The detailed news from South Africa down to May 30th
is of little interest or importance. Lord Chelms- ford was still organising the advance on Ulundi, which was to commence on June 2nd, if he considered his trans- port and commissariat in sufficient order. The corre- spondents generally say that all is ready, and consider the Commander-in-Chief fax too cautious, as well as vacillating.. He has evidently lost much of his moral nerve since the defeat of Isandlana, and since he felt the popular censure which each mail has conveyed to him. The Zulus have burned the grass in advance ; they watch every movement closely, warning each other by signal-fires; and large " impis," or corps, have been perceived in motion. The idea in camp was that Cetewayo, would make a serious attack on the columns as they advanced, and that if defeated, he would retreat beyond Ulundi. A very valuable account of the defence of Ekowe by an officer present, published in Blackwood for July, indicates, however, that the Zulus are most reluctant to attack large columns.. Their tactics are to cut off small parties, and harass convoys, though both at Isandlana and Kambula Kop they risked serious engagements. It is just possible, though by no means certain, that Cetewayo must risk one battle in defence of Ulundi, or lose prestige in the eyes of his own warriors, which he will not do.
Previous page
