wrath and astonishment broke from them. Steadily
Mr. Goodenough and his party kept up their fire. They could see that
great execution was being done, a large proportion of the shots telling.
Many wounded were carried to the rear, and black forms could be seen
stretched everywhere on the ground. Still the enemy's fire continued
with unabated vigor.

"They fight very pluckily," Frank said.

"They are plucky," Mr. Goodenough answered; "and as cowardice is
punished with death, and human life has scarcely any value among them,
they will be killed where they stand rather than retreat."

For three or four hours the fight continued. Several officers, evidently
of authority, surrounded by groups of attendants, came down to the guns;
but as Frank and Mr. Goodenough always selected these for their mark,
and--firing with their guns resting on the parapet--were able to make
very accurate shooting, most of them were killed within a few minutes of
their arriving on the spot.

At the end of four hours the firing ceased, and the Dahomans retired
from their guns. The Abeokuta people raised a cry of triumph.

"I imagine they have only fallen back," Mr. Goodenough said, "to give
the guns time to cool."

While the cannonade had been going on a brisk attack had been kept up on
several other points of the wall, the enemy advancing within fifty yards
of this and firing their muskets, loaded with heavy charges of slugs, at
the defenders, who replied vigorously to them. Their cannonade was
not resumed that afternoon, the Dahomans contenting themselves with
skirmishing round the walls.

"They are disappointed with the result of their fire," Mr. Goodenough
said. "No doubt they anticipated they should knock the wall down without
difficulty. You will see some change in their tactics tomorrow."

That night Mr. Goodenough had a number of barrels of palm oil carried on
to the wall, with some of the great iron pots used for boiling down the
oil, and a supply of fuel.

"If they try to storm," he said, "it will most likely be at the point
which they have been firing at. The parapet is knocked down in several
places, and the defenders there would be more exposed to their fire."

It was at this point, therefore, that the provision of oil was placed.
Mr. Goodenough ordered fires to be lighted under the boilers an hour
before daybreak, in order that all should be in readiness in case an
attack should be made the first thing in the morning. The Abeo