ities.
A cordon of sentinels had, however, been placed all along the river from
Rorke's Drift down to the point of junction of the Buffalo and Tugela;
below the stream was so wide that there was no fear of the Zulus
effecting a crossing.

Most of the troops which had been stationed at Helpmakaar had already
marched up to Rorke's Drift, and after staying two days at Helpmakaar
the 2nd battalion of the 24th marched to that place, where the 1st
battalion of the same regiment were already encamped.

Two days later the remainder of the force destined to act under Colonel
Glyn had assembled at Rorke's Drift--the term "drift" meaning a ford
across a river.

This column was the strongest of those which had been formed for the
simultaneous invasion of Zululand, and General Thesiger was himself upon
the spot to accompany it. Many of the waggons which had brought up
stores were sent back to Grey Town for further supplies; but those of
the boys, being laden with the spare ammunition and baggage of a portion
of the 24th, were to accompany the column in its advance.

The last two days of the term granted to Cetewayo to accede to our terms
were full of excitement; it had been reported, indeed, that the king was
determined upon resistance, but it was thought probable that he might
yield at the last moment, and the road leading down to the drift on the
other side of the river was anxiously watched.

As the hours went on and no messenger was seen approaching, the spirits
of the troops rose, for there is nothing that soldiers hate so much as,
after enduring the fatigues preparatory to the opening of a campaign,
the long marches, the wet nights, and other privations and hardships,
for the enemy to yield without a blow. Men who had been in the
campaigns of Abyssinia and Ashanti told their comrades how on both
occasions the same uncertainty had prevailed as to the intentions of the
enemy up to the last moment; and the fact that in both campaigns the
enemy had at the last moment resolved to fight, was hailed as a sort of
presage that a similar determination would be arrived at by the Zulu
king.

To the boys these days passed very pleasantly; they had nothing to do
but to wander about the camp and watch the proceedings. There was a
parade of the two native regiments before the general, who was much
pleased with their appearance, and who exhorted them on no account to
kill women, children, or prisoners.

Among these native regiments