ed
in sowing further harmless mines, in accordance with the Admiral's plan
to convince the Russians that Japanese mines were useless and need not
be feared.

As the daylight strengthened, it revealed our fleet, strung out along
the horizon, the Admiral having followed the blocking ships and
destroyers upon the off-chance that the Russians might be tempted to
come out and attack them, in the event of our failing in our mission.

And at first it appeared as though that chance might be afforded us.
For, as we steamed away to the eastward, we saw smoke rising from the
funnels of some of the ships in the harbour, and shortly afterward the
cruisers _Bayan, Novik_, and _Askold_ came steaming out, with the
battleships following. But it was no go; the Russians opened a
long-range fire upon us, to which we gave no reply, slowly retiring
instead, in the hope of enticing the enemy's ships to follow us beyond
the cover of their batteries. The Russian Admiral, however, was too
wary, refusing to be drawn, and, putting up his helm, he returned to the
harbour. Nevertheless, the event was not altogether unprofitable to us,
for as the Russian ships re-entered the harbour, the _Petropavlosk_ ran
foul of the _Sevastopol_ and damaged her so severely as to render her
unfit for further service until she could be repaired.

Meanwhile, the destroyers being no longer required, I devoted myself to
the task of reducing to an intelligible state the soundings and
measurements which I had that morning taken; and by the time that we
were back at our rendezvous I had a little sketch plan of the harbour's
mouth ready for the Admiral, showing the exact width of the gap and the
depth of water in it, thus enabling him to determine the precise size of
the craft required to fill it. I also volunteered to return and fill up
the gap that very night, if he could let me have a ship of the required
dimensions. But it appeared that he had no ship that could at that time
be spared; consequently the job had to wait.

But Togo was profuse in his thanks for my offer; and was pleased to be
exceedingly complimentary in his remarks touching my "gallantry" in the
matter of taking the soundings, as also upon our conduct generally in
taking in the blocking ships under such a terrific fire and sinking them
exactly in the required positions. He expressed great grief at the loss
of poor Hirose, who was, without doubt, a remarkably promising officer,
and would assuredl