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22 THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR
little they succeeded in creeping up close to the
upper trenches, though with very considerable
losses. In some places they reduced the distance
between themselves and the trenches to five or
six yards, but this distance must be reckoned
vertically, and not horizontally. Short as it was,
this space was insurmountable without the aid of
scaling ladders. The Japanese had to stand with
their backs to the rocks, and fire right up in the
air, and the Russians had to lean over the preci-
pice, and fire vertically on to the heads of their
assailants. In one place a Russian tried to lasso
a Japanese soldier; he lowered a rope and suc-
ceeded in throwing it over his neck, but the
Japanese caught hold of the noose with both
hands before it was hauled taut. Now ensued a
veritable tug of war between them for life or
death. Seeing at last that he could not from his
position get the Japanese off his feet, the Russian
suddenly let go. The Japanese lost his balance
and fell down the precipice, breaking his neck, so
that he might as well have let the Russian had
the pleasure of hanging him. In other places the
Japanese succeeded in reaching the trenches, and
a fierce hand-to-hand fight took place ;
but they
were everywhere repulsed and driven back with
heavy losses.
During the night, on the left wing, the iith
Division made two separate attacks, but did not
succeed in charging through. Later in the night
two companies were detailed to make another
attempt, and this time they managed to carry
their attack home. They broke through the
Russian lines, and so turned the scales in favour
of the Japanese, who at once followed up their
advantage, and pushed a number of troops
through the breach. On the morning of the
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