comparatively
small. Lieutenant Nicholson, R.A., and Lieutenant Bright of the 90th
were killed, Major Hackett and several other officers being severely
wounded.

Many weeks now passed without striking events, and the greatest
discontent was caused by the long inactivity. Kambula and Gingihlovo
had shown how British troops, when steady, could defeat great masses of
the enemy; and it was inexplicable to all why a British force of some
15,000 men could remain for weeks inactive within but four days' march
of the stronghold of the enemy. So great had the discontent become,
both in England and Natal, at the extraordinary inaction of the British
troops, that the greatest satisfaction was diffused when, on the 26th of
May, Sir Garnet Wolseley was appointed to the chief command at the Cape.

On the 1st of June an occurrence took place which cast a gloom over the
whole country. The Prince Imperial started with Lieutenant Carey of the
98th, and six men of Bettington's Horse, on a reconnoitring expedition,
and reached a kraal some ten miles from the camp. Here they unsaddled
their horses and rested for an hour. As they were in the act of
resaddling, a party of Zulus suddenly sprang out. All leaped to their
horses and rode off, unhappily headed by the officer, who should have
been the last in the retreat. The Prince Imperial was unable to mount
his horse, and was overtaken by the Zulus within 300 yards of the kraal,
and, being deserted and alone, was killed by the Zulus, making a noble
resistance to the last. There is no blacker episode in the history of
the British army than this.

Another month was passed in tedious delays and crawling movements.
General Sir Garnet Wolseley reached the Cape in the last week in June,
and the news of his approach appears to have quickened the faculties of
the officer until then commanding the British troops, who accordingly
advanced, and upon the 4th of July fought the battle of Ulundi. The
British were formed in square, and upon their approach to the king's
head village, were attacked by the Zulus. The fight was never for an
instant in doubt. From the four sides of the square a tremendous fire
from our breechloaders, aided by guns and Gatlings placed at the angles,
mowed down the Zulus, who advanced bravely, but were wholly unable to
stand the withering fire. The conflict lasted but a very few minutes,
at the end of which the Zulus were in flight, and the war in Zululand
was virtu