A shot struck him in the forehead, and he fell
dead from his horse. His companions, however, before the Amharas
could reload, made a second brilliant charge, avenged their chief,
and carried away the body all were anxious to mutilate. More
horsemen came pouring in from all directions; the war-cry was echoed
far and wide; men, women, and children assailed the Amharas with
lances and stones. Mahomed's brothers, now supported by fifty lances,
charged again and again the affrighted enemy, and drove them like
sheep to the very brink of the precipice.
Damash, however, had not come to fight but to slay; he was only
brave when he had prisoners to bully, defenceless men to murder,
and children to reduce to slavery: the cattle had reached the valley
below and the road was clear, so throwing away his tiger's skin,
his shield, his pistols, his gun, and abandoning his horses, he
gave the example of the _sauve qui peut_, and rolled rather
than ran down the steep descent. His example was followed by all
the Amharas. A complete rout followed; the ground was strewed with
matchlocks, spears, and shields; wounded and dead were alike abandoned
on the battlefield. The Gallas did not follow them down the ravine
as they could not charge on the broken ground below; they, however,
killed several with sharp stones--a dreadful weapon in a Galla's
hand--as their terrified foe hurried down the narrow pass and tumbled
one over the other in their eagerness to reach the valley, where
these cowards knew well that they would be safe.
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