On the 22nd, the force pushed on to Stuartstown.[116] At this village it remained until the 13th March. The route traversed between the 19th and 22nd had, on purpose, been through, or close to, areas largely occupied by Natives.[117]
During such time as the troops were at Stuartstown, a number of courts-martial were held (beginning on the 3rd and ending on the 12th). As many as three sat at one time. These included the trial of the induna Mamba, whose people had recently taken up arms. On Miskofeli, a fine of 100 head of cattle was imposed by McKenzie, on account of the offence committed by himself and his tribe. Armed parties of the tribe had been reported as roaming about the country, whilst Miskofeli himself had prepared for trouble by causing his wives and property to be concealed in precipices and other inaccessible country.
In view of the fact that this man's tribe was intimately connected with another in East Griqualand, the Governor requested the Government of the Cape Colony, in the event of force having to be used, to prevent Natives of the Cape Colony from entering Natal viâ Union Bridge (Umzimkulu) to assist their relatives. The Cape Ministers took steps at once in the direction indicated.
The Government, as already seen in Colonel Bru-de-Wold's instructions, had intended that a demonstration should also be made in the direction of Bulwer, but as order had been quickly restored there, as well as at Elandskop, the Commandant decided to keep McKenzie at Stuartstown, with a view to the column being employed along the coast between Isipingo and Port Shepstone, particularly at Dumisa and Umtwalume. The Natives there had recently got out of control of their respective Chiefs, or else the Chiefs themselves were pretending to comply with orders, whilst inciting their men to act with defiance.
In Alexandra division, on the coast, Charlie Fynn, a half-caste and Chief of a large tribe, had, on the 20th February, come with 1,000 men ostensibly with the intention of paying the poll tax to the Magistrate at Nelson's Hotel, Umtwalume. The men were, however, armed with long sharpened sticks (the ends charred so as to harden them) and small shields. They came up, "shouting, gesticulating and prancing," and "striking blows at an imaginary enemy." Many, as afterwards transpired, had hidden assegais at a stream close by. The Magistrate (Mr. J.L. Knight) refused to speak until they had laid down their arms. They moved back to do this, but only to adopt a most unusual procedure. Instead of being laid down, the sticks were stuck into the ground, not simultaneously, but one by one. Then they sat down. After being addressed and having the law explained, they shouted defiantly in one decided voice: "We shall not pay!" Nor did they do so, at any rate, not on that occasion. Violent behaviour was exhibited by several as apart from the mass. One of the leading indunas, Batimane, amidst a general din, "pushed forward" and "raved like a madman." He spat and "foamed at the mouth" as he ranted, "picked up rubbish from the ground, threw it down in front of, and swore at, the Magistrate"—signs of the grossest contempt and insubordination. In the course of his harangue, he threatened to stab European women and mutilate them in an especially revolting manner. The fact that none of those present reproved him, showed they were either afraid or generally concurred in his conduct. The whole body then rose, marched off triumphantly, and presently breaking into a war-song, moved on to their homes. But for the cool and tactful behaviour of the Magistrate, a serious disturbance must have arisen.[118]
In the other division (Lower Umzimkulu), other Chiefs had neglected to comply with orders to attend at the magistracy.
Leaving Stuartstown at 10 a.m. on the 13th March, McKenzie moved towards Umtwalume, the scene of the threatening behaviour of Fynn's tribe. Marching viâ Highflats and Dumisa, the village of Umzinto and seat of magistracy was reached at 3 p.m. on the 15th. Here, acting upon the advice of the Magistrate, a Chief Jeke came to the officer commanding to pay his respects. On the day following, the force moved to Ifafa; on the 17th, it camped in the neighbourhood of Chief Charlie Fynn's kraal. The Natal Police Field Force had been detached from the column at Stuartstown and sent back to headquarters. On the column reaching Alexandra County, it was reinforced by the Umzinto and Port Shepstone troops, B.M.R.
In obedience to the directions of Government, Fynn, on the 20th March, went to report himself to McKenzie, accompanied by about a thousand of his adherents. His indunas and sub-indunas were then placed under arrest, on account of the seditious and threatening attitude they had assumed towards the Magistrate, whilst on the tribe itself, a fine of 1,500 head of cattle was imposed. The men were, moreover, ordered to bring in all their lethal weapons "The above indaba,"[119] says McKenzie, "was carried out with as much ceremony as possible [in order to impress the Natives].... Two sides of a triangle were formed, with guns at either flank, and maxims distributed along the lines. I was received with a salute, trumpets sounding and the Union Jack being broken from a flag-staff."
On the 21st, 300 cattle were brought in by Fynn's tribe, also some old assegais and guns. The Natives were warned that severe measures would be taken if the required cattle were not handed over.
Not wishing to subject Natives more than necessary to the inconvenience of troops being in their midst, the Government now instructed the Commandant to arrange for demobilization as speedily as possible. Colonel Bru-de-Wold visited Umtwalume on the 26th, when demobilization was ordered to take place on the 30th.