The Easter Encampment

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 128, 14 April 1885, Page 2

The Easter Encampment

(Communicated.) When the Manchester" Rifles heard " The Assembly " sound in the streets of Feilding on Thursday, the 2nd of April, 1885, forty-two of all ranks responded to the call. Thexompany having been told off, marched, headed by the band, to the station, and entered .tije _^f_^J^H& carrying with them the hearty good wishes of the entire people of the district. There was but one feeling oxpreeeed by the iroopa, JMB&i&rJftdo honor to their calling, and -they succeeded to their hearts content... The - journey to Wanganui was. enlivened „ by the strains of the band; ted by Bandmaster Daw, and' the 'inte_Tiads :: , i : filled up, by vocal music. At Wanga» . ; ntii the' GarrisQn Btand :]^ia^(M[iftf contingent tb the transport, whero j,^ Major Stapp, assisted by Se_^H-3__^r w Henry, superintended the embsrkat^n^. v - which was effected in perfecfc<nde&.. ,. reminding one of veterans. ;hp|d of the steamer Charles Edwacd fca» yf well bedded with dean straw , L and all the men lay down as they, fondly hoped, for a good sleep. •. The; tripr^P the Heads was delightful indeed; but the bar once crossed changed .the scjenp from the sublime to th% ridioulom|. Mai de mer, or, ta give ft the more homely, name lt SM-Hchuu," began to ' tell on all hands, and withi^. half an hour not a few wished jthey hjad never been born or had embarked upon the "Charlie." On entering the French Pass the men again were themselves. The ship hadsprung a leak whilst going out of harbor, and at one time during the night there was two feet of water in the fore cabin and a lesser, quantity in the fore hold. The pumps' wer§ jfcept at work unceasingly , and by the exertions of tho crew /the water-waslkWit undor. On sighting Nelson, the Wanganui Band discoursed .whainuqr truly be- called ■ sweet .music, all of a martial nature, and when the pier was reached, "The MancAesteraT'yjrere ready to disembark, clean,yas though they had only left their homes.— The baggage & uard, under Lieut Blackmore and Colour-Sergeant .Nicholas, pre,^,. ceeded the main body to- the port of" departure, and made the^menn^py by taking up a good position td boaia ship and placing the kits*onfthe beds. The same party remained in camp at Stoke 1 , and escorted the. s^itfesro the train at Wangamu, i and at Feeding not a strap wasmisis&g. The want of breakfast on board the. transport i*;aß greattly felt on the outward' vpyiljge, but to. the honor of jthe men be it spoken, not af tvord of gro&bmig waa heard, although the bugle told fivaof . the clock on Good Friday before The " tea " came to hand. This error was rectified on the homeward passage, the. - steward of the Charles Edward pro-:-: ; vidiug tho best shilling's worth .they: ever had for a morning meal. -The first post of tattoo saw the cajipj^t, rost, aud gun .fire, at 10 p.m. dJEs-../ turbed the sleepers. ,3o/ x es^(| the first day of training. The morning of Saturday was opened by the $uu firing, and. at •> onoe the troeps bestirred themselves, hall - paas__six o'clock seeing' the company;] on jts private parade. At steady drill until the. (breakfast. call .at^ight a.m released them. There was then joy at • Astelan, thanks : to bur yotfng ~caj>ks whose colonial' training enabledtthfem to serve splendid coffee, with condensed milk and plenty of sugar; fetishes of beef steaks, new bread, and good; butter to the l company, and need we say that although-the earth was at the same time seat" and table, thetts^ast* fer such it must be termed, was thoroughly enjoyed: "' Drill • again •at 9.30 a.m. ( under Captain Macarthur and the subalterns ' Laeuts. - Biackmoife&d Pleasants* thb men' paying great atteivtiop to the instruptipi^ c^ two-hours duration. Dinner at nioon—bW; mutton, potatoes and bread,; no tea or coffee. Twoo*dockagarf_Wund the brigade in rorieWo^er; marching to the southern parade ground, a paddock of eighty &hif^faMM&** j as . level as, a. bowhng , .green, vnjefe ;two batt^on.coiiunander^ : Thepßgadier,, Major Stapp»j gave tW ; yolun- . Ijeers a trufl i^tothe myj^enes of soldiering. /.Every movement^lequired of troops in masse, in eschelon, and in square were gpne through Ag&in and -W»fl» miphmg past, in all the phases oftne dunu book> until nearly six p'&oclt, when the brigade marched io quarters in column of fours, to the three bands. To* in' a hurry; the train .waitaMg, &d off to Neboh/^ where ithe . gaUaiijt _|rf!lows found ■; ■a ■ hearty welcome*! .fer within: one hour ofrein. leavings the camp almost every man orjbey__of tfce corps were escorting a lady, and in many cases ladies. To. use thefaxpression of one of oun4.lV The girif<oeuld jiot resist the .red. coats, -Wsytogk them all from -the Navals>" T^is.if ,a matter of opinion, as we cap ayer} that all branches of the pervice, Guards, Rifles, and Artillery seemed to share equally#i9.aipilef flf ihe f fir sex; but the Alexandra, Cavalry, a splendid set of fellows by the way, who. were. a week in oa^p, before jw^e; arrived, had yrhat we .niay call the elite, of the Njbliohbekuties. The Bcenein the'sfre^s, when the gas was lighted, may %c described in the ■ woksdh' oftHe poet: *There .was spund;of wyejjy .hy jpgpj^ and Nelson's capital resounded, wilk the juices of lovely womeiijui^ )>?*l&f vw, teS\ y : \yy yyy.i 'i,y. i :u . (To be continued j, : .- t ., AC ... v