actually contrived to accomplish their purpose before they died,
although the damage which they were able to do was quite incommensurate
with the frightful sacrifice of life which it cost.

In accordance with Oku's plan, the main body of the stormers followed
closely upon the heels of the volunteer wire-cutters. The 1st Division
led the way, dashing forward and losing heavily, until they arrived
within a few yards of the foremost line of Russian trenches, and here
they were brought to a standstill by the wire entanglements, while the
Russian rifle and machine-gun-fire played upon them pitilessly, mowing
them down in heaps. In desperation some of them seized the firmly
rooted posts to which the wires were attached and strove to root them up
by main force, while others placed the muzzles of their rifles against
the wires and, pulling the trigger, severed them in that way. Some
attempted to climb over the wire, others to creep through; but where one
succeeded, twenty became entangled and were shot dead before they could
clear themselves. Those, however, who contrived to get through at once
gave their attention to the mines, the positions of which were clearly
indicated by the settlement of the ground caused by the rain of the
preceding night, and thus it became possible to sever several of the
electric cables which connected them with the forts.

But those awful entanglements still held up the main body of the
stormers, keeping them fully exposed to a murderous fire from the
trenches as they desperately strove to break through, and things were
beginning to look very bad indeed for our side when I chanced to notice
that the Russian lines on their left were weak, the bulk of the men
having been rushed toward the centre, where the attack was being most
fiercely pressed. In an instant I recognised that here was our
opportunity, our only opportunity perhaps, to retrieve the fortune of
the day. Turning to my companion, I said:

"I dare not leave my post here, for at any moment I may receive a
message to be signalled to our ships. But I can--I _will_--manage
single-handed for the next quarter of an hour or so if you are game to
sprint across the open to carry a message from me to General Ogawa. You
will find him somewhere yonder, in command of the 4th Division; and if
you run hard you can cover the distance in five minutes. Are you game
to try it?"

"I am honourably game, illustrious captain," replied the man, standi