l have the Naval Brigade, a native regiment, some engineers and
rocket-troughs. On the right there will be the remainder of the Naval
Brigade, some native levies and detachments of engineers and artillery.
There. You have the orders in full, and may advance immediately."

Dick saluted and went back to his men, and very soon they were engaged
with the enemy. As to the other columns they broke into skirmishing
order, and went forward at a run till they gained the bush. Then the
musketry duel became extremely fierce, the crackle of firearms being
incessant. There had been nothing like it in the whole campaign before,
for the enclosed woods added to the roar of the rifles. Our troops
broke into section, three in advance of each company and one in rear, as
a support, and the men soon thrust a passage for themselves through the
jungle. But, just as formerly, no enemy was visible. It was a duel of
sniders and rockets against guns firing slugs, and our soldiers and
sailors had only the smoke and the flashes at which to aim. The air
above them was torn with hundreds of pellets, and on every side the
leaves and twigs fell like rain, cut and lacerated by the missiles. Men
and officers were struck in all directions, and yet they persevered. At
first it was very slow work, for the Ashantis clung to their posts in
spite of the heavy fire. However, when some two hours had passed, and
Dick and his men, who were now joined by the Highlanders, had advanced
scarcely more than a hundred yards, a gun and the rocket-troughs came
into action, the boom of the latter shaking the forest. They were
answered by a perfect babel of shouts and the firing of thousands of
guns, showing clearly the strength of the enemy. Then, as the
Highlanders pressed forward and the enemy retired, and finally, as the
bagpipes struck up, and the gallant Scots got to their legs and charged
down the position, the Ashantis broke and ran for their lives.
Meanwhile, on the right and left flanks, our flanking parties were being
very heavily engaged at close quarters. At length that on the left
drove their enemy back, and were able to advance, while on the right the
Ashantis, probably ignorant of the fate of their comrades on the other
flank, held manfully to their position. Their fire here was terrific,
so rapid, in fact, that it was thought that they must have slaves with
them ready to hand loaded muskets and reload those discharged. However,
as soon as the