As soon as the entire force was concentrated on the neck, their solemn but ghastly duty commenced. Rider and horse, officer and private, boy and man, their grim and parchment-looking skins half eaten by the carrion birds and half covering the bleaching bones, gave to the scene a terrible and weird significance, which can never be forgotten. Many of the bodies were easily recognized. Captain Shepstone at once pointed out that of Colonel Durnford, which was interred with deep respect in a donga near the spot where he fell. Forty-five waggons were brought away by the horses and mules, and a quantity of stores still intact was carried in them. The staff of the 24th's colours was also recovered; and the troops, having fully carried out their sad devoir in the most effective manner, returned home with the same precaution with which they had moved on to the field.
CHAPTER VIII.
Advance of the 2nd column—Landsman's Drift to Kopje Allein—Description of camp—Plan of campaign—Discovery of Port Durnford—It becomes the base of 1st division—Troops composing 1st column—Crealock's journey to Durnford.
The force thus gathered at Landsman's Drift was now quite ready for an immediate advance. It was therefore determined to push on this column (2nd) at once. Accordingly, on the 27th May the troops were formed up in line of contiguous quarter-columns by eight a.m., and after the General and his staff had ridden down the ranks, making a minute and detailed inspection, the various columns moved off by fours in succession from the right precisely at nine a.m. Newdigate's Division, which led the way, consisted of the 21st Fusiliers, the 94th Foot, the 58th Foot, and the 2nd battalion 24th Regiment, together with a wing of the King's Dragoon Guards, a wing of the 17th Lancers, a battalion of Native Contingent, two batteries of Royal Artillery, and a company of Engineers. The crossing of the Buffalo at Landsman's Drift was commenced at half-past nine, and the rear had crossed by two o'clock. The exact distance to Kopje Allein as the crow flies is said to be ten miles, but the route taken was somewhat circuitous, so as, for the sake of the waggons, to avoid many bad places, swamps, morasses, and mud-holes, which abound in this part of the country. The country between the Blood river and the Buffalo is tolerably well supplied with water, comparatively open, but singularly treeless in its character, though there were patches here and there along the road, and the district seemed well adapted for cattle posts and grazing purposes. Indeed there could be seen a number of large deserted kraals and homesteads, which had once evidently been the depôts of pastoral wealth and prosperity. These sites of industry had suffered a hard and rough usage in the terrible necessities of war. These depredations were largely caused by the foraging parties in search of fuel, the great want in all our camps. Supplies, indeed, on more than one occasion, were brought even as far as from the northern slopes of the Durnberg, a distance of twenty miles. Most of the best information in regard to the topographical features of this portion of the campaign was furnished by the very excellent reports drawn up by Colonel Buller, Lord William Beresford, and, above all, the Prince Imperial, whose pen and pencil gave a vivid and life-like idea of the physical characteristics of this line of advance.
On the 16th instant Colonel Buller's second patrol returned at noon to General Wood's camp at the Wolf's kraal, and had been so successful in its reconnoitring operations that its officers were able to report that no large bodies of Zulus were within twenty miles of the Blood river, or, indeed, anywhere between the White Umvolosi and the Buffalo river. The same evening on which the patrol started it bivouacked at Kopje Allein, and, indeed, it was owing to the excellent reports made by Buller and his staff that the place was chosen as one of the links in the line of advance. A few Zulus there were, it is true, hovering about in the distance, and attempts were made by feigned attacks and feigned retreats to lure the troops into ambush, but Buller was far too old a soldier to be taken in by such wiles. When the men had got steadily on the summit of the hill they were exploring, the Zulu skirmishers disappeared into some of the caves surrounding Sirayo's old kraal, and nothing but some huts full of mealies could be found. The patrol that night slept on the slopes of the Ingutu mountains, and the following morning scouted in a southerly direction in rear of the Ingwe range, as far as the White Umvolosi, showing in a tolerably plain manner that the country about there was quite denuded of its population, at least between the Buffalo river and the White Umvolosi, while to the eastward and the northward of the latter river there were plenty of Zulus and cattle, but no large or important bodies were assembled north of the Isandaka range.
The Prince Imperial had won all hearts during these three days in the saddle and night bivouac, and was seen to have considerably improved in health since his last visit to the camp.
From the notes and sketches made by the officers above named the following data may be adduced:—The key of the road from the Utrecht to the Ulundi country is undoubtedly the Inhlazatye mountain, and, although this road runs along a narrow ledge with a precipice on the one side and with huge boulders on the other, interspersed with thorns and bush, yet still it is actually the most direct line of advance upon Ulundi. This Inhlazatye mountain covers a vast extent of country, has an immense quantity of thorn-bush over it, is very broken and steep, but undoubtedly can be turned by an invading force from the north either to the east or to the west, probably the latter, where little bush worth mentioning would have to be passed through. The most commanding and open positions are upon the highlands to the south of the White Umvolosi and Umtatoosi rivers, girdling the new capital, Ulundi. These are the Emtonjaneni hills (which are called Magnibonium on most maps), near the White Umvolosi, and the Tyoe and Entumeni heights in rear of the Umtatoosi, all healthy positions, well watered, and with abundant grass and wood. From the Emtonjaneni hills, explored by Colonel Buller, who estimates them at 200 feet high, the circle of royal kraals on the farther side of the White Umvolosi can be seen; three roads lead to the rear into the colony, the upper, central, and lower. The Ekowe, Entumeni, and Ungoga ranges, from 1500 to 2000 feet above the sea level, dominate the valley of the Umtatoosi. Healthy positions suitable for cavalry encampments may be found on these heights, well wooded and watered, with excellent grass and roads leading to the rear into the colony; and here Marshall's cavalry kept open our communications and effectually severed connexion between the Zulu's right and left impis. These central and coast lines, which are joined by a cross-road, both follow the course of the Umtatoosi.
During the march, and whenever the country would admit of such formation, the leading corps halted, and the extended line of march was curtailed by the succeeding regiment forming upon its left; waggons came up in a sort of deployment into line, and certain simple movements were practised which would be carried out in case of sudden attack. Lord Chelmsford invariably made a great point of concentrating his waggons whenever the slightest opportunity offered. General Newdigate and General Wood between them had 900 waggons, and it may easily be imagined what a column 450 of these would make. Allowing 30 yards to each—and that is not much, there being 16 or 18 oxen to each load—each column of baggage alone is 15 miles long, but to this distance must be added 5 yards interval, and this gives 18 miles to defend. Of course, the forage for the large cavalry force made one of the greatest strains upon the commissariat, and all had to be sacrificed to this necessity. This column and Crealock's were in this respect not upon a par, as it had to provide for not less than 2000 horses, each receiving 12 lb. of corn daily; which gave a total of 24,000 lb. daily, or 3000 lb. per waggon load, or 6 waggons daily to supply them. At this rate, therefore, it required 120 waggons to carry the oats for the cavalry alone. All Lord Chelmsford's and the staff horses were, however, placed upon half rations.