nd it was clear that they were greatly
superior to the people around.

Mr. Goodenough expressed to the king the willingness with which his
friend and himself took part in the struggle of a brave people against
a cruel and bloodthirsty foe, and he said, that as the four Houssas were
also armed with fast firing guns he hoped that their assistance would be
of avail. He said that he would at once examine the defences of the town
and see if anything could be done to strengthen them.

Accompanied by the king, Mr. Goodenough and Frank made a detour of the
walls. These were about a mile in circumference, were built of clay, and
were of considerable height and thickness, but they were not calculated
to resist an attack by artillery. As, however, it was not probable
that the Dahomey people possessed much skill in the management of their
cannon, Mr. Goodenough had hopes that they should succeed in repelling
the assault. They learnt that a large store of provisions had been
brought into the town, and that many of the women and children had been
sent far away.

The spies presently came in and reported that there was no movement
on the part of the enemy, and that it was improbable that they would
advance before the next day. Mr. Goodenough was unable to offer any
suggestions for fresh defenses until they knew upon which side the enemy
would attack. He advised, however, that the whole population should be
set to work throwing up an earthwork just outside each gate, in order
to shelter these as far as possible from the effect of the enemy's
cannonballs. Orders were at once given to this effect, and in an hour
the whole population were at work carrying earth in baskets and piling
it in front of the gates. In order to economize labor, and to make the
sides of the mounds as steep as possible, Mr. Goodenough directed with
brushwood, forming a sort of rough wattle work. Not even when night set
in did the people desist from their labor, and by the following morning
the gates were protected from the effect of cannon shot, by mounds of
earth twenty feet high, which rose before them. The king had, when Mr.
Goodenough first suggested these defenses, pointed out that much less
earth would be required were it piled directly against the gates.
Mr. Goodenough replied, that certainly this was so, but that it was
essential to be able to open the gates to make a sortie if necessary
against the enemy, and although the king shook his head, as if doubti