ll told. Had
either the Mandara or the sheikh's troops now moved up boldly, they must
have carried the town and the heights above it. Instead of this, they
kept on the other side of the _wady_, out of reach of the arrows. The
Felatahs, seeing their backwardness, made so desperate an attack that
the Arabs gave way. The Felatah horse came on. Had not Barca Gana and
Boo-Khaloum, with his few mounted Arabs, given them a very spirited
check, not one of their band would have lived to see the following day.
As it was, Barca Gana had three horses hit under him, two of which died
almost immediately, while poor Boo-Khaloum and his horse were both
wounded. The major's horse was also wounded in the neck, shoulder, and
hind leg, and an arrow struck him in the face, merely drawing blood as
it passed. He had two sticking in his bournous. The Arabs suffered
terribly: most of them had two or three wounds; one dropped with five
arrows sticking in his head, and two of Boo-Khaloum's slaves were killed
near him.

No sooner did the Mandara and Bornou troops see the defeat of the Arabs
than they, one and all, took to flight in the most dastardly manner and
the greatest confusion. The sultan led the way, having been prepared to
take advantage of whatever plunder the success of the Arabs might throw
into his hands; but no less determined to leave the field the moment the
fortune of the day appeared to be against them.

Major Denham had reason to regret his folly in exposing himself, badly
prepared as he was for accident. By flight only could he save himself.
The whole army, which had now become a flying mass, plunged in the
greatest disorder into the wood which had lately been left.

He had got to the westward of Barca Gana in the confusion, when he saw
upwards of a hundred of the Bornou troops speared by the Felatahs, and
was following the steps of one of the Mandara officers, when the cries
behind, of the Felatah horse pursuing, made both quicken their pace.
His wounded horse at this juncture stumbled and fell. Almost before he
was on his legs the Felatahs were upon him. He had, however, kept hold
of the bridle, and, seizing a pistol from the holster, presented it at
two of the savages who were pressing him with their spears. They
instantly went off; but another, who came on more boldly just as he was
endeavouring to mount, received the contents in his shoulder, and he was
enabled to place his foot in the stirrup. Remounting,