The pile was eight feet in height and some fifty yards long.
"I thought they were up to something," Mr.Goodenough said.

"They have been sending back to Dahomey for sacks." In a short time the enemy brought up their cannon, behind the shelter of the sacks, regardless of the execution done by the rifles of Mr.
Goodenough's party during the movement.

The place chosen was two or three hundred yards to the left of that on which the former attack had been made.

Then a swarm of men set to work removing some of the sacks, and in a short time twelve rough embrasures were made just wide enough for the muzzles of the guns, the sacks removed being piled on the others, raising them to the height of ten feet and sheltering the men behind completely from the fire from the walls.
"They will make a breach now," Mr.Goodenough said.

"We must prepare to receive them inside." The populace were at once set to work digging holes and securely planting the beams already prepared in a semicircle a hundred feet across, behind the wall facing the battery.