eep through it. No friendly ray of light ever
penetrated to them, and they were surrounded by gloom and darkness.

The conversation I held with the sailor invigorated, in some degree,
the sorrow I felt, and I now ate the food that was brought to me for
the first time since our arrival at Khakodade. Our food now was worse
by far than when we were on our way to the town. They gave us by
turns, rice-broth, warm water, with grated radishes, but no herbs,
finely cut leeks, boiled beans, salted cucumbers, a soup with balls of
meal, made from beans and spoiled fish. Our drink was generally warm
water; sometimes, but seldom, they gave us poor tea, without sugar.
When we complained of this wretched fare to one of the officers of the
guard, he promised us meat, butter, and milk, but excused himself
afterwards, when we reminded him of his promise, by jocosely telling
us that the cows were still at pasture. When, in order to accomplish
our purpose in another manner, we feigned illness, he asked us, in a
sympathizing manner, what the Russians did when they were sick? and
what they ate?

"All that the physician prescribes," answered I; "most commonly
chicken broth."

Immediately he demanded of us a detailed account of how chicken broth
was prepared, and when we gave it, he wrote it down on a piece of
paper. But it seemed as if this were done merely from curiosity or
derision, for the chicken broth was never mentioned afterwards. Once
he treated us to beer, and in return wished to see us perform a
Russian dance. When I remarked to him that no one could compel us to
dance, in such a situation as ours, he said, composedly:

"That's true; a Japanese, in such a case, would neither dance nor
sing."

As I could not obtain any materials for writing, I invented, in order
to note daily occurrences, a diary of a peculiar kind. If any thing
pleasant occurred, I tied a knot in a white thread, which I pulled out
of my shirt. When any thing unpleasant happened to us, I tied a knot
in a black silken thread, from my cravat. If any thing note-worthy
took place, either pleasant or the reverse, I tied together the ends
of a green thread, which I drew from the lining of my uniform. From
time to time I reckoned over these knots, and recalled to my mind the
circumstances they were intended to denote.

On the tenth of August, word was brought to us that the commander-in-chief
of the town wished to see us, and that at noon we were to be presented to