96 ST. HELENA 



About a fortnight before she arrived at St. Helena they 

 had received an intimation that they were to start for 

 Zululand, but this order was suddenly cancelled. Miss 

 Colenso believes this was owing to communications which 

 passed between the Colonial Office and the Natal Ministry. 

 The chiefs had a strong desire to get back to their own 

 country in a proper position. They wished to be on good 

 terms both with the Imperial and the Natal Government, 

 and not to be misunderstood by either. She believed their 

 return would contribute to the further settlement and peace 

 of Zululand. No doubt Miss Colenso was very earnest in 

 her efforts to obtain the release from exile of the Zulu 

 chiefs, but she should not have made a statement from 

 which an inference can be drawn far from the truth. " Mal- 

 divia," in which the prisoners lived, and which possibly 

 Miss Colenso has, biassed by her zeal for the Zulu cause, 

 been brought to consider a " pot," is the most healthy 

 residence in Jamestown, and the " excessive heat " at no 

 time registers 80 degrees in the shade. Miss Colenso was here 

 during the hottest season of the year. The poor health 

 of the prisoners, which was apparent only to Miss Colenso, 

 was probably only disappointment at the cancelling of the 

 order for their return. They complained of the cold when 

 at Rosemary, and of the heat in Jamestown. After a great 

 deal of agitation, both in England and Natal, for the return 

 of the Zulu exiles (Prince Dinizulu and the chiefs Undabuka 

 and Tchingana), the Natal Government determined upon 

 their return, and the establishment was broken up, the 

 exiles, with wives, children and attendants, going on board 

 the steamer Umbilo (Captain Cox), from London bound to 

 Natal, which was chartered to convey the Zulu exiles. 



They left on December 24 ; the party included Miss 

 Colenso, Mr. Madden (the interpreter), Chief Dinizulu, and 

 two female attendants with five children ; Tchingana, wife 

 and three children ; Undabuka and wife ; Umbodiya, an old 

 nurse ; Paul Mlimkula, wife and child ; Mkolokoto, Mho- 

 fana, Myosama ; Xamandolo, wife and child ; and Magema 

 Magwaza. 



During the time they were on the island they were grad- 

 ually weaned from their uncivilized and savage life, until 

 at the time of their departure they were as much civilized 



