By the time that all was ready and every man had been given to drink from the great jars of water which stood along the walls, the massive wooden doors began to burn through, though this did not happen for quite half an hour after the enemy had begun to attempt to fire them.  They fell at length beneath the battering of poles, leaving only the mound of earth and stones which we had piled up in the gateway after the closing of the doors.  This the Black Kendah, who had raked out the burning embers, set themselves to dig away with hands and sticks and spears, a task that was made very difficult to them by about a score of our people who stabbed at them with their long lances or dashed them down with stones, killing and disabling many.  But always the dead and wounded were dragged off while others took their places, so that at last the gateway was practically cleared.  Then I called back the spearmen who passed into the ranks behind us, and made ready to play my part.

I had not long to wait.  With a rush and a roar a great company of the Black Kendah charged the gateway.  Just as they began to emerge into the court I gave the word to fire, sending fifty Snider bullets tearing into them from a distance of a few yards.  They fell in a heap; they fell like corn before the scythe, not a man won through.  Quickly we reloaded and waited for the next rush.  In due course it came and the dreadful scene repeated itself.  Now the gateway and the tunnel beyond were so choked with fallen men that the enemy must drag these out before they could charge any more.  It was done under the fire of myself, Hans and a few picked shots—­somehow it was done.

Once more they charged, and once more were mown down.  So it went on till our last cartridge was spent, for never did I see more magnificent courage than was shown by those Black Kendah in the face of terrific loss.  Then my people threw aside their useless rifles and arming themselves with spears and swords fell back to rest, leaving Harut and his company to take their place.  For half an hour or more raged that awful struggle, since the spot being so narrow, charge as they would, the Black Kendah could not win through the spears of despairing warriors defending their lives and the sanctuary of their god.  Nor, the encircling cliffs being so sheer, could they get round any other way.

At length the enemy drew back as though defeated, giving us time to drag aside our dead and wounded and drink more water, for the heat in the place was now overwhelming.  We hoped against hope that they had given up the attack.  But this was far from the case; they were but making a new plan.

Suddenly in the gateway there appeared the huge bulk of the elephant Jana, rushing forward at speed and being urged on by men who pricked it with spears behind.  It swept through the defenders as though they were but dry grass, battering those in front of it with its great trunk from which swung the iron balls that crushed all on whom they fell, and paying no more heed to the lance thrusts than it might have done to the bites of gnats.  On it came, trumpeting and trampling, and after it in a flood flowed the Black Kendah, upon whom our spearmen flung themselves from either side.