A LETTER FROM ONE OF OUR SOLDIERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3331, 16 January 1918, Page 56

A LETTER FROM ONE OF OUR SOLDIERS.

New Zealand Discharge. Depot, Hampton House, Torquay, Devon, England, September 30, 1917. Dear Dot,—l now take tip my pen to write a few lines to the dear old page, giving you an account of a few places I visited in Scotland while out on furlough. The first place I went to was the Edinburgh Castle, which is perched on a rock, almost precipitous on three sides, 300 ft above the surrounding valley and 445 ft above sea level. The castle is the most striking feature in the landsoape. Apart from historic associations, which linger longer in such national strongholds than in cities, the claims, of the venerable, fortress as a vantage ground for sight-seers are almost unrivalled. The castle as it now appears is comparatively modern; but its history as a whole can bo traced back to the earliest century. There is but little now within its walls of date prior to the fifteenth century. Passing over the drawbridge spanning a dry fosse, we enter the castle through an archway flanked by guardhouses, and proceed up the steep roadWay which passes under what used to be the State prison, where Argyle, among other notable prisoners, was confined before his execution. Then we come to the half-moon battery, from which daily the 1 o'clock timegun, registering Greenwich mean time, startles the unwary visitor. Then from there we caught the oar for Queensferry, and the famous Forth bridge should certainly be included, as giving an. impression of the environs of the city, as well as affording one of the pleasantest of outings. From Queensferry the visitor might sail the Firth to Leith Pier, and hence return to the city by car or rail. Well, I will draw this scribble to a close, as space is limited; and will give an account later on of some. more interesting places I saw on my travels. Wishing Dot and the L.F. a merry Christmas and a, hapoy New Year,—Yours truly, LITTLE BOY. •27570—Private J. F. Noble, Fourteenth South Otago, Second 0.1.8., N.Z.E.F. [I tnderstand Little Boy is home, and I wish just to say. Welcome home and a speedy recovery.—DOT.]