LETTER FROM THE FRONT.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 133, 15 June 1901, Page 3

LETTER FROM THE FRONT.

NOTES FROM TROOPER MOORE

From a letter received from Trooper Jas. Moore, of tho Sixth Contingent, dated Piotorsburg, April 13th, wo take the fol-

lowing extracts: — “ Just outside Warmbaths the squadron I belong to was sent to some farmhouses for firearms and ammunition. Ernie Skcot and myself had to search for half a dozen hours, whilo other members of our scouting party proceeded to do likewise at some other houses a little distance away’. I ontered one house, while Sheet kept guard outsido. I was looking under a bed in a room that was a bit dark, when all of a sudden a fowl flow out from under it. It scared six months’ growth out of me. Sheet heard tho noise from outside, and ho thought tho placo was full of Boers ; but happily there was nothing more dangorous than the old hen. Most of the habitations visited contained a large number of women and children, and tho sad-looking faces turned on ,us when we told them they would have to leave for Pretoria was a sight one is not apt to forget in a hurry. They cried bitterly, and cast many a longing glauco back at their homes as they were hurried along to the noarost railway station. “ From Warmbaths to Pietorsburg the I railway lino was in the hands of the Boers, and to the latter town we were I ordered to proceed. Nothing of any consequonce occurred until we were within two days of Pietorsburg, when the Boers on the hills opened fire and wounded two Australians in tho advance guard, and killed nine horses, aftor which they hurriedly made off. The Boers kept constantly sniping at us on our way. to Petersburg, and just outside the town I one of them, while hiding in tho grass, fired at and killed a lieutenant, a captain, and a private, besides seven horses. When cornered he had the cool cheek to put up his hands for mercy, but he was very soon sent to rest. The wretch was supposed to belong as one time to tho Bush Vaal Carbineers, and turned traitor and deserted to join the Boers. The three men killed were all Australians. The town of Pietorsburg is a very pretty little place, though very unhealthy, and it seemed a pity to have to burn and blow up somo of the main buildings. “ We are at present scouting the country between Pietersburg and Pretoria, and every man, woman and child we come across arc sent to tho latter place. “I never expected to see any country'liko this we are at present passing over when I left New Zealand. We ride through cornfields and cultivations of every kind. The crops of maize, kumaras, pumpkins, melons, peanuts, and sugar-cane are splondid. The orchards are on a large scale and are worth seeing, especially those of bananas, oranges and lemons. Some of the orange trees are 20ft high, and bear large fruit, while the lemons are the biggest I have ever seen. “ The grass is up to the horses’ knees everywhere, in consequence of every beast bein'’ cleared off the land. The horses are '(lying fast—six and seven a day. They get the veldt fever from eating the trass while the dew is on it. We leave the nosebags on them at night, but they sometimes rub them off and break loose, with the result that they seldom see- the next day through. A good many of the horses we brought with us are dead, so you may be sure any addition in that lino from New Zealand will be welcome.".