458 
DEFENCE OF EKOWE. 
through under cover of night, as we could not by any possibility cover 
the distance (32 miles) in the time. Moreover, we could not carry 
out Lord Chelmsford's plan of “ arranging to hold an entrenchment 
requiring a smaller garrison." For, should half our garrison be sent 
away, the remainder would be insufficient to man the parapet of our 
fort in case of attack. 
To this despatch, Colonel Pearson therefore replied, that these 
reasons in support of his remaining where he was were so strong, that 
he determined to communicate them to him (Lord Chelmsford) before 
taking further action in the matter; and that he hoped Lord Chelmsford 
would reconsider the words of his despatch. 
We waited anxiously for a reply from Lord Chelmsford, but the 
“ runner " who took this despatch shared the fate of many others; so 
our garrison remained at Ekowe. 
Some of the Kaffirs, composing our Native Contingent in the fort, 
would volunteer to run through the Zulus at night for a sovereign ! 
Many were the letters I sent home, but I have since discovered that 
only three arrived safely, so conclude our poor “ runners" seldom 
escaped the vigilance of the enemy. 
We had now been 20 days shut up ; the monotony of the situation 
was becoming dreadful; we were of course unable to walk or ride out 
of sight of the fort, so we found difficulty in passing the time. 
The impertinence of the Zulus was becoming laughable. They 
would shout out “ come out of that hole you old women; we always 
thought the English would fight, and not burrow under the ground ! " 
Having in the meantime looted the wagons of the convoy abandoned 
by Colonel Ely, they frequently informed us that our coffee and sugar, 
&c., was excellent, and that they hoped soon to come and share ours 
with us ! 
This war of words was carried on between our cattle boys and the 
Zulus posted on the neighbouring hills. 
On the 22nd February the enemy made a faint-hearted attack on our 
cattle, but were repulsed with loss by two companies of infantry, and 
the mounted men. Beyond this attack, and few successful raids made 
by our troops on their mealie fields, nothing important occurred until 
1st March. 
We intended on that day to make a sortie against Dabulamanzi's 
military kraal, which was situated about eight miles from the fort, 
and from which parties of Zulus frequently appeared for the purpose 
of harassing our cattle guard. Our plan of operation was to start about 
midnight, or a little after, and to arrive at the kraal if possible about 
daybreak. It was, however, 2 p.m. before all arrangements were 
complete, and our force started off. It was composed of the following 
troops:—400 infantry, some native pioneers, about 30 mounted men, 
and one gun ILA. The night was luckily clear, for we struck a path 
straight across country, under the guidance of one of our Zulu allies. 
It was the most silent march I ever took part in, and will be long 
