152
Notice of Japan in the Hui-kwok Tú Chi.
MARCH,
given by the flourishing of a fan. One them did this, and the body then rose (or sprang) up brandishing their swords. As they tossed the points of their weapons toward the sky, our soldiers threw their heads back in astonishment, and the enemy thereupon cut at them below Another of their formatious was a long, snake-like column, in which they advanced waving a hundred-tailed banner, and marcia- ing one after the other like fish in a file. The van was composed of their stoutest men, and the rearguard of the like; in the centre, the inave and cowardly were mingled together. They rose every morning a: cockcrowing, and ate their meal squatting on the ground; when this was ended, their chief would take a seat in a high place (or above them); the rest listening to his orders (or in obedience to his commands), brought each one his book, upon opening which it was seen what place was to be foraged on such and such a day, who were to command the parties, and who to serve in the ranks of the companies. These did not consist of more than thirty men, and moved independently each at a distance of one or two li from each other. At the blast of a conch, which is their call, the company immediately closed up to support that which it had heard give the signal. Sections of two or three also skirmished about irregularly, brandishing their swords. To wards evening they returned, and every one gave in whatever booty he may have seized, keeping nothing back. The chief made a partition of the spoi in proportion to the amount contributed by each. When- ever they captured women, they were sure to pass the night in drink- ing and wantonness, until at last they fell asleep intoxicated. When they had nearly completed the pillage of a place they set it on fire.; the smoke and the fire filled and illumined the skies, and while the population were in a state of alarm at its fierceness, the pirates de- camped. They practiced this ruse upon our people for the especial purpose of diverting them from from lying in wait to attack them When these pirates came upon wine or food amongst the inhabitants, they made them taste before they ate or drank of themselves, for fear that they should contain poison In their marches, they kept to the thoroughfares and highways, never entering the lanes or byways lest they should fall into ambuscade; neither did they move under the walls of a city lest bricks or stones should be thrown at them by the people thereon. When they marched, it was always in a single file of great length, at a slow pace and in good order; by which means they occupied some miles of ground, and there was no approaching them. They could move rapidly for several tens of days together, and by opening out their bedy into four or five divisions, they would manage