The enemy kept up a sure and slow fight, seldom throwing away
their arrows, until they saw an opportunity
Of letting fly with effect.
Now and then a single horseman would gallop up to the ditch, taking care
to cover himself with his large leather shield, and return as fast as he
went, generally calling out lustily when he got among his own party,
'Shields to the wall!' 'You people of the Gadado or Atego,' &c, 'why
don't you hasten to the wall?' To which some voices would call out, 'Oh!
you have a good large shield to cover you!' The cry of 'Shields to the
wall!' was constantly heard from the several chiefs to their troops; but
they disregarded the call, and neither chiefs nor vassals moved from the
spot. At length the men in quilted armour went up. They certainly cut not
a bad figure at a distance, as their helmets were ornamented with black
and white ostrich feathers, and the sides of the helmets with pieces of
tin, which glittered in the sun, their long quilted cloaks of gaudy
colours, reaching over part of the horses' tails, and hanging over their
flanks. On the neck, even the horses' armour was notched or vandyked, to
look like a mane; on his forehead and over his nose, was a brass or tin
plate, as also a semi-circular piece on each side. The rider was armed
with a large spear and he had to be assisted to mount his horse, as his
quilted cloak was too heavy; it required two men to lift him on, and
there were six of them belonging to each governor, and six to the Sultan.
I at first thought the foot would take advantage of going under cover of
these unwieldy machines; but no, they went alone as fast as the poor
horses could bear them, which was but a slow pace.
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