g the Vladivostock squadron. The
destroyers had entered the harbour, boarded a small Japanese craft
loaded with fish, ordered her crew to get into her boat and go ashore,
and had then torpedoed her; the expended torpedo being probably at least
as valuable as the ship which it sank! Later on, the Russian cruisers
had entered the harbour, but had left again without doing any damage.
In reply to an inquiry concerning the _Kinshiu Maru_, the consul replied
that neither she nor her escort had yet returned. This information
caused Admiral Kamimura some uneasiness, since there had been time for
us to do all that we had been ordered to do, and to get back to Gensan;
and the squadron was actually getting its anchors, preparatory to its
departure to hunt for the transport, when Commander Takebe with his
torpedo-boats arrived. Questioned as to the whereabouts of the
_Kinshiu_, he expressed surprise at her non-arrival, briefly relating
particulars of the discussion which had resulted in the transport
leaving Iwon, unescorted, while he remained in harbour to see what the
weather developments were going to be.

This was enough for Kamimura. Takebe's story, in conjunction with that
of the consul at Gensan, convinced the Admiral that something very
serious had happened; and he at once gave orders for the torpedo
flotilla to proceed along the coast to hunt for news of the transport,
while he, with his squadron, started off in chase of the Russians.

It was on the morning following this second departure of the squadron
from Gensan, that they sighted the junk from which I was rescued. It is
possible that, in his eagerness to overtake the Russians, he might have
pushed on without pausing to examine a small, apparently derelict junk,
but for the fact that, fortunately for me, two or three of the
_Idzumi's_ officers recognised her as the junk which the _Kinshiu_ had
taken with her to facilitate the landing operations at Iwon.

After they had taken me off the junk, the Japanese had pushed ahead
direct for Vladivostock, in the hope of arriving there before the
Russians. But in this hope they were disappointed. Upon their arrival,
the Russian cruisers were seen to be already back in harbour; and all
that was accomplished was to drive precipitately back into the harbour
two Russian destroyers which had the impudence--or the courage--to come
out and threaten them; and also to exchange a few shots with the Russian
forts.

CHAPTER T