"Now, admiral, quit, if ye please, as I'm going to 'draw on my stockings,' and—dress myself. I suppose ye'll breakfast in the cabin, while I am pigging in the ward-room. Be off, I tell ye! Don't stand there staring like a stuck pig. Hurry, now!"
I obeyed, feeling that the captain was annoyed, but my feelings of adventure rose in me, and as he had consented, however unwillingly, I decided to assume his acquiescence in the matter, but he apparently feared the future.
There was another interview with my captain afterwards, and a chat with the mate and others, who subsequently were transferred to the transport Yayayama with the Danish gentleman,—also a captive from the despatch boat,—the Chinese crews of it, and the surviving soldiers of the Fêng Shui. I need not dwell upon the parting. I felt sorry to leave my messmates, but against this feeling came the knowledge that I was adrift already, and must go to Nagasaki first, then find conveyance to China and perhaps to Europe. I had no money, and no chance of finding any then. My parents, particularly my dear mother, would be much more pleased to receive a telegram announcing my entry into the Japanese service, than a wire for money and announcing shipwreck! The captain (Goldheugh) had promised to write about me, and I found out afterwards that not only had he done so, but had spoken well of me to Captain Toyo of the Naniwa.
The Tsaokiang, which had appeared before the sinking of the steamer, was a prize to the Maya; and all her officers and crew having been transferred as indicated above, the Yayayama steamed away for Japan. I remained in the cruiser while she sent boats to search for the fugitive Chinese vessel, which had fled away ashore. She was found and destroyed by the Japanese boats' crews as she lay beached.
Then the cruisers joined the fleet, and war was declared on the 1st August 1894, "after the ball" at Phungdo.
CHAPTER IX
THE BATTLE IN THE YELLOW SEA—THE EVIL
GENIUS OF "FÊNG SHUI"
It would not be interesting to the reader to peruse the details of our cruise off the Chinese and Corean coasts after the declaration of war till the middle of September, but a passing reference to the actions of the squadron may be made.
The fleet was under the command of Admiral Ito,[[1]] who later made an attack on Port Arthur and Wei-hai-Wei, which are opposite each other in the Gulf of Pechili, the latter port being in Shangtung, and the former in Manchuria, North China. The admiral did not communicate his ideas to many people, but it leaked out in the fleet that he was keeping the Chinese in check while his transports were carrying the Japanese troops to Corea. Meantime the Chinese fleet remained in harbour at Wei-hai-Wei, and the Coreans assisted the Japanese troops. So the Chinese soldiers were marching southwards, and the Japanese northwards, the respective fleets being in the Yellow Sea.