[Footnote 210: His force was composed as follows: U.M.R., 150; 1st Umvoti Reserves, 40; 2nd Umvoti Reserves, 30; Krantzkop Reserves, 50; N.F.A., two guns; N.R.R., 50; and 25 men of Sibindi's levy.] [Footnote 211: Reports had been received as far back as the 19th ult. of messengers having come to Mtele from Mehlokazulu and Faku in Zululand asking him to co-operate. On his agreeing, Mehlokazulu instructed Kula through Mtele "to wait until fighting had commenced in earnest in Zululand, when he was to attack Pomeroy and then proceed against Greytown."] [Footnote 212: When at Nondweni, a small party visited the spot where the Prince Imperial and others were killed during the Zulu War. The memorial cairn and graveyard, in charge of a Native headman, were found to be in good order.] [Footnote 213: An account of the position and occurrences at Umsinga will be found in Chapter XV.] [Footnote 214: It will be seen in Chapter XV., that a column (under Murray-Smith) was posted at Fort Murray-Smith, a couple of miles from Helpmakaar, simultaneously with the departure of the Zululand Field Force for Nkandhla from Dundee on the 1st May.] [Footnote 215: Mackay was not advised, as the only means of communication, a telephone, was eighteen miles away.] [Footnote 216: The sun rose, on the day in question, at about 6.45 a.m.] [Footnote 217: Mackay camped at Isandhlwana on the night of the 27th. He operated at Malakata on the morning of the 28th, and at Hlazakazi at 1.30 p.m. on the same day.] [Footnote 218: On Sibindi's levy getting within about three miles of the kraal of Nyoniyezwe, the minor for whom Sibindi was acting, they started to sing their ancient, tribal war-song. Up to that moment, the women had been in hiding in various places, owing to uncertainty as to whether the _impi_ they had, two or three hours before, seen descending to the Buffalo from the direction of Mpukunyoni, was the enemy, or men of their own tribe. The sun had, in the meantime, set, and it had begun to get dark. On recognizing the old familiar song, and realizing that their men were returning triumphant, they forthwith emerged from their respective hiding-places and kraals, and, one and all, wherever, on the bush-covered mountain, they happened to be, accorded their heroes so weird and fantastic a greeting as will not quickly be forgotten by the European troops who had the privilege of hearing and witnessing it. At least sixty to seventy women, faces smeared with light-coloured clay, and carrying little hand-brooms, with leaves bound round their ankles, approached the advancing column, shrieking at the top of their voices as they ran about: "_Ki, ki, ki, ki, ki, ki, ki, ki,--Kuhle kwetu!_" (Oh! joy in our homes!) The oft-repeated cries were heard in all directions. Not only did this serve as a welcome to the warriors, but as an alarm to all of the tribe who were too far off to hear the famous war-song.] XIII.