ells now literally rained upon her,
doing frightful damage both on deck and below, while it was patent to
all that she was completely out of control. Her erratic movements
produced the utmost confusion in the Russian battle-line, which broke up
and became a mere disorganised mob of ships, upon which the Japanese
ships at once closed, determined to avail themselves to the utmost of
the opportunity to bring the engagement to a speedy end.

And, indeed, the end appeared to be near; for serious as was the plight
of the _Tsarevich_, that of some of her sister battleships was even
worse. The _Peresviet_, for example--the flagship of Prince Ukhtomsky,
who, in consequence of the death of Admiral Vitgeft, was now in supreme
command--was a perfect wreck, so far as her upper works were concerned;
both masts were destroyed, her funnels were battered and pierced, and
she was on fire; while the _Poltava_ had two of her 6-inch guns smashed
and the containing turret jammed.

At the moment when the confusion created by the erratic movements of the
_Tsarevich_ was at its height, the _Peresviet_ displayed a signal from
her bridge and, sheering out of the melee, headed away back in the
direction of Port Arthur, followed by the _Sevastopol_ and _Poltava_,
while the _Askold_, Admiral Reitsenstein's flagship, followed by the
cruisers _Diana, Pallada_, and _Novik_, broke away from the rest of the
fleet and, under every ounce of steam that they could raise, headed away
in a south-easterly direction, followed by the _Asama_ and six other
cruisers. As for the _Pobieda_ and _Retvisan_, apparently animated by
the same desperate resolve, they suddenly shifted their helms and
steamed straight for our battle-line, as the mortally wounded lion will
sometimes turn upon the hunter and, with the last remains of his
fast-ebbing strength, slay his foe before perishing himself. It looked
as though both meant to use the ram, the successful employment of which
might cost us the loss of at least two of our treasured battleships; and
they were accordingly received with a terrific fire from every Japanese
ship present. The _Retvisan_, being slightly in advance of her
companion, received the heaviest of our fire, and under it she seemed to
crumple up into an almost shapeless mass of wreckage. It was not
possible for mere mortals to continue to face such a devastating hail of
shells, and as suddenly as she had started toward us she now swerved
away, instantl