On the 17th the party returned to Conference Hill, Colonel Harrison and Colonel Buller having arranged for a combined and further reconnaissance of the country from that place and Brigadier-General Wood’s camp; but as the special duty to which the Prince and the intelligence officer had been assigned was over, Colonel Harrison would not allow them to accompany him farther, but directed them to return to Utrecht. They obeyed; but, on the 18th, after Colonel Harrison had started on his expedition and was already in Zululand, he was surprised by the appearance of the Prince Imperial, who had galloped all the way from Balte Spruit by himself to overtake him, bringing with him the permission, for which he had sent a messenger to Lord Chelmsford, to go on the new reconnaissance. The party now consisted of Colonel Harrison, the Prince, Lieutenant Carey, one officer and five men Bettington’s Horse, and one officer and twenty men Natal Native Horse (Basutu). The escort would have been stronger, but that the junction with Colonel Buller from Wood’s camp was looked for to add to it. The first day was occupied in searching the country as before, and in looking out for Buller; and the party bivouacked at night with vedettes and sentries posted all round, as Zulus had been seen on the hills, although they did not molest the reconnoitring party. On the following day (the 19th), whilst exploring a deep rough valley, the party was suddenly confronted by a number of Zulus, who came down the hill at one side of the donga, and spread out in the usual way in two wings or horns, in order to overlap or outflank it, firing as they advanced. The officer in command of the advance at once put spurs to his horse and rode straight up the hill at the weak centre of the Zulu detachment, followed by the rest of the party. They pushed right through the centre of the Zulus, and the horns at once broke away, and escaped among the rocks with some loss. Smaller bodies of Zulus were met with subsequently, but did not attempt to try conclusions with the horsemen, who were obliged to keep on the move the greater part of the night, as the enemy was all around them. Next morning they reached Conference Hill, without meeting Colonel Buller; Colonel Harrison and the Prince proceeding to Utrecht to report to Lord Chelmsford. Lord Chelmsford now informed Colonel Harrison that “He was to consider the Prince Imperial as attached to the Quartermaster-General’s staff for duty, but it was not put in orders, in consequence of the Prince not being in the army.” The Prince lived, as before, with the General’s personal staff, and Colonel Harrison, therefore, only saw him when he came for work or orders, which was very frequently.