A LETTER FROM SUEZ.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 315, 10 November 1888, Page 3

A LETTER FROM SUEZ.

The following letter from one of the nativ c team ot footballers travelling in England will be read with interest. It is dated September 13th on board the E.M.&. Cuzco, and was posted at Suez. After speaking of how they were treated at Melbourne, and of "calling- in at Adelaide and Albany, the writer goes on : — "After being out about ten days we found that it would not do for us to do nothing all the nay across, otherwise we should get so fat that we would not he able to get into trim in time to play our first match in London. So ib was decided chat we should take turn and turn about in going down to work in the coal bunkeis for two hours each day. In the moining before bieaktast, we all had a run around the deck of the ship in our bare feet. After working down in the bunkers aboat a week we were told that the purser had given order to the stewards to lock the bath 100 ms so as we could not get cleaned. This, of course, was to depiive us of our good exercise, which was doing us lots of good. We thought this artful and unkind. Then we were quietly told that we should not be allowed to exercise ourselves in running round the deck. This news was very disheartening to xis all. Poor Joe and Scott were in an awful way about this, and swore vengeance again&t the Company for it. I thoueht it awful hard lines to be deprived ~oi our exercise, which really was doing no harm to anybody. We used to have some boxing and dumb-bells at times, but this was nothing like the running and the shovelling at the coals for one's muscles. We have been very lucky in having fine weather, as up to the present the passage has been very smooth. In the ti ade& we had a stiff breeze which carried us i-ight across to the line, which v.a&. a& crossed on Wednesday morning, sth Sept., at 11.45. The heat here in" the Red Sea is awful. The ship is covered from stem to .stern with awnings to keep the sun off. One can see the boys scattered round the deck looking ror a cool spot. Some have procured hammocks from the sailors, and ha\e£Ot them hung up bub these are too hot to .-.top in while the sun is up, but they are \ery nice in the night. It is a fine sight to see the boys and tho whole of the passengers when they are supposed to be asleep. Lots of them ha\ c no clothes on at all. I'eihaps out of the whole of the passengers there ain't half a dozen that sleep in their cabins, but lay all aboutthedeekandonthecabin floor, andsomc on the tables. I think that once across this line is enough in a life time, although we had been blessed with a jrood breeze so far, otherwise '^pomel^of the passengers might die, as I am told they sometimes do fchrouffh fche i eat. I am pleased co say that all the bo\s are in good health and spirits, and Joe is almost well. He can walk about now without limping. We expect to reach Suez to-morrow . At present, w hile I am writing, our ship is passing two small islands called the Brothers, one of which has a lighthouse on it. I suppose you have heard that Mr J. Lawlor, the Victoiian footballer, who was with the English footballers, is tiavelling with uf to teach us the Victorian game, so that w e can try conclusions with thu Victorians when we recurn. We are going to stay a long time in Victoria, much longer than we expected, perhaps the whole of next winter. I am sure we will all be full up with the game then, and the address of the boys is to be the General Post Office, London.