343 APPENDIX. 
Southey. Accordingly, at two o'clock on the morning of 
the 27th, this force moved forward, crossed the Keiskamma 
at the Wiltshire Drift, and marched direct upon the Um- 
desina, a distance from the camp of thirty miles. No spoor 
of the enemy being discovered, the troops moved off with 
great rapidity and attacked the enemy in his strong position 
in the difficult and extensive kloof of the Umdesina, 'The 
Colonial force was formed into three divisions, each of which 
penetrated at different points into the enemy’s fastnesses. 
The result was perfectly successful, several of the enemy 
being slain, twelve hundred cattle, many horses, and con- 
siderable flocks of goats captured, one hundred and fifty 
women taken prisoners, and upwards of five hundred huts 
destroyed. ‘The Caffers were in great force, but from the 
nature of the country, the bush being very thick and favour- 
able for escape, comparatively few of them were slain (report 
says about thirty). No loss of life was sustained on our 
side, and only one man wounded, viz., an Albany Burgher 
named Portgieter, who received an assagai near the hip 
and through the thigh. After completing this arduous 
duty the troops returned to Fort Wiltshire with the cattle, 
the rear guard arriving at one o’clock, A.M., of the following 
morning, having made a march which in European warfare 
would scarcely be credited. 
The Rev. J. Ayliff, who has recently fled from the ter- 
ritories of Hintza, throws some further light on the 
policy of that chief, fully confirmatory of the opinions that 
have been generally entertained relative to his connexion 
with the Amokosa and their attack upon the colony; the 
communication is dated from Clarkesbury*, March 20th, in 
which he remarks— 
* A Missionary Station among the Tambookie Tribes, | 
