A LETTER FROM EGYPT.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13731, 20 March 1915, Page 3

A LETTER FROM EGYPT.

STAMPEDE OF HORSES

The following is an extract from a letter written by Corporal R. Arnold to his parents, Mr. and Mrs R. Arnold, Korere, and gives a description of the stampede " which took place at the camp in Egypt:— The 10th got into a bit of a mese om the 28th. We had started out for an all-day tactical drill, and had gone about 10 miles, skirting along between the settled land and some sand hills about three miles on our right. The squadron was acting as an advance guard for the regiment, and had had a most successful morning's work, what with advance pickets, supports, connecting files, main guards, etc., and everybody seemed to know exactly what to do and to do it well. About 1 o'clock the advance men pulled up to wait, for the rest. Then the major ordered all but horse holders out to the left of the vilTage. We were to make for our objective for the final attack on foot, and to make it more realistic I suppose he ordered all the horses to be taken into an old, dry irrigation canal as soon as they were watered at the well. No. 3 troop, ! which had been acting as advance patrol and first support, was the last to be brought up, and the other troops had already handed over their hoses and put their nose-bags on when we started watering. Now, there was an old road leading across this canal between the well and the old mud village, and we had to cross this before we could get into the big ditch, and it was pretty steep on the side towards the well. Two troops had entered on the top side, and at the far end of them the two transport waggons were unharnessed, and the men had started to boil thej big dixies for dinner, which would consist of tea, beef, bread and butter, and . which we were looking forward to, as we had started at daylight. Well, one troop had entered on the bottom side and fixed up their horses, and got away, leaving their horse holders, one man to four horses. No. 3 were leading round as we watered, and I was just going to enter when I heard a shout and a rumble up at the top end; one of the transport teams had bolted right into the horses at the far end, and straightway the whole lot of horses stampeded. The horse holders had no chance, as the bits were out of the horses mouths, and everyone of them seemed to go mad. They came over the old road—6o maddened horses, and most of them plunged straight into the ditch, which was about 20 feet wide, but nearly a dozen of them cut round the edge and came charging along to where I * was. Just for one second I hesitated, then I hopped on Kowhai, and away I went with the lead. THe last I saw as I passed the canal was a sea of horses, their tails on end, and shrieking with, terror, while men were under their' feet everywhere. What a gallop_ I had! For about a mile I kept up with the lead, then I pulled out, as there were about 30 horses in front and about 70 behind. Some had saddles under their bellies, and they were still going strong. Then they separated, and I followed them up at a fair pace for about three miles, and then I headed a mob that were circling round. Some of them were nearly choked with feed out of their nose-bags, which had not come off, and they were all as silly as could be. The first man to came up was a nigger. He had caught one of the choking horses and mounted it, and it promptly ran away with him, but stopped when it saw my bunch. After a lot more adventures I got them safely back to the scene of the stampede. Long before that there were about 20 men after the runaways. There were no men killed, marvellous to say, but about a dozen more or less hurt, and some will be in hospital for some time. One horse was killed, and a fair number are .in the regi-| mental sick lines. I

The horses were all as fresh as paint that day. It was the first big day since the march through Cairo, and it was a pity it happened, as all ranks have been so keen getting them up to real tip-top order. T don't think I ever had Kowhai in such good condition, all mp'-iflc and h«ird # as nails. There were great rejoicings and scoldings as each fresh lot of runaways were brought back. T was the first* to get in with n derent haul after two hours. My word, I was hungry, too. By next morning all the horses were Back on the linos.

One of the things that strike us most in this omint^v are the hordes of hawkers. They pester you at every turn; you simply can't get on without a walking-stick, nocording to them. You must have cigarettes, and they are shoved under one's nose at least thirty times a day. If you sit down you isoon have six or seven around yon, with oranges, ehorolates, old Roman curios, handkerchiefs, etc., and even out in the desert it's^ surprising how soon two or three will -appear. As soon as a halt is called they come pelting Up with their blouses full of oranges, or a basket of tomatoes, and do', what mn'st appear in their eves a roaring trade.