the loyalty of the Dutch citizens of both the British colonies.
Many sinister signs were observed by those upon the spot. The veld
had been burned unusually early to ensure a speedy grass-crop after
the first rains, there had been a collecting of horses, a
distribution of rifles and ammunition. The Free State farmers, who
graze their sheep and cattle upon Natal soil during the winter, had
driven them off to places of safety behind the line of the
Drakensberg. Everything pointed to approaching war, and Natal
refused to be satisfied even by the dispatch of another regiment.
On September 6th a second message was received at the Colonial
Office, which states the case with great clearness and precision.

'The Prime Minister desires me to urge upon you by the unanimous
advice of the Ministers that sufficient troops should be dispatched
to Natal immediately to enable the colony to be placed in a state
of defence against an attack from the Transvaal and the Orange Free
State. I am informed by the General Officer Commanding, Natal, that
he will not have enough troops, even when the Manchester Regiment
arrives, to do more than occupy Newcastle and at the same time
protect the colony south of it from raids, while Laing's Nek,
Ingogo River and Zululand must be left undefended. My Ministers
know that every preparation has been made, both in the Transvaal
and the Orange Free State, which would enable an attack to be made
on Natal at short notice. My Ministers believe that the Boers have
made up their minds that war will take place almost certainly, and
their best chance will be, when it seems unavoidable, to deliver a
blow before reinforcements have time to arrive. Information has
been received that raids in force will be made by way of Middle
Drift and Greytown and by way of Bond's Drift and Stangar, with a
view to striking the railway between Pietermaritzburg and Durban