highways called the Sanindo and
the Sanyodo.

In other words, the Imperialists held the group of provinces forming
the northern littoral of the Inland Sea and commanded the approaches
from the south. But now again Kamakura put forth its strength. At the
close of February, 1333, a numerous force under the Hojo banners
attacked Yoshino and its fall became inevitable. Prince Morinaga,
wounded in several places, had resolved to make the castle his
"death-pillow," when he was saved by one of those acts of heroic
devotion so frequently recorded in the annals of the Japanese bushi.
Murakami Yoshiteru insisted on donning the prince's armour and
personating him so as to cover his retreat. At the supreme moment,
Yoshiteru ascended the tower of the entrenchments and loudly
proclaiming himself the prince, committed suicide. His son would fain
have shared his fate, but Yoshiteru bade him live for further
service. Subsequently, he fell fighting against Morinaga's pursuers,
but the prince escaped safely to the great monastery of Koya in
Kishu.* The victorious Hojo then turned their arms against Akasaka,
and having carried that position, attacked Chihaya where Masashige
commanded in person. But the great soldier held his foes successfully
at bay and inflicted heavy losses on them. Thus, the early months of
1333 witnessed a brighter state of affairs for the Imperial cause. It
was supported by Kusunoki Masashige, in Yamato, with Chihaya for
headquarters; Prince Morinaga, at Koya-san in Kishu; Akamatsu
Norimura, in Harima and Settsu, whence his fortress of Maya menaced
Rokuhara, and by Doi Michiharu and Tokuno Michikoto, in Iyo, whence,
crossing to Nagato, they had attacked and defeated Hojo Tokinao, the
tandai of the province.

*Yoshiteru's loyal sacrifice received official recognition, in 1908,
on the occasion of military manoeuvres in the neighbourhood of the
scene of the tragedy. The Emperor honoured his memory by bestowing on
him high posthumous rank.

ESCAPE OF THE EMPEROR FROM OKI

The Oki group of islands lie in the Sea of Japan forty miles from the
coast of the provinces Izumo and Hoki. Beppu, in Nishi-no-shima, one
of the smallest of the group, was Go-Daigo's place of exile. By
employing the services of a fishing-boat, Prince Morinaga succeeded
in conveying to his Majesty some intelligence of the efforts that
were being made in the Imperial cause. This was early in 1333, and
when the news spread among the guards at Beppu,