The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-12-15

next instant there was a sharp
crack on my left. The head dis
appeared Then the soldier on my
left spoke he spoke Ia japanese
and | haven't the slightest idea
what he said. but from the tone Of
his voice. and from the little laugh
from his comrades IN the trench I
knew he had missed was disap-
pointed. ] had never seen that
Russian before and he had never
seen me. or done me any harm. but
al that moment I would have been
clad Ia have killed him myself I
saw him there with his gun and I
knew that N I had raised ny head
above the parapet he would have
shot me without even asking for
my visiting card That's what
didn't like about him and that's
why ] would have been glad n the
soldier had Killed him. II was the
spirit Of war Il vas the feeling that
enables a man 10 lie behind a
brcastwork and calmly pick Off his
enemies Now I am back IN my
corner Of the dirty little Chinese
house In which We are quartered !
am glad the soldier escaped. II he
had been killed ! would have felt
myself almost a murderer.
We spent the entire day in the
trenches along the first line Of the
Japanese position BY choice we
visited the Sixth division. This IS
the division which has held the
center Of the line OF the Second
army for several months. the divi-
sion which did such excellent work
In the recent battle OF the Sa Ho.
O3y the way, ga means sand in the
language 81 the country. and Ho
meanf river-heuee the Sand river
We called on General Okubo In his
quarters in little Chinese village
and he told us that the best place
60 see the first line was at the
village OF Lin-Shim-Pu. a little to
the west 81 the railway track. We
had seen the battle and we knew
not only that one OF the most des-
perate fights Of the entire battle
occurred at this town. but that II
was further advanced than any
NNNNNfE NHNAN NA tue NAANAAf AAAAA "a tAAf
three japanese armies.
General Okuho furnished US with
n cayalryman who guided us across
the railway TO another small VIII
lnEe where were located the head
uarters Of the brigade which held
the left of the Sixth divisions po-
sition. Here the brigade comman-
der told us that we had better
leave our horses and cross the Sa
river to another village from which
we could reach Lin-Shim-Pu
through the traverse trenches. He
sont orderlies to look after our
horses and gave MS a soldier to
guide us TO Lin-Shim-Pu.
As We crossed the river the sol
der told us. through our iuterpre-
ter. that all the morning the Rus
SLAMS had been sending shells down
the little ravine through which the
river ran. This information didn't
hasten US any. | am sure. but ! am
equally sure that II did not cause
us 10 lIuger on the way. When we
crossed the river and had made
our way out OF the ravlne we found
ourselves I'm another village, a de-
serted one this time. We passed
through Il and entered n trench.
The dirt had been thrown up on
either side Of this trench, which
was about four feet deep and not
over three feet wide. so that the
dirt piled up on either side reached
far above our heads. The trench
was not straight. but zigzagged
from side to side and turned at
sharp angles every few yards so
that It was practically n complete
shelter from either shrannel or
stray bullets.
We had not gone more than 400
yards along this trench when the
soldier who was guiding Us stepped
aside into short trench which
served the purpose OF switch
track and signalled us to follow
him. We had no more than done so
when two soldiers turned an angle
coming toward us. They We're
closely followed by two others and
the four bore ON their shoulders a
rude stretcher on this stretcher
reposed a body. but over II was a
piece Of mating and the body It.
self was tied To the streteher so
that the iolting could not roll Il
off The soldier saluted, the rest Of
us raised our hats. No cXplana-
ton was necessary. We knew that