"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.
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