Poor fellow, the shot was aimed
at me!
The troops had fallen into position with extraordinary rapidity, and
several ascended the roof of the fort, so as to see clearly over the
high grass. A soldier immediately fell, to die in a few minutes, shot
through the shoulder-blade. Another man of the "Forty Thieves" was shot
through the leg above the knee. The bullets were flying through the
government divan, and along the approach.
A tumultuous roar of savage voices had burst from all sides, and the
whole place was alive a few instants after the first two shots had been
heard. Thousands of armed natives now rushed from all directions upon
the station.
A thrill went through me when I thought of my good and devoted Monsoor!
My wife had quickly given me my belt and breechloading double rifle.
(This beautiful weapon, I have already mentioned, was made by Mr.
Holland, of Bond Street, London.) Fortunately I had filled up the
pouches on the previous evening with fifty rounds of cartridge.
The troops were now in open order, completely around the station, and
were pouring a heavy fire into the masses of the enemy within the high
grass, which bad been left purposely uncleared by Kabba Rega, in order
to favour a treacherous attack.
The natives kept up a steady fire upon the front from behind the
castor-oil bushes and the densely thronged houses.
With sixteen men of the "Forty Thieves," together with Colonel
Abd-el-Kader and Lieutenant Baker, R.N., I directed a heavy fire into
the covert, and soon made it too hot for the sharpshooters. I had
ordered the blue lights at the commencement of the attack. My black
boys, Saat and Bellaal, together with some soldiers, now arrived with a
good supply.
Covering their advance with a heavy fire from the sniders, the boys and
men rushed forward, and immediately ignited Kabba Rega's large divan.
These active and plucky lads now ran nimbly from hut to hut, and one
slight touch of the strong fire of the blue lights was sufficient to
insure the ignition of the straw dwellings.
I now sent a party of fifteen sniders, under Lieutenant Ferritch Agha,
one of my most courageous officers, with a supply of blue lights, to set
fire, to the town on our left flank, and to push on to the spot where
the missing Monsoor and Ferritch had fired their rifles.
Every arrangement having been rapidly carried out, the boys and a few
men continued to fire the houses on our right flank; and giving the
order to advance, our party of sixteen rushed forward into the town.
The right and left flanks were now blazing, and the flames were roaring
before the wind. I heard the rattling fire of the sniders under Ferritch
Agha on our left, and knowing that both flanks were now thoroughly
secured by the conflagration, we dashed straight for Kabba Rega's
principal residences and court, driving the enemy before us.
