第33章

Iorderedthetroopstoextendintwolines，supportedbyareservewiththefield-pieceandrocket-trough。Withthe”FortyThieves”inthefront，weadvancedalongtheplaintowardsthemountain。

TheBarisnowopenedfireuponusfromtheirvillages，fromwhichtheyweredriveninsuccession，untilnoenemyremainedtoopposeusexceptthoseuponthehighground。

Ourrightwasnowprotectedbyanexceedinglydeepravine，whichwasawatercoursecutbythetorrentsfromthemountain。Iaccordinglytookapartyofthe”FortyThieves，”andfollowingalongtheedgeoftheravine，ascendedtheslopethatledtothestockadesupontheheights。

Greatnumbersofnativeshadassembled，andwereshoutingthemostabusiveepithetsinArabicuntilwearrivedataboutahundredyardsfromtheforemoststockade。Thisnowopenedfireuponus，thenativesbeingconcealedwithin，andaimingwiththeirmusketsbetweentheintersticesoftheuprightpiles。

Myriflemennowkneltdownandfiredatthepuffsofsmokeastheyissuedfromtheimpenetrableironwoodzareebas。ThiswasjusttheworkthattheBarisunderstood，astheirpositionenabledthemtofightunseenamongthenumerousstockadesandhighrocksclothedwithbush。

Thebulletswerewhistlingmerrily，andpresentlyasoldierbymysidewasshotthroughthefleshypartofthehip。Iexaminedhim，andsawthatthebulletbadpassedthrough，——thereforehecontinuedfiring。A

wifeofoneofthesoldierswasshotthroughthecalfoftheleg。Shehadaccompaniedhimwithasmallparcelofcooking-potsandfoodfromGondokorothatmorningandthuscameunderfire。

Themainbodywasdelayedintherear，replyingtothefireoftheBarisontheothersideoftheimpassableravine。IhadonlytwentymenwithmeinadditiontoLieutenantBaker。Ithereforeorderedthebuglertosoundthe”assembly，”asIdeterminedtoattackthestockadeswiththewholeforce。

Inafewminutesthemainbodyarrived，andformedfortheattack。Thebuglesanddrumssoundedtheadvance，andthetroops，havingfiredseveralvolleys，rushedonatthedoubleandstormedtheposition。Thiswaswellexecuted，andtherushwassounexpectedbytheBaris，thatthestockadesweretakenatthepointofthebayonet；CaptainMorgianSherreef[*]distinguishinghimselfbythegallantmannerinwhichheledhiscompany；hewasthefirstmantobreakthroughthegateway。

[*Footnote：ThisofficerwasaSoudaniwhohadservedunderMarshalBazaineforfouryearsinMexico。]

ThisattackwassomethingthattheBarisdidnotcomprehend。Theyhadonlybeenaccustomedtofacetheslave-hunters’irregularcompanies，andtheyhadneverseenachargebornewiththebayonet。Theynowbegantoclamberuptherocksandascendthemountainwiththeactivityofbaboons，whileasharpfirefromthesniderriflesactedlikeaspurupontheirmovements。Ashellfromthegunnowburstoveranumberoftheenemywhohadcollectedabout800yardsinourrear。Thiswasanunmistakablenoticetoquit。Wesetfiretothestockades，andtheBarishavingdisappeared，Iselectedapositionforanight’sbivouac。

Therewasabadsupplyofwater，andwecouldprocure，nothingbutamuddymixturewhichsmeltstronglyofgoats。Wehadfoundanumberoffatcalvesandsheep；thus，havingfixeduponasiteintheflatopenplain，themencollectedfirewood，andwhenthee

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