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P. 30 [C.-4191].

P. 39

[C.-4191].

P. 52 [C.-4191].

5

From refusing to pay hut tax, the Usutus in the Reserve proceeded to plundering and molest- ing the loyal natives in the neighbourhood of the Inkandhla On the 6th of May Mr. Osborn, the Resident Commissioner went to the neigh- bourhood of the Inkandhla with a force of loyal natives, summoned the Usutu leaders in the Inkandhla to answer for their interference with the natives in his jurisdiction. They did not obey, and continued their depredations, and Mr. Osborn having allowed them two days to answer, on the 9th of May 1884, sent a force to seize the cattle of Qetuka and the other chiefs who had refused to pay their hut tax and were most active in opposing him. Whilst searching for the cattle the force was attacked by a Usutu impi, which was repulsed Early the next day the Usutus made an attack on our camp which was beaten off, the Usutus losing 100 men, but Mr. Osborn found his force insufficient to enable him to follow up his success, and he had to retire to Entumeni for reinforcements, while the Usutus were reinforced by a contingent from Mnyamana, which the presence of the Boers enabled him to detach from his force. The situation had thus become serious, and Sir H. Bulwer on the 10th of May felt it necessary to ask for more troops. In this request he was supported by the General Officer Com- manding, who had gone to Etshowe, to confer with Mr. Osborn as to the means of defending the Reserve, and as Sir H. Robinson saw no objec- tion to Cape Town being left temporarily without troops, the necessary arrangements were made to provide for all contingencies.

In the meantime, the Boers, who were the founders of what has since been styled “the New Republic," entered Zululand with the professed object of restoring peace. They took sides with the Usutus, crowned Dinuzulu, Cetywayo's son, king of Zululand, and on the 5th of June attacked and overthrew Usibebu, thus obtaining for them- selves and their allies, the Usutus, the command of all Zululand. The effect of the destruction of Usibebu was to give the Usutus within and with- out the Reserve, a free hand for the designs, Mr. which we then suspected and now know* that Esselen's letter to they had, of overthrowing British authority. the 20th of Octa- But Sir Henry Bulwer and the General com- manding the troops concerted additional measures for safeguarding the Reserve, and the danger was (as will be seen) finally averted.

• From

Colonel Stanley of

ber, 1885.

In accordance with the recommendation made by Sir H. Bulwer to Lieutenant-General Sir L. Smyth, a detachment was sent through Rorke's Drift into the upper part of the Reserve to assist in its defence. In order to ascertain the intention of the Boers, Mr. Rudolph, a trusty Natal official, who is also a persona grata with the Boers, was in June sent on a special mission to their camp, and they assured him that they would neither themselves interfere with the Reserve nor allow the Usutus in Central Zululand to do so; and this assurance was subsequently repeated to Mr.

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