96 
These preparations being over, they make a rapid 
march to the place of rendezvous, and having rested 
a night, make a sudden attack upon the enemy early 
the next morning. If they storm a town, they ad¬ 
vance towards it with the most dreadful shouts or 
yells, skipping and leaping with horrid contortions of 
face and body, and using the most abusive language 
to the enemy. No rank or order of battle is observed, 
except that different parties are appointed to attack 
the town at different places; in other respects they 
engage in a tumultuous manner, by hundreds, every 
one exerting himself individually, and closing with 
the enemy. If the principal object is the capture of 
slaves, they spare all who do not resist; but if 
some deadly quarrel is the occasion of the war, they 
seldom give quarter to the men, and therefore the 
party who are worsted have no other resource than 
to run. The women and children are made captives, 
and, if the former please the captors, they take them 
for wives. The children of the chiefs, however, are 
usually destroyed, lest they should happen, one time 
or other, to take it into their heads to revenge the 
injury, and make reprisals. If the assailants are 
successful, they burn the towns, and parties are sent 
to attack the neighbouring villages, which they like¬ 
wise reduce to ashes. The cattle they meet with are 
driven away, or if they fear the enemy will obtain 
reinforcements, and attack them in turn, they are 
slaughtered, and left on the spot. The plantations 
of rice, and other grain and yams, are likewise 
