Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-12-18

see the japanese cruiser Hatsuse blow
up but got to the top OF Gold Hill
few moments afterward. while the
Japanese were still picking their men
out Of the water. ] could see the va
shims limpipg out to sea very pain
fully after she struck mine. She
sank the same night. remained at
Gold Hill most Of that night and saw
the searchlights Of the Japanese feet
playing around the Yashima. They
we're trying 10 save her, and after she
sank they were picking up the crew
I saw the torpedo attack OF the Japan
ese upon the Russian feet on the
night Of June 23. 1t continued all
night long, and We picked up torpe-
does all over the beach the next day;
but they had not touched . Russian
ship.
81 could not sec the naval battle OF
Aug. 10 because II took place hun
dred miles away. but saw the feet
come bsck the next day. One OF the
4 battleships was very badly battered
hut the rest did not seem to have suf-
fered much damage. The torpedo
lights were the most Interesting. They
occurred nearly every night. The Jap
anese torpedo fotillas would come In
for an attack; the land batteries
would open up on them; and the Rus
sian guard boats would engage them
and chase them away. 1t was like
theatrical performance. Gold Hill was
a platform from which we could see
1t all. The Russian feet was In the
foreground; the japanese fleet on the
horizon, and Its ships would come up
four at time and discharge their bat
tetries and retire; then another four
than the others, flre and retire. The
Russians constantly responded. both
from the ships and forthcations. keep
Ing up continuous cannonade. Tne
torpedo boats would be playing
around, trying to get in their work.
saw half dozen of these dnels, but
comparatively little damage was done
by either side. More was done by
the mines than by the artillery. In
one of the battle the japanese cruiser
Chioyda struck mine and was towed
of badly injured.
In the meantime the japanese
: army was surrounding the city, and
the bombardment began in earnest on
Aug z. The first shot struck only Z
few feet from the office OF the Rus
sian commander.in-chief. The shells
struck all parts of the town. The gun
ners were evidently aiming for the
navy yard. hut they had to shoot ovel
the hills that lay between and coulc
not see where their shots fell. There
were a great many killed and gooe
deal of destruction, but 1t was mostl,
outside of the town. among the outel
lines OF defense, Only about twenty
people we're killed In the city while
was there. The firing became monot
onous after awhile, and, as the Jap
anese closed in around the town VI
we're forbidden to go anywhere Of
see ANYTHING, and our usefulness wa
practically ended. We knew that thu
Russian feet was going to Vladivo
stok at the first opportunity. 1t wen
out twice with that intention. Tn
. first time II was driven back; the sec
ond time II was badly broken up AM
, scattered. This left us nothing fur
I ther to observe, and, as we anticlpat
ed that the naval operations would h'
l transferred to Vladivostok, we asket
permission 10 go there.
General SmirRoff gave me q pass
and |. with two ladies', took Chinese
: coasting Junk across the gulf to Shan
: hal kwan. One of the ladies was thu
er the wife Of a Frenchman living a
4 Port Arthur. with her child. Captain
9 Hopman had been recalled by the Ger
man emperor, and went out through
the Japanese lines on safe conduct
! Lieutenant Won Gilgenheim and Wis
conut Cuverville were intending to g
+ with me, but were not ready and th'
junk sailed without them. They start
ed the next day but did not reacl
their destination. and we have neve
, had any definite news concerning thei
fate. The Chinese authorities execut
ed the crew of junk on which 1t II
said they sailed. but the evidence
and 1t Is not absolutely certain tha
the men who were executed were re
sponsible. No direct evidence was
brought against them. They ma,
have been guilty Of making away with
. Won Ghgenheim and Cuverville, yet
at the same time. 1t is possible thai
: the officers may have been on another
junk. which may have struck mine
or the Japanese may have sunk them
OF they may have been captnred and
= murdered by pirates. Nobody knows
Their fate Is involved in complete
mystery Not the slightest trace oi
them has ever been discovered since
they sailed from Port Arthur. We
might have met with the same mys
terious fate. but for the fact thqt Miss
Helene Chaflanzon, the younr angh
ter OF the French lady with ,.acm
sailed. was able to converf Freely
with our boatmen in Chino and
could explain to them my oiicrs and
our wishes. Miss Helene H. 81 lite a
remarkable young woman. : can
talk fuently In English, Frenca Rus
sian and Chinese IL Won Gilrt n elm