a second's notice. War was by this
time an absolute certainty, and the only question was when would it
break out. The Japanese plan of campaign was ready cut and dried, and
Togo, resolved to be in a position to act upon the instant of the
receipt of his orders, had already dispatched the cruiser _Akashi_ to
sea, with instructions to ascertain the whereabouts of the Russian fleet
and, after securing this information, to rendezvous at Mokpo, a port
situate at the south-western extremity of the Korean peninsula. I had
said farewell to my very kind friends, the Boyds, some days before, and
had taken up my abode aboard the _Kasanumi_, which, with the _Asashio,
Shirakumo_, and _Akatsuki_, constituted the 1st Division of the
destroyer flotilla. Admiral Togo had approved my suggestion to paint
the entire exterior of the boat a medium smoky-grey tint, and the effect
had proved so satisfactory that the skippers of several other destroyers
had followed my example.

At length dawned the eventful 6th of February 1904. A fresh
north-easter was blowing, the sky was heavy and louring, and a fierce
squall of snow and sleet was sweeping the harbour when a gun from the
_Mikasa_ caused all eyes to turn toward her, and the next moment there
fluttered from her yardarms the signals commanding the fleet to light
fires and prepare to weigh! So it had come then, that fateful moment
for which we had all been waiting with bated breath, for a full week;
and as the purport of the signals became known, a frenzied roar of
"Banzai Nippon!" went up from ships and shore, a roar that sent a shiver
of excitement thrilling through me, so deep, so intense, so indicative
of indomitable determination, of courage, and of intense patriotism was
it. Peal after peal of "Banzais" swept over the sullen, turbulent
waters of the harbour, to be taken up and repeated by the thousands who
thronged the wharves ashore, and who seemed to have sprung from nowhere
in an instant; and before the shouts died away thin curls of light brown
smoke were already rising from the funnels of the fleet and six fast
transport steamers which were lying a little nearer the shore. Half an
hour later, the blare of bands was heard ashore, one of the wharves was
hurriedly cleared of people, and presently soldiers were seen marching
down on to that wharf and aboard a whole fleet of lighters that were
lying alongside. It was indicative of the thoroughness with which the
Japanese authorit