rdest before, striving to arrest the rush of the enemy, now they
charged into their broken ranks, belabouring them with their cutlasses,
striking out with their fists, and making up for their smallness in
numbers by sheer bravery and dash. And in a minute they had gained
their object. Many of the enemy had already fallen, and now, of a
sudden, the remainder turned tail and fled, leaving the British masters
of the situation.

"Back for the rifles, some of you," cried Dick. "The remainder run
forward and occupy the enemy's position. Quick, or they will bowl us
over with their slugs."

The warning came only just in time, for those of the enemy who had fled
at the first sight of the sailors had taken cover on the fringe of the
forest, in the position which they had occupied a few minutes before;
and no sooner had their comrades turned and commenced to retreat than
these men opened a scattered fire, regardless of the risk they ran of
hitting their friends. But Dick and his men never paused. While four
of them ran back to gather the rifles, the remainder followed close on
the heels of the enemy, and hardly had the firing opened, and the
war-drum commenced its boom again, when they were at the edge of the
forest and close upon the Ashantis who lurked there. For some two
minutes there was another hand-to-hand contest, for these men were
caught in their lairs, and, hindered from gaining one of the numerous
paths by the denseness of the forest, were forced to turn and fight.
However, the sailors made short work of them, and very soon were lying
amidst the trees again, breathing heavily after their exertions.

Meanwhile the troops in other quarters had been engaged with the enemy,
and had driven them before them. No sooner had Essaman been given to
the flames than the whole line advanced over more or less open country.
On our left was a grassy plateau, with a thick forest about three
hundred yards away, while directly in front the ground fell and was
covered with bush growing breast high. Towards this the Houssas and
West Indian regiment advanced, the men shouting and filling the air with
discordant yells, while they blazed away at the bush, at the sky,
anywhere in fact, and without any definite object. They were entirely
out of hand, as some native troops are apt to get, and at this moment
they were as dangerous to their own side as to the enemy. However, by
dint of much energy and shouting the officers managed to ge