Knowing that there was action in Natal around Ladysmith Churchill sought the quickest way to get there. Advice was that he should travel by train to East London and take a ship on to Durban. Word was that the Boers had crossed into Cape Colony and were advancing on Burghersdorp only 40 kms from Stormberg Junction. Nevertheless the authorities thought there would be a good chance of getting through. In company with J.B. Atkins of the Manchester Guardian, one of his companions on the voyage from England, they set out via De Aar, arriving at Stormberg as the staff and garrison were packing up to leave. Churchill, never a good sailor, “suffered the most appalling paroxysms of sea-sickness which it has ever been my lot to survive” in the small steamer which took them from East London to Durban. Unable to get into Ladysmith as the Boers had occupied Colenso, Churchill and Atkins were shown to an empty bell tent in the shunting area of Estcourt station for trains were not going further than this. For the moment they were stuck in the little town with its garrison of 2,000 British troops. Churchill desperately wanted to see what Ladysmith looked like from the inside. He made it known that he would pay £200 (an enormous sum!) to anyone who would guide him through the Boer lines into Ladysmith. Trooper William Park Gray of the Estcourt Squadron of the Natal Carbineers was keen to acquire this princely sum and went to see Churchill in his tent. Gray was surprised at his youthful looks and “although four years older than I, looked to be about 17 or 18”. Trooper Gray needed to obtain permission for three days leave but his commanding officer, Major Duncan Mackenzie, told him that “he could not spare a single man, let alone me, to lead a bloody war correspondent into Ladysmith. I think Churchill was more disappointed than I when I told him the news”. Churchill found another volunteer to lead him through the Boer lines. This was Richard Norgate who lived in Estcourt and it was said that he agreed to undertake this perilous task for a mere £5. His wife tried unavailingly to dissuade him and a rendezvous was agreed for the morning of 15^th November but Churchill had something else to do that morning.