d not attempt to seize us, contenting
themselves with throwing oars and blocks of wood in our way, in order
that in running we might stumble over them and fall. When we had
almost reached the entrance of the fort, they fired a volley at us,
but fortunately hit no one, although the balls whistled most
unpleasantly near to our heads. We were lucky enough to get out of the
fort, and had almost reached our boat, when I saw to my horror that it
was lying high and dry on shore, for in our absence the tide had
ebbed. As our pursuers were well aware that we could not float it
again, and had also made themselves acquainted with the fact that
there were no weapons in it, they grew bolder, and surrounded us on
all sides, brandishing their huge sabres, which they held in both
hands. As resistance in such a case would be little less than madness,
we surrendered ourselves to them as their prisoners. They seized me by
the arms, and dragged me back to the fort, together with my unhappy
companions. On the way a soldier struck me with a small iron rod, but
an officer angrily ordered him to desist, and no more blows followed.

They took us into a large building resembling a barrack, which stood
on the shore, and having forced us to kneel, bound us with cords of
the thickness of one's finger. Over these they lapped thinner ones,
which gave us great pain. The Japanese are perfect masters of this
art, and we were excellent specimens of their skill. We had about us
just the same number of ropes and knots, and were tied in precisely
the same parts of our bodies. Cords ran round our breasts and necks,
our elbows nearly touched each other behind our backs, and our hands
were tied fast together. A long rope was fastened to us, one end of
which a Japanese held, and on the least intimation of flight, had only
to pull it, and our elbows were painfully pressed together, whilst the
ropes around our necks were so tightly drawn, that we were nearly
choked. But as if this was not enough, they bound our legs together
above the knees and ancles, and then making slip-knots in the ends of
some ropes, they put them over our necks, and tied them to the rafters
of the building, pulling them so tight that we could not stir. They
then searched our pockets, and having taken from them every thing they
could find, very coolly lit their pipes and sat down to smoke. Whilst
they were binding us, the chief came in, and taking his station in
front of us, made a speech, d