Part 3 (1/2)

It was not, however, until shortly before two o'clock in the afternoon that the signal was made for the fleet to weigh and proceed to sea, by which time every s.h.i.+p was under a full head of steam; and then the fleet, which up to then had lain quiescent, burst into strenuous but orderly activity. Officers on the several bridges seized megaphones and shouted orders through them; boatswain's whistles shrilled and boatswain's lungs bellowed, ”Clear lower deck! Hands up anchor, ahoy!”

the ma.s.sive cables began to quiver and clank as they were hove in; the flags.h.i.+p became a very rainbow of rapidly changing signal flags; answering pennants appeared like magic and vanished again; hundreds of sampans and craft of every description--anything and everything that would float, apparently--loaded with men and women, all frantic with patriotic excitement, put off from the sh.o.r.e and formed a sort of lane for the fleet to steam through, the men yelling ”Banzai!” until it seemed as though their throats would crack, while the women--many of whom were very pretty, while all looked charmingly demure--urged the boatmen to pull in as close as possible to the s.h.i.+ps, that they might strew with artificial flowers the water through which we were about to pa.s.s. The military bands aboard the transports were playing what I supposed to be patriotic airs, from the applause which they evoked, steam was roaring from the safety valves, fussy little tugs were rus.h.i.+ng hither and thither, and at the precise moment when the water under the _Mikasa's_ counter broke into a sudden swirl and the s.h.i.+p began to move, a transient gleam of wintry suns.h.i.+ne burst through the clouds and fell full upon her! It was the finis.h.i.+ng touch; everybody unquestioningly accepted it as an omen of victory and triumph, and the thousands afloat and ash.o.r.e incontinently went mad with joy. And indeed there was every excuse for so much enthusiasm, for we presented a truly imposing sight as we swept out to sea, a fleet consisting of six battles.h.i.+ps, six armoured cruisers, four 23-knot light cruisers, six protected cruisers, and eighteen destroyers, surrounding the six transports. The primary object of the expedition was to escort the transports to Chemulpo, where the troops were to be landed to effect the seizure of Seoul, the capital of Korea; and, this accomplished, Togo was to find and defeat the Russian fleet, which, so long as it existed and was free to roam the seas, const.i.tuted a most formidable menace to j.a.pan.

Twelve knots was the steaming speed ordered for the fleet; and the course was due west for the pa.s.sage between the islands of Gotos.h.i.+ma and Ukus.h.i.+ma. As soon as we were clear of the harbour the destroyers, in five divisions, were ordered to take up scouting duty, which we did by arranging ourselves in a complete circle round the fleet, the boats being about a mile apart, thus forming a circle of eighteen miles in circ.u.mference.

The weather was vile, for after that transient gleam of suns.h.i.+ne which had marked the moment of our departure, the clouds had closed over us again in a compact ma.s.s, and pelted us with sleet and snow so thickly that it was only with the utmost difficulty we were able to see the next boat ahead and astern; also it was so piercingly cold that even the long lamb's-wool coat, with which I had taken the precaution to provide myself, seemed utterly inadequate. Fortunately, excitement and the joy of finding myself not only once more under a pennant but actually in command, with a war before me in which I felt convinced I should have ample opportunity to prove my mettle, helped to keep me warm. And there was pride, too; pride in my s.h.i.+p and pride in my crew; for there was not a better or faster little s.h.i.+p in the fleet than the _Kasanumi_, while my crew, officers, and men alike, were splendid fellows, fine st.u.r.dy men, with the courage of lions, the lithe, light-footed activity of cats, and respectfully and promptly obedient to an extent which left nothing to be desired. My ”sub,” a merry, light-hearted little fellow, named Ito, although more than a year my senior, displayed not an atom of jealousy, but carried out my every order with the same prompt, unquestioning alacrity as the men; he was keen as mustard, and his chief, indeed his only, recreation seemed to be the working out of battle problems.

For the first four hours of our voyage, while we were still well under the lee of the land, the water was moderately smooth; but when, about seven o'clock that evening, the negotiation of the pa.s.sage between the islands had been successfully accomplished, and we found ourselves fairly out at sea, and s.h.i.+fted our helms to pa.s.s to the northward of Quelpart Island, we soon found that we were in for a regular ”dusting.”

For we presently ran into a high, steep sea, which our s.h.i.+ft of helm brought almost square abeam, yet just enough on our starboard quarter to set us all rolling and squirming most atrociously, particularly the ”mosquito” division. Our every roll, whether to port or starboard, sent us gunwale under, so that it was only with the utmost difficulty we managed to retain our footing, while more than half my complement, on deck as well as below, suffered agonies of sea-sickness; yet they stuck to their work like heroes. The spray swept us continually from end to end, flying high over the tops of our low funnels, and freezing as it fell, so that the watch on deck were kept busy chipping the ice off our decks and shovelling it overboard; yet, wretchedly uncomfortable as was the weather, the destroyers, running at less than half-speed, rode the sea like gulls, and kept station with the utmost ease.

Shortly after eight bells in the middle watch, the weather cleared and the stars shone out with piercing brilliancy, enabling us to see the whole of the big s.h.i.+ps and the transports, although we were all steaming with lights out, except for a solitary shrouded lantern carried by each s.h.i.+p right aft, to enable her next astern to keep station.

The night pa.s.sed without incident, but shortly after sunrise, smoke was sighted broad on our port bow, the s.h.i.+p from which it proceeded evidently steering to the northward. We all seemed to see it at the same instant, for in less than half a minute the signal reporting the circ.u.mstance was flying aboard nearly every craft in the fleet. But the lookouts aboard the _Mikasa_ were evidently as wide awake as any of us, for our flags were scarcely aloft when the flags.h.i.+p signalled the armoured cruiser _Asama_ to chase in the south-western board; and in little more than an hour afterward she rejoined the fleet, accompanied by the Russian steamer _Argun_, as a prize. We flattered ourselves that the honour of capturing the first prize of the war had fallen to us; but, later on, we learned, to our disgust, that when the _Argun_ was taken into Sasebo, there were already three more prizes there to keep her company.

We arrived off Mokpo about ten o'clock that morning, when the _Akas.h.i.+_ came out to meet us and make her report. We of the rank and file, so to speak, did not, of course, know at the time what was the nature of that report, which was for the Admiral's ear alone; but, later on, it leaked out that it was to the effect that the Russian fleet at Port Arthur had begun to move on the last day of January, by warping and towing certain of the s.h.i.+ps out of harbour. This movement had continued on the first and second days of February, by the end of which time the entire fleet was anch.o.r.ed in the roadstead; and it seemed pretty evident that Admiral Alexieff was preparing to vigorously carry the war into the enemy's country, which was the great fear that had been haunting Togo from the moment when he received his instructions to put to sea. His dread was that the Russian fleet would forestall him by getting to sea first, steam to the southward, and, getting into touch with one or more of the craft which were certain to be watching the j.a.panese fleet, would lie _perdu_ until that fleet had pa.s.sed to the northward, and then fall upon and ravage the unprotected j.a.panese coast. And, at first sight, this seemed to be the Russian Admiral's intention, for, on the 4th of February, the fleet, having coaled, weighed and steamed out to sea, leaving only two battles.h.i.+ps--the _Sevastopol_ and _Peresviet_--in the harbour, where they had perversely stuck on the mud and refused to be got afloat again, for the moment at least. The Russians, twenty-six s.h.i.+ps strong, inclusive of eleven destroyers, having cleared the roadstead, steamed slowly to the eastward, and were, that same day, sighted in the offing from Wei-hai-wei, apparently practising evolutions. But on the following day they all returned to Port Arthur, and anch.o.r.ed in the roadstead, under the guns of the batteries. The pith of the _Akas.h.i.+'s_ report, therefore, was that there were two Russian s.h.i.+ps--the new cruiser _Variag_, and the gunboat _Korietz_--at Chemulpo, four cruisers and an armed merchantman at Vladivostock, while the remainder of the Russian fleet was at Port Arthur.

Possessed of this knowledge, Togo issued orders to Rear-Admiral Uriu, in the _Takachiho_, to take command of a squadron consisting of, in addition to his own s.h.i.+p, the _Asatna_, _Chiyoda_, _Niitaka_, and _Miyako_, with eight destroyers, and with them to convoy the transports to Chemulpo, taking measures upon his arrival, to insure that the Russian s.h.i.+ps should not interfere with the landing of the troops.

Those were the only orders of which we were aware, but in the light of what occurred after Uriu's arrival at Chemulpo, it is probable that the Vice-Admiral was given a considerable amount of lat.i.tude with regard to his further proceedings.

It was about seven o'clock in the evening when the two fleets parted company, the _Mikasa_ signalling: ”I congratulate you in antic.i.p.ation of your success,” to which the _Takachiho_ replied: ”Thanks for your kindness.” Then the signal was given by wireless for the main fleet to proceed on a north-westerly course, in an extended formation of line abreast, with the destroyers scouting on both wings, and a great shout of ”Banzai Nippon!” went up, for everybody knew that north-west was the road to Port Arthur, where Togo fervently hoped and prayed he might find the Russian fleet still at anchor.

For, if not, it would certainly mean that Alexieff had proved himself the better strategist of the two, and had contrived in some subtle manner to slip past us to the westward, when any one or two of three terrible things might happen. He might realise Togo's original terrible fear of an attack on the undefended coast of j.a.pan; or he might make for Chemulpo and destroy the j.a.panese squadron and transports upon their arrival there; or he might pa.s.s through the Korean Strait northward to Vladivostock and there unite his two forces, when he would be strong enough to give no end of trouble, if not indeed to defeat us out of hand and so decide the war at one fell stroke. It was exceedingly difficult to know what to do for the best, and our gallant little Admiral felt to the full the responsibility attaching to his momentous decision, as was made manifest when, about two bells in the first watch, the order was wirelessed to the fleet to alter the course twenty-two degrees to the northward, evidently with the object of falling in with the Russians, should they by any chance be making for Chemulpo. Our next order was to clear for action.

To further increase our difficulties and embarra.s.sments, the weather had again changed for the worse. The sun had set in a wrack of wild, storm-riven cloud painted with the hues of fire and smoke, which, louring threateningly, had overspread the sky with incredible rapidity, completely obscuring the light of the stars; the wind, still icy cold, had breezed up again savagely, kicking up a tremendous sea, the spray from which quickly drenched us in the destroyers to the skin, despite our ”oilies,” sou'-westers, and sea boots; yet the staunch little vessels, though rolling and pitching in the most distracting manner, rode like gulls the seas which, to us, seemed to be literally running ”mountains high.” True, our speed was only about twelve knots; what the _Kasanumi's_ behaviour would probably have been at double that speed, in such a sea, I shuddered to think. But I was destined to _know_, in the not-far-distant future.

When Ito, my lieutenant, called me at midnight to relieve him, he informed me that a wireless message had just been received from the flags.h.i.+p, ordering a s.h.i.+ft of helm for the Elliot group of islands, distant some sixty miles from Port Arthur, and for the speed to be increased to sixteen knots, which order he had acknowledged and executed, as I discovered, the moment I tumbled out of my hammock; for the boat was kicking up her heels more madly than ever, while every few seconds there resounded a heavy thud on the deck overhead, and the craft s.h.i.+vered from stem to stern as she drove her sharp nose into the heart of a great comber, throwing the water in tons over herself. This was the rough side of work aboard a destroyer, with a vengeance, and I spent four miserable hours on the navigating bridge, drenched to the skin, and pierced to the marrow by the bitter cold. All things come to an end, however, sooner or later; and about two o'clock next day we steamed into the sheltered waters of the Elliot Islands and came to an anchor. This was the spot which the Admiral had selected to serve as a rendezvous and lurking-place from which he could sally forth with a good chance of cutting off the Port Arthur fleet, should it venture to stray far from the shelter of the fortress; and subsequently it was often referred to in his dispatches as ”a certain place.”

CHAPTER FOUR.

THE COUNCIL IN THE MIKASA'S CABIN.

As we entered the roadstead we found there, at anchor, a small Chinese junk of such a dilapidated and weather-beaten appearance that she seemed as though she might go to pieces at any moment. She was flying the j.a.panese mercantile flag, a white flag with a red ball in the centre-- which is also the j.a.panese ”Jack,” and I soon learned that in her case, as in many others, appearances were deceptive, for I was a.s.sured that she was as staunch as staunch could be. She was officered and manned by a Chinese crew, and she was ostensibly loaded with bricks; but surrounded by these bricks, which were only a blind, was a st.u.r.dy little closed-in engine and boiler, the smoke from the latter issuing from the unusually big chimney of her galley stove, while the engine worked a small but powerful set of pumps which strongly sucked in water through her bows and discharged it equally strongly from her stern, under water, of course, giving her a speed of seven knots in smooth water. And when I sought further information with regard to this mysterious craft, I was informed by Ito, who seemed to know all about her, that she had been purchased by the j.a.panese Secret Service Department, fitted with her engine, boiler, and pumps by an ingenious j.a.panese engineer, and that her business was to go to and fro between Port Arthur and ”a certain place,” ostensibly as a trader, but in reality that her skipper, a particularly bold and clever spy, might obtain information for the j.a.panese.

The spy's name, it appeared, was Hang-won,--a rather ominous name, I thought, under the circ.u.mstances,--while the name of the junk was _Chung-sa_. She had arrived from Port Arthur about midday, and this was Hang-won's first essay in j.a.pan's service. But he had brought from Port Arthur two items of news that were likely to prove most valuable to us; one of them being, that the Russian destroyers were being sent to sea every night to reconnoitre, and that upon their return they always showed a white light above a red, to indicate that they were Russian; while the second item was to the effect that that day, 8th February, happened to be the name-day of Madame Stark, the wife of the Russian Admiral, and that in honour of the day a great banquet was to be given at nine o'clock that night, at the Admiral's house, which was to be followed by a special performance at a circus which chanced to be in the town.

The moment that this information was communicated to Togo, he recognised the magnificent possibilities offered by the occasion. For it was morally certain that, between the banquet and the circus, most of the officers, and possibly also a good many of the men, of the Russian fleet would be ash.o.r.e, that night; and what better opportunity for an attack upon it was likely to offer? The chance was very much too good to be missed, and a signal was at once made for the captains of all craft, destroyers included, to repair on board the _Mikasa_.

I was one of the last to reach the flags.h.i.+p, for the destroyers were anch.o.r.ed outside the rest of the fleet, and when I arrived the Admiral's cabin was full of men, as many of them as could find room being seated round the table, while the rest were accommodated with chairs. All were talking indiscriminately together, for the council had not yet begun; but it was characteristic of Togo that he saw me the instant I entered the cabin, and rose to shake hands with me, exclaiming, ”Ah! here comes our young British giant.” Then, pointing to a chair near himself, he motioned me to be seated, saying as he did so with a humorous smile:

”Well, Mr Swinburne, I hope you find the _Kasanumi_ a nice, steady, comfortable s.h.i.+p. Is there room enough in her for you to stretch yourself, or shall we have to lengthen her a few feet?”

”She is a splendid little craft, sir,” I said heartily, ”far better than the British boat in which I saw some service. She is a magnificent sea boat, and came through the wild weather of yesterday and last night without turning a hair. True, she is a bit cramped between the beams, and I have already raised a few b.u.mps on my head while trying to stand upright in my cabin; but I'm ready to go anywhere and attempt anything in her.”

”That's right,” remarked Togo; ”you show the true Nelson spirit, sir-- the spirit which we expect to find in every Briton; the spirit which we so greatly admire, and which we are humbly striving to imbue our j.a.panese seamen with. So you are 'ready to go anywhere and attempt anything,' eh? Excellent! I hope to afford you the opportunity to show us what you can do before you are many hours older.”

Then, turning to where Captain Ijichi stood near the cabin door, he said, in j.a.panese:

”Are all present, Ijichi?”