On the fifteenth of June a gleam of hope appeared.

Evidence has already been cited to show that in the middle of the 5th century the Türks manufactured iron implements within Juan-juan boundaries. A century later, A-na-kui’s disdainful reference to such an occupation is said to have triggered the Türk revolt which, within a few years, led to the disintegration of the Juan-juan empire. There is no way of knowing whether the Türks were engaged in the mining or in the processing of iron ore, or possibly in both of these related activities. There are many references to caverns in which Türks had lived prior to their obtaining political power, and terms such as “ancestral” or “birth” caverns occur frequently. According to the Chou shu, the kaghan of the Türks “every year leads the nobles to the ancestral cavern to offer a sacrifice.”

[…] the Master at Arms, the senior member of the lower deck and chief policeman, was found to be drunk; he must have snaffled some of the crew's rum ration always kept closely guarded in a special locker […]

There were some prerehearsals in small groups, but more often they were put together on the spot or just minutes prior to the practice jam sessions.