Early on the 29th May, there being ground for supposing a body of rebels lay concealed in the Tate valley, McKenzie took his force out to drive such valley. Some idea has already been given of the Nkandhla forests which, it was shown, are more or less connected and distributed over extremely rough and precipitous country. Although there are two forests in the Tate valley, they are generally regarded as not covered by the name Nkandhla, even though barely two miles from the nearest ones at the Mome. The gorge is even more remarkable in some respects than the Mome; it is narrower, and its sides, especially the eastern, are steeper; they are, moreover, studded with enormous boulders, and where the forests do not extend, they are covered with dense shrubs and undergrowth. The fastness does not continue beyond one and a quarter miles from where the Tate stream enters the Insuze, but throughout that distance, when artillery is wanting, can be defended with the greatest ease. On the day in question, notwithstanding that the natural difficulties appeared insurmountable, it was found that stockades had been erected, whilst the caves, too, had been blocked and loop-holed by the rebels in a surprisingly cunning and effective manner. The Z.M.R., under Vanderplank, with Native levies, under London, moved down the western side of the valley; the rest of the column, _i.e._ a portion of R.H., with the squadron N.C., lined and drove down the eastern slopes to the stream at the bottom of the gorge. Two guns and pompoms were placed on Gun Hill to cover transport and the D.L.I., who formed the rear-guard. Mansel had been directed to co-operate by moving to block the mouth of the valley. These orders, however, were misunderstood; for he went to the Mome two miles away and proceeded to drive up that gorge for the rest of the day. Colonel McKenzie, in order to conduct the operations better, took up a position on a large rock overhanging the eastern side of the gorge. It was from this place that he and Colonel Royston soon shot two rebels who, appearing below, were about to throw their assegais at them. After the troops had begun to descend, about 600 cattle were seen being driven on the left slopes of the valley as if to escape. London, Hopkins, Walsh and Sergt. Waugh, all of Royston's Horse, who were with the levies, leaving the Z.M.R. on higher ground, pushed on to do work at the bottom that had been intended for Mansel. Lieut. H.T. James moved with eight Z.M.R. to a spot about three-quarters of the way down.