Early on the day following the acting District Police Officer, Sub-Inspector Sidney H.K. Hunt, armed with the warrants, left Pietermaritzburg with eleven mounted police for Richmond, where he was joined by four others, including two Native constables. Another small patrol, under a non-commissioned officer, proceeded towards Thornville Junction. Hunt's party, owing to delay on the railway, could not move on before noon, when they proceeded viâ Byrnetown to the farm "Trewirgie." Owing to the guides not knowing the way, their difficulties being increased by a thick mist which came on early in the afternoon, slow progress was made. The nearer the men got to their destination, the more it was noticed that only women and old men were in evidence at kraals along the route traversed. It was not until 5.30 p.m. that the house of Mr. Henry Hosking, owner of "Trewirgie," near where the accused were reported to be, was reached. The Natives required lived but half a mile from, though out of sight of, the homestead. Hunt resolved, contrary to the advice given him by Hosking, to try and effect the arrests and afterwards put up for the night at the farm house. At 6 p.m. he, with twelve Europeans and two Natives, went to the kraal indicated as that at which the accused would be found, that is to say, one within sight of which the police had passed a few minutes before. A man and two women were found to be the only occupants. Inquiries as to where the young men who were wanted had got to met with no success. Hunt now directed the man to shout for them. This he did. Two Natives were presently caught in the vicinity and, happening to be among those wanted, were handcuffed. A third and older man was found near by. This turned out to be Mjongo, one of the ringleaders. He, too, was handcuffed. At this moment, Trooper George Armstrong was sent to investigate a suspicious object some way up a steep incline in the immediate rear of the kraal, and about 80 to 100 yards off. No sooner had he gone up than he shouted to his comrades: "Come on, there's an armed party here." Leaving a couple of troopers with the prisoners, Hunt proceeded up the hill with the rest of the men, where he found some 40 or 50 fully armed Natives.