Naxeane, Umdomandi, Ucaridanburg, Macalsiene, Udmine, Ekotsamaclooser, and Macalvoore, under the Indunas Umgongo, Umsimoyao, and other noted chiefs, had left Ulundi three days before, on the 24th, and Umtongo was consequently most anxious that the column should at once return to the Kambula. This advice, however, could not have been followed without exposing Colonels Buller and Weatherly and Piet Uys, who were in front, to be cut off and surrounded, so that it was decided that a junction must be made with them at whatever risks. At half-past three a.m. the commanding officer ordered the word to be quietly passed round for the men to stand to their horses and prepare to march. An occasional and straggling ray of moonlight helped them to follow the faint tracks of those who had gone before them, and before going very far they came upon unmistakable evidences of the advance having been opposed. A distant shot was now and then heard, away towards the bluff of the mountain on the north-east side; and soon after these indications of fighting was heard the sound of horses, and Colonel Weatherly, with his son, and about eighty of his troopers, met Colonel Wood, bringing him the news that on the previous night he had been unfortunate enough to miss his road. As the morning was now breaking, and the warm sun commenced to light up the scene, Colonel Wood noticed, here and there on the path, a broken assegai, a damaged shield, rent with a Martini-Henry rifle-bullet, and further on the bodies of some Zulus and the carcass of a dead horse. These signs marked where Buller had passed and had been attacked. Campbell and Lysons therefore ascended the rocks above a huge cave, and, taking every precaution to screen themselves from observation, scanned the surrounding horizon with the field-glasses. Far away, almost upon the summit of an apparently inaccessible and gigantic cliff, the van of Buller's column could be seen slowly advancing, and driving some dark masses of cattle and Zulus before them. These officers came down at once to report, and Colonel Weatherly requested permission to lead his men on to Buller's assistance, while Colonel Wood followed with the remainder of his horsemen. This permission being granted, Weatherly moved on by a terribly difficult path to the right, while the remainder kept to what seemed to be the main track. About half a mile farther on this party saw, a few hundred yards to the left, about 200 Zulus, who appeared to be armed with rifles. They were moving rapidly across the English front, stopping occasionally to take a shot at the leading files, who had, on account of the difficulties of the road, been compelled to dismount and lead their horses. The object of this detachment was now evident, it being their intention to get between the main column and Weatherly's little band. It was noticed that half a dozen gigantic warriors, each armed with rifle, shield, and bundle of assegais, led the main body of these Zulus.