S T R A T H C O N A ' S H O R S E
TUGELA, Zululand
7th, June 1900.
Dear Lord Strathcona,
We could not land at Kosi Bay and came to Durban, disembarked with celerity and after some delay owing to Sir. R. Buller wanting to have us and Lord Roberts preferring that we should make an attempt to carry out the original scheme which is now one requiring great endurance, caution and dash or it cannot succeed. Lord Roberts thinks it very difficult, and we will have to prove that we deserve his confidence. The transport in this country is the great trouble; everything is run by negroes and basutos are the drivers, and are a great nuisance. The numbers of animals used in the wagons far too many; ten mules required to haul the load of a Canadian four horse team and very much slower. The oxen, wretched inbred brutes, I must leave them behind and push on as best I can and trust to getting them again.
We are all sorry that we have not been employed but the jealousy of civilians shewn by some of the military kept the affairs have kept the regt. in abeyance. until it will be ten times more difficult and dangerous than ever.
I have good guides who are well known loyal Englishmen, so I fear nothing on that score.
You will excuse this scrawl as have no table.
Respectfully yours,
(Signed) S. B. STEELE.
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