kutans
were in high spirits at the effect of the fire of their white allies,
and at the comparative failure of the cannon, at whose power they had
before been greatly alarmed. Soon after daylight the Dahomans were seen
gathering near the guns. Their drums beat furiously, and presently they
advanced in a solid mass against the wall.

"They have got ladders," Mr. Goodenough said. "I can see numbers of them
carrying something."

The Houssas at once opened fire, and as the enemy approached closer,
first the Abeokutans who had muskets, then the great mass with bows and
arrows, began to fire upon the enemy, while these answered with their
musketry. The central body, however, advanced without firing a shot,
moving like the rest at a quick run.

Mr. Goodenough and Frank were not firing now, as they were devoting
themselves to superintending the defence. Ostik kept close to them,
carrying Frank's Winchester carbine and a double barreled shotgun.

"This is hot," Mr. Goodenough said, as the enemy's slugs and bullets
whizzed in a storm over the edge of the parapet, killing many of the
defenders, and rendering it difficult for the others to take accurate
aim. This, however, the Abeokutans did not try to do. Stooping below
the parapet, they fitted their arrows to the string, or loaded their
muskets, and then, standing up, fired hastily at the approaching throng.

The walls were about twenty-five feet high inside, but the parapet gave
an additional height of some four feet outside. They were about three
feet thick at the top, and but a limited number of men could take post
there to oppose the storming party. Strong bodies were placed farther
along on the wall to make a rush to sweep the enemy off should they gain
a footing. Others were posted below to attack them should they leap down
into the town, while men with muskets were on the roofs of the houses
near the walls, in readiness to open fire should the enemy get a footing
on the wall. The din was prodigious.

The Dahomans, having access to the sea coast, were armed entirely with
muskets, these being either cheap Birmingham trade guns or old converted
muskets, bought by traders for a song at the sale of disused government
stores. It is much to be regretted that the various governments of
Europe do not insist that their old guns shall be used only as old iron.
The price obtained for them is so trifling as to be immaterial, and
the great proportion of them find their way to Afri