Murray-Smith left Empandhleni on the 26th, travelling by the route taken on the forward journey. On arrival at 8 p.m. on the 28th at Nqutu magistracy, it was reported that Mehlokazulu intended to attack the village and convoy the same night. It is difficult to understand how such scare arose, for the Chief was known to have proceeded to Qudeni, whilst a strong column under Mackay was by then at Isandhlwana, within striking distance of his ward. The convoy reached Dundee on the 30th.
Leaving the N.R.R. at Dundee, and details at Helpmakaar, the N.M.R., instead of joining Leuchars viâ Tugela Ferry, proceeded by rail to Greytown, reaching that place on the 2nd June, and the Umvoti Field Force on the 3rd at Spitzkop.
To return to Nkandhla. When he received intelligence to the effect that a number of rebels were in hiding in a small, though dense, forest at Ensingabantu, near Qudeni, at which place there was a small store, McKenzie planned a night march, on the 24th, with the object of surrounding the forest before daylight the following morning. Guided by Sergt. E. Titlestad, Z.M.R., the force[202] left at dusk. It proceeded by a narrow footpath along the extraordinarily steep sides of the Devil's Gorge, where a false step might easily have resulted in man or animal being precipitated forthwith into the Insuze, 1,000 feet below. A pack-horse, indeed, carrying ammunition did miss its footing, when it instantly rolled headlong into the vast, yawning gulf below. Merely to cross the drift at the bottom took three hours on that cold, dark and memorable night. Ntingwe was reached at 2 a.m. "Although a misty morning," says McKenzie, "the movement of surrounding the position was most accurately carried out, and when day broke, and the mist had lifted, the bush in which the rebels had been reported to be located was completely surrounded by a cordon of troops. Unfortunately, however, the enemy were not there, and although the bush and adjacent country were thoroughly searched, none of them could be found, although there was every trace of recent occupation of the ground."[203]
The same day, Inspector Dimmick, with 105 N.P., made a reconnaissance in the direction of Komo and Fort Yolland.
Returning to Nomangci on the 27th by the waggon road viâ Calverley's store, McKenzie, as a preliminary to attacking the rebels known to be concealed in the Nkandhla forests, moved the following day a few miles to the high and comparatively flat country at Dhlabe.
Although the campaign was being conducted without the direct assistance of the Imperial Government, the mother-country did not permit the proceedings to go on without taking a special interest therein. Major-General T.E. Stephenson, C.B., Commanding the Transvaal District, was deputed to witness some, at any rate, of the operations. He arrived at Nomangci, with his staff officer and aide-de-camp, on the 27th, when, as Colonel McKenzie's guest, several opportunities occurred, during the three weeks he was in the district, of observing what took place.
Early on the 29th May, there being ground for supposing a body of rebels lay concealed in the Tate valley, McKenzie took his force out to drive such valley. Some idea has already been given of the Nkandhla forests which, it was shown, are more or less connected and distributed over extremely rough and precipitous country. Although there are two forests in the Tate valley, they are generally regarded as not covered by the name Nkandhla, even though barely two miles from the nearest ones at the Mome. The gorge is even more remarkable in some respects than the Mome; it is narrower, and its sides, especially the eastern, are steeper; they are, moreover, studded with enormous boulders, and where the forests do not extend, they are covered with dense shrubs and undergrowth. The fastness does not continue beyond one and a quarter miles from where the Tate stream enters the Insuze, but throughout that distance, when artillery is wanting, can be defended with the greatest ease. On the day in question, notwithstanding that the natural difficulties appeared insurmountable, it was found that stockades had been erected, whilst the caves, too, had been blocked and loop-holed by the rebels in a surprisingly cunning and effective manner.
The Z.M.R., under Vanderplank, with Native levies, under London, moved down the western side of the valley; the rest of the column, i.e. a portion of R.H., with the squadron N.C., lined and drove down the eastern slopes to the stream at the bottom of the gorge. Two guns and pompoms were placed on Gun Hill to cover transport and the D.L.I., who formed the rear-guard. Mansel had been directed to co-operate by moving to block the mouth of the valley. These orders, however, were misunderstood; for he went to the Mome two miles away and proceeded to drive up that gorge for the rest of the day.
Colonel McKenzie, in order to conduct the operations better, took up a position on a large rock overhanging the eastern side of the gorge. It was from this place that he and Colonel Royston soon shot two rebels who, appearing below, were about to throw their assegais at them.
After the troops had begun to descend, about 600 cattle were seen being driven on the left slopes of the valley as if to escape. London, Hopkins, Walsh and Sergt. Waugh, all of Royston's Horse, who were with the levies, leaving the Z.M.R. on higher ground, pushed on to do work at the bottom that had been intended for Mansel. Lieut. H.T. James moved with eight Z.M.R. to a spot about three-quarters of the way down.