Fortunately for them and the chief, they adopted that prudent course;
awoke by the cries and shouts in the village, they bridled their
ready-saddled steeds, and were off before even their presence had
been suspected.
Damash collected his men, and with his prisoners and plunder at
once retraced his steps, glorying in his great deed and rejoicing
in his success; it is true he had not caught the fugitives, but
after all that was the Ras's business. He had planned the expedition,
carried fire and sword into the Galla country; and without the loss
of a single man was returning to the Amba with prisoners, horses,
cows, mules, and other spoils of war. He knew how pleased Theodore
would be, and he fancied himself already the fortunate successor
of the disgraced Ras. He was within a few hundred yards of the
short road he intended to take on his way back, leading from the
Tanta plateau to the valley below Magdala, when he saw on the distant
horizon a few horsemen riding towards him at full speed. The cattle
and prisoners under charge of Goji and a few men were already engaged
in the narrow road, and retreat was impossible. He placed his gunmen
so as to face the horsemen, only a dozen, hoping to scare that
handful off by the very sight of his large force; but he was mistaken.
Brave Mahomed Hamza had the blood of his relations to avenge, and,
though at the head of only twelve men, he bravely charged the 400
Amhara soldiers.
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