On the arrival of the column at the Inyoni and Amatikula rivers the waggons were carefully packed in laager, and a well-made ditch and parapet formed around the camp. Sentries were posted at the various angles, and outlying piquets thrown well forward. No noise, or even loud talking was allowed, and the bivouac, for it could scarcely be called a camp, was each night as silent as a grave-yard. Two miles beyond the Zulu bank of the Tugela good camping-ground was passed, but the troops pushed on without any difficulty to the Inyoni river, finding the road very good, although a little heavy for the waggons, from the rains. They were so lightly laden, however, that the drivers managed to get the oxen along at a fair pace, the waggons marching four, and sometimes six abreast. Scarcely any water was met with, but numerous Zulu kraals were passed, so streams or wells must have been in the neighbourhood. The country through which the column passed was very open, affording no cover, except between three miles south of Inyoni and the banks of the river, where there is a gully with thick bush, which scouts carefully explored before the main body came up. The water of the Inyoni was found so brackish that the horses would scarcely drink of it. The Umsundusi and Amatikula rivers are very sweet, the latter particularly so. Leaving the Inyoni, the next river passed is the Umsundusi, which runs into the Amatikula, north-west of which lies the thorn country. The road thence to Ingesani is good, but there is a mud gully to the south of that place almost impassable after heavy rain. The column now marched more to their right, where the country was still open, although there was considerable cover in places, and kraals were seen around. Near the Umkukusi is a hill, which was occupied for a time, but from which nothing could be seen in the shape of an enemy. Keeping in a north-easterly direction they now reached a lower portion of the Inyesani, and then bore westerly for Ginghilovo, where on the afternoon of the 1st they encamped. Here a parley was held with the besieged, from Pearson's lofty signal-tower at Ekowe, and signals were made warning Lord Chelmsford of the impending Zulu attack.