on the waterline, and was now limping
along as best she could, with two compartments filled; when, therefore,
the Russian boat foundered, the _Sazanami_ went to her consort's
assistance and took her in tow, for two Russian cruisers, identified as
the _Novik_ and _Bayan_, were now seen to be coming out of Port Arthur
harbour, and it was high time for us all to be off. Happily for us, by
the time that the Russian cruisers were fairly out of harbour, five of
our own cruisers had hove up above the horizon, steaming rapidly
shoreward to our support, whereupon the Russians turned tail and
retreated.

As our cruisers came up, their flagship signalled us to proceed to our
rendezvous, after ascertaining that we could look after ourselves and
needed no assistance; and shortly afterward we fell in with our main
fleet, under Togo, bound for Pigeon Bay, whither the Admiral was
proceeding for the purpose of testing his theory that the fortress could
be successfully bombarded by high-angle fire projected over the high
land between Pigeon Bay and the town. The signal was made for Commander
Tsuchiya and me to proceed on board the _Mikasa_, where we jointly made
our report, with which the Admiral was pleased to express his
satisfaction. He, too, was anxious to know whether we required any
assistance, and finding that we did not, ordered us to proceed to our
rendezvous and get our repairs put in hand without a moment's delay. We
arrived safely at our destination early in the afternoon, and within the
next hour our damaged craft were in the hands of strong repairing gangs,
so prompt were the Japanese to act.

The main fleet arrived at the rendezvous shortly before sunset, and
anchored. I looked keenly at ship after ship, as they steamed in, but
could detect no signs of injury to any of them; so after dinner I took
our dinghy and rowed across to the _Mikasa_, with several of the
officers of which I was by this time on quite intimate terms. The first
man I happened to run into, however, upon passing in through the gangway
was Captain Ijichi, commanding the ship; and he, as anxious to hear my
yarn as I was to hear his, instantly pounced upon me and marched me off
to his own cabin, where we were presently joined by Lieutenant Prince
Kasho, for whom Ijichi had sent.

Here I was made to start the proceedings by spinning, at considerably
greater length, the yarn which I had related to the Admiral earlier in
the day, and which I was now