Several of the mining towns are quite popu lous. In the winter of 1875, Dutch Flat had a population of some 3000. It is probably a big town now. for the business of hydraulic mining is a flourishing one. There are vasb sums of British capital working in it. Several other mining townships have grown up close handy, and there are evidences of mining every where. The surrounding hills are cut up with ditches, and they run through the towns as well. The direct or most feasible course seems to be taken everywhere for^ carrying water.^lt

evsnts notwith s ta»6insr, there has long l-eyi accumulating among them a scarcely repr^smblo eagerness for battle and conquest. O«tewayo had, for some time previous to its annexation, been in dispute with the Transvaal on the question of their mutual boundary ; and Sir T. Shepstone, in a ci^utch to the British Government, admits that, previous to his inquiry on tbe spot, which was made after the annexation, he was under the belief that the line confcendo I for by the Boers had been adopted by their Government without the due concurrence of the Zulu chief and hi* In dunas ; but that it wss afterwards established " by the fulle t and most incontrovertible evi dence that this boundary line had been for mally and mutually agreed upon, and had been formally ratified by the giving and receiv ing of t'kens of thanks; and that the beacons bad been built up in the pre pence of Commissioners from both Panda and Cetewayo, and that the spot on which every beacon was to stand was indicated by the Zulu Commissioners themselves placing the fir*t atones upon it." It was, of course, inevi table that the Znlus should all along be aware of the feeling and opinion of the British colonists and authorities on this vexed question, and it is scarcely to be wondered at that Cetewayo should be disappointed and enraged at the change of attitude towards his claims which ensued after the Traasvaal became a British possession. And when, besides the cession of this disputed territory, he haa been called upon to abandon many ©f the customs and enactments on which the very exist ence of his military power depend, nothing was to be expected but tbat he would fight. 