CAPE COLONY AND BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA. 



125 



and on tho 5th Lord Chelmsford's column left 

 for Ginglclova, and Ekowe was completely 

 evacuated. On March 28th Colonel Wood, in 

 order to create a diversion in favor of tho re- 

 lit f <>f Kkouv, made a reconnoissanco in force, 

 marching twenty miles to Zlobani Mountain^ 

 ronghold of Umbelini, a disaffected Swazi 

 chief. The mountain was stormed and taken, 

 ami a large number of cattle were captured. 

 After four hours' rest, the British, about 400 

 strong, found themselves surrounded by about 

 20,000 Zooloos. As tho mountain was acces- 

 sible at only one point, they had to cut their 

 way through. On March 80th Colonel Wood's 

 camp at Kara hula was attacked by four Zooloo 

 regiments of Cetywayo's army under Mnyano, 

 who were repulsed with great loss, the British 

 loss also being very heavy. During April and 

 the greater part of May the operations ceased 

 almost entirely, tho British being engaged in 

 preparing for a combined advance. This work 

 was considerably delayed owing to a want of 

 facilities for transportation. On May 16th 

 Cetyvvayo dispatched an envoy to Colonel 

 Crealock, asking him to send a European to 

 discuss terms of peace. John Dunn, who for- 

 merly possessed great influence with the Zoo- 

 loo King, accordingly went to Cetywayo's 

 kraal, but returned within a short time, tho 

 negotiations having failed, because the British 

 refused any terms but unconditional surrender, 

 as Cetywayo's good faith was doubted by the 

 military authorities. It was known that Cety- 

 wayo had repeatedly sent messengers to sue 

 for peace. Bishop Colenso, of Natal, stated 

 that he had reason to believe that since the 

 battle of Isandlana the King had sent messen- 

 gers three times to ask for terms of peace. 

 The statement was not contradicted, and it 

 was well known that the Bishop spoke, not 

 from hearsay, but from a knowledge of the 

 efforts which the Zooloos were making. He 

 thought that there was reason to believe that 

 on the first occasion Cetywayo's messengers 

 wero informed that their master must make 

 what was equivalent to an unconditional sur- 

 render. Cetywayo's second attempt to open 

 negotiations with the military authorities was 

 made at the beginning of April. A party of 

 Zooloos bearing a flag of truce arrived at the 

 Middle Drift, and the flag was fired upon, in 

 order, as was said, " to test its sincerity." The 

 Bishop ascertained that the messengers who 

 made their appearance at the above place were 

 two Zooloos named Infunzi and Nkisimane, 

 who were perfectly well known in Natal as 

 being trustworthy agents of Cetywayo. In tho 

 third case it seemed that messengers came 

 down to Ekowe with an offer from tho King 

 " to allow Colonel Pearson's force to fall back 

 upon Natal unmolested." These natives were 

 " put in irons," a statement which was con- 

 firmed by a native known to Dr. Colenso, who 

 had been shut up at Ekowe with Colonel Pear- 

 ion's column. It was further known that 

 Cetywayo sent messengers to Colonel Wood's 



camp on March 80th, with tho message that 

 " he wanted to btirrendor." C'ety wayo's over- 

 tures were regarded by tho British as of very 

 doubtful sincerity, the British saying that the 

 fact that while the King's messengers were at 

 the English camp, tho Zooloos continued their 

 fire upon the outlying parties of the British, did 

 not show any desire to stay the fighting. 



A complete chango was made in the last week 

 of May in the chief command of tho forces, as 

 well as in the civil administration of the col- 

 onies of South Africa. Lieutenant-General Sir 

 Garnet Wolseley was appointed to take the su- 

 preme military command, and to direct the 

 civil government both of Natal and of the 

 Transvaal, having the authority of High Com- 

 missioner to deal with Cetywayo and all other 

 native chiefs and tribes to the northward on 

 the frontier of those eastern provinces. Sir 

 Bartle Frere was to remain Governor of the 

 Cape Colony, but was to act as High Commis- 

 sioner only for native affairs, such as those of 

 Caffraria, Griqualand, and the Basutos, con- 

 cerning the western and southern portions of 

 the British dominions. Sir Henry Bulwer, as 

 Lieutenant -Governor of Natal, and Colonel 

 Lanyon, as Administrator of the Transvaal, 

 were to continue in office, but would hence- 

 forth be subordinate to Governor Sir Garnet 

 Wolseley. Lord Chelmsford was also to re- 

 main, but in a subordinate military command. 

 Sir Garnet Wolseley arrived in Cape Town on 

 June 23d, and proceeded immediately to Natal. 

 A general advance of the British troops was 

 begun in the early part of June. This was 

 made very slowly, so that the British forces 

 under Lord Chelmsford did not reach Ulundi, 

 the King's kraal, and the objective point of 

 the expedition, until early in July. During the 

 march several of the King's military kraals were 

 destroyed. Messengers arrived from the King 

 stating his anxiety for peace. Lord Chelms- 

 ford told them Cetywayo must send to head- 

 quarters the High Induna, and as an earnest of 

 his sincerity the two small cannon captured at 

 Isandlana. Until these preliminary conditions 

 were complied with, the army would advance 

 in every part of Zoolooland. Cetywayo had 

 power to stop further fighting by agreeing to 

 the terms ; but a permanent peace could only 

 bo obtained by the Zooloo people themselves 

 agreeing to the conditions dictated to the King. 

 Under these conditions tho young men could 

 marry whenever it suited them, and would no 

 longer be liable to be called away from their 

 kraals to assemble in military bodies. On 

 June 30th messengers again came from Cety- 

 wayo bearing a sword and a letter. The letter 

 was from Mr. Venn, a Dutch trader, a pris- 

 oner with tho Zooloos. In it Cetywayo reit- 

 erated his desire for peace, but said he had 

 been unable to collect the cattle and arms. 

 Would the great white chief grant a little long- 

 er time to do so? On the envelope containing 

 the letter, Mr. Venn, at great risk to him- 

 self, had written in pencil: "If you come, 



