LETTER FROM TROOPER SMITH, OF OREPUKI.

Western Star, 27 October 1900, Page 2

LETTER FROM TROOPER SMITH, OF OREPUKI.

Writiogfrom. Ottosboop, nuder date Bspt god, to the editor of this j mrnal, Trooper J) K. Smith, N Z, 4th Cont., 2nd Brigade No 10 Company, on Orepuki representative at the front, says :—" No* that I.hare got time, I will drop you a fewlinea to let you know what we think of Africa, and what sort of a time we have had. If they hs-i landed as at Kast London, where wo were supposed to land, we would have beeu at the front sooner than we have arrived. We were just leaving for East London when we were signalled to stop for orders. We got om orders In the morning to go lo BKIR4,

and were nil very muoh dissatisfied, a* we heard it was a very bad plate for fever ar.d a long way from the front. Beira is a Portuguese port. It has a population'of *" about 1500 whites, chiefly Portuguese and Germane, end an odd Englishmen or two. There are about 6*ooo blaoke. They de Blithe work and the Portuguese the boating. I ' The railway is something like a gatdtn path I between Beira and Bamboo Creek. The ■ guage is 2ft wide. They will stop anywheriT -' | along the line to piok you op, or yon town" | jump np on the train if you like. She trevj els at the rate of about six miles an hour. Wo had a tot t .f bustling to get away to a place called Bamboo Creek. There were sot * many traps to get away before us. We had - to wait our turn. The distance from Beira to Bamboo Greek is 60 miirs. THE JOUKNEY TO THE FBONT.

We left Beira one evening at 4 o'c-iook and arrived at Bamboo Creek at B o'clook the next morning. So yoa can gnats what speed we travelled at. We had to wait at Bamboo till all (bo sick want through to Umteli. A mongst these was poor Dunoan Mcintosh, <if Faii-fox, a great favorite with tbo bows. We were all very sorry to hear of bis destfr. We bad a monument erected over his re. mains. After waiting at Batsboo for four days, we got a start for Marraodaliar,a distance of about 520 miles. The guage from Bamboo Creek to Marrandallaa is 4ft lOin. i The train travels a bit faßter there, going at the rate of 30miles an hour. After we got to the end of the line, we were humbugged about for a fortnight at Marrandallaa. we started on our journey with transports for a dtstanoe of 800: miles. It la prrtiy slow travelling with lfl or 18bnllooks in a waggon. We ncrer travel in the. day time, always at night, as it is a bit cooler and the oxoo do not knork up so qoiokly. When we got to Ginelo,the loa.l boys wantod to try what sort of footballers the Heir Zealaudors were. -,-

A FOOTBALL MATCH. Wo were camped within balf-a-mile •! Ginclo, so we arranged for a match to come off at 2 p.m, in tho afternoon. Out teas w«a picked, but on account of our horses stam. leding at Ironraine Hill; Captain Harvey and four of our men were left behind to look for two or thrro whom we eould not find. Amongst these were L. Murphy and W t J ode, two of our test players, but anyway wo just mauaged to beat them by 6 io 8. There were five of our boys plating for the local team, as some of their men did not turn up. It was one of our boy a that scored for them, hut anyway they treated ua right heartily. • JOURNEi' EBSUMED. ",3 We prooeeded on our journey and reached Hula way o after 24 days' march. We (topped there for two dayß, and then proceeded to Fort Tuli. It is 190 miles froea Hulawoyo, and it if something like Beira—a fever-striokeo place, no* fit for a rat to live in. There are about 40 men down there aud they are the most miserable lot I have «Vrr seen, lean tell you we were glad to get away again, but we never thought we wire tp go back to Bulawajo. After two days' spell we went back to Bulawajo. We stopped in Bulawayo for a day, and then proceeded to Mafekihg, a distance of 620 'mile's by raiK I forgot to tell you that going down to Tuli we lost three days on account of Lieut, Seddon getting lost. All the men in camp were out looking for him, but could not find a trace of him. The men were out all night and the next rooming's I tb« men were just mounted ready to go out when a bigger brought the missing olflcer into camp. It took us throe days io s,o to Maf eking. When we got Io Crocodilo Pools the armoured train met ui thsre, and escorted us into MAFEKING.

II is a different place nltogeiber to what we thought it was. I think it was Badear Powell's ouuniogness and the dust that kept i the Boers out of Mafekiag. It has a popu. 3 lation of about 1500 people. It Is knocked | about a good deal. 1 went op one street I and it was completely mined, not a building loft standing. I have eneu several of the shells that were fired into Mofeking. We loft Mafeking to outer the Transvaal with Generul Carringfon. We have got 8000 troops with us. all mounted. OUR BAPTISM. We did not go far over the border before we were fired upon. When we camped at night shots were dropping all round us. While watering the- horses a bullet struck the ground not more than a foot in front r>f Captain Harvey. He did net snem to be concerned in she lcait about it. Ha jost ordered the meu to parade and proceed back to camp in his usutd cool style. The next day some of oor gonj were sent oat with a detachment of mounted men and drove the enemy back into Limmeis Hillb, where the? made o stand. Next day we were ordered out in quick time. AN ENGAGEMENT. ~ All our boys were anxious to got to the front, so we got there *t last. The . H.Z. i Battery took up a position and shelled a I position on our left, while the Fourth Contingent wero ordered to take the hill on theright. We had to cross a flat of about half--mile before we i cached the hill. 1 bej never fired a shot going across. VYp were ordered to fix bayonets and charge. We wero within 20 Tarda of the lop of the hill •afore they fired on as. C. Bates, R. D'on« clly (fnveroargill), and Lieut, Baichamp were first np the hill, with Capt. Fulton aad his men on tbe left and Capt. Harvey on the right. Capt. Fulton was the first to fall. He was wounded in the groia. Sergt*. Hiokey and Sutherland were the next to fall. Capt. Harvey and bis men were in a more dangerous position. Poor Capt. Harvey fell with a bullet through his head. We were ordered to retreat as the fire was too hot for ns. We had to crawl back on our hands ' and kuees. We wero ordered to oharge again, this time successfully. The bayonet got too closo to them. I don't think there is one man on tbe face of the earth who would Ftand in front of tbe bayonet if he could get awiy from it. C. Bates (of Preservation) did a very plucky deed. A Boer bada. Maloncy (from Goro) covered, when a very quick shot from Ba'rs brought him to hie last resting place. H. McKenzio (of River, too), or better known os "Cronjo*" amongst his male?, had a very narrow ?scape 4 a bullet going through bis barvcaack and emergency rations tin, Wilkinson (of Gore) also bad u vary narrow escape, a bullet going through his helmet. Wo bold the bill for three days, and then retreated to OHoahoop to let Lord Methueit bring bis troops through from Zeorust. We wi-ie on JH array Hill for 72 hours with only a few bard bisoo'lts and a drink of water.

OTTOSHOOP is a small Dotch township, and the Boer* hnd vacated it before we got there. It is about the size of Orepuki. 'Jhtre area few Dutch women and eome pretty Dntoh girii in it. lam thinking about fetching one back to New Zealand with m». The N Z girls can not oome up to them for prettiness. Wo bare not been under f» roof more than nix nights alnoe wo left Beira. We get a little skirmishing ererj day. The Boon nick * lot of tho Australians off by sniping. The A«stralians are far too careless. The Boers * have got a terrible stt on the boys with slouch hats. There were some of our boys oat

•bootiqg going down to Fort Tuh without orSars and they got paok drill. They had to pit on all our gear *nd maroh oiv boj down the road fortwohouisa day, i-trbape for four daye. We hate lost our Major■now, and I hope we won't get any more. I wo* the Boers a-e uetting tirvd of fighting, dim I cWt think it will »e lon K taloio Vf"> " " declared. I hope not anyw.-»y. o«« » rnmour that oil tKe eol-mUI ihidj* are w all hoLC it is tru-. Anj way, l ' u * d "f''"„° fsnpUd to join us ma day or we are to proo-ed to Preioua, a *■»°° y « SO' mileg from wheie wo aie camped at IS The Southland boys are all we JoTKloJk »ery !■«. by. think Iml have to draw to a close as it w about »,«, for met, go on guard. My bast respects to *"■ "