er, and
confined them in the castle of Osaka, under the charge of such persons
only as had been brought up from their childhood under the roof of the
usurper, so that by their means he has regular intelligence of every
thing they do.

Right opposite to Osaka, on the other side of the river Jodo, there is
another town called _Sakay_, not so large as Osaka, but of considerable
extent, and having great trade to all the neighbouring country. Having
left samples and lists of prices of all our commodities with our host at
Osaka, we departed from that place on the night of the 29th of August in
a bark, and arrived at _Fusima_ next night, where we found a garrison of
3000 men, maintained there by the emperor, to keep Miaco and Osaka under
subjection. This garrison is shifted every third year, and the relief
took place while we were there, so that we saw the old bands march away
and the new enter, which they did in a most soldier-like manner. They
marched five abreast, and to every ten files or fifty men there was a
captain, who kept his men in excellent order. Their shot marched first,
being _calivers_, for they have no muskets and will not use any, then
followed pikes, next swords or _cattans_ and targets, these were
followed by bows and arrows, and then a band armed with weapons called
_waggadashes_, resembling Welsh hooks: These were succeeded by calivers,
and so on as before; but without any ensigns or colours; neither had
they any drums or other warlike instruments of music. The first file of
the band armed with cattans had silver scabbards, and the last file
which marched next the captain had their scabbards of gold. The
companies or bands were of various numbers, some 500, some 300, and some
only of 150 men. In the middle of every band there were three horses
very richly caparisoned, their saddles being covered by costly furs, or
velvet, or stammel broad-cloths. Every horse was attended by three
slaves, who led them in silken halters, and their eyes were hoodwinked
by means of leathern covers.

After each troop or band, the captain followed on horseback, his bed and
all his necessaries being laid upon his own horse equally poised on both
sides, and over all was spread a covering of red felt of China, on the
top of which sat the captain crosslegged, like a huckster between two
paniers. Such as were old or weak in the back had a staff artificially
fixed on the pannel, on which he could lean back and rest himself as if
si