Dick King returns home after securing help for Port Natal

Dick King (Richard Philip) returned to Port Natal on board the Conch after his heroic rescue operation. King, accompanied by his young after-rider Ndongeni as far as Pondoland, had set off on a ten-days' horse-ride of 960km to Grahamstown on the night of 25 May. His desperate journey, traversing dangerous terrain at the utmost speed, was in aid of Captain T.C. Smith whose garrison was besieged by the Boers near Congella.  King completed the journey, normally lasting seventeen days, in ten days. With him on the ship were the troops sent to relieve the beleaguered garrison. Sources: Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau. Potgieter, D.J. et al. (eds)(1970). Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town: NASOU, v. 6, p. 396. Kruger, D.W. (ed)(1972). Dictionary of South African Biography, Cape Town: Human Sciences Research Council, v. 2, p. 364.