Colonel Hare and his aide-de-camp arrived at Fort Peddie on the 24th of April, 1843, drenched to the skin, and without even a change of clothes, till the Orderly and saddle-bags arrived. The 91st and the Cape Corps had been hurried away from church parade; and one could not but admire the example of a man in Colonel Hare's position in not staying to provide himself with personal comforts, which were even permitted to the soldier; for the Lieutenant-Governor, with the possibility of being obliged to proceed into Kaffirland before him, had neither tent nor waggon at command for his own personal convenience. More troops were under orders at Fort Beaufort. Day after day, during the week, some subtle message was received from Umhala. He was evidently delaying his march till his spies brought him intelligence from Fort Peddie, and till, as he himself expressed it (affecting courtesy, but intending insolence), he had collected a force of sufficient number to meet Colonel Hare's assemblage. Umhala, as was afterwards proved, was lingering in the neighbourhood, conferring with his brother Umki, and his nephew Sandilla, both of whom are bitterly opposed to Gasella. It was said by many worthy of credence, that these plots had long been concocting between the parties; hence, probably, arose Sandilla's unexpected and protracted visit to Fort Peddie, whither he was accompanied by Umki. On Saturday, April 29th, Colonel Hare, learning that Umhala was resting at a missionary station four miles from Peddie, with the intention of advancing to the council on the following Monday, resolved on leaving the meeting to the arrangement of Major Lamont, next in command; and, having become acquainted with the leading features of the case, returned to his duties at Graham's Town. Umhala had at first proposed to bring his followers to Peddie on Sunday, but this was not to be permitted, nor was he at all events to approach nearer to it than Somerset Mount, about four miles off. Having ascertained from Mr Shepstone that the meeting would be a peaceable one, I was prevailed on to accompany my husband and his brother officers to the conference, and at nine in the morning of the 30th of April we rode out, keeping pretty close to the Cape Corps, the _Roed Batjes_, or red-jackets (as they term the British troops on the frontier) being left at Fort Peddie in reserve. It was a lovely morning, resembling in its temperature the opening of one of our warm spring days. The mimosa-bushes, more powerful than our own May, yet reminded us of its redolence; but there were no singing-birds. This is one of our wants in South Africa. A kind of swallow, though, which built its long bottle-mouthed nest in our verandah, occasionally enlivened us with its merry chirrup and long trill, clear as a silver bell.