ASIA WAP^M INC OfatttcU Htttuerattg ICthratg BERNARD ALBERT SINN COLLECTION NAVAL HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY THE GIFT OF BERNARD A. SINN, '97 1919 yip'€r^ cl^-^^^i^f^^ cc^f^:^^ Date Due APR ^ "i QS^Q » T nrn «j - cSJ' 23X33 tv^TKa Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924023037561 Cornell University Library OS 517.1.W94 With Togo :the story of seven months' ac 3 1924 023 037 561 WITH TOGO TOGO. 1903- [Frontispiece. WITH TOGO THE STORY OF SEVEN MONTHS' ACTIVE SERVICE UNDER HIS COMMAND BY H. C. SEPPINGS WRIGHT Illustrated by Drawings and Photographs by the Author LONDON HURST AND BLACKETT, LIMITED 182, HIGH HOLBORN, W.C. 1905 All Hghts reserved [To face Dedication. TO ADMIRAL TOGO and he gallant Officers and Men of the JAPANESE NAVY tbfe 3iSoofi is DedicateD, in token of the Author's gratitude for the many kindnesses he received at their hands, during his period of Service under the Flag of the Rising Sun PREFACE So many books dealing withi the war in the Far East have been published during the past year, that an addition to the list will, no doubt, be thought by many to be un- necessary. But although the public has been provided with many war books, these have all chronicled the operations of the armies, and have given little or no information regarding the naval side of the war. The Japanese authorities were not easily persuaded to let correspondents join the armies in the field, but for a correspondent to obtain permission to go aboard the war- ships and sail with the fleet seemed an impossibility. It was my good fortune to achieve the apparently impossible, for I served on one or other of Admiral Togo's ships from August, 1904, until last February. It was a privilege that was extended to no other correspondent, and, indeed, to no other foreigner save the British naval attaches, who were the only representatives of foreign powers so privileged. The Japanese sailors, from Admiral Togo himself down to the youngest seaman, treated me with the greatest kindness and did all in their power to make my sojourn among them a pleasant and happy one, and, in addition, I was given every facility for witnessing the operations and studying viii PREFACE. the details of that marvellous system of naval organisation which has contributed so largely towards Japan's maritime success. And it was not only the naval operations that I witnessed, for, by the kindness of Admiral Togo, my tent was taken ashore and pitched on the summit of a mountain within six miles of the Russian batteries, where, during my five weeks' stay, I was able to watch the fighting on land and sea at one and the same- time. It was, however, the naval operations (in which, as one of my ship's complement, I took part) that occupied most of my time, and it is the record of what I saw of Japan's navy on active service that forms the bulk of this volume. S. W. Havant, June, 1905. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Off to Japan — Arrival at Yokohama — Tokyo — Waiting for permission to go to the front — Cherry blossom season — Burial of Commander Hirose — The meeting with the Japanese Admirals . . . . i CHAPTER II. Invited to join the Manchu Maru — She sails from Yokosuka — The Etajima Naval College — ^Ju-ju-si — Sasebo — Admiral Samijima — Arrival at Chemulpo — A visit to Seoul — Received in audience by the Emperor — At sea again — A night alarm — The naval engagement — The story of the Emperor's favourite 1 1 CHAPTER III. The skill of Dr. Yabi — We sail for Togo's base — " A certain place " — A trip to Talienwan Bay — A visit to the flagship — Admiral Togo — The Vladivostock squadron out again — Return to Japan ... 52 CHAPTER IV. I am ordered to Sasebo — Appointed to a cruiser — The Japanese bath — A Japanese meal— Routine on the cruiser — Inspection of food — Some details of organisation 6i CHAPTER V. Kamura's fight with the Vladivostock cruisers — The sinking of the Rurik — The Samurai sword — To "a certain place" again — Death of the bo'sun — ^Arrival at Talienwan Bay — Admiral Muira— Dalny — The chase and destruction of the Novik 70 CHAPTER VI. Togo appoints me to the Tainan Maru — Capture of a Chinese junk — An auxiliary cruiser— An evening's fishing— A jaunt in Dalny— The mine divers— The reason of the fleet's good gunnery— A mine explodes in the harbour 93 CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. I join the Nikko-Maru — The Kobe-Maru, hospital-ship — Torpedo boat No. 67 — Togo sends for me — Interview with the Admiral — The junk load of donkeys — Before Port Arthur — The blockade — I go on duty with No. 67— The Russians try a long shot — The explosion at North Fort — The Retsivan comes out — Togo's warning signal. . 107 CHAPTER VIII. The torpedo mother — An English captain's adventure — Another inter- view with Togo — I go mine sweeping — The Chinese store — Choosing a site for my camp — A bird's-eye view of a Jjattle — I pitch my tent on So-cho-Zan — In the danger zone — Ordered to remove my tent to a safer spot — My tent finally pitched on the ridge 134 CHAPTER IX. In camp on the mountain — My naval bodyguard — Sketching on the mountain top — The storming of Double Dragon Fort — The night attack — The storm — The Retsivan out again — The Russian de- stroyers come out — Two steamers run the blockade — I strike camp and return to my ship — Bushido . . . , . . .153 CHAPTER X. A day's fishing — The Russian oil reservoir in flames — The Emperor's birthday festivities — A fight with the Russian destroyers — The destroyers come out again — A midnight chase — Astounding news of the British army — Japanese estimate of the duration of the war — Life in Port Arthur — Resurrection of the Sevastopol— The flotillas attack her — She is totally disabled — Christmas Day — Fall of Port Arthur . 185 CHAPTER XL The Dalny Banzai — The Banzai at Liao-Yang — The Naval Banzai — A visit to Kin-Shan-Tao — Off to Port Arthur — General Stoessel — In the parallels — The desolation at Double Dragon Fort — Arrival at Port Arthur 222 CHAPTER XII. Port Arthur— The damage done by the bombardment— Aboard the sunken battleships— The effect of a plunging fire — I visit 203 Metre Hill — The desolation and the unburied dead — Alexieff's mansion — On board the Tainan Maru again — We sail to Japan — I visit Admiral Togo— Farewell to Japan 259 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Togo Frontispiece Seppings Wright Facing Dedication Group : Captain Kimura, officers, and men on the deck of the cruiser, off Port Arthur . Facing -page 8 A Russian field cemetery, Port Arthur . . „ „ 8 In the dockyard, Port Arthur, showing the damage done by a shell 8 Names of my messmates on another Japanese cruiser. Port Arthur, written on a handkerchief Names of my messmates on the cruiser. Written on a pocket handkerchief .... The game of " go bang " on the Manchu Maru Chinese shrine on the island of Kojo-tau, Gulf ofPecheli Some of the blocking torpedo boats alongside the " mother " in a certain harbour Last of the Boatswain Mustered for " look-out " duty A street scene in Seoul, Korea Landing at Pinyang View from Pipari Island, Chinambo, Korea Viscount Inouye at the tomb of the Chinese Prince Ki-Tzi, Pinyang .... A snapshot in the dark. Admiral Togo and myself having a yarn on the Mikassa . Petty officers on the transport going to fill up vacancies caused by casualties in Togo's fleet Captain Yamamuchi ..... i6 20 26 28 28 28 28 32 40 40 44 56 62 63 ^ant . Facing page 64 e tub. 64 72 7S 77 86 xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Dinner on the transport. Nakai, my servant How I lived on a transport. Th( Nakai, my servant The grave of the Rurik . Portrait of a petty officer. Portrait of engine-room artificer The Akagi coming alongside . Torpedo destroyer. Note the mantelettes for protecting the bridge from shell splinters . „ „ 86 On a cruiser off Port Arthur during the blockade „ „ 92 Inspecting the ammunition on a cruiser . . „ „ 92 Japanese torpedo destroyer with captured junk, Port Arthur Bay .... „ „ 94 Myself sketching on the deck of the mother ship „ „ 98 Torpedo flotiUa alongside "mother "in a cer- tain harbour „ „ 98 Cleaning the bottoms of the battleships at the rendezvous. Port Arthur Bay ...„,, 102 Itshikushima, Admiral Yamada's ship . . „ „ 104 Coming alongside the Mikassa at the rendez- vous off Port Arthur .....„,, 108 Laying a quick-firer. The object is a Russian destroyer that kept hovering round . . „ ,, 108 We capture a junk full of donkeys . . . ,, ,,108 Making fast the prize ,j >, 108 A smoke and chat with Togo in his cabin on the il/if/4d!ii'«, off Port Arthur . . . ,, „ no Admiral Togo planning the blocking of Port Arthur in his cabin on the Mikassa. Round Island is seen through the open door . . ,, „ no Portrait of Admiral Togo . . . . „ ,,113 The junk we captured full of donkeys . . „ ,,114 John Chinaman when he lost his junk . . „ ,,115 "Resting" Japanese destroyers in a certain harbour „ „ n8 Captain Myaki and crew of No. 67 . . . „ „ 118 Lieut.-Com. Myake, my Torpedo Captain . „ ,,122 cin^ %page 124 jj )f 124 jj J) 128 J3 5) 129 )J )J 134 )) J) 134 JJ )» 144 )5 }} 144 » )) 15s J> J) 157 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Panorama of a certain harbour — from my mountain. One of the prettiest harbours I've ever seen ...... A Russian compliment. The usual shell prac- tice at us The Sevastopol outside the harbour . Land mine exploding, as seen from torpedo boat, off Port Arthur. Rendezvous B . A torpedo " mother " in a certain harbour In a certain harbour My expedition up the mountain My escort on the mountain .... A party of blue-jackets ..... My body-guard in camp A " painter " on the battlefield. Photographed by the boatswain , ,,158 A night attack on Port Arthur, Viewed from my tent . . . . . . . „ ,,164 Cruisers and torpedo destroyers off Port Arthur „ ,-, 170 Leaf from my journal ,,179 Group : Assist. - Paymaster Ohno, Seppings Wright, Com. Yonehara, Capt. Kimura, &c. „ „ 184 Russian torpedo raid stopped by our flotillas . „ „ 192 A morning greeting. Rendezvous B. Port Arthur Bay „ „ 194 Patriotic P.-Cs. Cards done by school children for distribution amongst the Fleet. The children's ages range from 7 to 1 1 . . „ ,,196 The search-light on the Tainan Maru . . „ „ 200 Russian mechanical mine on the deck of the Tainan Maru „ ,j 200 The dinner-hour on a Japanese cruiser. Note the petty ofiScer in the foreground knitting warm stockings for the use of the army . „ „ 200 Chinese sampans dredging up coal bags lost overboard in the hurry of coaling . . „ ,,200 The original signal „ » 2°i Going on look-out. Mine searching . . „ „ 204 xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. On the bridge of a mine ship .... Facing page 204 The range-finder. Mine-searching . . . „ „ 206 Firing party sinking a Russian mine, Port Arthur Bay , ,, 206 Exploding a Russian mechanical mine off Port Arthur j. ,, 208 First attack on the Sevastopol . . . . „ ,,212 Last attack on the Sevastopol. Early morning „ „ 214 Round the Armstrong gun of a cruiser. Off Port Arthur ,, „ 216 On the deck of a cruiser, with my banzai presents „ „ 216 The burning of the Russian battleships, as seen from Rendezvous B. on the torpedo flotilla. The Retsivan outside in the outer anchorage ,, „ 220 In the ice off Talienwan Bay . The Armstrong gun on the cruiser Invitation card from General Nishi Invitation card and interpretation Kojo-tau The causeway at Kojo Islands. The inhabitants hiding themselves at our approach . . ,, „ 234 Curious boat rafts or logs, Kojo-tau, Gulf of Pecheli „ „ 234 Kojo-tau Islands „ ,. 236 Blockade runners, Kojo-tau Islands, Gulf of Pecheli „ „ 236 The Naval Brigade returning from Port Arthur „ ,, 244 Wounded ofifjcer going to the rear ...,,,, 244 The dockyard, Dalny. The figure is myself, in furs , „ 250 Entraining guns for Harbin > ,, 250 Moat round the Double Dragon Fort. The wall is sixty feet high, and defended at the bottom by quick-firers , „ 250 Russian gun on Double Dragon Fort. Note the breech block is out, and shot in tray, shewing the hurried flight of the Russian artillerymen , „ 250 224 224 227 229 232 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xv My droski in Port Arthur .... Facing page 254 Ruined by a shell. The wrecked Music Hall in which the Russian officers were enjoying themselves on February 8, 1904 . . . „ „ 254 Friends and foes. Japanese soldiers assist the wounded Russians at Port Arthur . . „ „ 254 Japanese picket in Port Arthur . . . „ „ 254 Deck of the Foltau, shewing bags of coal and slack for shell protection, which proved in- effectual „ „ 258 Inside the barbette of a Russian battleship at Port Arthur Harbour. The top was blown off by a mine, placed there by the Russians . „ „ 258 Deck of Peresviet, shewing coal bags to pro- tect the deck ,. ,, 262 Decks heaped with coal and gravel. Port Arthur town at the back ....„„ 262 The barbette of the Foltau ....„„ 262 Amongst the ruins of the Foltau ■ ■ ■ „ „ 262 Destroyed gun on the Fobieta > ,, 264 Direction of a Japanese shell — through upper and main deck ..,...„„ 264 On the after-bridge. The black arch at the top is the angle of the mast which fell over the side „ ,, 264 The Amur, Russian mine-ship, wrecked in the dock at Port Arthur. AlexiefPs house on the top of the hill „ i, 264 Fragment of the mighty derrick on one of the Russian battleships at Port Arthur . . „ „ 266 A battlefield horror — 203 Metre Hill . . „ „ 268 Field Crematory, 203 Metre Hill. Soldiers in the distance at work cremating the bodies of their dead comrades ....„„ 268 All that remains of the Russian soldiers killed by a Japanese shell, 203 Metre Hill. The Monument in the distance, beyond the seated soldier i ,1 268 A Russian trench, actually filled with dead . „ „ 268 xvi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. A shrine on 203 Metre Hill. Lieut. Yamanashi doing homage to the dead .... Temporary monument on the summit of 203 Metre Hill Guards in charge of burial party, 203 Metre Hill Wire entanglement, chevaux de frise, at the gates of Port Arthur ..... Togo in the Straits of Tsushima Facing page 270 >) J) 270 j» J) 270 jj )} 270 >j » 272 WITH TOGO. CHAPTER I. Off to Japan — Arrival at Yokohama — Tokyo — Waiting for permission to go to the front — Cherry blossom season — Burial of Commander Hirose — The meeting with the Japanese Admirals. On March 5th, 1904, I left England on a journey to Japan to try and see something of that Navy which has since become world-renowned. The task before me was not easy, and I was told by everyone that it would be impossible for a foreigner to obtain permission to go aboard the Japanese warships. To the war correspondent, however, the word " impossible " is unknown. I carried in my pocket-book letters from Sir W. Armstrong, Noble & Co., of the far-famed Elswick works, to the Minister of Marine at Tokyo, and other influential officials, so that I was in possession of credentials that would, at least, be helpful to me, and, notwithstanding the pessimistic utter- ances of my friends, I was hopeful of success. One journey is much the same as another, and the trip to Japan has been written and talked about ad nauseam, so that I will not weary my I 2 WITH TOGO. readers with a long description of the voyage and journey across Canada. At Vancouver I was delayed one day, waiting for a mail, and the Canadian Pacific Company's ship Empress of India carried me the remainder of the journey to Japan. Notwithstanding severe weather and cold, the trip was delightful, and cricket, deck- billiards, and even bowls, tended to relieve the monotony of the voyage, and keep the digestion fit to enjoy the ample and luxurious bill of fare provided by the company. Among my fellow passengers were several British officers and their families, a few diplomats and a number of Japanese officers — the first I had met. Amongst these Japanese was a prince and several officers and attaches from the different capitals of the world, some of whom were sailors. Among the latter was Captain Sakai, one of the ancient Daimios, on his way home from St. Petersburg, where he had been stationed. He was a quiet, somewhat reserved man, and seemed really sorry that the war had broken out. " I have so many friends in St. Petersburg," he said, " and only recently I said ' good-bye ' to Admiral Makarof, who, " he added, with rather a sad smile, " hopes to meet me in the Far East." By the way, there is a story told about Makarof, who, as most people are aware, was one of the signatories at the Treaty of Shimonoseki, after the China War. During the discussion of the terms of the treaty the Japanese suggested that they should retain Port Arthur and occupy the Liao- WITH TOGO. 3 tung Peninsula. Makarof sprang to his feet and, laying his sword across that part of the map, cried vehemently, " Never ! " The first thing that struck me about the Japanese was that they look ' thorough-bred,* and my subsequent experience of them confirms my early opinion. Only a few of these spoke Enghsh, but they all could speak German and French fluently. On some of our fair passengers expressing fear at the possibility of being captured by the Vladivostock Squadron, they smiled and shrugged their shoulders. Their Intelligence Department, which is one of the most wonderful branches of their perfect organisa- tion, was apparently well informed on this point, but it struck me at the time that the Rooskis could have made a valuable bag had they come our way. The Russian cruisers, however, stayed at home, and we made Japan safely. We were piloted over the mine fields which protected Tokyo Bay and anchored in the fine, spacious harbour of Yokohama on April 5th. The boat was instantly boarded by a number of Japanese families, who came off in the curious sharp-nosed boats to greet their kins- folk. I landed at 5 o'clock and put up at the Oriental Hotel for the night. The following morning I proceeded to Tokyo to present my credentials, which occupied the greater part of the day, and in the evening I went to the Metropole Hotel, which I made my head- quarters, the Imperial being already overcrowded. I* 4 WITH TOGO. There are plenty of Japanese hotels in Tokyo, but only a very limited number of " foreign " ones. The Imperial, of course, is the most im- portant of the latter, and it has the advantage of being much nearer to the embassies and public offices, and consequently is the best for correspondents. I had the honour of being made a member of the Tokyo Club on my arrival, an honour that is specially gratifying to a correspondent, for telegrams and war news are received at the club earlier than anywhere else in the town. There, too, one meets most of the Japanese politicians and officials, who are as fine-looking and well-tailored a lot of gentlemen as it is possible to see anywhere. Their hospitality is unbounded, and their kindness to strangers within their gates proverbial. I confess that I felt drawn towards these charmers of Tokyo, if such an expression can be applied to the sterner sex, and everyone who knows them will bear me out in saying what delightful people they are. Finding myself established in Tokyo, I set to work at once. First I sought out Captain Boyle, an Elswick man, and one of the British officers who brought out the two cruisers Nishin and Kasuga, which have since done such splendid service. (These are Elswick ships and the name of the greatest firm of ship- builders has not suffered from their performances.) My object was soon explained, whereat he shook his head. WITH TOGO. 5 " They won't let you go near their dockyards or arsenals, much less allow you to go on any of their ships. Why ! " he said, " they won't even let the foreign naval attaches see any- thing." This was a " facer," but the interests of the firm required me not to let such an opinion as this deter me, so I set to work at once to write to various officials so as to get the ball started. Also there were the agents to be consulted. Mr. Bell, the hospitable representative of Jardine Matheson, Mved at Yokohama, so to Yokohama we went, where I was introduced to him. On hearing my wishes he looked surprised and ex- pressed great doubts about the Admiralty even entertaining such a proposition. " We can but get a refusal," I persisted. We then discussed the matter earnestly, and a line of action was decided upon. I need not enter into the various details, but I may say that I was fortunate in securing the interest of Mr. Takata, a Japanese merchant, and one of the best known and most influential men in Tokyo ; and also of Mr. Kondo, another rising young man. The result was a direct application to the Minister of Marine, and I could do nothing then but wait and hope, although my case was of very little importance compared with the great issues and events which the Government had on hand. I passed the time visiting my colleagues of the news- papers, studying the Japanese, and thoroughly appreciating and enjoying the many beauties of 6 WITH TOGO- quaint Tokyo. There are numerous public parks and gardens to be visited, fetes, theatres, and other places of interest and amusement. Japanese thoroughness is noticeable everywhere in Tokyo, and even to looking after the trees. These are most carefully pruned and protected from the ravages of time and the weather. If a big limb is cut off, the stump is preserved by a large cap not unlike a big ferrule, fitting tightly on the stump which prevents the rain from rotting the branch. Unsightly gaps in old trunks are stopped with cement as carefully as a dentist might fill one's teeth, and it keeps the trees in a healthy condition. The bazaars, huge emporiums wherein all the curios and wonders of Nippon may be seen and purchased, are an unfailing source of delight to the European, with their elaborate system of gates to keep the crowd always moving in the same direction and passing by the stalls in regular succession. This excellent system prevents crushing. The salesmen never bother anyone to buy, and they always look bright and happy. If you buy there is a profusion of thanks ; if you do not, there are pleasant looks. To some of these bazaars are attached gardens where the world-famed dwarf trees are exhibited in pots for sale, and there are also ponds where sluggish gold- fish of the multi-tailed species sleep and dream all day in the clear water, rarely disturbing them- selves except when the dip-net splashes down amongst them. Nearly every Jappy boy possesses WITH TOGO. 7 a goldfish. He tends and cherishes it, trying to keep it aKve and healthy as long as possible, and comparing it with the finny favourites of other boys. This and their love for flowers constitute the chief charms of Nippon's children, and they always seem so kind and considerate one to another, that I do not think one can really find a bad boy in the whole country. It is the result of the national training. Every- one is obedient : the child to the parents, little children to their elder brothers and sisters, and the girls and the women to their husbands and brothers. Old people are always treated with respect and tenderness amounting to reverence. The workhouse system is unknown in Japan and would be resented as a national disgrace. Every child supports his aged parents as a matter of duty, and, consequently, one sees everywhere happy old age, and merry youth. How long, I wonder, will it be ere iron-hearted commercialism, which is gradually sapping the best feelings of the people, blights and destroys the generous, human characteristics which to- day are so strong in this delightful race ? Let Nippon beware of its insidious advance and try to sustain the old, high principles in the age of golden prosperity which is now dawning. They take their time at most Government offices, and Tokyo is no exception to the rule, but with the anxieties of the present conflict there is every excuse for them. At last I re- ceived a letter from the War Minister, informing 8 WITH TOGO. me that my application must be forwarded through the British Minister. I called and saw Sir Claude Macdonald, and he hstened to my wishes with a kindly smile and promised to use his best en- deavours on my behalf. " You are not the only one," he added, and he spoke of the heart-breaking difficulties of the correspondents and attaches. I returned to my hotel, wrote my official application, and then there was nothing for me to do but wait. Tokyo was undergoing a transformation. The much, and justly, lauded cherry blossom was just bursting into bloom. The Japanese are very proud of their beautiful national emblem, and with good reason. Cherry blossom season is the sweetest in the year, for Spring is just beginning, the winter sky is softening into a fresh, bright, joyous tint, and the sunlight vibrates, quickening tender buds into life. In the morning when one awakes, the country is covered as though with a soft pink snow, birds carol merrily and all Japan turns out to admire and contemplate the beauties of nature. Up the river is the place to see the trees at their best. As you drift along in the sampan, the blue sky with a sea of pink blossom beneath, both reflected in the warm yellow of river, form a colour picture quaint, rare and beautiful. Along the banks throngs of gaily dressed Jappy girls chatter and laugh in the fulness of their joy, and the very fragrance of the cherry flower seems exhilarating. The scene is charming and picturesque, the only discordant Group : Captain Kimura, officers, and men on the deck of the cruiser, off Port Arthur. Assist. Paymaster Captain Commander Ohn6. Kimura. Tonehara. A Russian field cemetery, Port Arthur. In the dockyard. Port Arthur, showing the damage done by a shell. \T face page 8. WITH TOGO. 9 note being the European black umbrella which many of the Japanese carry, using it as a parasol. Imagine a kimono with this common-looking utility of the West ! And their native sunshade so dainty and graceful. In the gardens the scene was the same — all flowers and dainty maidens wildly happy. It made me 'feel young again looking at them. The days passed, very little news of the war ever coming through, although the Gogei, or special edition man, ran shouting through the streets to the accompaniment of the bell stuck in his girdle. The correspondents had a weary time awaiting orders, but in the circumstances one could hardly expect much. My first bit of cheering intelligence came from Mr. Takata, who rang me up on the telephone one day to inform me that he had heard, unofificiaUy, that my name was down for a trip to Port Arthur in the Manchu Maru. The trip was to be a sort of Government picnic on a large scale, although the numbers were to be strictly limited to members of parliament, foreign attaches, and a few correspondents. Apparently I was to be one of the favoured few special visitors. Takata told me not to speak of it, and in due course he would let me know the date and place of departure. In the meantime the blocking of Port Arthur was in progress, and public funerals of the heroes took place in Tokyo every few days. Most im- pressive were the ceremonial rites at the burial of Commander Hirose's remains. This gallant lo WITH TOGO. of&cer succeeded in beaching his ship close under the batteries of Port Arthur, losing his life in the act. The Russians found his remains, which they sent to the Japanese hnes, to be forwarded to Tokyo. I now became a pretty constant visitor at the Admiralty, although I went to see and chat with my friends, not to bother them with my affairs. Admiral Saito, theVice-Minister, is a good specimen of a Japanese sailor, big and burly and with a kindly face. He might easily have been mistaken for a sun-tanned British Admiral. I was intro- duced by him to Vice- Admiral Ijuin, who looked not unlike the great Prussian General Von Moltke. Admiral Ijuin presented me to an admiral with a head like Bismarck — Vice-Admiral Count Ito, of Chinese war fame. Arima came next, and he strongly resembled America's General Grant. These resemblances are remarkable, and I was very much struck by them. I was also intro- duced to Admiral Sason, and by the kind manner with which I was treated by all I felt sure that, when the time came, I should get my passports. II CHAPTER II. Invited to join the Mancku Maru— She sails from Yokosuka — The Etajima Naval College — Ju-ju-si — Sasebo — Admiral Samijima — Arrival at Chemulpo — ^A visit to Seoul — Received in audience by the Emperor — At sea again — A night alarm — The naval engagement — The story of the Emperor's favourite. My invitation to join the Manchu Maru duly arrived, and on June 12th I entered the Shin- bashi (Tokyo railway station), where a special train was waiting to convey the party to Yokosuka, where the Manchu Maru was lying. Amidst the confusion and crowd (for we had a great " send-off ") I soon picked out the foreign contingent, some of whom were showing the most desperate anxiety about their baggage. There is not much need for this in Japan, for if you leave things alone your Jappy henchman will bring you, and all your belongings, to your appointed seat in the train. At last we all got settled, and with a tremendous " Banzai " from crowds of well-wishers, we steamed slowly out of the station. At Shinegawa, the first stop, we met more enthusiastic friends, and the train made a long wait to permit our making our final adieux. Jocular salUes as to the possibility of 12 WITH TOGO. our being captured by the Russians caused shouts of laughter. Our merry detainers re- leased us at last, and at Yokohama we picked up some more guests, who were heartily greeted by their Japanese hosts. At I p.m. we drew up at a siding at Yokosuka, where the Japanese officers and bluejackets took charge of us and our baggage. Steam launches conveyed us to the Manchu Maru, which looked like a steam yacht as she lay at anchor a short distance from the dockyard. We were received on board by Captain Yamaguchi, the Commander, Captain Takarabe, who had accompanied us, having charge of our party. We soon settled down on board, and after a substantial lunch the syren sounded and the privileged few who had been allowed aboard to see the last of us left the ship. During lunch a steamer with the naval band, discoursing sweet music, cruised slowly round the ship. In the harbour two ships of the Japanese navy lay moored — a " mother ship," the Toyo Maru, and a cruiser of the second class, which had been built in the Yokosuka dock- yards and had just completed her trial trips. At 2 p.m. we weighed anchor and, preceded by the Government pilot, steamed through the mine fields. The strains of " Auld Lang Syne " was the last we heard of the band steamer, now shrouded in the mist. The afternoon turned out rainy, but as the wet season had begun we could hardly have expected anything else. But a wet day at sea is never pleasant. The horizon WITH TOGO. 13 is contracted, and dry deck space limited. Some of us smoked, others looked to the stowing of their baggage in the cabins. The ship was crowded, each cabin being full, but I was for- tunate in having only one " stable companion " — a young Oxford man. I was surprised to see that all the notices posted up in the ship were printed in Russian. Viscount Inouye was leaning over the rail, so I asked him the reason, and he told me the story of the ship. She had been a Russian, and belonged to a line of steamers, built in 1900, to carry passengers from Dalny and Port Arthur to Japan, in connection with the Siberian railway. At the outbreak of hostilities she was on the repairing slip at Nagasaki, was seized by the Government, and was the first of a very useful fleet of steamers, now running into three figures, which have been captured at various times since the beginning of the war. The Russian captain either destroyed or threw overboard the ship's papers, so that there is no authoritative information as to her tonnage and one or two minor details. It is thought, how- ever, that she is about 3,500 tons. The decora- tions are very handsome, and the saloons are panelled with pictures in a mosaic of various coloured woods. Our party numbered 55. The run to Kobe was without incident, although a magnificent rainbow glorified the ship as with a halo, which was an omen of a happy voyage. We remained at Kobe for the night, some of us going ashore to see the 14 WITH TOGO. celebrated waterfall and the mineral springs at Tokiwa. Lighted by the beams of the rising sun we entered the narrow channel of the Inland Sea, Japan's crowning beauty and, indeed, the love- liest piece of water in the world. It is a glorious panorama of sea and land and mountain, the blue water flecked with the white sails of innumerable golden-hued fishing boats. The custom of scrub- bing the wood-work of these boats instead of painting gives them this beautiful harmonious colouring. Schooners and junks floated by as our gallant steamer steered slowly (for the benefit of the party) through the waters. The mountains looked curiously patched and mottled, an effect that is caused by the sand, a great belt of which runs through that part of the country. From an artistic point of view the dusky blue and gold of the mountains was singularly beautiful, although a practical American correspondent compared them with a mangy-backed mule ! On the day following, in the afternoon, we rounded the lovely Miyajima Island, sacred to the sea, where numbers of stone lanterns line the shore. Arrangements had been made for our party to land and visit the different show places. The chief " sight " is the Water Temple, which is built over the water in a tiny bay sheltered from the winds. The Torii, or Gate, stands by itself, majestic in its simplicity, and during the fetes processions of boats file through it, bearing pil- grims to the shrine. I climbed the mountain with my friend Lieut. Matsumura, one of the heroes of WITH TOGO. 15 the early days, who had been severely wounded by a shell splinter on the Mikassa. The ascent was steep, especially towards the top, and the last few yards were a flight of stone stairs hoary with age. The cedars near the temple were par- ticularly fine, and the sacred groves sheltered numerous deer, which were very tame. We dined at the Maple tea-house, which is a unique hostel — a fairyland of tiny houses m sheltered nooks and leafy retreats, which span the bright, clear stream and form ideal Uttle dining-rooms. The place is lighted with electric light. We were shewn into one of the little houses over the stream, and were not kept waiting long ere our dinner was brought. It consisted of the usual soup, fish, rice and stewed beef and vegetables — an improvement on bceuf a la mode. The Geisha girls were in attend- ance to pour out our sak^ and while away the evening with their singing and dancing. They are a picturesque addition to a dinner, for their position is something between hostess and wai- tress. Many of them are beautiful, and all are charming. They flit about, like great moths, in their picturesque parti-coloured kimonos, doing the honours with an elegance and grace which is peculiar to them. But we could not remain long in this fairyland, for we were to make an early start and visit Etajima, the Naval Training School, and see Kure, one of the arsenals. The training school was most interesting and instructive. We anchored in the charming bay of Etajima, which is nearly land-locked and i6 WITH TOGO. sheltered by high mountains. The tide flows gently in this protected haven, and boating and bathing are perfectly safe. An old gunboat and a bathing raft were moored about a hundred yards from the jetty, and the college boats hung from davits along the sea wall ready for lowering. A small dock or basin runs into the grounds, and there lay the boat which brought back the crews from one of the steamers at the first blocking of Port Arthur. We were received by Admiral Tomaoka and the officials, and were conducted through the college buildings, which, well designed and beautifully decorated, are situated in grounds that are half gardens and hedf park. The main building is a long two-storied structure, and we entered the hall and walked straight through to a passage at the back (which runs the whole length of the building), and first looked in at the dormi- tories. In each were two rows of beds, with bedding folded, and mosquito curtains of green with a red border. The pillows were stuffed with tea leaves, which is said to be a specific for head- ache. Along the walls were rows of middies' chests, one of which was opened for our inspec- tion. It was fitted with three tiUs, or trays, which ■yvhen hf ted up showed the kit neatly folded beneath. The Board room, or Council Chamber, was immediately over the hall, and its walls were decorated with framed photographs of various admirals. The space between the two windows was, however, reserved to the pictures of the Emperor and the Royal Family, from each of A JAPANESE COMPLIMENT. ^ r - Names of my messmates on another Japanese cruiser, Port Arthur, written on a handkerchief. \To face pa^e i6. WITH TOGO. 17 which two purple tassels hung. The most inte- resting ornament in the room was a perfect model of a war junk, about ten feet long. This beautiful, though clumsy-looking, ship was fuUy rigged, one big sail hanging from the yards in lengths of silk, laced together instead of being sewn, and every detail was reproduced faithfully, even to the anchors and the ancient lanterns and streamers and pennants which hung from the masts. The temple, or shrine, graced the stern, whUe a row of pavilions or little cabooses with silken hangings filled the centre. These ranged between the fore and main masts, and were evidently the officers' quarters. The model of a modern battle- ship, near by, formed a striking contrast to this obsolete wa,r vessel. At Etajima the memory of heroic deeds is kept alive, for the blood-stained chart which we saw hanging on the wall was the identical chart which Captain Sakamoto was studying when he re- ceived his death wound from a Chinese shell at the battle of the Yalu, in 1895. Below the dormitories are large airy class- rooms, in which cadets, neatly dressed in white duck, are instructed, in English, in various sub- jects. It is worthy of note that as the long pro- cession of visitors streamed past the open window, not one of all the hundreds of youngsters raised his eyes or took the least notice of the foreign inva- sion, so absorbed were they all in their tasks. The silence of the room suggested a convent at devotions rather than a college for naval cadets. 1 8 WITH TOGO. From the class-rooms we passed to a gallery containing some working drawings of engines, guns and field pieces, drawn by the students. Considering that they have only one hour a week allotted for this class of work we marvelled to see what had been done. In the model rooms, which we next visited, we saw working models of every engine in use on a battleship, and we were shewn a working model of an Elswick 6-inch gun, mounted and fitted with improved gear for running the gun in. As far as I could see in the short time allowed for inspection, the T beam for the runner was the same in every respect, but the pulley rope was attached to the trunnion, the running in being effected by means of a steel pulley instead of the chain. In the next room we visited we saw a fine model of a battleship, complete in every detail, and then we entered the gymnasium, where we witnessed the far-famed Ju-Ju-si. The Japanese rightly attach the greatest importance to the study of this science — for it is nothing less. It consists of using the weak points in your oppo- nent's attack to make him throw himself. To such perfection have some of these Ju-Ju-si wrestlers attained that they can, with ease, throw their opponents completely over the head. The scene in the gymnasium when we entered beggars description. There were some hundreds of human beings flying about in all directions, heads and limbs alternately appearing and disappearing. The noise of the falls, although the floor was WITH TOGO. tg matted, prevented us from hearing one another speak. Squatting around the large hall were many more cadets resting until the professor should summon them to take their places on the floor again. We also were shewn the fencing with large two-handed single-sticks of bamboo. Masks and leather armour was worn, also padded gloves, but the arms were bare to the biceps. The cadets showed great skill in the use of this ancient weapon, and even now the Japanese use the two- handed sword with effect when charging the Russian trenches. We next witnessed the big gun drill in a long shed constructed on the plan of a battle-deck, with 6-inch guns on the broadside and a 9-inch in bow. We saw some very smart work, for the loading and firing was done in the record time of eight seconds. The final performance was some- thing quite out of the common, and Viscount Inouye explained its object to me by saying that the last aim of all Ju-Ju-si is to train to fight. Two goal-posts were planted, some 200 yards apart, and sides were picked. One half of each side defended its post, and the others made a dash for the opposite post. With a roar they attacked the enemies' post, and round these rally- ing points a scrum occurred to which ordinary Rugby football is child's play. They fought with fists — anything to capture the post. Some of them got badly mauled, but not a sound or com- plaint escaped them. It was, in fact, a mimic battle, fought in the best of tempers, although black 20 WITH TOGO. eyes, bloody noses and torn clothing testified to the roughness of the sport. The official photographer grouped us around the muzzle of the 9-inch gun for a " snap-shot," and an excellent light lunch closed our visit to the training college. We steamed away for Miyajima at 4 p.m., and once more the beautiful Torii, reflected in the glorious sea, hove in sight, blazing like a golden gate in the rays of the setting sun. There was great excitement aboard the Manchu Maru on June 17th, for it was on that day that we first heard of the attack upon the transports by the Russian cruisers off the island of Oki- shima. It appeared that if we had kept to our programme we should have run into the arms of the Russians, and, no doubt, included Vladi- vostock in our trip. About 4 p.m. on the day we received this startling news we arrived and anchored in the roadstead of Matsuyami. There, in a drenching downpour of rain, we landed to visit the Russian prisoners, confined in various parts of the town. Matsuyami is beautifully situated at the base of a high wooded hill, on which stands the castle of the ancient Daimio. This castle was, at the time of our visit, occupied by soldiers, and, in consequence, we were not allowed to go over it. It was a great disappointment to many of us, as it is one of the finest specimens of ancient Japanese architecture. The following day we left for the Straits of % m & r- 4 1^ ■»> It-'* ¥ 1. Names of my messmates on the cruiser. Written on pocliet handkerchief. \To face page 20. WITH TOGO. 21 Shimonosaki, and on arriving at Moji we heard the good news that the Sado Maru, one of the transports attacked by the enemy, had kept afloat and been towed in by junks. One thousand were saved and were then in the town. We passed her where she lay beached, with two steamers in attendance ready to refloat her. On Sunday, June 19th, about noon, we entered the danger zone. The smoke of two steamers, hull down, gave us an unpleasant reminder of the scene which had taken place there some two or three days before, when the Vladivostock cruisers sunk the transports. One gentleman went so far as to produce his passport and explain that he was an American citizen. The exact spot where the disaster occurred was between Oki- shima, Oroshuna, and another island, the three forming an irregular oblique triangle, with the now historic island of Tusuma visible in the dis- tance. Tusuma lies between Japan and Corea, and a strong naval base has been established there. ? We continued our journey to Sasebo at 3 p.m., and were met by the picket torpedo-boat from that place, which escorted us to harbour. Ad- miral Superintendent Samijima invited us to sup with him and his Staff ; the invitation was accepted, and we enjoyed a memorable evening. It was a glorious moonlight night, and the keen air was warmed by huge bonfires in iron crates and the scene illuminated by electric light. It was a " stand-up " supper, and the food was both 22 WITH TOGO. European and Japanese. The wine was handed round by bluejackets, and a novelty, even in that land of surprises, was given by the band, who left the stand and marched round the assembled guests. The latter, in groups, joined in until a never-ending ring of people followed round and round until the last " Banzai " was shouted. Coaling ship began next day at 10.30, and Captain Yamaguchi informed us that lunch would be provided on shore, and steam launches were at the side to take us off at 11 a.m. Through the numerous transports that blocked the har- bour we made our way and passed the torpedo " mother " in her official coat of dark grey, looming large among the shipping. The hospital ship, painted white with the broad green ribbon, sat lightly on the water, looking, as one of the officers said, " like a harmless dove." Junks and sampans swept past as we steamed to the entrance of the bay, and a long arm opened out into another haven, where half-a-dozen captured ships lay quietly moored awaiting the decision of the prize court. On a fir-clad point jutting into the sea, known as " the watering station of the navy," stood marquees decorated with flags of all nations, and under the green canopy a very good lunch was served. Servants from the ship waited, all knowing the peculiar tastes of each guest. We spent the rest of the day in- specting the dockyards and arsenals, where the usual feverish work was going on, the workmen earning 60 sen (about is.) a day and grumbling. WITH TOGO. 23 not for more pay but for more work. These people all work for their country. From end to end of the dockyards we tramped, hot and dusty, and saw the fine spacious docks in course of con- struction. We passed on to the store sheds where the food to keep the navy going was stowed in small quantities to ensure freshness. Each day 5,000 lbs. of bread is baked; each loaf weighs I lb. and is carefully wrapped in paper and packed in semi-circular baskets. The clothes of the bluejackets at the front are also sent here to be mended, which work is done by women. In another department, clothing was being cut out by tailors, and captured stores of tea and beef filled other huge go-downs to the roof. Our next visit was to the hospital, where were about 300 patients, wounded and sick, from the front. It is a naval hospital, but if the military require its services they are freely given. Many of the patients were suffering from burns and shell wounds, being mostly men who had taken part in the blocking operations off Port Arthur. The arsenal was much the same as at Kure — casting, founding and repairing proceeding with feverish energy — but by far the most interesting sight was a quantity of very serviceable guns arid munitions taken from the Russians, amongst them those recovered from the Variag. Guns, rifles, cartridges, shot, shell — every article in this collection of loot was carefully ticketed. The long tramp was very tiring but quite repaid us, for this dockyard will soon compare 24 WITH TOGO. with any in the world. There is plenty of land and shallow water that can be reclaimed, and although Kure is the principal building yard, this will be the chief repairing station where ships of the fleet will rest and refit. The next day I went ashore with Captain Takarabe to make a picture and interview the Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Samijima. Sami- jima is a grand old man, with a fine head and very strongly-marked features ; the mouth and chin are powerful and determined, but the kindly twinkle in his bright eyes told me that he pos- sessed the sense of humour. Everyone echoed my sentiment that the best thing we saw at Sasebo was the admiral himself. He was not trained in England, being one of Japan's home- made admirals, but he spoke of England, which he visited just eleven years ago, and also of France, to which he once made a hurried trip to see how a cruiser ordered by his Government was progressing. " How do you like Japanese food ? " he asked me. " Very much," I replied. " It has cured me of indigestion. Give me a pair of chopsticks and I'll show you how I can handle them." The necessary implements not being procurable at the moment, I had recourse to a pair of pen- holders, with which I performed in a manner that surprised him and met his approval. Cigarettes were produced, and tea — the usual beverage — very weak, but most refreshing. Weak WITH TOGO. 25 tea is the best, and it would be a fine addition to the ration Hst of both our army and navy. Men do more on it than they possibly can on spirits. I sketched Samijima, smoking his cigarette by the side of the brazier which forms part of the furniture of every office, and afterwards he kindly took me off to the Manchu Maru in his barge, where, after mutual compliments and expressions of good-will, he left and we proceeded to sea. A Government tug with the Commander in Chief's band played us out of harbour, and we were escorted by two torpedo boats, who remained with us for twenty miles on our way to Chemulpo in Corea. Fan painting is a Japanese accomplishment. I tried my hand, painting one for the Marquis Kuroda, the Emperor's representative on board the Manchu Maru. It turned out quite a success, giving great satisfaction, and in conse- quence I had plenty of demands on my time. On the way from Sasebo to Chemulpo, another interesting event occurred. I was the recipient of a present from Nabeshima. The present was a bottle of " Banzai " whisky ! On the 24th we arrived off the Corean coast, and the beautiful saffron sky with the delicate mauve of the rocks and islands were a picture never to be foi-gotten. Fishermen, with long hair done up like Japanese wrestlers, in picturesque boats — something between a junk and a sampan — gave life to the scene. The distant horizon was swathed with the smoke of numerous transports 26 WITH TOGO. all bound Dalny way. Our ship was making good speed (sixteen knots) and we took the outside channel, giving a wide berth to the numberless rocks and shoals of this second inland sea. It was very dangerous in the dark, being un- hghted, for there are only two lighthouses along the coast, and both are at Chemulpo. After breakfast the next morning I sketched the members of the upper house, but I was interrupted by the stewards announcing that the doctors were vaccinating in the saloon and ready to operate on anyone so desiring. It was an in- teresting scene, nearly all the Japanese and the British attache. Captain Jackson, submit- ting to the operation, although most of us made excuses. It was, nevertheless, a wise pre- caution, as small-pox was raging in Corea and in fact over the whole territory occupied by our troops. The same afternoon we passed a number of islands, a small archipelago, inhabited chiefly by fishermen. The biggest island is about six acres in extent and has three or four houses each with a little patch of barley cultivated by the tenant. The summit of this island is capped by a small wood, from which the people get their fuel. A good deal of amusement was caused by reading out from the pool the guesses as to the date of the fall of Port Arthur. The concensus of opinion placed the fall about the 30th of August. We had no moments of ennui, for Captain The game of "go bang " on the Manchu Maru. [^Fo face page 26.. WITH TOGO. 27 Takarabe did everything possible for the amuse- ment of his guests. We had a lost property office, which was simply a hook in the bulkhead where the notice board hangs. Any articles found, such as pipes, pens, fans, etc., were hung up there Until claimed. The fan always forms a part of the Jap outfit, and a very necessary one it is, as most of us discovered. The heat and flies rendered it indispensable. The difficulty of catering for the variety of tastes on board the Manchu Maru may be imagined, for among the fifty-five guests there were no less than ten different nationalities. The food was, however, mostly European and there were wines and cigars, so that we got along very well, although in con- versation pohtics were strictly barred. We passed a singular group of islands a little later, which is really an ancient crater with nothing but the broken lip projecting from the water. The tide there rushes about seven miles an hour, not unlike the race of Portland. The sea was a delicate blue-green, murky shades marking the shoals. A solitary cube stands out of the sea like a sentinel, in advance of the main group. After lunch, when on the spot where* the first naval action of the present war was fought, we grouped for a photograph. The Corean fishermen objected strongly to our back wash, gesticulating wildly as we pa'ssed th^m, and swearing violently. A big shark, the biggest I have seen, was busy at the carcase of a dead bullock, and flocks of screaming gulls hovered 28 WITH TOGO. over him. A few minutes before Captain Jack- son, the naval attache, spoke of taking a morn- ing dip ! Chemulpo, with its long water front, lay before us creeping up the hill sides. The harbour was fairly full of shipping, and Britain, America and Italy were represented by men-of-war. The Variag was being raised from her watery bed, and the workers, like ants in number and industry, gave us a " Banzai " as we passed. Two other ships were peacefully settled in the mud. They rather interfere with the navigation of the harbour, and will shortly be raised or blown up. The steam launches from the British and Italian warships came alongside as we anchored to look up their respective attaches. A tug boat had been engaged to take us ashore, and at 7.0 we landed for a couple of hours, wandering in the semi-darkness and smells. Many of the inhabitants were inclined to be hostile, but for what reason I do not know. Some of us went to the Chinese hotel, where we met Colquhoun, who had been in the Haimoon. He was correspondent for The Times, and was looking in good form after his arduous services. We tried to get hold of some news, but without success, and we left at 10.30 after getting a few stores that would be useful later on when we were thrown upon our own resources. The captain of the tug seemed uncertain as to the time he would get off. He had been ordered to start at 10. o, and it was Chinese shrine on the island of Kojo-tau, Gulf of Pecheli. Some of the blocking torpedo boats alongside the "mother " in a certain harbour. Last of the Boatswain. See page 82.] Mustered for " look-out " duty. \_See page 205. \Toface page 28. WITH TOGO. 29 then 10.30. After a hurried debate as to whether we should take a boat or wait, it was unanimously decided to hire a sampan, in which we put off at once, the lusty crew sculling us to the encouraging song of " Sara ha ! Sara heigh ! Sara ha ! " the frail vessel wobbling along at a good pace. The tides at Chemulpo are the worst dangers of the harbour, and as we passed the spot where a boat belonging to a British man-of-war foundered with all hands a few years ago, we thought of their fate, but bright moon-hght flecked the wavelets, the tide swished gently, and we met with no mishap. The night was so still that we could hear the chiming of the ships' bells, far out in the roadsteads, and the harmonious chant of the working gangs on the sunken Russian cruiser. We made good way against the tide, fetching our ship as the bell was striking eleven. The programme of our future movements was handed round, the most important item being a visit to Seoul, the capital of Corea. We also heard the good news that the Russians had been badly beaten again in the last fight, losing two torpedo boats by mines, and we learnt that, for the future, troopships were to be convoyed to guard against such misfortunes as befell the Sado Maru and her consort in the Corean Straits. The following day we were to attend the Mayor's reception, top hats and frock coats being de rigeur, and we were to leave the same evening, by special train, for Seoul. We left the ship at eleven, with our baggage, and it was an amusing 30 WITH TOGO. sight to watch the frantic efforts of the foreigner to hang on to his property. The excitement was put to an end by leaving matters entirely in the hands of our hosts. Landing at Chemulpo is rather a difficult matter, for the harbour is so shallow, and our boat, although it only drew two feet of water, was obliged to anchor, and we were transferred to sampans. Although only a few yards separated us from the broken jetty, it was nearly half-an-hour's work for our sampan to scull through the crowd of boats. M. Tomaiso headed a small deputation to welcome us, and very courteously he filled the office. The arrange- ments for our convenience and comfort were excel- lent, and our baggage was consigned to the Japanese Consulate, which saved us from all the worries of the Custom House. We followed our polite guides to the banqueting hall in the tea- house or hotel, which stood on a high bluff from which a magnificent view of the whole harbour was obtained. We were fortunate, too, in the fact that the tide was in, so that our noses were spared the foreshore smells. A large roofed verandah shaded the front of the hotel ; here a few tables and chairs were placed for the foreign contingent. The floor of the huge hall was matted, and about 200 small cushions were arranged with great exactness, a card with the name of a guest being placed by the side of each. A touch of colour was added by strings of lanterns and flags bobbing about in the breeze which blew through the hall and cooled the air deliciously. WITH TOGO. 31 After we had taken our places the Mayor, in a formal speech, again welcomed us. The pretty waitresses, assisted by Geisha girls, then trooped in, bearing small low tables on which the food was tastefully arranged, one table being placed opposite each guest. No one began to eat until all were served, and the waitresses knelt down ready to give any assistance, from pouring out the sak^ to lighting cigarettes. Speeches were made at intervals. One very interesting part of the entertainment was the explosion of a lot of crackers, which was intended to be a special compliment to the war correspondents. As Vis- count Inouye remarked : " They are always worrying to see fighting and smell powder, and we thought we would let them smell the powder now." This little joke caused much merriment, and the feast ended with the health of the Emperor of Japan being drunk with the greatest enthusiasm. The tinkhng of a samisan announced the be- ginning of the Geishas' songs and dances. Against a background of blue sky a group of girls, dressed in diaphanous robes, posed and pirouetted grace- fully, the bright sunlight shadowing their lithesome figures amid flying clouds of softest silk. The announcement that the train started for Seoul at 3.45 broke up, somewhat abruptly, a most delightful entertainment. There is a very nice club at Chemulpo at which I called, and I met there a friend who saw the fight between the Variag and the Japanese 32 WITH TOGO. cruisers. He said it was all over in forty minutes. The concussion of the guns broke several panes of glass in the buildings in the town, and the Coreans got very excited and dreamt of great things, amongst them the probability of becoming a naval power. Corean railways are almost as rapid as our own Welsh lines, and although Chemulpo is only 30 miles from Seoul, the journey occupied nearly three hours. On arrival I drove straight to the Palace Hotel, where I put up. Our arrival meant much to the sedan chair and rickshaw men, and most of them were retained by members of the party for the whole day. I started sight-seeing on my own account early the next morning, not being due at the Palace audience until 12 o'clock. Seoul is little more than a collection of hovels. The men are tall and swagger along with much dignity, wearing the hat peculiar to the Corean tilted slightly at various angles. This hat is not put on the head but on a " shape," the " shape/' like the hat, being beautifully made of very fine horsehair, and fitting so tightly that the skull appears to bulge over it. The long, white silk coat is not unhke a dress of the Josephine period, and the skirts float out as the wearer stalks along with his pipe and fan. The women wear voluminous petticoats and trousers, hke their Chinese sisters, and turned-up shppers encase their small feet. When abroad in the street they veil their beauty and, at the same time, keep off the dust and flies, by throwing ■ ink::- 4-^ A street scene in Seoul, Korea. \To face page 32. WITH TOGO. 33 a large cloak over the head and face. The children wear most briUiant colours, which, seen down long vistas of the Seoul suburbs, give one the idea of a flock of gorgeous macaws or parrots. Through the streets pass strings of ponies laden with all sorts of produce, and the everlasting Corean bull with a load that one would deem only an elephant capable of rising under. Dogs have a good time in Seoul. Many of them are decorated with broad bands of various colours, and they roam everywhere, seemingly allowed to do as they like. They are supposed by the Coreans to have souls, which accounts for the singular freedom which they enjoy. The houses are low pitched, with no attempt at ornamenta- tion, except in some cases where a particularly fierce menagerie tiger is painted in staring colours. In an attempt to paper one house they had used newspapers of various ages and dates, a com- bination which seemed to gratify the pride of the owner, a tall, venerable-looking man, almost apostolic in appearance. The smeUs of Seoul are awful, sewage pits, wells and a dried fish store rivalling one another with noisome odours, and among the garbage and offal the younger genera- tion plays happily. Over the gates of the city stands a three-tiered pagoda, used in ancient times as a guard house and watch tower. The fine old iron gates are now rusting on their hinges, time and neglect have crumbled away the circular wall which defended the portal from frontal attacks, and 3 34 WITH TOGO. all the coping stones are broken. The whirr of the electric tram as it rushes through contrasts strangely with this picture of age and desolation. I boarded the tram and was whisked down to the hotel, passing the market which is held in the open street, and where Corean husbands were chaffering over onions and lettuces, the principal items of the family dinner. The all- pervading filth veneers the butchers' shops, and meat is hewn off anyhow in chunks, whilst the feet and head portions are whittled down and sold for soup or glue, there being no material difference in the flavour of either. The white- coated crowd moved leisurely out of the way of the tram-car, while the general traffic picked its way through piles of fish, vegetables, wood and other merchandise which fills an eastern market. Twelve o'clock was the hour appointed to be at the palace, but the Emperor did not receive us personally on this occasion. The chamberlain and principal officers of the palace did the honours. The Emperor has two palaces ; the one in the city is caUed the " Palace of Heaven " and the other the " Palace of Prosperity and Virtue." The latter is situated in a most charming spot outside the city, surrounded by a strong wall. We were invited to the Palace of Prosperity and Virtue, and were received by a guard at the entrance, who inspected our passes and allowed us to go through. The scene inside resembled a beautiful English landscape, the green under- WITH TOGO. 35 growth shaded by fine old trees such as might be seen in an English park. A broad, well- kept road winding through a glade of fir- trees brought us to an inner gate, where the Palace officials took charge of us. We were first received at the main entrance of the palace, a fine piece of Chinese architecture, brilliant with vermilion, green and purple, which all seemed to harmonise. Here a second official took our cards, which were handed to the Prime Minister, who shook hands with us before passing us on to some other ofiicers who conducted us into the garden. There we were left to ourselves, and had some leisure to admire the lovely landscape gardening. Lotus ponds and quaint pavilions of various sizes and shapes dotted the grounds, and the whole garden was almost a counterpart of the familiar old willow-pattern plate. Lunch was served in the chief pavihon, a two-storied building, gorgeously painted and celebrated for the beauty of the red lacquer columns which support the main haU. A flight of stairs led to the upper apart- ment, where a cold lunch was laid out which would have done credit to Delmonico or Prince's. The Corean steward told me, with great pride, that it was cooked and laid out in European style, and that the Japanese were their instructors. There was champagne and other wines. The guests being numerous, space was limited, and everyone was not lucky enough to stand at the table. I managed to make friends with some Corean gentlemen, who, like myself, had come 3* 36 WITH TOGO. in late, and we wandered about, with our chop- sticks in one hand and a big plate in the other, collecting tit-bits. We then retired with them to the broad, low rail of the balcony, which for- tunately was in the shade, and thoroughly enjoyed our pic-nic lunch together. In praise of the lunch I remarked : " You owe a good deal to the Japanese." " We owe everything," they said, " and under their beneficent rule and guidance Corea will become a great and prosperous province of the glorious Empire of Japan." After lunch we wandered through the beautiful grounds, where cigars, coffee, and cool drinks seemed to appear hke magic in every pavilion we entered. Our long ramble ended at a big rock, beneath which gushed forth a clear crystal spring that supplies the palace grounds. A strange Chinese poem is inscribed in bold characters on the face of this rock, and the translation is as follows : PALACE OF PROSPERITY AND VIRTUE. Three hundred feet high how far from heaven the waters descended ! Look yonder white rainbow rose and the current makes The thundrous wind in ten thousand hills. Our cameras were busy, and probably they were the first ever seen in this ancient glade. We returned to our palanquins and rickshaws and were driven off in a cloud of dust, our departure being witnessed by a crowd of Coreans, who actually removed their pipes in their staring WITH TOGO. 37 wonder. The day closed with a brilhant recep- tion at the Japanese Club. The following day we received our cards of invitation for the Emperor's audience. This was to be held in the Palace of Heaven at 3.30 the same afternoon. Our kind hosts told us to be at the Hotel de Palais early, and they would guide us. Most of our party started in jinrickshaws, but palanquins of ancient construction and painted a dead black seemed to be the favourite convey- ance of the ehte of Seoul. We started through the narrow dusty street, palanquin bearers and rickshaw men jostling each other in their endea- vours to be first at the Palace. We alighted at the gateway to perform the remaining short distance on foot. Some time previously the palace had been burnt down, but a temporary building had been erected for the purpose of receiving foreign dignitaries. We were first shown into the large hall, where doors opened into a number of reception rooms. Into one of these the official directed us, shaking each of us by the hand as we passed in. Cigars, sweetmeats and tea were served, but, considering the temperature, the latter might have been dis- pensed with. The furniture and decorations were in the Tottenham Court Road style, but two mag- nificent globe vases of Cloisonni enamel contrasted strangely with the shoddy appearance of the rest of the room. The master of the ceremonies arranged the order in which the presentation was to take place, and the ushers beckoned us to- 38 WITH TOGO. wards a doorway with a portiere curtain, which was swept aside as we entered the presence of the Son of Heaven. On a raised dais at the further end of the room, between the two windows, stood the Emperor and the Crown Prince before a mag- nificently embroidered silk screen. The Court consisted of the chief eunuch, a tall, misshapen piece of humanity who lolled against one of the gorgeous pillars, and two military attaches who kept well in the background. The Emperor is a stout, rather jovial-looking man, with some dignity, but the merry twinkle in his small eye betokens the bon vivant. The Crown Prince looked rather vacant, and did not seem to interest himself in the proceedings in the least. He has a weakness for garlic, and to coun- teract the pungent odour he always chews a piece of ginger, which he rolls in his mouth like a sailor does his quid of tobacco. The dress of both father and son was similar — white Corean robes and the peculiar head " shape." As we passed we gave two bows to the Emperor and one to the Crown Prince. Some of our number bowed with considerable deference to the eunuch ! At the conclusion of the ceremony we drove to the official residence of the Japanese Minister, where we had supper. This was served al fresco and eaten with chopsticks. The band from the palace played operatic selections, and a telegram was read from Admiral Togo announcing a second defeat of the Russian Navy, which news was a splendid ending to our day. The following day WITH TOGO. 39 we returned to Chemulpo and the ship, and early the morning after we started under easy steam for a secret destination. This proved to be a wild-looking bay called Haiju, which was the secret base of Admiral Togo during the early part of the war. (It may be remembered that Russian reports accused England of lending Admiral Togo Wei-hai-wei.) The beauty of this place is its secrecy. Admiral Togo used it as a telegraph station, and eilthough it is seventeen hundred miles from Tokyo, messages got through in ten minutes. Takarabe kindly allowed us to land, but warned us not to go into the grass on account of the vipers which are very numerous. The officer in charge of the station showed us round, and we came back to the ship loaded with wild flowers. We continued our journey the next day, but were stopped by fog — a real Corean fog. We remained hung up by this for about three days. Everyone who has experienced a fog at sea knows the deadly dulness it occasions, but two Japanese artists named Toji and Murasi helped to while away the time by showing us some delightful specimens of their handiwork, turning out trees and flowers like magic. One especially good example was a spray of white chrysanthemums on white paper. Some of us set to work in imitation of them. But I am afraid our first efforts were rather clumsy. One night lights were seen and heavy firing heard across the water. There was at once a 40 WITH TOGO. rush from all parts of the ship, and boats' crews stood by the falls prepared to lower in an instant. The excitement, however, soon subsided, when Takarabe decided that, fog or no fog, he would start, and seventeen knots an hour soon placed us out of danger of being captured. I had turned in early, and about nine o'clock my boy rushed into the cabin and hurriedly began screwing in the dead light, explaining something about a flash light and a man-of- war. Here was more excitement, and I groped my way on deck, where I found tha^ all lights were out. In breathless silence, groups of figures were looking eagerly and anxiously ahead. We heard the guns again and saw the search- lights. Had the Russian fleet come out ? Or were they the Vladivostock cruisers searching for us ? We continued steaming at full speed, and, although our distance from the firing was not great, the fog concealed us. Fi^rther alarms continued from time to time during the night, most of the guests remaining on the deck or in the saloon till after midnight. In the morning an array of bottles in the saloon proclaimed the earnestness of the discussion that had taken place as to what course the Russians would pursue in case they captured us. On Saturday we anchored in the friendly waters of Haiju Bay once more. The correspondents were, of course, anxious to send ofl the news of the fighting, but Takarabe would not permit them to do so. — '^ ^^Jlj *k _ ^^m — -:i««s»aev ..„ ___ ■ tL'M^r. ^^^^^flri^^^^^^^ ^^mnxri Hrj^ ^9^ .,,t jk i^istmiriiiMi »^.--^^a|| m^^I^^Hb' v^H^BbI^^J^L *l^sSmm^m Landing at Pinyang. View from Pif ari Island, Chinambo, Korea. \To face page 40. WITH TOGO. 41 " This is intelligence," he said, " and we don't wish the Russians to have any idea where we are or what we are up to." When any important news came on board the fire bell was always rung to let everyone know. A furious ringing proclaimed one day that a gogei was to be read out. Captain Takarabe was in the saloon, and with the help of a blackboard he charted and explained the positions of the fleets in the recent battle. He also gave us the unwelcome intelligence that the Russian cruisers from Vladivostock had been sighted in the neigh- bourhood, and had been attacked by our torpedo destroyers, but with what result was at present unknown. This was evidently the engagement we had seen and, being only a transport, had fled from. The younger members of our party were getting restless and chafed at our inaction, but there was no help for it, for the Russians were particularly anxious to recapture our ship, especi- ally now that it had so many prominent men on board, and we could not afford to run any risks. Towards the afternoon great excitement was caused by the appearance of five steamers making for the bay, but they turned out to be Japanese transports, one of them carrying relief crews for the Port Arthur fleet. These ships, like our- selves, had come in to wait for news, and soon afterwards we heard that the Vladivostock squad- ron was homeward bound. We now made a fresh start, steaming up the river. Before noon the following day we brought up at Chinnambo. 42 WITH TOGO. This place, under the Japanese, is already be- coming a large and influential city, but our object in going there was to push on to Pinyang, the ancient capital of Corea. The first shot of the war was fired at Chinnambo, the Japanese driving out the few Cossacks who were stationed there. The principal residents and officers entertained us with the regal prodigality to which we were be- coming accustomed. The first stage of our trip to Pinyang was aboard the comfortable roomy steamer Kiodo Maru. The river Tai-do-ko (which means " big similar river ") waters the plains of Pinyang, the latter name meaning " crop ground." Stretches of mud flats backed by mountains is the general character of the scene from the river, on which many fishing boats, mostly fishing for prawns, were busy as we steamed up stream. Higher up the country changed, wide, fertile plains taking the place of the mud flats. This was the begin- ning of the Valley of Pinyang — probably the finest rice country in the East. The banks looked very much Uke those of the upper reaches of the Thames, with the quiet back-waters and shady nooks. The Kiodo Maru was unable to get nearer to the city than three or four miles, owing to the sudden shallowing of the river. The small paddle consort came alongside, and we transhipped. At four o'clock we anchored opposite the gates of Pinyang, which is a typical Chinese walled town. The battlements were crowded with apathetic WITH TOGO. 43 white-robed spectators, as were the few houses outside. This changeless apathy of the Coreans contrasts very strongly with the untiring, bustling energy of our hosts. Japanese police were lined in front of the crowded walls and songs of wel- come were sung by neatly-dressed school girls. The progress that has been made at Pinyang and elsewhere in Corea since the Japanese came is marvellous. Corea is in transition, and rapidly becoming civiUsed under the touch of these magicians — these Britons of the East. Over a bridge of boats between the steamer and the shore we trooped, squeezing our way through the ill-favoured crowd to the gateway, where the crowd was even thicker on account of the rain. The reception was held in a wind- swept chamber of the watch-tower. Afterwards we made a progress through the principal street (which was little better than an irregular trail trodden deep in the mire), the ribs of our um- brellas hooking in the eaves of the houses, many of which were worse than dog kennels. I saw donkeys and pigs in the family apartments, and the people hve in indescribable filth. The Town HaU served as head-quarters of the army, and there we were received by the Commander- in-Chief and shown various specimens of the country's produce and manufactures. Our next objective was the battlefield of the 1894-5 war, on the summit of which stands a monument to the fallen heroes of Japan. The httle enclosure, shaded by fruit trees, is well 44 WITH TOGO. looked after, and, when we had inspected it, we wandered among the ancient groves of pine trees. We saw, also, the tomb of Prince Ki-Tzi, which is said to be thirty-two centuries old. The highest point of the battlefield is 700 feet, and there the walls of the city join in an acute angle. The view is charming, a Turner tree stands up boldly against the sky and the landscape includes moun- tain, wood, water, plain, and the ruins of old cities. By the time we had seen aU that was to be seen, hunger began to make itself felt, and we adjourned to an old house where an ample meal awaited us. It is said that many years ago a celebrated Chinese scholar, one Kin-too-gen, came to this house to read some of the old poems which decorate the walls and are con- tained in a printed book kept there. Feeling that none of the poems adequately described the beauty of the scene he became inspired. Going out on to the verandah he wrote these two lines : Facing the castle there runs a mighty stream with heavenly eternity. Toward the east o£ a vast plain mountains are dotted here and there. The beauty of the place, and probably the re- action after the inspiration had left him, affected him so that he wept bitterly and ran away. Pinyang is celebrated for the beauty of its women, and it is there that the Emperor selects his concubines from the school for the training of this class of women. Since the Japanese have Viscount Inouye at the tomb of the Chinese Prince ICi-Tzi, Pinyang. [To face pxge 44. WITH TOGO. 45 been in power the institution is in a very poor condition, and, under their rule, is likely to be abolished. On returning from this trip we found that a telegram had been received which ran as follows ; " The Russian fleet left Port Arthur at 6.30 ; Admiral Togo's combined fleet have gone to meet them." Captain Takarabe left, ostensibly for the mouth of the river, in our armed trans- port, but, as the transport was really a scout, it was thought probable that he had gone to the front. As may be imagined, the news upset our programme, but such happenings are the fortune of war. In the absence of Takarabe, Captain Yamaguchi took charge of the arrangements for our comfort and pleasure. We were not allowed to mope, and Marquis Kuroda — one of Japan's oldest Daimios — organised a picnic in one of the lovely spots up the river. A large junk, matted and shaded with awnings, was provided, and the tug boat took us in tow. We had a most delight- ful time, and the trip was particularly interesting as it afforded an opportunity for seeing the Corean farmer at home. The farmhouses closely resemble those in China. The one we visited was not very pros- perous, but the owner told us that as genera- tions of his ancestors had lived and died there he felt bound to remain and look after their tombs. Under the eaves of most of the houses there is a poem eulogising the ancestors of the household. Before we left we brought a camera to bear upon 46 WITH TOGO. a young bull surrounded by a group of children. The bull resented the familiarity, and, lowering his head, bore down upon the photographer in full charge. The photographer escaped, and the farmer apologised courteously, explaining that our black coats had frightened the bull, as he had never before seen any but white. We made the acquaintance of the squire of the district, a boy thirteen years of age. He asked us to take him to see the ship, and I, not knowing the habits of the country, referred to him as a boy, which the youth evidently greatly resented, and which was, of course, interpreted to him. A Japanese friend of mine said : " You will offend him very much if you call him a boy. He is a young Corean gentleman, and has a wife fourteen years old, and owns a great deal of property." When at Pinyang the history of the Emperor's favourite was told to me. It is a romantic story, and so essentially Eastern that it reminds one of the Arabian Nights' Entertainments. This favourite is of very humble origin, her parents being so poor that they found it difficult to support their children, and at the age of thir- teen she entered the service of a lady of the Court as a drudge, her principal duties con- sisting of cleaning out the sewers and boiHng rice. But she did not long remain in this menial em- ployment, for, one day, being commanded to dress her mistress's hair, she displayed such skill in the execution of the task that her mistress was WITH TOGO. 47 very pleased and never permitted her hair to be dressed by anypne else. The other ladies of the Court — for women are much alike all the world over — were not slow to notice the elegant appear- ance of the lady's coiffurCj and it was not long ere the poor girl had a clientMe that embraced nearly all the chief ladies of the land. Perhaps it was her imperial dignity that prevented the late Empress from expressing her feminine curiosity and envy until her coiffure was the only one in the palace that showed no trace of the magic touch of the hairdresser girl. Then, however, she lost no time in ordering the girl to be brought to her, and from that day forth her coiffure was worthy of the imperial head which it adorned. The hairdresser girl now lived in the palace in constant attendance upon the Empress, and it was not long ere the Emperor noticed her and fell under the influence, not of her hairdressing, but of her personal charms. A secret intimacy grew up between them and continued uninterrupted, until it was discovered by the Empress. The Empress was a very jealous woman, and with the knowledge of the intrigue between the Emperor and her hairdresser her anger arose, and she turned the girl out of the palace with contumely. The sudden loss of the services of one who made them appear beautiful in the eyes of the Corean gentlemen caused great consternation among the ladies of the Court, and they put their heads 48 WITH TOGO. together — heads that now, alas ! were indifferently dressed — and each agreed to do all in her power to induce the Empress to forgive the girl and admit her to the palace again. My informant said that the persuasions of the Court ladies had the desired effect, for the Empress yielded reluc- tantly, and agreed that the girl should return, but I have no hesitation in saying that, in this particular, he was incorrect, for it is obvious to the simplest mind that her poorly-dressed hair had broken the spirit of the Empress, and that she sighed for the elegant coiffures that had added to her imperial dignity. So the hairdresser girl entered the palace again and resumed her services to the ladies of the Court. Now the royal palaces of Asia are seldom free from intrigue, and the Court of Seoul has always been excessively Asiatic. Soon after the girl's return to the palace the enemies of the Empress made things so uncomfortable for Her Majesty that she left the Court hurriedly and lived in a remote place in as unostentatious a manner as possible. With her departure the little hair- dresser rose in the favour and the affections of the Emperor, so that she occupied in the palace a position but a little lower than that which the Empress had filled. But her day of glory was short-lived, for the Empress' faction again got the upper hand. Her Majesty returned — evidently with a determination to pay off old scores — and the girl fled for her life. She was about twenty-seven years of age at WITH TOGO. 49 the time of her flight from the palace. In her short hfe she had ascended the social ladder beyond the dreams of ambition, and now she fell from her high position to the lowest rung. She took refuge with an old friend, a laundry woman, and supported herself by making " cake " — a com- position of inferior green peas and rice — and selUng it to the common people. It was not a remunerative business, and soon she was reduced to wearing old rags. Her friend the laundry woman could not help her, for she, too, had fallen on bad times, and only earned enough to keep herself from starvation. Providence came to the rescue of the girl in the person of Kaw, a poor clothes dealer of Seoul, who wished to wed her. In her sore distress she agreed ; they were secretly married, and in course of time she became the mother of a boy and a girl. After many months a lady of the Court learnt the whereabouts of the hairdresser girl, and at once visited the house of Kaw, where she was made happy by once more having her hair dressed in the inimitable manner. She visited the house often, and began to take an interest not only in Kaw's wife's hairdressing, but in the worthy Kaw himself, and by way of atonement to the injured wife took steps to bring about her return to the Court. The death of the Empress, on October 8th, 1895, enabled her to gain her end, and once more the girl entered the palace. She was now supreme in the Emperor's favour, for she had DP rival; but it is sad to relate that as 4 so WITH TOGO. she occupied the exalted position of the late Empress so she developed the jealousy that had characterised her predecessor. Soon after her son, Prince Yin, was born (October 20th, 1899), one of her spies reported that the Emperor and a lady, whose name, in English,' is Moonhght, had appeared to get too much enjoyment from their friendly conversation at one of the State ban- quets. She promptly had Moonlight arrested and tortured, although after this somewhat forcible intimation of disapproval she set her free. Another unpleasant incident occurred when the ladies of Pinyang (famous for their beauty, bravery and musical accomplishments) were invited to the palace. The Emperor un- fortunately drank more wine than was his wont, and in the enthusiastic expression of his pleasure at entertaining the Pinyang ladies, he seized the hand of one of them. The spies at once reported this regrettable occurrence to the hairdresser girl, and the Pinyang ladies advised their friend to go home to Pinyang. With characteristic bravery the lady refused. " There is no greater honour," she declared, " than to be permitted to clasp the Emperor's hand, and having done so I do not fear to die." The other Pinyang ladies (who appear to have possessed common sense as well as their more attractive accomplishments) endeavoured to per- suade her, and at last she consented to flee from the palace. It was said, however, that she was " lost on the way," which is the cautious WITH TOGO. SI Corean way of stating that one of the hair- dresser girl's emissaries had waylaid and mur- dered her. The hairdresser girl is now fifty years of age. She is paramount in the palace, and is looking forward to the day when she will be officially recognised as Empress, and her son, Prince Yin, acknowledged heir to the throne. 4* 52 CHAPTER III. The skill of Dr. Yabi — We sail for Togo's base — "A certain place " — A trip to Talienwan Bay — A visit to the flagship — Admiral Togo — The Vladi- vostock squadron out again — Return to Japan. When we got back on board the Manchu Maru we received the cheering inteUigence, by telegram, that " the Russian Squadron passed the Corean Straits bound for Vladivostock July ist." This was the date of our scare when we ran back to Haiju. Our ship had coaled and watered and we started for the Yalu. The miUtary authorities invited us to Antung, the head-quarters of that district, and after that we should practically look after ourselves, hiring our own junks to do the remainder of the journey to Ku-heu-chung, the scene of the first and most important battle. It was at Ku-heu-chung that the Japanese showed the world that their soldiers were equal to their sailors — that they had learnt lessons from Germany as well as from England. The anchor- age at the mouth of the Yalu is protected by shoals and rocks, and the intricate channel is always changing. The hospital ship Yokohama WITH TOGO. S3 Maru and several transports and other steamers were l5dng there. Unfortunately the Marquis Kuroda and Dr. Yabi, who were laid up by typhoid fever, which it was supposed they had contracted at Seoul, left us to be nursed aboard the hospital ship. To Dr. Yabi I owe a debt of gratitude. For nine months I had been troubled by a growth on the lower lid of my left eye which three or four doctors had decided was a polypus, to remove which it would be necessary to cut down to the cheek bone. I did, as a matter of fact, go to a hospital to have the operation per- formed, but, the surgeon being away, the operation was postponed. In the meantime I started on this trip, and Dr. Yabi, noticing the eye, asked if I were treating it. I told him I intended having it operated on when I returned. " What for ? " said he. " For polypus," I repUed. " Pardon me," he returned, " but I don't think it is polypus. Will you allow me to see it?" After a short examination he said ; " I will give you a wash which will, I think, cure it." He gave me the stuff, and after ten days' application the growth came out whole. To our great disappointment the military authorities were unable to carry out their kind plans for us, for we received orders to start for Admiral Togo's base, there to await instructions. While we were passing the spot where the big 54 WITH TOGO. Chinese battle took place in 1894, we carried two of the survivors in triumph round the decks. Captain Yamaguchi being one, and the other a petty officer. The same day we passed several groups of islands and right ahead lay a long, high island. Behind this island lay the mystery known to the world only as "a certain place " — the rendezvous of Admiral Togo's fleet. Rounding a high, gloomy point, the " certain place " lay re- vealed to foreign eyes for the first and only time. Long lines of warships, with steam up ready for instant action, lay there, the redoubtable Mikassa, flying the flag of Admiral Togo, heading the line. The scene, for a moment, took our breath away. Dream-like the ships looked, shrouding the bay with smoke, yet they conveyed an awful impression of power and strength that appalled the mind. I have seen many naval reviews, but never have I gazed on a sight so impressive as these steel-clad ships which, like some fabled monsters, breathed forth fire and smoke. The placid haven wherein they lay was secured from attack by booms and mines which closed the ways of approach, and all the time wireless telegraphy was bringing news of every move made by the Russians who were shadowed by the Admired' s swift cruisers. High over the fleet frowned a huge segment of rock, strongly resembling Gibraltar. Glasses and telescopes were busy aboard our ship. The hitherto dissatisfied and impatient WITH TOGO. 55 members of our company were content. At last we were really within the area of active operations. At any moment we might be actors in a battle that would settle the fate of nations. About twenty miles from these islands, Manchuria with all its blood-stained mysteries showed peaceful and quiet, the white chffs gleaming like the English coast. In a sheltered bay a big army camp was estabUshed, towards which we steered, our hopes running high at the prospect of landing. But when within signalling distance we received a message ordering us to return and anchor, so that after a memorable, though in the end rather disappointing day, we took up our moorings in the outer anchorage, under the protecting guns of Admiral Togo's fleet. That same evening Takarabe came on board again. He had been up to see General Nogi, the commander-in-chief of the investing af'my at Port Arthur, and he promised to let us know the result of his mission on the following day. We then learnt that he had been to the front and seen the opposing armies within eight miles of each other, and that on account of the difficulties in capturing some of the forts Port Arthur was likely to hold out for some time longer. In consequence, our proposed visit to Dalny and Talienwan had to be abandoned, for a time at any rate. He told us, further, that as there was a possibility of a Russian raid we were to shift our anchorage, and this was at once carried out, the Manchu Maru steaming back to a 56 WITH TOGO. sheltered and retired bay at the rear of Admiral Togo's position. A number of fishing junks came alongside, and it was very amusing to watch the deals in fish. Not a moment's credit was allowed, the Chinamen hanging on to the fish with one hand until the coin was safely in the palm of the other. There was great consternation when the follow- ing notice appeared on the notice board : " This ship is immediately to return to Nagasaki." This was a crushing blow. We had come so near the front , and yet were to return without actually getting there. I heard privately that the reason of our return was that the Russians were about to make some important movement and that our position might become critical at any moment. Our hopes were soon raised again, for about 10 p.m. we received a signal to the effect that Admiral Togo would receive us on board his flagship some time on the morrow, but first we were to be allowed to steam within lo miles of Port Arthur, to view the general scene of operations. After this, we were to join Togo at another rendezvous — in the Blonde Islands, escorted by the cruiser Tsukai, Japan's first ship of the new navy. We proceeded towards Talienwan Bay, where we saw flotillas of destroyers and torpedo boats going to or returning from their positions on the blockade. We steamed back towards our meeting place and by noon we observed the Mikassa and A snapshot in the daik. Admiral Togo and myself h;Lving a yarn 0)1 the Mikassa. [To face page 56. WITH TOGO. 57 Ashami right ahead waiting for us. We were cordially welcomed by the officers in the ward room of the Mikassa, which was very plainly furnished. A grim reUc stood upon the side- board in the shape of a fragment of the i2-inch shell that cut a piece out of Lieut. Matsumura's leg. Admiral Togo came in to see us. He is a short, well-built man with rather a slight stoop, and just on the shady side of fifty. We all turned to look at the man whose name was on the Hps of everyone in the world. His is a kindly face, but it was marked by lines of care, the result of the anxious watching and thought of the last six months. Although it might be the face of an ordinary, studious man, it indubitably im- presses one. The eyes are brilliant and black, hke those of all Japanese, and a sUght pucker at the corners suggests humour. A small drooping nose shades a pursed -up mouth with the under lip shghtly protruding. He has a large head, which is a good shape and shows strongly defined bumps, and the hair is thin and worn very short. A slight beard fringes the face and it is whitening on the chin, and the moustache is thin and black. Like most great men, he can keep his own counsel. It is said that he can sit for weeks by himself without any desire for companionship except his pipe, for, hke Bismarck, he is an inveterate smoker. He did not speak very much to any of us, although he said courteously that he looked upon our visit as a great honour. Champagne and glasses S8 WITH TOGO. were brought in, and he drank to our health, wish- ing us a safe journey back to Japan. The Mikassa looked so clean and smart that she might almost have been ready for inspection off Spithead instead of within the sound of the Russian guns, which boomed sullenly at intervals throughout the day. The band played a typically English programme as we sat in groups with the Japanese officers about the deck. The only visible sign of the Mikassa having been in action was a shell wound in the mainmast. Before leaving, we were shown round the ship, and the whole crew seemed to show the traces of the anxiousj vigilant six months that I had noticed in Admiral Togo. Very few of them ever got more than four hours' sleep in one night. On our return to the Manchu Maru the anchor was speedily weighed, and our head pointed to Japan. Without adventure we got to Nagasaki, where our plans underwent another alteration, owing to the Vladivostock Squadron coming out again on the war-path. We had to change our course, returning by the Inland Sea and leaving the Pacific route in the hands of the enemy. The report from head-quarters ran : " Vladi- vostock Squadron have been reported by fisher- men as coming through the Hokdido Strait," so we proceeded to Kobe, there to await further orders. At Kobe we could obtain no news of the Vladivostock fleet, and most of our party dispersed — the greater number being bound for Tokyo, I tried to get to Yokohama by the P. and O., but WITH TOGO. 59 they could not guarantee me a safe passage, and finally they unloaded their cargo at Kobe, and received a wire ordering the ship to return home to England. I therefore went on to Tokyo by train, where I spent my time passing between the Embassy and the Admiralty. It is interesting to a European to watch the life in Tokyo streets. There is none of the roar and bustle of the west, nearly all the transport being done by porters who carry their heavy loads with noiseless tread. The jinrickshaw, which corresponds to our hansom cab, is scarcely audible, and the only noises are the street hawkers crying their wares, and the dismal whistle of the automatic steam pipe cleaner. Now and again troops of merry children going to and from school make a joyous morning concert, and the busy chant of the coolies at their work may be heard sometimes. But the silence in the city does not betoken laziness ; work, work, hard toil, is evident everywhere. Every one of the two and a half millions of inhabitants of Tokyo takes a bath once during the day. This is an excellent institution, and might be followed with advantage in many other cities I have visited. Japan is clean from the sea-shore to the mountain-top, and so it is with her people ; they look and are clean, and they are always cheerful. They work hard, but there is not that mad rush for riches which is the curse of modern commerciaUsm. Their pleasures are simple ; a family excursion to view the cherry 6o WITH TOGO. blossom or maple, or maybe a junk load of happi- ness drifting leisurely on the river, either of which affords the pleasure of contemplating the wonders of nature which they all enjoy. The Japanese life is an object lesson in the simple hfe, the want of which is evidently beginning to be felt in England. 6i CHAPTER IV. I am ordered to Sasebo — Appointed to a cruiser — The Japanese bath — A Japanese meal — Routine on the cruiser — Inspection of food — Some details of organisation. The days spent in Tokyo were pleasant enough, but I had not come out to the East to remain idly in Japan, and I began to wonder if I ever should see any of the fighting. I was, therefore, not a little elated when I received orders from the Admiralty to go to Sasebo, where I should be appointed to one of the cruisers. On my arrival there I called on Admiral Samijima, who said he had orders for me to go at once. When could I get away ? " I am ready," I said. " Well," he replied, " there is a ship starting at six to-morrow morning ; you had better go straight on board." I went back to my hotel, packed up, and stepped aboard the ship at seven o'clock the same evening, and found myself once more beneath the pennant of the Rising Sun. Everything seemed in confusion. The ship was coaling, and the decks were Uttered with boxes and bales and all sorts of stores. Women 62 WITH TOGO. as well as men take part in coaling, and they are paid thirty-five sen per day, and well they earn it, working in the barges and at the steadying gear, passing the baskets, and, in fact, doing exactly the same as the men, encouraging the work with songs, or what our sailors would call " shanties." They all wear kimonos and a Japanese towel bound round the head, which gives them a somewhat coquettish appearance. Their legs are wrapped up in pieces of cloth — a sort of dark-blue putty — and a native obji com- pletes the costume. The coal dust covers them, and they are dingy, dirty daughters of Eve, but their bright eyes gleam and their white teeth flash as they laugh and chatter over the rough work. I remarked to the captain that I should be very sorry to see our women doing such work. " Well," he replied, " if the work is hard, it is honest, and they might be doing worse." This untiring industry is, in my opinion, one of the chief causes of the high standard of virtue that characterises the women of Japan, and several of the missionaries whom I met in Tokyo are of the same opinion. Our departure was postponed until four o'clock the next afternoon, and, as the officers were all busy, I dined by myself. Nakai, my servant, was wrapt in admiration at the way I used my chopsticks. " A red sky at night is a sailor's delight," in the words of the old song, and this evening the sunset was fiery red, and the moon rose in splendour over the hills. It was the Petty officers on the transport going to fill up vacancies caused by casualties in Togo's fleet. [To face page 62. WITH TOGO. 63 festival of Bom (the moon festival), which is signalised by dancing and feasting, and corre- sponds to our harvest moon. My new messmates were Captain Yamamuchi (whose father was a retainer of the late Shogun), Surgeon-Lieut. Nakamura, of the Japanese Im- perial Navy, and eight other officers, to all of whom I was formally introduced. As the sun set the wind arose, and the barometer falling rapidly told us that a typhoon was imminent. The captain, remarking that he had experienced several typhoons and did not want another, decided to run for shelter in Shisiki harbour. After a run of forty miles we arrived there, and 64 WITH TOGO. found a Red Cross ship and some other vessels which had also come in for shelter. Fortunately we were visited by only the tail end of the typhoon. The hve-stock on board aroused my curiosity, and I paid the animals a visit. The fowls, in- deed, were allowed to run about, which kept them in better health than when penned up. There were also three lanky pigs, livid-looking and miserable from the repeated washings of the sea water. The weather cleared about midnight, and at 4 a.m. the watch was called and we weighed anchor at 5 a.m. and proceeded on our journey, the Red Cross ship leading. On board the wearing of the kimono is only allowed before eight o'clock in the morning and after eight o'clock at night. My servant, Nakai, asked me if I would take my bath in the morning or in the evening. In this respect we differ from the Japanese, as they bathe at night, and there is a great deal to be said in favour of the evening bath, for when all the work of the day is done the hot bath is most refreshing and encourages sleep. All the officers don the kimono after the bath and come up to the ward-room to finish the evening, but, like most Englishmen, I preferred to have my bath in the morning. Some of the ships are fitted with European baths, but many have only the Japanese bath, which is a large square tank deep enough to sit in up to the chin. They soap themselves before getting in, with a little Japanese oblong towel, decorated with pictures, the bath Dinner on the transport. Nakai, my servant. How I lived on a transport. The rice tub. Nakai, my servant. [ To face page 64. WITH TOGO. 6s itself being used merely as a plunge. The same towel is used for drying the body, and it is washed and wrung several times during the process, the bather's servant rubbing down his master's back. Whatever the disadvantages of the Japanese bath, it undoubtedly renders the skin supple and fresh. Meal hours in the Japanese Navy differ from ours. Breakfast is to be had from 7.30 to 9.30. Dinner at noon (the officers who go on duty have theirs half-an-hour earlier). Supper at 5.30, and from 8 p.m. and throughout the evening tea and cigarettes are served, and sometimes sake, which is taken hot. It is a notable fact, however, that sakS is never served when on active service except on very great occasions, and then very little is drunk. The tea, unlike ours, is green and made with water that is not allowed to boil. It is an acquired taste, but, once acquired, one never cares for any other kind of tea. The same may be said of Japanese food, and it has an additional charm for me in that it cured me of indigestion. Indigestion is unknown in Japan. A table laid for a meal in Japanese fashion presents, to a European, a somewhat curious appearance, although dinner is frequently laid in European style. Knives and forks are un- known at the Japanese table, and small cases containing a pair of chopsticks (which may be ivory, lacquer, or wood) are laid before one, long-ways, after one is seated, and a small china or lacquer bowl is brought containing 5 66 WITH TOGO. bean soup, sometimes made with fish and beans, at others with chicken and beans, and it frequently contains a few shces of vegetables, generally daikon, a species of large radish. It has a very disagreeable smell, but by no means a bad flavour. This bean soup is a standing dish throughout Japan. The bean is so nutritious that it sustains a man for a whole day. The next bowl contains rice, which takes the place of bread, and is eaten with the dried or fresh fish that follows the soup, and with the two fried eggs that are generally served in a small saucer. Pickles and sugared beans usually form a part of the repast. Soup without a spoon is a problem to the European at first, but he soon learns that it is quite correct to raise the bowl to the mouth, using the chopsticks to keep the meat and vegetables from interrupting the flow. On the sideboard there is a wooden tub full of rice, and it is served out into the rice bowls with a large wooden spoon. Holding the rice bowl in one hand, one selects such tit-bits as one fancies from the saucers and eats them with alternate mouth- fuls of rice. The usual drink is Nippon Cha (tea), which is poured into a tiny cup rather larger than the sak^ cup, but of the same design. During breakfast one generally eats three or four bowls of rice, and the last bowl is often mixed with tea. This mixture has the consistency of Devonshire cream, and has a most delicate flavour. At the conclusion of the meal the boys pour some tea into the rice bowl, with which one washes the WITH TOGO. 6; chopsticks before placing them in their little wooden case. The routine on a Japanese cruiser also differs from that followed in the British Navy, and the following is a time-table of the men's daily task : 7. o. Turn out. 7.40. Breakfast. 8. o. Medical inspection. 8.15. Wash decks (if there is no ice or frost) and clean guns and arms. 9.45. Stand easy. Smoke for fifteen minutes. 10. o. Watch on deck. Fall in. Told off for various duties. 11.30. Sweep and clear up decks. Stand easy when finished. 11.45. Cooks of messes fetch dinner. Noon. Dinner. 1. 15. Fall in. Watch on deck told off for various duties. 2.15. Stand easy. 2.30. Carry on work. 3.30. Sweepers. 3.45, Prepare for supper. 4. o. Supper. 4.45. Quarters, 5. o. Stand easy. 5.15. Drill for seamen. Exercises for en- gineers. 5.40. Sweepers, clear up decks. Sunset. All lights masked. Prepare to resist torpedo boats ; that is, guns ready, 5* 68 WITH TOGO. with ammunition boxes by each, night sights adjusted, and guns' crews told off J one man to keep watch at each gun, the remainder standing between the guns and keeping a sharp look-out for torpedo attack. (This, of course, is a most important piece of organisation, and one which Admiral Togo impresses on all his captains.) 7. o. Rounds. 7.30. Pipe down hammocks. Look-outs told off for various parts of the ship. The remainder of the evening the men drink a little tea, and smoke cigarettes and the Cheesi pipe (" little pipe "), which holds just enough for one or two whiffs. Sometimes these small pipes are of silver and sometimes of brass. They squat round the tobacco hon (a tub with a piece of rope lighted at one end, something like the ancient linstock) ; some play cards, others chess, and many of them the old game of go-bang. But most of them spend an hour or so each day study- ing languages or some detail of their profession. They stand about knitting, if nothing else is to be done. They are never idle, and are always merry and good-tempered. There is never any punishment, for none is ever merited. Each man feels that his particular job is as necessary to Japan as Admiral Togo himself, and they are all inspired by one sentiment — " Bushido," the literal meaning of which is " duty and patriotism." WITH TOGO. 69 In the large ships two cooks are carried, one foreign and one Japanese. All food undergoes the strictest inspection, not only before, but after it is cooked. Every day the quarter-master brings in a dish of the men's food — taken hap- hazard from the coppers — which the paymaster and the doctor taste and inspect, and the same system is applied to the food destined for the ward-room, so that all on board have only the most wholesome food set before them. This excellent system is also enforced in the army. As with the food, so with the health of each man, for the doctor makes a searching examina- tion in even the most trifling cases of indispo- sition. Every man in both navy and army is weighed at least once a year, and if he is above or below the weight which at his age he ought to scale, a medical board is appointed to find out the cause. Everything is governed by science and reason even to the most minute detail. 70 CHAPTER V. Kamura's fight with the Vladivostock cruisers — The sinking of the Rurik — The Samurai sword — To "a certain place " again — Death of the bo'sun — Arrival at Talienwan Bay — Admiral Muira — Dalny — The chase and destruction of the Novik. Steaming through the Corean Straits^ we left Tsuhima Island far astern, being on our port side, and Masampho, on the Corean coast, showing in the distance in a blue haze. We passed over the spot which has since been made famous by Admiral Togo's great victory, and for two days we steamed to the north. On the morning of the 15th July we heard guns and observed smoke right ahead, which we after- wards learnt was the fight between Admiral Kamura's fleet (mostly built by the great firm at Elswick) and the Russian Vladivostock cruisers. Some time afterwards I had an interview with one of the officers of the fleet, who told me the true story of the fight, which I will repeat in his own words. "At 5.3 we spied the Russian cruisers, three in number, steering S.W. three-quarter south. At that time the Russians had no idea that we were near, but_at 5,ii_they suddenly discovered WITH TOGO. 71 us and immediately altered their course to the east. We opened fire about 5.20, using the 8-inch bow guns, with some effect. The range- finder gave the distance as 10,000 metres. The Russians soon replied, and a heavy cannonade from both sides ensued. Forty minutes after the action began the Rurik seemed to be in distress. The enemy's ships then separated, the Gromohoi and the Roossia slowing down, to allow the Rurik to come up. But she was too badly injured. The battle still raged fiercely, and two of the Russian ships were on fire for a few minutes. We concentrated our fire on the Rurik, which was lagging very far behind, and our cannonade was so effective that the ship was set on fire and the rudder damaged. Although helpless, she continued firing her guns, and the Roossia and the Gromohoi returned to assist her. Some signals passed between them which, of course, we could not understand, but it seemed probable that the Rurik was asking for assistance. We fully sympathised with the Russians, who had to leave their poor helpless consort to our mercy and steer northward for Vladivostock. Our cruisers followed, and after chasing them some time we noticed that the Roossia was on fire, and about fifteen minutes elapsed before it was extinguished. The effect was very striking as the long fiery tongues darted out from the ports. The ship seemed to me like a demon flying on wings of flame. We kept up the pursuit for another twenty minutes, and then returned to 72 WITH TOGO. where we had left the Rurik. This was at ii in the forenoon. We could see nothing of her save a few boxes and wreckage dotting the sea, over which the smoke still lay like a shroud." The ill-fated crew were rescued by the ships of our squadron which had not joined in the pursuit, and the prisoners were distributed among the various ships. Eighty were sent aboard us. Their wet clothes were removed, and they donned dry uniforms — the uniform of their enemy. Among our prisoners there were three officers and one petty officer and the chaplain. As they were picked up the officers were put in the stern sheets of our boats, and the sailors mixed with the crew. They seemed very weak, and one of the officers (the navigator) had a slight wound on his left arm. Our doctor immediately prof erred his services, which were gratefully received. Our sentry at the gangway saluted, which the Russian officer returned. The Russian sailors were assisted up the gangway by the Japanese, and it was amusing to see the little Japanese blue- jackets assisting the wounded Russian sailors, who seemed giants by comparison. There were about ten injured men, and one of the Russian wounded kissed the Japanese sailor who was assisting him, which made the Jap look a httle abashed and silly. We supplied them with every- thing they asked for, and whiskey and soda was served out to them from the medical stores. We also gave them cigarettes and fans. With the exception of the wounded they fell in on the CO ".S Ph '3 O 0) M WITH TOGO. 73 quaxter-deck, and were afterwards sent to the mess-deck, the officers going to the sick-room. We anchored for the night at Tsuhima Island, and the next morning we started for Sasebo, which we reached at 4 in the afternoon. I tried to speak to the Russian engineer. " How are you ? " I said ; " I am very sorry to see you here, for you are brave men, and we all admire your courage." " Thank you, I am quite well," he replied. They were very gentle and quiet, but held themselves very proudly. We did not remain at Tsuhima long, as we received orders to proceed to Manchuria. As we passed Port Hamilton I took some snapshots of the crew while they were eating their dinner. The rations were neatly served in a saucer : two small fish, pickles, and some vegetable. The vegetable was okra, and is considered very healthy and strengthening. Rice was served out ad libitum. My dinner consisted of the following dishes : Tai fish soup, pork chops and onions, rice, a couple of herrings, and, as a salad, two roots of young ginger washed down with Nippon Cha. I hit it off very well with my Japanese friends, with whom I talked through an inter- preter, and I paid my footing in the mess in cham- pagne and cigars. I made a tour of the ship, and found that the men's messes on the lower deck were much the same as on a British man-of- war. The petty officers' quarters were adorned with pictures, in staring colours, and plants which 74 WITH TOGO. are tended most carefully. Many of the men had insect pets, crickets bdng the favourites. These insects are kept in tiny cages of bamboo, and maintain a Uvely scissor-grinding noise. They seem to thrive very well on a piece of vegetable, either pumpkin or water-melon, and the fresh water which the men take in their mouths and blow over them occasionally. At midnight we anchored in a Corean archi- pelago called the Myangcoan group. This group of islands lie in latitude 34° 13' N. and longitude 125° 561^' E. That magic messenger, the wire- less telegraph, brought us some mysterious news. A Russian gunboat was somewhere in the China Sea, and, bearing in mind our valuable cargo, our captain brought up in one of the Tom Cring- lest (if I may use the expression) places, devoid of trees, but protected by sandbanks, rocks and islands. The moon, high in the heavens, re- flected her image like a broken patch of phos- phorus, and the distant islands showed dimly through the passing mist wreaths. It was such a night, and such a place, as the buccaneers might have chosen to bury their ill-gotten treasures, and, indeed, who could say what hoards might not be lying in yonder sandlet, for in those seas the pirate still flourishes. At six a.m. the clanking of the cable announced that the anchor was being raised, and we proceeded, but only for a short distance, for we ran into a fog which enveloped us and rendered navigation in such a place dangerous. There is no sleep on board after WITH TOGO. 75 /, Portrait of a petty oflScer — chief gunner's mate— with his Japanese and English signature. 76 WITH TOGO. six o'clock with the cocks crowdng and the crickets chirruping lustily. As the sun gained power, the fog gradually lifted, until only streaks of mist belted the high lands. Three transports which had been fog-bound like ourselves were now steaming in company with us. By ten o'clock the day was quite clear, and the sun shone brightly. We made good progress, and it was thought that Dalny would be reached in forty- eight hours. Walking round the ship I noticed that two very useful boats of the sampan type were carried. Needle-nosed and flat-bottomed, they are pro- pelled by scuUing at the side, and are perfect for landing troops. They are capable of holding a fair number of men, who squat on the bottom out of the way of the scuUers, and drawing very little water they can go close to the shore, thus enabling the men to effect a dry landing. This is one of the secrets of the Japanese success in putting a large army on shore, as all the ships carry these boats. In addition to carrying stores we had on board a number of sailors and petty officers for Admiral Togo's ships. The Japanese petty of&cer is a well-educated, intelligent man, and can be thoroughly rehed upon. Of those I met, most could speak, and all could write, English. Many of them belonged to the ancient Samurai famiHes, and these all carried their family swords, many of which were of great age. They gave a sword display for my benefit. These swords are handled WITH TOGO. n Engine-room artificer, -also chief petty officer, taking it easy.- Note the zori (sandals). 78 WITH TOGO. with the greatest reverence, for most of them have been handed down through many generations and are highly prized by their possessors. They are carefully wrapped up in a bag of yellow silk and are periodically taken out and examined critically. So keen is the edge that it requires the most careful handling. The proper way is to hold the scabbard in one hand and lay the flat of the sword crossways, using the case for a sort of rest. By manipulating it gently in a good Ught all the markings of the temper of the blade can be seen. It is usually connected to the hilt by a peg of whalebone, which is easily taken out, and the maker's name is written, sometimes in gold, on the haft. In the old days the Japanese youth became a man at the age of fifteen, when he was presented with a sword with great cere- mony. The hilt is worked with the finest materials, but these decorations are nothing compared with the beauty of the blade. The bluish steel has a silken texture, and it has an edge that can sever a piece of gauze and a curve that produces an automatic draw in the cut, which make it the most formidable cold-steel weapon even of the present day. It appeared that we were bound for Togo's " certain place," and I welcomed the news in the hope that it meant that we should see some fighting. It seemed but the day before that, on the old Manchu Maru, I visited the Blonde Islands. There was Togo's fleet still on guard, and, indeed, it was all so clearly photographed WITH TOGO. 79 in my memory that I had not forgotten a detail of the scene, and it will always remain one of the most vivid impressions of the many that I have gathered in my wandering life. We entered the anchorage on this occasion by a passage from the south, which is protected by booms and mines. As soon as the anchor was down the purser and the doctor went to the harbour master's ship Taichu Maru to report arrival and to receive instructions. This is an important piece of organization in the Japanese Navy. All ships on the way to the front report themselves at various signal stations on the journey, and when they pass near a base they call in for further orders. The front is, it is true, ap- proached more slowly, but the value of the system is apparent, for the Commander-in-Chief and Admiralty are in touch with the ships throughout their journey. And it also prevents strange steamers from entering the military area. The day after our arrival Port Arthur was attacked from the sea and the land by heavy guns, and we could plainly hear the dull booming of the cannonade. The Idzumi, a cruiser originally built for the Chihan Government by the Elswick company and bought by the Japanese, came in and, anchor- ing, at once lowered all her boats, and the crew set to work to clean the bottom. This is another important piece of organization, the Japanese never allowing their ships to become foul. 8o WITH TOGO. Most of the petty officers whom we carried had now gone to the harbour-master's ship, to be drafted to their various stations, and the purser returned with the gratifying information that we were to start for Dalny on the following day at noon. A transport carrying mails came into the road- stead, and passed through the fleet. As she approached a ship for which she had mail bags, four notes were blown on a bugle, and the ship at once sent a boat to her to fetch the letters. The next morning I arose at four o'clock and saw the sun rise over the huge rock I have spoken of. In the morning light it resembled one of those gigantic pre-historic lizards, and it seemed to be gazing out over the sea to Port Arthur. The harbour had cleared somewhat during the night, for the hospital ship and two or three transports had gone away. The wind had chopped round and was blowing hard from the south, and the captain told me that we should have some " not good " weather. Admiral Togo's choice of a base was a good thing for the fishermen, for, to ensure a fresh supply of fish for his ships, hundreds of junks were regularly employed. These fishermen are half pirates, and up to the time of Togo's arrival had given a great deal of trouble. The Chinese sent some Chusan soldiers, who are themselves little better than bandits, to keep order, and these soldiers made a working arrangement with the piratical fishermen with the result that, until WITH TOGO. 8 1 Togo appeared on the scene, the inhabitants of the villages had a very bad time. On our voyage to Dalny a tragic event happened. When we got outside the roadstead we found there was a heavy sea from the west, which set our ship rolling heavily. The crew were employed in throwing some old shakes overboard, which had served temporarily as cattle-boxes, and the sea kept washing over the waist of the ship, wetting the men to the skin. They were laughing and chaffing each other as the waves broke over them, when suddenly the ice chest with its contents, weighing three or four tons, slipped from its place and glided towards the main mast, and the boatswain was pinned by the leg between this and the iron bits. The limb was crushed to a shapeless mass, and the sailors carried the poor fellow to the ward room, laying him on the floor. The doctor looked very grave, but proceeded to bind up the fractured leg, although the case was hopeless. The injured man lay with his head supported by two comrades, another was fanning him, a fourth held a glass of water, and on either side four of his ship-mates knelt to secure him from being knocked about by the rolling of the ship. Although the atmo- sphere was stifling, he kept complaining of feeling cold, and more blankets were heaped upon him. He murmured occasionally, and I wondered if his thoughts had flown back to far away Japan and his little wife and child, or whether his last act of duty still filled his mind. Who could tell ? 6 82 WITH TOGO. Once only he spoke intelligibly, words which brought despair to the hearts of the watchers. " It's so cold." Though heaped with blankets the sailors added more to satisfy their messmate. The doctors had long since given up hope. The heart beat was tested for the last time. His feet and hands were cold, though the brain still lived. It was an easy death, this sinking quietly into Eternity. A bright ray of light shot through the dark pall of cloud as the gallant boatswain's spirit fled. Who dare say that the Great God of all mankind shall not find a place for that Pagan soul. The body was laid out next to my sleeping cabin, and a small altar was erected with two Lighted candles, between which a snow-white cloth bearing rice-cake was placed. Before the altar incense was burning, and at nightfall the body was placed in a cof&n with the head towards the altar. The dead sailor's messmates watched by the bier all night, keeping the incense burning, and the ship was filled with the fragrant odour. I found it difficult to sleep that night, for the dead- lights being closed no air could enter, and the pungent scent of the incense was almost over- powering. Sleep came at last in spite of the choking that oppressed me, but it was broken by troubled dreams of the poor boatswain. I was awakened by a big rat scampering across my chest, and I found the cabin swathed in a mist of incense. In the morning the burial took place, the remains being hoisted into a sampan, and WITH TOGO. 83 with his messmates and the priest the boatswain made his last voyage. Some small ceremony took place on shore, the dead man's shipmates passing by his body, one by one, giving a last salute. They left him in his shell on a cliff by a lonely bay, awaiting, within sound of the murmuring ocean, the torch of the cremator. One of the officers remarked to me that the boatswain had died as every man ought to hope to die — " At his duty," Kwangtung Shan bore due west seven miles. This together with the smaller island of San- Sham and the shoals, covered with mine fields, protected the entrance to Talien-wan Bay. Kwangtung Shan, if fortified with heavy guns, would secure both Port Arthur and Dalny. We heard that the fight at Port Arthur the day before had been very fierce, but that the Japanese had captured two important positions. About three o'clock we passed the picquet boat and exchanged signals with the Red Cross ship Kote Maru, which was bound for a secret destination. The water shoaled rapidly as we neared the signal hill (Tai-o-sho). From this point the land sweeps down in successive slopes, breaking off in low cliffs, and the coast hei;e and there is indented with sandy coves. The country is roughly farmed by the Chinese, and the little bay shelters nume- rous trading junks. As we turned into the bay we obtained a fine view of the sweeping curve of the shore, which is dominated by the lofty moun- tain Dai-o-noshan, which, being interpreted, 6* 84 WITH TOGO. means "large monk" or "bishop." This moun- tain is 2,200 feet high, but it looks considerably higher on account of its isolated position. Bold, stony ridges succeed one another up to the serrated summit, which is somewhat Alpine in appearance. In the little harbour of Odincove (Taiko-ko) a guardship is stationed, whose crew undertakes the arduous duties of Signal Hill. The bay sweeps round to Dalny, which lies almost immediately opposite. The navigable channel is well marked, but it was, of course, mined in places, and could only be run with special charts and bearings. The natural defences of the place were very strong, and had been still further strengthened by the Chinese, who had built some forts. These alone would prove formidable to ap- proaching ships, but with the addition of mines and booms the place was practically impregnable. We anchored about three miles from the town, where lay a number of ships of the Third Divi- sion, under Admiral Hosoya. The steam launch from the admiral's ship came alongside, and when she returned I jumped in to go to the flagship and present my letters of introduction to the admiral. This, I am afraid, was a breach of naval etiquette, for the admiral sent his secretary to tell me that I must be presented officially by the Port admiral. I returned to my ship and the captain informed me that I must go ashore to the harbour master's office with the doctor (who is also a lieutenant). The purser, and several other Japanese gentlemen who were officially WITH TOGO. 85 connected with the army, went at the same time. It was dark when we landed, and we had to scramble over some rough-hewn stones, which formed part of the walls of the dockyard. Thread- ing our way through we at last reached the har- bour master's ofl&ce. I was introduced to Ad- miral Muira, who was Port admiral, and he asked if I had any letter for him. Having none I showed him my credentials from Tokyo, and ex- plained the object of my visit. He is a young, energetic and good-looking man, and held the position of Port admiral at Port Arthur during the short Japanese occupation in 1894. I heard that it was the intention of the Government to reinstate him in his old position at the fall of the place. After a very pleasant chat we returned to the pier with an orderly whom the admiral had sent to guide us. On arriving at the pier we had to send the orderly for our sampan, and waited an hour before it appeared. We all bundled in and at last returned to the ship. I was anxious to present my letter to Admiral Hosoya, but the following morning the harbour master signalled : " All passengers to remain on board." This, of course, was disappointing, but I made the best of a bad job by studying Dalny and its surroundings through my field glasses. Away to the north-west stood the long fiat moun- tain Nan-San, where the Japanese soldiers won their spurs, but the fair cultivated plateau looked peaceful enough in the bright sunshine of this 86 WITH TOGO. Manchurian morning. The harbour was full of ships — gunboats, cruisers, auxiliary cruisers, transports, and hospital ships, and yet there was room for many more. The town of Dalny may be divided into two parts. The commer- cial district is easily distinguishable from the harbour by the tall chimneys and the smoke and dust which hang over it night and day, while . the residential part looks almost like an ordinary London suburb with its long rows of houses, broken, here and there, by a church or some other public building. The Chinese quarter lies at the back and is not visible from the harbour. The public park stretches away towards the moun- tains, and in its neighbourhood are several large detached houses. Red brick is used in the con- struction of the houses, and in many cases it is decorated with white stucco. A railway runs past the back of the town to the pier and harbour, which at present are under mihtary authority. The breakwater, which is a mile in length, shelters this part of the harbour from the north-west storms, and I noticed that the sentry boxes on the breakwater were painted with the regulation black and white oblique bars of official Russia. The mountains make a picturesque background to the town. The most prominent is called Little Fugi, on account of its resemblance on certain bearings to the huge mountain of that name in Japan. The next day the bombardment of Port Arthur began again, three days' rest having been taken to refresh the troops after their last effort. The Eope protection (mantelettes). The Akagi coming alongside. Torpedo destroyer. Note the mantelettes for protecting the bridge from shell splinters. [ To face /age 30. WITH TOGO. 87 Japanese had been steadily closing in upon the city, and there seemed little doubt that ere long they would capture the town and thus achieve the greatest feat of arms of modern times. The sullen boom of the guns was heard throughout the day. A torpedo-boat came alongside and took in twenty-five tons of water in less than an hour, and we also coaled some of the small craft. Coaling and watering their ships is a simple matter in the Japanese Navy, and differs slightly from our method. When they come alongside, the hatches are opened, the coal is passed down in bags and the water is taken in at the same time. Reinforcements of soldiers arrived daily, and at once went off to the front, which showed us that the capturing of Port Arthur was proving no easy task. Raw troops stepped ashore at Dalny and in less than five hours were becoming veterans in the trenches of Port Arthur. A gunboat came alongside for coal and water. She had been la5ang mines off Port Arthur and showed signs of pretty hard service. The trim, smart look of the man-of-war was hidden be- neath a covering of old rope hanging in coils around the vital parts of the ship. The bridge especially was covered by this curious " armour," converting it into a protected connin'g-tower. These rope fenders are technically known as mantelettes, and they are very effective in stop- ping shell splinters. 88 WITH TOGO. I had received no word from Admiral Togo in reply to my letter, and I found the waiting for instructions monotonous. To pass the time I amused myself by tr5dng to catch some big fish that were constantly cruising around the ship. It was tantalising sport, for although the fish fre- quently smelt and mouthed the bait, they never once even nibbled. The Akagi was Ijdng in the harbour during our stay at Dalny. She is the gunboat which, in the Chinese war, had a shell burst in the chart house, killing Captain Sakamoto. She was undergoing the repair of some trifling damage she had re- ceived in an action with a Russian gunboat. The duel was fought at long range for two hours, when the Akagi plumped a shell well into the Russian, who at once steamed off. There is another very interesting vessel lying in the harbour, a paddle-wheel saloon boat, which would make an excellent admiral's yacht. She was at Dalny when the Japanese captured the place, for the Russians, fondly imagining the occupation of Dalny was only temporary, sunk her in the harbour after heavily coating her with paint inside and out. I was fortunate in being allowed to visit the dockyards at Dalny. The machine sheds were in a state of dilapidation, as they had been burnt by the Russians, but the electric Ught works had not been touched. Work was proceeding briskly everywhere. Gangs of coolies were clearing away debris ready for new buildings, permanent and WITH TOGO. 89 temporary, to be erected, and in the dry dock three torpedo-boats were undergoing repairs. While I was ashore I noticed a crowd of Chinamen talking together excitedly, and the cause of their excitement was revealed to me when a firing party of bluejackets marched by with a Chinaman in custody. He had been tampering with the water supply, and in a httle while I heard the rattle of a volley, and soon afterwards met the firing party returning. When I returned on board, I found that news from the front had been received. The great battle of Liaoyang had been fought, and it was rumoured that Kuropatkin had been severely wounded, and only 12,000 of the Russian host had escaped death or capture. The news seemed too good to be true, and we anxiously awaited the official report. The battle of Liaoyang was the critical phase of the campaign, for had Kuropatkin defeated the Japanese army Port Arthur might conceivably have been relieved, although even in such an eventuahty Kuropatkin would have been unable to have taken the aggressive until he had been heavily reinforced. Captain Mimura of the destroyer Ikadzuchi (Thunder) came on board and dined with me on the evening of my visit to the dockyards. He had just come in from the blockade, and he told me the Russians would certainly come out and fight again. The Japanese had laid a number of contact mines outside the Russian mine fields, and it was a case of mine and counter mine. 90 WITH TOGO. These contact mines were floated about six feet below the surface^ and could also be exploded by electric wires connected with the torpedo boats. This alternative was to prevent the possibility of the Russians sending small steamers and clearing them away. Two or three days before, Captain Mimura told me, the Sevastopol had come out from Port Arthur and shelled the army positions, but Togo attacked her and soon drove her in again. She touched a mine on her way back, which blew a hole in her port side and nearly sunk her. While I was talking to Captain Mimura the Chitose cruiser entered the harbour and signalled that the Novik, a Russian ship that had escaped from Shanghai, had been sunk off Saghalien. The story of the last voyage of the Novik was told to me afterwards by one of the of&cers of the ship that sank her : In the afternoon of the loth August, after the big battle off Port Arthur, the Czarevitch ran to Kaiochaio Bay, seeking to take advantage of German neutrality, and the Novik took shelter at Shanghai. Having chased the destroyers to Cheefoo, the Chitose received orders from Admiral Togo on the nth to chase, and, if possible, capture the Novik. Thinking the Russian gun- boat was bound for Vladivostock, and knowing that in such case she would have to go by the Pacific route, the Chitose ran through the Corean Strait to head her off. A wireless message was received from Kagoshima in- WITH TOGO. 91 forming them that the Novik had passed that place steering north. Receiving no further message when they reached Tsugalu Strait, they went on to Hakodate. There they were joined by the third-class cruiser Tsuma, and both coaled. They received another wireless message from Admiral Togo to proceed to Soya Kaikyo, and after steaming some distance a second wire came from the admiral : ' Novik has passed Etologh Island.' After receiving this message, they felt confident of getting her. Cruising about the strait, on the afternoon of the 21st, expecting to meet her, they received at five o'clock another wireless message : ' Novik coaling at Colsacot Bay.' This bay is in SaghaUen Island, and, hearing firing, they went off at full speed, and found the Tsuma and the Novik engaged. Before they came up night fell and the fighting ceased. Both vessels received some damage, but the Tsuma, being a small ship, was not so much damaged as the Novik. It appeared that the Novik had tried to get out of the bay, but the Tsuma had headed her back, cruising off the mouth of the bay and blockading her, and, at the same time, making good some defects. The Chitose ran into the bay. The Novik was there, but the night was so dark they could see nothing of her. They cruised to and fro all through the night. At dawn she was sighted and reported to be on shore, and the Japanese ships ran in to within three thousand metres of her and opened fire. It was like shooting at a target, and the 92 WITH TOGO. shots soon took effect, for the Russian seemed to settle by the bow, and by the volumes of smoke that came from her it was evident that she was on fire. The crew got away in the boats, and, seeing that the Novik was done for, at seven o'clock the Japanese steamed off to Sasebo. The CMtose remained at Sasebo and the Tsuma went on to Yokosuka, where she was docked. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bsmt/K^K^L-". ..^T "■'* r m' r'; \ L ^ *. K'^ '^M" ■-{t^, _ On a cruiser off Port Arthur during the blockade. Inspecting the ammunition on a cruiser. \To face page 92. 93 CHAPTER VI. Togo appoints me to the Tainan Maru — Capture of a Chinese junk — An auxiliary cruiser — An evening's fishing — A jaunt in Dalny — The mine divers — The reason of the fleet's good gunnery — A mine explodes in the harbour. On September ist Paymaster Aihara came on board and informed me that Admiral Togo had appointed me to his ship the Tainan Maru, and that he had come to fetch me. It did not take me long to pack up, and, taking leave of the cap- tain and my messmates, I stepped into the steam launch with Aihara, and proceeded to take up my new appointment. I was given the rank of ward-room officer, but my duties were light. I had my station at fire-quarters and boats, and feU in by the chief engineer at divisions. As I stepped on board the sentry saluted and the officer of the watch came forward to receive me. I was an object of some interest to the sailors, who were grouped forward and gave me a smiling greeting. The officer of the watch introduced me to Captain Takahashi, the commander, who, like all the Japanese I have met, is a thorough gentle- man. After a few remarks, he preceded me to 94 WITH TOGO. the ward-room, where I was heartily welcomed by my messmates. Tea and cigarettes were served, and I soon began to feel at home in my new surroundings. The Tainan Maru was an auxiliary cruiser, and the ward-room was the ordinary roomy saloon, well-lighted and airy. Two long tables stood on either side, capable of accommodating about forty people. Our ward- room complement, however, was only twenty- five, so that we were by no means crowded. In the centre of the room, beneath the dome, a Japanese garden was arranged on a square of oilcloth. There were dwarf trees, shrubs, a rice plant, and some wild bushes and plants taken from the mountains of Nansan. There was also a small pond containing a Chinese eel, who kept himself very much to himself by burrowing under the pebbles at the bottom of the little pond, and sometimes we had to stir him up with a piece of coal to see if he was alive. A lively young green cricket chirruped merrily as he browsed on the tender shoots of a tiny fir-tree, and a pair of quails nestled among the picturesque pots, darting out at intervals to pick up stray grains of rice or crumbs. Although I had already dined my kind hosts insisted that I must be hungry, and a good meal of fruit and fish was placed before me with bread, the first I had tasted for ten days. I had become so accustomed to chopsticks that the knife and fork which I used felt heavy and awkward. After dinner the captain and senior officers in- Japanese torpedo destroyer with captured junk, Port Arthur Bay. [To face page 94. WITH TOGO. 9S vited me on to the bridge, where we sat enjoying the glorious, golden sunset through which we could see the beams of Port Arthur's search- lights shining faintly. Every day the captain gave me such items of news as he could, consistent with his duty. On that first evening he told me that the Japanese soldiers were hard at work entrenching and digging parallels nearer and nearer to Port Arthur, keeping the Russians ever on the alert. The lurid flash of the heavy guns was reflected momentarily on the clouds as we sat on the bridge, and some seconds after each flash the dull report fell on our ears. I also heard that the mine ship which had been coaling alongside my late ship had been blown up whilst " creeping " for mines. One of the men was frightfully mangled and several were drowned. Navigating these seas is a dangerous and nerve-shattering task, for at any moment the ship may touch a mine and go down with all hands. A torpedo-boat came in with a junk in tow bearing one hundred horses, pigs, and poultry, destined for Port Arthur. It was a valuable prize, and one likely to prove a useful addition to the transport service of our army. There was something humorous in the attitude and looks of the captain and crew of the captured junk. The tow-rope attached to the junk was so short that the muzzle of the 4.6 almost rubbed the nose of the Chinese skipper as he steered. Probably the old craft never before went at such a pace. 96 WITH TOGO. Every man Jack of the crew felt that he was under sentence of death, and looked as he felt — a sadder- looking set of men I never saw. The captain stood bolt upright at the tiller, and the grinning muzzle of the gun had a strange fascination for him. He had, probably, never relaxed a muscle of his body for many hours. Scared to death, his lips glued together with terror, he returned no answer to the chaffing Japs. The blazing sun scorched his eyes, which did not blink, and his face was blanched to an ashy grey. I turned in at lo p.m. My cabin was lofty and roomy, but the ventilation not very good, the dead-lights being tightly closed to prevent any light from showing outside. The orders from Admiral Togo insisted upon this rule being strictly observed. I fell asleep with the boom of the heavy guns sounding in my ears. I was awakened in the morning by Arai, my new boy, opening my scuttles. He greeted me with a pleasant " ohayo " (" good morning "). I turned out and went on deck to inspect the ship, and some description of a Japanese auxiliary cruiser may be of interest to my readers. On the forecastle and aft we mounted two 4.7 guns (Elswick) on turn-tables. In the well between the forecastle and saloon-decks were a number of coils of wire hawser for the la5dng of mines, those terrible engines of destruction which have formed one of the chief features of the present war. On account of the hot weather the awning and screens had been rigged up to shade this part of WITH TOGO. 97 the deck, where the men sleep and take their baths. A windsail directed what little air was stirring down the forehatch to the quarters of the crew. On the boat-deck were the usual number of Ufe-boats, and on the shelter-deck below a 12-pound 2.7 gun projected over each quarter. Two 3-pounders also were mounted on the shelter-deck, and a number of contact mines completed the armament. Over the after hatch- way were the booms on which four boats of the large sampan type were stowed. Beneath these boats the sailors do their washing, and the space was taken up with clothes-lines from which the little Japanese towels were fluttering. The watch below were smoking their tiny pipes, laughing and chatting merrily, and several of them, their curiosity aroused, got up to look at me. The second-class cabin space was given up to the warrant and petty officers. Two long tables ran down the centre of the saloon; the men's chests were arranged in a row close to the bulk-head, and at one end of the cabin was a small set of lockers, one for each member of the mess. Two 60,000 candle-power searchlights were fitted to the ship, one on the shelter-deck, and the other abaft the funnel, with both of which we practised every night. The bridge was much the same as in any other steamer, with the ex- ception that it was fitted with a range-finder. The lower deck, where in ordinary circumstances the third-class passengers wovdd be accommo- dated, was used by the crew. Swing shelves held 7 98 WITH TOGO. the mess traps (an iron plate and cup, knife, fork and spoon), and ditty boxes wherein Jack keeps his photographs and Uttle treasures. Soon after my appointment to this ship the staff engineer was ordered to Sasebo, and I was much struck by the " send off " we gave him. The ship's company was drawn up to wish him a pleasant and prosperous voyage, and, in reply, he made a neat speech to the men, compliment- ing them on the way in which they had performed their duties when under his orders, and expressing the hope that they would continue to do so under his successor. He then shook hands with each officer in turn and left amid hearty " Ban- zais " and waving of handkerchiefs and caps. This ceremony, I was told, was always observed when an officer left his ship, and it is a very good custom, for it tends to keep officers and men in sympathetic touch. At breakfast the next morning the conversa- tion was of mines, their advantages and dangers. Several of the officers were strongly of the opinion that mines should be carried in parts and put together when required. Such a system would involve additional drill to enable the parts to be rivetted together and the mine laid in the shortest possible time, but the proposal undoubtedly is worth consideration. It occurred to me at the time that this destructive weapon might be used with advantage against submarine attack, and I have no doubt that as the submarine becomes more general in the world's navies the mine wiU Myself sketching on the deck of the mother ship. Torpedo flotilla alongside " mother " in a certain harbour. WITH TOGO. 99 be the weapon that will be used against it with most success. The cook made me a special dish for breakfast, which pleased me so much that I felt I should like to give him some tangible evidence of my satisfaction. I proposed to give him a glass of sak^, but I was told it was quite contrary to regu- lations. No one is allowed to give drinks with- out permission, and this permission is as difficult to obtain as it is for a captain to get his promo- tion, The sound of the bombardment continued day after day. The Russians generally opened fire after lunch, continuing firing until 4 p.m., when there was usually a lull until 9 p.m., when the booming began again and continued until after midnight. This methodical action of the Russian gunners amused the Japanese greatly. The harbour work was carried on with great regularity. Steam tugs, towing strings of junks laden with coolies, crossed over to Kyu-ju-ton, the small town ten miles off, where store sheds, roads, and a landing-place are being constructed for a new miUtary base. Sometimes a transport or hospital ship passed on her way to Japan, filled with sick and wounded soldiers. One evening after dark the captain invited me to go fishing from the boats astern. Our outfit was simple, consisting merely of a fairly large hook on a short hne and some small fish for bait. These small fry swarmed round the ship in their efforts to evade the ceaseless attacks of the sword- 7* lOo WITH TOGO. fishj and they were easily caught for bait with a dip-net. We had very fair sport,, catching about twenty fish, many of them with their tails bitten off by their ravenous brothers. They are not nice to eat, although the Chinese are very fond of them. But, as one of my Japanese friends said, the Chinaman is half pig and half monkey, and will eat anything. We sent ashore a landing party of bluejackets one day, and I noticed that their rig differed sUghtly from that of the British Navy. The blanket is carried over the left shoulder, and, instead of in a haversack, the rations are carried in a sort of long bag, worn over the right shoulder, bandolier- wise. This is of blue canvas, and is technically known as the Bentu fukuro (lunch cloth). The water-bottle is worn in the British manner, and so are the belt and cartridge cases. They left in very high spirits, for they were going to meet the enemy, but I could not help won- dering how many of them would return. When next I went ashore I was determined to see Dalny thoroughly. After landing, we walked through the dockyard and across the railway until we reached the Chinese town, in which most of the streets were very narrow and crammed with people. The streets of Chinese towns are always narrow and always crowded. In the main street, in front of the low shops, were long rows of booths made of bamboo and canvas. Vegetables, fruit and provisions, most of them of revolting appearance, were for sale at these WITH TOGO. loi booths, and the proprietors appeared to be doing a flourishing trade, I had intended to visit the Chinese theatre, but it looked so dirty that I changed my mind and set off for a ramble in the suburbs. The road was crowded with two- wheel carts, each drawn by a horse or mule, and with a donkey or cow tied to the side of the cart. There were long strings of them carrying stores to the front. The Russians laid out good roads and splendid boulevards in Dalny. The boulevard which runs due west is planted with trees, and ends in a fine jardins des plantes, the greater part of which is enclosed by a low wall. We entered through the gap where the gate had stood. The turnstiles and of&ces were in ruins, the broad pathway grass-grown, and the ornamental shrubs and trees choked with weeds. It was now the fruit season, and on many of the trees the pears still hung, notwithstanding the Chinese boys. The first building we came to was the bear den, with two fine animals from the Himalayas. A mag- nificent specimen of the Bengal tiger, fat and sleek, tenanted another den, and this was the animal which, it was said, was given a Japanese woman to eat for a treat. But this, of course, is a yam. The gardens are delightful. A stream runs through which in the rainy weather becomes a raging torrent, but its waters are always clear, and are fed by the springs in the mountains behind the town. Flowers blossom everywhere— I02 WITH TOGO. zinias, marigolds, and the everlasting flowers grow to perfection, and among other plants I discovered was the Cape gooseberry. Trees of almost every variety seem to flourish in the gardens. We called on the curator, a most intel- hgent gentleman, who was comfortably installed in the house of his predecessor, who was, of course, a Russian. The glass of the doors and windows is coloured red and green, for the purpose, I beheve, of preventing snow blindness. I had a long talk with the curator, and he invited me to see the animals fed. " Although," he said, " after your beautiful Zoo this is not worth speaking of." We went with him and saw a live woodcock thrown to the tiger, and the great beast caught it like a tame cat catches a sparrow. Our host showed us also the remains of the aviaries and other houses. " We shall soon have all this repaired and tenanted," he explained, " and if you return next year the gardens will be in perfect order." He hopes eventually to be able to compare his gardens favourably with any similar gardens in the world. We returned through the town, where the houses again reminded me of those of the London suburbs — the famiUar semi-detached villas standing each in a small garden. The houses were occupied by the troops, or turned into store-houses, and the gardens served very well for picketing horses. The Town Hall and Government Offices overlook the square, which n I' I04 WITH TOGO. everyone on board, for the ship was heeled over to an angle of fifteen degrees. To heel over the ship the water ballast was pumped out from one side of the ship, the other remaining full, and to increase the angle the boats were lowered to the surface of the water and the big iron lifeboat was suspended from the derrick. The boats were then all filled with water, which, of course, careened the ship to the required angle. Our captain treated his men hke children, and they all seemed to look up to him as to a father. When off duty the officers fraternise with the men almost as if they were equals, and I beKeve there is no instance on record of a man taking advantage of this affabihty on the part of his superiors. News reached us that two of the Russian searchUghts at Port Arthur had been destroyed by the Japanese guns. The first was hit by a lucky shot, but in the second case the guns were carefully laid in the daytime, and when the first flash came from the searchlight a loolb. shell smashed the whole apparatus to pieces. This was a serious loss for the Russians, as they had only a few small searchhghts left. Everything was got ready aboard the fleet for an attack on Vladivostock as soon as Port Arthur should fall. I breakfasted one morning on the root of a tiger-hly. Its flavour was something between a baked apple and roast chestnuts, and it was of the consistency of mashed potatoes. ~1 9v'^,\JW ,ty\i\ol»^ iMF'oH.T N^^TWU-^ 'S.^v 0^ Itshikushima, Admiral Yamada's ship. Mine sweeper. [To face page 104. WITH TOGO. los I found the mosquitoes very troublesome, so I got the purser to serve me out a green mosquito canopy, such as the sailors use to cover their hammocks. An interesting chat which I had with one of the officers revealed to me some of the causes of the destructive effect of Japanese gunnery. The Japanese shell charged with Shemoshi powder damages armour far more than the projectiles used by the Russians. The Japanese, too, are better marksmen than the Russians, and the reason is that they always practise at long range — from 10,000 to 12,000 yards. At this range they make excellent practise, large rocks which they make their target being blown to pieces. They generally open fire on the Russian ships at 10,000 yards, and it is noteworthy that their practise is never at a shorter range. The Japanese sailors wash the decks differently from any other sailors. They squat behind each other in long lines, and the front rows scrub and those behind mop. They hop along like frogs, and the washing of decks is a decidedly interest- ing sight. A contact mine blew up in the harbour one day, in the midst of all the shipping, and the report continued to reverberate around the har- bour, fragments hurtling and screaming through the air like shells, but nobody seemed to mind. A few pieces came aboard us. There is a sporting uncertainty about navigating mine-sown waters. One of my strangest experiences aboard the io6 WITH TOGO. ship was when I was shaved by the ship's barber. The Japanese barber is as thorough as the rest of his countrymen. He had a wonderful assortment of tools^ which included a circular brush and a case of razor blades, the smallest of which were more like flattened bodkins. I asked him to explain the use of these small blades, and he told me they were for shaving the inside of the nose, and at once proceeded to give me a demonstration. He first took a piece of wet lint with a tiny pair of tweezers, and dexterously manipulated it until the hair inside was sufficiently softened. He then used one of the small razors with marvellous delicacy and precision, and removed all the hairs without a scratch. It was a ticklish operation, and I did not find it a very pleasant one, for it made my eyes water for some time afterwards. I07 CHAPTER VII. I join the Nikko-Maru — The Kobe-Maru, hospital-ship— Torpedo boat No. 67 — Togo sends for me — Interview with the Admiral — The junk load of donkeys — Before Port Arthur — The blockade — I go on duty with No. 67 — ^The Russians try a long shot^The explosion at North Fort — The Retsivan comes out — Togo's warning signal. I HAD begun to tire of the life at Dalny and long for something more exciting when I was suddenly ordered to join the Nikko-Maru, another torpedo ship, lying in a secret harbour almost within gunshot of Port Arthur. This was wel- come news, for it seemed that I was about to witness all the torpedo and mining operations. I was to travel to my new ship by torpe;do boat No. 67, which was to report first to Admiral Togo and then go on to the secret harbour. Before leaving I called on Admiral Hosoya in the flag-ship and also boarded the Kobe-Maru, the hospital-ship, to see a doctor whom I knew. He told me that Togi and Murati, two artist friends of mine, had been enquiring after me, and hoped to meet me on my return. I dined on the Kobe-Maru and afterwards was shown round. Everything was beautifully neat and clean, the operating rooms being fitted with appliances for keeping a regular temperature io8 WITH TOGO. under any atmospheric conditions. The cabins had large square windows^ instead of the usual round scuttle, and the promenade deck was given up to the convalescents. Every patient wore the same style of dress — a white kimono and white cap — which was very cool and comfortable. While I was on board two patients arrived from the front, and they were hoisted on board in a case of bamboo splints. This contrivance is an excellent invention, as the spring of the wood saves the patient from being jolted. At one time the Kobe-Maru ran between Glasgow and America. I returned on board the Tainau-Maru. Search- lights were at work, and I passed my last evening sitting on deck talking to the captain and pay- master and enjoying the lovely moonlight. Torpedo boat No. 67, commanded by Lieutenant Taira, came alongside for me at 8.0 the follow- ing morning, and I stepped aboard with Arai, my boy, whom the captain had kindly allowed me to take with me. No. 67 bore the marks of war. There were a number of dents in her sides, and a patched hole through the companion, the work of a Russian shell which wounded a man who was going downstairs at the time. Another circular patch on the deck marked the spot where a 4.7 shell entered, exploding among the machinery but, strange to say, doing little damage beyond cutting the steam pipe in half. All this happened during the third blocking operation of Port Arthur, The little vessel looked pretty, though Coming alongside the Alikassa at the rendezvous off Port Arthur. Laying a quick-firer. The object is a Russian destroyer that kept hover- ing round. 1 ^ \ \ _--^'* J fefV 5i Ik We capture a junk full of donkeys. Making fast the prize. \l'o face page io8. WITH TOGO. 109 weather-worn, and she had been all through the blockade without a breakdown. She was built entirely by the Japanese. Amongst the assorted cargo the deck was lum- bered with mails, a number of bags of fresh bread for Togo's ships, and my portmanteau. We sped along at the rate of seventeen knots, although our course was rather erratic owing to the presence of vagrant mines, which we sunk by rifle fire. There were many junks out, and the long sea line was broken by the battleships belonging to the Fourth Squadron, whose head-quarters lay at the harbour for which I was bound. That harbour was one of Togo's quiet little places for repairing, refreshing, and general refitting. In two hours we hoped to reach the fleet. There was another passenger on board besides myself — Commander Yoshitaro-Mori, a head- quarter-staff man on special duty. His station was at Chefoo, and he told me that a small steamer phed between Dalny and Chefoo to bring coolies over to work on the railways as transport, camp cleaners and so forth. He did not tell me his particular work there and I did not enquire, as I knew that the Admiralty's orders were that ofiicers must not mention their business or even refer to their duties when travelling together. He had been up to see General Nogi, a friend of his, and was very keen on seeing the final assault on Port Arthur. He told me his friend the general was going to send him a telegram when the time was ripe. no WITH TOGO. Togo's squadron was farther south than its usual beat, which lay between a certain island and a point opposite Wei-hai-wei. At about one o'clock we came up with the fleet, which looked grim and powerful in its war paint. The ships were lying with their heads towards Port Arthur in double column, and provision steamers and colliers were alongside some of them. A collier was lying by Togo's ship, and I noticed the bridges and tops were protected by rope mantelettes and hammocks. The moment we came alongside Admiral Togo sent for me. He was waiting for me in his cabin, and in his left hand he held a fan which he used throughout the interview. He asked me if I had lunched, to which I replied in the affirmative, whereupon tea and cigarettes were ordered. His cabin was furnished plainly. On the mantelpiece there stood a basket of arti- ficial flowers made of feathers, a present from some of his admirers at Kobe, and in the fire- place, over which there was a curtain, stood two httle dwarf trees in the famiHar china dishes ; one was a cedar 500 years old, the other a fir, probably the same age. These were presented to the Admiral by Count Okura. There were two sofas, one on the starboard and one on the port side, and on the left-hand sofa lay two drawings of the last battle off Port Arthur. " They were done by my steward," the Admiral said, " and they are a very good representation of what occurred." One showed the position of the ships and the ^ ■^ ■u -« a ^^ J3 '.3 a H fl J5 •s Picture of the Training Squadron in a typhoon when Togo was in command. Sketch of the battle of Port Axthur, done by the steward. Admiral Togo planning the blocking I of -Port Arthur in his cabin on the Mikassa. Round Island is seen through the open door. \To face page no. WITH TOGO. Ill blowing up of the Petropaulski, but the second drawing was more a plan of the battle. Over this sofa was an oil painting of the training squadron in a typhoon on its voyage to Australia, when Admiral Togo was in command. A few photographs adorned the walls and yellow curtains shaded the scuttles. On the right-hand sofa there was a blue pillow and a rug ; this was evidently the couch on which Togo took his afternoon nap. A small knee table, above which was a rack stuffed with charts, a table and two or three chairs completed the furniture. There were in the cabin three grim reminders of the war, one being the Russian shell that nearly killed Admiral Togo and a splinter from which cut deep into Lieutenant Matsamura's leg, another a shot with the point knocked off, and the third a whisker of a torpedo that had stuck in the net. The fragments of the shell had been carefully collected and pieced together with cement. The Admiral talked to me of Dalny, of Tokyo, and of painting. His secrej;ary joined us, who knew England well, and our conversation then turned on England and Togo's impressions. " I hked England well," he said. He admired our cities and spoke very highly of the many friends he made whilst serving his apprenticeship on an English training ship. Through the doorway, opening out on to the stern gallery, shining white like the rising moon (so white that it cut deep into the blue of the sea and sky), stood the solitary island that marked 112 WITH TOGO. Togo's rendezvous. Admiral Togo speaks English imperfectly, but he understands it thoroughly. During our conversation the coaUng was pro- ceeding, and consequently the doors and windows of the cabin were closed to keep out the dust. He got up to open one or the other occasionally, complaining of the heat. He pointed out to me the island, sa57ing : " Do you know the name of that rock ? " I said that I did, and he continued, " I shall remember it all my life, I have looked at it so long now." I looked at it again, studying the details more closely. It is almost circular, although there is one strongly indented bay from which a broken, indistinct track leads to the summit. On the summit was a flag-staff, and from the pole floated, in large folds, the Rising Sun of Japan. Two or three rock islets nestled against the side of the main rock, around which the perpetual movement of the sea encircled a lace of foam. We sat there for some time gazing upon the island, and occa- sionally our conversation wandered back again to England. He wished to know where I lived, and on my telUng him his face beamed with interest. " Why, I know that place," he said. " I have passed it on my way from London to Ports- mouth." But his face soon became reflective again, and the serious lines tightened on his lofty brow as some thought of the magnitude of his responsi- WITH TOGO. 114 WITH TOGO. bill ties entered his mind. Twice I asked if I were interrupting any business, but he said : " No ; go on." I was sketching him at the time, and he said : " I am afraid I have given you much trouble in coming out here." "It is a great honour," I rephed, " and a great pleasure, and I hope you will let me come again." " As often as you like," he said, " the torpedo boat will always bring you." I felt very gratified by the manner in which the great Admiral received me, but I was anxious not to encroach upon his valuable time, and made an effort to leave. He put his hand on my arm to stop me, and rang the bell. The secretary re- appeared, accompanied by the steward, who brought three glasses of champagne on a lacquered tray, and we drank to one another. The Admiral fanned himself throughout the interview, and, as I was leaving, he asked me to paint him a fan. He looked about the cabin for one, but without success, so he produced his album and asked me to paint the rock as it appeared framed in the doorway of his cabin. I set to work, and in a few washes produced a picture which seemed to please him greatly, and, with hearty good wishes and assurances from the Admiral that we should meet again, I turned to leave. As I passed through the cabin door he said : " Don't forget. Whenever you want to see me, you come." The junk we captured full of donkeys. [To face page 114. WITH TOGO. "S On our way back to the harbour, about half- way between the rendezvous and Dalny, we saw an innocent-looking junk hugging the land, its crew rowing for all they were worth. Now the strongest point in a Chinaman's character is his marked objection to exertion of any sort, so that this display of hard work was suspicious. Commander Mori called the attention of our Captain, Taira, to the extraordinary energy displayed by the usually apathetic and happy-go-lucky Chinaman. After a brief conversation the captain ordered a shot to be fired in the direction of the junk. The shot 8* ii6 WITH TOGO. struck the water half a mile ahead of the China- men, but they instantly complied with the delicate hint to heave-to. Moreover, they appeared so anxious to come to an explanation that they began rowing with renewed energy in our direction. As soon as they came within hailing distance the honourable captain of the junk was told that he must condescend to bring his exalted person on to our miserable little torpedo boat. The China- man made a great show of his anxiety to come alongside, displaying a wholesome awe for our 12-pounder, which was trained round on the junk, and he frequently waved a deprecating hand at the silent, menacing gun. As she steered along- side, two of our sailors, with fixed bayonets, jumped on board, taking charge in the name of Japan. The captain, who had been apparently eager to come on board, now showed a strange reluctance to leave the helm, which seemed to require a good deal of adjustment, and he de- puted his first mate to come on board to settle the matter. An amused smile played around Mori's face as he said : " I would like to see the captain if it is not too much trouble for him to explain whence and whither he is taking those fine young donkeys." There were about fifty donkeys on board, and the captain of the junk, nervously watching his chief officer out of the corner of his eye, became busier than ever at the tiUer, pretending not to see the mate and also seeming to be afflicted with deaf- WITH TOGO. 117 ness, as the latter explained that the invitation to board the torpedo boat applied to the captain personally. At last, with an impatient gesture, he left his self-imposed task, and came on board the torpedo boat quickly, with an engaging smile. In offering explanations he mentioned, casually, that as he was rather in a hurry and wanted to get on, he would be glad if we would let him go quickly. " Certainly," said Captain Mori, " when you have answered my questions." John Chinaman then assumed a jaunty and confident air, that seemed to say : " I'll settle this little business," and, saying something about " chits," he went on board his junk and returned with a bundle of letters, which he handed to the officer, and then squatted down on deck with an air of rollicking confidence as to the result of the enquiry. Nevertheless, he narrowly watched the inscrutable face of our commander for some sign of his fate. Captain Mori came to a decision in about two minutes. He gave a brief command, and the junk was made fast to the stern of the torpedo boat, and we started off once more. As the junk felt the strain of the tow rope, the Chinaman cried out : " If you go so fast my junk will be broken to pieces." His little pig's eyes quivered and sparkled with rage, but meeting the eye of Mori he immediately became submissive, and wept slowly and softly, ii8 WITH TOGO. with his head always fixed in one position. I made a sketch of him as he sat there. " This is a very old dodge," Captain Mori said to me, " and a very transparent one. The donkeys are supposed to be for a friend of his at Kiaokiao, but the letter that I hold in my hand gives him away, for Kiaokiao lies to the south, and he should have been a hundred miles from here in that direction. He told me a ridiculous story about some wonderful and mysterious current that brought him off Port Arthur. But what convinces me that the junk is a lawful prize is the statement in the letter that these donkeys are worth £45 apiece. Now the price of donkeys throughout China is never more than two or three pounds, and the only people who would pay such a price as £45 are the Russians in Port Arthur. These donkeys will be very useful for our army." The remainder of the journey passed in silence on the part of the Chinaman, but there was a good deal of laughter on our side at the dignified air which our prisoner had assumed, refusing to speak when he was addressed. We anchored for the night at Dalny, and the prize and its contents were sent to join the fleet of prize junks. As the sun had set and the channel was mined, we were compelled to remain at Dalny for the night, and I took advantage of this circumstance to visit my old ship, the Tainan Maru, where I received a most hearty welcome. On my arrival the side was piped with due for- mality, and the sentry presented arms. My ser- No. G7. I hMlAAB— " Resting " Japanese destroyers in a certain harbour. Captain Myaki and crew of No. 67 \To face page 118. WITH TOGO. 119 vant and orderly accompanied me everywhere on account of my rank in the service. After a pleasant evening I returned to the torpedo boat, and early the following morning we started for the secret harbour, taking the western passage. This is a very difficult passage on account of mines and booms, and a few weeks ago it was well-nigh impassable, as the Russians had mined nearly every square yard of it. Torpedo boat No. 67 belonged to the First Divi- sion, and she could steam twenty*-five miles an hour. She took part in the battle of August loth, attacking the Askold and discharging torpedoes at the range of 1,000 metres. None of them ex- ploded, however, probably on account of the rough weather. The coast scenery we passed on our way to the harbour was bold and striking, and one great rock reminded me of the " Parson in the Pulpit," the well-known rock standing out of the sea between Dawlish and Teignmouth. We sighted two ships of the Fifth Squadron, and soon afterwards I was startled by a report and concussion that made our boat shiver from end to end. I learnt afterwards that it was caused by one of the searching vessels exploding a contact mine that had been found. The mines were an ever-present danger, and I always felt an apprehensive curiosity as to what might be concealed in each wave into which our bows plunged. The officers told me that they all had experienced this nervousness at first, but use had become second nature and their nervous- I20 WITH TOGO. ness was a thing of the past. A pair of destroyers suddenly popped out from a concealed cove and steamed off to Port Arthur, which was right ahead of us, though hidden by the point of Niko- Shai. At last we cleared the point, opening out the Bay of Port Arthur. The town lay to the west, deep in the haze created by the smoke and dust of battle. The batteries perched high on Liao-tau-shan and the crest of the mountains along the curved front of ten or twelve miles were wreathed in smoke and flames, and might have been mistaken for a huge range of active volcanoes. When we arrived the Fifth Squadron was engaging a new battery which the Rus- sians had unmasked. The Japanese system of intelligence is complete, and we were able to get news from the signal station of the position of affairs at the front. The army, we learnt, had nearly finished the bed for the ii-inch gun, and as soon as it began firing the position of the battleships in Port Arthur harbour would be critical. Thousands of reserves were still arriving at the front, and within two days a general assault would be made. This, it was hoped, would drive the Russians into Togo's arms. We ran alongside the Admiral's ship with orders from the Commander-in-Chief, and when we had delivered them we steamed between the rocky islets that protect the harbour's mouth and took up our station in the First Division. The harbour was Togo's advanced base, and it was there that the WITH TOGO. 121 Fourth Squadron had its head-quarters. Torpedo flotillas, mine ships, mine searchers, and tugs all sheltered there. It is one of the prettiest places in the world, and, topographically, is unique. A natural breakwater of high mountainous islands runs parallel with the mainland, forming one of the safest anchorages that can be found, and about midway along this chain of islands a flat neck of sand connects them with the mainland. The value of this position could not have been fully realised by the Russians, but the Japanese recognised its importance and captured it early in the war, and it was from this base that all the subsequent operations connected with blocking, torpedo and mine work were carried out. Over the sandy neck of land stands the Chinese town which gives its name to the harbour. The huge mountain beyond, from which the spiral puffs of smoke darted upwards, was Liao-tau-shan. This mountain rears its head 1,500 feet above the sea level, and the indefatigable Russians had fortified it and armed the forts with heavy guns of large calibre, which opened on any of our ships that approached within range. A nearer shoulder of land, cutting the slope of Liao-tau-shan, was Golden Hill, and other hills shut off from view the remainder of the Port Arthur defence works. At the foot of Golden Hill is the entrance into Port Arthur, and on the opposite side is Tiger's Tail. On the latter the Russians had fixed a search- light, which at night was constantly sweeping with its brilliant beam the waters of the bay. 122 WITH TOGO. Its light used to enter through my cabin scuttle, illuminating the walls for a brief space ere it passed on, leaving the cabin in greater gloom than before. The general character of the scenery is very similar to Bantry Bay, with its rude, roughly-tilled farms and low thatched farmhouses. Nearly all the islands are occupied by poor Chinese farmers — the entire live stock on one island, ex- clusive of chickens, consisted of one donkey and one black cow. The smaller islands would afford good grazing for sheep, but the rough grass and undergrowth is reaped by the farmers for winter fodder. There is a storm-swept look about these islands, and on the weather side the cUffs are smooth and look as though they have been black- leaded. There is no sign of trees. On the outer- most island there is a fine colony of pigeons, and I and the chief engineer paid them some visits later on, with the result that we had some very good dinners of pigeons and rice. Beyond the islands Admiral Yamada kept guard, from dawn till dark, returning every night to the friendly protection of the haven. It was the first link of the blockade. Closer in — right between the jaws of the bay — the five flotillas of chasers crossed and recrossed, keeping an unwearied watch. The tide eddies and sweeps around Port Arthur Bay, and it bore with it vagrant mines which had broken adrift from their moorings in the mine fields at the entrance of Port Arthur. Each morning the mine sweeper, with its huge net. Lieut. -Commander Myake, my torpedo captain. \To face page 122. WITH TOGO. 123 swept the channel, and mine creepers, in pairs, towed their grapnels on the bottom to discover and destroy any mines that the Russians might have laid in the fairway during the dark, foggy, or moonless nights. Terrific reports throughout the day testified to the industry of these|useful craft and to the necessity for their labours. On several occasions during my stay I watched a mine-ship steaming out on its dangerous errand, and more than once it was only a boat's crew of terribly mutilated sailors that returned. The mining and counter-mining went on unceasingly. Each night our small picquet-boats sneaked along the coast, slipping from headland to headland until they approached the enemy's harbour. There they made a bold dash, and a hail of Russian shot and shell would surround them, as they daringly laid their mines and scuttled back out of the bright beam of the searchlights. But sometimes they never returned. No. 67 was a second-class torpedo-boat, but by means of bamboo and canvas her appearance had been changed so that in the distance she might easily be mistaken for a first-class destroyer. She was the third boat in the 4th flotilla, and her position in the line of blockade was imme- diately opposite the entrance to Port Arthur harbour. She was commanded by Lieutenant- Commander Myaki. With three other torpedo- boats we one day left the anchorage and put to sea by way of the inner entrance. A strong south-west gale was blowing at the time and it 124 With togo. severely tested the sea-going quaKties of our small craft. We made straight for rendezvous B, within the long-range radius, and a shell from the top of Liao-tau-shan mountain welcomed us by splashing into the water with a loud roar and bursting harmlessly some distance from us. The commodore of the flotilla ignored the Russians' gentle hint, and we continued to cruise to and fro on this rendezvous, keeping in touch with the 3rd and 5th flotillas at either turn. The 3rd flotilla was composed of big destroyers, and the 5th flotilla of torpedo-boats. To thoroughly enjoy a trip like this one needs a strong stomach and no nerves, for both are tested to the uttermost, the one by the active and restless jumping of the vessel, the other by the knowledge that at any moment the boat may run against a Russian contact mine. Only a short time before a chaser of the 2nd flotilla had thirty feet of her stern blown away, although, strangely enough, no one was injured. Two of the officers were in the ward-room at the time, and their escape was httle short of miraculous. Being built in water-tight compartments the little vessel did not sink, and she was at once towed back by her consort. It was thought that in dipping in the heavy sea which was running her screw had touched the mine. About five o'clock Myaki and myself tumbled down to the tiny ward-room for supper. Every- thing in the ward-room, including ourselves, was kept in a state of perpetual motion, but our boy succeeded in getting us a big pot full of tea Panorama of a certain harbour — from my mountain. One of the prettiest harbours I've ever seen. A Russian compliment. The usual shell practice at us. [To face fiage 124. WITH TOGO. 1 25 and a tin of biscuits, with which, together with some ham and eggs nicely cooked by Myaki him- self over a big brazier in the cabin, we made a good meal. Myaki had been in several engagements. He had never been wounded, but he told me that some of the actions had been so fierce that he was soaked to the skin by the water which the shells splashed over the vessel. " I never thought I should come out of it alive," he added. We spoke of our homes and families, and he showed me a photograph of a beautiful, clever girl who was waiting for him in Tokyo. She was dressed in the semi-European costume of the Japanese school-girl, and was pictured playing her violin. The life of a Japanese naval officer, Myaki said, was very hard. " We are always on duty and seldom get leave, but we are not discontented, for we love our Emperor and his navy so much that we do not complain, however much is asked of us. Our wives are, of course, left very much to them- selves, but to pass the time what is there plea- santer for them than study and work ? My girl has taken to music, and is a thoroughly earnest student." He went on deck to relieve the second officer, a sub-lieutenant, who came below and cooked his own supper while I smoked my pipe. We both went on deck when he had finished, he to the fore- bridge, and I hanging on to the guard-rail. The 126 WITH TOGO. windj in the meantime, had dropped, though there was a considerable sea still running, but the motion of the boat was much easier and had lost that obstinate jerking motion which is so un- pleasant when steaming against a head sea. The night drew on, and one searchlight after another shot its beam over the waters of the bay. The big searchUght at the harbour's mouth fixed its eye steadily on us for a minute or two. " Now look out for a shell," Myaki said ; but nothing happened. " I suppose they don't think us worth wasting a shot on," he added. There was no moon, so we made a deviation in our course which brought us closer in. We expected the Russian torpedo-boats to come out and meet us, and in preparation for this we had a private signal which could only be seen at a distance of five or six hundred yards, and would enable us to distinguish our own boats. It seemed, however, that the whole energies of the garrison and the sailors were devoted to beating off a land attack. The roar of the guns and the sharper cough of the bursting sheUs was con- tinuous, and the bright star rockets made a fine display. The firing was maintained until after midnight, when it suddenly ceased. We learnt afterwards that the North Fort had been cap- tured several times, but the Russians were too well entrenched in commanding positions with machine guns for the Japanese to hold it. I remained on deck until past midnight, fascinated WITH TOGO. 127 by the thrilling drama that was being played before me. We were experiencing much the same weather as prevailed when the destroyer was blown up, and I confess to feeling " creepy " at times. However, I turned in and slept well until early dawn, when the sea calmed down and lay a rich, deep, violet-blue beneath a dome of indigo. The stars faded and the beams of the rising sun flashed upon the strongholds of Port Arthur. The bay looked peaceful enough, and were it not for the meteor-like spark of the bursting shells, we might have imagined ourselves on a pleasure cruise. Any such vain imaginings were rudely dispelled by the sudden explosion of a contact mine a few yards ahead. As it burst it threw up to an enormous height a vertical column of spray mingled with a transparent brown smoke. For a minute I thought one of our flotilla must have gone, and I counted them several times before I could convince myself that all four were safe. As the day became lighter I noticed two junks, one painted red and the second white, like mark boats at an ordinary regatta, and I learnt that they were moored in their positions to define the limits of rendezvous B. From the deck of our boat we could plainly see the windows of the houses in Port Arthur, count the guns on Golden Hill, and detect the trenches, shelters and traverses knit together by a network of tracks. We could even see some of the Russian battleships, whilst the masts and fighting-tops 128 WITH TOGO. of all towered high over the Tiger's Tail. Two triangular white spots high up the hillside facing the entrance were the beacons to guide ships through the channel by certain cross bearings. The battle raged continuously throughout the day, but we saw little of it, for our army was struggling for the possession of a fort that was out of our range of vision. Presently a violent explosion on land shook our little vessel and it was followed by a dense cloud of white smoke, rising slowly and majestically out of the earth and gradually expanding into a shape Hke a gigantic mushroom and larger than the biggest thunder cloud I have ever seen. Three times we saw the huge smoke cloud, and three times there was a deafening roar of gigantic explosions. We clapped our hands and shouted " Banzai ! " hoping that the Russians were blowing up the magazine before giving up the fort. But on our return to the harbour the captain of the Nikko- Maru told us that the terrific explosions were caused by a new and terrible weapon of destruction known as a land mine. I was studying with great interest the coast line and general character of the cliffs at the entrance of Port Arthur, where the Russians had sown thousands of mines and placed booms which effectually prevented any vessel without the key of the channel from getting in, when a three-funnel battleship glided out and anchored in the outer roads (of dramatic memory). We could not distinguish her name, but our leader ',«■' (■'. -' w $ i (. / ii ^' i ^ T ^ ^' :; ' />. t- 7 '{ Jl J t/l (« I" X ■< WITH TOGO. 129 signalled orders and we all turned seaward, gliding through the waters like a flock of divers. The Russian fired several times, but the shells fell wide of us. Our ii-in. shells soon found her out, and drove her to cover off Tiger Island. She was the Retsivan, one of the finest battle- ships afloat. Nothing was talked of now but the possibility of our being sent to attack her at night, but she put an end to our conjectures by returning to harbour before sundown. The Russian mine sweepers had not come out that day, and as the reports from our army stated that several small steamers had been sunk in the harbour, it was probable that they were among the number. At breakfast our commander again undertook the duties of cook, and turned out a very tasty omelette. Our beat of twenty-four hours was up at midday, and we were relieved and returned to harbour for the usual twenty-four hours' rest. As we had used up most of our coal and water and other provisions, the commodore signailled to us to go alongside the mother- ship. Four of us went alongside, increasing the number to seven, three being there already, which made quite a raft of torpedoes, all busy coaling. A torpedo boat on active service presents a very different appearance from the spick and span review-order neatness to which we are accustomed in time of peace. The sides are scratched and scarred with hard service, and the deck has the appearance of that of a tramp steamer with a 9 130 WITH TOGO. deck cargo. The rope mantelet tes around the bridges and exposed parts make her look heavy and clumsy. The masts in a torpedo catcher are fitted with a canvas crow's-nest (reached by a Jacob's ladder), where the look-out is stationed. The rigging is heavier than that of a torpedo boat, and a small yard is fitted with blocks for signalling. There is also a long slender bamboo topmast which seems to pierce the sky, from which floats the Commodore's flag, and a small yard for the wireless telegraphy. A canvas bath occupies the gangway of the port side, and around the funnels the men wrap their small Japanese towels to dry them. Between the funnels there is a clothes-line, and packing-cases, boxes, bales and crates of poultry lumber up the deck. Right aft a pair of falcons or, perhaps, pigeons are perched on the side rope, the pets or mascots of the vessel. One torpedo boat's pet was a duck, which used to fly all over the harbour, returning now and then to see that his ship was still in position. Bright patches of colour were introduced into the grey monotony of the torpedo boats by the staring red of the blankets which were often hanging out to air. The weather becoming thick and wet caused some excitement amongst us, for it was ideal weather for the Russian fleet if they intended to slip out. Everybody was on the qui vive, we expected to receive at any moment the warning signal, and I looked forward to an opportunity WITH TOGO. 131 of witnessing a fleet action — one of the ambitions of my life. The private or warning signal is very short and to the point, and consists simply of five red Ughts — dot — three dashes — dot. When it is seen every ship in the harbour must get under weigh and steam for its appointed rendezvous at full speed ; it is, in fact, the signal for a concentration or mobilization of the whole fleet. The torpedo boats' station, in the event of the signal being given, would be at the rear of the fleet, for in a general action we take the position of reserves and are a sort of " Marine Cavalry." The day passed without any alarm, and the following day I obtained permission from Admiral Togo, by wireless telegraphy, to inspect the signal station — " Togo's eye," as I had christened it. The picquet boat took us to the small town where it is situated, and after some difficulty on account of the shallowness of the water we managed to land by going alongside a big Chinese junk and from thence walking ashore along her gang plank. The signal station is perched up on the highest point of the peninsula, and is reached by a rough pathway cut in the mountain side, up which we scrambled. The captain had come ashore with me to give me a personal introduction to the officer in charge, a young lieutenant. Chinese towns are always dirty, and this was no exception. The houses backed against the beach, conveniently for the depositing of the family refuse and filth, which remains until a Q* 132 WITH TOGO. tidal wave or some other rare convulsion of nature clears away the rotting mass of garbage. As the streets of the town were no better we walked by the beach, keeping close to the edge of the sea, and struck the track at the foot of the hill. After a sharp climb we came to the signal camp, which consisted of one tent and a long marquee supported by iron wire guys and pro- tected from the fury of the storms by a strong wall of stones. We called first at the tent to see the officer. After tea, cigarettes and compliments he led us to the summit to see the simple, yet important, signalling arrange- ments. On the very top the rock had been flattened over an area of about 12 or 14 square feet, and a bamboo flagstaff firmly embedded. The look-out was stationed on a knife-like neck connecting the outer cliff to the mainland, and a telescope of great magnifying power was fixed on a tripod, with a packing-case for a seat. One of the three sailors always had an eye glued to the telescope, watching every change and move- ment at the entrance of the harbour of Port Arthur. Signals were sent to Admiral Togo hourly if all was quiet, but any movement on the part of the Russians was, of course, signalled immediately. I looked through the telescope and could plainly distinguish the Russian soldiers. The enemy's signal station was in full view, and the Russians constantly indulged in a little target practice at our flagstaff, which they never succeeded in hitting. WITH TOGO. 133 We remained at the signal station for an hour admiring the view, which as a diff subject is, from an artist's point of view, incomparable. The point of the peninsula runs straight off in perspective into the ocean, and the crags rise up sheer from the blue sea, the wild waters of which have undermined the cliffs with caves and quarried wonderful arches as proportionate as if they had been designed by an architect. The sheer drop of the cliff on either side of the tele- scope platform made me feel dizzy, and a short time after I heard that one of the sailors had fallen over and, of course, was killed instantly. 134 CHAPTER VIII. The torpedo mother — An English captain's adventure — Another interview with Togo — I go mine-sweeping — The Chinese store — Choosing a site for my camp — ^A bird's-eye view of a battle — I pitch my tent on So-cho- Zan — In the danger zone — Ordered to remove my tent to a safer spot — My tent finally pitched on the ridge. The Nikko-Maru was the " mother " of No. 67, and the deck officer, Lieutenant Matsumura, kindly showed me over her one day. She was built at Nagasaki by the Mishi-bishi Company, is of steel, and is one of the best and latest additions to Togo's fleet of auxiliary cruisers. She carried eight guns, and her quarter-deck was packed with war material, chiefly the long pack- ing-cases containing the deadly 18-inch torpedo. Amongst her other " maternal " duties she pro- vided the torpedo flotillas with coal, water and provisions, and she ran a canteen on board where officers and men could purchase many useful trifles, and some luxuries. I occupied the pilot's room when not aboard No. 67, and there I wrote, painted, and developed my photographs. My friends from the torpedo boats used the room as a sort of club, where we all met and discussed Port Arthur Bay and the events in which we were par- ticipators. A torpedo " mother " in a certain harbour. In a certain harbour. \To face page 134. WITH TOGO. 1 35 It was in the " club " one night that I heard that an EngUsh captain had had a very narrow escape. The story was told to me by one of the officers who had just returned from the rendez- vous. A small English ship of only 650 tons, bound from Hankow, was proceeding to Wei- hai-wei when, getting out of her reckoning, she struck a mine near Port Arthur. She was a wooden ship and was blown to splinters, and the crew of Chinamen and two English mates were drowned. The captain, however, managed to hang on to a life-buoy, though badly wounded in the wrist, and he was rescued and taken to the Mikassa, from whence he was sent to Sasebo to be handed over to the British Consul. If it had been the Russians who captured this Englishman, instead of the Japanese, I am afraid it would have gone hard with him, for, as my Japanese friends said, they would probably have shot him first and tried him afterwards. My cabin on the Nikko-Maru was interesting from the fact that a mysterious Mr. Thomas had occupied it at one time. He was very highly spoken of and popular with the officers of the ship, who said that he and I were the only Englishmen who spoke with enthusiasm of the wonderful state of efficiency of their navy. The bath-room being next door to my room, many of the officers attended these club meetings in their kimonos, either going to or rfeturning from their bath. Two little Chinese chow dogs, re- cently captured from a blockade-running junk, 136 WITH TOGO. also made it their head-quarters when I was at home. The mother was a handsome chestnut- brown dog with eyes soft hke a woman's. Cheesi, the son, was a brilliant black puppy, with tan marks, the peculiar and interesting point about him being the lower jaw, which was so small and undeveloped that it gave him quite a weird ex- pression. Cheesi found a great difficulty in opening his mouth to eat, and this drawback made him very irritable. He was very sensitive about his deformity, too, and if I pointed my finger at it he strongly resented it and went for me. But he was a nice little fellow, and we were great friends. The alternate beat out into the Bay and return to the harbour was becoming as monotonous to me as his beat is to a London policeman, except sometimes when we afforded the Russians a little target practice. A change came, however, when- ever I took a run out to the Mikassa to see Ad- miral Togo, who was always at his post. I asked permission to land, as I was desirous of making a picture of the Port Arthur fighting from as near a point of view as possible. He enquired as to what arrangements I proposed to make, and I told him I had my tent and camp outfit with me and only wanted his permission to land. He told me to make my mind quite easy, and he would arrange everything and let me know by signal. I returned to the Nikko-Maru in high spirits, and at once looked up the camp gear and saw that the tent was all ready and the guy WITH TOGO. 137 ropes, pegSj and other paraphernalia in good working order. Whilst waiting for Togo's signal to me I made several interesting trips, one of the most exciting of which was in the mine sweeper. Mine sweepers are destined to play a prominent part in future naval operations, but in the present instance an ordinary merchant steamer was used. A derrick was stepped in the forecastle, and there were four long spars fitted with gear for holding the net at the corners. At the foot of the net were two blocks, and a pulley is rove from the ends of the upper spars to these blocks, to ensure keeping the net at least thirty feet away from the ship. This big net is lowered about twenty feet in the water, and the ship steams ahead fishing up the mines, the method being not unlike prawn fishing on a large scale. Our fishing did not result in a catch, but I was glad of the opportunity of seeing the method in operation. It is, of course, highly dangerous work, for if the net fails to catch the mine the latter inevitably strikes the vessel. Several vessels were lost in this manner by the Japanese, therefore vessels of any great value were not used for the work. The captain and officers took great pains to explain everything to me most thoroughly, and after their valuable information I shall be able to construct a vessel which will do this work with more cer- tainty and less risk to her crew. The persistent work had very nearly cleared the fixed mines in the vicinity, and those that had broken loose and 138 WITH TOGO. were carried by the tide were what we prin- cipally sought. The following day I went ashore to select a place for my camp. I took my sketching materials and a day's rations. The pinnace ran me ashore in less than half-an-hour, and Lieutenant Mat- sumura, a petty officer, and two bluejackets accompanied me as a sort of guard, as it was thought that my foreign appearance might lead to my being mistaken for a Russian. On landing, we went to the Chinese merchant's store, which, like all the buildings, was in a state of dilapida- tion and dirt, which seemed to indicate stagnant trade and extreme poverty. The whole family, with the exception of the women, seemed to be behind the counter, as is usual in Chinese shops, where it always appears to me that there are more sellers than buyers. The wares consisted of all sorts of rough agricultural implements of native manufacture, and some European goods, including bottled beer, and in one corner stood a large jar about the size and shape that one pic- tures those that play an important part in the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. At first I thought this jar must be a large fly-trap, for the outside was deeply incrusted with dead insects. In a rack by its side stood several loathsome- looking, greasy vessels, fashioned out of gourds and with long bamboo handles. I was wondering what these filthy utensils were used for when the oldest Chinaman present transferred to one of them some of the contents of the great jar, and WITH TOGO. 139 as he ladled it out I saw that it was oily, rancid stuff of the consistency of golden syrup. It was the liquid butter which is used by the Chinese in cooking. We had considerable difficulty in making my wants known to the Chinaman, and Matsumura described Chinese characters in the air and on the counter to intimate that he wished to write. After a while the Chinaman understood, and pro- duced his brush and ink and paper, whereon Matsumura inscribed my wants. It is a curious fact that although many Japanese visit China for business and pleasure, they find as much difficulty in speaking the language as Europeans do, in spite of the fact that the Japanese language is written, to a great extent, in Chinese characters. Therefore, although they cannot talk with each other, they can communicate by writing, as I have often witnessed in out-of-the-way islands which I have visited whilst with the Japanese navy. If there happened to be no writing materials at hand, a clean space on the road, or a field, or the sand of the shore, served the purpose, and quite a long conversation was often maintained in this way. In the compound at the back of a Chinese house we p£issed was stationed one of General Nogi's pickets, and the officer in charge told me that he had received instructions concerning me ; that I was to tell him where I wished to pitch my tent, and he would advise me as to its suitability, for the big guns of the Russians occasionally I40 WITH TOGO. searched the hills in the neighbourhood. Hiring a donkey for the day, and loading him with water-bottles, rations, and painting materials, we set off as merrily as a lot of schoolboys. Our way lay through the town, the first portion being a rough esplanade, which seemed to have been appropriated by a rope-making business, the temporary gear being put up without the least consideration for the traffic, and the work carried on amid all the bustle of the street. It was further blocked by various tradesmen — smiths, shoe- makers, and others — and every other available part of the street was occupied by hawkers. It appeared that the shopkeepers' premises extended to the centre of the road, and they charged the hawkers a small rent, or " squeeze " as they call it in China. The traffic threaded its way as best it could through this improvised bazaar, the Chinese policeman ignoring the obstruction, for the shopkeepers all gave him a little " squeeze," which relieved his mind of any further responsi- bility in the matter. On leaving the town our path skirted a large brackish piece of water in shape like an irre- gular triangle, and on one side is the city of the living, and on the other the city of the dead. The refuse of the town and the drainage of the burial ground are probably filling the place with bacilli, but the ducks seemed to enjoy it, swal- lowing the loathsome stuff, including cubic yards of germs, greedily. The family washing was also done there, and should any unnatural Chinaman WITH TOGO. 141 think of taking a bath I have no doubt that he would go to that spot and add to its unwhole- someness. There is a wild beauty about the barren- looking mountains, and they are further interest- ing from the fact that a battle was fought there early in the war, when the Russians made a very strong effort to retain the position. The Russians had set up both telegraph and telephone between this place and Port Arthur, which, as jny Japanese friends remarked, " was very kind and thoughtful of Alexieff, as it saved the Japanese a lot of trouble." The wires had, of course, been diverted to Nogi's head-quarters, thus placing him in direct communication with Admiral Togo. At the foot of the mountains the path crosses the rocky and boulder-strewn bed of a mountain stream, but, the season being dry, water was only to be obtained in the deeper holes. Native Chinese paths are not remarkable for smoothness, and the one we ascended was no exception to the general rule. The first part of the climb made me feel that I was very much out of condition. The sun shone brightly, and on the way up we met but little traffic, only a fish hawker and a Chinese pedlar, carrying their goods in the usual milk- maid style, and a small string of donkeys with their burdens and some Japanese cavalrymen leading their horses. The mountains were some- what barren, being clothed chiefly with coarse grass, hardy, stunted bushes, and a few small Canterbury bells, ox-eye daisies of a salmon tint 142 WITH TOGO. and thistles. Here and there a vine clung to the rocks, and a species of dwarf oak with large leaves peeped out from between the stones. There was strong evidence of mineral possi- bilities, for a large number of quartz reefs showed in well-defined lines amongst the slate. It is good sheep country, and I noticed flocks of Angora goats and also some good, hardy horses. We toiled up and up until we came to the pass on the top of the first ridge, where a cool breeze tempered the heat, and we found it very refresh- ing after our stiff climb. From this point we saw a sight that thrilled us — a battle in progress. It was distant, but near enough for us to distinguish the rattle of the small arms from the roar of the big guns and the sharp cough of the exploding shells. But we had yet another mountain to scale, and much as we would have liked to watch the fight, time would not permit. We followed the devious course of the shoulder of the mountain until we got to a small track, which led us to a gently inclined plateau, sheltered from the north winds by a natural rampart of rocks. This seemed to me a suitable place to pitch my tent. The mountains descended to the sea in a succession of huge steps, some of which were thirty feet high, and beneath me, like a map, lay the whole of Port Arthur Bay, each rock and island and every ship being clearly visible. The waters of the bay spread out to the high horizon, the farthest dis- tinguishable point being Togo's rendezvous and WITH TOGO. 143 the great circular rock a dark blemish in the polished silver track of the morning sun. The smoke of Togo's battleships traced dark lines in the heavy atmosphere, and I could see the flotillas going out to relieve guard in the bay, and also, with the aid of my glasses, the islands which marked the limits of the blockade. The top of the mountain (So^Cho-San), some 400 feet above us, was yet to be climbed, and WiC trailed our feet up the zig-zag goat track, slipping on the short smooth grass, and through another broken cliff reached the summit. The panorama was one of the most remarkable that was ever spread before my eyes. A triangular plateau with a beacon was the actual top of the mountain, and my view was uninterrupted save in one direction where the peak of Sho-Cho (Double-headed) masked a very small portion of the fighting area. Westward, in the din, dust and smoke of battle, lay Port Arthur, the hiUs in and around the city seamed and scarred with a network of trenches, and their tops scraped brown and bare of every particle of vegetation by the terrific raking fire of the Japanese guns. The sky was blue above and around us, but the city was en- shrouded with clouds. Every variety of cloud seemed to be there, from the light cirrus to the black thundercloud and the heavy rolling cumulus. But from these clouds death and destruction fell, for they were, literally, clouds of war. The lighter ones issued from the para- chute-Hke burst of the shrapnel shell, the heavy 144 WITH TOGO. cumuli were caused by the black powder smoke of the heavy Russian guns, and the Shimosi powder gave the thunderclouds with circular lightning darts as the powerful explosive rent the shells. The roar and rattle of these death-dealing missiles jarred horribly on our ears as we gazed upon the fair view before us. Six mine boats were working at the mouth of Port Arthur harbour, and several torpedo-boats and fishers crossed and recrossed the small area of water which was all in the wide expanse that mighty Russia could call her own. Beyond Port Arthur rose the tragic 203 Metre Hill, and away to the left rose the peninsula of Liao-tau-shan, from the highest peak of which spouts of smoke marked the position of the heavy guns on its crest. On that eminence the Port Arthur generals said they would make their final stand. I turned and faced the east. The peaceful Bay of Dalny gleamed like an emerald, and the smoke of the tall chimneys suggested industry. The mountains between us and the beautiful bay already bore names bestowed on them by the conquerors. One small, peaked hill had been named (after the sacred mountain of Japan) Little Fujiyama. Around its base swept the military road made by the Russians to con- nect the harbour below with Dalny. It passed through the rich plain, with the ripening corn standing on either side — a beautiful picture of peace. The panorama was completed l?y the continuous range of the mountains to the north. My expedition up the mountain. My escort on the mountain. \To face page 144. WITH TOGO. 145 We remained watching the progress of the fight until the declining sun warned us that we were due at the beach before dusk. We hurriedly scrambled down, reaching the shore at 6.30, but we were compelled to wait until 7.0, on account of the lowness of the tide, and even then had to take a sampan to get to the launch. I was very glad to see in command of the launch one of my friends, who had gone away the night before on a mine-laying expedition off Port Arthur, and not returning when expected had caused us much anxiety as to his fate. He told me that the reason of his delay was that he had been unable to get away until the moon rose, and then he had to lie low behind a promontory until he got a chance of running the gauntlet of the Russian guns successfully. He seemed to treat the matter as a joke, although the captain told me he had not expected to see him again, as he had ventured too far. On our way out a mechanical mine exploded at the other end of the harbour, and a pillar of black smoke shot up quite two hundred feet into the air. I reached the ship at 7.30, and sat watching the various coloured lights of the different shells and star rockets before turning in. In the morning I breakfasted early and went ashore with the usual escort and First-Lieutenant- Commander Yonehara, who wanted to see the fighting. I had some difficulty with the donkeys^ having to hire two fresh ones, as the poor crea- ture who carried my pack the day before had 10 146 WITH TOGO. gone lame. The news of my presence must have been noised abroad, as all the town, apparently, had turned out to see the first Englishman who had ever landed there. I found the road hard, and my feet were tender from the previous day's climb. On reaching the summit of the first moun- tain we saw that the fighting was still going on, but in more desultory fashion, for the Japanese, having captured a position the day before, were taking things more easily. I noticed, however, that the Russians had mounted a new battery of four guns. The most interesting sight was seaward, where the mine creepers were busy at work assisted by some torpedo catchers, while over against Liao- tau-shan one of our gunboats carried on a quick- firing duel with a Russian ship, which finally retired to Port Arthur. This, together with the fact that they had been clearing a passage through their own mines at the entrance, seemed to indi- cate that they were thinking of making a dash for Vladivostock. Just below us we saw a torpedo catcher discover a floating mine, and from our position we were able to see the whole procedure. After shooting at the mine without result it was set on fire, and the torpedo catcher raced away for dear life at 25 knots an hour, her consort steaming towards her in case of accident. But this mine behaved very mildly, expending its energy in smoke and flame. The Nishen and Kasuga, the two ItaUan cruisers sold to the Japanese by the Elswick WITH TOGO. 147 company, lay about ten miles to seaward, while further off, and too far to distinguish clearly, a cruiser was coaling from a collier. The sun having scorched me rather badly, I did not accompany Lieutenant Yonehara and one of my escort in their cHmb up the higher mountain (Sho-cho), where they hoped to obtain a more extensive view. They went off hke school boys but came back tired, hot and dusty, with their tongues hanging out for want of water. A bottle of cool beer, however, soon restored their ex- hausted energies. I had been sketching during their absence and I found that my Chinese donkey- man was quite an art critic, for, in the intervals of hunting insects in the neighbourhood of his pigtail, he criticized my drawing freely. We started back earlier this time and by a shorter track, but, before we left, Yonehara took some photographs of us with his plate camera, which turned out very well. It was very amusing to watch the Chinese women in the fields scuttle away at our approach, but we did not regret their shyness, for their appearance was too revolting to make us wish for a closer view of them. We halted at the mountain stream for the donkeys to drink, and I noticed then, as I had noticed before, that the Chinaman is generally kind to his animals. I got back to the ship at 6.0, winding up the day with a good Japanese supper of chicken soup. My tea-pot would not pour out properly, so Fuki-Shima, my new boy, seized it, blew 10* 148 WITH TOGO. down the spout till it gurgled and then trium- phantly filled my cup. I said nothing, and meekly drank it. The Japanese shells had been exploding well inside Port Arthur, and it became a question of how long the Russians could stand the racket, but the next morning the forts and batteries were silent ; the Japanese were digging, and the Russians were evidently determined not to waste their ammunition. I had no companions on my next trip ashore, as all hands were busy coaling ship. Down in the bay the Russian mine boats were busy, and one torpedo boat was watching at the entrance. Togo's fleet was more to the westward, right opposite the entrance to Port Arthur. The same evening I was pleased to hear from Admiral Togo that I had his permission to pitch my tent in the vicinity of the military lines, where I could paint my Port Arthur picture. I again got out my tent for inspection and made a list of things that I might require for repairing it. A torpedo boat came in towing a big junk with the usual unhappy crowd of Chinamen aboard, and later in the day it was rumoured that the remainder of the Vladivostock Squadron had put to sea again with the intention of trying to form a junction with the Port Arthur ships. My tent was a Cabul and an object of interest to the sailors. I pitched it on the shelter-deck and inspected all the fittings, so that, when I landed, everything would be in order. My camp WITH TOGO. 149 kit consisted of the tent, bed, sheepskin blanket, canteen, tea-set, saddle and saddle-bags, bamboos for various purposes, flour, rice, jam, biscuits, sardines, butter, candles and matches, besides my personal baggage. I estimated that six donkeys would be necessary, for two donkeys would be wanted for the tent alone. My companions were to be two bluejackets, to act as guard, and my servant. My sheepskin sleeping bag was well- shaken and aired, for some fleas from the dogs had found the soft fleeces very cosy. A little insect powder and the sun drove them from their snug home. The arrangements for my comfort were very complete. Water was to be sent from the ship, and it was arranged that the doctor should pay me a visit at least once a week. Two sailors were to Uve with me as a guard, and if the ship should have to go to Sado Point for a day or two and they had to join her the Kioto Maru was to take over the duties of supplying me with a guard. " You see," the captain said, " we are re- sponsible to Admiral Togo for your safety." I rose early the next morning and packed. The tent and a month's supplies had been already placed in the large sampan, and everything was ready by eight o'clock. As I went over the side the doctor threw the Cheesi dog into the launch. The novelty of his surroundings seemed to terrify the little animal, and he shivered miserably throughout the passage. With the ofi&cers and bluejackets, who had been sent with 150 WITH TOGO. me to pitch my tent and see that I was made comfortable in my camp, I landed on the wet beach, for although the place has been in ex- istence since the time of Confucius there is no pretence of a landing-place. The crowd of Chinese loafers and idlers greeted me with the usual apathetic curiosity. I paid a visit to the store to arrange for supplies of fuel (wood and charcoal), and my boy picked out some old oil jars which he said he intended to convert into a furnace. Soldiers were there, the sentry being comfortably seated in an armchair at the doorway. I called on the officer, and he introduced me to another gentleman in uniform, who turned out to be a Chinese interpreter. This was a piece of luck, as I was able to make all my wants understood, and, through his influence, I procured six stout donkeys and some donkeymen of about the same order of intelligence as the animals in their charge. I had engaged a number of coolies with spades and hoes to clear the camping ground, as I had decided to pitch my tent with the opening facing Port Arthur. After a great deal of trouble, owing to the rough and rocky character of the ground, we managed to pitch the tent. The usual artillery duel was in progress, and I noticed that some of the guns from the new battery were trying the range of Admiral Yamada's flagship, and that several of the shells burst on the shoulder of the mountain only about 500 yards away from us. I was beginning to doubt the wisdom of WITH TOGO. IS I my choice of camping ground, when two officers and a cavalry picket appeared and confirmed my doubts. The Russian gunnery had improved very much since the beginning of the fighting andj the senior officer said, smihng, the gunners were very clever at hitting tents. This oflEicer was in command of the district and he told me courteously, but decisively, that I must move out of the danger zone, which I was willing enough to do. Accordingly the whole camp had to be struck and repacked on the donkeys, and a new site selected. I finally decided on the small plateau which I had first chosen. It was late in the afternoon ere I was comfortably settled, but I found my new situation an improvement on the first, as it was sheltered from the keen wind. The of&cers insisted on my giving them a list of everything that I might require, and what they could not get from the ship they promised to order from the Chinese store. I walked part of the way with them on their way down, leaving them at a small gorge which I called the gate of my estate. There was one almost insuperable difficulty in organizing my new mode of hfe, for of my establishment the two Japanese sailors could not easily make themselves understood to the half- dozen Chinamen, the Chinamen could not easily understand me, and I could not speak the language of either. But we managed to get along. My live stock consisted of fowls, donkeys and the little Cheesi dog, who seemed to grow large with the dignity of his self-assumed of&ce 1,52 WITH TOGO. of watch-dog. He barked fiercely at the China- merij the fowls and even the donkeys, and when my bed was made he jumped into the middle of it, coiled himself up and went to sleep, feeling, no doubt, that he had begun his duties well and fairly earned a nap. In the meantime I had begun to think about supper. My Japanese servant had been unable to make the furnace out of the earthenware jars for the simple reason that he had no tools, so my only load of wood was quickly burnt out in boiling the kettle. My supper consisted of tea, biscuits and bouille. My two sailors brought their mats and blankets into my tent, and the Chinamen roosted among the rocks some distance away — a precaution which, owing to their filthy habits, was absolutely necessary. IS3 CHAPTER IX. In camp on the mountain — My naval bodyguard — Sketching on the mountain top — The storming of Double Dragon Fort — The night attack — The storm — The Retsivan out again — The Russian destroyers come out — Two steamers run the blockade — I strike camp and return to my ship — Bushido. I AWOKE in the morning feeling very fit — the effect of sleeping in the beautiful, fresh mountain air. My first thought was a bath, and this I was able to enjoy after waiting a while, one of my donkeys coming in after a journey of six miles to the mountain torrent to fetch it. My water buckets were old pa,rafiin tins, well scoured with hot water and soda. For breakfast I fancied a broiled chicken and gave orders accordingly to the Chinese cook when he came ducking at the tent door. I tried to make him understand what I wanted by scratching Chinese characters on a bare piece of ground in front of the tent, and after arguing and shouting in various languages he at last became aware of the fact that he was to kill a fowl. I had a small Japanese dictionary of terms, but the only words I could find bearing on the subject were " Fowl " and " Corpse," so I ordered him to " corpse a fowl." The fowl was duly 1 54 WITH TOGO. " corpsed " and the body brought to me for further instructions. From the Chinaman's signs I gathered that he intended to cook the bird with its feathers on, and he did not think it necessary to clean it ! I set to work and gave him a lesson, which he learnt readily enough, but when I told him to cook the bird he said that there was no fire. This was annoying, to say the least, and after all my trouble I had to fall back on the bouille beef tin and biscuits and water. With my field-glasses I was able to scan the whole country, and I was glad to see the party from the ship crossing the sandy spit with my supplies. It would take a couple of hours for the supplies to reach my camp, so I went to the mountain top to watch the progress of the fighting. The Japanese had succeeded in establishing themselves in a very strong position, which the Russians were endeavouring to retake. It was a most important position, for it commanded a portion of the harbour and town. The fighting was very severe, and I heard afterwards that the casualty list on each side was terribly heavy. About noon the donkeys, packed with my supplies, arrived, coming up to the camp at a run. One donkey was loaded with the much- needed wood, a bag of charcoal, and two earthen- ware pots. The Japanese sailor, like his British prototype, is essentially a handy man, and, with an iron tent-peg and the mallet, he proceeded to manufacture a furnace. A square hole was WITH TOGO. 155 knocked in the front of one of the pots and two or three holes at the back to ensure a draught, making an excellent stove, which he immediately put to use, boiUng the rice and grilling the chicken. I set the coolies to work to dig a trench round the a -jSvcltJI camp, in case it should come on to rain, and in the afternoon I went up to select a spot on which to plant my easel. It was difficult at first to get the Chinamen to understand what I wanted, but I made one carry the easel and water, and the second the paint boxes and my camp stool, and in IS6 WITH TOGO. a few days this became a regular routine and my paraphernalia was daily taken up and fixed while I breakfasted. Nearly every day one or other of the officers came to see me, and my two sailors were relieved as regularly as when on ordinary duty. It was easy work for them. Each pair spent twenty-four hours in my camp looking after me, and, in fact, never losing sight of me, their relief from the ship coming at 8.0 the follow- ing morning and so on for the four or five weeks of my stay, so that, during my residence on the mountain, I had altogether nearly half the ship's company to guard me. In fact, I was treated almost like a royal personage. The doctor paid me a visit twice a week, and any officer who might be passing to the hill top invariably called to see me. I ran my tent on the lines of a Japanese house. On the floor I spread grass mats, and I and my friends always took off our boots before entering. This ensured absolute cleanliness. I wore the kimono and did a good deal of my work on the floor in Japanese fashion. At first I was troubled with flies, but I moved the kitchen further away and kept the donkeys on another hill, and the few flies that remained were killed by my Japanese guard, who fashioned an ingenious flapper of a pliant splint of bamboo, with which they stalked the wily fly and never failed to kill, clearing the tent completely of the pests. I soon settled down in my new surroundings. I spent the greater part of each day on the moun- WITH TOGO. 1 57 _V^;f yi^. /^ff'/ C^o-)^-^ -^Atf^ j>te«e-»**-=2^ «-«D «,j^tt<« ^"-^ e>^«>^iS X* «tJ&-t«j^ «J ,^ ySwv^. ^*k. >4t*»^ jS*et^ ''T-^ -/^^^ if}t/^^ 1/lyy\^. CI^Mm£.Z^ II i62 WITH TOGO. as it burst, with a terrific report, from the shells. Through my glasses I saw a snow-white cloud which appeared to descend to the earth, and, as I watched, it was suddenly riven asunder and drifted hke morning mist to the hill tops. It was the smoke of the ii-in. gun. Suddenly the Japanese guns ceased firing. The infantry were marching to the assault. I watched the broken ranks as they hurried forward, led by a man wearing a noticeable white belt, who, I learnt afterwards, was General Ichenohe. The advance was stopped by the Chinese wall, which seemed an insuperable barrier, and there was a halt. But suddenly a terrific explosion rent the air, and when the smoke cleared away I saw a breach in the wall through which streamed forward again the conquering army. Hundreds of small Banzai flags sprang up in the ranks until they resembled a grove of flowering trees. The position was won, and this time it was held. With the exception of a few desultory shots, the battle was over. It lasted from morning until just before sundown, and in the night the Japanese made their position secure. The following day there was a lull in the fighting, for both sides paused to rest and bury their dead. My daily donkey brought me a letter from Mr. Ono, saying that as the Japanese guns were searching the harbour it was thought hkely that the Russian ships would come out, and in such case the torpedo boats would fall back behind the fleet. WITH TOGO. 163 My fuel went very quickly, for I found the Chinamen used — or said they had — a donkey- load to cook one chicken ! Some beef was sent from the ship, which my Japanese sailors cooked vnth sugar, and I found it excellent. Hitherto I had been busy with my sketches for my big panorama picture, but the day after the assault I spent lazily putting the camp in order and generally " taking it easy." I found my Chinese cook straining the soup through his towel, which also did duty for a dish rag. I remonstrated with him, and at first refused the soup, but he seemed so hurt that finally I gulped it down. But it stuck in my throat and became no more palatable when he removed a drowning fly from it with his tooth pick. Two magnificent eagles kept flying and circling around me, so low down that I could plainly distinguish their eyes. I found, however, that I was not the attraction; the birds had designs upon Cheesi doggie, who was gnawing a bone quite unaware of his immi- nent danger. I picked up a stone, and as I prepared to throw it at the great birds I noticed that it glinted in the sunlight. I examined it, and found it was highly mineralized, and I brought it home and had it tested, with good results. My Chinese boy brought me a bunch of wild chrysanthemums. The blossoms were very small, but they were of the richest yellow and made a nice, bright splash of colour in my tent. Heavy firing began again in the evening, and I ascended the hill to watch it. The star-studded II* i64 WITH TOGO. sky, paling at the horizon, silhouetted the moun- tains, and around Port Arthur the land was a dusky purple. The beams of five searchlights formed a huge, brilliant star which swept the surrounding country and threw the mountain tops into strong rehef, resting now and then on points where the Russians thought our guns might be concealed. Sometimes the. powerful light rested upon me as I stood upon the summit, and I wondered if a shell would follow. Fortun- ately, however, the Russians did not make a mark of me. In the defiles of the beleaguered district the watch fires of the enemy flickered — a thousand points of Ught. The heavy guns boomed with business-like regularity, and there was a dramatic moment when the beams of the searchlights concentrated on one point, high against the sky, and the graceful Unes of a solitary rocket traced its fiery path and burst with a thousand falling stars, which lighted the whole scene. In an instant the hills were sheathed with flame, for, from the darkness of the Japanese position broke forth tongues of fire, and the roar of the unmasked guns was awful as they poured forth a hail of shell into the Russian lines. A night attack was in progress. In places the electric rays seemed blurred by the rush of projectiles. Shouts and battle cries and the rattle of musketry arose, and by the vivid light of the star rockets I could distinguish the attacking army, pushing forward Uke black shadows on a white sheet. The thunder of the o C4 a < WITH TOGO. 165 guns, the glaring flash of the bursting shells, the dark, rolling clouds of smoke, and the small, black imp-like figures darting forward through the awful turmoil, almost persuaded me that it was a vision of hell upon which I gazed. But the fierce attack subsided in less than an hour, though the searchlights continued quivering and flashing, here and there, until they steadied to the normal, regular movement. I was spell- bound by this exhibition of the death-def5dng valour of the Japanese soldier, and the memory of it remains with me — every detail of that bloody half -hour vividly pictured in my mind. I heard, a few days afterwards, that all this wonderful heroism had been wasted, and that, in future, night attacks would, if possible, be avoided. As I returned to camp the weird call of the mountain wolf fell upon my ears, and it was well attuned to the desolate thoughts that oppressed me, but in the bright morning the gloom caused by the events of the night left me, and I took up my pencil and set to work diligently. My fourth drawing was nearly finished and there remained but the fifth to complete the work. My sailors had often pointed out the distant Sho-cho and asked me why I did not visit it, and at last I decided to make the trip. From my camp to the summit of Sho-cho was two hours' walk, and I set out with the two sailors and one donkey and a Chinaman to carry my provisions and sketching materials. We descended into the valley by a somewhat abrupt declivity to save i66 WITH TOGO. time, for the path was long and circuitous. We reached the main track, which followed the course of a mountain torrent that wound through the valley, and everywhere were traces of the Russian defences, chiefly hastily constructed rifle-pits and breast works. The mountainous character of this country is well adapted for defence, and, in conse- quence, difficult for attack. We half slid, half rolled down the four or five hundred yards to the road which followed and, at times, even ran along the dry bed of the stream. Chinese farms and tumble-down shacks nestled snugly between the ribs of the mountains. By the side of each muck heap stood the family tomb — a rough shrine, generally built with loose stones and having two little window spaces and a tiny doorway to let the spirit pass in and out. One tomb I noticed was rather more pretentious and had sides of a single slab of slate. Firs, fruit, and other trees flourished in these sheltered vales, and corn, millet, vegetables and cotton were roughly cultivated. Many of the farmers were gathering in their crops, and the scene was bibhcal in its simphcity and primitiveness. The ox was treading the corn on the threshing floor, women were separating the chaff from the grain, and there were many Ruths gleaning in the fields. Donkeys came down from the mountains, bearing bundles of coarse hay, which is composed of everything that grows, even the dried stalks of the millet being stored for forage for the animals' sustenance during the long and WITH TOGO. 167 severe Manchurian winter. Half-starved curs guarded the dirty compounds in which the houses stood. Wild flowers bloomed everywhere — chrysanthemums, campanels, lilac and purple marguerites — and wild vines trailed in unrestricted luxuriance. A species of wild cucumber climbed the low bushes, and the brilliant yellow fruit glowed in the sunshine. Almond, apricot, and walnut trees shaded the narrow track, and among their boughs the familiar magpie chattered, seeming, indeed, to be the only specimen of bird hfe in the valley. At the further end the Russian engineers had made a military road, which zig-zagged up the hill with an easy gradient, but we followed the donkey-path in order to avoid the dust. At the top of the pass were deep rifle-pits, which ran for miles along the moun- tains on either side, and high up on the slopes of Sho-cho were gun-pits and emplacements which commanded the valley. The rifle-trenches were not part of a hurried defence, but were carefully planned and well made by the finest military engineers in the world. Several hastily- made graves marked where the Russian soldiers were buried where they fell, but the Japanese graveyard is carefully planned and neatly laid out, and the small, square, wooden tombs, with the names and records of the fallen, stand in rows on a sunny, flower-spangled slope, shaded by a grove of their beloved fir-trees. The shell splinters and crumbled rocks told of the terrible nature of the artillery fire. l68 WITH TOGO. The grand old head of the mountain could only be scaled by an expert climber, for about 200 feet of cliff with scarcely a foothold separates the higher slopes from the narrow top. It was there that I realized the utility of the Japanese zori or pliable straw sandal. The knife-like ridge of the summit is only about twelve to fifteen feet in its broadest part, and slopes away at an im- possible angle to the south-east. There is a rifle shelter roughly thrown up — what is known in South Africa as a schaan, a method of defence which the Boers used frequently on the kopjes. A few feet in front a dead Russian was buried ; there was no earth in the grave, but big stones and rocks half concealed the gruesome, foetid corpse. The head was gone, but the boots still held the leg bones. A few yards from the grave I picked up the jaw bone, which some animal or bird of prey had carried away, and I restored it with all reverence to its place in the grave. We spent some time scanning the various positions until the westerning sun warned us to be off. We left the Russian hero in his loneli- ness and turned to descend. Getting to the summit had been hard enough, but the descent was considerably more difficult. At the foot of the crags I rested, looking across at a deep defile sheltered by high hills. I could see Japanese cavalry picketed, the Army Service Corps, the white tents of the soldiers, and what I took to be the correspondents' camp. We started for home and made good time, reaching the ridge of our WITH TOGO. 169 mountain range at dusk. The moon was not yet up and Port Arthur, to our right, lay wrapt in gloom. I enjoyed a well-earned supper, which my Chinese servant had, for once, cooked really well. The next morning, as I was expecting a visit from the captain, I gave orders to have every- thing cleaned up for inspection and for a better dinner than usual. My first disappointment was the fish, for, instead of tai-fish, the donkeyman brought me a small shark. This pleased my Chinese followers, but it annoyed me very much, knowing Captain Kamamura's weakness for tai- fish. However, I had some good fresh beef and also told the cook to " corpse " a fowl. My guest turned up in good time, and we went up the mountain, where I showed him the new naval battery. He told me that our army had mounted four more ii-in. guns, so that five of these huge weapons were now dropping shells into Port Arthur. He expected the Russian ships to make a bolt for it at any moment, but such a course was by no means easy, for, in the first place, Port Arthur being a tidal harbour, there was only sufficient water at high tide for battleships to go out, and the evolution of taking the squadrons out would necessarily be slow. Secondly, the mine fields would have to be cautiously threaded by the ships, one by one, and they would have to form up outside. Such a manoeuvre would not be easy under conditions of peace, but with shot and shell around them and mines beneath, it I70 WITH TOGO. seemed hardly possible that the entire fleet could get out to sea. After dinner we sat in the tent looking out towards Togo's fleet. Two cruisers and one battle- ship were slowly cruising to and fro between Signal Hill and Cap Island. At 4 p.m. the captain left, and I went as far as the defile to see him off. On the way I picked up a purse, which turned out to be his, and he explained to me that his servant had brought a warmer coat for him to put on when he reached the pass and, in changing, the purse must have dropped out. One of my body-guard having to remain on duty for an extra turn was the cause of some amusement to me, for the two good fellows nearly quarrelled in their desire to be the one to take the extra duty. The military officer from the town called to wish me good-bye and introduce his rehef. He had been promoted to some post at Dalny. I was sorry to lose him, for he spoke a little Chinese, and was very useful in getting me provisions. My interpreter friend, too, turned up with some tins of butter. I taught my cook to make an Irish stew with beef, potatoes, pumpkin and onions. While the cooking was going on I went for a walk, getting back at eight o'clock. The stew was only half done when I returned, but because it was eight o'clock the Chinaman thought it must be dished up. It took a long time to explain to him that it was more important for it to be cooked. Cruisers and torpedoldestroyers off Port Arthur. [To face page 170. WITH TOGO. 171 Over Port Arthur dense clouds of smoke were rising, and I counted six distinct columns which seemed to indicate that the Russian ships were going to move. A beautiful cloudscape grew up over Dalny, and I tried to paint it. Several strong puffs of wind failed to warn me of the approaching change in the weather, and I was caught by the full fury of an icy blast, which sent down the tem- perature to freezing point. But half-an-hour before it stood at 80°. My tent began to flap about in a very disconcerting manner ; pre- sently a guy-rope snapped, and then a tent-peg flew out. The torpedo boats ran for shelter to the western arm of the harbour, and the storm broke with an advance guard of dust and small stones, which swept away my tent, kitchen, and everything over the mountain side. Everyone tried to save something, and for a time there was a panic. Fortunately the tent dropped, like a spent balloon, among some rocks which were sheltered by an overhanging cliff. There, among the stones and rocks, we propped up what re- mained of it, and collected our things inside. With much labour and difficulty we got the up- rights fixed, when the ridge pole broke. We over- came this difficulty with a piece of rope, and finally got the tent up. The Chinamen long since had burrowed among the caves, like rabbits, with the exception of our old cook, who succeeded in making a fire in a sheltered corner and brewed us a kettle of hot tea. We then set to work again. 172 WITH TOGO. strengthening the tent ropes, until nightfall, when my two sailors and myself turned in. The Chinamen, a fantasy of plunging donkeys, whirling pigtails and dust, had started for the town. All night it blew, and at 2 a.m. away went the fly, and the constant jerking of the ropes loosened all the pegs. At 2.30 all hands were out in the freezing blast holding up the poles and trying to secure the tent. We spent an hour or so thus, and then the gale lulled and we managed to secure the ropes once more. But we had very httle sleep, for at six o'clock the tent fell fiat on top of us. We put heavy stones on it to keep it where it fell, and crawled into one of the caves and lighted a fire. No Chinamen or donkeys turned up in the morning, and, after a council of war, I decided to go to the town with one of the sailors, take the ridge pole for the smith to repair, buy rope and mats, and build my home again. The wind was so strong that all the shops in the town were closed except that of my merchant, who fortunately had the Japanese troops billeted on him, as they objected to being boxed up in the store. I discovered a smith, who at first refused to do the work until the next day, but by dint of threatening and cajoling I managed to change his mind, and in half-an-hour he had turned out a neat job. As no steamboat could come from the ship owing to the weather, my excellent hench- man could not be relieved, and he willingly re- turned with me. While the smith was doing my work I could not WITH TOGO. 173 help noticing again what dirty beasts Chinamen are. Words cannot describe the dirt and vermin that encrust their bodies. Even on the working, visible parts the colour of the skin is only appa- rent through the cracks of this loathsome coating. Men, women and children all wallow and sleep.jin dirt, and the women and girls are, of course, crippled by the way in which their feet are com- pressed. I made my purchases and loaded up the donkeys with fresh vegetables, firewood, and some food, and once more ascended to my airy dwelling. We put up the tent, and with the new guy-ropes it seemed fit to stand a typhoon. The sea was smiling, and there was no trace of last night's storm save a larger number of mine sweepers and look-out ships. After such a blow many of the Russian mines would have broken adrift and make the work of the blockading squadrons highly dangerous. The Japanese in the bay were having a httle gun practice at some of the floating mines. I regretted more than ever that I had brought no gun, as I saw a large number of wild duck within easy shot, and I kicked up quail as I walked along. Rock pigeons were quite tame, and large flocks of geese, making their way south, almost touched the ridge of my mountain. The south- ward flight of these birds told of the near approach of winter. It seemed to me that Port Arthur could not hold out much longer. The whole of the east side 174 WITH TOGO. of the Russian position was being raked, and nothing could possibly live in such a cyclone of shells, I got some fresh eggs the day after the storm, which Were a welcome addition to my stores, and the needle and thread arriving from the ship my sailors started to repair the damages. I was awakened suddenly at dawn the follow- ing morning by the loudest crash of thunder I have ever heard, and pit ! pit ! fell the rain in large drops. Then with a roar and a rattle hail showered down, and the lightning seemed to dart among the rocks. I began to think that mountain life was sickening. I could see nothing except the grey screen of hail. Only once before have I seen anything approaching it, and that was in South Africa. The storm at last seemed to roll over the edge of the mountain and sink beneath my feet, and tore its way out over the sea. Just below me was a miniature harbour which I had often wished to visit. It first attracted me by reason of its resemblance to a httle cove in Cornwall, and afterwards by the possibilities it presented for obtaining a constant supply of fish. I took the usual party — the bodyguard, my boy, the Chinaman, the donkey, and the Cheesi dog. Although the cove was directly beneath us we were stopped, after going a few hundred yards, by a huge precipice, which necessitated our making a detour of nearly a couple of miles. The inhabitants in this part struck me as being WITH TOGO. I7S unusually clean. There were half-a-dozen fa- milies in all, with about the same number of boats. The men were employed in mending their nets, and the women in digging diakon (a sort of radish) from the small enclosures. Through my boy I made them understand that I wanted fish, and they immediately launched a boat, and dragged a net, with the disappointing result of half-a-dozen fish no bigger than sprats. They explained that the weather was getting too cold. They hved in this peaceful hamlet all through the war, and followed their usual avocations even when the battle raged above them. One object of interest that they showed us was the case of a six-inch shell, which one day came hke a meteor, and exploded with a deafening noise against the cliffs which shut in the houses. This piece of shell is looked upon by them as a sort of god, and it stands on a pedestal in the middle of the beach. We did not waste much time at the hamlet, but started to the opposite side, skirting the coast to see an old Chinese shrine, which stood in solitude on a promontory some two miles distant, and from which we hoped to get a better view of the entrance to Port Arthur. We spent half- an-hour there, and wended our way back through one of the wild valleys that are a feature of the neighbourhood. The following morning, hearing that the Rus- sian battleships were coming out into the bay, I hurried up to my observatory on the mountain top and saw one of them, the Retsivan, guarded 176 WITH TOGO. by four destroyers, leaving the protection of the harbour for the outer roads, where she anchored. She was in a rather exposed position, and had already been struck several times. As she moved slowly and majestically out Japanese shells burst around and over her, until she rounded a point of Tiger Island, which gave her some protection. Four mine ships were sweeping ahead of her, evidently to clear a channel. This seemed like the beginning of the end, and I had a fine view of her throughout the day. One of my Japanese guard remarked : " The Rooski have not much mesimese." Mesimese is Chinese for food. The Japanese flotillas swarmed in the bay, so that the fate of the Retsivan seemed as if it would be settled either by torpedo or shell. She was between the devil and the deep sea. All the ships in Port Arthur harbour were firing up, but Togo's fleet was right opposite and barred their way. Two battleships steamed slowly in as if to challenge the Retsivan. If the rest of the Russian ships had come out they would have experienced a similar fate to that of the Spanish ships at Santiago. Every Japanese battleship, cruiser and torpedo boat was on the move. A sheU fell within two hundred yards of my tent and burst, tearing up a pit in the ground three or four yards broad and quite as deep, as was testified by one of my sailors who stood in the hole for me to see. This decided me to prospect for a safer spot. I had noticed, some three or four hundred yards away, some WITH TOGO. 177 huge boulders, and towards these Cheesi and I strolled. These boulders were about the size o an ordinary two-storied English villa, and two o them lay at right angles to each other, the trian- gular patch between them being sheltered from every wind but that which blew from the south. The herbage in this spot was more luxuriant than elsewhere on the mountain, which convinced me of its mildness. There was a cleft in the angle of the rocks about two feet wide through which the north wind might blow, and to prevent this I had it neatly blocked with stones. I then set my Chinamen to work to clear the space of all small rocks and level the ground, and on this pleasant site I pitched my tent. Although the position was so sheltered, I could still enjoy a full view of the bay. My new arrangements were scarcely finished when the Russians gave a grand display of shell fire. They seemed to have got suddenly angry, and every gun in Port Arthur appeared to be doing its utmost to fire away all the ammunition. The doctor called and spent a long day with me, teUing me all the news. General Nogi was rein- forcing his army, and a big battle was expected in about a month's time. Some Japajiese fisher- men had been becalmed before Port Arthur, and a Russian picquet boat came and took all the fish, offering them two yen in payment, but the Japanese refused the money, saying that the Russians were welcome to the fish. The Russians then made enquiries as to the strength of the 12 178 WITH TOGO. squadrons stationed in our harbour, to which the fishermen made diplomatic answers. The Po- bieska, one of the Russian battleships, the doctor told me, had been struck by two shells which did some damage and set her on fire for a few minutes. I witnessed an exciting scene in the bay that day, some of the Russian destroyers coming out and apparently attempting to make a dash for Chefoo. While I was peacefully writing my journal I was startled by the bursting of a shell a little distance away, followed by two or three more. I wondered what the Russians' object could be, for there were no guns or troops on my mountain, and it seemed a sad waste of ammunition. The firing continued, and I and aU my followers ran up to our look-out. During the thickest of the rain the Russian destroyers and a gunboat had left the harbour, and we had a grand view of the action between them, and our flotillas. All the guns of the seaward batteries in Port Arthur that could be brought to bear maintained a ceaseless fire on our ships, but appa- rently without much effect. The Russians' double column formation was broken and two of the rear ships lagged behind. Then a terrible explosion took place as one of the lagging ships ran against a mine. She sank, and in spite of the Japanese shells that splashed thickly around, her consort stopped and picked up her crew, and then slowly took her place with the six others and proceeded WITH TOGO. 179 p.. i'A. ^If^^Jl^^j, tl>i~.i_ftJ^ |,M«^'fcT»«il« © \j^. j^ji ^ Leaf from my journal. — Sketch plan of the fight. 12" i8o WITH TOGO. to sea. The driving rain obscured my view for a while, but it cleared, and I was able to see all the subsequent movements. The Russian destroyers formed into single line and steered straight towards the Chenyen, Admiral Yamada's flagship, which was just off the signal point in company with four destroyers. As the Russians made this move two of the Japanese destroyers (apparently a part of the 2nd flotilla) steered in from the bay to meet them, firing as they ap- proached. These two headed the Russians, going straight for them, and a third destroyer left her position near the flagship to reinforce them. The Chenyen was firing her bow guns, which, with the fire of our torpedo-boats, caused the Russians to swerve, and they followed the curve back to the entrance to the harbour, where they re- mained. The gunboat which had come out with them had stayed there all the time, and she appeared to have received some damage at the beginning of the action. I had noticed the sound of heavy firing to the south-west, in the direction of Encounter Rock, the scene of one of Togo's battles, but I could see nothing on account of the rain. When it cleared, however, I saw two steamers coming in, partially hidden by a thick squall that was driving up behind them. The two Japanese torpedo-boats had started back to take up their first position, and it seemed to me that they were now making for these two steamers. These were, however, again screened by the squall, and successfully WITH TOGO. i8i reached their journey's end at Port Arthur. These steaihers carried provisions and medical comforts to the beleaguered garrison, and the Russian torpedo raid was merely a blind to cover the approach of these two blockade runners, so that it was a good day for the Russians. My last drawing being finished, my stay on the mountain came to an end, and I went to the top of the hill for a last look out over the bay. The donkeys were then brought up and the camp was struck, but the north-west wind blew so hard that the donkeys bearing the tent could scarcely make headway. However, after one or two minor accidents, we reached the beach, and I signalled for the boat. The reply was : " Too rough, will send later " ; so I had to remain in the dirty town, doing nothing, until nearly sunset, when the wind dropped and the big sampan came in tow of the picquet-boat, and I made the final journey together with all my belongings. AU the sailors who had composed my guard lined the rails to welcome me, and I had a most gratif3dng recep- tion. The ward-room officers gave me a special dinner, during which I heard all the news. The Russians had received a crushing blow at Mukden, and the rice crop in Japan was the best for twenty years. It was said, too, that if the next attack on Port Arthur were successful the Japanese fleet would be split up, some ships returning to Japan for repairs, and one battleship, a cruiser and the torpedo flotillas being told off to watch Vladi- vostock. 1 82 WITH TOGO. The cold weather had set in again and every- one was trying to keep warm. I went into the captain's cabin, as it was the warmest place in the ship,^ and he gave me a very interesting de- scription of his first cruise as captain. It was up the Yangtse, and he had kept a most complete record and made a chart of the river. It is in this that the Japanese officer excels. He is never content with the Government charts, but works out his own, and very often he discovers errors in the official charts. The captain's mail had just come in, and he read to me letters from his wife and child. The one written by his little girl, who was eight years old, ran : " Dear papa, I love you so, but if you stop much longer I shall forget your face. Look at the moon so that your face may be reflected in it, and I can look, too, and see you." This poetical strain runs through the whole Japanese nation, as, too, does the intense patriotic spirit, or Bushido. The British naval attache, talking over the Japanese naval successes with me, attributed them all to Bushido. Bushido means, Uterally, " mihtary- knight-ways," and may be freely translated into " duty and patriotism." The word burns deep in the heart of the nation. It was in olden times the guiding word for the knights, or Samurai, who were the retainers of the Damaio or feudal barons. The code of honour among this military caste was high. Fair play in fighting, protection of the weak, the upholding of justice, and the laying aside of WITH TOGO. 183 self for the advancement and benefit of the native land, were their leading principles and these principles have existed for thousands of years and coloured the whole life of the people, down to the present day. BusMdo is, indeed, a practical religion, and it is its tremendous moral force that has enabled Japan to stand up before such odds, and were these odds multiplied, BusMdo would still carry her through. As recent events have shown, the Japanese will never turn their backs on a big bully, and they will never willingly harm an insect. There is nothing the Japanese people hate more than meanness and deceit, underhand practices being so foreign to their own high nature. Many of the older people view with regret the growth of commercialism, on account of the somewhat lax morality which seems inseparable from keen business. But the Japanese reaUse that they must descend from their lofty station and take their place in the markets of the world. For many reasons this is to be regretted, not the least being that it will destroy the simple life which is characteristic of Japan. A Japanese father hopes that his son will emulate the koi fish, that always swims against the stream, over waterfalls and every obstacle, until at last it reaches the head of the river. In the battle of life the father does not wish his son's way to be easy ; he would rather he nerved him- self for the struggle, determined to succeed or die. BusMdo is kept alive by the Spartan mothers i84 WITH TOGO. of Japan, and from them the children learn to bear pain and disappointment in silence. The suppression of the emotions is learnt in childhood, and a mother who loses her only son on the battlefield shows no outward sign of her deep grief, but seeks to heal her breaking heart by fancifully imagining her lost boy is a child again, absent from home in his hunt after butterflies, and as, with a bleeding heart, she goes about her household work she sings softly : " How far to-day in chase I wonder Has gone my hunter of the dragon fly." Assist Pay- maSL.er Ohno. Seppings Com. Wright. Tonebara. Capt, Kimura. [To face page 1S4. i8s CHAPTER X. A day's fishing — The Russian oil reservoir in flames— The Emperor's birth- day festivities — A fight with the Russian destroyers — The destroyers come out again — A midnight chase — ^Astounding news of the British army — Japanese estimate of the duration of the war — Life in Port Arthur — Resurrection of the Sevastopol — ^The flotillas attack her — She is totally disabled — Christmas Day — ^Fall of Port Arthur. Soon after my return to the ship Commander Yonehara photographed a group, consisting of myself surrounded by my bodyguard — that is, all the men who had been on duty at different times at my camp. The Russians must have laid an enormous number of mines, for over a thousand had been accounted for by the Japanese, and no doubt there were others still in Dalny harbour. Mine sweepers were very busy after the geile, and I went out with one of the flotillas to peep into Port Arthur again, though on this occasion I was on a destroyer. I went out trawling one day in the favourite fishing ground — the channel which runs between the islands. We hoped to get some tai fish, and we went off in the big sampan, with four sailors to attend to the baiting and work the boat. We set the trawl (which carried about a hundred hooks) round the base 1 86 WITH TOGO. of an island, and the captain suggested that we should land, with our lunch, and leave the fish to catch themselves. Landing amongst the rocks proved no easy matter, on account of the swell, but we succeeded at last, and climbed the cliffs to the rounded summit, where a small flag — a surveyor's mark — was blowing bravely out from a bamboo staff. The herbage was similar to that in some of the sunny nooks on the mountains, and the late autumn flowers were still blooming. The captain and myself filled our arms with flowers and took them back with us to decorate the ward- room table. After lunch we descended the cliff and explored the rock pools. The seaweed was not so brilhant as that found on the EngUsh coasts, but there was a very beautiful sea anemone of exactly the bright green colour of the Jersey lizard. The only sign of Ufe on the island was a colony of rock pigeons. We got into the boat and hauled in the line, but no fish were hooked. We had, however, brought with us some dynamite cartridges, and these proved more effective, for we got several bucketsful of fair-sized fish, and among them was one particularly fine fellow of the tunney species. We returned on board and found the commander making all preparations for sea. We were going to Dalny, and the water shone Hke glass as we steamed away. Heavy firing was still going on at Port Arthur, but we were travelUng in the opposite direction. On account of the mines we had to steer a very long course, and did not head WITH TOGO. 187 for Dalny until we had sighted Togo's fleet. We passed quite close to Kwang-tan-shan, a double island, consisting of two mountains joined by a silver strand about half-a-mile wide. A small island (Cheesi kwang) near by looked like a boat at the stern of a ship, and might be compared with the Calf of Man. Right in the centre a black dome marks a huge ocean cave, big enough to swallow a ship, and the entrance to it is guarded by two monster pinnacle rocks. These islands together are about the same area as Jersey, but the only inhabitants are the Ughthouse keeper and a few fishermen. As we entered Dalny Bay the gunboats were busy searching for mines, for there were still many to be cleared out. We anchored in the har- bour outside my old ship the Tainan-Maru. At four o'clock, however, we weighed again and pro- ceeded to another anchorage, about a thousand yards nearer the dockyard. The captain left to report our arrival to the flagship, where he was informed that the order for leaving the other harbour had been " erased," as he put it, and consequently we were to return the next day. AU this lost time would have been saved if we had been fitted with wireless telegraphy, as we could have been communicated with at any time during the passage. Before leaving the next morning I went to see my old messmates on the Tainan-Maru, who greeted me warmly. Everything was the same on the ship except for some changes among the i88 WITH TOGO. junior of&cers. I would have liked to remain with my old friends, but it was my duty to keep as close as possible to the scene of active operations. We anchored again in the " certain place," and I went ashore in Order to watch the effect of the land mines which, it was said, were to be used that day. From my point of vantage I watched the storming, when suddenly the land mine was fired. It seemed to blow a huge section of the hill away, and what was before a symmetrical slope became chaos, and the air was black with falling stone, earth and human bodies. This put a stop to the fighting for a time and a short truce ensued. We received a telegram from England that day which said : "The Baltic fleet fired on and sunk an Enghsh fishing boat in mistake for a Japanese cruiser." Everyone collapsed with fits of laughter, and there were many who would not beheve the story. The next morning our flotilla started out, taking up the usual rendezvous, but nothing of any importance happened except that the Japanese guns set the Russian oil reservoir on fire, and we witnessed a most magnificent sight, the flames leaping high in the sky and the black smoke floating, like funereal plumes, as far as Togo's ships, where it seemed to hang. This fire must have been a serious mishap for the Russians, as they had not much coal or other fuel. November 3rd is the birthday of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor, and is the most im- WITH TOGO. 189 portant in the Japanese calendar. On that day both services are entertained at His Imperial Majesty's expense. For the past two or three days I had noticed an air of mystery about the sailors, and on the morn- ing of the 3rd, as I entered the ward-room, the secret was revealed. The room was bright with the bloom of many-hued flowers. There were chrysanthemums of all colours, including blue and green, and the delicate lilac-tinted wisteria hung in graceful clusters and festoons from the beams. They were all made of paper, and in the record time of three days. The panels ornamenting the temporary stage that had been erected were composed of trophies from each part of the ship ; the engineer's panel was quaintly designed with spanners, nuts, and other things used in the engine-room ; the gunner had his trophy of revolvers, bayonets, and cartridges ; the carpenter's was made up of the fire hose, and so on. The back of the stage and its wings and curtains were draped with flags of all nations, the most conspicuous being the Union Jack and White Ensign. At eight o'clock the ship was dressed rainbow-fashion, as is done in the English Navy, and the forenoon was given up to sports. ■ There were sack races, potato races and the usual items of a sporting programme. There was one very appropriate race. The sailors competing lay in their hammocks, and at the sound of the bugle they turned out, dressed themselves, lashed up their hammocks, and running to another part of , 190 WITH TOGO the ship, got their rifles and field kit and raced round to the other side, where the deck officer and another ward-room officer inspected them, the prize, of course, going to the first properly- dressed sailor who came in. There were wrest- ling matches, too, in which the sailors gave an exhibition of their prowess in the art of ju-jutse. At 11.30 all hands (myself included) fell in on the upper deck for inspection, remaining at atten- tion until twelve o'clock, when the salute of twenty-one guns was fired, and we gave three great " Banzais " that might have been heard in Port Arthur. As the last puff of smoke floated away the boatswain piped down, where a special lunch with champagne provided by the Emperor was served. His health was drunk with wild enthusiasm, and immediately afterwards King Edward's health was proposed, and this toast was received almost, if not quite, as enthu- siastically. Being the only Englishman present, I had the great honour of returning thanks. The King of England was the only European monarch who was toasted. After lunch, chairs and tables were cleared away and the spacious saloon turned into an auditorium. It was crowded to overflowing, for as many of the crews as could be spared from the torpedo flotillas had been invited. The officers occupied the lockers round the sides of the saloon and the men squatted down in rows on the floor. The acting was really good. The old Japanese drama was presented with all its flowery rhetoric, and also a modern. WITH TOGO. 191 up-to-date melodrama entitled, The Russian Spy. The dressing and acting of the latter play would have done credit to any provincial theatre in England, and, in fact, the chief character looked like an English actor and was a perfect artist. During the intervals biscuits and sweetmeats were handed round by a humorous tar, who shouted his wares hke a hawker, much to our amusement. The evening closed with a sort of variety entertainment, from the organisation of which our London managers might have taken more than one useful hint. Tea and cigarettes closed one of the most enjoyable days of my pleasant sojourn in the Japanese Navy. The next morning I went out in torpedo-boat No. 65. I noticed that her mast was stepped abaft the funnel, and I was told that it was to support the derrick in lifting the boat in and out. The winter had come suddenly, and we were all muffled up. The Japanese sailors wore long mihtary great-coats and WeUington boots. The coat has a hood and a cape as well, and a white muffler is worn to protect the throat and mouth, and warm white gloves. I found my furs very comfortable when on board the torpedo-boats. A mine blowing up in the harbour close to our ship gave us a fright the next day, for we were full of explosives. My prospective trip in another mine boat came to naught, for she got close under a Russian battery during the thick weather, and the fog suddenly lifting and revealing her the Russians promptly put five shells into her and 192 WITH TOGO. sent her to the bottom, only a few of her crew being saved. As Captain Kamura said, they were getting very clever at shooting from the lower batteries, and had improved their charts and cross bearings so that they knew well where to aim. A carrier pigeon flew on board, evidently tired out, and a general scramble amongst the crew ensued to secure the bird, but they only suc- ceeded in scaring him to another ship. We had a quantity of apples and pears on board, which had formed part of the cargo of a would-be blockade runner which had been cap- tured. As we ate them we felt that we had really to be thankful to the Russians for something, although their feelings, had they seen us enjoying the luxuries that were intended for them, would not have been of the pleasantest. One day, when we were out in the bay, the Russian destroyers and a gunboat suddenly came out of Port Arthur. All the flotillas at once concentrated to meet them, and the cruisers closed in. We indulged in some long-range prac- tice for about half-an-hour and some of our shells told, but the nearest approach to a hit made by the Russians was when a sheU fell so close to our boat that it splashed the water all over us. They returned to the harbour, and apparently their coming out had no definite object. It was one of their quite incomprehensible movements, to which we were becoming accustomed. A queer little Chinese Temple was my excuse y •<-»-<--^ ^o.*^ ''•'--"--^ • lag' m Ac 1\ o o P4 WITH TOGO. T97 One of the transports brought presents from the Japanese school children to the officers of the fleet. They were books containing pictures and poems and mottoes, and the drawings were remarkable considering the ages of the children (7 to 15) and typical of Japanese art, having the characteristic beauty of line and composition. Fugi, the sacred mountain of Japan, seemed to be the favourite subject, although battle scenes were numerous. There were also several humorous subjects, and each page was signed and stated the age of the artist. It was a beauti- ful idea, all these children working to show that their fathers and brothers were not forgotten. The books possessed a fascination for me, and I would have liked to possess one. It may be news to the world, but the Japanese had calculated that this war would last three yesirs, and they have a large reserve of force and material which will carry them on almost in- definitely. Some very interesting, though unwilling, visitors came alongside one day in one of the torpedo chasers. They were Hindoos from Port Arthur, and they said that they were very tired and afraid to remain in the town. The people, they told us, lived in caves between the houses. It appeared they were servants of the Russian bank at Port Arthur. They were captured by the destroyer twelve miles out. One of our stokers knew a little Hindustani and he drew from them some interesting details of the state of things in Port 198 WITH TOGO. Arthur. The Russians, it appeared, were short of fuel and no coal could be spared to warm the houses. Food, too, was scarce, and they lived in constant fear of shells. The big shells, the Hindoos said, had sunk one large vessel and about six smaller ones. The garrison hoped that the Baltic Squadron would arrive about February and force the blockade. The name of the destroyer that captured the Hindoos is Shinonome, which means " Eastern Cloud." The names of many of the Japanese destroyers are very poetical. Morning Mist, Morning Tide, Sudden Shower, Spring Rain, are some of the names, but one of the most curious is Sirau-Nissa, which means " Don't Know Light." This is the name of the sea which, so runs the legend, is illuminated by a bright light on dark nights which so puzzled the fishermen that they referred to the light which they could not understand as the " don't know " light, and the sea became known by the same name. At the request of Admiral Togo the big guns of the army concentrated their fire on the Russian fleet, and from the signal station it was reported that four or five of the big battleships were moving about the harbour under a full head of steam. It was then confidently hoped that they would come out and we were all standing at the guns in readiness. My station was to help the doctors. I spent the night on No. 67 rolling about opposite Port Arthur. I had a talk on religion one day with one of WITH TOGO. 199 my officer friends. His idea of God was succour or help. His idea of heaven was a place in- habited by the father of priests ; but God to the Japanese was nature. They speak of, but do not worship this supreme being. Often in the evening we had gramophone concerts. We had a lot of Japanese records — songs, and recitations — and among them I recog- nized the familiar Geisha music. It became absolutely necessary for the Japanese to occupy the mountain known as 203 Metre Hill, for it commanded the forts and the town. There were still some heavy guns to be mounted, and although they were not difficult to mount, the bed, being made of concrete, required about a month to dry firmly, thus occasioning delay. At last the great attack, the details of which all the world ' has heard, was made, and the Japanese established themselves on 203 Metre Hill. That proved to be the beginning of the end. I received a signal the next day as follows : — " Seppings Wright from Commander Yonehara, Peresbiet greatly damaged, crew left her ; Ret- sivan heeling over on port side, moored by a hawser which is made fa.st to the land ; Poltava sunk upper deck awash ; one destroyer received one shot J' Port Arthur was in darkness that night, for the first time for nine months. No searchlights were working. The night before Admiral Togo had warned all ships to keep a bright look-out, as the 200 WITH TOGO. Russian destroyers were expected to come out any time the following night. It was possible that they might try to make a raid, but it was probable they would make a dash for Chefoo and blow the vessels up, the crew either taking refuge on the Chinese ships or on shore. The end seemed to be near. Japanese troops were waiting opposite Mukden for the rivers to freeze and facilitate crossing, and a signal from the shore stated that the Russian battleships were nearly all destroyed. Port Arthur lay at the mercy of Japan. The Japanese admiral was already appointed as harbour master, although the place was not yet in our hands, but with that thoroughness of organization which dis- tinguishes the Japanese services, the moment the Rising Sun floated over the town the Admiral and Staff would enter and take over the dockyard and stores. I sent in my application to go back to Dalny to the Tainan-Maru, so that I might see the fall of Port Arthur. Captain Myaki, my late torpedo commander, came to bid me good-bye, for he was off to Japan, the blockade being practically at an end. Many of the ships were leaving, and whole fleets of sampans were sweeping for bags of coal which had tumbled overboard in the hurry of coaling the flotillas. They gathered a rich harvest, several of the boats sculling ashore loaded to the gunwales. Fukishima, my boy, was at work packing my things. As the regular " correspondent boat " (which, by the way, was The search light on the Tainan Mam. See page 97.] Russian mechanical mine on the deck of the Tainan Maru. The dinner-hour on a Japanese cruiser. Note the petty officer in the fore- ground knitting warm stockings for the use of the army. Chinese sampans dredging up coal bags lost overboard in the hurry of coaling. \To face page 200. WITH TOGO. 201 ^ ^^ 4^' 7 I- 2d i7^ 7" I r fy I -0L ,L - 1 -rf:?iii^ 202 WITH TOGO. one of two torpedo boats that kept up a constant communication between Dalny and the various fleets and harbours) was to leave punctually at 8 the following morning, a friend of mine offered to take me on No. 62, of the 20th flotilla, which would start a little later. By 9 o'clock my packing was finished and Captain Kimura sent for me to come to the ward room. All the officers were there and the captain bade me adieu in the name of the ship, adding some very complimentary remarks. We then drank sak^ together, and I made a little speech thanking them for all the kindness I had ex- perienced while on board. The Sevastopol, the only remaining Russian battleship, came out of the harbour, apparently with the intention of putting to sea and making a desperate dash for freedom ; but her captain evidently changed his mind, and she came to anchor in the outer anchorage. It appeared that she had been lying quietly in the dry dock while the Japanese believed her to have been rendered useless by a mine which she struck a few months before. She had, however, been thoroughly re- paired and, during the night that we remarked the absence of the searchlights, she was taken out of dock. But between Admiral Togo and the army she had a very poor chance. At 9.30 I stepped into the steam launch, with farewell " Banzais " from my shipmates ringing in my ears. I felt the parting with them very strongly, for they had been good friends to me WITH TOGO. 203 and had done all in their power to help me, making my stay with them the most pleasant time I have ever spent campaigning. For a long time the officers and men continued to wave their adieux. At once No. 62 got outside the harbour, and we darted from wave to wave followed by the remainder of the flotilla. After an hour's tossing we rounded the south point into the calmer waters of Talien-wan Bay. On entering the harbour of Dalny, the Tainan was nowhere to be seen, so I had to go alongside the Fuso, Admiral Yamada's ship. From the Fuso I learnt that the Tainan-Maru was mine-sweeping and would not return until the evening, so I went to the Canton- Maru and climbed on board. This splendid steamer was formerly a Russian and had been captured off Dalny. The Japanese had made her a machine and repairing ship — a sort of floating dockyard. We ranged up to her alongside the Russian destroyer which had been captured by the Japanese in Chef 00 harbour. She was under- going some slight repairs to enable her to reach Japan, where she was to be put in thorough order before being attached to one or other of the flotillas. The Canton-Maru was commanded by Captain Naicao, a smart looking sailor, who received me very graciously in his own cabin, and ordered lunch for me. His conversation was very in- teresting, as he was in command of the ill-fated Hatsuse at the time she was blown up. " I was standing on the fore-bridge," he said, 204 WITH TOGO. " and at lo a.m. we struck a mine which did very little damage, but quite enough to prevent her steaming, and we were taken in tow by the Asahi. At noon a tremendous explosion shook the ship, and in a minute and a half she sank, carrying down nearly all the crew. The main mast seemed to be projected over the forebridge, and fell, crashing through the deckhouse. I recollect struggling in the water, and being sucked down for about ten feet. On coming to the surface I struck out and was rescued by one of the boats. It was a terrible experience and a great loss, for half the crew perished and the Hatsuse was one of our best battleships." He took me into the ward room, where I amused myself for the rest of the afternoon examining some splendid swords and looking through the pages of a most interesting old book containing drawings of all kinds of swords and showing the different temperings. This book, as well as the finest sword in the collection, belonged to Lieutenant Sata, who told me that he had about seventy swords at home and would be pleased to show them to me whenever I went to Tokyo. The Tainan-Maru was signalled, and by sunset the pinnace of the Fuso put me on board. I was warmly welcomed by all hands. Aral (my boy) showed me my old cabin, which looked as if I had only left it an hour before. But the crickets were all dead and the little garden under the window quite woe-begone, although the Chinese eel Going on look-out. Mine searching. Captain Takahashi. Lieut. Kubo. ^ j f b j£ V-J ^^^Kht a fg 'ji^^^^ '^^^^^^^^■^H r''^-y.'j|H n E J I^K H. ^Hi8 ^^V'''*--j ^^^^^^K, s^^fl^ ^^^K ^^^K '^MMHHP' xw^ "■«'«r7' -^■ii. J ^ ^^^v . On the bridge of a mine ship. [To face page 204. WITH TOGO. 205 was as lively as ever when stirred up. Captain Takahasi told me he was then employed in mine- sweeping duty, going out every day at 8.0 and steaming across Port Arthur bay in the search. Dalny had grown since my last visit, and rows of new barracks had sprung up for the accom- modation of the Port Arthur prisoners when they arrived. There was a new harbour master, and his flag was flying on the Taiko-Maru, the sister ship of the Tainan-Mam. As I have already, mentioned, he had been appointed harbour master to Port Arthur, the position he held ten years ago, after the Chinese War. He was confidently looking forward to raising four of the sunken Russian battle ships and adding them to the Japanese navy. At 8 o'clock the following morning we started to run the line opposite Port Arthur. The wind blew strongly from the north, which made the work more risky than usual as, in such a wind, the mines were often concealed just under the surface and it seemed likely that we should run on the top of one of them. All the 20th flotilla had taken refuge in Dalny, lying low all day. The extra look-outs were, as usual, at their posts to command a large field of vision, two being in the crow's-nest at the foremast head with a field- glass, three or four stationed on the forecastle, one or two on each side of the boat-deck and one at either end of the bridge. The wind died down somewhat, and as we returned the look-outs reported a mine in sight. The navigating officer 206 WITH TOGO. immediately took charge of the ship and manoeuvred her so as to get about 300 yards to windward of the venomous-looking little black spot in the water. The captain and officers were on the bridge, the lieutenant at the range-finder, and, besides the ordinary look-outs, everyone that could be spared came on deck to watch. A sub of the watch mustered on the shelter-deck under the command of the gunnery lieutenant, and at 300 yards the men opened fire. The firing lasted about three minutes, for the motion of the waves made the mine very unsteady. Several hits were recorded, but until the cap was struck no explosion took place. At last the mine blew up with a tremendous report, a thick heavy cloud of smoke arose, and the water was blackened all around by the gun cotton. We returned to our anchorage at 6, and a coUier, the Westminster, came alongside, her bows being coated with ice from the frozen spray. Every day we went mine searching, and after the recent gale we expected to find several of these dangerous derelicts. The Sevastopol was still outside the harbour, and lay so close to the mine-fields that it would be a dangerous venture to attack her. The weather had become very wintry, and the water in the men's bath-tubs was soUd blocks of ice. I noticed, too, that the sea was smoking in parts — a sure sign that it was on the point of freezing. A fleet of hundreds of junks, bound for Chefoo, came in sight, sailing calmly over the waters. Lieut. Kubo. The range finder. Mine-searching. Firing party sinking a Russian mine, Port Arthur Bay. [To face page 206. WITH TOGO. 207 Suddenly a mine was found to be floating amongst them, and immediately they fell into the utmost confusion, and it was very amusing to watch them scatter as we rounded to windward to come into position for firing at the mine. It was blown up almost immediately, for the water was smooth. There was little doubt that many of the junks that left Port Arthur laid mines for the Russians. The method adopted is very simple. The caps of the points are removed and the mine is slung beneath the junk, the weight of the chain keeping it down. When at the required spot, the anchor is thrown over from the stern, the rope which fastens the mine to the junk is cut, and the mine is laid. The admiral having signalled us to stop in harboiu: that day, I went ashore in the afternoon. We were expecting orders to proceed to some station in Japan to rest and repair, but we should not leave until the last Russian battleship was destroyed. Dalny was very busy and tugs were panting about the harbour with hea-\aly-laden junks in tow. The dockyard pier was four deep in ships. On landing we made straight for the Chinese town, as I wanted to buy some furs, if any were to be had. The Arctic cold was so pene- trating that furs seemed to be the only suitable wear. We passed through a city of commissariat, and mountains of forage and hills of supplies lay alongside the railway to facilitate their transport to the front. I bought a sheepskin coat, unlined, at a Chinese 208 WITH TOGO. store, which seemed capable of keeping out the cold, and we then made our way to the square. A Chinese orator was holding forth on some subject which we could not fathom, booths crowded the roadway, shoemakers were sitting at their work, and the tea-stalls doing a thriving trade. The Chinese kettle is a combination of teapot and stove. The fire is made in the kettle itself, the tea being placed in the bowls ; scalding water is poured on, and the tea is made. China- men must have throats and stomachs of brass, for they drink their tea while it is absolutely boiling. We went out into the country to see the cavalry drilling. The river was frozen, and on the bridge that spans it we saw a Chinaman with a hand- some bird in a beautiful bamboo cage. The bird was singing, and its sweet notes were not unlike those of the lark, but had greater volume and intensity. The Chinaman held the cage at arm's length in the sun, and encouraged the bird by means of a low droning chant. A group of Japanese soldiers stood around, very interested, but at last the Chinaman covered the cage with a blue hood and went off. The soldiers were all muffled in loose greatcoats, with high fur-lined collars. In addition they all wore helmets of soft wool, fitting tightly round the head, a huge wooUen comforter and warm gloves. Most of them wore tinted glasses to protect their eyes from the snow glare. We cut across country to the park and there f..^.. tr-^s?*'- ■,.::\ -.mf^-c Exploding a Russian mechanical mine, off Port Arthur. [To face page 208. WITH TOGO. 209 found a regiment of recruits being taught skir- mishing. We also visited the tigers and bears and the temporary mortuary. The mortuary occupied one of the biggest houses in the park. One of the rooms was fitted up as a shrine, and standing on a sort of altar were hundreds of small boxes, each about four inches square, and con- taining the ashes of a soldier with his name and regiment inscribed on the front of the box. Two candlesticks and a vase with the lotus flowers stood in front, and a Shinto priest guarded the remains. We made obeisance to the ashes of these heroes, and inscribed our names in the visitors' book. We returned to Dalny, where we vainly sought for some restaurant, but the only approach to one that we could find was in a dirty store, where a temporary dining-room had been rigged up in the oratory, the altar serving for a sideboard. We had roast fowl, potatoes, rice, tea and four eggs each. Only one of my eggs was eatable, for freshness is not considered essential in China ; in fact, a two-year-old egg is esteemed a delicacy. After our meal we passed through the principal part of the town and crossed a bridge over the railway, all cracked and splintered by a Japanese shell. The troop trains were passing beneath, the soldiers squatting down in coal trucks, but chatting as comfortably as though they were travelling in a Pullman. At one of the shops I bought a cap of sea-otter skin, so that if the winter things I was expecting did not turn up I 14 210 WITH TOGO. should nevertheless be well protected from the cold. On my arrival on board I heard that the tor- pedo-boats had attacked the Sevastopol, and that it was reported that she was sinking. At 8.30 the next morning we started on our usual mine-hunt. A fleet of transports passed us with various stores. The ships belonging to the military authorities have a plain funnel, and their flag is white with a broad zigzag across the centre, and those for the navy bear two narrow bars on the flag. Ships bearing munitions of war fly the Government flag with a red ball, the water ship has a blue band round the funnel, and a collier two white bands. We passed a dangerous reef, a long jagged rock nearly a mile long, like a large Eddystone, where the Japanese wiU certainly put a lighthouse when peace is restored. I felt the benefit of my new furs, being much more comfortable than I had been for some days. I witnessed a very interesting ceremony in the captain's cabin, namely, the presentation of the long-service medal to the petty officers. The medal is a pointed silver star, and each man was introduced separately, and the captain handed the reward, together with a certificate signed by the Emperor himself. Each petty officer received the certificate reverently, it being retained by the recipient for ever, although the medal is returned on promotion to higher rank. Snow and fog prevented us from seeing the mines and added considerably to the dangerous WITH TOGO. 211 nature of the work. We sighted another mine sweeper which was running the line which our unfortunate consort was working when she was blown up. All of us, myself included, were anxiously looking out for mines, each hoping to win the good conduct badge which is the reward of the lucky finder. Two more steamers were sunk in Port Arthur that day, and, with the destruction of the Russian Navy, Port Arthur will be reinforced by 8,000 sailors. Since the capture of one of the north forts the army had advanced some five hundred yards to a second and better position, where they were sheltered from the machine guns. In the evening the news signal stated " Seiyas^o^o/ settling down by the head; two torpedoes got home, striking the bows." The weather became still more severe, our decks being frozen, and the anchor becoming a lump of ice as soon as it was raised from the water. A remarkable piece of organization is the official weather bureau, and the Japanese are as thorough in this as in all their under- takings. As the army advances weather stations are established, to send information of ap- proaching blizzards, and, in consequence, the troops are never caught by the weather unpre- pared. The following day was brilliantly sunny and quite warm — so warm, in fact, that the frozen decks (which were so shppery as to make walking difficult) thawed, and at noon they were streaming 14* 212 WITH TOGO. with water. The captain promptly seized the opportunity to wash decks. During the day the captain and of&cers in- spected some Russian rifles that had been cap- tured, and the gunner took one to pieces so that we could examine the mechanism. Every letter leaving the ships, with the excep- tion of those of the officers, had to pass the censor. This, of course, entailed an enormous amount of work. The men in batches brought their letters to the ward-room, and any officers that were there at the time invariably gave the censor their assistance. One day a sailor brought me a small English book and asked me to hear him read. I willingly did so, correcting his mistakes and setting him a short exercise. Some of his mates asked me to do the same for them, and soon I had a small class to instruct. I found teaching them both pleasant and interesting, for they were such apt and dili- gent pupils. The gunner's mate, to show his gratitude for my instruction, undertook to clean my Mauser pistol, and show me how to take it to pieces, so as to be able to clean the mechanism myself when necessary. Another of my pupils presented me with two pictures, reaUy well exe- cuted and painted entirely with the ship's paint. He apologised for the fact that the face wanted tinting, but, as he explained, the ship's paint did not include face colour. Three big explosions, which, although twenty- five miles away, we plainly heard, and, indeed, First attack on the Sevastopol [To f " J t So. I- 'It. I .(1 j5 m 5P p Jl 9* ^- ■ .v:*- /3 a WITH TOGO. 221 of her, however, and we heard afterwards that her skipper had thought better of it and returned. ■A-t 4.35 in the afternoon of January 22nd the terras of the surrender of Port Arthur were arranged, being, with a few trifling exceptions, quite in accord with the Japanese demands. Every detail in preparation for this result had been carefully thought out and provided for, and the chief engineer went in at once to take charge of docks, machinery, ships, etc., a staff of officers and men accompanying him. Each ship contributed to the chief engineer's staff, according to her size, our contribution being one officer and forty men. The necessary gear for raising the ships was already on the way from Japan. All the positions around Port Arthur were being permanently occupied, and the Japanese flag flew bravely from the lofty crown of Liao-tau-shan. 222 CHAPTER XI. The Dalny Banzai — The Banzai at Liao-Yang — The Naval Banzai — A visit to Kin-Shan-Tao — Off to Port Arthur — General Stoessel — In the parallels — The desolation at Double Dragon Fort — Arrival at Port Arthur. As a big " Banzai " in celebration of the fall of Port Arthur was to take place in Dalny, I decided to go ashore and take part in it. When I came to the gangway the captain positively refused to let me go unless I changed my fur cap, because, he said, I looked so much like a Russian that, in the excitement, things might be made uncom- fortable for me. So I had to wear my yachting cap, and this and the presence of two officers on duty was sufficient to protect me from any demonstration or insult from anyone who might not know that I was an Englishman. As to being subjected to anything of the kind by the Japanese I did not for a moment think it possible, but there were in the town a number of Chinese of a very low type who would probably think it a meritorious act to hustle or annoy a Russian, and it was the possibility of this that the captain wished to guard against. The small dockyard tender came alongside, into which I stepped, and we glided off into the WITH TOGO. 223 darkness. I could not fail to be struck by the brilliancy of the harbour as we neared the shipping, for, during the last few months no lights of any kind had been allowed, and on this evening the out- lines of all the ships were illuminated with different coloured lights. The night was still, and although our movement through the air caused a slight chiUiness, it was one of the most beautiful evenings of the many I had spent in Manchuria. The coloured lights gave a witchery to the scene, which held us in silent admiration of its fairy beauty. The smoke from the vessels rolled slowly away in, heavy plumes, with scarcely a break until lost in the gloom that surrounded the illuminated area. Dalny was transfigured. Innumerable paper lanterns decorated all the main streets. We made for the principal thorough- fare, through which the processions were to pass, and found ourselves in the midst of a vast crowd composed of thousands of soldiers from the victorious army and the Chinese and townspeople, who had turned out en masse. AU the soldiers wore their side arms, and their doing so was no danger to anyone, for there was never a quarrel amongst them, nor did I see a single drunken man. But the Japanese soldiers and sailors are tea drinkers, by choice and from long habit. The members of the processions were principally Japanese workmen and dockyard hands, but there were many Chinese carrying big lanterns, ringing bells and beating gongs, and generally partaking in the excitement and joy of the occasion. The 224 WITH TOGO. lanterns were of various designs. Those worn on the head like hats might have been modelled from the ordinary London street lamp. There were at least 2^000 of these " hat " lanterns. Others, of large size, and inscribed with patriotic words, were carried banner fashion and were of a wonderful variety of shape. Some were like the pennons of the knights of olden days, others resembled the ancient Roman eagles, pyramids and Chinese temples. At intervals, emblematic cars and tableaux were carried shoulder high, instead of being drawn on wheels. The procession was, in fact, very like an illuminated Lord Mayor's Show. One of the most interesting things in the procession was a very good model of the Tacachido, one of the cruisers that helped to sink the Rurik, and the details were wonderfully modelled, even to the searchhght on the bridge, which sent forth its beams and swept and re-swept the faces of the crowd. Fireworks and a bonfire in front of the Town Hall were the concluding items of the " Banzai." The prisoners at Port Arthur were removed from the town, and I have no doubt they were not sorry to leave the dreadful city wh6re they had so long fought and suffered. I heard, too, that General Stoessel had received a very kind letter from the Emperor of Japan. For some time our ship had been short-handed, as a number of the crew had been to Japan for their periodical gun-drill. Throughout the war these driUs seem to have gone on as usual. In the ice off Talienwan Bay. Seppings Wright. Kubo. The Armstrong gun on the cruiser. [To Seepage 224. WITH TOGO. 225 The Uji gunboat captured six Russians in an open boat who were leaving Port Arthur and, no doubt, tr5dng to escape to Chefoo. When the gunboat approached they were seen to drop their arms overboard. They were brought in to Dalny and handed over to the care of the harbour master. They said they were sailors, but from the appearance of their clothing, and the fact that they possessed field-glasses and valuable jewellery, it was suspected that they were Russian officers. Whether they were officers who had refused to give parole, making a dash for liberty, or had dishonourably broken parole, I was unable to discover. I received an invitation from General Nishi, Governor-General of Liao-Yang, to the " Banzai " that was to be held there the same evening, and I went, accompanied by the Chief Engineer, who also had been invited. The Chinese theatre, being the largest available building, was chosen for the function, and we threaded our way to it through the narrow Chinese streets, which were crowded with people. The building was gaily decorated and the national flag floated from every prominent part of it. Presenting our invitation cards we were shown upstairs to the Admiral's box, which corresponded to the stage box in an Enghsh theatre. The interior of the theatre was very simple, having only one large balcony. A number of tables in the arena were set out with fruit plates, sak^ cups and chopsticks, and at every place was a Noshi with a box of sweet- 15 226 WITH TOGO. meats. The entertainment was something in the nature of a music-hall performance, consisting of a long comic song, a httle play in which the dresses were very gorgeous and there was a great deal of noise (the principal actor being a tyrannical parent who constantly interposed a fool's bauble of a little drum and three gongs between a loving pair whenever they seemed about to display signs of affection), and finally a lively play by some Japanese actors, which was very funny and clever. One of the actors burlesqued a foreigner sitting h la Jap, and the way he imitated the stumble that most Europeans make on rising from the unfamiliar position was very amusing. While the entertainment was proceeding preparations for the feast were being made, and soon the tables groaned beneath the weight of eatables and an imposing . array of bottles. Where everything came from was a mystery to me, for few London caterers could have done more. It was " cold but capital," as Mr. Jingle remarked at the cricket dinner. The only other foreigner besides myself was Colonel Hume, one of the English attaches just come from Liao- yang. He was passing through en route for Tokyo. The mihtary bands entered and took possession of the stage, and this seemed to be the signal for the guests to take their places. There were, of course, no chairs. The band played the National Hymn, and we " Banzaied " long and loudly when the Emperor's health was proposed. WITH TOGO. 227 My name y ^ ^-*- J^^ f^^Mst M « 4t^ Invitation card from General Nishi. 15^ 228 WITH TOGO. I was introduced to a number of officers^ amongst them Commander Nishi, one of the staff officers, who said, genially : " We have all heard about you, Wright, and you shall go to Port Arthur to-morrow, before anyone else." This was a most gratifying favour, but un- fortunately I was prevented from taking the promised trip, for my ship was ordered on a three days' mining cruise in Kinchow Bay, and the next day the navy was to give a return " Banzai " to the army. Admiral Togo invited me to this Naval Banzai, which was held on the Kimana Maru, one of the biggest auxiliary cruisers. At 11.45 a.m. I left with the captain in the vedette boat, and we boarded the Kimana Maru, which presented a very gay appearance, being housed in with flags. Wonderful imitation trees were growing on mossy banks, paper flowers bloomed everywhere, and the whole shelter-deck was trans- formed into a garden, gay with the beautiful flowers of Japan, all made of paper. Cherry-trees were blooming and the scent of the blossoms filled the air (for even to this detail the wonderful imitation was carried). I was introduced to Admiral Kataoka, Commander-in-Chief, a small, spare, alert- looking man, and I was presented by him to Admiral Yamada and Admiral Togo — a relation of the great Togo. They all welcomed me warmly, and, as usual, tea and cigarettes were handed round. The guest of honour. General Ujichi, command- WITH TOGO. 229 n ~,T.i '»'. ,0 1 vU r oi < Invitation card and interpretation for the Naval Banzai, Dalny. 230 WITH TOGO. ing the division at Dalny, was received at the gangway with miUtary honours, the band playing the usual number of bars of music accorded to an officer of his high rank. After I had been introduced to him we all entered the saloon, or banqueting hall. The smoke room, at the further end, had been turned temporarily into a sort of hall of audience, where the generals and admirals received several Chinese gentlemen, who presented their vermilion visiting-cards, as large as a sheet of ordinary note-paper. This ceremony was soon over, and we were shown to our places at the table. Admiral Kataoka took the head of the table. The variety of uniforms reminded me of the Lord Mayor's banquet, and when I saw the turtle soup and mighty barons of roast beef, the resemblance struck me still more forcibly. My health was drunk and I was called upon for two speeches. The General gave me his cup, and we drank each other's health. The Admiral pledged me, too, and both of them presented me with the bottles and cups from which we drank. Many of the other officers pledged me, and in each case the cup was handed to me as a memento. The captain of the ship made me a present of a lovely dwarf plum-tree, in full bloom. When I left the table, Arai staggered after me with his arms full of the gifts I had received. These included forty sak^ cups and two sak^ bottles, which, I need scarcely say, I value highly. After dinner the band played on deck, and we sat smoking cigarettes and drinking tea. The WITH TOGO. 231 Japanese do not need alcoholic liquors to make them merry, and there was as much hilarity and fun over the tea as at a " smoker " stimulated by whiskey and soda. I returned to my ship about 5 o'clock, and Lieutenant Yamanashi accompanied me to talk about my trip to Port Arthur, for he hoped to go with me. It was ordered that the Japanese sailors who had been captured in the blocking operations of last year and had obtained release at the fall of Port Arthur, were to join our ship. This caused us to postpone our three days' mine-searching in Kinchow Bay, so I went on shore to see the Russian prisoners arrive, having obtained the necessary permit. We went to the railway station to await the train. Everything for the reception of the Russians was complete. The train drew up at the long platform, and the prisoners, sailors and soldiers, were all squatting down in trucks. The natural ferocity of the Cossacks had toned down considerably since their capture, and they obeyed the orders of the Japanese with promptness. The sides of the trucks were lowered to the edge of the platform to make a gangway, and the train was quickly emptied. The prisoners fell in in squads, many of them carr3ang a miscel- laneous assortment of bags, boxes and tins, and nearly all had a kettle slung around their shoulders, and they moved to the clattering accompaniment of these articles. The doctor inspected them, and 232 WITH TOGO. those that were passed marched off towards the barracks at the other side of the dockyard, but any suspicious cases of sickness were sent to the quarantine hut for further examination and afterwards distributed in the various hospitals. On my way home I visited one of these hospitals, a long, low shed, the door of which opened on to the road. There were three Russians in the first room, one of whom had half of his face torn away by a shell, but in spite of his terrible plight he was able to ask for a cigarette, which we at once gave him. The others were sick, and seemed very weak. I tried to converse with them, but it was a difficult task. " Where do you come from ? " I asked in English, but none of them could speak the language. So I pronounced the words " Muk- den," " Liao-Yang " and " Port Arthur." They understood the first two words because the pronunciation is the same as in Russian, and they shook their heads. Although they did not understand what I meant by " Port Arthur," I did not doubt that it was there they were taken prisoners. I endeavoured to get them to say the Russian name for Port Arthur, to learn how they pronounced it. I repeated the words slowly and distinctly several times, and at last their eyes lighted up and they said, " Port Artoie, Port Artoie." I smiled and nodded, and they smiled, too, and I left and entered the next room, where were five Russians. Four were wounded and in bed, and Kojo-taii. \To face page 232. WITH TOGO. 233 the fifth, who was sick, was sitting on a camp- stool. One of these prisoners was a corporal in a Cossack regiment, and he seemed a very intelligent man and used the language of signs with wonderful skill. They all could speak a httle Chinese. I adopted a different method for discovering where these men were taken. I mentioned General Stoessel, and the corporal promptly pointed to himself and two of the others. Pointing at the two remaining men, he shook his head to indicate that they belonged to some other general. I tried them with Kuropatkin, and the corporal, pointing to himself, shook his head, but waving his hand towards the two he nodded and said, " Kuropatkin, Kuropatkin." I wanted to photograph them, and they quite understood what was required, posing in various attitudes for the purpose. The corporal seemed to be a little vain, for he combed his long hair, put on his coat, which was very smart, and seemed determined to look his best. He apparently understood something of photography, too, and, because the room was rather dark, he made signs that it would be better to have his cap on his knee, so as to show his face. We left after taking the photographs, with the blessings of these poor fellows and their vale- dictory " Sayonora " sounding in our ears. The following morning we steamed off for South Kojo-tau. About 1.30 we sighted what we took to be a large lump of ice, but as we neared it we discovered that it was a mine coated with ice. 234 WITH TOGO. The hot sun had melted a part of it so that we were able to detect the mine, but it occurred to me that a new terror wiU be added to the seas if small icebergs with a heart of gun cotton drift over them. This mine was exploded by the first shot, the concussion of the coat of ice pre- sumably breaking the contact tube. We anchored about 4 o'clock in the big harbour of Kojo-tau. The Chinese brought some baskets of soles and showed complete confidence in the honesty of the Japanese by sending the baskets on board for us to select from before receiving any money. This was most unusual, as John China- man generally likes to feel his money before he parts with his goods. Our old friend the Akagi and a torpedo boat were at anchor under the lee of the smaller island. On coming to anchor our cutters were manned and lowered and pulled round the ship to verify all the soundings, the captain telhng me that, however good the charts might be, he always satisfied himself that there was plenty of water for his ship to swing in. The group of islands is situated between Chefoo and Port Arthur, and had been the head - quarters of a very lucrative blockade-running business. Liao-tan-shan, with its numerous small sheltered coves, is only twenty miles from Port Arthur, and on dark and foggy nights the junks could slip over to the beleaguered port and get big prices for vegetables and supplies. The islands are of rather pecuUar formation. The Causeway at Kojo Island. The inhabitants hiding themselves at our approach. Curious boat rafts or logs, Kojo-tau, Gulf of Pecheli. \To face page 234. WITH TOGO. 235 and the perpendicular layers of slate with jagged tops were unlike anything I had ever seen. The inhabitants are mostly fishermen (when not engaged in privateering). There are a few farms, and altogether about 300 families. There are no means of communication with the mainland, save by the sampans and junks which make periodical runs to Chefoo to sell the fish. In spite of the apparent poverty and ragged appearance of the inhabitants I noticed a sleek, contented look about them suggestive of prosperity, and, no doubt, the siege of Port Arthur had been enor- mously profitable to them. Throughout China all the natives dress ahke, but these islanders wore baggy breeches of untanned dog skin, which they never take off during the whole winter. The next day we ran another course in Kinchow Bay, and one of the most dangerous for mines. Our cruise, however, terminated more quickly than we had anticipated, for the wind blew strongly from the north, making it impossible to detect the mines, and the danger of the weather suddenly getting thick determined the captain to make for the largest island in the group, Kin- shan-tao. It is an important fishing centre, doing a great trade in soles with Chefoo and other large towns on the coast of China. These islands will become necessary to Japan in the near future, and doubtless they wiU eventually become part of the Empire of the Rising Sun. Kin-shan- tao is two barren, desolate mountains of slate with a small belt of fertile land. 236 WITH TOGO. At 4 o'clock the captain and as many ward- room officers as could be spared went on shore with me. We filled two cutters and landed, to the astonishment and fear of the islanders, who promptly closed their doors. The beach was kept in very good order, the sampans being drawn up on one side, and the big junks on the other. A high causeway, rugged and irregular, fronted the beach, and on this the gates of the compounds opened. Among the boats I noticed some that were very antiquated — mere logs with rough side-rails. Nets and other fishing implements were littered about the boats. As in Manchuria, there were no roads, only rough tracks leading from one part of the island to the other. Each small hamlet had its own temple or shrine, and the city of the dead lay close to the chief village in a small copse planted with trees at regular intervals. On a sort of terrace by the shore was stowed the working-gear of the big junks, which were themselves drawn up in regular file, their high, square prows throwing their shadows upon the strand. We followed the western track, which led us over a rough shoulder of sharp, jagged slate, from the top of which we obtained a fine view of the cultivated area of the island and the cycle- shaped beach, ashy-grey where the tide ebbed and flowed. Beneath the shadow of the further mountain there nestled a smaU village, the land around which, consisting of from 20 to 30 acres, seemed to be common property, as there were no Lieut. Abe. Oapt. Takahashi. Lieat. Kubo. Lieut. Tomass. Kojo-tau Islands. Blockade runners, Kojo-tau Islands, Gulf of Pecheli. [To face f age 236. WITH TOGO. 237 boundary lines. The captain had gone on ahead, and when we arrived at the village we found that he had gone on to the third and last village. We followed, and found him inspecting a silo with the old Chinese farmer, who was explaining its use. This village, like the others, was crowded. As in most Chinese towns, the people seemed too many for the houses. We wandered round the place to see everything that was to be seen, the only member of the party who did not accompany us being the gunner's mate, who had borrowed my Mauser pistol and was busy stalking the village magpie, apparently the only bird on the island. There was some business going on in the village, and in particular we noticed a hawker sitting on a very small stool between two boxes, smoking his pipe and displaying his wares, but there was nothing very tempting, the goods being principally shoddy jewellery and imitation jade. It soon became evident that the inhabitants thought I was a Russian, for an evil-smelling crowd had collected around me to stare. I bore the ordeal pretty well until a man with dog-skin over- alls joined the sightseers, when the stench of his half-cured, wet nether garments became too much for us and we all scrambled back to the beach, after having spent an hour and a half in one of the unknown parts of China. We sighted no mines on that day's cruise, but kept a steady course, and 12 knots an hour brought us to the usual anchorage at 5.30, when Arai and myself were soon busy preparing for 238 WITH TOGO. my trip to Port Arthur. Lieutenant Yamanashi came from the Fuso to tell me that the Admiral had given him orders to accompany me, and he had called to ask what arrangements I had made. He apologised for the early hour that it would be necessary to start, but for that, he said, I must blame the military authorities who controlled the train service. " The train starts," he said, " at 6.30, and the picquet boat will leave in time to catch it." He then presented me with a map of Port Arthur, as he said it would be interesting to mark out our course. " And," he added, " I will write the names of the forts and places we visit in English for you." It was dark when Aral called me, and I went aboard the picquet boat, which steamed alongside the flagship to pick up Yamanashi and an orderly. Dawn was just tinting the horizon as we reached the military pier, from which we walked to the railway station. At the further end of the town we met a number of naval and mihtary officers, all bound for Port Arthur, and amongst them I met my old friend the captain of the Kimana Maru, bluff and hearty as ever. There was a long delay, as some trains of Russian pri- soners were expected. These arrived at 9 o'clock, and at 9.15 when they had discharged their un- happy freight we steamed out. Soldiers were in charge of the stations all along the Une. At the junction we met the train from Liao-Yang, which was made [up of trucks and horse-boxes. A WITH TOGO. 239 number of wounded Japanese were packed in the horse-boxes, in the sides of which square holes had been roughly cut for ventilation and light. Our journey resembled a triumphal progress, for 1 * i'\% k z ®- •i^^ fh J-/^# I- ■a t a nearly all the Chinese in the country through which we 'passed turned out to see the train, and, of course, to " Banzai." I noticed that whenever I showed "myself at the window the enthusiasm increased, and I was beginning to 240 WITH TOGO. feel that my own estimation of my importance perhaps erred on the side of modesty, when Yamanashi said : " They have all turned out to see General Stoessel, who is coming back in this carriage." The people, clad in blue and red, made a fine splash of colour in the monotonous landscape. We passed a frozen lake, its glassy surface gleaming in the sun Uke a polished mirror, and aU along the dusty roads were strings of horses and the cele- brated Chinese transport-carts — clumsy vehicles drawn by miscellaneous teams of donkeys, horses and cows. In one instance I noticed a dog straining along as leader. Very few trees were to be seen, and those only grew in the villages and graveyards. Bird life was represented solely by chattering magpies, each village housing a pair, whose ragged nest was generally to be seen in the tallest tree. We stopped at a station to allow two trains full of prisoners to pass. I noticed that they con- tained mostly sailors, and I concluded that there must be very few prisoners left in Port Arthur, as the sailors were to be the last to leave. They were, on the whole, very quiet, but some were cheerful and jested with their sprightly guards. Children from the village trooped out to " Banzai " us, and the men of the regiment that was travelUng in our train amused themselves by throwing pieces of biscuit and pickles to them. I saw one soldier lean down to give a paper of sugar to a little girl, who tasted it, threw the paper down WITH TOGO. 241 and went off disgusted, making wry grimaces. These poor little girls hobble along on their heels, their feet are so tightly bandaged, and the pain caused by walking must be excruciating, and they twist the poor, deformed stump at all angles to ease the pressure. On leaving this station the train skirted Pigeon Bay, with its picturesque islands, and the journey ended at a station about seventeen miles from Port Arthur, the remainder of the line being damaged. Here I met several of the correspondents who had come to see General Stoessel. As the crow flies, the dis- tance from the town was only three Japanese miles, but the Japanese, liberal in this as in everything, give many furlongs to their mile, and measured by the English standard it was about fifteen miles. There was a great deal of bustle and preparation at the station, which was decorated with evergreens, and it seemed strange to see a number of droskies driven by Russian drivers, clad in greatcoats, Russian boots and fur caps of the Cossack type. The train drew up between two lines of Russian prisoners, numbering about two thousand. They were standing easy, in some cases sitting down making tea. Among them servants were pushing their way with portmanteaux, dressing-bags and other European baggage, which seemed strangely out of place on this dusty Manchurian station. A group of Japanese officers, drawn up at the door of the station-master's office, waited to receive the Russian commander-in-chief. Some tem- 16 242 WITH TOGO. porary sheds had been erected to accommodate the earlier Russian arrivals, and it was a painful sight to see the ladies and children there, the former dressed in mourning and the children, in happy, careless innocence, playing merrily near, failing to realise the awful tragedy that had afflicted their mothers. Presently the station was cleared, and everyone stood at attention as a tall, fine-looking man, upright, and with somewhat cynical features, marched through with firm, deliberate tread, acknowledging the salutes of the Japanese officers as he passed. It was General Stoessel, the hero of Port Arthur. The Japanese, with chivalrous consideration, avoided as far as possible anything that might emphasize the brave general's unfor- tunate position, and with the exception of the guard of honour and a few soldiers, whose duties necessitated their presence, the Japanese troops were drawn up among the foothills, a mile away. A special room had been prepared for the Russian General, to which he was at once conducted, and there he received his staff, giving them his last orders. When the baggage had all been stowed on the train the officer in charge pohtely informed General Stoessel that they were ready to start, and the general and his wife and children at once took their places, followed by the staff. The remainder of the prisoners filed in and the train steamed out of the station amidst the hearty " Banzais " of the Japanese. All the Russian officers wore their swords, in accordance with the WITH TOGO. 243 terms of the surrender, arid were in new great- coats, looking very smart and holding themselves proudly. From the station Yamanashi and I, accom- panied by a couple of Chinamen with donkeys bearing our baggage, set forth on foot towards General Nogi's head-quarters, procuring on our way permits authorising us to pass the picquets. We reached the village close to head-quarters, and made our way to the office of the naval attach^. The road in front had been converted into stables, some rough sheds which had been erected sheltering the horses belonging to the staff. Two of these animals were pointed out to me as General Stoessel's chargers ; one a serviceable bay, rough-coated, the other a grey Arab of about fifteen hands. Entering the house we saw, in the front room, a fat woman engaged in cooking. The room seemed to be kitchen, dwelUng and sleeping-room com- bined. Turning to the right, through a door- way, we found two small rooms leading into one another. In the first were some sailor order- lies, and in the second the commander, who was sitting on a high bench close to the window, studying a plan. A small brazier stood by his side, at which he lighted his cigarette, and warmed his fingers from time to time. The room had quite a cosy appearance, hangings of matting concealing the dirty walls. On the floor, in a shallow depression about eighteen inches square, a charcoal fire smouldered, warming the atmo- 16* 244 WITH TOGO. sphere. The window was papered, instead of being glazed, in order to moderate the glare of the sun, and also to ensure privacy. By telephone and telegraph the commander was in constant touch with the authorities, and could communicate with Tokyo in ten minutes. We drank tea, smoked and chatted pleasantly for about an hour, while a messenger was taking my card to General Nogi. He returned with the message that the General was away " on business "(in the Japanese services this expression is used instead of " on duty "). We discussed the situa- tion and the respective advantages of pushing on to Port Arthur at once or stopping at the village for the night and resuming our journey in the morning. We decided to go on at once. Preceded by the donkeys we left the village, my appearance creating much interest among the natives and Japanese soldiers, for my fur coat and cap gave me an appearance not unlike that of a Cossack. The Japanese soldiers, to use an American expression, could not " size me up " at all. We passed the artillery park, with its silent monsters whose mouths had so lately breathed forth shot and shell into the forts and trenches of Port Arthur, and I was anxious to take a snapshot of the great weapons, but the sentry forbade. My friend pointed out the advantages of the place from a strategical point of view, but my sense of the artistic compelled me to appreciate more the marvellous beauty of the grand moun- SCENES ON THE ROAD TO PORT ARTHUR. Staff-Lieut. Tamanashi. HH ^^^^^^B* ^^^^^r^ ^P^ li^ii fli pj V^ -J^9^^2|^B yH Mi^^^^B P^^^^^^^^^H^^^^K^^J^^I ^H^ _^ , . , ■ < ^ , , '»^ y y ^f. ■' ^^^5ISj i^^BM|^^ The Naval Brigade returning from Port Arthur. Wounded officer going to the rea-. \_To face page 2^4. WITH TOGO. 245 tains than their adaptability to the require- ments of modern armies. As the sun declined we entered a sort of khor, or defile, walking in the dry bed of a torrent. The valley was Uttered with scrap iron, the fragments of Russian shells harmlessly spent among the rocks and boulders. The Japanese big guns, using smokeless powder, were well sheltered behind the dip of the hills which ran into this gorge, and they were the guns whose slight fumes I could detect from my moun- tain top, but the guns themselves I had always failed to locate. It soon became evident that we should not reach Port Arthur that night, but Yamanashi comforted me by saying that we should be heartily welcomed in any of the camps. While inspecting a big gun and its carriage, which blocked our pathway, a naval officer rode towards us on horseback, and I at once recognised Com- mander Nishi. "Why," he said, "it's old Wright! Don't you bother about walking, old chap, I can get you all the horses you want and you can ride the rest of the way into Port Arthur." But I declined his offer, explaining that I could see more on foot than on horseback. " But you can't possibly get to the town to- night," he said. " You had better go and call on my cousin, General Ichinohe, who will be very pleased to see you. He has already heard a lot about you. His camp is on the side of the next mountain, about 2,000 metres off." He left us, saying that we should be sure to 246 WITH TOGO. meet again ere long, and we continued our journey. The sun had just gone down behind the hill, and faint, gauze-like streaks of smoke hung over the defile, linking the hills as with fairy bridges. As we turned into the valley a busy scene met our gaze. Soldiers were at work everywhere. Some were cooking, others washing, and there were all the cheerful sounds of a busy camp. Squads were falling in for picquet and night duty, and the sharp notes of the bugle rang loud and clear at the head of the vsdley, where a regiment was mustering for a march north. Batteries of artillery were also rum- bling off, and in the distance a cloud of dust showed the position of the advance guard. These troops were destined to take part in the great battle of the Shaho. This camp, unlike the others, had been in the danger zone, and well within the range of the enemy's gun and rifle fire ; consequently the soldiers were all living in caves and bomb-proof shelters. Even the lava- tories were in deep pits with bomb-proof roofs and sides. A few tents, however, had been pitched since the surrender. We witnessed a sad scene on the other side of the valley, where soldiers were performing the last sad offices for their fallen comrades, the bodies being disinterred and carried to the ovens for cremation. We directed our steps to the head-quarters of the 6th Brigade. I had heard often of General Ichinohe, the gallant officer who, sword in hand, was wont to spring to the head of his troops and WITH TOGO. 247 personally lead them to the attack. He was remarkable for his habit of wearing a white obfi, or band, which made him conspicuous to his men — and also to the Russians. He possessed to the full the spirit of the old Samurai. We ascended to his quarters by a number of steps, roughly cut over the flat roofs of the bomb-proofs, threading our way to a second steep pathway, at the end of which, on a little platform quarried out of the hillside, was the general's house. The New Year customs had evidently been strictly observed by the general, for half-a-dozen young fir-trees were planted in the cases of shells which had failed to burst and made excellent flower-pots. The house was half cave and half hut, leaving a tiny space for a garden — surely the most unique garden in the world. In the small enclosure, besides the trees, Russian shells of various sizes and shapes were arranged like a small shrubbery, and against the low fence trailed a solitary spray of hardy creeper. The door opened at the side into the little garden. The interior was a model of a Japanese house, the floor being raised a few inches, leaving a square depression by the door- way for the removing of boots. The general was writing, seated on the floor in front of the usual low table. He had, apparently, just finished his supper, for the remains were on another table beside him. He protested at my taking my boots off, but I insisted and crept forward, saluting him in Japanese style, that is, bowing in a kneeUng position. Tea was served, and through 248 WITH TOGO. Yamanashi I entered into conversation with him. He said he had heard of me, and was very pleased to meet me. Would I sleep there ? If so, he would at once give orders for my accommodation, although he was afraid his means of making me comfortable were very limited. He asked me a number of questions about my family, and told me of his. I then asked him to tell me something about his fighting exploits, but on this subject he was extremely reticent. " If you wish to see the forts," he said, changing the subject, " I will send my orderly with you to-morrow. He has been through all the fighting with me and can explain everything." J thanked him for his kind offer, and he handed me cigarettes and cigars, himself smoking the small silver pipe. Hot sak^ was brought in, and we pledged each other, and then, remem- bering that he was busy when I entered, I took leave of him. He sent his aide-de-camp to take charge of me, a charming young fellow, who had been wounded in the head by a piece of shell during the final attack, and was still wearing a bandage. He found us quarters in a bomb-proof on the second tier. It seemed rather insecure, wobbling whenever we moved, but it was very comfortable. It was draped with mats, and a pile of red blankets and a glowing brazier made it a cosy place in which to pass the chilly night. Cigarettes, oranges, sweetmeats, and a bottle of sak^ were sent to us by the general, to which Yamanashi, the aide-de-camp, and myself did full WITH TOGO. 249 justice. But these were merely a preliminary, for the dinner that followed was as good as if we had been in Tokyo. There was ham, eggs, rice, fish, omelettes, and last, but not least, a sort of haricot of beef and Chinese cabbage. This final dish was sent not merely to satisfy our hunger, for the Japanese strttach to it a special significance. It is intended to express the sender's feeling of great friendship for the recipient, and I much appreciated the general's kindly sentiment. The aide-de-camp apologised for the unavoidable absence of his chief, saying : " I am deputed to represent him, and we are going to eat together a dish of stew which we shall also cook." A brazier of charcoal was brought in, and on this was placed a pan. Slices of raw beef, cut very thin, vegetables, sauces and condiments were placed on a table by the side, and with our chop- sticks we placed the meat and vegetables in the pan and added water, sugar, salt and soyu — an excellent sauce peculiar to Japan. The meat was turned over from time to time, and when it was cooked, each of us selected the piece he fancied, and of course could suit his own taste as to whether it was weU cooked or underdone. It is a dish that is only eaten by intimate friends. Having heard of the custom I understood its significance, and felt much honoured at such a mark of esteem. The orderly brought in more blankets and another brazier, together with candles and 2SO WITH TOGO. matches, and I lay down and fell into one of those pleasant, dreamless sleeps that generally foUow a fatiguing day. The sharp sound of the bugle awoke us in the morning and we arose at once. Everything neces- sary for my comfort had been thought of, even to an extra large basin of hot water. I only managed to get a " lick and a promise," however, for the water froze on my towel. Icicles, too, quickly decorated my tooth-brush, and I was glad when my toilet was finished. Outside, groups of men were tr5dng to perform their ablutions at the ice hole in the stream. Every man was most particular about cleaning his teeth, taking a long time over it and walking about with the tooth- brush sticking out of his mouth and giving a vigorous scrub from time to time. After break- fast I went to wish General Ichinohe " Syanora." I found him outside his quaint garden. We chatted together for some time and he again ex- pressed his pleasure at meeting me. He also made me a present of some warm red flannel underclothing and a pair of mits, knitted by one of his daughters. In such weather a more accept- able present could not have been made. His orderly turned up in heavy marching order, and with final adieux I left him and started on my tour of inspection. Masses of troops were mustering in companies and regiments preparatory to marching north, and also a number of men were practising the various bugle calls. I asked the orderly why The Dockyard, Dalny. The figure is myself, in furs. Entraining gans for Harbin. Moat round the Double Dragon Fort. The wall is sixty feet high and de- fended at the bottom by quickfirers. Russian gun on Double Dragon Fori. Note the breech block is out, and shot in tray, showing the hurried flight of the Russian Artillerymen. \J face page 25c. WITH TOGO. 251 there were so many buglers, and he said that such a large number of buglers got killed that they were constantly compelled to train new ones. We made our way up the dry bed of a spruit, at every angle of which were holes and shelters and also shell splinters, caps and bloody rags — striking evidence of the heavy gun fire which had been brought to bear on the place. But the Japanese soldiers wefe fast clearing everything away, for the importance of hygiene is fully realised in the army, and nothing is ever left to become a danger or even a nuisance. To this is largely due the wonderful health of the army, which has astonished everyone. Where this spruit narrowed and became too small, the Japanese sappers' wonderful work began, and we entered miles of rifle trenches and parallels which were a marvel of human industry. The work involved by this extensive sapping must have been enormous. In some parts the ground was tunnelled, in others huge beams of wood and sand had afforded the soldiers shelter from the storm of projectiles. We followed the trenches of these marvellous approaches until we came to a fort which was named after General Ichinohe. It was not a permanent work, but it had been a position of great strength, being covered by machine guns and rifles from a dozen other forts, and, further, it had a bolt hole (a deep, well-protected trench as broad as a Devonshire lane) through an opening in the old Chinese wall. This Chinese wall was, with the addition of sandbags, a perfect defence 252 WITH TOGO. for riflemen and for machine guns. A deep ditch outside added to its strength, and shell- proof dens were excavated on the inside which afforded shelter for the defenders. In almost a straight line, about three hundred yards higher, was Signal HiU, with the Japanese colours blowing bravely out in the south wind and a kharki sentinel standing motionless between two guns of large calibre. One of these guns had about three feet knocked off the muzzle, the elevating gear of each was destroyed and they were seared and scored, and in some places actually fused by the Shimosi powder. Port Arthur harbour, with the dockyard and sunken battleships, lay beneath us. Following the ridge built up of sand- bags with loop holes, and further protected by barbed wire, we turned downwards to the military road, which was beautifully made and strongly fortified. There we halted to survey a scene of devastation unparalleled in the annals of the world. For miles the whole of the mountain tops had been converted into piles of debris, their original character and shape being completely destroyed. In places the earth was so riddled that it actually quaked like a dry quicksand as we walked over it. It seemed as if some Titanic stonebreaker had been at work. Here and there lay fragments of guns and their carriages, and shells, blood- stained clothing, and all the litter of a battlefield mingled with the mass of debris. By the side of the road a trench ran, and caves had been ex- cavated in the mountain side and supported by WITH TOGO. 253 huge beams. Several heaps of brick and portions of masonry showed the positions of the kitchens, for it was in these dens that the heroic Russian defenders lived. We followed the road to Double Dragon Fort, the scene of the disastrous explosion. The broad moat would have disheartened any other soldiers in the world, but the Japanese Army attacked it again and again, yet it was only when the mines had done their work that they were able to enter. The original shape of this fort was difficult to discover, for it was as if a volcanic eruption had occurred altering the contour of the land. We entered the fort through a small door hewn in the rock, and a steep incline with steps at long intervals took us to the top. On entering the doorway we noticed a long gallery, loop-holed for machine guns, and a similar gaUery ran around the summit. The battlements were of soUd con- crete, but they and the guns were quite destroyed and looked as though a tidal wave had passed over them. I entered one of the bomb-proofs, beneath the bed of the guns. It was lined with big baulks of timber and was designed for the gunners to creep into when the fire became too hot. It reminded me of Cardinal Balne's cage, for it was impossible to sit, stand, or lie down in it. We made our way to where the northern corner of the fort had been, but nothing was visible but debris, shreds of flesh, bones and scraps of uni- form — grim testimony to the awful nature of the explosion. At the other comer a deep hole had 254 WITH TOGO. been blown out of the side of the mountain. We dimbed down the hundred yards or so of slope to see the subterranean passage, but found it choked with rubbish. We returned to the military road, for we had seen enough at Double Dragon Fort. The whole road and the trenches were a continuous line of wreckage, and we noticed bloodstained stretchers, half-eaten pieces of black bread, and boots scat- tered everywhere. As we reached the gates of the city we saw that the last formidable obstruc- tion was a number of trees, laid boughs outwards, zareba fashion, and barbed wire. It was there that the Japanese made a rush to capture the city with their swords, but they had to retire, leaving the plain strewn with their dead and the wire entanglement broken down by the weight of its ghastly burden. We passed through the gates, which were merely rough pointed stakes with a palisade of the same material on either side, A number of quickfirers studded the hill- side from the emplacements that commanded the entrance. Outside, a ditch and glacis completed the defence works. A short distance inside the gate on the left was the site of one of the arsenals, a heap of cartridge cases, quickfiring and rifle, showing the completeness of its destruction. The heap had a mildewy appearance from the effect of the guncotton, and there were lumps of brass which had melted and cooled into curious shapes. A few hundred yards below there were more bomb-proofs and cave dwellings, and near by SCENES IN PORT ARTHUR. My dioski in Port Arthur. Ruined by a shell. The wrecked music hall in which the Russian officers were enjoying themselves on Feb. 8, 1904. ;^^W'>^"' '''^'*^ ■mssS-^-'i' , ■■-■. •ia^;iiiam .ias.'iKA:,i;r-.V'a 'ja ^B^tt- ^Kftii. ii ^r f:^^'^ ^ 1 fi M-- 1 ,..: I W^K^&--J '"'^^-r* '- . "f'_f» . ■"^T™^*^ -fc*!*; '^^ ■■ ' •*' -. r^""«^^'^ipsjaMiia Friends and foes. Japanese soldiers assist the wounded Russians, Port Arthur Japanese picket in Port Arthur. \To face-*age 254. WITH TOGO. 255 was the Russian hospital. Since the surrender, however^ the town had become full of hospitals, the Red Cross and the Japanese flag, flying side by side, denoting their positions. The road wound round the foot of a hill, on which some very handsome houses stood, not much damaged, but the old town, which was built by the Chinese, had suffered severely. In the square a solitary drosky stood, and Rus- sians, Chinese and Japanese crossed and recrossed ,the plaza, and ladies and children walked and drove about in perfect confidence and security. No houses had been looted, for the Japanese sealed them up immediately on taking possession. Anyone found in one was at once arrested and taken before the authorities. We passed through the square and found ourselves in the main street. There many of the houses showed signs of the terrific bombardment. The music haU was smashed in and completely wrecked, being, like most of the places where the chief damage was done, in a direct hne with the dockyard and ships, and, in consequence, struck by the shells that fell short of the harbour. In the roadway huge holes had been torn by these shells. A sharp turn brought us to the esplanade and harbour. The Russian ships were lying aground, the masts and funnels being upright, which made me think that they were not seriously damaged. Along the waterside were warehouses, offices and the railway station, with a number of engines and roUing stock. These had been damaged 2 56 WITH TOGO. principally by the Russians themselves, but there were some characteristic markings of Japanese shells. The anchor of the Retsivan, which had been planted in the roadway, had dragged and ploughed through the hard macadam with the weight of the ship as she sank. The Bay an cruiser faced the harbour entrance, which was still draped with a torpedo net. We crossed another bridge and, entering the dockyard gate, reported ourselves to the officer in charge. The dockyard staff were occupying the official residences of the late harbour-master, and Yamanashi and I were told off to the quarters of the Chief Engineer. We entered a long puzzling passage, rather like a cloister, at the end of which was a small hall, which had been turned into a kitchen. We were then ushered into a dining- room of fine proportions, divided in the centre by a handsome carved open-work screen, sup- ported on two massive pillars. One side of the room was bulging in from the effect of an ex- plosion outside. In the left-hand corner, standing against the wall, a Russian stove reached as high as the ceiling and gave a generous warmth. Two beds, with a press between, stood by the side wall, the further end was furnished with a very hand- some sideboard, and by the side of it was a third bed. Two windows lighted the apartment, and at one was a writing table, and under the second were two box mattresses. There was also a very handsome cockatoo in a cage, which one of the officers was teaching to say " Banzai," but, being WITH TOGO. 257 a Russian J he found it difficult. In the centre of the room stood the dining-table, seven chairs, a settee and two saddle-bags. Two occasional tables in black lacquer ornamented with designs of mother-of-pearl completed the furniture of the room. The engineer and some officers were seated around the table smoking cigarettes and doing their business. The Chief Engineer greeted me very warmlyj and introduced me to the other members of the mess. In the evening I walked along the water's edge to the new town, where aU the houses seemed to be turned into hospitals. The heu^bour is very beautiful, and Liao-tau-shan, with its 1,500 feet, dominates the whole bay. Tiger Island lies right in front of the town, forming the two entrances to the harbour, and Golden Hill, on the opposite side of the harbour's mouth, protects the dock- yard from the sea. The sunken Palada was lying just beneath, and four iron smoke stacks rising from a blackened heap of scrap iron was all that remained of the great floating oil tank. The sunken battleships — helpless monsters — seemed to fill the small anchorage. Three hospital ships, one half sunk, were anchored just under Tiger Island, and funnels and masts projecting from the water marked the graves of several small craft. The new town is beautifully laid out with fine streets and boulevards, and there is also the beginnings of a pubhc garden. It was very pathetic to see the number of masterless dogs, and I noticed a beautiful Gordon setter wandering 17 258 WITH TOGO. restlessly round the cemetery, every few moments sitting down on his haunches hopelessly and howling dismally. But these poor animals had kind protectors in the Japanese. It was difficult to realise that the town had changed hands so recently, for perfect order was maintained and many of the tradespeople were doing a brisk business. There was no looting or rioting, and children went to school and ladies walked about in perfect security. There was a fair number of droskies on the stands, but of course the miHtary had the first claim on these, and they had ordained that no one might hire one for more than three hours. This was a necessary precaution, so that if any emergency arose and the Government required the horses, they could be collected in a very short time. We got into a drosky driven by a good-looking young Russian, who was a bit of a humorist. He rattled us along at ten miles an hour, shouting at everybody and everything in the way. A regiment of soldiers was coming along in front of us, and I naturally expected our noisy droskyman would give way, but not a bit of it ! He continued his noisy ejaculations and the whole regiment made a half turn out of our way ! I mention this incident to point out the absence of anything ap- proaching arrogance on the part of the con- querors. A military occupation usually results in a certain amount of official tyranny, but these model soldiers seemed to efface themselves, leaving most of the policing of the city to the Chinamen. Deck of the Poltau, showing bags of coal and slack for shell protection, which proved ineffectual. Inside the barbette of a Russian battleship at Port Arthur Harbour. The top was blown off by a mine, placed there by the Russians. [To face pa^e 258. 259 CHAPTER XII. Port Arthur^ — The damage done by the bombardment — Aboard the sunken battleships — The effect of a plunging fire — I visit 203 Metre Hill — The desolation and the unburied dead — Alexieff's mansion— On board the Tainan Maru again — We sail to Japan — I visit Admiral Togo — Farewell to Japan. At 7.0 the next morning our household awoke. There were no baths, but in the hall — or kitchen — outside our sailor-men provided us with a big basin of hot water. After breakfast Yamanashi and I discussed our plans, and the Chief Engineer very kindly placed one of the captured steam launches at our disposal, so that we might inspect the battleships. We first visited the Palada, which lay exactly opposite the harbour-master's house on the other side of the inner harbour. We got on board, and found that she had been set on fire. Coals, coal-bags and old hawsers, all covered with sheets of iron, had failed to pro- tect the decks, one shell going through the lot as easily as if it were sheets of paper. Everything had been soaked in oil, and the wood of the deck burnt, buckling the iron deck beneath and leaving the lines of rivets sticking out, making 17* 26o WITH TOGO. our walk over her very unpleasant, being con- stantly tripped up by them. The upper works were much damaged, but the bottom seemed to be sound. The Peresviet was the next, and we boarded her with some difficulty, as the accommodation- ladder swung loosely and all the gratings were gone. The deck was a scene of confusion. As in the case of the Palada, it had been saturated with oil and burnt out. The fore-turret, or bar- bette, was partially destroyed and the guns and gear smashed, although the guns seemed as if they might be rendered serviceable. The upper part of the barbette was partially blown off, and one of the heavy top plates had been deposited on the deck. The remaining part of the barbette was loosened and looked like a bursting pome- granate. The bridge was destroyed and the conning-tower completely wrecked. The fire had scorched and blackened everything and apparently a shell which had burst in the conning-tower had also perforated the deck in many places. All the ironwork in the vicinity was cut to ribbons, like the rags of a topsail blown from its bolt ropes. What the Japanese shells left, fire had made havoc with. In one place on the bridge the fire still smouldered, as one of our sailors accidentally discovered by standing on the spot. The funnels, too, had suffered, one of them being but a dis- torted mass of scrap iron. The after-bridge was much in the same condition as the fore-bridge, but most of the shell damage had been obhterated WITH TOGO. 261 by the fire. The bottom of the ship was sound, but what had happened in the engine-room was a mystery which could only be revealed when the water had been pumped out. On the Retsivan the damage was very similar. The tops of the barbettes were completely blown off, and the working gear of the guns smashed. We got up on the top of the ruined turret and walked round, at the risk of our necks, to have a thorough look into this well of destruction. The bridges were not so much damaged as in the Peresviet, but they were in a very dilapidated and charred condition. The fate of these ships proves beyond doubt that to use wood in battleship construction is a mistake, for, had there been no wood, the damage would have been comparatively smaU. The tide being high at this time, I could not go below, but merely glanced down the open hatchway. About the deck there was a miscellaneous col- lection of various articles which had escaped the fire, including instructive and valuable documents and charts, novels, magazines and newspapers, clothes, linen, hair brushes and combs, soap, towels, and all sorts of cabin furniture. This seemed to point to the fact that the decision to abandon the ships was arrived at suddenly, and that the arrangements for burning them were hurried and, in consequence, faulty. I arrived at the conclusion that these battleships would all be floated within a few months. The Poltava had a big hole in the bottom, which 262 WITH TOGO. was all the damage the diver could discover. Her bridge was in pretty much the same con- dition as that of the others. The sides of all the ships looked very smart, as the boiling oil had run down, making an even polish to the water's edge. We went to the mouth of the harbour, to see the blocking ships. On the port side, going out, two ships of the first attempt were aground beneath Golden HiU fort, the nearer of the two, rusted and slimed with a year's growth of seaweed, was the one that was commanded by the gallant Hirose. The Russians, towards the end, had sunk half a dozen more vessels right across the entrance, and the masts and funnels had the appearance of the stunted remains of a primeval forest, making the navigation very difficult for anything larger than the vedette boat, which, since the Japanese occupation, had brought supplies from Dalny every day. We returned to the landing-place where the Red Cross hospital corps was assisting the wounded and sick Russian soldiers who were being brought from the hospitals on the island of Manjusan. The gentle care with which the Japs helped their stricken foes up the steps of the landing to the stretchers was a touching sight and one that I shall not easily forget. Making a tour of the dockyard we found that the buildings had suffered considerably, one big shell having caused nearly as much destruction as a mine. The machinery was damaged, but a Deck of the Peresviet showing coal bags to protect the deck. Decks heaped with coal and gravel ; Port Arthur town at the back. The barbette of the Poltaa. Amongst the ruins of the Poltau. \To face f age 262. WITH TOGO. 263 great deal of it could, no doubt, be repaired. The fine pair of shears was not damaged, with the exception of two 6-in. shot holes, about nine feet from the top. In the dry dock the Amur mine-ship lay on her side like a helpless whale, riddled with shot, the funnels and mast resting on the edge of the basin. But the greatest damage had been done at the entrance, where dynamite or mines had blown the gates out of existence and completely wrecked the hydraulic gear. Already, however, there was a new dock- gate ready to be launched. In the basin two or three steamers and other vessels were sunk, but about twenty small steamboats, from pin- naces to tugs, and one good steamer of 400 tons (probably the one that plied to Chefoo), were in excellent condition and most of them in use. The bands were playing, for General Ichiji was taking over the town as Governor-General of Liao-tang, and I procured a drosky and drove to the square to see the ceremony. It was foggy the next morning, but towards noon it cleared a little and I hired a junk, as the steam launch was not available, and went to the Pohieta. The first-named battleship looked a pitiable object and was much knocked about. All her 6-in. guns were destroyed, evidently by the Russians themselves. The "muzzles were blown off, the turrets were roofless, and an attempt to destroy the barbette had evidently been made, although unsuccessfully. Gun cotton had been used, making a slight mark 264 WITH TOGO. on the nluzzles, but much of the explosive had come out and was scattered about the deck. They must have been good guns to stand such a test. Fire had done the chief damage in this instance as in the others. The mainmast had bent and was lying right over the water, and the great umbrella top had evidently been wrecked by shells. The tide being out I went below. The oily planks, at an angle of 25 degrees, were not easy to walk upon. The course of the shells was easily traceable by shafts of brilliant sun- light that streamed through the holes. One ii-in. shell had apparently pierced but not burst, although fragments of other shells were scattered everywhere. Generally the shells had ripped through both decks and, probably, down through the bottom. Over the engine room torpedo nets were spread, but as no shell had come that way the efficacy of such a protection could not be gauged. The ironwork about the hatchways was cut and gashed, and a huge copper kettle, capable of holding about a hundred gallons of tea, was cut right through. Papers, sailors' bags full of clothes, loose clothes, hammocks, blankets, all preserved in oil, lay in confused masses about the deck. The armour, so far as I could see, was untouched, and as the fire had been what is known as a plunging fire, it was not likely the sides would be put to the test. Around the funnel casings a large pile of spars and beams were placed, five deep, but the shells had gone right through them. The bulwarks had suffered Destroyed gun on the Pobieta. Direction of a Japanese shell, through upper and main deck. * Sheets of iron proved no protection. On the after-bridge. The black arch at the top is the angle of the mast which fell over the side. The Amur, Russian mine ship, wrecked in the dock at Port Arthur. Alexieff's house on the top of the hill. \To ^ace page 2641 WITH TOGO. 26s and a heavy crane derrick had been snapped off by a shot. What I saw on the Pobieta convinced me that no battleship can venture with saiety near any harbour with high land, for these plunging shells, I believe, would go through even an armoured deck if there were such a thing. An experiment with armoured plates firmly fastened to a deck and tested by means of a plunging fire would be interesting and instructive. We went from the Pobieta to the Palada again. She lay with her bow to the harbour entrance, almost in a direct line with the two white beacons on the hill. The daring of the Japanese torpedo ofi&cers had been thoroughly appreciated by the Russians, for a torpedo net was spread in front of her. I do not think the Japanese Commander-in-Chief would have allowed any of his torpedo boats to run the gauntlet of the mines, booms and quick-firers to torpedo a vessel in the harbour, but I am certain that any of those torpedo commanders would not have hesitated a moment if ordered to do so, and the Russians seemed to have been of the same opinion. Two big spars spread the net, keeping it clear of the ship, the ends being looped up like curtains. There was the same wreckage that I had observed in the other vessels, the rigging was hanging in bights, and the quick-firers had all been removed. On the after-bridge, on the port side, the last quick-firer had apparently been removed in a 266 WITH TOGO. desperate hurry, for a box of engineers' tools lay open, and some of the instruments were lying beside the circular mark on the wood where the gun had stood. There was a big upheaval on the after-deck just by the captain's cabin, which was caused by a torpedo that had been run at the stern to damage the shaft and steering gear, but had struck high, blowing a hole large enough for a rickshaw to drive through and doing much damage to the captain's cabin. All the handsome uniforms, linen, etc., were hanging about in shreds. As I left the ships I noticed that the anchor hanging at the bows of the Pohieta was broken off at tfte neck by a shot. The weather having quite cleared we decided to visit 203 Metre Hill. We secured the services of a bright, intelligent-looking young Chinaman to carry our coats, our orderly being loaded with rations and water, and started out across the new city until we came to the main road, which took us to the top of one of the fortified hills. From there we struck straight across in the direction of the hill of tragic memory, but we made rather slow progress as our path was ob- structed by wire and rifle trenches. At i o'clock we sat down beneath the hill to lunch, our meal consisting of army biscuits. Armour ration and a pot of pickles, washed down by cold tea. Groups of soldiers and strings of coolies were wandering about the top of the hill, and what their object was we could easily guess. That hill had cost Japan 20,000 men and the Russian loss was Fragment of the mighty derrick on one of the Russian battleships at Port Arthur. ' Tliese bolts are all that remained of the deck except the iron floor, which was buckled up, the woodwork being entirely destroyed. [To face page 264. WITH TOGO. 267 nearly as heavy. From a lower ridge, dark, sullen clouds of smoke arose at intervals. " They are burning the dead," said Yamanashi. The top of the hill is slightly saddle-backed, on the higher hunch the monument stands out clear and shining. We ascended by a military track, which was, in places, rendered easier for traffic by means of sandbags. A small convoy of pack-horses passed us, guarded by some soldiers, and we halted and saluted as it passed. A long open box, like a washtray, stood near, in which lay a soldier sleeping the long sleep with his face to the sky. The side of the hill was pitted and dented by shell marks as though preparations were being made for a plantation of young trees. On the crest of the range and to the left 203 Metre Hill rose still higher. Every inch of the ground around us had been ploughed by the projec- tiles. The remains of gun-pits and emplace- ments covered the side of the hill. The know- ledge of the tragic drama which had been performed there filled us with awe. The rocks were ground to powder and the hill was little more than a great mound of soft, yielding dust. A slight breeze stirred, lifting this dust, which was so fine that it floated upward and remained suspended in the air. The discs of Japanese shells were thick upon the ground, and rags and splinters of rock and wood lay everywhere. The trenches on this side could scarcely be traced, for they were filled to the level of the 268 WITH TOGO. ground with Russian corpses, burnt beyond recognition. Such a terrible sight I had never looked upon. I have seen death on many battle- fields, but never such wholesale slaughter as I saw that day on 203 Metre Hill. Death must have come terribly suddenly to many of the poor human beings whose corpses filled the ghastly trenches. In one place I saw the naked legs and part of the stomach of a man stiU in the crouching position in which death found him, while, far down the slope, the other half of the body lay strung together by the entrails. Frag- ments of human flesh strewed the hill, and every- where scorched faces with hideous death-grin looked up at us with unseeing eyes from the awful debris. The monument was merely a square wooden post, painted white, on which was written a list of the heroes who had fallen in the great battle. It stood upon a base of sand bags. Nearly three weeks had passed since the battle was fought, but the searchers were still busy and the funeral fires constantly burning. The Russian dead remained where they fell, for there had been no time to bury them. In two respects the battlefield was less horrible than is generally the case when the dead have been left unburied, for there was no stench of putrefaction nor flies rising in clouds as we approached. The rarified, cold air of the north was the cause of the absence of these additional horrors. Port Arthur and its bay lay beneath us, a A battlefield horror. 203 Metre Hill. Field Crematory, 203 Metre Hill, Soldiers in the distance at work, cremating the bodies of their dead comrades. All that remains of the Russian soldiers killed by a Japanese shell, 203 Metre Hill. The monument in the distance, beyond the seated soldier. A Russian trench, actually filled with dead. [To face page 268- WITH TOGO. 269 beautiful panorama, and I shall never forget the scene with its ghastly, haunting foreground. As we turned to leave, one of the Japanese soldiers, who spoke a little English and evidently thought I was a Russian, pointed to a dead Muscovite and said sympathetically : " Is that your dear friend ? " We descended, passing Russians and Japanese walking together in perfect amity. Along the shore-front parties were busy making bonfires of infectious rubbish, and the dead-carts were busy with their burden of washtray-shaped, shrouded bodies. There was no mistaking the palsied motion of the rigid shapes beneath the white sheets, as the carts bumped over the rough ground. At the foot of the hiU we were fortunate in securing a drosky, which carried us the re- mainder of the way home. I paid a visit to Alexieff' s house — an elegant mansion overlooking the dockyard. Two or three large gaps in the high walls enabled the public to view from the road the beautiful garden. A well-paved road from the dockyard leads to the main gates of the house, which stands well back, and is a fine two-storied building with verandahs. The windows are double-sashed, and jalousies shield the room from the summer sun. The garden is well laid out and planted with beauti- ful shrubs and trees, and reminded me of the quadrangle of a first-class German hotel. Most of the furniture had been stacked underneath the portico. We entered from the side through 270 WITH TOGO. the kitchen, a fine big room, and through this we passed to a passage that led to the front hall. A spiral staircase with a very handsome balustrade was the means of ascending to the second story. The first room we entered was the dining-room, and on the very handsome sideboard still stood the liqueur stand and tray, and some half a dozen glasses. Two handsome screens took up one side of the room, one being ornamented with heavy gold dragons on black, and the second with golden birds and flowers. This room opened into another handsomely-furnished apartment. The screens here were of briUiantly-coloured silk, decorated with chrysanthemums and birds and obviously executed by skilled workmen of the East. Another piece of furniture that was worth a day's journey to see was a remarkably handsome table of poUshed green jade, evidently for writing. Darkness was coming on, and we left Alexieff's house and returned to our quarters. We went to bed at once, worn out with our long day. "Tomorrow " began Yamanashi, drowsily. " Let to-morrow come," I said, and fell asleep. The nearest station was seventeen miles away and there were only two trains a day, one at 1.30, the other at 8. At 9 our man told us that he could not get a drosky for love or money, so we hired a couple of coolies and a jinrickshaw to carry our baggage ; and, with a last look at the sunken Russian ships, we bade farewell to our hosts and started forth on our journey. A shrine on 203 Metre Hill. Lieut. Yainanashi doing homage to the dead. Temporary monument on the summi of 203 Metre Hill. ^.■^mn'm WkUl^.:. Guards in charge of burial party, 203 Metre Hill. Wire entanglement, chevaux de frise, at the gates of Port Arthur, [To face page 27c. WITH TOGO. 271 The brisk morning air was delightful, and a tramp of twenty-five miles or so seemed no hardship. We had decided to visit some more forts on our way to the station, so we stepped out briskly. On passing the market square, however, I saw two droskies evidently waiting for a fare, so I approached the driver of one of them and pointed over the distant fortresses to the Dalny road. The driver nodded, and we got into the drosky and left Port Arthur behind two magnificent animals, fresh and fast, passing everything on the road. One drosky, which we overtook, contained a wounded Russian officer and his wife, and a little black terrier which barked his delight at leaving the place, thankful, no doubt, for not having been made into soup. We met regiments of soldiers, Chinese beggars, and trains of the little Japanese transport carts on the road. After a couple of hours' driving we saw a cloud of white steam on the distant ridge as the in- coming train entered the station, and soon after we arrived. There was. a great deal of bustle and excitement there, for artillery and stores were being entrained for the north and there were, besides, a number of passengers for Dalny. We all squeezed into a baggage truck, in which we made the journey, and on reaching Dalny I at once went on board the old Tainan Maru, walking across the ice to the ship. There had been several changes made in my absence, and 272 WITH TOGO. the paymaster and two or three of my friends had been promoted and appointed to other ships. On February 2nd we received sailing orders, our destination being Kure, and we were not sorry at the prospect of soon reaching the warmer chmate of the Inland Sea. My pleasant sojourn with the Japanese Fleet was coming to an end. The ice melted from the sides of the ship as we steamed through the Strait of Gun, Togo's first rendezvous, and we felt comparatively warm when, on February 7th, we glided into Kure. I remained with the ship, and two days later saw the Japanese Nelson go aboard his flagship preparatory to sailing south to meet the Baltic Fleet. On February 12th (which was a public holiday, being the anniversary of the birth of Nippon's first Emperor, who saw the light 2,500 years ago) I went to the Mikassa to call on Admiral Togo. He received me in his cabin and we had a long talk, and he sent me over the ship to see the places that had been damaged. A big shot had passed through the sick room, but without doing much harm, and one of the casemates was in- jured by a shell which had exploded on the deck above and damaged the mainmast. Two-thirds of the girth of the mast had been shot away, leaving very little to support its great weight. Soon afterwards I was ordered to Tokyo. Captain Takahasi, with his wife and their boy and as many of&cers as could be spared, came ■«, WITH TOGO. 273 with me in the dockyard launch to see that I was properly settled on the little steamer that was to bear me away, perhaps for ever, from my dear Nippon friends. I remained on the deck of the steamer until the launch, with its waving crowd of the best and truest friends I have ever made, passed out of sight, and a few days later I was on my way home to England. While preparing for press this account of my experiences with the Japanese Navy, news reached England of the overwhelming success of that navy in its last encounter with the Russian ships — a success which completed and crowned the arduous and gallant work which I had wit- nessed the brave Japanese sailors performing off Port Arthur. By this great victory the Japan Sea becomes the moat of Tokyo, and under the protection of the flag of the Rising Sun, merchant ships of all nations will sail in security through those Eastern waters. New ports, too, will be thrown open to the world, and territory whose inhabitants have been crushed beneath the weight of a Russian occupation wiU come under the beneficent sway of Japan, and the light of civilization, peace and prosperity will shine over the land. Banzai ! LESSONS OF THE WAR. Sea Battles of to-day, as in the past, and possibly in the near future, will be decided by guns. We have no such reports about the Japanese Artillery, which is entirely 18 274 WITH TOGO. Armstrong's, as makes such painful reading in the daily papers of defects in our guns. The system only is to blame ; and this ought not to be, when we have British firms of such high repute as Elswick, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Surely the British Navy and Army ought to be provided with the very best ordnance ; from what I have seen " and heard from various Japanese naval officers," Elswick guns are the first in the world, and that they have fully sus- tained their world-wide reputation under the most severe test, viz., that of actual war service. After hearing these opinions, and, seeing what I have seen I have no hesitation in stating that the whole of our armament ought to be renewed. I claim to know something of this subject, as I watched carefully for seven months the working of these guns having been on nearly every type of ship during that time. To me the doom of the big battleship has already sounded ; her future place will be on the ocean ; for with up-to-date methods of coast defence — which must be the " burning question '' of the immediate future — properly defended narrow seas are unsafe for large craft. Mines, torpedo and submarine will keep them at a distance. So, even in ocean fighting, history is repeating itself, and the day of mosquito craft has again dawned. INDEX Actions off Port Arthur, 178 ; (ill.) 179. Adachi, Lieut., 214. Agriculture in Manchuria, 166. Aihara, Paymaster, 93. Akagi (gunboat), 88. Alexieff, Admiral, 141. Amur (mine ship), 263. Angora goats, 142. Antung, 52. Arai (author's boy), 96, 108, 204. Arakawa, Lieut.-Com., 214. Arima, Admiral, 10. Armstrong, Noble & Co. , Messrs., i Artillery duels, 150. Asahi (vessel), 204. Ashami (cruiser), 57. Askold (cruiser), 119. Author : goes to Japan, i ; arrives at Yokohama, 3 ; arrives at Tokyo, 3 ; applies for permission to go to the front, 3 ; joins the Manchu Maru, II ; visits the Etajima Naval Training School, 15 ; in the danger zone, 21 ; in- spects dockyards and arsenals at Sasebo, 22 ; tries fan paint- ing, 25 ; visits Seoul, 29 ; hears the story of the Emperor's favourite, 46-51 ; undergoes an operation, 53 ; ordered to Sasebo, 61 ; visits the dock- yards at Dalny, 88 ; ap- pointed to the Tainan Maru, 93 ; joins the Nikko Maru, 107 ; interviews Admiral Togo, 1 10 ; paints for Admiral Togo, 114; re- visits the Tainan Maru, 118 ; witnesses a battle, 142 ; tent kit of, 148 ; pitches his tent on So-Cho-Zan moun- tain, 150; ordered to move out of the danger zone, 151 ; in camp, 156 ; letter from Mr. Ono to (ill.), 161 ; makes a trip to the summit of Sho- cho, 165 ; tent of, collapses, 171 ; shifts his tent, 177 ; goes fishing, 185 ; inspects a Chinese temple, 192 ; teaches Japanese sailors English, 212 inspects the sunken battleships at Port Arthur, 259-63 ; visits 203 Metre Hill, 266 ; bids fare- well to Admiral Togo, 272 returns to England, 273. Balne, Cardinal, 253. Baltic fleet, 188, 193, 219. Battle of Liaoyang, 89. Battle of the Shaho, 246. Battle of the Yalu, 17. Bay of Dalny, 144, 187. Bayan (cruiser), 256. Bell, Mr., 5. " Bentu fukuro " (lunch cloth), 100. 2/6 INDEX. Blizzards, 211. Blockade running, :35. Blonde Islands, 56, 78. Bodyguard, author's (ill.). i57- " Bom " (the moon festival), 63. Bombproof shelters, 254. Boyle, Capt., 4. " Bushido " (lit., " duty and patriotism "), 68, 182. Canton Maru (vessel), 203. Cap Island, 170. Capturing junks, 116. Cave dwellings, 254. Censors, 212. " Chanties " (songs), 62. Cheesi Kwang (island), 187. " Cheesi " pipe (little pipe), 68. Chefoo, 90, 109, 195, 200, 206, 234 ; harbour at, 203. Chemulpo, 25, 29 ; lauding at, 30 ; lighthouses at, 26 ; tides at, 29. Chenyen (flagship), 180. Chinese architecture, 35. Chinese "chow" dogs, 135. Chinnambo, 41, 42. Chitose (cruiser), 90, 92. Chusan soldiers, 80. Colquhoun, Mr., 28. Colsacot Bay, 91. Corea, 21. Corea, Straits of, 29. Corean Archipelago, 74. Cossacks, 231. Court of Seoul, intrigues at the, 48. " Creeping " for mines, 95. Custom House at Chemulpo, 30. Czarevitch (battleship), 90. " Daikon " (a large radish), 66. Daimios, 2, 20, 45, 182. Dai-o-noshan (mountain), 83 ; al- titude of, 85. Dalny, 26, 55, 76, 80 ; boulevards in, loi ; breakwater at, 86 ; description of, 86 ; flowers of, 102 ; harbour at, 185 ; natural defences of, 84 ; new barracks at, 205 ; rejoicings at, 222 ; tragic event near, 81. Double Dragon or North Fort, 159, 253, 254. Double Dragon Hill, 213. Droskies, 241, 255, 258, 270. Eagles, 163. Empress of India (vessel), 2. Encounter Rock, 180. Esoe, Lieut.-Com., 215. Etajima, 15, 17 ; naval training school at, 15. Etologh Island, 91. Falke, General, 217. Fan painting, 25. Flowers in Manchuria, 167, 189. Fort Kuropatkin, 160. Fugi (the sacred mountain of Japan), 197. Fukishima (author's boy), 147, 200. Fuso (battleship), 203, 204. Geisha girls, 15, 31. " Gogei " (special edition man), 9, II, 41. Golden HUl, 121, 127, 257. Gromoboi (cruiser), 71. Haiju Bay, 39, 40, 52. Haimoon (vessel), 28. Hakodate, 91. Hankow, 135. Hatsuse (battleship), 203 ; story of the disaster to the, 204. Himalayas, loi. Hirose, Commander, burial of, 9. Hokido Strait, 58. INDEX. 277 Hosoya, Admiral, 84, 107. Hume, Colonel, 226. IcHENOYE, General, 162, 245, 246, 250. Ichiji, General, 263. Idzumi (cruiser), 79. Ijuin, Vice-Admiral, 10. Ikadzuchi (destroyer), 89. Inland Sea, 272. Inouye, Viscount, 13, 19. Intelligence Department, Japan- ese, 3. Ito, Vice-Admiral, 10. Jackson, Capt., 26, 28. Japanese : Army Service Corps, 168 ; description of the, 4 ; flowers, 228 ; industry of the, 62 ; Official Weather Bureau, 211. Japanese Consulate, 30. Japanese Navy : games of the sailors in the, 68 ; regulations in the, 67-8. Jingey (paddle-wheel steamer), 218. Jinrickshaws, 59, 270. John Chinaman when he lost his junk (ill.). 115. Joss-sticks, 193. " Ju-ju-si," 18, 19, 190. KAGOSHrMA, 90. Kaiochaio Bay, 90. Kamamura, Capt., 169. Kamura, Admiral, 70, 85. Kasama, Commander, 213. Kasuga (cruiser), 4. Kataoka, Admiral, 228, 230. Kato, Chief-Eng., 218. Kaw, 49. " Khor " (a defile), 245. Kiaokiao, 118. Kimana Maru (cruiser), 228. " Kimonos," 9, 135. Kimura, Capt., 202. Kinchow, 216. Kinchow Bay, 228, 235 ; mine- searching in, 231. King Arthur (steamer), 216. Kin-shan-tao (island), 235. Kin-too-gen (Chinese scholar), 44. Kiodo Maru (steamer), 42. Kioto Maru (steamer), 142. Ki-Tzi, Prince, 44. Koatanahe, Assist.-Eng., 215. Kobe, 13, 58, no. Kobe Maru (hospital ship), 107, 108. " Koi " (fish), 183. Kondo, Mr., 5. Kote Maru (hospital ship), 83. Ku-heu-chung, 52. Kure, 15, 23, 272. Kuroda, Marquis, 25, 45, 53. Kuropatkin, General, 89. Kwang-tan-shan (island), 187. Kwangtung Shan, 83. Kyu-ju-tou, 99. Land mines, 188. Laio-tan-shan, 120, 121, 124, 194, 221, 234, 257 ; altitude of, 121. Liao-tung Peninsula, 2. Liao-yang, 226, 238 ; battle of, 89. Little Fugi, 86. Little Fujiyama, 144. Lotas ponds, 35. Macdonald, Sir Claude, 8. Makarof, Admiral, 2, 3. Manchu Maru (vessel), 9, 12, so, 25, 27, 52, 55, 58 ; sails from Yokosuka, 11. Manchuria, 55, 73 ; agriculture in, 166 ; flowers in, 167 ; game in, 173 ; roads in, 173 weather in, 194. 278 INDEX. Manjusan (island), 262. Mantelettes, 87, no, 130. " Marine cavalry," 131. Masampho, 70. Masato, Lieut., 213. Matsumura, Lieut., 14, 57, 134, 138. 139- Matsuyami, 20. " Mesimese " (Chin., food), 176. Metre Hill (203), 144. Mikassa (flagship of Admiral Togo), 15, 54, 56, 58, 135, 136. Mimura, Capt., 89, 90. Mine-laying boats, 158. Mine-laying expeditions, 145. Mines, 98, 122, 185, 188. Mine-sweepers, 137, 173, 185, 205. Mishi-bish Company, 134. Miyajima Island, 14, 20 ; water temple at, 14. Moji, 21. Mori, Commander, 115, 116. Muira, Admiral, 85. Mukden, 200; battle of, 181. Murasi (Japanese artist), 39, 107. Myaki, Lieut.-Com., 123, 124, 125. Myancoan Group, 74. Nabeshsima, 25. Nagasaki, 13, 56, 58, 134. Naicao, Capt., 203. Nakai (author's servant), 62, 64. Nakamura, Surgeon-Lieut., 63. Nakashima on deck (ill. ), yy. Nakehore, Lieut., 215. Nansan, 85, 94. Nikko Maru (torpedo-boat), 107, 128, 134, 135, 136. Niko-Shai, 120. " Nippon Cha " (tea), 66, 73. Nishi, Commander, 228, 245. Nishi, General, 225. Nishin (cruiser), 4. Nogi, General, 55, 109, 139, 177, 243, 244. North Fort, 126, 213. " Noshi," 217, 225. Novik (cruiser), 90, 91 ; sunk, 92. " Oakra " (vegetable), 73. " Obji " (a band worn by Japan- ese ofi&cers), 62, 247. Odincove (Taiko-ko). 84. " Ohayo," 96. Okishima, 20, 21. Okuru, Count, no. Ono, Mr., 162. Oroshuna, 21. Otvesi (gunboat), 215. " Palace of Heaven," 34, 37. " Palace of Prosperity and Vir- tue," 34. Palada (battleship), 257, 265. Palanquins, 36. Pereshiet (battleship), 199, 257. PetropauUki (battleship), in. Photographs, 27. Picket, a (ill.), 155. Pigeon Bay, 241. Pinyang, 42, 44 ; beauty of the women of, 44 ; description of, 42 ; farmhouses at, 45. Pobieska (battleship), 178. Pobieta (battleship), 263, 265, 266. Poltava (battleship), 199, 261. Port Arthur, 2, 95, 104, 135, 143 ; blocking of the harbour at, 9, 16, 23, 108 ; bombardment of, 86, 160 ; defence works of, 121 ; fall of, 220 ; forts and trenches at, 244 ; havoc at, 267 ; heavy firing at, 186 ; naval action off, 178 ; night attack on, 164 ; Russian fleet leaves, 45 ; Russian prisoners at, 231 ; storming of, 188 ; terms of the surrender of, 221. Port Arthur Bay, 134, 142, 205. INDEX. 279 Port Arthur Harbour, sunken battleships in, 252. Port Hamilton, 73. Regulations in the Japanese Navy, 67-8. Retsivan (battleship), 129, 173, 199, 256, 261. Rice crop in Japan, 181. Rickshaws, 32. Roossia (cruiser), 71. Rurih (cruiser), 71, 72. " SadoMaru " (transport), 21, 29. Sado Point, 149. Saghalien (island), 90. Saito, Admiral, 10. Sakai, Capt., 2. Sakamoto, Capt., 17, 88. " Saki," IS, 31, 65. Saki, Lieut.-Com., 214. Samijima, Admiral, 21, 24, 61. " Samisan," 31. "Sampans," 8, 22, 25, 29, 30, 196. San-Shan (island), 83. Sasebo, 21, 24, 92, 99, 135, 196, 216, 218. Sason, Admiral, 10. Sata, Lieut., 204. " Sayonora," 233. Sea anemones, 186. Searchlights, gj, 165. " Sen " (coin), 22, 62. Seoul, 29, 35 ; description of 32 ; Palace Hotel at, 32 ; smells of, 33- Sevastopol (battleship), 90, 206, 210, 213 ; sunk, 211. Shaho, battle of the, 246. Shanghai, 90, 216, 220. Shinonome (destroyer), 198. Shimonoseki, Straits of, 21 ; Treaty of, 2. Shimose powder, 105, 252. Shinbashi (Tokyo railway station), II. Shinegawa, 11. Shintos, 209. Shisiki Harbour, 63. Signal Hill, 84, 170, 252 Signalling stations, 132 Signals (ill.), 201 " Silo," 237. Sirau Nissa (destroyer), 198. Small-pox in Corea, 26. So-Cho-San (mountain), 143, 147, 158. South Kozo-tan, 233 ; harbour at, 234. Soya Kaikyo, 91. " Soyu " (a Japanese sauce), 249. Stoessel, General, 194, 220, 233, 240, 242. Storms, 171, 174. Strait of Gun, 272. Straits of Corea, 70. Tacachido (cruiser), 224. Tai (fish), 158, 185. Taichu (harbour master's ship), 79- Tai-do-k5 (river), 42. Taiko-ko (Odincove), 84. Taiko Maru (cruiser), 205. Tainan Maru (cruiser), 93, 94, 108, 200. Tai-o-sho, 83. Taira, Lieut., 108. Takahashi, Capt., 93, 103, 205, 272. Takarabe, Capt., 12, 24, 27, 39, 40, 45. SS- Takata, Mr., 5, 9. Talienwan, 55. Talienwan Bay, 56, 83, 203. The Russian Spy (drama), 191. Thomas, Mr., 135. Tiger Island, 129. Tiger's Tail, 121, 128. 28o INDEX. Togo, Admiral, 39, 216 ; appoints author to the Tainan Maru, 93 ; appoints author to the Manchu Maru, II ; description of, 57 ; portrait of, 113 ; rendezvous of, 142 ; the cabin of , iii. " Togo's Eye,'' 131. Toji (Japanese artist), 39, 107. Tokiwa, mineral springs at, 14 ; waterfall at, 14. Tokyo, I, 39, 58, 204, 244 ; bazaars in, 6 ; Imperial Hotel at, 3 ; life in, 59 ; Metropole Hotel at, 3. Tokyo Bay, 3. Tomaiso, M., 30. Tomaoka, Admiral, 16. " Torii " (or gate), 14, 20. Toyo Maru (cruiser), 12. Transports, 74. Treaty of Shimonoseki, 2. Tsugalu Strait, 91. Tsuhima Island, 70, 73. Tsukai (cruiser), 56. Tsuma (cruiser), 91, 92. Tunney (fish), 186. Tusuma, 21. Uji (gunboat), 225. Ujichi, General, 228. Vladivostock, 20, 52, 181. Vladivostock Squadron, 3, 58. War correspondents, difficulties of, 8. Wei-hai-wei, 39, no, 135. Westminster (collier), 206. Wolves, 165. Yabi, Dr., 53 ; performs an opera- tion on author, 53. Yalu, 52 ; battle of the, 17. Yamada, Admiral, 122, 150, 203, 228. Yamaguchi, Capt., 12, 22, 45, 54, 63 ; sketch of, 63. Yamanashi, Lieut., 231, 240, 243, 248, 256, 270. Yangtse (river), 182. " Yen " (coin), 177. Yin, Prince, 50, 51. Yokohama, 5, 12, 58 ; harbour of, 3 ; Oriental Hotel at, 3. Yokohama Maru (hospital ship), 52- Yokosuka, 11, 12, 92. Yonehara, Commander, 145, 199 ; takes photographs, 185. Yoshitaro-Mori, 109. Valley of Pinyang, 42. Variag (cruiser), 23, 28, 31. " ZoEi " (a pliable straw sandal), 169. Printed l>^ Kelly's Directories Ltd., London and Kingston. /