stray guns, arms, and
powder, and their pay is what they can loot; whereas the African
private's drill and duties are identical with those of the British
private. His orders are given to him in English, and his knowledge
of our language is probably superior to that of most Indian or
Egyptian soldiers; while the British soldiers in West Africa are
rarely able to understand the language of their men.

A column had started, at once, to Captain Willcox's assistance.
They returned, however, in ten days, having been unable to come up
to him, as he had retired fifty miles farther to the east. They had
no fighting, the enemy having gone north; but they ascertained that
all the country immediately to the south was free from rebels and
desirous of peace. The spot where Captain Benson's action had been
fought was strewn with dead bodies, baggage, and rifles; evidence
of the disordered flight. It seemed that the levies bolted, as soon
as they were fired on. Then, with a few trained volunteers, the
white men hastily entrenched themselves; and held out till late in
the afternoon when, their ammunition having run short, they were
compelled to retire, which they did fighting. It was during the
retreat that Captain Benson was shot.

Another column came in on the following day, after five days'
reconnaissance. It had gone by the same road by which the governor
had broken out, on the 23rd of June. The road was entirely
deserted, the villages destroyed, and the crops burnt. They made no
attempt to search the bush but, on the path, they found
ninety-eight headless skeletons; a painful testimony of the number
of soldiers and carriers who had died of privation, and hardship,
during the retreat.

Information now came in that, to the north, the most reckless of
the Ashantis had again concentrated, and were determined to make
another stand. On the 16th there was a big review of the seventeen
hundred troops and the nine guns of the garrison. The heavy guns
were exercised on a stockade, similar to those of the enemy.
Hitherto they had not been altogether successful; as it was found
that, owing to the large bursting charge, the range had to be
estimated at double its real distance. Six shots smashed a
barricade which was six feet high by six feet thick.

Friendly chiefs, who were invited to witness the experiment, were
profoundly impressed; and there can be no doubt that the feat was
reported to the enemy in the field, for they raised no sto