248 
SCENE AFTER THE ATTACK. 
Chap. XV. 
the locality on the part of the loonins on the 
other, a general massacre was happily pre- 
vented. 
“ The next morning the Legation looked as if 
it had been sacked after a serious conflict. Screens 
and mats were all spotted with blood, the former 
thrown down, broken, and tom ; furniture and 
bedding all hacked, hooks even cut through by 
their sabres, and the marks of fury and violence 
everywhere. That our guards fought, there is no 
doubt whatever ; but it is equally clear that they 
were, as I always asserted, utterly ineffective 
against a surprise ; and, in truth, they left the 
Legation, notwithstanding their great superiority 
m numbers, at least ten minutes to its own re- 
sources, during which time the loonins were in 
possession trying to discover the inmates.” 
It does not appear that the loss of life was very 
great in this hand-to-hand encounter between the 
yakoneens and loonins, a circumstance which may 
possibly be accounted for by the attack taking 
place during the night. Of the Tycoon’s and 
Daimio’s men, two were killed and ten wounded ; 
three of the loonins were nearly hacked to pieces, 
two wounded men were taken prisoners, and it was 
rumoured that two more committed the “ harikari” 
next morning to avoid being arrested. The whole 
band of the attacking loonins was afterwards ascer- 
tained to have been fourteen in number. 
After such a night,” writes Mr. Alcock, 
“comes a Governor of Foreign Affairs, deputed 
