a dienchmg. We sometimes gat a little flour issued out to us, and I will give you our recipe for cooking. ' For dampei' or scones: Put your flour m your canteen, and set some water and a little salt, and a little Jii:o's fruit salt you can) to make it lise. I Mix them together into a dough, then put it into your canteen lid and cook it. I tell you jit is all right. To make skilly : Get a. handful ' of flour, mis: it in a little water, then boil your canteen full of water and pour the mixtuie in. Then let it boil for quarter of an -hour, when it is ready to be eaten. Don't give these recipes away as we have letters patent for them. All joking aside, i did not know what it was to ba really hungry before. It is net a nice sensation. We left more than half oiir men st Kimberley, who were either sick themselves or their hos'ses were, so there are 0.-ily about 60 of us here. We were five days on the march here, and had a bJg fight on the way xip. Lad night they made their last stand, and shellei us pretty heavily, but wo got through all right. " This inornirg I had to leave the troop, and come along slowly with my lame New Saucli Wales horse. Thiee of U3 were coming along together, when we were told that a, farm ahead of .us was owned by an old Auckland man, so we decided to call. He treated us first class, and invited U3 to his house to have a cud of

coffee. We went in, and imagine our astonishment wheji w.e got into the room to see three Imperial Army officers, including a major, sitting at the table. We sat- down beside them, and joined in the conversation. One of them asked tnq ,if .any of us came from Dunedin. 1 said I did, aud ho told me that in 1884 he was learning ' farming on '"Jimmy" Shand's farm. Aftor -this we got on well. We are picketed on a small kopje above the town of Bioemfontein, about five miles distant. It does not look a very big town, but I expect we will stop here for a week or two to recruit horses and ourselves, so I will bo able to write later and tell yoti all about it. A week ago we got a mail from New Zealand, the first we havo had since leaviog S linger sfontein, so you will know how glad we were to get it. We all suffered greatly from diarrhoea, caused by hot days and cold nights. I had a fortnight of it after we left Kimberley, so I went into the field hospital and got a cotiple of doses of medicine, and tied a strip of flannel round me to fix me up. lam very thankful I enjoy such good health, as it is no joke being laid up here. I have never missed going out a day that the contingent has gone out. Neither had Billy, poor little beggar. Pie went till he dropped. We carry a great weight on cur horses, and, ■what with want of food and hard work, we break them down. While we are on the march ■\ve pass them in dozens, left on the road as done for. We commandeer Boer ponies, and a good many of our chaps are mounted on them now. I ran in a stallion on a Boer farm. He was as wild as a deer, but another chap and I ('•aught him in a kraal", and I ptit my saddle and bridle on him straight away, and didn't he perform for a while! I rode him up to the camp, and when I got there I found he belonged lo a loyal farmer, so I had to let him go It was hard luck, because he was a dandy. We see many strange sights here, and it will take me a lifetime to tell_ you all about it. I have not had my clothe 3 .off, except to wash, for a month, and at nights we tie our horses logethev, and lie down on our saddles.

In a later latter, of the 30th March, Trooper Hastie asks : "Why does not New Zealand ship here? They would have a grand market for oats and light horses.

A letter from Trooper R. M. Thompson, of the Fourth Contingent, written from Albany to his mother, -has been placed at our disposal. The letter is dated the 3rd April, and the writer says: —

We arrived here this morning, and have had a very good passage s.o far. We have Igsu two horses, but the rest are doing veiy well. We are taking seven more horses on board. That Will make our number up to 250. This (the Monowai) is a fine boat — everything up to date, and the food is something splendid. The Union Company deserve great credit. I see by the papers that the fifth contingent have been having rows on board. We weie lucky to get clear of that old tub. Albany is not qtiite so large as Dunedin, but is a very nice little town. We were all very sorrj' to see the last of good old New Zealand's shores. I\ am afraid South Africa 1 will have to be very good before I can slop away from Foulden Hill. There r,ie two coal hulks on each side of our boat filling her with coal. They are taking on 500 tons from here.

The Telegraph dejDarhnent notifies that for cablegrams to members of the New Zealand contingents in South Africa the rate has now been further reduced to* 2s per word.

A letter received in Ohristoliurch from a member of No. 1 Company of the Rough Riders states (according to the 'Press) that Lieutenant Bourn was appointed to take command of the company vice Captain Rose resigned, and Sergeant-major Walker had been appointed junior lieutenant".

Amid th© countless heroic actions of the sterner sex it is only fair that the bravery of British women should not go unrecorded. The outbreak of disaffection in the Carnarvon district gave Miss Walton, postmistress at Van Wyk's Vlei, an opportunity of showing her pluck and patriotism,, The rebels smashed the telegraph instruments, and, pointing a gun at Miss WaJvon, threatened to shoot her if she "refused to deliver the keys. " Shoot me dead," she replied, " then you can take the kej's, not otherwise." The Boers seem to have been deeply impressed wilb. the courage of. this daughter of the

Empire, and let her have her way. She. reached Carnarvon with the money and the stamps, and well deserves a reward for saving so many Queen's heads.

It is notified by the Telegraph department that cablegrams for members of the various contingents must bear the word " Soldier " if they are desired to be brought under th? reduced rate.