By 6.45 p.m. on the 9th, practically the whole of the Zululand Mounted Rifles (105) had arrived at Empandhleni--mobilized under the authority given by law in such emergencies. This force was, on the 12th, increased to about 350 by the arrival of the Natal Police and Nongqai under Mansel.[161] The latter assumed command on arrival, and decided to remain in lager. All these men had assembled for a purpose. What was that purpose if not to arrest Bambata? If Mansel's object was to 'contain' the enemy, can it be said that there was any 'containing' between the 12th and 28th April (the day he moved to Fort Yolland) with the enemy comfortably ensconced in a forest and the Police as comfortably behind entanglements eleven miles off at Empandhleni? Had Mansel, Vanderplank and van Rooyen been made to converge simultaneously on Cetshwayo's grave from Middle Drift, Fort Yolland and Empandhleni respectively, which could have been effected before mid-day on the 10th,[162] supplies being at the same time pushed forward from Eshowe, and Sigananda's men ordered to assemble smartly at the same spot, together with those of adjoining Chiefs--McKenzie acted on these lines in Mveli's ward--or had aggressive action been taken in some other form, as advised at the time by van Rooyen, control would have been taken of the situation _ab initio_, instead of, by merely marking time, practically encouraged members of surrounding tribes to rebel for fear of losing their stock through not conforming to Dinuzulu's alleged plan. Had a force established itself then at the grave, Bambata's men would have had no chance against it in the open country of that part. It was, subsequently, at the grave that a not much larger body than the one referred to for over a month defied a force at least three or four times its own strength, and concluded by, almost single-handed, entrapping and crushing it. Precautions could, at the same time, have been taken to prevent Bambata gaining any small advantage, which, exaggerated by the rebels, would have added considerably to his prestige. Assuming it to have been desirable for van Rooyen, Vanderplank and Mansel to converge at the grave on the 10th or 11th, the order for such movement could not have been issued by the Commandant without fuller information than he then possessed, especially as the Commissioner was of the view that no European troops other than those already in Zululand were necessary at Nkandhla. Had the troops converged as suggested, they might conceivably have succeeded in suppressing the Rebellion and saved the Colony over half a million of money, but to have done this would have meant practically ignoring a spirit of rebelliousness latent in many of the people, which might only have broken out in some other form in the near future. * * * * *