A smaller portion, including the district about Natal, was to be his own immediate property.

Dingarn was perfectly in earnest, and thus intended to make him responsible for the conduct of every individual of the motley population of Natal, declaring that he should receive no trader who did not bring credentials from him.

It was as curious a situation as ever commander in the navy was placed in.

All he could do was to return to Durban, explain matters to Mr.Collis and the other traders, and then set out for the Cape to consult Sir Benjamin Durban.
His journey across the mountains was very perilous and difficult, and took much longer than his sanguine nature had reckoned; but he reached Grahamstown at last, and explained matters to the Governor, who instantly sent off a British officer to assume authority over the settlement at Natal, and try to keep the peace with Dingarn, while Captain Gardiner embarked for England to lay the state of things before Government and the Church Missionary Society, at whose disposal he placed all his own personal grant from Dingarn.

When the prospects of the mission were proclaimed, the Rev.Francis Owen volunteered for it, and Captain Gardiner collected all that he thought needful for the great work he hoped to carry out.