Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-16
WILD WITH DELIGHT
Japanese Enthusiasm Over
Her Seventy Seven Heroes.
ALL EXPECTED DEATH
WHEN THEY TOOK THE FIRE
SHIPS INTO PORT ARTHUR.
"Ihe Cherry Blossom Of Ten Thousand
Deeds" Will Live for Centuries
of Generations.
ALL EXPECTED DEATH
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
TOKYO, March %, 1904.
1.-THE Seventy-Seven Determined Death
Body"-such is the picturesque japanese
designation of the handful of volunteers
who took the fire ships into Port Arthur
in the first attempt to block that harbor.
If Hobsons act before Santiago set Amer
lea aglow with enthusiasm, that deed of
these seventy-seven men has caused Japan
to go wild with delight. Togo's victory on
the night of February caused Nippon to
break out into professions, but 1T did not
touch the deepest chords of patriotism as
has the exploit of this little band
The reason is plain The fleet on the
night of the 9th went into action with the
idea of coming out of 1T more or less alive;
the seventy-seven willingly went into the
Jaws OF death, knowing that the chances
were against their coming out of the hell
of shot and shell alive. They unhesitat-
ingly laid their lives at the emperor's feet
and that is the sublimest height of pa
triotism in Japan.
So the story of the "Seventy-Seven De-
termined Death Body is being tod all over
the islands today under the title of THE
Cherry Blossom of Ten Thousand Deeds,
which, in plain English, means that these
volunteers in their one act showed the sa-
mural valor that is usually contained in
ten thousand brave deeds.
Stuck to His Post.
One of the heroic seventy-seven was
Umehara Keno, and the manner in which
he insisted on doing his duty at the sac
rifice of his life is representative of the
spirit that actuated his fellows.
Keno was one of the volunteers from the
battle ship Yashima, of which he was sec
ond engineer. He was assigned to the fire
boat Bushu Maru. and put in charge of the
engine room. As the five boats neared
the harbor, heading skillfully for their po-
sitions, shot pierced the Bashu Maru
three feet from the engine room and dis
abled the engine, setting the boat clear Off
its course.
The officer in command, seeing the hope
lessness of attempting to do anything more,
orcered the crew to escape in the small
boats. Keno at first refused to desert his
post: he still had an idea that he could
somehow make his wrecked machinery
work, and eventually place the boat. Water
flooded the engine room, and still Keno
stood by his machinery. Finally, with the
water above his waist and with tears in his
eyes he regretfuly responded to the last
call and came on deck. His comrades, with
shells bursting all about them, were along
side in the boats awaiting his appearance
Just then a ten-inch shot fell on the deck
OF the drifting fire ship, burst, and Keno
was seen to fall
A second later several of his comrades
had leaped 10 the deck and Keno, mortal
Iy wounded in the abdomen, was lowered
into a boat which, after narrowly escaping
sinking from the shells that struck air
around it. eventually reached the Yashima.
There, an hour later, kenZo dled.
Did Not Die in Vain.
But he did not die in vain His parents
in Osaka gave great feast in his honor'
his portrait was dedicated at the temple
and the women of Osaka. where Keno ran
the streets as boy cutting off their halr
in his honor, made great ropes of 1t ana
sold them to the temple where such ropes
are used in ceremonies and in pulling TIM
bers used in building temples. The money
derived by this sacrifice has been turned
into the government war fund: and so
KenZo although he could not place his
ship, ma terially benefited his country after
ALL for big prices are paid by the priests
for ropes of hair, and hundreds or OSAKA
women are minus their GROWING glofy
today.
To the pluck of another of the seventy
seven a boatload of his comrades owe
their lives. This common sailor was at tne
tilIer steering the escaping boat out to sea
after the crews failure to place the HTe
ship, wher a stray cannon shell shot away
the elbow of the arm that was holding the
tilIer The mans other arm had previously
been injured the boat was drifting in direct
line of the Russian fire, when he dropped
down on his knees, grabbed the tiller in nus
teeth, and, as if nothing had happened
steered the boat straight for his battle ship
Then when he saw his comrades safe ana
sound on deck. he tainted from loss OF
blood and pain.
All Expected to Die.
Such were two of the individual deeds,
and similar stories could be told of every
man who went in with the fire ships, not
one of whom expected to come out alive
That is why their last half hour before
climbing up the sides of the flre shlpS was
given up to writing letters home; and TINS
letter written by sub-Leut. Torizakl 1as-
uzo, who was killed. is type of all the
Others 1t was written to his uncle III
Tokyo.
thur to block the Russians. 1t is daring
feat, but we are anxious to engage IN IL.
We will show the enemy the keenness OF
the samurai sword / will never see you
again in this world. Give my best regards
to the boys. Take good care of hiyoshi
(his cousin). This is my final letter to you
Goodbye
The volunteers themselves not alone real
lied that they were going into the jaws OF
death; the whole feet knew it. Captain
Yashiro of the battle ship Osama, just be-
fore the seventy-seven We're dispatched on
their task, held a farewell celebration Tor
the five volunteers from his ship. He piped
the crew on deck brought out the great
silver ceremonial cup (sakadzukD, given
the Osama by the crown prince and hiled
II with water This use of water instead
of sake is significant in Japan. Whenever
a friend starts on a journey from which he
may not return he drinks water out of the
sakadzuki with his friends. The crew,
then realized the full significance of the
CAPTAIN s act. 1n6u tIc dpldui opohCs do-
dressing himself to the little band marked
out for death:
Ordering you men to bottle up Port Ar
thur means sending out beloved sons to
taste the gall of DEATH But IL had one
hundred sons 1 would send all of them on
this adventure. Or If / had just one we'll
beloved son would appeal for him to be
sent"
Then, turning squarely to the quintet, he
continued:
Final Instructions.
.If you lose your left hand. work with the
right If you lose both hands. work with
your feet. If both feet are shot away,
work with your head. Obey all orders re-
spectfully. Do not in any degree disobey.
1T am sending you to death. No doubt
you are determined to die. but that does
not mean that you should die too readily.
Do your duty first. Nor do I want you to
go on this errand simply for the fame that
will be yours for centuries of generations
(forever). My appeal to you is. do not
think of your Life or Of fame in doing this
patriotic duty.
1.-THE water am drinking with you is
not to encourage you to do your duty, but
give it to you as tonic. You are the rep
resentatives Of the brave sons of the Osa-
ma. It would be a disgrace II 1t were
discovered that you died by aid of the
power OF this cup. OF you sought death