about eight o'clock
The men were brought into the house from the rear , the front doors were thrown suddenly open , and the gallant blue-jackets issued cheering : necessary , successful , but extremely costly sorties . Neither could these be pushed far . The foes were undaunted ; so soon as the sailors advanced at all deep in the horse-pasture , the Samoans began to close in upon both flanks ; and the sally had to be recalled . To add to the dangers of the German situation , ammunition began to run low ; and the cartridge-boxes of the wounded and the dead had been already brought into use before , at about eight o'clock , the _ Eber _ steamed into the bay . Her commander , Wallis , threw some shells into Letongo , one of which killed five men about their cooking-pot . The Samoans began immediately to withdraw ; their movements were hastened by a sortie , and the remains of the landing-party brought on board . This was an unfortunate movement ; it gave an irremediable air of defeat to what might have been else claimed for a moderate success .