14th January

The troops woke up to the mist rising from the valley of the Mzinyathi aware that the expected attack from the Zulus, in retaliation for the Sihayo skirmish, had not materialised. it was even suggested that having seen the power of the army the Zulus had melted away.
Chelmsfords official report emphasises the transport difficulties:'No3 column cannot move forward even 8 miles until two swamps into which our wagons sank up to the body have been made passable.'
The general had taken the opportunity to ride back to Helpmakaar pushing the commissariat hard. It was recorded that:' He even licked  with his own hand a white bullock driver for brutality to his oxen.' An interesting side to the General.
John North Crealock took time to write to General Sir Archibald Alison and appraised him of the invasion saying:' It would save us an amount of trouble if the Zulus would come down and attack us, fail and then sue for peace.'
And in commenting on operational matters he gossiped that:' Durnford got one over the knuckles today for not obeying an order, Colonel Pearson will be the next I expect.'

During the crossing of the river on the 11th all the troops had been searched and any grog poured away. Its strange justice then that in the crossing all the officers liquor wash wash off a wagon and sank to the bottom.
And a final comment on the health of the men: 'Opthalmic disorders seem prevalent, but generally we are healthy and in good ease.'
But all the time the strange shaped mountain in the distance cast a spell of disquiet.
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If only they had known their headstone was waiting for them in the distance! In the shape of a British Lion!