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Date	Original Topic
17th February 2004	Boast's map of the graves at Isandhlwana By Julian Whybra Some time ago on this website I mentioned i had a photocopy of Boast's map showing the graves at Isandhlwana. I had around 30 e-mails asking me where I'd got it from and I promised I would look it up and report back. I've finally (!) found the source for those interested: Natal Archives Pietermaritzburg Colonial Secretary's Office Accession no. 899, 1883/1078 Boast's diary from 12.2.1883-10.3.1883 with an enclosure: a skecth map of Isandhlwana showing the location of the graves. Good luck.
Date	Replies
17th February 2004	Keith Smith Julian I was in Pietermaritzburg last November and used your info to track down the documents. The full references are: 1. First Boast ReoprtL CSO (Solnial Secretary's Office) 897-167/1883 2. Final Boast report and map, CSO 899-1078/1883. Keith
17th February 2004	Keith Smith Sorry, FFS (Fat Finger Syndrome!) - it should read "Colonial Secretary's Office". Keith
17th February 2004	Keith Smith Good Grief! I really stuffed that up! The correct reference for item 1 should read: 1. First Boast Report, CSO 897-867/1883. There, that was easy wasn't it?
19th February 2004	Neil Aspinshaw Julian. Has this ever been transposed against a modern map to show how, or if the cairns have been eroded, mooved or simply lost?. Jacksons "the hill of the shpinx" (essentail read!) does have a comment about cairns on the Tehelane Ridge, which have dissapeared. Does this list have any of these listed?. regards Neil
19th February 2004	Keith Smith I have just had another look at my copy of Boast's map and it is something of a dog's breakfast. It shows Isandlwana hill in silhouette, superimposed on the battlefiled, which spreads from the junction of the RD road and the Manzimnyama stream in the 'North' to its confluence with the Buffalo at Fugitive's Drift, although the stream actually runs north to south - I think his directions were awry. The map shows nothing north (Boast's East) of a small square labelled 'Missionary", which may be the church under the escarpment. It therefore shows no graves on the spur. It shows a distinct progression of graves from the southern nek, down to Fugitive's Drift, and there are almost as many indicated on this line as on the battlefield itself. There is a heavy concentration east of the nek, somewhere near the camp of the 1/24 on the southern side of the road, and marked "Volunteers"; I assume this is where Durnford's body was found.