text:  "Bodies of the neighbouring tribes were by this time on the alert and fired at random from the heights it being fortunately too dark for them to aim with precision; but the panic-stricken camp-followers now resembled a herd of startled deer and fluctuated backwards and forwards _en masse_ at every shot blocking up the entire road and fatally retarding the progress of the little body of soldiers who under Brigadier Shelton brought up the rear