Stratemeyer Edward
At the Fall of Port Arthur: or, A Young American in the Japanese Navy

CHAPTER XIV
PROGRESS OF THE WAR

An hour after the capture of the Chinese junk one of the officers of the ill-fated craft was thrust into the prison pen with our friends.

He was a small sallow-eyed Celestial rejoicing in the name of Won Lung, and it was soon learned that he could speak a little English, he having once paid a visit to San Francisco.

"All go up spout!" said he, referring to his own ship. "T'ink we safe when Russian gunboat come, den all up spout!"

"Did they sink your ship?" asked Captain Ponsberry.

"No sink – shoot holes, back, front, side – all up spout. No fightee no more den – all up spout!" The latter was his pet phrase and he used it over and over again.

"You were in the Japanese trade?"

"Yes – carry rice. Now Russians got rice, got junk – all Won Lung's money gone up spout!" And the Celestial made an odd little grimace.

"Well, they took my ship, too."

"Big schooner your shipee?"

"Yes."

"Won Lung weep for you – all ship gone up spout, samee like Won Lung's ship gone up spout!"

"Well, we haven't gone up the spout yet," put in Larry, with a laugh. "Let us thank fortune that we are alive and well."

"Dat so – Won Lung lose fliends on junk – six, seven, ten – don't know how many yet," and the Chinese officer shook his head sadly. "Bad war, bad!"

"Can you tell us how the war is going?" asked Tom Grandon. "These Russians say everything is a Russian victory."

"Russians sayee dat?"

"Yes – they pretend to say they have the Japs about beaten."

At this Won Lung screwed up his eyes into mere slits.

"Big lie dat. Japanese win everyt'ing allee timee. Russian warships gone up spout – Russian army run like – like – up spout!"

After that Won Lung told them all he knew. It was hard to understand him, yet they gathered that there had been another sea fight in the vicinity of Port Arthur, in which the Russian navy had come off second best, and that the Japanese army that had landed in Korea had driven the enemy to the northwestward, over the Yalu River, and was now forcing them back upon Liao-Yang.

"If this news about the army is true, Ben and Gilbert must be having a hot time of it," was Larry's comment. "I must say, I am mighty glad they are on the winning side."

"Didn't I tell ye them Russians are a lot o' blowers?" came from Luke. "The truth ain't in 'em half the time."

"Perhaps they do not get the correct news from the front," came from Captain Ponsberry. "The censors may keep the bad news back, for fear of disheartening the rest of the men in the army and navy."

"They tell me the Russians are very strict about sending out news," rejoined Larry.

"It is true, Larry; no country on the globe is stricter. No telegram can be sent without it is inspected, and the newspapers cannot print a single scrap of news, or a single editorial, until after the press censor has passed upon it."

"If that's the case, I don't wonder that some of the people want to be free."

"Russia is more free to-day than she ever was before, and freedom is bound to come sooner or later – that is, I mean, not such freedom as we have in the United States, but such freedom as they have in England and Germany – where, at least, a man can call his soul his own."

"It's a wonder the Russians will fight for their country, if they are so ground down."

"They know nothing better, and besides, they are really patriotic. If the Czar would only treat them a little better, and give them a little more liberty, they would be the most faithful of subjects. But when a man can't do at all as he wants to do, and can't open his mouth about it either, he is apt to grow sullen and ugly."

As day after day went by life on the Russian warship became almost unendurable for Larry and the others. They suffered greatly for the want of fresh air, and at last made a vigorous protest to the captain of the ship, when he happened to be passing the pen. As a result orders were given that they should be allowed three hours on deck each day, one in the morning and two after dinner.

"This is a little like," said Larry, when coming on deck for the first time. "Oh, how good it feels to breathe fresh air once more!" And he filled his lungs to their fullest capacity.

For their daily exercise Larry and Luke were chained together, and the pair inspected with great curiosity as much of the warship as was allowed.

"It's not so very different from some of our own auxiliary cruisers," said Larry. "But, after all, I like ours better."

"That's right, lad; stick up fer your own country every trip."

"Well, what do you say, Luke?"

"I say I'd rather be on one of Uncle Sam's ships than on any other in the world."

While allowed to roam around on deck, Larry often looked eagerly for the Columbia, but the schooner and the Chinese junk were too far off to be distinguished with the naked eye.

"We'd give a good deal to be back on her deck, wouldn't we, Luke?" said he.

"Don't mention it, lad; it makes me sick," grumbled the Yankee tar.

"I wish I knew just what was being done on land, don't you? Perhaps this war will end soon, and then we'll be set free."

"It won't end yet awhile, Larry, mark my words on that," answered Luke.

The old Yankee sailor was right – the war was far from ended, and here it may be well to note briefly what was taking place on the sea between Russia and Japan, while the army of the Mikado was pushing through Manchuria in the direction of Liao-Yang.

The loss of the great battleship Petropavlovsk has already been recorded in "Under the Mikado's Flag." This vessel was sunk by a mine in Port Arthur harbor, April 13, 1904, and carried down with her Admiral Makaroff and about five hundred officers and men. At the same time the battleship Pobieda was also injured by a mine.

The loss of the admiral's flag-ship was a great blow to Russia, and while she was trying to recover, Port Arthur was vigorously shelled by the Japanese fleet, and many buildings were more or less damaged. Some warehouses were set on fire, but the local fire department, aided by the Russian garrison, succeeded in putting out the conflagration.

While the Japanese fleet was hammering at the city and the ships from beyond the harbor, the Japanese army encircled Port Arthur on land, taking possession of every available hill beyond the Russian line of defenses. As a consequence, by the middle of May the city was in a complete state of siege, nearly all communication with the outside world being cut off.

But now came a turn in affairs which, for a short while, made matters look favorable for Russia. While the fleet of Admiral Togo was patrolling the whole of the southeastern coast of Manchuria and protecting the Japanese transports which were pouring troops into the country, occurred a catastrophe as appalling as it was unexpected.

On the same day, May 15, the magnificent battleship Hatsuse, of the Japanese navy, was blown up by mines and sunk, and the protected cruiser, Yoshino, also of Admiral Togo's fleet, collided in the fog with a sister ship, and was a total loss. It is estimated that by these two disasters seven hundred men were lost. Among the officers who met their fate were men of marked ability which Japan at this crisis could ill afford to lose.

The loss of the Hatsuse is worth relating in detail. She had been along the coast during a heavy fog, but this had cleared off and the sun was shining brightly. Not an enemy was in sight, and all was quiet on the great battleship when, without warning, a terrific explosion was felt near the stern and a portion of the steering gear was damaged.

"We have struck a mine!" cried some one on board, and without delay signals were hoisted for the other vessels in sight to stand by. The battleship was drifting and the locality was full of mines. It was a moment of terrible suspense. Then came another explosion, greater than the first, which ripped large holes through her heavy plates. At once the battleship began to fill, and presently she sank like a stone to the bottom of the sea. The other warships put out their small boats with all speed, and succeeded in rescuing about three hundred officers and men out of a total of nearly eight hundred. Among those lost were Rear-Admiral Nashiba and Captain Nakao, the commander of the warship.

The Yoshino was lost while steaming slowly southward, after a night's vigil near the entrance to Port Arthur harbor. Other vessels of the blockading fleet were close by, so each ship had to advance with extreme caution. But the fog, instead of lifting, became thicker, and at a little before two o'clock in the afternoon the cruiser was rammed by the Kasuga, another vessel of the fleet. A large hole was torn in the hull of the Yoshino.

"Out with the collision mats!" cried the commander of the cruiser, and the mats were brought out without delay and placed over the side. But the hole was too great to be stopped in that manner. Then the captain called the entire crew on deck, and ordered the small boats to be lowered, five on the starboard side and one on the port. Before the boats could be gotten away, the Yoshino listed heavily to starboard and went down, smashing the five small boats under her. The other boat managed to get away, with only a handful of jackies and a couple of officers. The captain remained on the bridge and went down with his ship. As soon as possible the Kasuga put out her boats and succeeded in rescuing about ninety men, out of a total of over two hundred and fifty.

It was a great blow to Japan and the Russians were correspondingly elated. Feeling that Admiral Togo's grip on the sea was now weakened, the Russian squadron at Vladivostok sailed forth and did much damage to the shipping on the northern coast of Japan, sinking several merchantmen and taking a number of others as prizes. The Russian squadron also met the Japanese transport Kinshiu Maru, having on board the 37th regiment of Japanese infantry.

"Surrender, or we will sink you!" signaled the Russian commander. The Japanese refused, and were given exactly an hour in which to think it over. As they still refused, a torpedo was discharged against the doomed ship. As she began to sink the Japanese soldiers opened fire with their rifles, and then the Russians answered with their machine guns, mowing down the Mikado's men by the score. But the Japanese were brave to the last, and sank beneath the waves with the cry of Banzai! (hurrah!) on their lips.

It was an auxiliary cruiser of the Vladivostok squadron which had taken the Columbia and the Chinese junk as prizes of war. The captain of the cruiser was now looking for the rest of the squadron, but so far none of the warships had been sighted.

"They must have returned to Vladivostok," he reasoned, and then turned in that direction with the Pocastra, never dreaming of what the near future held in store for himself, his ship, and his crew.

CHAPTER XV
A SHARP NAVAL BATTLE

So far the weather had been good, but following the conversation recorded in the last chapter there came up a dense fog, and for twenty-four hours the Russian warship did nothing but creep along in the gloom.

During that time, for some unknown reason, Larry and the others were allowed greater freedom than before. Each had his hands chained behind him, but all were separate, which allowed each to roam around as he pleased.

"This is better than being linked to somebody else," said the youth to his old sailor friend. "Not but that we got along well enough together," he added, hastily.

"You're right – there wasn't no sense in joinin' us together," answered Luke. "We can't git away if we want to."

"We might, if we didn't have our hands chained, Luke."

"How?"

"If we all got together some night – providing we could keep out of the pen – and stole one of the small boats."

"Easier said nor done. The guard would ketch ye an' shoot ye down like a dog."

"Oh, I know there would be a great risk. But I hate to think of going to a Siberian prison, or aboard a Russian prison ship."

"So do I, Larry. But even if we stole the boat and got away, where would we go to, – especially if we didn't have much provisions an' water?"

Larry could not answer that question, since he did not know the location of the Pocastra. It might be that they were hundreds of miles from land. If so, to take to a small boat with a scarcity of water and provisions would certainly be foolhardy.

The fog continued during the night, but swept away as if by magic about nine o'clock in the morning. At that time the prisoners had had their breakfast and Larry and Luke were between decks, looking at some gunners' assistants cleaning out one of the large guns.

Suddenly came a call from the lookout, followed by half a dozen commands. As everything said was in Russian, our friends did not understand a word, but they soon realized that something unusual was in the air. A shrill whistle sounded out and drums began to beat to quarters.

"I'll wager a new hat they have sighted a Japanese ship!" cried Larry, and scarcely had he spoken when there came a dull booming over the water.

"Let us go to the deck an' see what's doing," returned Luke, and both started for the stairs. But scarcely had they appeared on the deck when they were ordered below again.

Larry was right; a Japanese warship had been sighted, and this vessel had lost no time in discharging a signal gun to a sister ship only a few miles away.

Hardly had the youth and his friend reached the lower deck once more than the Japanese cruiser opened fire on the Russian vessel. The latter retaliated, and the booming of cannon shook the Pocastra from stem to stern.

"This is a fight for fair!" ejaculated Luke, with a broad smile on his face.

"I hope the Japs win, Luke!"

"So do I, lad. But where do we come in, that's what I want to know?"

"If we could only drop overboard and swim to that other ship!"

"No use of trying – some of the fellows in the tops would pick us off in no time. No, we've got to stay right where we are an' take what comes."

"Where are the others?"

They looked around, but could see nothing of Captain Ponsberry or Tom Grandon. They saw Cal Vincent run past, but he was out of sight before they could stop him.

Suddenly a crash above them told that a solid shot had struck the upper works of the Russian cruiser. Then came another crash at the bow.

"Those Japs know how to fire," came from the Yankee sailor. "Reckon as how they're going to do their best to blow this ship sky-high. I'd give 'most a dollar to be somewhere else just about now!" And he shook his head anxiously.

The Russian gunners were working with a will, and so were their numerous assistants. The Pocastra was swung around, and now both ships were broadside to each other. The thunder of the guns was terrific and the smoke rolled around in all directions.

"Puts me in mind o' the battle o' Manila Bay, eh?" remarked Luke, as he and Larry stood at a distance, watching the Russians work one of the guns.

"You are right, Luke, only – "

Larry got no further, for at that moment came another crash on deck. The Pocastra shivered and heaved, and to those below it was as if she would surely sink.

"They're pumping it into us, sure as you're born!" sang out the old Yankee tar. "Hullo, what's this?"

There was a rush of several gunners across the deck. "Beware of that gun!" yelled one in Russian, and then a stampede followed.

In the midst of the confusion came a fearful explosion from below. A portion of the flooring was ripped apart and one of the gunners was instantly killed and several wounded. A great volume of smoke rolled up, and splinters and bits of iron and steel flew in all directions.

Both Larry and Luke were almost stunned by the explosion and for the moment could do nothing but clutch each other in terror. Both were struck by the flying splinters, but neither was seriously wounded. They staggered back and began to cough, for the dense smoke was strangling.

"Must have been a torpedo – " gasped Luke.

"Or else a magazine!" spluttered Larry. "Let – let us get – get out of here. I'm – choking – to – to – death!"

It was really a magazine which had exploded. This tore a good-sized hole in the Pocastra's side, in a spot impossible to get at in the confusion. In the meantime a solid eight-inch shell struck the Russian ship squarely in the stern, doing additional damage and killing and wounding two officers and nine men.

Almost choked to death, Larry and Luke crawled to where the ladder ran to the deck. The Russian jackies and gunners were swarming up, along with all the prisoners.

"Larry, are you safe?" came in the voice of Captain Ponsberry, and he loomed up, with Tom Grandon, Cal Vincent, and the Chinese petty officer beside him.

"So far I am," answered Larry. "But I – I – must have air!" and he began to cough.

The jam on the ladder was terrific, and in the midst of the mêlée a Russian gunner and the Chinese petty officer got into a quarrel. The gunner threw the Celestial down, but he bounced up like a ball, and in a twinkling the Russian received a blow in the stomach which sent him staggering back into the crowd and the deadly smoke.

"No knock me up the spout!" sang out the Celestial. "Ship go down I go uppee!" And soon he was out on the upper deck.

Fighting, surging, pushing, and yelling the Russians and our friends got to the deck at last. Captain Ponsberry had his coat literally ripped from his back, and Cal Vincent had an arm almost torn from its socket. For this he gave a Russian gunner a rap in the mouth which knocked loose several teeth. It was a case of each man for himself, and many fought like wild beasts.

At last Larry found himself free of the crowd, with Luke still beside him. Captain Ponsberry and Cal Vincent were not far away, but between surged a great number of Russians. The Pocastra was listing heavily to port and had evidently taken a large quantity of water into her hull.

Two Japanese warships were now at hand and both were firing upon the doomed Russian cruiser with deadly accuracy. From the fighting tops of the Mikado's ships came a perfect hail of small bullets which sent the Russians to the deck by the score. By this fire one of the Columbia's sailors was killed and Cal Vincent was seriously wounded. A bullet likewise grazed Luke Striker's thigh, drawing some blood, but the Yankee tar did not know of this until the conflict was at an end and he saw the crimson stain on his shoe top.

At last the Russian captain saw that to fight further would be useless. The Pocastra was in danger of going down at any moment. The guns could no longer be used, and he ordered the colors lowered and put up a signal of surrender.

A wild cheer came from the two Japanese warships when it was realized that the battle was won. "Banzai! Banzai!" rent the air over and over again. "Hurrah for the Mikado! Down with the Russians!"

A little while after the fighting came to an end, several small boats put off from the two Japanese warships and half a dozen of the Mikado's naval officers presented themselves at the Pocastra's side. The Russian ship still listed heavily, but after the smoke below had cleared away it was ascertained that the damage done was not as great as had been imagined. One of the magazines which had been in danger of blowing up had been flooded, and the rush of sea water had likewise put out a fire that had started in the stern.

As soon as order could be restored on board of the Pocastra a complete surrender was made to the Japanese, the Russian captain giving up his sword. Then a general conference was had lasting over an hour. At the end of that time, much to their surprise, the Americans were asked to go over to one of the Japanese warships.

"We'll go, and glad of the chance," said Captain Ponsberry; and soon the transfer was made.

CHAPTER XVI
ABOARD A JAPANESE WARSHIP

"What a beauty of a ship!"

Such was Larry's exclamation as he stepped aboard of the Japanese warship. The vessel was, like the Russian prize, an auxiliary cruiser and named the Mimora Juri. She was but three years old and had been used for passenger service between Japan and China. For such a small cruiser she carried an unusually heavy battery, and everything was shined up to the last degree, – the work having been undertaken directly after the battle was over. The Mimora Juri had suffered but little damage during the contest and only a handful of men had been killed and wounded.

"This looks more like Uncle Sam's navy than anything I have seen yet," said Luke.

"Well, I don't know that the decorations aboard our ships are quite so fine," returned the youth. "But then this isn't an ordinary fighting ship. Some of the auxiliary cruisers we used during the war with Spain – those that used to be trans-Atlantic steamers – were just as fine as this and finer."

As soon as those from the Columbia reached the Japanese warship the wounded were taken in charge by the surgeons and placed in the sick bay, as the hospital on a naval vessel is called. This was also in the best of order, with nice, swinging cots, and appliances of the latest designs.

As there were many things to be arranged between the two Japanese vessels and the Russian prize, our friends were not interviewed until late in the evening. In the meantime, some of the Russians were made prisoners, and a prize crew was placed aboard of the Pocastra. Then the two Japanese warships moved away, with the captured cruiser between them.

"Those Russians must feel sick," was Larry's comment. "It's worse for them, in a way, than if their ship had gone down."

"Well, we all thought she was sinking," returned Captain Ponsberry. "If she had sunk I reckon some of us wouldn't be here to tell the tale."

When evening came, a guard who could speak a little English conducted Captain Ponsberry, Larry, and Tom Grandon to the commander's cabin. Here they were met by Captain Tonkaka, who, being a graduate of the Japanese naval school, could speak not only English but also several other foreign languages. It may be mentioned here that the Japanese naval academy of to-day is one of the foremost institutions of its kind in the world.

"I will hear your story, Captain Ponsberry," said the Japanese captain, politely, as he motioned his visitors to be seated.

In a plain, direct manner the master of the Columbia told his tale, starting from the time the schooner left Manila with a cargo intended for the Japanese Government. He told of the trouble with Semmel and of the mutiny, and then of the capture by the Pocastra.

"You have assuredly been unfortunate," said Captain Tonkaka. "Have you any idea where your schooner is now?"

"I have not, but I thought she must be close to the Russian ship – she and that Chinese junk, too. The Pocastra was taking them to Vladivostok as prizes."

"Ah!" The Japanese captain mused for a moment. "I dare say you would like to gain back your ship?" he continued.

"Indeed I would!" cried Captain Ponsberry. "I'd give a pretty dollar to do so!"

"I shall interview the captain of the Russian warship again to-morrow. It may be that he will tell us where she is – although I doubt it."

After this a few questions were put to Larry and Tom Grandon and both corroborated what Captain Ponsberry had said. They were also questioned concerning the treatment they had received while on the Pocastra.

"You may be thankful that the treatment was no worse," said Captain Tonkaka. "Of late some of the Russians have treated their prisoners in a most brutal fashion."

"We are thankful," replied the master of the Columbia.

The majority of the staterooms aboard of the Mimora Juri were occupied by the officers of the cruiser, but one small room was turned over to Captain Ponsberry, and a larger apartment was turned over to Tom Grandon and Larry. At Larry's solicitation Luke Striker was allowed to "bunk in" with the first and second mates.

"This 'ere ship is jest about next to a palace," was Luke's comment. "Ain't seen nothing so fancy in a long time."

The Japanese warships were bound for the nearest naval station with their prize. They could readily have made eighteen knots an hour, but the crippled Russian cruiser could not make over ten, and so this was the rate of speed set for all three.

The Americans were allowed the freedom of the ship and Larry and Luke spent many hours in inspecting the guns and other equipments, and in watching the Japanese jackies in the gun and cutlass drills, their physical exercises, and in their drills to fight fire and to lower the small boats. Everything on board ran as smoothly as clockwork, much to their delight.

"I can tell you what, Luke!" cried Larry, enthusiastically, "this beats the Russians all hollow! I never saw anything so well done!"

"Almost beats our own navy, doesn't it?"

"Well, I don't know about that. But it is certainly just as good. That drill to fight fire is immense, and their physical exercises ought to make each man's muscles like iron."

"They are a sturdy lot, lad, no two ways about that, – and they understand just how to keep themselves in the pink of condition." Luke rubbed his chin reflectively. "Do ye know what I have in mind to do?"

"I think I can make a pretty good guess," came quickly from Larry.

"Well?"

"You're thinking that you'd like to join the Japanese navy, just to have a mix-up or two with the Russians."

"You've struck the nail on the head, lad. And why not, seeing as how we are out here in fighting waters, and with no ship of our own to go aboard?"

"Well, I feel a good bit that way myself. Ben is in the army, and so is Gilbert Pennington. If they can make a record for themselves why shouldn't I do the same? As it was I came close to joining the army with Ben."

"So you told me before. But you're a born sailor, Larry, not a soldier."

"I don't deny it. I'd rather be on board of a ship than on land any day."

"Yes, to a fellow as gets used to the sea the land seems a strange place."

From the Japanese on the warship who could speak English our friends learned much concerning the war. They were told that Admiral Togo's fleet was keeping a strict guard over the harbor approach to Port Arthur, and that a portion of the Japanese army was hemming in the city on the land side and had lately captured several hills of importance.

From Captain Tonkaka the Americans obtained permission to station themselves in one of the fighting tops, and here they spent hour after hour, on the lookout for the Columbia. Captain Ponsberry was particularly anxious to find his vessel, and kept scanning the Japan Sea through a fine spyglass the Japanese captain loaned him.

"If I can gain possession of that ship, I am going to fix Semmel and Peterson," said the master of the Columbia.

"Both of them declared that they took possession of the ship for the sake of the Russian Government," said Larry. "That being the case, they should be treated as prisoners of war."

"Exactly my idea, Larry."

"Semmel is a thoroughly bad egg," came from Tom Grandon. "He will lie out of his troubles if he can possibly do so."

"It will be a shame if we don't find the Columbia again," went on Larry. "Think of those rascals taking her to Vladivostok and getting their share of the prize money! It makes me sick!"

"Captain Tonkaka tells me that other Japanese warships are in this vicinity," said Captain Ponsberry. "They may fall in with the schooner even if we don't. But what they will do with her, in that case, there is no telling. They might claim her as a prize also, and if they did, I'd have some trouble in getting my property back."

What the Japanese captain had said was true. In order to counteract the doings of the Russian squadron which was raiding the northern and eastern coasts of Japan, the Mikado had sent out a flying squadron of six or seven vessels, all of which, though not large, had good sailing powers.

Owing to the heavy mists, the flying squadron became separated, and two of the vessels fell in with the Pocastra, as already described. Of the other ships some proceeded up the coast to Korea and caught two Russian colliers loaded with coal and another ship carrying steel rails for the Manchuria railroad. The remainder of the squadron put further to sea, and on the fourth day out caught sight of two Russian steamers loaded with munitions of war. A chase ensued, lasting three days, and several shots were exchanged at long range. But a mist, coming up one night, put an end to the chase, and chagrined to think that the enemy had given them the slip after all, the Japanese turned back once more, to look for the other vessels of the flying squadron.