THE FIFTH CONTINGENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 44

THE FIFTH CONTINGENT.

(Feom Our Special Correspondent vtite

the Contingent.)

Marandella^, June 15

After again loitering for about three weeks in Marandellas, the majority of the squadrons of tho fifth contingent were got on the march for Bulawayo, en route for the Transvaal frontier. The last ten days we spent in equipping the men and getting the horses into trim for the journey. Saddles and bridles had been given, and as the hor?es were taken out to graze for four or five hours each day, a few of them were saddled, so that men could ride round and keep tho mob from straying. This was a splendid chance for the men to enjoy themselves, and the non-commiasioned officers in charge joined in the sport. A few "stiff" jumps having been fixed up, the horses were trained to jump, and in a few days every horse that was fit for harness would attempt any height because he knew that if he could not get over he had an agreeable shampooing to go through, especially as they had all by this time become covered with ticks and horse parasites, which arc the horse pest of the whole troops here. There seems to be no permanent cure for it at this time cf the year. Yet, in spite of this, the majority of the horses began to show a great improvement in condition. These that still showed signs of disease were treated very summarily by the " vet^., whose chief sources of cure seemed to be the mysterious contents of a long steel-necked bottle, or the evident contents of a long horde pistol. One was as effective as the other. There were about 3000 horses in the lines and stabling, and out of these I should think a daily average of five were dragged away by a span of bullocks. During the last eight or ten days Canterbury and Wellington alone have lost between 30 and 40 out of 200. Auckland was a little more fortunate, but as they 'were supplied with artillery horses, they did not feel the loss, but were able to pick out a number of their worst mounts, and these were distributed over the other companies of the contingent. At length, when the men were fully equipped, some time was spent in mounted drill under Captains Currie, Abbott, and Jackson. Colonel Learoyd, of the staff, also instructed the squads in. rifle practice. AN INCIDENT OF MAGAZINE RIFLE DRILL. The Lee-Speed rifles are somewhat complicated, and arc rather difficult to manipulate without some practice. , A member of A Squadron was ingenious enough to go successfully through a performance, which gives a small body of the Ncay Zcalanders a strong claim to having been under fire. Being a non-commissioned officer, he was ordered to step out and go through the process of charging the magazine. After putting the tenth cartridge into the magazine he drove the bolt home without closing the cut off, thus loading the rifle by the last motion. The process is to pull the trigger, which under ordinary circumstances is done without anything unusual happening, but in this case, to the' astonishment of the whole camp and to the consternation of the squad standing a few yards in front, the rifle was discharged, and the bullet whizzed uncomfortably close to the heads of the group. Tho would-be expert, who is well known as " Scorcher ' in New Zealand, is occasionally reminded that he has the- glory of shooting a nigger in a kraal some thousand yards ahead. THE HEALTH OF THE MEN. Since the arrival of the different squadrons f rom Bamboo Creek most of the men who were buffering from fever have completely recovered, and those men who were left behind at Umtali or Beira are now in camp. Several of tho Impeiial Yeomanry died from the effects of fever and dysentery. Lieutenant Whyte has just returned from the hospital, recovering from a second attack of enteric fever. Captain Tanner has been invalided back to New Zealand. Sergeants Strong and Watt have also had rather severe attacks of this persistent malady, while, a great many others had slighter attacks. For several days there were as many as 43 names on the tick list of the Canterbury squadron. At the time of leaving to-day for Bulawayo the following men of the above squadron are too ill to come on: — Troopers Goaling. Gould, C. F. Smith, and Hanson. Sergeant Hight is left in charge of these men, who are to follow with 10 sick horses as soon as all are well enough. No. 11 Company, Auckland Squadron, moved off with their guns on the 13th, and No. 12, under Captain Abbott, followed on the 14th to act as an escort. The Canterbury troop starts for Bulawayo at 5 o'clock to-day. Referring to our ceremonial parade before General Carrington, the only thing

that struck me was the sensation that Ohegwin's splendid playing of the Royal salute created in our lines. It reemecl to suggest the stirring anticipations of action. Very few of our men have yet received any correspondence from New Zealand. The strict censorship of letters exercised may have something to do with it.