In1879,theBritishinvadedZululandineasternSouthAfrica,defeatedtheZulus,andburnedtheircapital.GeneralEvelynWoodwasthenchargedwiththeresponsibilityofnegotiatingwiththeZulus.Therewassomehitchinthenegotiations,andWoodorderedthebandtoplay"GodsavetheQueen".Asthebanddidthis,theZulushalfroseinanalmostthreateningway,buttheirheadmenremainingseated,theysquatteddownagain.Theylookedverygrave.
AtlastWoodtoldthebandmastertostrikeupsomethinglively,andhetreatedthemto"Patrick'sDayintheMorning".InlessthanfiveminutestheZuluswereallswayinganddancingtothemusic.Whenitwasover,theyswarmedaroundtheBritish,laughingandtalking,allinthebestofhumours.Intheend,thenegotiationsweresuccessfullycompleted.
一八七九年，英軍入侵南非東部的祖魯蘭，擊敗祖魯人，焚其首都，然後使伊夫林．伍德將軍和他們談判。談判不大順利，伍德就命樂隊奏起《天佑女王》，祖魯人聽了，半站起來，似要對英國人不利，但見各族長坐着不動，才又蹲下去，神情嚴肅。
最後，伍德叫樂隊指揮改奏輕快的調子。他奏起《派屈克節上午》，才不過五分鐘，祖魯人就隨着音樂擺動身體，手舞足蹈。樂曲奏罷，他們紛紛上前，圍着英國人，有說有笑，心情好得很。談判終於順利完成。