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.
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