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.
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