The bodies lay in a semicircle, and the bits of rope with which the poor wretches had been strangled to death were still around their necks.

Each piece of rope--the unwound strand of a heavier piece--was about two feet long, and encircled the neck of its victim with a single knot, that must have been drawn tight by the murderers pulling at the ends.

As there had not been quite enough rope to answer for all, the babe was strangled by means of a red silk handkerchief, taken, doubtless, from the neck of its mother.

It was a distressing sight.

A most cruel outrage had been committed upon unarmed people--our friends and allies--in a spirit of aimless revenge.