Note 277 — XVII.

The New Hanover Reserves assembled at Noodsberg Hall, by direction of the Acting Commandant, on the 27th June. On the 28th, a patrol visited the Swedish mission station (Rev. J.F. Ljungquist), under the Great Noodsberg, when a small body of the enemy was seen on the top of the mountains. Mdungazwe reported that the rebels were doing their best to incite people of his and other tribes to rise. As word had come in that Butler's store had been looted at Insuze, the whole of the Reserves, including Messrs. W. Dickens, M. Jackson, J.H. Culverwell and H. Jacobson, left to visit the place, but, on discovering a party of the enemy driving some thirty cattle near the Newspaper Mission Station, two miles from Butler's, the project was abandoned after capturing the cattle. The rebels now assembled in larger numbers at Newspaper, and rumours of an intended attack on the Hall were freely circulated. It was at this stage that Ehlers got into touch with Barker at Dalton.