Opening Battles around Ejahyay 
to Ebaddan and just on the side of the way was 
a heap of human heads arranged like cannon 
balls. Areh had made a “pile of heads.” 
Prisoners not natives of Ejahyay were sold or 
redeemed as slaves. 
A vast, open, grassy plain lay on the Ebaddan 
side of the town, and just out of sight over a 
hillock, the Ebaddan host was permanently en¬ 
camped. They were waiting the new moon to 
begin the attack. The first appearance of the 
slender silver crescent, was greeted by the roar of 
myriads of muskets, the fusilade continuing for 
many minutes. It could no longer be concealed 
from the people that some desperate fighting was 
before them. Five days were given by the 
enemy to feasting, then early one morning the 
sentinel’s gun told us that the enemy were ap¬ 
proaching. They filled the plain for many miles 
and were a terrible sight. 
Ebekoonleh had been brought over to join in 
the war and commanded a strong force in the 
centre. Ogumulla held the right and another 
powerful subordinate chief, the left, with corps 
equally large. Though Ebekoonleh was nomi¬ 
nally commander-in-chief, Ogumulla was the lead¬ 
ing spirit. He could be easily distinguished from 
the Ejahyay lines by his scarlet robe and fine 
171 
