“. . . fusillade . . .” (87)

A fusillade is defined as “[a] discharge from a number of firearms, fired simultaneously or in rapid succession.” It is this sort of attack that the men of the Nellie come under, causing physical and mental damage as they realize the opposition and dangers they face. Because the shots are from a band of people with a common goal – to rid the area of outsiders – that have obviously coordinated, Conrad is making the point that the fusillade is a more significant threat than a single disgruntled shooter alone could ever be.

Source:

"Fusillade - Definition of Fusillade by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia." Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary. Web. 24 Aug. 2009. www.thefreedictionary.com/fusillade.