The march to Esidumbini was resumed at a quarter to three. A camp was formed at that place on its being reached two hours later. The night passed without incident. The demeanour of the local and apparently neutral Natives was unsatisfactory. They were very reticent and pretended to know nothing whatever of the intentions of the enemy. They professed to be ignorant of the _impis_ that had attacked but a few miles away at Insuze. One of the Chiefs, Njubanjuba, living on high ground, must have seen the fight and could have given valuable information had he chosen. He maintained a sullen and insolent attitude all the time the column was in the district. It was in view of these facts that Barker decided not to leave camp until after daybreak, a decision which, as it happened, was one McKenzie had also come to, in consequence of information obtained by him on the night of the 2nd that the rebels proposed to attack Barker at dawn on the 3rd. When the column started (7 a.m.), one squadron, T.M.R., and the New Hanover Reserves being left to guard the camp, it proceeded along the Mapumulo road towards the high ground overlooking Umvoti Drift. [Illustration: INSUZE _Dispositions at the beginning of the action_ Scale: 6 inches = 1 mile. Contours Vert. Int. = 20 feet 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 _yards_ REFERENCE A = _First attacking impi_ B = _Pickets_ C = _Two troops, T.M.R._ D = _Impi; out of sight at drift_ E = _Where part of enemy gathered when about to retreat_ F = _Hill to which pickets were sent_ G = _Police Station_ H = _Six men posted here to check impi in bush_ J = _Butler's store_ K = _Position of 15-pdrs. during enemy's retreat. Maxims and Colt gun were then between G and L_ (arrow) = _Direction of enemy's retreat_ (crescent) = _Enemy_ (blank) = _Waggon_ (lines) = _Swamp, with long grass and rushes_ (dots)= _Kraal_]