LETTERS FROM THE FRONT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4764, 23 June 1900, Page 3

LETTERS FROM THE FRONT.

The following letters have been received from Trooper J. Loeigau, Waipori's representative in the Fourth Contingent: — S.s. Monowai, April 23rd, 1900. From the time of leaving Dunedin until we got to Albany we lad a splendid trip and only lost one horse. We all thought we were going to break a record as far as landing horses was concerned. We got a very good reception ' in Albany when we went ashore. The New Zealanders are. great favorites there. After coaling at Albany we started for Durban for orders. On the way we had a couple of rough days and it played great havoc with our horses, 13 going overboard ap to arriving 1 at Durban, malting 15 up to <3afce. Oar passage from Dunedio|to Albany took us 8 days, and from Albany to Durban 20 days — juet 4 weeks neat from Dunedin, and an average passage of 290 miles in the 24 hours. Four hours. after arriving at Durban we got word to proceed to East London, We had our anchor lifted when we were signalled from the shore to wait for orders. Next day we got orders to leave for Beira and proceed thence to Port Salisbury, which is 250 miles by train. There we go into camp and join General Carrington's 10,000 Infantry and some of the Australian bushmen. Where we go from there we do not know, as we are practically under sealed orders. Our captain was rather annoyed when he heard where we were going because we were told in Durban that Beira and within 200 miles of it is a fever-stricken place. They are making great preparation on boardship for it and are giving us quinine twice a day. When we arrive, the day after to-morrow, we are to take the train right away to Salisbury, We did not land .at Durban, but from what we saw and heard it seems to be a very- busy place. We saw some splendid boats, and also the American hospital ship Maine and a British prison ship with 300 Boer prisoners on board. Now I will give you some Durban prices. A single bed for one night, 10s 6d ; one meal, 3s 6d ; eggs, 4s per doz. Everything else is on the same scale, excepting fruit, which is very cheap. I had almost forgotten to tell you that I lost my horse between Albany and Durban, three going over the side on the same day. We will all be provided with remounts when the other boats arrive. Things were very amusing on boardship for a week after we left Dunedin with seasickness, and there were a good many wished they had never left their happy homes. As for myself, I was laid up for a week, but after that it was really splendid. The only thing we didn't like on boardship was that they gave us too much drilling, boat duty, etc. There is not the slightest doubt but we were very lucky in getting on the Monowai, as we praotically had a saloon passage, and.it was very enjoyable as regards concerts and musical evenings. We are all very anxious to get ashore and into the thick of it. I hope the next time I write you I will be able to say we have had our baptism of fire. I believe yet I will be able to send you a lock of Paul Krnger's hair. Beira, May stb, 1900, Jasfi another line or two from this | fever-stricken, place, which we are told | is the worst in the whole of Africa. We have just had a week here and expect to be here another week before we go to Salisbury to go"into camp for a short ( time prior' to startiflg'for the front. We expect to have a good time under Car* ringtoo, that is plenty of woawnd fighting, as they caU r Mm "Dare-devil" Carrington. - Beira is the most primitive placeTi-ever struck. Their railway service is quite amusing, being a gauge of two feet. If you drop your hat you have plenty of time to get off and get it and then catch the train again. Their tram service is worse. Niggers are the motive power and when one car meets another one of f ihem has to be lifted off to Ist the other pass. White people do very little work here, it is nearly all done by Kaffirs. We just stop any of them in the street and make them do anything you have to do. They follow you like a dog. They are inferior to the Maoriep, even Chinamen being pushed or carried abont by them. There are several Chinamen here working for companies getting 20s per day, and any Europeans who do any work get the same. It costs £8 per month to live at the hotel. Common 'drinks are als and others, such as whisky and soda, Is 6d each. Tea is 5s per lb, and lib loaf 6d. There is a crowd of us camping here, Victorians, QueeDslanders, New South > W*le§, South Australians, »ad our-

selves. Tt is quite a treat to see the horses, about 8,000 or more, arriving every day. There are at leasl 20 more transports expected to arrive. A shipment of Hungarian remount horses, 750 in all, have just landed. They are small but very hardy. Oat of that large number only 40 were lost on the voyage ; though in the Bed Sea the thermometer stood at 125deg. in the hold. Our horses compare with any here, but I think we are going to lose a lot, as the water they have to drink is simply awful; just thin mud. S.S. Maori only lost seven 'and the Waimate only lost four horses. She also lost a trooper named Taylor overboard. You must excuse this scribble, as it is done on the back of my canteen. I will try to write often er when I have some news I for you from the froub. Afc present we have scarcely time to get a bite to eat. There is any amount of snakes here. We have great fun at night, and we make some awful jumps when we imagine there is a snake in the tent.