583 l-OKT AR1TIUR FROM THE LAND SIDE.

CHAPTER IX THE ATTACK ON PORT ARTHUR.

KIX-CHOW and Ta-lien-wan had been captured by Yamaji's division. Before advancing on Port Arthur, Marshal Oyama brought up Hasegawa's brigade, and gave his army, now concentrated at Ta-lien wan, and in touch with the fleet, a few days' rest, during which the doomed iortiess was carefully- reconnoitred,and ihe country between it and the Japanese camp was cleared ot the roving bands of Chinese braves that infested it. In one of these skirmishes the Japanese, whose easy victories had made them sometimes act with a daring that amounted to rashness, encountered a superior force of Chinese and fared very badly. In the fight the Japanese officers and soldiers performed many deeds of splendid courage and self-devotion, and the story may best be told as it is related by " Vladimir," m his history of the war, a work based chiefly on Japanese sources, often translated literally from Japanese narratives, and bringing out characteristic traits of the Japanese code of honour and military tradition. " Major Ajikama," he says, "advancing from Tu-cheng-tzu (Mud-town) with a single company {i.e. squadron, or about ioo sabres) of cavalry, met a body of Chinese from Shiu-shih-ying (NavalCamp), whichgradually increasedtoabout 3,000 men, who completely surrounded the Japanese horsemen. These sought with great bravery, and succeeded in cutting their way through the enemy, and retreating to Shuangtai-kow(DoubleTerrace Ditch). On hearingof the engagement Major Marui had sent a company of infantry to assist the cavalry, and they now in turn were attacked and surrounded by the Chinese. Seeing the danger of their rescuers ahandful of the cavalry,under CaptainAsakawa, madeadesperatecharge to extricatethem. The infantry and cavalry succeeded in retiring,but they were obliged to abandon their wounded, who preferred to kill themselves rather than be tortured by the enemy Lieutenant Nakaman was severely wounded,andhis servant cut offhis head and brought it back to the camp to be honourably buried. Captain Asakawa was also wounded,andhis horse was shot under him, but Private Tio, though mortally wounded,gave his horse to his officer and led him out of danger, when he fell down dead. MajorMarui,with the rest of the battalion, came up to rescue the advanced guard, but he was not able to repulse the Chinese, who now had mounted four guns on a hill. It was not uqtil the artillery ol the advanced guardarrived and unlimbered that the Chinese retired. The Japanese had. lost one officer and eleven men killed,and one officerand thirty-two men wounded."

This success for the Chinese might have had a veryunfavourable result op the operations of the