LETTERS FROM THE FRONT,

Otago Witness, Issue 2416, 28 June 1900, Page 31

LETTERS FROM THE FRONT,

A letter was received by the mail from Major Jowsey, dated Bloemfontein, May 9. in which he says :— V At Easter time we stood face to face with the enemy, but I did not forget the officers •of the North Canterbury Battalion, and had I been within reach of the cable I would have sent them greetings. We were at that time marching with General Brabant to the relief of Wepener, which we entered triumphantly after fighting two battles, and scattering the Boers on both occasions. If; was a most trying time for vis all — no tents, short rations both for men and horses, picket duty all Right, on the hills during the day, which was done cheerfully and well. The General complimented the Rough Riders on their work, and on arrival at Wepener specially requested that we should be permitted to remain in his command. I was ordered to- accompany General Hart to Bethulie, via Smithfield. We made a night march on Smithiield, accompanied by the Malta Mounted Infantry, who have been under my command for some Lime. We placed a cordon round the town before daylight, and for this General Hart paid us a high compliment. I entered the town with an ©scorb, and released seven prisoners from gaol. I will never forget those men's faces jyhen I ordered the

gaoler to release thorn, as they were British soldiers. As I was leaving the town to join my men the Maltas mibtook us for Boers, and fired about thirty shots at us. Their range was accurate, and had their aim been better, we must all have been shot, as the bullets fell between our horses, which were extended. We took fottr prisoner? here, who were fully armed, with a large supply of ammunition. Many Mauder rifles and quantities of ammunition were found in houses all along the road between Wepener and Bethulie, vhare we parted with General Hart, who expressed a wish that he might soon have us in his command. We then trained it to Bloemfontoin, where we are now refitting and resting before joining Robin and Cradock in the Mounted D ivision. ' '

Mrs Waldie, Maitland street, has received a letter from her son, Trooper D. H. Waldie, who, it will be remembered, was captured at Eoorn Spruit by the Boers. Writing from Waterval, Pretoria, under date April 23, Mr Waldie states that he is in good health and strength, and that the prisoners are passing the time away playing football and cricket. The Boers were treating them very well. The letter, which is confined to some eight lines, is written in pencil, and across it is written " P. H. Rothmann," the name of the press censor. The envelope is stamped " Waterval, April 26. Pass Press Censor," and ii also bears tho name of Commandant Van de Wacht. Mrs Waldie has heard nothing as to whether her son is among the prisoners released. She desires, however, to thank the employees at Hillside Workshops for their cablegram to him regarding the occupation of Pretoria.

Regimental Quartermaster W. 'E. Christie, of the fourth contingent, writing to Mr James Christie, Balclutha, from Beira, on May 3, btated that Beira is one of the worf-t fever diptricl-i in South Africa, and while the men .ire in that territory they receive quarter extra pay on that account. On the Sunday previous lo his writing there was a big cricket match between some Australian 1 ! and the Beira people, and flags were flying all over tha town. Englishmen who can talk the native language get J340 a montli, and carpcnlers and mechanics get from £1 to 25s a duy, bi-t of course living is very dear, and rkk of fever has to be considered.

A letter has been received from Trooper R. Simmers, one of the fourth contingent, dated Beira, April 27, in which, after dealing with the voyage and referring to the loss of horses, lie adds that, happily, his hor3e did very well during the trip, and was looking very well. It would appear that at one time there was pome irritation among some members of No. 9 company, %vho rather resented the tone adopted by one of the officers, but it would appear to have all bio -ah over. Reference is made to the stampede of the horses at Beira. owing, it is supposed, to the near approach of a lion. One of the "non-coms.," it was alleged, shinned up a tree", and kept exhorting the men to keep cool and not to get excited. Some of the English Yeomanry, who are declared to be very fine fellows, and very friendly, were entertained at a social on the Monovi ai. Trooper Simmers, who was rather pleased with what he saw of the

country about Beira, stated in conclusion that^ he was keeping in splendid health.

Writing to his relatives in Wellington from the troopship Gymeric at Beira, under date of 11th May, Trooper Gus. M'Aitney says that, whilst his vessel was lying off Durban he and some comrades boarded some of the English transports, of which scores were anchored there, and found the experience a pleasant change from " our dirty tub." On leaving Durban the New Zealanders were ordered to wear their fever belts, as Beira had the name of being a terrible place for fever, the fever area extending for ten miles inland from the coist. At the time of writing the troopship Waimate had been lying twelve clays off Beira, without landing her men ; and the writer did not know when he and his comrades would get ashore, although they were under instruction to land horses on the day of writing. "If we don't get the horses ashore." he adds, "half the animals in the holds will be killed, so bad is the heat. We can't get to the jetty, but have to sling the horses over the side of the vessel into square punts. So hot is it that some of the horses have fallen down in their stalls from sheer exhaustion." He remarks that during the voyage of the Waimate orly four horses died, whilst on the Gymerio twenty died. He adds : "It is funny to look over tho, ship's side and see huge transports lying off, with thousands of boats running out to them, all pulled by darkies, nearly all naked. One transport has 1100 Yeomanry on board, and they go with us to the front. The New Zealanders are considered the best men to play the same game as the Boers, and I feel sure this contingent is as good as the others before us."

The members of the. Dunedin Amateur Boating Club will be pleased to hear that the horse supplied by them to the fourth contingent has been landed in good condition at Beira. Trooper Duff, the rider of "Dabs," in a letter to a friend here, says that, although his horse was kicked by Lieutenant Ssddon's horae, which occupied the next slall, it had quite recovered, and was looking fine, and fit for any amount of work. Some of the Australian Bushmen, who were at Beira when the Monowai arrived at that port, assisted to land her horses, and expressed great surprise at the excellent condition and superior stamp of the animals. In their opinion, they were the best yet landed there, and they had seen a good many of them. Speaking of the Imperial Yeomanry, 1200 of whom had arrived a few days previously, Trooper Duff says that they were soft-skinned, barefaced-looking chaps, about 19 years of age. They have been well brought up, and do not look as if they would take kindly to bully beef and biscuits ; but they possess any amount of pluck, which will carry them through. The rough riders and bushmen from Australia look like a lot of rough outlaws compared to them.