"But Dahomey is said to be able to put fifty thousand fighting men and women in the field, that is to say her whole adult population, except those too old to bear arms.

I should think that there are twenty or twenty-five thousand now in sight." The enemy approached within musket shot of the walls, and numbers of them running up, discharged their muskets.

The Abeokuta people fired back; but Mr.Goodenough ordered the Houssas on no account to fire, as he did not wish the enemy to know the power of their rifles.
The first step of the besiegers was to cut down all the plantations round the town and to erect great numbers of little huts.

A large central hut with several smaller ones surrounding it was erected for the king and his principal nobles.

The Dahomans spread round the town and by the gesticulation and pointing at the gates it was clear that the defenses raised to cover these excited great surprise.
The wall was thick enough for men to walk along on the top, but being built of clay it would withstand but little battering.