Upon their return to headquarters, men were covering the front with sheets of coral limestone, two balls having passed through the house in the interval.

Mataafa sat within, over his kava bowl, unmoved.

The picture is of a piece throughout: excellent courage, super-excellent folly, a war of school-children; expensive guns and cartridges used like squibs or catherine-wheels on Guy Fawkes's Day.
On the 20th Mataafa changed his attack.

Tamasese's front was seemingly impregnable.

Something must be tried upon his rear.