Another Letter from South Africa.

Manawatu Herald, 8 May 1900, Page 3

Another Letter from South Africa.

Trooper Robert Perreau has sent the following interesting letter to the Rev. W. Woollass :— * I have muoTi pleasure in sending you a few lines to let you know that I arrived in South Africa safe* We had a glorious trip across, and the horses stood it very well; we only lost ten. We went to Durban for orders and stopped there for nearly , two days, and then started for East London. We iteamed close along the coast and there were some grand sights, we could see herds of cattle feeding on the nice green hills which seemed to come right down to the sea ohore. We arrived at this port (East London) on the 28rd March and we did not- get ashore until the 26th, there was not room at the "wharf until some of the other troopships unloaded. There are thousands of troops landing here every day and are going straight to the front ; a great many are coming from Ladysmith to go up with us to the Free State. They looked as though they had had a rough time of it, for their clothes were worn out, and their bayonets were bent, and their guns were very rusty. They seemed to be very nice fellows. Some of them are going to stop here for a few days for a fpell, and then they are going up with us. There are train loads of wounded men coming her© from the front every day, and as soon as they get well they go to the front again. I was speaking to one chap that had been in five different battles and he says he would like to be in another five ; he was wounded twice and he has three brothers that were killed at Ladysmith lately. The climate is very little hotter here than it is in New Zealand. I like the country very much from what I have seen or it, We-are all anxious to get a cut at the Boers and we will see some great battles before we have done; we might get through safe and we' may not, but if we get shot we will accept death with good grace ai we are prepared for the worst and we leave the rest to our Maker. I must now draw this letter to a close for the bugle has gone to fall in for parade. Good-bye.