R SIX.

ZLOBANI.

While disaster had fallen upon the centre column, the division under
Colonel Evelyn Wood had been showing what could be done when care and
prudence took the place of a happy-go-lucky recklessness. It had
advanced from Utrecht on the 7th of January, and had moved up to the
frontier at Sandspruit. At two in the afternoon of the 10th it moved
forward, halted at six, and again advanced by the light of the moon at
half-past one in the morning; a mounted advance-guard was thrown out,
flanking patrols were organised, and the troops moved in the greatest
silence.

The next day Colonel Buller, with his irregular horse, went out, and
after a skirmish with the Zulus brought in a thousand cattle, and
Captain Barton, with a party scouting in another direction, captured
550.

On the following morning a reconnaissance in force was made, and a good
deal of skirmishing took place; but, as Colonel Wood never allowed his
men to follow the Zulus into rough ground, the latter were unable to
effect anything against the column. This division advanced forward but
slowly, as it was intended that they should keep within reach of the
leisurely-moving central column.

After several slight skirmishes the news reached them on the 24th of the
disaster of Isandula, and with it Colonel Wood received orders to fall
back; and on the 26th he encamped at Kambula. Raids were made in all
directions with great success; the great military kraal of Manyamyoba
was captured and destroyed by Colonel Buller and his cavalry. As
Colonel Wood's was now the most advanced column, Colonel Rowlands, with
a wing of the 80th and a couple of guns and 200 Swazis, together with
Raaff's Horse and Wetherby's Borderers, were sent as a reinforcement to
him.

The Zulus were not idle, and Umbelleni and Manyamyoba made several
successful raids across the border and destroyed the kraals of natives
friendly to the English. These two chiefs were not regular Zulu
chieftains; both were adventurers who had gathered under them numbers of
broken men, and had for years carried on raids on their own account from
their mountain-stronghold, in much the same way that the Scotch
borderers of olden times harassed the country on the English side of the
frontier.

Oham, the king's brother, with his own following, came into Colonel
Wood's camp, and gave himself up, saying that he was altogether opposed
to the war.

The boys on their arrival at Zlobani were brought b