The camping of so large a force at the grave for several days had the effect of greatly diminishing the supplies on which the rebels were depending. At most, if not all, of the kraals, pits were found, in which, as customary with the people, large quantities of mealies and corn were stored.[198] Much of the grain was taken to be consumed either by the levies or the horses. The large herds of cattle, moreover, which had just been captured soon destroyed such crops in the neighbourhood as had not by that time been reaped.
Mansel remained at the grave with instructions to operate in that locality, to continue to use up the enemy's supplies as much as possible, and to see that he (the enemy) did not emerge at night from the forest to draw on such supplies as might still be available. At this particular juncture, the enemy's scouts were observable on all the prominent heights. Reliable information, moreover, was received that Bambata had gone to the Qudeni forests with some 300 to 400 followers.
McKenzie moved to Nomangci on the 23rd, part of the column marching viâ Gcongco, and part viâ Sangofe and London's Kop. The steepness of the ascent at Gcongco may be roughly estimated from the fact that, during the climb, no less than four horses fell at different times; they rolled down the incline, and were quite dead on reaching the bottom. Fourteen other horses had also to be abandoned. McKenzie himself went the same evening with a small escort to the magistracy, with the object of accepting Sigananda's surrender there as agreed.
A troop of Royston's Horse, in command of Lieut. Percy Male, which had been sent from the grave to Fort Yolland on the 22nd to escort an ambulance waggon, returned on the 23rd, several hours after McKenzie's column had left, and just as Mansel's was moving off in the direction of Fort Yolland. After off-saddling close to the grave, the troop proceeded on its journey to overtake McKenzie. "The party had not gone more than a mile," says Male, "when about sixty Natives came out of a small bush and attacked us in the rear without the slightest provocation on our part. The time then was about 12.30 p.m. They did not come any closer than 200 yards. I asked Capt. Sharpe to take our seven spare horses on to Denga spur, about three miles from where we were attacked and about a mile from the mouth of the Mome valley. I remained behind with Sergt. Hepworth and three men to protect the rear. We fought a small rear-guard action, which lasted until we got on to the hill where the horses were waiting for us. When starting to go up the hill, the enemy closed in on our rear, right and left flanks. There were about 100 to 150 of them, but I could not see well. They kept up a desultory fire from the cover of the bush on both sides of the ridge I was going up. This firing continued until we had gained the top, about 4.30 p.m. On reaching the top, the men and horses being very 'blown,' we found the Natives trying to cut us off from the column. I posted two men on a kopje (one of them Tpr. T. Malone, subsequently killed at Tate). These kept up a pretty hot fire until we had mounted and advanced. After this, it was a case of galloping to get free. They hung on to our rear for about three or four miles, i.e. until we had sighted the rear-guard of the column (Z.M.R.)."
"A few shots," says McKenzie,[199] "were fired by the Z.M.R. at the enemy when the top of the hill was reached. It has been, I understand, suggested that the fact of the Z.M.R., having fired these few shots, upset the enemy's idea of surrender, but this is manifestly incorrect, having in view the fact that the troop of Royston's Horse was fired at from almost the time when they passed the site of my old camp at Cetshwayo's grave, which was some considerable time before the shots were fired by the Z.M.R. Personally, I was satisfied that the incident did not in any way affect the non-surrender.[200] At the time, large bodies of rebels could be seen moving about on the hills singing what was reported to be their war-songs. This view was confirmed later on by Ndabaningi, who, when he eventually surrendered, was asked by me why they had not surrendered on the first occasion. He stated the tribe had agreed that they had not had enough fighting, and did not consider themselves beaten ... they therefore resolved to continue the Rebellion."
Although McKenzie had withdrawn to Nomangci, there were no indications of Sigananda surrendering. The negotiations, which had been going on since the 19th, thereupon fell through.
To enable the troops to grapple more satisfactorily with the situation at Nkandhla, the Government decided, on the 10th May, to form an irregular infantry corps, 800 strong, subsequently known as the "Natal Rangers." On application being made to recruit half the battalion in the Transvaal, with the assistance of the permanent Volunteer staff of that Colony, the Transvaal Government, in acceding to the request, generously offered four companies of volunteers with Maxim, Signalling and Medical detachments under their own officers, fully armed and equipped, provided that Natal took over the arms and equipment, and paid and rationed the men. The offer was gratefully accepted. The Right Half of the battalion was accordingly formed in Johannesburg, and the Left in Durban. Lieut.-Col. J. Dick, D.L.I., was placed in command.[201] The Right and Left Halves, having received orders to proceed at once to Nkandhla, united at Nqutu on the 30th May, and reached Nomangci on the 4th June.
On the 24th May, Major Murray-Smith arrived at Empandhleni (1.30 p.m.) with his column, escorting a convoy of fifty-one waggons. This column, which had left Dundee on the 19th and travelled viâ Vant's drift, Nqutu and Nondweni, was made up as follows: N.M.R., 160; N.C., 100; N.R.R., 100, and details. At Nqutu, it was ascertained that Mehlokazulu had armed and joined Bambata. The intelligence was confirmed at Nondweni. Murray-Smith was ordered to return with all speed with the empty waggons to Dundee, and from thence, viâ Tugela Ferry, to join the Umvoti Field Force at Greytown. Squadron A, N.C., under Capt. G.R. Richards, was detached; it became bodyguard to the O.C. Troops.