With the Second Contingent. LETTER FROM TROOPER J. GOLDSTONE.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 3, 7 June 1900, Page 3

With the Second Contingent. LETTER FROM TROOPER J. GOLDSTONE.

The following, from a letter written by Trooper J. Coldstone, of the New Zealand Second Contingent, will be of interest 10 our readeis :—: — '• We kayo nt last (May 2nd) reached tho main aimy and are now fairly on the way for Pretoria. In my last letter, from Victoiia lioad, I <-pld you that we were to join tho Colonial Brigade at Bloemfontein, and that is what we have done. We went by train to Norval's Pont, but owing to a flood in the river, which sfcoppud tho train fioni crossing the causeway (tho big biidgu bus been blown up), we had to disoinbaik and niarcn the rest of tae distance, about 125 miles, which added to our former Konhaidt march, makes the disUnca we have done about 650 miles. Our march to Kenhardt is recognised up here as tbe most trying maich of the war. About 150 of our horsea have been sent to the remount farms, and they are to be replaced but none -of the new horses are up to much. We are camped here with a detachment of tha first contingent, and wa erpect the rest of them in a day or two. I have not yet seen Dan Fraser or Byrne ; they are out at the waterworks. There is plenty of skirmishing here now, and Corporal Parker was bhot yesterday by a pom-pom. Bob arid Butcher are with the JM^Jor at a place 23 miles away from hei\3, on tho lailway line, Kara Siding — they left yesterday morning, both fit as fiddles. We got 'new military saddles and a complete outfit at Bloemfontein. The new tunics are green khaki cloth, and are far bettor than our old ones. It is a great sight to see the troops here. There are about 100,000 under Lord Boberts, and thousands are coming in every day. The Imperial Yeomanry marched with ua from Norval's Pont, but we killed them the first day out) although their horses were quite fresh, and the prettiest you ever saw. Our first contingent havo got a great name up here, and are considered, by all who ha\e fought with them, the smartest crowd going. They were vary glad to see us, and have been hoping for us to join them ever since we lauded. I am getting a remount hers, as my horse has gone lame ; but he will soon be fit, so I won't lose him. You wouldn't balieve how fond I have got of the old beggar. » .The horses have a vecy rough time. They have to carry a terrible load, and feed is very acaroe. Fancy feeding a, horse on three doublehandfuls of oats three times a day, and marching from Daylight lo dark. , . We got a big mail on arrival here. . You have to bustle hero to see you are not left, for there is always a rush for tucker. One of the third contingent) joined us at Springfontcfin. He was let sick in tho hospital a u East London, and when well came on to us. Five ot our fellows we left behind are bodyguard to Kitchener, and have a great time. Bob is riding in our section now, as there are no bugle calls allowed htire on tho fighting lino. Our section is composed of Bob and I, Bill Butcher >n\ borgiait Sykes. Wo tbiej fare better than most fellows, for if one happens to bh away he can be sure his things are safe and well looked after. There is nothiig hiie a good mate. P.S.- I celebrated my nineteenth birthday the other by doing au extra starve and extra picket. Tho qountry

here is very difierent to that round Kenhardt — there being a fair quantity of grass "for the horses. We saw all the places on the road where thore had been fighting, and the country is entrenched for miles