After the departure of the column, the Ashantis swarmed down on the fort, thinking that it was entirely evacuated.

They were met, however, with a heavy fire from the Maxims, and soon withdrew.
The first duty of Captain Bishop was to tell off the men to their posts.

The soldiers who were to man the guns were ordered to sleep beside them.

The ammunition was examined, and found to amount to a hundred and seventy rounds a man.

The rations were calculated, and divided up for the twenty-three days that they were intended to last.
Attempts were then made to burn the native shanties, for sanitary reasons.