THE “FIFTHS” AND THEIR TRIP.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4010, 17 August 1915, Page 6

THE “FIFTHS” AND THEIR TRIP.

INTERESTING ACCOUNT BY • TROOPER PITCHER.

TROOPSHIP TAHITI HAS A PLEASING VOYAGE. INCIDENTS BY THE WAY. Writing to his parents, Trooper A. G. Pitcher of the sth Reinforcements, gives an interesting account of the voyage of H.M.N.Z.T. Tahiti: - Just a few lines to let you know how I am getting on. I am writing j this at sea, four days out from Albany. It has been fine to-day, the ■ first time since leaving Wellington. The weather is warm now, but in a few days’ time we expect _it much warmer. 1 had a good time in Albany. The troopships got in'early so the boys got leave from 12 a.m. t;ll 1.0 p.m. It was a hall holiday, and most of the shops were closed, but we made the best of it, for it was a pleasure to get on soil again after the trip over. Albany is not the place I thought it. It is a pretty little place, not nearly as lug as Gisborne. Coining into Albany is very pretty, both sides is rocky coast line; some parts ol it very narrow. The pilot boat comes out and luxes the troopships in. The wharf is about two milos'from the town, and the taxi ears were doing no harm, loi they

were kept very busy. One tiling about Albany—it lias plenty ol hotels, al)out eighteen of them, ami they were doing a good business, it being a windfall for them. .The troopships are calling at Colombo. .! am glad it is tor it '"will be alright to have a look around. 1 will try and send some postcards from there. I behave we .ret there about the twelfth or tins month. The Mauiigauui has gone on with the Hospital Corps. Hbe !<dt us l lie secoiid day out from _ .-mi-any. Coining out of Albany a wmUe ayo si-rbted. ft was quite close to tue slop and when it came up to tue top one could get a good view of it. inat is the second one 1 have seen social. ],ife on a troopsliip is not so oao, as long as the sea is not rouge ami one is not seasick. _ It would take a lot to make me seasick. _ l t have got quite used to it now. The horses are looking a lot better. They nave got used to the roll of the boat and iue not looking so dull. My horse is notlooking so bad. He is not as iul ns wlien you saw him last. M e took the ■ horses ashore in Albany and down to tlm beach for a roll in the sand. Tuey nearlv went mad when they got on land "ami it has done them a lot of good to get ashore for a few iioiiis, for tliev°seem different horses. We may take them ashore at Colombo. It depends how long ivo stay, hhe sea is quite calm now. Hie boat js going along smoothly. It is a bit diiTeienc to the run over from Wellington to Albanv. It was out on its own-rough every "dev. One does not hear much news of "how the war is getting on. There is quite a run on the papers when the boys get ashore. I s ‘’_v. Bert McAuloy and W. Clements m Albany. They are not on tin: same troopship as me. d bey were very seasick coming over, but do not look any the worse Tor it. 1 must close for tonight ; will write again to-morrow night. „ , Sunday, .ju;y 4. It. has been a lovely day sea smooth. At 10 a.m. church service was held by one of the officers m i> Squadron. The weather is very a aim now. Quite a lot of the boys are sleeping on deck. One beat more on account of leaving New Zealand in the middle of the winter. Tuey. say we arrive in Colombo next Monday. We are in the Indian Oman now, .somewhere about where tlm Linden was chased by the 11.M.5. Sydney and made her run ashore at Cocos Islands. We hope to go close to the Islands, so we can have a look at the Eindoii. The Thirds went quite close. T<> lei to Cocos Islnads is about one hundred and fifty miles out of the course. 1 was at “stables’’ this mornin" and inis having a loom at the .-ea. wlfen 1 happened to see some flying fjv.li. 1 have seen such a lot <si whales, some of them quite close to the ship. One tiling I noticed after leaving Albanv two or three days out the sea mills left the ship. They had followed us all the way from Weikngton to Albany. Tim sailors say it is too warm for them now. ] am only writing this letter by fits and starts for one has not got very much to write about; it. is the same thing day alter day. It is only whim one gets ashore one finds something to write about. I expect the weather in Gisborne is wet end cold. We were all growling about the cold when we left and now we are growling about the heat. It is very muggy so far, I don't know what it is going to be later on. The horses are losing their winter coats. It is funny how quickly they change it when they get into warm weather. 1 must have a ride m a rickshaw at Colombo. itwill be a bit of a novelty having a ride in them. They will have to move some when the boys get in. tor they are always talking about them and saying, "My man against yours for drinks.” so the noor devils will have to keep going. "The lights on board are covered up every night so thoy cannot be seen. They don t take any risks.' It is only since we left Albany they started to" do it. I must finish this to-night. At Sea. Thursday-, July 8.

The weather is very warm and most of the bovs are wearing light clothing. \Yo have to wear our felt hats on account of sunstroke. They say we pass over the line to-mororw. The sea is verv smooth, one would hardly know the boat was moving. The houses were taken out on deck to-day. Carpot was laid down and they were led around l for a bit of exert iso. They must have thought they wore going ashore again, for they had plenty of life in them. They will not be able to take the horses ashore at Colombo. The troopships lie out, there being no wlmrf. The boys will have to go ashore in a tug. Wo passed Cocos Islands on Wednesday, but did not go close to it, so' one did not see the Island or the Einden. I must draw this to a close for now ; I will write again from Colombo. Colombo, July 12.

Just a lino or two more to ltd- you know we have arrived at Colombo. They are not granting us any leave on account of a rising with the niggers, so I won’t be able to get ashore, it is a pretty place to look at from the ship; the eocoanut palms look alriglit. The niggers are loading coal; there are dozens of them yapping all around the ship. They are a poor class of natives, a dirty lot to look at. There is a troopship in here going to Australia for more troops. They tell us now wo are going to Bombay to leiwo the horses, then go on to do a bit of padding the hoof. The weather in these parts is very warm. . One cannot wear much clothes. The sweat is just running out of the horses', to say nothing about tho men. We have onlv lost five horses on our boat (Tahiti) so far. But the other has lost fifty-five. It is tho heat that plays up with them. It is very funny to see the niggers diving for pennies. I must draw this to a close now and get it posted in ease -I miss the mail. Good-bye, hope all are well at home. Kia Ora with love from your loving son Fred.