were mounted men. This was really necessary in order to keep down possible insurrections of Pondos, Basutos, and Griquas. All the black races throughout Southern Africa had to be feared, as they only waited an opportunity to make common cause against the Europeans. Already in detail had the Gealekas and the Gaikas been thoroughly defeated, but the Basutos and Pondos had hitherto hung back. The Zulu war was watched by them with lively feelings of interest and their sympathies were, of course, enlisted on the side of Cetywayo. [Sidenote: _Feeling in England._] Her Majesty the Queen, with the utmost sympathy and promptness, caused the Secretary of State to telegraph, on the 18th of February, her sorrow at the loss of so many brave officers and men of the regular and colonial forces, and her full confidence that Lord Chelmsford would be able to meet the difficulties in which he was placed. The message ended with the words, "Full reinforcements of all arms will be sent with the utmost despatch." The Imperial Ministry was fiercely attacked in England for having entered upon the Zulu war, and succumbed to the pressure of public opinion so far as to blame Sir Bartle Frere for taking, without their full knowledge and sanction, a course almost certain to result in war, which every effort should have been used to avoid. The High Commissioner, under his commission, was not only empowered, but really authorized and obliged, to enter upon this war. His Excellency knew that it was necessary to open the campaign at once in Zululand; and the mild, modified rebuke of the Conservative Ministry was evidently wrung from them more by the exigencies of party than by the actual circumstances. A disaster always evokes a cry for victims, and the British populace were loud in the usual _væ victis_ clamour. Sir Bartle Frere, however, stood firm, strong in the confidence of eventually obtaining justice; while the Ministry at home were sufficiently powerful and sufficiently noble to refuse to sacrifice Lord Chelmsford to the ferocious outcry that was raised against him. CHAPTER V. PEARSON'S COLUMN—MARCH TO EKOWE—BATTLE OF INYEZANE—EKOWE—ZULU ARMY—WOOD'S COLUMN—ZULU RAIDS—REINFORCEMENTS FROM ENGLAND—THE COLONISTS—THE NAVY. We have now to advert to the proceedings of No. 1 column, comprising 1200 British troops, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Pearson. Having crossed the Tugela river, an advance was commenced towards Ekowe on the 18th of January. No fewer than 130 waggons, as well as a number of other vehicles, accompanied this column, whose order of march was as follows:— Cavalry. Detachment Royal Engineers. Cavalry. One cart.