THE WAIKATO CAMPAIGN

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3169, 16 April 1879, Page 2

THE WAIKATO CAMPAIGN

Incidents "by tho^ Road.

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; I.hayealready cqmm;utiica^d;t<? ypu by telegraph an account of the report of our volunteers at the Waifcato,! atdTia full accounts^ of the e.v.oluti6n'jj f )-ete.;^have already ueen published a repetitiok thereof lin/t'iese columns might .only bore readers of the Star. |- (T tb,eje«)rej. BQ^r, intend to give such .incidents of the cam* paign asj not been published, and will, Lthink, interest Thames readers. r

! While the Thames boys were seated in the train at Auckland station impatiently awaiting^the start* they were oheeml by .!th^^pp^ranoiB >ot ian l"dld'^hjftjiie'i[tfai«:G--^ that of p.;; Wickhami; 'who? Ravelled ;fw)m^ carriagl^'^'to r;camag'e ''Wtt';:an;' imnwnsei^JSJiindle'^"of ;^'liattqe^" oii; his arm, and distributed them amongst us. ; As he gave me a, copy he informed me it confined ja ' correct account of bis tSte-q-ißt6 with the prima donna. As the train left: the station 400 Thames throats gave a hearty cheer for Jip.v:<\ rr. ■•-'-• ■■-■--./■ <■[■■■-\ ---\ : ?;';'. ;'..'■ V; ''::. rimtiinsmi&^!'. j ;'';.;!;'':'. I , On the ; road to JHamilton-the train stopped at several ;little stations for the purpose of allowing;a ; little Vliquoring up." Immediately a stoppage was made a rush was made for the nearest hotel, and it was a difficult matter to get all the stragglers aboard. At Taupiri four Navals were in this manner left behind; and. caused some amusement by their up availing endeavors to catch up to the train. ' ' ' -'■■': ■■ '■•' :; _ ;;;-; ■■■^■.-■'■■- =-!:;l :,_,/- -■; ■ A Si.D,.INCIDENT. ',''' "' ''■ '' 'j

- When the.,train arrived at the Hamilton station, before the: bugle had sounded the fall in, a man was heard asking if Volunteer John O'Gonnell was in the I itrain. That individual, who is a member of the No. 2 Scottish, heard-the qaery, and called out to the. enquirer, asking, what he wanted...." Your brother; is dying-"was, ,the ; answer. It was too true. Poor Yelverton O'Connell died a few hours later, and-his brother jttat i arrived in ti me to see him drawl his last breath; This event cast a gloom;over many members pf the No. 2, with whom iO r6dnnelt;ifag':a r''great7faTOili|e.>'vl't''<'w"ill Ibe remembered f hat Yelvertbn Q'fclonnell eloped with a Miss Mullins from Hamilton, some, two years ago, the elopement being a tlieme of commoh coriversation for : some time. He, died after 12 houri illness, brought on by falling from a house some days before. '■'<■'■.■.'. '.'■'■.'■'-.}*

! '•;■'■.''_' - StTWDAt AFTEBNOOW. •;i'; i:;:>' The march from the Ration to Hamilton proper;; yfasabput. two miles long, and there are few men fa the companies "who will forget it for along timov^e were all worn out, none having hai a wink of sleep since we left the Thamesj,the road was ankle deep in dust, and the greatest portion,;.Qf,-itte.iramp/.,w^B'.''ti'p-;h\u..i-',:W» were glad when, we?reached Hamilton. After the Mayor's address, three pheers were 'gnren for #im ■ and the people of HamMon—not exactly- Oorreot)for Surf. day 1 afternoon some thought—but' the truth was, that the excitement: of: trarelling had made made many forget that it was Sunday. Very few attended service in the evening, though some rolun tears and' others' inquisitively peeped through the church windows and in at the owr. Some of these -were detected by the dapper little Church of England parson, the Ret. Mr Calder who, in the middle of the service, ordered them away and informed them he was ashamed of them.

::■,■■ [':'.',-.-. ' Out Naval , Brigade seem to; har©;, a happy knack of enjoying themselTei, and being merry under all circumstances, and as usual their good humor, together with their neaV uniform; soon mede theai jftTorites with the people of Hamilton. They filled' Dawson's Hotel, in Hamilton East, 'and part of a new' hall near*the hotel was also occupied by them. An p^court of the pranKs they carried on during their stay wotild'fill a Tolume. They were frequently id be >een rushing through the streets on horsebaokji to the risk of their own nedes. '"■'"■" "«''.•'• THB BCOXTISH BAND. ' The band perhaps fared the best of all daring the whole of the trip. ; They had a first cbss carriage pjaced at their disposal, aad the best sitting room at Ee&rce's hotel was occupied by them. At several of the meals orderlies were placed at the door to prevent anyone going into the dining room till ,tho* band was seated; This, which was probably brought about through the officioHsness of some of the inferior officers of the battalion,: caused somo dißsatisfuction. It must be, said, however, that during the trip the bands were moßt obliging, always being ready to discourse sweet music when required. TtTBNED OD;T fa ?ED. ' On Sunday night it may be guessed beds were at a premium. At Pearce'a Hotel several o" the members of the

Thames Scottish jumped a bedroom with vfbuz, beds in'^if, iand to secure a good night's rest turned in at 7 o'clock. It afterwards transpired that Captain Tai-" pari and other distinguished members of tha Native corps had engaged this room by telegraph a week before, so when these gentlemen came up to bed several of the "jumpers " had to turn out and finish the night on the cold boards of the lobby. Your humble servant and Sergt. Burns, of No. 1, managed to retain a mattress and blankets by dint of snoring and growling defiantly, when an effort was made to dislodge them.

THE CADETS. I don't think the Cadets created a very favorable impression at Hamilton, and should ever they go again they ought to be better looked alter, and kept more under control. At: mealtimes their billet was frequently a perfect pandemonium. It must in justice be said, however, that the disturbances were originated by a few black sheep. Colonel Fraser, with his usual kindness, started races for the lads, and gave several pounds away in prizes for them. ;.; ! A " DUTCH " AUCTION. Not the least amusing incident of Monday afternoon was a "Du'.ch" auction,, conducted,' by.. Vol. >S r , Jjeydon,.<>f ,^6. Engineers, assisted by his factotum,,.ypl. Gerrish,, pi thp^ S^tti§h. J^tr I^jdlp^n. with his ''Weatbter eye "to liusiriess'i 4 smelt' out a Hamiltonian who had a horse for sale, and immediately agreed to dispose of ,it,by auction! It being past the hour when ah auction can be legally held] our friend Leydbn^ determined 160 sell the animal (a boney old ;rook) by '•Dutch ", auciion. The thing was done thusly:— j&ei rish rang the gong of GWynne's hotel, apd.in a steniomu voice announced that ''•Mr John.Laydon will sell by auction, etc.;." -end', speedily a crowd collected^ The auctioneer, dressed in his uniform* and mounted on a cavalry charger, eom>menced extolling the many virtues of the horse he had for sale. How it was ia did racer, and had got; out of condition through straying into the swamps. He F° ode§to H uf & flP># down yf slow degrees to*£B IO«, at which jprj^e ; it T was bought^|:» Dutchman.. JBx Ithis tvansactjpn, which caused nnpoundea amusement^ Vol. Leydon made lOs for himself, and 5s for his bellman.

j All our men were delighted with the Waikato Cavalry. They are as -fiae ajbody of men as ever bestrode horse-flesh, •and : ide lik^ centaats. , Tlieir, horses are all in fine condition. The cavalry men soon :made acqur.intance with ';\i number of our men,and they were to.be seenhob- y ;npbbirig ■ togethei* as if they (lia4; been; ib^'iom; triends ;for ye'^rs V,;' It', (nb, .un- c. usual sight Lo see one of these Wa^ikato horseman dashing thrpugh the .streets with a Scottish helmet or a Naval cap* set back foremost on the" top of hia head.

r >. Hi.MILTONIINB KBSMJSISBp. r , T | To!. Leydon created some sensition at ■the Navals' quarters! on Monday night bymesmerising ssvei al resideats pf. Hami)^ •ton, a number of whom were vevy sceptical regarding the bot& fide nature of the occult art that Mr Ley don exercised.' He, jhowever, sent one or two off into a trance, apd foiled them to perform; a number of queer antics,, to the great amusement of a jhetrogenious crowd of volunteers and civilians who had collected to see the fan.' 1' • ■;';? v-.-i- :..■-.,- ■; u-:-, .■:•:..■ : ■ -..,,■-:' ■i-a-J'i h'tWAITING FOE THE MAIN. When we left Hamilton for. the rail way station 1 it was raining,' and 'we viyere speedily yret through.' yfhen iw^ arrived at . t,Ue,, station, judge what pur . feel-. i.ags were whea we fo^nd that the ti'aip !ha4 hot arrived;.we had to waiCt\»o n^u'w ;in t,he pelting rain until the train arriyed. Ail appeared to be in good spirits and | passed the time away, by singing songs j all |hands jo:mug .cheekily in the chorus. ■ When the train stopped' the men could 1 I not be restrained, and they rashed the [ train in spite of the commands of some of ; the officers. Those whor obeyed; com* j mendspndrftW^pO}" suffered/ by tl|e|r : obedience; asitHey ba^tjgr^at difficulty in securing places in th« trai^ w;hil|jth^fle^ who "rushed" managedto'sedurefirstclass carriages.

AF EBTOIE. We all regretted leaving ETamilton. Every one did their best to make us comfortable, and many expressed a hope that the review, would become an annual affair. If this could be arranged future trips would be more enjoyable, as the experience gained on the late trip could be turned to good account. I could fill this issue with incidents of the cam* paign, but as I have already exceeded my space, I must here come,to a full atop.