e Dahomans had placed sentries in front facing the breach, but
anticipating no attack in any other direction had left the flanks
unguarded. Mr. Goodenough had enjoined the strictest silence on his
followers, and their approach was unobserved until they swept round
into the battery. Large numbers of the enemy were lying asleep here, but
these, taken by surprise, could offer no resistance, and were cut down
or driven away instantly by the assailants.

Mr. Goodenough and Frank, with a party who had been told off specially
for the purpose, at once set to work at the cannon. These were filled
nearly to the muzzle with powder, and the plugs were driven with mallets
tight into the muzzles. Slow matches, composed of strips of calico
dipped in saltpetre, were placed in the touch holes. Then the word was
given, and the whole party fell back to the gate just as the Dahomans in
great numbers came running up. In less than a minute after leaving the
battery twelve tremendous reports, following closely one upon another
were heard. The cannon were blown into fragments, killing numbers of the
Dahomey men who had just crowded into the battery.

CHAPTER XVI: CAPTIVES IN COOMASSIE

Upon the morning following the successful sortie not an enemy could be
seen from the walls. Swift runners were sent out, and these returned in
two hours with news that the enemy were in full retreat towards their
capital. The people of Abeokuta were half wild with exultation and joy,
and their gratitude to their white allies was unbounded. Mr. Goodenough
begged them not to lose an hour in burying their slain enemies, and
the entire population were engaged for the two following days upon this
necessary but revolting duty. The dead were counted as they were placed
in the great pits dug for their reception, and it was found that no
fewer than three thousand of the enemy had fallen.

Mr. Goodenough also advised the Abeokutans to erect flanking towers at
short intervals round their walls, to dig a moat twenty feet wide and
eight deep at a few yards from their foot, and to turn into it the water
from the river in order that any future attack might be more easily
repelled.

The inhabitants were poor, but they would willingly have presented all
their treasures to their white allies. Mr. Goodenough, however, would
accept nothing save a few specimens of native cloth exquisitely woven
from the inner barks of the trees, and some other specimens of choice
native w