Kitabı oku: «At the Fall of Port Arthur: or, A Young American in the Japanese Navy», sayfa 12

CHAPTER XXXII
FALL OF PORT ARTHUR – CONCLUSION

"Open, in the name of the Czar!"

Such was the command which startled both Ben and Grace Chase, and for the moment each gazed at the other in horror, not knowing what to say or do.

"I must get away from here!" whispered the young captain, but scarcely had he spoken when there came a crash, and the front door of the residence swung in. Then half a dozen Russians poured into the house.

"There he is, as I suspected!" said one, an officer from the prison. "We'll see that you do not escape again," he added to Ben, grimly.

In the midst of the excitement Nathan Chase arrived. But he could do nothing for the young captain, and was glad that he was left to protect his daughter.

"We ought also to take her," said the prison official. "She did wrong to harbor this prisoner." And then, without further ado, Ben was marched back to the place from which he had escaped such a short while before.

After that the time passed dismally enough for the young American. For having run away he was put on the most miserable fare the prison afforded, the food being often so vile he could not touch it. Whenever he attempted to protest he was met with kicks and blows.

"They might as well kill me and be done with it," he thought. "Oh, how I wish the Japs would take the city and give me back my liberty!"

In those days Port Arthur became a most uncomfortable place for all living there. The Japanese army was pressing forward steadily, and army and navy did everything possible to destroy the shipping in the harbor and make the various forts untenable. Shots and shells were hurled into the city at all hours of the day and night, until living there became worse than a nightmare. Among the soldiers scurvy became prevalent, until the hospitals could not accommodate the sick and the dying. Nothing was done to clean up the streets, and the rubbish lay many feet deep over the sidewalks. Practically all of the shops were closed, for they had next to nothing to sell. The main article of food was rice, and to cook this many old buildings had to be razed in order to procure necessary firewood. As winter approached the suffering of the poor became so intense that riots broke out and to maintain order not a few were shot down.

Such was the condition in the city. Outside, to the northward, the fighting went on week after week. So many soldiers were killed upon both sides that to bury the dead became impossible, and thousands were left where they had fallen, to become the prey of vultures, or to putrefy and fill the locality with a stench that was as nauseating as it was deadly! Such are the horrors of modern warfare. The demands for universal peace cannot come any too quickly.

In the advance on Port Arthur, Gilbert did his full share of the fighting. The Japanese were now struggling for the possession of what was known as 203-Meter Hill, a rocky elevation which was not fortified but which was in the direct line of Russian fire. The top of 203-Meter Hill commanded a fine view of Port Arthur and its harbor, and it was this view the Japanese needed, in order to make their shell fire most effective.

The battle for 203-Meter Hill is one which will be long remembered. The Japanese fought with a desperation impossible to describe, and when the hill was captured, General Stoessel sent out nearly all his available men to retake it. But this could not be accomplished, and late in December the Japanese stormed the inner defenses of the Russian chain of forts, killing nearly all of the brave defenders who dared to oppose them. Then tons upon tons of shot and shell were sent into Port Arthur and over the harbor once again, until the locality became little short of an inferno. Nearly all the shipping was destroyed, and so many buildings were set on fire that to stem the conflagration became all but impossible. The end came on New Year's Day, 1905 – ten months after the famous siege began. To hold out longer seemed impossible, and to avoid further carnage General Stoessel called a council of war and sent a message to General Nogi offering to capitulate.

"Port Arthur has surrendered!" The news flew from one Japanese regiment to another, and soon the warships were sending the message from vessel to vessel. For once the Japanese showed their real feelings, and "Banzai! Banzai!" rent the air again and again. "Long life to the Mikado! Port Arthur is ours once more!"

"It is a well-earned victory!" cried Larry, when he heard the news.

"Yes, lad, and I trust it brings this bloody war to a close," came from Luke.

"They say General Stoessel blew up the warships remaining in the harbor."

"He couldn't have had many left," returned the old Yankee gunner. "The army and the navy have about battered everything to bits." And in this surmise Luke was correct.

The fall of Port Arthur caused widespread consternation in Russia, while the people of Japan were correspondingly elated. Because of the gallant defense of the place, the Japanese made generous terms with those who had surrendered, much to the satisfaction of the world at large. Many had predicted a universal butchery, but nothing of the sort occurred, and the Russian sick and wounded were given every possible attention.

After the fall of the port Larry was permitted to go ashore some miles above the town, and he managed to locate Gilbert, and then learned for the first time that Ben was a prisoner in the captured place.

"A prisoner!" he ejaculated. "Oh, Gilbert, we must find him and have him released!"

"That is just what I have been thinking, but I don't know exactly how to go at it, Larry."

"There ought to be some way of doing these things. We might interview one of the generals and – Who is that coming this way?"

"Why, it's Ben himself!" cried Gilbert.

"Ben!" screamed Larry, and ran forward to meet his brother. Soon they were in each other's arms, and then Gilbert received an equally warm greeting.

"We were released this morning," said Ben. "I can tell you I was mighty glad of it. I haven't had a meal fit to eat in weeks."

"Well, you shall have the best our larder affords," said Gilbert. "My, but you're a sight for sore eyes!" he continued.

"Don't say a word!" came from Larry. Two tears were glistening in his honest eyes. "It's almost too good to be true!"

* * * * *

Here let me add a few words more and then bring to a close this tale of the naval and military adventures "At the Fall of Port Arthur."

After the surrender of the city the army in that vicinity, and also the fleet near the harbor, had but little to do outside of caring for the sick and wounded and disposing of the thousands of prisoners. The Russian officers were allowed to go on parole and the prisoners were transported to Japan. Many of the mines in the harbor were taken up, so that ships might come and go in safety.

Larry was anxious to learn what had become of Shamhaven and Peterson, and through the Japanese guards stationed in Port Arthur located the rascally sailors at a cheap boarding-house. Both were made prisoners, and Larry got back a portion of the money stolen from Captain Ponsberry and himself. It was learned that the big brig had been destroyed by the Japanese shell fire, so that Ivan Snokoff lost everything he placed in the venture.

"Well, it served him right," said Gilbert, when he heard of this. "He is responsible for the time Ben spent in prison."

What had become of Captain Barusky was at first a mystery. But at last it was learned that he had sneaked aboard of a transport filled with wounded soldiers and bound for Chefoo. He pretended to be wounded himself, and was given medical attention until the trick was discovered, when he was treated as a coward. As soon as Chefoo was reached he disappeared, and that was the last seen or heard of him for some time.

"We are well rid of that fellow," said Ben. "I hope the Russians read him out of their army. He isn't fit to hold a commission."

"What do you imagine will be the next move in this war?" questioned Gilbert.

"It is hard to tell. I think they will try to take Mukden, for one thing."

"Russia is going to send out more warships," put in Larry. "If they come this way, it may mean more fighting for me."

"Well, I reckon you'll do your duty, if you are put to it," answered Gilbert, with a smile.

"And so will you do yours," came from Larry.

"We'll all try to do our duty," broke in Ben. "We didn't join the army and the navy to hang back. Just the same, I'd enjoy a bit of a rest just now."

The others agreed that the rest would be beneficial all around. It was given to them; and here, for the present at least, we will leave them, wishing them the best of good luck in the future.