17th January

The laborious road making continued, the slow progression towards the next camp site. Chelmsford rode along the road line to check progress passing the Batshe stream and seeing at close hand the Isandlwana mountain. The party off saddled for breakfast and a rest after the 3 hour ride. During breakfast movement was seen at the base of the Malakatha mountain, the barrier to the South of the plain.
Chelmsfords party bravely venture on and discovered the followers of Gamdana, men women and children driving their cattle. Their guns, some twenty or so, where confiscated and the men interrogated, during which Gamdana himself arrived. It was here that Chelmsford attempted to persuade the Zulu chieftain to surrender and place himself under the protection of the British.

In Ondini the week long doctoring and ritural preparation for war was completed, the warriors had each vomited into a pit under the direction of the izinyanga the retching encouraged with the aid of powerful mixtures. After all the ibuthu had completed the cleansing, twisted grass ropes were dipped into the collective mixture and taken to be incorporated into the national inkatha, the grass coil representing the solidarity of the nation.
Once a selected young ibuthu had finished with the cleansing they were taken to the royal kraal and a young bull was let loose, this was killed by the ibuthu with bare hands. The meat was cut into strips, doctored with medicines and taken to the centre of the assembled amabuthu where the strips were thrown into the crowd by the inyanga to be sucked on and tasted before being passed around. The strength of the bull was so passed to the warriors.

The time had come: Cetshwayo address his army telling them they were being: 'sent against the invaders. You are to go against the army at Rorkes Drift and drive it back into Natal.'

'I have not gone over the seas to look for the white man, yet they have come into my country. What shall I do?'

'Give it to us.' was the cry from the by now excited gathering,'we will go and eat up the white man and finish them off.'

The great plain resounded to the chants and war songs as the amabuthu went to war.

thank you sir for these posts. i log in everyday just to read them.

What was happening on the 18th & 19th ?

Sorry there seemed to be a total lack of interest so I stopped. Happy to start again tomorrow, and catch up'

Cheers

Keep them coming, all the way to the 22nd / 23rd.

yes, do keep them coming.

Hi Springy
'' Keep em coming '' from which publication are you drawing them from ? . Nearly forgot , thought your detailed time line of David Jenkins ( doing a Lazarus ) from his hospital bed to Chard's side was one of the funniest , although I doubt it's historically correct , post of all time !      Excellent researching that man !
Cheers 90th   

90th
All my own work mate.
The quotations from letters are coming from all over the place.
Jenkins
What on earth do you mean "not historically correct?" Would I lie to you?   Just thought If every one was playing silly buggers then why not join them, daft prats !  

Saw the third ODI, don't really like kiddy cricket, but there was some good stuff there.

Welcome to Monday.