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.
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