Before Lord Chelmsford set out on his march, Colonel Pearson had sent messengers to warn him that not less than 35,000 Zulus were lying in ambush between the Tugela and Ekowe, in order to assail him as he advanced to the relief of that post. Orders were therefore sent to Colonel Wood to make an attack on the Zulu flank, and so to create a diversion in favour of the relieving column. Accordingly, Wood advanced from his entrenched position at Kambula Kop to the Zlobani mountain, where Umbelini's chief stronghold and kraal was situated. This Wood assailed, and though after a sharp engagement, which has been previously described, his forces received a decided check, yet he may be said to have achieved a success, inasmuch as he undoubtedly drew away a large part of the force that was intended to operate against Lord Chelmsford. Another result of this battle was that it gave the enemy sufficient encouragement to induce them to attack the English troops on the following day in their position at Kambula, thus enabling Wood to obtain a solid and decisive victory. From various incidents that came under his observation Colonel Wood formed an opinion, subsequently verified by the event, that an attack upon Kambula would not be long in following the check at Zlobani; a vigilant look-out was therefore maintained during the whole of the night of the 28th. The rain came down heavily during the early part of the night, and shortly before dawn Captain Raaf was sent out with twenty-five men to reconnoitre, and, if possible, pick up any wounded or straggling. Zulus, who would give any information as to the movements of the strong impi known to be in the immediate neighbourhood. About ten a.m. Raaf sent in one of Oham's people--a most intelligent and witty fellow--who gave a graphic account how he was captured when left behind with the recovered cattle taken from Umbelini. Having taken off his distinctive head-badge, although he was recognized by a friend, the Zulus were not aware that he was one of Oham's people, or that he had joined the English cause. On this account, therefore, he was allowed to accompany the Zulu impi as far as Umsedosi. While with the enemy he obtained a tolerably correct notion of their strength, and was intelligent enough to remember the names and titles of the various corps sent from Ulundi, and, indeed, of those which were retained by the king. Cetywayo, he said, had divided his entire military available force into three formidable columns of four regiments each. One of these, consisting of the Naxeane, the Umdomandi, the Ucaridanburg, and the Macalsiene, was sent without commissariat, and by forced marches from Ulundi on the 24th March, and part of this column, but not all, was engaged with Umbelini against Wood at Zlobani on the 28th. This column numbered at the least 20,000 men, and was well supplied with arms of precision. Four regiments were retained at Ulundi as a bodyguard and