and homage to the great khan.

Six times the demand was made, and six times refused. Then an army of
ten thousand men was sent to Japan, but was soon driven from the country
in defeat. Kublai Khan, the Mongol emperor of China, now sent nine
envoys to the shogun, bidding them to stay until they received an answer
to his demand. They stayed much longer than he intended, for the Hojo,
who were then in power, cut off their heads. Once again the Chinese
emperor sent to demand tribute, and once again the heads of the envoys
were severed from their bodies.

Acts like these could have only one result, and the Japanese made rapid
preparations to meet the great power which had conquered Asia. A large
army was levied, forts and defences were put in order, stores gathered
in great quantities, and weapons and munitions of war abundantly
prepared. A fleet of junks was built, and all the resources of the
empire were employed. Japan, though it had waged no wars abroad, had
amply learned the art of war from its frequent hostilities at home, and
was well provided with brave soldiers and skilful generals. The khan was
not likely to find its conquest an easy task.

While the islanders were thus busy, their foes were as actively engaged.
The proud emperor had made up his mind to crush this little realm that
so insolently defied his power. A great fleet was made ready, containing
thirty-five hundred vessels in all, in which embarked an army of one
hundred thousand Chinese and Tartars and seven thousand Corean troops.
It was the seventh month of the year 1281 when the expectant sentinels
of Japan caught the glint of the sun's rays on the far-off throng of
sails, which whitened the seas as they came on with streaming banners
and the warlike clang of brass and steel.

The army of Japan, which lay encamped on the hills back of the fortified
city of Daizaifu, in the island of Kiushiu, and gathered in ranks along
the adjoining coast, gazed with curiosity and dread on this mighty
fleet, far the largest they had ever seen. Many of the vessels were of
enormous size, as it seemed to their unaccustomed eyes, and were armed
with engines of war such as they had never before beheld. The light
boats of the Japanese had little hope of success against these huge
junks, and many of those that ventured from shelter were sunk by the
darts and stones flung from the Mongol catapults. The enemy could not be
matched upon the sea; it remained to prevent him from