Occasionally a man would slip, or be pulled over in the grip of a baboon.

Then the others would fling themselves upon him like dogs on a rat, and worry him to death.

We lost five men in this way, and I myself received a bite through the fleshy part of the left arm, but fortunately a native near me assegaied the animal before I was pulled down.
At length, and all of a sudden, the baboons gave up.

A panic seemed to seize them.

Notwithstanding the cries of Hendrika they thought no more of fight, but only of escape; some even did not attempt to get away from the assegais of the Kaffirs, they simply hid their horrible faces in their paws, and, moaning piteously, waited to be slain.
Hendrika saw that the battle was lost.