Opening Battles around Ejahyay 
would ascend to the top of this and on seeing 
the enemy coming in any dangerous numbers, 
would descend and fire off a great wall musket 
that made a report something like a small cannon. 
One day, a short time after the arrival of Areh’s 
allies, while the sentinel was up the tree, a 
single horseman dashed up to the foot of it and, 
after enjoying the fright and surprise of his cap¬ 
tive, coolly sent his compliments to Areh, con¬ 
gratulating him on account of his guests and 
saying that the Ebaddans would whip him and 
his visiting friends, too. He then dashed along 
in front of the Egba camp, yelling defiance at 
them. Notwithstanding he was so provoking, 
we could not help laughing at his humor. 
After a few weeks’ delay, the allied armies 
formed a junction and disappeared over the hill 
in search of the Ebaddan camp. Areh and his 
people had become impatient on account of the 
delay, but the Bashorun was very cautious and 
hesitating. He seemed to favor defensive rather 
than offensive tactics. But they disappeared 
over the hill in splendid order and 1 had no doubt 
but that the battle of that day would end the 
war. In a few hours, we heard that the enemy 
had abandoned their camp and fled to Ebaddan 
and other places, and we were beginning to think 
177 
