WITH THE ANZACS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXX, Issue 146016, 20 July 1916, Page 6

WITH THE ANZACS.

AN INTERESTING LETTER

Sergeant T. Seiby, of Mastertou, writes from '' somewhere •in tho Indian Ocoau" to his parents in Masterton as follows:—■

Wo aro having tho loveliest trip that could bo imagined; ■ absolutely smooth sea aud a gentle breezo day after day. To give voir some idea how calm it is, we have not closed tho lower port holes right on the sea level since wo left our. last port of call over a fortnight ago. Tho ship might bo standing at tho wharf for all tho motion feel. The sun is very hot at present (we are | somewhere ou top of the Equator) but i the breeze ]\eepa us cool, and wo do not find tho heat trying excopt down below among the horses. I was in charge of the night picket last night, and at 3 o'clock this morning the sweat was dripping off me .just standing still. It is pretty deadly down there, .and unfortunately wo arc compelled to sleep down there when on duty. Our health is a secondary matter as compared with the welfare of the horses, apparently, for nobody worries about us—but if a j horse gets hurt you would think a mur- ; dor had been committed. Wo work hard, but are very well treated, and have not much to complain about, all things considered. A N.C.O. job is no "chuck in," on a boat, and I havo decided that I will wait for a commission before I sail to tho next war. The Powers ;iust gather together and hatch out fresh orders for tho non.-corns. to carry out,- and when you consider that wo are short-handed and short of appliances to carry out our work, aud have our hands full to get tho most necessary work done, you can quito see with me that we shall bo glad when tho voyage ends, if only to stop the endless stream of orders and fresh and additional work that is fired at us. To us falls tho pleasant duty of introducing the fresh legislation to a highly indignant and overworked body of men, and then sec that it is carried out properly, and at the same time keep tho men contented. As a side lino we begin where tho Sunday School teachers left off and endeavour to improve their morals by stamping out tho evils of bad language. We lay awake at nights scheming out how to get the work through, and wondering what fresh horrors the next days orders will bring forth. We had a splendid time at our last port of call (wo must not mention tho name) tho people were kindness itself. It is a pretty little place, very old-fash - ionel, We went to a dance in the evening, and it was for all tho world like one of the old socials in the school. Tho M.C. stood up by tho piano, clad in a ready made suit somewhat of a slack fit iv most places, and yelled out the figures in the various dances—no introductions necessary "Just eort out your partuers and wude- in aud enjoy your* self.M