The next morning they resumed their march, the last three hours being under heavy rain, and encamped. On the Coega river on the 4th they started at half-past four in the morning, and after marching about ten miles, halted for breakfast, and then continued their march, the intention being to cross Sunday river; but it was so swollen with the rains as to be impassable. On its bank they remained encamped therefore until the 8th. On that day about noon the river was reported to be fordable, and the Battalion having passed it, and marched about two miles and a half encamped for the night at Commando’s kraal.
On the 9th, starting very early, they halted for breakfast at Addo bush. On this day’s march they passed a well where the Battalion had halted during a similar march in November 1846, and where the date, then carved by them on a post, was still to be seen; and at night encamped at Quagga Flats.
On the next day again marching very early, they advanced a good way over the flats, and then again continued to ascend; for the road for the whole march had been almost a constant rise, and after the usual halt for breakfast, and a further march, arrived at Sidbury and encamped on a hill-side.
On the 11th marching, as usual, about half-past four, they went forward about eleven miles through the Assegai bush, and halted for breakfast near a river of the same name; and marching on about seven miles further encamped near the Karraga river, which however was hid from the camp by a wooded declivity.
On the next day after the usual early march of about six miles, in which they crossed the river, after a fatiguing descent to it, and an equally fatiguing ascent on the opposite side of a ravine, they halted for breakfast in a spot covered with mimosa bushes, with fine grass between them, which had rather the appearance of an artificial lawn than of unreclaimed wilderness. Soon after starting again, they met such crowds of people coming out from Graham’s-town to meet them, that they fancied themselves close to it; but after a toilsome march of six miles further, over a very rough road, they encamped in the Drostdy barracks.
During the two following days they halted; but on the 15th starting from Graham’s-town about eleven, accompanied by numbers of the inhabitants, they marched to Botha’s Hill, where they encamped for the night.
On the 16th marching about five, over the Ekka heights, they entered the Fish river bush, by a newly-cut path called the ‘Queen’s road.’ Proceeding about five miles, on emerging from the bush, and passing over some flat country to Fort Brown, they crossed the Fish river by a wooden bridge, and proceeding about three miles further, they encamped about three o’clock near the Koonap, a tributary of the Fish river.
On the next day they marched about six miles to their breakfast halt, on some very high ground; and after crossing the Koonap at a shallow ford, ascended the Koonap heights; and, after a short march, reached their camping ground at Liew fontein early and untired.
On the 18th starting at five, they had a long march to Mildenhall, where they breakfasted, and where three houses had recently been destroyed by the Kaffirs. After this halt crossing the Chumie river, and afterwards the Kat river by a shallow ford, they marched through the town of Fort Beaufort amidst the hearty welcomes of its inhabitants, and encamped on a plain on the other side of it.