By Sheer Pluck

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"But are we going to fight against women, then?" Frank asked
horrified.

"Assuredly we are," Mr. Goodenough answered. "The Amazons, as white
men have christened the force, are the flower of the Dahomey army,
and fight with extraordinary bravery and ferocity."

"But it will seem dreadful to fire at women!" Frank said.

"That is merely an idea of civilization, Frank. In countries where
women are dependent upon men, leaving to them the work of providing
for the family and home, while they employ themselves in domestic
duties and in brightening the lives of the men, they are treated with
respect. But as their work becomes rougher, so does the position
which they occupy in men's esteem fall. Among the middle and upper
classes throughout Europe a man is considered a brute and a coward
who lifts his hand against a woman. Among the lower classes wife
and woman beating is by no means uncommon, nor is such an assault
regarded with much more reprobation than an attack upon a man. When
women leave their proper sphere and put themselves forward to do
man's work they must expect man's treatment; and the foolish women
at home who clamor for women's rights, that is to say, for an
equality of work, would, if they had their way, inflict enormous
damage upon their sex."

"Still," Frank said, "I shan't like having to fire at women."

"You won't see much difference between women and men when the fight
begins, Frank. These female furies will slay all who fall into
their hands, and therefore in self defense you will have to assist
in slaying them."

The following day the sound of beating of drums and firing of guns
was heard, and soon afterwards the head of the army of Dahomey was
seen approaching. It moved with considerable order and regularity.

"Those must be the Amazons," Mr. Goodenough said. "They are proud
of their drill and discipline. I do not think that any other African
troops could march so regularly and solidly."

The main body of the army now came in view, marching as a loose
and scattered mob. Then twelve objects were seen dragged by oxen.
These were the cannon of the besiegers.

"How many do you think there are?" Frank asked.

"It is very difficult to judge accurately," Mr. Goodenough said.
"But Dahomey is said to be able to put fifty thousand fighting men
and women in the field, that is to say her whole adult population,
except those too old to bear arms. I should think that there are
twenty or twenty-five thousand now in sight."

The enemy approached within musket shot of the walls, and numbers
of them running up, discharged their muskets. The Abeokuta people
fired back; but Mr. Goodenough ordered the Houssas on no account
to fire, as he did not wish the enemy to know the power of their
rifles.

The first step of the besiegers was to cut down all the plantations
round the town and to erect great numbers of little huts. A large
central hut with several smaller ones surrounding it was erected
for the king and his principal nobles. The Dahomans spread round
the town and by the gesticulation and pointing at the gates it was
clear that the defenses raised to cover these excited great surprise.

The wall was thick enough for men to walk along on the top, but
being built of clay it would withstand but little battering. Mr.
Goodenough set a large number of people to work, making sacks from
the rough cloth, of which there was an abundance in the place.
These were filled with earth and piled in the center of the town
ready for conveyance to any point threatened. He likewise had a
number of beams, used in construction of houses, sharpened at one
end; stakes of five or six feet long were also prepared and sharpened
at both ends. That day the enemy attempted nothing against the town.
The next morning the twelve cannon were planted at a distance of
about five hundred yards and opened fire on the walls. The shooting
was wild in the extreme; many of the balls went over the place
altogether; others topped the wall and fell in the town; some hit
the wall and buried themselves in the clay.

"We will give them a lesson," Mr. Goodenough said, "in the modern
rifle. Frank, you take my double barrel rifle and I will take the
heavy, large bored one. Your Winchester will scarcely make accurate
firing at five hundred yards."

The Houssas were already on the wall, anxious to open fire. Mr.
Goodenough saw that their rifles were sighted to five hundred yards.
The cannon offered an easy mark. They were ranged along side by
side, surrounded by a crowd of negroes, who yelled and danced each
time a shot struck the wall.

"Now," Mr. Goodenough said to the Houssas, "fire steadily, and,
above all, fire straight. I want every shot to tell."

Mr. Goodenough gave the signal, and at once Frank and the Houssas
opened fire. The triumphant yells of the Dahomans at once changed
their character, and a cry of 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 Abeokutans 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 Africa to be used in the constant wars that are
waged there, and to enable rich and powerful tribes to enslave and
destroy their weaker neighbors. The Africans use very much heavier
charges of powder than those in used in civilized nations, ramming
down a handful of slugs, of half a dozen small bullets, upon the
powder. This does not conduce to good shooting, but the noise made
is prodigious. The Abeokutans, on the other hand, were principally
armed with bows and arrows, as, having no direct access to the sea
coast, it was difficult for them to procure guns.

The Dahomans poured up in a mass to the foot of the wall, and then a
score of rough ladders, constructed of bamboo, and each four feet
wide, were placed against the walls. Directly the point to be
attacked was indicated, Mr. Goodenough had distributed his cauldrons
of boiling oil along the walls, and had set men to work to pierce
holes through the parapet at distances of a couple of feet apart,
and at a height of six inches from the ground. A line of men with
long spears wore told to lie down upon the ground, and to thrust
through the holes at those climbing the ladders. Another line of
holes was pierced two feet higher, through which those armed with
muskets and bows were to fire, for when the enemy reached the foot
of the walls their fire was so heavy that it was impossible to
return it over the top of the parapet.

Immediately the ladders were placed, men with ladles began to throw
the boiling oil over the parapet. Shrieks and yells from below
at once testified to its effect, but it was only just where the
cauldrons were placed that the besiegers were prevented by this
means from mounting the ladders, and even here many, in spite of
the agony of their burns, climbed desperately upward.

When they neared the top the fight began in earnest. Those without
were now obliged to cease firing, and the besieged were able to
stand up and with sword and spear defend their position. The breech
loaders of Mr. Goodenough and the Houssas and Frank's repeating
carbine now came into play. The Dahomans fought with extraordinary
bravery, hundreds fell shot or cut down from above or pierced by
the spears and arrows through the holes in the parapet. Fresh swarms
of assailants took their places on the ladders. The drums kept up
a ceaseless rattle, and the yells of the mass of negroes standing
inactive were deafening. Their efforts, however, were in vain. Never
did the Amazons fight with more reckless bravery; but the position
was too strong for them, and at last, after upwards of a thousand
of the assailants had fallen, the attack was given up, and the
Dahomans retired from the wall followed by the exulting shouts of
the men of Abeokuta.

The loss of the defenders was small. Some ten or twelve had been
killed with slugs. Three or four times that number were more or
less severely wounded about the head or shoulders with the same
missiles. Frank had a nasty cut on the cheek, and Firewater and
Bacon were both streaming with blood.

There was no chance of a renewal of the attack that day. Sentries
were placed on the walls, and a grand thanksgiving service was
held in the open space in the center of the town which the whole
populace attended.

"What will be their next move, do you think?" Frank asked Mr.
Goodenough.

"I cannot say," Mr. Goodenough said; "but these people know
something of warfare, and finding that they cannot carry the place
by assault, I think you will find that they will try some more
cautious move next time."

For two days there was no renewal of the attack. At Mr. Goodenough's
suggestion the Abeokutans on the wall shouted out that the Dahomans
might come and carry off their dead, as he feared that a pestilence
might arise from so great a number of decomposing bodies at the
foot of the wall. The Dahomans paid no attention to the request,
and, at Mr. Goodenough's suggestion, on the second day the whole
populace set to work carrying earth in baskets to the top of the
wall, and throwing this over so as to cover the mass of bodies at
its foot. As to those lying farther off nothing could be done. On
the third morning it was seen that during the night a large number
of sacks had been piled in a line upon the ground, two hundred
yards away from the wall. The pile was eight feet in height and
some fifty yards long.

"I thought they were up to something," Mr. Goodenough said. "They
have been sending back to Dahomey for sacks."

In a short time the enemy brought up their cannon, behind the shelter
of the sacks, regardless of the execution done by the rifles of
Mr. Goodenough's party during the movement. The place chosen was
two or three hundred yards to the left of that on which the former
attack had been made. Then a swarm of men set to work removing some
of the sacks, and in a short time twelve rough embrasures were made
just wide enough for the muzzles of the guns, the sacks removed
being piled on the others, raising them to the height of ten feet
and sheltering the men behind completely from the fire from the
walls.

"They will make a breach now," Mr. Goodenough said. "We must prepare
to receive them inside."

The populace were at once set to work digging holes and securely
planting the beams already prepared in a semicircle a hundred feet
across, behind the wall facing the battery. The beams when fixed
projected eight feet above the ground, the spaces between being
filled with bamboos twisted in and out between them. Earth was
thrown up behind to the height of four foot for the defenders to
stand upon. The space between the stockade and the wall was filled
with sharp pointed bamboos and stakes stuck firmly in the ground
with their points projecting outwards. All day the townspeople
labored at these defenses, while the wall crumbled fast under the
fire of the Dahomey artillery, every shot of which, at so short a
distance, struck it heavily. By five in the afternoon a great gap,
fifty feet wide, was made in the walls, and the army of Dahomey
again gathered for the assault. Mr. Goodenough with two of the
Houssas took his place on the wall on one side of the gap, Frank
with the other two faced him across the chasm. A large number of
the Abeokuta warriors also lined the walls, while the rest gathered
on the stockade.

With the usual tumult of drumming and yells the Dahomans rushed
to the assault. The fire from the walls did not check the onset in
the slightest, and with yells of anticipated victory they swarmed
over the breach. A cry of astonishment broke from them as they saw
the formidable defense within, the fire of whose defenders was
concentrated upon them. Then, with scarce a pause, they leaped
down and strove to remove the obstructions. Regardless of the fire
poured upon them they hewed away at the sharp stakes, or strove to
pull them up with their hands. The riflemen on the walls directed
their fire now exclusively upon the leaders of the column, the
breech loaders doing immense execution, and soon the Dahomans in
their efforts to advance had to climb over lines of dead in their
front. For half an hour the struggle continued, and then the
Dahomans lost heart and retired, leaving fifteen hundred of their
number piled deep in the space between the breach and the stockade.

"This is horrible work," Frank said when he rejoined Mr. Goodenough.

"Horrible, Frank; but there is at least the consolation that by
this fearful slaughter of their bravest warriors we are crippling
the power of Dahomey as a curse and a scourge to its neighbors. After
this crushing repulse the Abeokutans may hope that many years will
elapse before they are again attacked by their savage neighbors,
and the lessons which they have now learned in defense will enable
them to make as good a stand on another occasion as they have done
now."

"Do you think the attack will be renewed?"

"I should hardly think so. The flower of their army must have
fallen, and the Amazon guard must have almost ceased to exist. I
told you, Frank, you would soon get over your repugnance to firing
at women."

"I did not think anything about women," Frank said. "We seemed to
be fighting a body of demons with their wild screams and yells.
Indeed, I could scarce distinguish the men from the women."

A strong guard was placed at night at the stockade, and Mr.
Goodenough and Frank lay down close at hand in case the assault
should be renewed. At daybreak the sound of a cannon caused them
to start to their feet.

"They are not satisfied yet," Mr. Goodenough exclaimed, hurrying
to the wall. In the night the Dahomans had either with sacks or
earth raised their cannon some six feet, so that they were able
to fire over the mound caused by the fallen wall at the stockade
behind it, at which they were now directing their fire.

"Now for the sacks," Mr. Goodenough said. Running down, he directed
the sacks laden with earth, to whose necks ropes had been attached,
to be brought up. Five hundred willing hands seized them, and they
were lowered in front of the center of the stockade, which was
alone exposed to the enemy's fire, until they hung two deep over
the whole face. As fast as one bag was injured by a shot it was
drawn up and another lowered to its place. In the meantime the rifles
from the walls had again opened fire, and as the gunners were now
more exposed their shots did considerable execution. Seeing the
uselessness of their efforts the Dahomans gradually slackened their
fire.

When night came Mr. Goodenough gathered two hundred of the best
troops of Abeokuta. He caused plugs to be made corresponding to
the size of the various cannonballs which were picked up within
the stockade, which varied from six to eighteen pounders.

About midnight the gate nearest to the breach was thrown open,
and the party sallied out and made their way towards the enemy's
battery. The 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 workmanship. He also begged them to send down to
the coast by the first opportunity the cases of specimens which
had been collected since the departure of the Fans.

A violent attack of fever, brought on by their exertions in
the sun, prostrated both the white travelers a few days after the
termination of the siege, and it was some weeks before they were
able to renew their journey. Their intention was to ascend the
river for some distance, to move westward into upper Ashanti, and
then to make their way to Coomassie, whence they would journey
down to Cape Coast and there take ship for England. As soon as they
were able to travel they took leave of their friends at Abeokuta,
who furnished them with carriers for their cases and hammock bearers
for their journey as far as the Volta. This lasted for a fortnight
through an open and fertile country. Then they crossed the river
and entered Ashanti, the great rival empire of Dahomey. As Ashanti
was at peace with England they had now no fear of molestation on
their journey.

Ashanti consisted of five or six kingdoms, all of which had been
conquered, and were tributary to it. The empire of Ashanti was
separated by the river Prah from the country of the Fantis, who
lived under British protection. The people drew their supplies from
various points on the coast, principally, however, through Elmina,
a Dutch settlement, five miles to the west of Cape Coast. The
Ashantis could not be called peaceable neighbors. They, like the
Dahomans, delighted in human sacrifices upon a grand scale, and to
carry these out captives must be taken. Consequently every four or
five years, on some pretext or other, they cross the Prah, destroyed
the villages, dragged away the people to slavery or death, and carried
fire and sword up to the very walls of the English fort at Cape
Coast. Sometimes the English confined themselves to remonstrance,
sometimes fought, not always successfully, as upon one occasion
Sir Charles Macarthy, the governor, with a West Indian regiment was
utterly defeated, the governor himself and all his white officers,
except three, being killed.

In 1828 we aided the Fantis to defeat the Ashantis in a decisive
battle, the consequence of which was the signature of a treaty, by
which the King of Ashanti recognized the independence of all the
Fanti tribes. In 1844, and again in 1852, a regular protectorate was
arranged between the British and the Fantis, the former undertaking
to protect them from enemies beyond the borders, and in turn
exercising an authority over the Fantis, forbidding them to make
war with each other, and imposing a nominal tribute upon them.

In 1853 the Ashantis again crossed the Prah, but, being met with
firmness, retired again. After ten years' quiet, in 1863 they again
invaded the country, burnt thirty villages, and slaughtered their
inhabitants. Governor Price then urged upon the home authorities the
necessity for the sending out from England of two thousand troops
to aid the native army in striking a heavy blow at the Ashantis,
and so putting a stop to this constant aggression. The English
government, however, refused to entertain the proposal. In order
to encourage the natives some companies of West Indian troops were
marched up to the Prah. The wet season set in, and, after suffering
terribly from sickness, the survivors returned five months later
to Cape Coast.

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