RETURN OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES CONTINGENT.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume V, Issue 232, 25 July 1885, Page 4

RETURN OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES CONTINGENT.

From the " Argus " telegram recording i the receution of the New South Wales' men on their return, we condense the following:— Sydney, June '28 —At 10 oYlo.'k, every . man, woman and child wlio wanted 10 see the march was in position, either in the windows of the buildings en ro ite. in the streets, or at Circular Q lay. It is hardly poss.hle to give an estimate of the numbers, but it it were said that 15:),010 saw the demonstration, the approximation would not be an extravagant on<, and upon them all, or rather upon ad ! who were not sheltered, fell the rain. It was about 7 o'clock that the troop- ; ship Arab steamed towards Circular Quay from the Quarantine station, and as i she passed the warships in Farm Co\e the cheers of both sailors and !-oldiers filled the air with such gladness that even the rain appeared to be checked. Every 1 little steamer that went by blew its shrill welcome toward the large white vessel as she lazily came over to the quay, and the Naval Brigade on Fort Macquarie broke the ranks, ascended the earthworks, and sent their hurrahs across the water to their comrades from afar. They were replied to by the contingent with the vigor and heartiness to he expected from men who have come within a few feet of the city after vicissitudes of a military j expedition, and when their band played j " Home, sweet home." "Here we are again," repeating them; again and again, the men cheering in the intervals, and sometimes breaking into j spasmodic rejoicings ol no describuble character, they were amazingly hilarious,' and the shore men were equally ecstatic,! notwithstanding the rain. The people f away in the direction of Macquarie Place ! were covered with umbrellas, aud ap- j peared like a mound of mushrooms that! had grown during an eclipse, and were black at the period of last contact. They were no doubt very miserable ; but thej prospect of seeing the contingent atoned I in great measure for the slush on the j ground and the rain from the clouds. The j men on board the Arab crowded on the starboard side to catch the first words ol welcome from the quay, and when faces! •could be distinguished the recognitions, were hearty, and quite like the greetings! <of colonial youths. " WHAT HO ! BILL." «• Billee, how are you ? Did you dish the; Mahdi? How's Paterson?" " Quite' well, and so on. Then came the sound of music fiom the road leading behind the quay to Lady Macquarie's chair, and very soon the Naval Brigade, with their band passed into the enclosure to a quick | step, and more jaunty because it was to the refrain of "Our Jack's come home-to-day. They were scarcely m position j before another band was heard, and j •another, and in a minute or two the infantry and artillery divisions passed I before the ship, and cheered so loudly that the bandsmen thought it was no use j playing, and so joined in the demonstra- i tion, and swung trombones, cornets and j drumsticks in the air to accentuate their gladness. The riflemen waved their rifles, i the officers their swords, and they all were so excited that the contingent looked as if they would like to break bounds and rush down to the wharf to make the enthusiasm more intense. When the hawsers were made fast a .'gangway was fixed, and one or two of the officers including Colonel Kichardson. Colonel Spalding, and Major Airey, came down, and received an informal but wa m welcome. The contingent landed an Arab •donkey, being brought off as a trophy of 'the trip, and the convalescent sick looking <on from the vessel. They were all glad to $e on shoie, and acknowledged with unrestrained but pardonable warmth tl e signals of goodwill from the ladies in the large wool warehouse above. They had walking sticks from the Soudan lashed to their rifles, and one ©r two had spears, to

show what weapons the British had to I contend with in elose quarters. They all ' wore THE KHAKEE UNIFORM, which is of a dull grey shade, very much j ( the worse for wear, with pith helmets of lie regulation pattern, and they looked just as they might he expected to look after a campaign. In physique, they were choice specimens, hut it could be , seen that they wen- not m such good condition as when they started three mouths and a-half ago. Hie fatiguing climate J into which they were sent, and the rigours j of the expedition, had left marks on their faces and forms. At the south gate the contingent were pressed very closely. The crowd cheered, ' and the steamers whistled loudly and | discordantly. " Hooray, hooray," shouted j one excited man, who rushed at a I sergeant. " Hooray, my eye," retorted the officer. " Next time I'll do the hollering, and you can go." The umbrellas on the hill moved up and down to show the joy of their owners, and the people from the windows waved their handkerchiefs and beckoned. They went via Macquarie Place to Pitt street, and there received a greeting 100 times greater than at the water side. In Hunter street the pack was dense, and in George street the demonstration was enthusiastic in the extreme. Men and women burst into the ranks to recognise relatives, and the officers themselves being on the look-out for familiar faces, no doubt did not unbraid. Once the inbreak was serious, and a subaltern whispered INTO A WOMAN'S KAB, ' It's all right, but you must leave the ranks, you know ; you will see him again shortly." "Oh, but, sir, I'm so glad to see him, do let me stay, he's my | husband." The appeal could not be re- : -isted, and the man and wife walked together to the barrack gates. A young private was clutched by a brother who ; handed him a small brandy bottle, but it was first offered to a lieutenant, who took . a sip in recognition Kit the compliment, i :md then it was passed among the men j until exhausted. '• Here you are, George," | said another friend, as he pushed a bottle f of rum into the hands of a stalwart corporal, and that was also emptied. Fni was distributed freely, and the lad.es in the balconies threw flowers, with whi h j the warriors decorated their rifles and j helmets. There was goodwill every- | where, and the marching order was i wonderfully well preserved, considering all the interruption. When the addresses had been delivered, all the men of the contingent marched out of the barracks. In a minute or two they were dismissed, and then there was a scene unlike anything ever witnessed in ; Australia. These were our first soldiers . who had seen service elsewhere, and this ; particular moment was the first of their I liberty on their return. No wonder that | jumped amdraced about like demons, and embraced their wives and mothers,! ! sisters amd brothers, and everybody wko ! looked as if she or he WOULD LIKE AN EMBRACE, j A great many immediately handed over j. the £lO received the day befor *s an inj stalment of their pay, in order that the [amount might he safely kept. Some rushed out of the gates to their homes, | and although the rain continued, very few ■; thought it necessary to seek shelter. When the real business of the day had terminaI ted, the cio» d, that is to say these who j had no relatives, quickly returned to their homes, and by two o'clock there were fjwer people than .usual {„ tlle streets . ' l lje llirt .y grey uniform could he seen at I m:l "y corners still wet, and late in the i evening reminiscenses were beimg poured ,! JG eai ' s of all listeners—" When I j was in the Soudan, fee." Altogether the " demonstration was a very extraordinary ' one, the more so because of the inclement weather. Nelson Colonist. t