Vice Admiral Hashimoto and his lovely family live in a palatial residence, while set in wide gardens at only a few feet away is the steep descent to the gate of the navy yard, where you can stroll about with a guide seeing sunken ships being repaired and the “Amur,” one of Russia’s relics lying on her side, kept there as a reminder of the dreadful days gone.
Shops full of busy workmen are alongside and the little men who are hard at work to the ceaseless blows of the hammer, bob about blithely at their tasks, getting ready for another conflict.
Far up over one’s head, on the terraced gardens, I saw a marquise and asked what it had been used for.
It was the Russian bandstand, where every evening the Russians played their national airs; now only the breeze blows its requiem there, for “dead souls.”
Nearby is the “Army and Navy Club” at whose inviting door I bade good bye to the American Consul who had so gallantly chaperoned me for the day.
The visit to Port Arthur for a lady alone, would not be agreeable. We had the pleasure of meeting the commanding general, Membo Camio, and he told us about his two dogs and they were introduced, one of them his special favorite, “a left over” from Russian occupation!
Dog lovers know no geographical lines and his most interesting face took on that peculiar “love me, love my dog” look seen on the faces of those devoted to canine pets.
It was an easy task for me and while they talked diplomatic compliments, I talked dog.
I told General Camio of a friend in Manila who possessed one from the Russian fleet, a beautiful collie, given her from off the fugitive Russian ships. How also on the Fourth of July the sensitive creature crept away to avoid hearing the firing, which brings to mind that awful day.
We were provided with a guide, by the kindness of the general, to the war museum and to General Stossel’s house.