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28 THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR
shaped hill, and his thoughts wandered back to
that glorious day, ten years ago, when he per-
sonally led his brigade, and at the head of his
men rushed this, the strongest of the Chinese
positions.
And as his eyes wandered over the Russian
lines, he saw many of the forts he knew from the
Chinese campaign, Antzeshan, Erhlung, the Golden
Hill, the Tiger’s Tail Forts, and many others ;
but there was also much that was new to him.
His experienced eye took in at a glance the vast im-
provements that had been made since the fortress
came into the hands of the Russians, and I think
he must have seen then how enormously difficult
was the task before him. I do not think that any
general but a Japanese at the head of his victorious
army’—these troops who had taken Nanshan in a
single day—would have dreamt of attempting to
take Port Arthur by assault. But with the Japanese
almost everything is possible. With those sol-
diers there certainly was a chance, however remote,
and General Nogi, who knew better than anybody
with what feverish anxiety and expectancy the fall
of Port Arthur was looked forward to in his country
by every living man, from the Emperor down to
the very humblest coolie, made up his mind then
and there that he would take the risk, and that the
place should be carried by direct assault. He
knew it would cost thousands of lives, but he was
willing to pay the bill. He calculated that to
cover the short distance between the hill where he
was standing and the little bright blue spot, the
small part of the Port Arthur harbour he could
see right in front of him, would cost him 20,000
men, killed and wounded,—a pretty stiff sum,
but not more, he thought, than the place was
worth. For he, of course, saw further than his
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