These men took it in turns to run in front, and were evidently acting as guides, often enabling the rest to make short cuts, and thus to get over the ground more quickly. They paused, however, now and then, as if to examine the spoor of the horses, on which the previous night's rain had fallen, and from this Colonel Wood concluded that some of his people were in the same direction. By means of some wild vine and creepers Lysons and one of the escort now descended from the opposite side of the plateau on which was the cave, and running rapidly along the top of the next ridge, made their way unseen to the edge of the bush. They thus commanded the plain below, and the serpentine pathway by which Buller had found his way to the summit of the cliff. From this point Buller and his men could be seen scouring the mountains beyond the intervening kloof, and about halfway up the opposite ascent were observed a strong party of Zulus working forward as if to cut off the horsemen above. As Weatherly and Colonel Wood were now separated by a deep and impassable ravine, they could only hope that they should be able to effect a junction with Buller by different routes, and, if possible, in time to give effective help. Crouching down so as not to be seen by the main column were a few of the enemy on a narrow ledge of rock, about a hundred yards above their heads. Where these fellows had come from it was not easy to imagine, but they immediately opened a hot, but ill-directed fire, which the English troopers did not at first return, as they were too much occupied in guiding their horses over the dangerous places, where a single false step would have sent them to the valley below. Meanwhile Umtongo and two of his men had climbed round by a higher portion of the cliff, and, guiding some of the English marksmen, they opened a fire upon the Zulu scouts, which soon cleared them from the path. Another half-hour's toilsome march brought Wood upon Weatherly's track, and they then could see the rear of Buller's column high above them to the right.