s with reinforcements, and in a month from the
date of the arrival of the first from England, seventeen transports came
in, bringing more than 9000 soldiers and 2000 horses. The force
consisted of two regiments of cavalry, 1250 sabres, two batteries of
artillery with 540 men, 190 men of the Royal Engineers, six regiments of
infantry, 5320 bayonets, draughts of the regiments already in the colony
and Army Service Corps' men, 1200. Most of the regiments brought their
equipments complete and ready for the field--tents, waterproof-sheets,
cooking utensils, and camp stores. The Army Service Corps brought with
them 100 light but strongly-built waggons.

Among the arrivals was the Prince Imperial of France, who had come out
as a volunteer.

To convey the baggage and stores of so numerous a force an immense
number of waggons was required, and a very urgent appeal was made to the
loyalty of the colonists to furnish transport for the troops engaged in
fighting their battles.

In answer to this appeal Mr Humphreys and Mr Jackson decided to send
down the new waggons which had just been finished. Immediately they
heard of the decision, Dick and Tom begged for permission again to
accompany the waggons. Their mothers at first refused even to listen to
the request, but their fathers, talking the matter over between them,
agreed that harm was not likely this time to come of it.

The force was so overwhelmingly strong that there was not the slightest
prospect of a repetition of the disaster of Isandula. At that time
several hundred English soldiers had been surprised and crushed by some
20,000 of the enemy, but in future every precaution would be taken, and
the British force would be ten times as strong as that which fought at
Isandula. The colonists thought that it would be really an advantage to
the boys to take part in the expedition; it was quite possible that if
they remained in the colony they might have occasion to take part in
wars with one or other of the native tribes, and the experience that
they would gain in the campaign would in that case assuredly be useful
to them. Having thus decided, Mr Humphreys and his friend succeeded in
obtaining their wives' consent to the boys accompanying the waggons, and
in high glee they started for Durban on the 20th of April.

The campaign was arranged on a new plan. The numerous columns in which
the strength of the force had been frittered away were abolished, and
the following