light which made us read the names in black characters embroidered on the broad white ground of their coats. So there is Yasubei Horibe. Is he Yagoro Senzaki? Our beloved Genzo Akagaki, the two-sword bacchus, looks so handsome, and sober too. Oh, where is the poet Gengo Otaka?
The immortality of Otaka is doubtly sealed by the now-famous letter by the eminent poet Kikaku written to his friend at Akita, who by accident or fortune, was at the house of a neighbour of Kozuke no Kami, the ronins’ enemy, for a poetly party on that very night; Otaka, the hokku poet, was despatched by his chief to go round and deliver the message that no hurt should be done to any neighbouring house, as the ronins were neither night robbers nor ruffians, but begging the people to keep a close watch against the possible outbreak of fires. And this Gengo Otaka was Kikaku’s poetical friend. The latter's letter says:
“He left here as soon as his message was told. It goes without saying that his voice was most composed. I saw at once that his last moment was near. I rushed out of the
