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to meet a party of 17 (one account says 20) Russians who landed near the Castle. The interpreter and his party were fired into, and one of the Ainos killed. The interpreter was himself shot through the thigh, but the Ainos hoisted him on their shoulders and carried him back to the Castle. There was now a good deal of desultory firing on both sides. The Russians ensconced themselves behind an oil-pressing shed which stood on the beach, and the Japanese did not venture out from their castle. The distance between the combatants was 160 yards, and as both parties were well sheltered little damage was done on either side. The only casualties we hear of were one Russian and two Japanese killed, and a few wounded. In an hour or two from the time they landed, the Russians re-embarked to the great delight of the Japanese garrison, who were overjoyed at their easy victory over the dreaded “red men,” as they called the Russians. So secure did they feel on that night that they neglected the most ordinary precautions. Before the appearance of the Russian ships we hear of watch-fires kept burning, and night-guards posted on all the neighbouring headlands; but everything of the kind seems to have been neglected on this night, when a force landed from the Russian ships. Soon after dusk they were able to approach the Castle before any alarm was given, and the first intimation of their presence was a volley of musketry. There was no time to organize any resistance; every one was seized with a sudden panic and fled to the hills, with the cry “ware ichi,” or “sauve qui peut.” They did not feel safe till they had reached a hill-top a ri distant from the castle. Here they halted, and as everything seemed quiet they ventured down to the sea beach; but as they espied a Russian ship not far from the shore, lying in wait, as they thought, to intercept their retreat, they again took to flight and concealed themselves in the woods. That night when all were buried in sleep, they were awakened by aloud cry from Toda. Unable to endure the disgrace of defeat he had committed suicide in the approved Japanese fashion by disembowelling himself.
