forgotten by him, and with such men as Commissary-General Strickland, Surgeon-Major Tarrant, and his dozen assistant-surgeons, as well as Commissary Walton and Transport Officers Lawrence and Findlay, things were bound to go well. The first plan was to force a passage through to Ekowe with all possible despatch consistent with the safety of the column and its convoy, and then, having exchanged the garrison and having provisioned the brave little fortress for a month, to form another and corresponding post on the Inyezani hills, leaving the latter munitioned for a similar period. But this plan was afterwards considerably modified. On the first day's march no difficulties as to enemy or transport were experienced, the weather had cleared, and the road from the Tugela to Amatikula was far better than expected. Giving up all idea of the road by which Pearson had originally advanced when he first marched inland, Lord Chelmsford, following Colonel Pearson's advice, determined to move by the coast road, which crossed much more open country, was far more adapted for wheeled transport, and, indeed, for the march of all three arms, while it afforded fewer opportunities for the Zulus to attempt surprise. So satisfactory was the road on the first day's march that the only wonder was that it had not been previously destroyed by the Zulus. In fact, the column had made good more than half the distance before any serious difficulties began. It will be seen in the map that at the villages of Inyoni and Amatikula their respective rivers cross the old road. Now, these rivers cross the coast road as well as the main road, flowing from west to east, and several halts at these two places are mentioned; it is not intended to refer to these villages, but simply to the encampments on the banks of the rivers of the same name.