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.
