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 which magnified these trivial bodies of aliens into a potentially powerful combination capable of dire mischief to the Government. He acted as if the danger were imminent. The prisoner was placed in close confinement and double guards were everywhere established. Meanwhile, the other Japanese soldiers, twelve in number, were brought into the castle and disarmed.

Next attention was turned to the English. The staff of the English factory lived in quarters in the town some little distance off. But it so happened that at the time there was in confinement in the castle one of the number, Abel Price by name, who had got himself into trouble by setting fire to a Dutchman's house when intoxicated. Price is described in the records as a "Chirurgeon," and presumably was a man of education though evidently not of exalted morals. The council had him brought before them to see what light he could throw upon this conspiracy which had been so providentially brought to light.

Price, dragged forth from his dungeon possibly with the effects of alcoholic excess still upon him, cut a poor figure. He "after little or no torture," to adopt the curious phraseology of the Dutch record, "instantly confessed, saying that on New Year's Day (their style) Captain Towerson had called them together, viz. the English merchants and the other officers, and first had had them take their oath of secrecy and faithfulness on their Bible. After this he pointed out to them that their nation was greatly troubled by us and treated unjustly, and was very little respected; for which he thought to revenge himself. If they would help him and assist him faithfully, he knew how to render himself master of the castle, to which some of them made objections, saying their power was