ON THE WAY TO MADAGASCAR
_December 4th._--From Angra Pequena to Madagascar.
I only went to bed at 4 a.m., and rose at 8 a.m. We prepared to leave
here at dawn, but at 1.30 a thick fog came on and continued till 9.30.
As soon as it dispersed, the fleet weighed anchor. In the night a
schooner came and lay near the fleet. The officer of the guard went on
board. She is flying the English flag, and says she has come here for
guano. Our next anchorage is at Madagascar, near the small island of
St. Mary. This island lies near the north-eastern shores of Madagascar.
_December 5th._--There was a short mass to-day.
A steamer was perceived far off going in our direction. Her funnel and
two masts could only be seen from our masts. Perhaps she has come from
St. Helena, and we may expect a surprise. At first she was noticed by
the smoke from her funnel. She is now, no doubt, following us.
Something has happened to the _Aurora's_ engines, but she has repaired
it by now. To-day the _Suvaroff_ steamed with one engine for a quarter
of an hour.
Even the _Malay_, which has to be constantly nursed, is steaming
successfully now. I expect several repairs were made when she was at
Angra Pequena.
8 p.m.--The steamer which is on our course, though far away, overtook
the fleet and went in the direction of Capetown.
_December 6th._--To-day is December 6th. Where have I not spent this
day? In Cronstadt, in Petersburg, in Tzarskoe Selo, in Tashkend, and
in Gothland aboard the _Poltava_. Now I am spending it near the Cape
of Good Hope. Who would believe that they would spend St. Nicholas
Day near the southern coast of Africa? There was mass, prayers, and a
salute. If foreigners heard it, no doubt it will appear in the papers
that there was a fight, as firing had been heard.
We have not yet reached the Cape of Good Hope. We are just steaming
past Capetown. Table Mountain is visible. The swell is tremendous.
The ships are rolling. It is fearful to look at the _Nachimoff_ and
_Donskoi_, which are rolling especially heavily. The height of the
waves sometimes reaches seventy feet. I was told this by the flag
navigating officer. If we double the Cape in safety, then thanks be to
God.
They have arranged a game for the crew. They hang up a bucket of water
with a board attached to it, in which there is a hole. Those playing
have, in passing under the bucket, to thrust a stick through the hole.
This they seldom succeed in doing. Usually the stick hits the board,
and the bucket is turned over, spilling the water on the player. The
players are driven under the bucket on a field gun-carriage.
We are steaming near the shore. It is hilly, dark, and treeless. Table
Mountain is distinguished by its height and its summit, which is flat,
as if the top of the mountain were cut off; this is apparently why it
got its name. The Cape of Good Hope is a shapeless pile of cliffs.
There is a lighthouse. We have now passed this cape and Capetown.
To-night we shall be off Cape Agulhas. When we have passed it we shall
have left the Atlantic and entered the Indian Ocean. We shall be able
to say, one ocean passed; two more remain, the Indian and the Pacific.
As the crow flies we are now at the greatest distance from Petersburg.
Up to the present we have been going away from Japan, now we begin to
approach. Near Capetown we met an enormous four-masted ship, flying
the American flag. She was coming towards us. We are expecting to meet
three suspicious schooners.
The weather is getting worse. In two hours we shall be on the same
meridian as Petersburg; our time will be the same as it is there--that
is, midnight. After this Petersburg time will be behind ours; hitherto
it has been before. Evidently you cannot double the Cape without
very bad weather. Perhaps it is all for the best, as it will be more
difficult for the suspicious schooners to commit any hostile action.
Astern of the fleet and on the same course there is a steamer. At first
she showed lights, now they are not visible. The moon is shining, but
will soon set, and it will be quite dark. This will be the time to
expect any unpleasant occurrences.
I hear the admiral does not want to take the small torpedo-boats with
him, among them being the _Rezvy_ (Sportive). Perhaps some of the
officers of these boats will be transferred to other ships. It has been
decided that the transports _Malay_ and _Kniaz Gortchakoff_ are to
return to Russia from Madagascar. Their engines are bad, and have to be
nursed continually.
All the fleet and auxiliary cruisers will assemble at Madagascar.
The same steamer is astern of us; she has her lights out. It is not
merely out of curiosity she does this.
At first I used to be disturbed by reports of this kind, but am no
longer. No doubt it is rather alarming, but nothing like it was before.
How can this be explained? Nerves a little blunted, perhaps. It is
summer here now. Nevertheless, at this time of the year ice sometimes
drifts from the antarctic regions. They say a mountain of ice 100 feet
above the water floated to the shore in summer-time.
_December 7th._--Just as I sat down at table I was called away. It
causes an unpleasant sensation when the engines race--that is, when
the screws suddenly begin to turn very much quicker. This happens when
there is no water over them, and is caused by the vessel pitching
heavily; consequently, there is no resistance to their turning.
The steamer which has been following us all along is not to be seen.
Perhaps towards night she will show herself somewhere. The wind has got
up and raised a big sea. The sea is a following one. Great mountains
of water pour on the upper deck. The ship is beginning to roll more
heavily; we may expect a gale towards night if the wind strengthens.
It is a good thing it is not a head sea--the ship steams more easily
and does not roll so heavily. There is a lot of water on the deck in
my cabin, as well as in other people's. I am now sitting with my legs
huddled up. The water comes into the cabins through badly closed ports
and badly riveted sides. The waves sometimes hit the side and make a
noise like a shot from a gun. The weather is so bad that we need have
no fear of being followed by the Japanese. They could no doubt attempt
to fire a torpedo from the steamer, but it could hardly hit, and the
steamer would certainly be fired on and sunk.
The battleships _Suvaroff_, _Alexander_, _Borodino_, and _Orel_ have
many defects which could be remedied in the construction of the _Slava_
(Glory).
_December 8th_.--The weather was such yesterday that God grant we do
not experience it a second time. Early in the morning it was tolerable,
but later on the wind began to freshen. Standing on deck was difficult.
The waves grew larger and larger--like immensely steep hills round the
ship. They attained a height of forty feet.
From three to four o'clock the fury of the gale reached its height. I
am not sufficiently eloquent to describe it all. The ship tossed and
groaned complainingly. Everything was tightly shut, but water came
in everywhere. It poured in cascades on the upper deck, went into
the turrets, stokeholds, engine room, conning tower, and even on to
the bridge. You could not walk on the poop, or you would be washed
overboard. You could not breathe in the cabins; the atmosphere was like
a bath (steam), if not worse. The wind roared, the ship rolled. The
waves came up quite vertically--you looked and saw a wall of water.
A boat which hung at the davits was smashed to bits, torn away, and
carried off to sea.
Astern of the _Suvaroff_ came the _Alexander_; at times, when the
sea lifted the latter, her ram was visible. Sometimes her bows were
at the bottom of a wave, and her stern at the top; and then all her
deck, from bow to stern, could be seen from the _Suvaroff_. When I saw
this I could not at first believe it. The best-behaved ship was the
_Borodino_; she is a ship to be proud of.
At last the weather got to such a pitch that, had the engines or rudder
of any ship given way, she would have been in a hopeless position. To
think of help from other vessels would be useless. At this time each
ship only thought of herself. The steamer _Roland_ was flooded with
waves minute after minute; she had to increase speed to escape them,
and disappeared out of sight of the fleet.
She rejoined to-day. Thank God it was a following sea and a fair wind.
What would it have been had it been a head or beam wind?
At 5 p.m. something went wrong with the engines of the _Malay_. She
stopped and turned broadside to the wind. If you could but see what a
sad sight she presented! It was impossible to help her, even if she
had gone to the bottom before the eyes of the whole fleet. Nearly all
the underwater part of her was visible. Wave after wave rolled over
her. To help herself a little she set small and wretched sails. They
were no good. The whole fleet, without lessening speed, went past the
_Malay_, leaving her to cope by herself with the broken engine and the
bad weather. Since then she has not been seen. How does she fare? It is
not known whether she is afloat or sunk. We shall know nothing before
we get to Madagascar. Perhaps all will yet be well.
The Indian Ocean has not given us a very affable reception. They
were afraid that the wind would get up to-day, but although it is
fresh it is tolerable. Storms such as we experienced yesterday last
for a fortnight without a break. Last night, when the gale abated,
rain squalls began to pass over us. This pleasure was not continuous;
besides, we were wet enough without them. I went to bed late. I had
wandered all over the ship. Went to sleep undressed. My feet had
been wet through since the morning. While at lunch yesterday in the
admiral's cabin a large wave rolled on to the upper deck; the door
leading to the poop from the cabin had not been closed, and a cascade
of water poured in. Every one raised their legs and kept them so until
sailors had dried up the water. This wave was one of the first to fall
on the ship.
What weather! You seldom see the like! I wrote to you that we had
passed the meridian of Petersburg. I was mistaken. We only passed it
to-day at 8 a.m.
_December 9th._--The weather is gradually mending. The ship rolls
lightly.
In the _Suvaroff_ the cook and the messman were French. The messman
left the ship at Vigo, and the former cook became messman. Every one
grumbled at him. At last it was decided to get rid of him. One of the
officers undertook to superintend the cooking. The messman will be put
on shore at Madagascar.
Thanks to the favouring gale and fair wind we shall, it appears, reach
Madagascar considerably earlier than was anticipated.
_December 10th._--The weather is nearly quite calm, although the ship
is still rolling slightly. At 8.30 the _Borodino_ left the line.
Something went wrong with her steering gear. She has not left the
fleet, but is steaming alongside it. Now she has repaired the damage.
There are about 1,400 miles more to St. Mary, our next anchorage. Under
favourable conditions we should arrive there in six or seven days. We
shall get the mails and newspapers there. No news has been received
about the _Malay_, though they call her up by signal in the evenings.
If she has not suffered shipwreck, she must be far from the fleet. Her
speed is inconsiderable. We shall learn her fate at Madagascar.
_December 11th._--During the night on board the _Suvaroff_ the coal in
the bunker caught fire. The fire was speedily extinguished with steam,
which was injected into the bunker.
There is only a slight wind to-day, but the deadly swell continues. It
is impossible to open the ports. Yesterday they brought my cap-covers
from the wash. They are so torn now I can hardly wear them. You cannot
imagine what a barbarous wash-house we have. They bring back the linen
torn and stained. No matter how strong a material your tunic is made
of, they tear it.
The _Orel_ left the line, having damaged her steering engine; but she
quickly set it right and resumed her place.
Just before the colours were lowered to-day a cloud appeared on the
horizon, like smoke. They thought it was the _Malay_ overtaking us. Our
excitement appeared to have been needless. The _Kamchatka_ complained
of bad coal; she could not keep up sufficient steam, and began to drop
astern. Her captain, by signal, asked permission to throw overboard
some 150 tons of bad coal. The admiral, seeing in the fall of steam the
work of some evil-disposed persons, refused, but gave permission to
throw overboard the wrongdoer.
No sooner is the tale of the _Kamchatka_ ended than the _Suvaroff_
lies motionless, having damaged her steering engine. It was repaired
somehow, and we proceeded.
_December 12th._--A curious thing happened last night. They were
communicating with the _Kamchatka_ by signal. She hoisted a signal
about her speed. The ship's signalmen interpreted the signal thus, "Do
you see the torpedo-boats?" The officer of the watch sent down to wake
all officers, and tell them that a torpedo-boat attack was imminent.
Buglers and drummers were stationed to sound off quarters for action.
There was general alarm.
A strong wind is beginning to blow. I hope it will not turn into a
gale again, as it does not bring much joy. When you are ashore you
pay no attention to the weather, whereas now you attentively follow
its strength and direction. If nothing happens, there are four days'
journey left to our anchorage in Madagascar. Up to the present we have
come quicker than was intended. The storm on the eighth of the month
helped us. At Madagascar the cruiser _Kuban_ will probably join the
fleet. She left Russia after we did. She outstripped us, and we have
not yet seen her.
Probably at that island we shall be joined by the ships going by the
Suez Canal. The weather is apparently about to get worse. The waves are
again increasing. In the Atlantic it is calm; in the Indian Ocean it is
always boisterous. They say that from Madagascar on it will be quieter.
God grant it! It is impossible even for a minute to open one's port
to let fresh air into the cabin. The artificial ventilation is very
feeble.
_December 13th._--Rain has fallen all to-day. The transport _Meteor_
for some reason began to drop astern. (She is carrying fresh water.
Although they distil water in the battleships and cruisers, she
is nevertheless sometimes of assistance. She usually provides the
transports with water.) Like all the other ships, she complains of the
bad coal, with which it is difficult to keep up a sufficient quantity
of steam for the boilers.
A storm has begun; the wind has suddenly freshened. Some say that
this is a local squall, others that it is a cyclone. It is especially
awkward for ships to get into a cyclone if they happen to be in its
centre. Formerly sailing-ships that were caught in the centre of a
cyclone seldom escaped. No doubt it is not so dangerous for steamships;
yet, all the same, it may cause discomfort enough.
To-night is very dark. Black clouds stretch over the sky. The storm
sometimes moves away, sometimes approaches us.
_December 14th._--It was a cyclone yesterday; it only caught us with
its circumference. Until one o'clock I was on deck. We are now passing
along the eastern shore of Madagascar, and about thirty miles from
it. The shore is clearly seen with the naked eye. It is high and
mountainous. Just before twelve o'clock a steam-pipe burst in the
stokehold of the _Suvaroff_. The steam whistled and began to pour into
the stokehold. The men were nearly scalded. Some of them fled into the
bunker, and shut the door behind them with the aid of a stoker, who
remained in the stokehold and found a means of saving himself another
way.
_December 16th._--Off the island of St. Mary.
They have brought news from the shore. Ay! such news that the
remembrance of it is nauseating. All the ships at Port Arthur are
destroyed. The _Gromoboy_ (Thunderer) has struck on the rocks.
Kuropatkin sits tight at Mukden and organises parades. A third
deep-sea fleet is leaving, or preparing to leave, Libau. Can this
be true? What is all this? Are they joking, or have they quite lost
their heads? You cannot imagine how mortifying it is. Everywhere are
failures, corruption, stupidity, and mistakes. No doubt you, living in
Petersburg, have heard all gradually. It all falls on us as a sudden
blow. Involuntarily you are overwhelmed with horror. There is not one
bright spot; all around is hopeless darkness.
Yes, our affairs are bad, very bad!
The steamer _Roland_ is going to the town of Tamatave, which is about
a hundred versts from our anchorage. The hospital-ship _Orel_ arrived
from Capetown and brought newspapers. The officers of the _Orel_ say
that in the streets of Capetown you constantly hear Russian spoken;
that is, by Jews from Russia. There are some thirteen and a half
thousands of them. Many of them have fled from Russia in order to
escape their military obligations. The Jews so besieged the _Orel_,
wishing to look over her, that at last the police had to drive them
away from the ship.
_December 17th._--The _Roland_, when coming out of Tamatave, signalled
that the _Malay_ was coming in. A schooner flying the Swiss flag has
arrived here--schooner of a country where there is no sea!
The _Malay_ has arrived. It does not do to believe all the news from
the fleet. For instance, to-day a telegram was sent _viâ_ Tamatave,
saying we had coaled near Durban. Nothing of the kind occurred. It
was telegraphed to alarm the English and compel them to institute an
inquiry. In one word, to make them show that they had not broken their
neutrality.
The _Orel_ brought the captain of the _Suvaroff_ the _Novoe Vremya_
(New Times) and _Birgevya Viedomosti_ (Bourse News) from Capetown. How
eagerly we read them!
Our fleet lies in the strait between the islands of Madagascar and St.
Mary. To-day we were informed from St. Mary that two ships were lying
on the other side. Was it from these ships we received signals? They
suppose them to be Japanese cruisers, and fear for the _Roland_. She
has not returned. If there are Japanese cruisers here they might easily
catch her and send her to the bottom.
It is very probable that the ships coming _viâ_ Suez are lying in the
Mozambique Channel, off Madagascar (near the western shore). As yet we
have no news of them.
_December 18th._--To-day the admiral and several officers of his
staff went to the island of St. Mary. I did not want to go, so did
not take advantage of the opportunity. The steamer _Esperanza_, which
is bringing provisions for the fleet, has not yet arrived. She had to
call at Capetown, and then follow us here. Perhaps we shall remain off
the island here for a prolonged time. Evidently the term of our stay
depends on the answer to the telegram sent to Petersburg.
To-morrow a steamer arrives (French), and leaves on the 21st, taking
the mails.
The _Roland_ has not yet returned. Where the rest of the ships are is
not known.
The question of the return to Russia of the _Malay_ is definitely
settled. She is to go to the Black Sea. Her stores will be taken in the
other transports. She goes from here _viâ_ the Suez Canal, taking the
sick and feeble from the fleet. That will be one burden the less.
_December 19th._--I have been to St. Mary to-day. The trip began by our
scarcely reaching the shore. It was rough, and a head sea began to pour
over the cutter. I was wet through, and cursed myself for coming.
The scenery here is very little different from Gaboon and Dakar.
There is the same rich tropical growth. The types of inhabitants are
different. The people here dress more than those at Gaboon, and appear
well built. The population does not enjoy the confidence of the French,
and the soldiers are taken from another place. Not long ago the natives
killed two European officers in Madagascar. When our fleet arrived,
they thought we had come to punish them for the murders, and several
settlements ran away. St. Mary is a Sagalien for Madagascar. There
are two prisons--one for political offenders, the other for capital
offenders. What strikes one generally about the negroes is their gait.
They walk holding themselves upright.
I wandered about on shore, was in the village, and looked into the
church (Roman Catholic). It is the new year to-day, according to the
New Style. The population are dressed in their holiday clothes. I
bought six very pretty shells in the village for a franc. Strolling
along the beach I collected fifty shells--one large one of six to eight
inches diameter. My walk along the beach was poisoned by anticipation
of having to row back to the ship, which, with the others, lies very
far from the shore.
I went on board the ship, and there was a surprise for me--to go to the
_Esperanza_, which had only just arrived. The weather had already grown
much rougher. Two Frenchmen have come aboard the _Suvaroff_, and they
cannot get ashore; they will have to spend the night here. The sailors
from their boat are negroes, and have been sent to sleep with the crew,
whose chance guests afford them amusement.
In the morning the _Roland_ arrived, and brought the news that they
had seen a suspicious schooner and a destroyer (Japanese). They saw
Admiral Folkersham's fleet (which came by Suez) had gone to Nosi Be. No
answer had been received at Tamatave from Petersburg. A French steamer
will bring us the answer to-morrow. At Tamatave the French gave our
officers a friendly reception. On the occasion of the arrival of the
Russian fleet they even printed the menus with the double-headed eagle
and our flags.
_December 20th._--I was called early this morning. I have to go to the
_Esperanza_ again. I am wet through, and have to change my clothes and
boots. It is a good thing that those I wore yesterday have dried. The
Frenchmen have gone and taken with them the letters and telegrams to
give to the steamer. I missed the dispatch of letters owing to the trip
to the _Esperanza_.
Our fleet will soon shift its anchorage. We shall hardly go to Nosi
Be. It is awkward to lie there, and the bay is shallow for battleships
and also for transports. The refrigerator in the _Esperanza_, which
cools the air in the holds where the meat is stowed, is damaged. This
is unfortunate; the meat will go bad, and we shall have to feed on salt
meat.
At four o'clock the steamer _Pernosbucco_ arrived here; she brought no
news from Petersburg. At seven she left for Diego Suarez. To-morrow we
get up anchor and go north to some bay.
A stoker died on board the _Oslyabya_; he was buried at five o'clock
to-day. The _Oslyabya_ left the line, half-masted her colours, fired
her guns (a salute), and committed the body to the sea. During this
ceremony the officers and crews of all the ships stood at "attention,"
and where there were bands they played "Kol Slaven."[4]
To-day the wireless station received some signals, evidently sent from
a great distance. None of the ships could decipher them--it was not
known, even, in what language they were written. To-morrow I shall
learn whether it was not one of our newly arrived ships that signalled.
_December 21st._--In the bay of Tang-tang.
This morning we weighed and shifted from St. Mary nearer to Madagascar,
in the bay of Tang-tang. It is better protected than where we were
lying.
The guns are ready at any minute to commence firing. In all corners
of the ship are men talking in undertones. They anxiously scan
the horizon. The outlines of the nearest ships stand out in black
silhouettes. At the sides the torpedo-nets are rocked by the waves. The
searchlights are ready to instantly illuminate all around. The tension
is felt, though there is absolute stillness. Every one is chilled by
fearful anticipation.
_December 22nd._--To-day the cruiser _Kuban_ is expected to arrive, and
to-morrow the squadron that came _viâ_ Suez.
In the English newspapers there is an announcement that Russia has
ordered thirty ships of various kinds in Germany and Italy.
Those undeciphered signals which our wireless stations received have
been made out by some one in the _Nachimoff_. The signal was Japanese.
It stated that "the Russian fleet is lying without lights off the
island of St. Mary." To-day a French officer commanding some local
troops arrived, and spent the night on board the _Suvaroff_. The
torpedo-nets were again got out; the crews were at their guns; steam
and mining cutters lay near their ships, one-third of the officers were
on deck by order, and a large number out of curiosity.
The night was rather dark--half the sky was covered with clouds.
Occasionally sparks of light glimmer here and there. Some one is
signalling. A light flashes on shore; it is answered from the sea.
The _Aurora_ reports that she saw six lights astern of her. I myself
saw four out at sea and one on shore. What will to-night bring us?
An attack must be expected. Everything is so unusual. All lights are
hidden. At dawn a cruiser is leaving with secret orders, apparently for
the colliers.
_December 23rd._--The _Malay_, which remained at our former anchorage,
has not yet reached the fleet. The cruisers have gone. The _Roland_ has
not yet returned. The _Kuban_ is not here, nor the squadron from Suez.
To-night there was a long story from the _Esperanza_, which is cruising
under the French flag and has a French crew. The crew, not liking to
lie at anchor without lights during the night, threatened the captain.
These brave Frenchmen feared an attack. The _Esperanza_ has now been
sent away somewhere. A collier arrived bringing some information,
thanks to which we shall leave here to-morrow--whither I do not yet
know.
Evening.--The _Kuban_, it appears, is lying at Diego Suarez, and the
ships from Suez at Nosi Be, where we are also going to-morrow.
_December 24th._--Port Arthur has surrendered. What more can be said?
On the way to Nosi Be from Tang-tang.
The sad news of the surrender of Port Arthur was brought by the
_Roland_. She arrived to-day.
On the 24th the cruiser _Svietlana_ and the torpedo-boats _Biedovy_ and
_Bodry_ joined the fleet. The latter damaged her engines, and was at
once taken in tow by the _Roland_. The same day we met two colliers.
They were ordered to go to Nosi Be. On the 25th the _Bodry_ reported
that she had very little coal. The fleet stopped, and the _Bodry_ took
coal from the _Anadir_, going alongside her.
It is a good thing it was calm, and this could be done without risk of
damage. Yesterday there was mass and prayers. It is really Christmas.
After mass the admiral made a short but impressive speech to the crew.
All the ships saluted according to regulation. They fired thirty-one
guns.
In the evening the _Borodino_ reported by semaphore that shortly before
sunset four large warships were visible from her masts, steaming in
line ahead. Afterwards three of the ships turned and disappeared.
Lights were burning on the remaining ship. After a short time, they
made out that this ship, having put out her lights, altered course and
also disappeared. There is evidence that there are Japanese warships
off Madagascar. The night passed in alarms. Some lights were visible
away from our course. Attacks were feared. Instructions were given to
the battleships and transports what to do during an attack.
The cruiser _Svietlana_ was sent to the squadron lying in Nosi Be.
I could not sleep from the closeness in my cabin. Until 6 a.m. I slept
in my clothes on a sofa in the wardroom. At 6 I went back to my cabin
and opened the port. The sea wetted the table and fell on to the bed,
but that afforded nothing but pleasure. It does not even wake you.
This morning we got into communication by wireless with the
_Svietlana_, which is ahead of the fleet, while she was in
communication with the squadron at Nosi Be. It appears that our
cruisers _Aurora_, _Donskoi_, and _Nachimoff_ are lying there.
Yesterday it was supposed that the ships seen in line ahead were these
cruisers and the _Kuban_, which joined them from Diego Suarez. Now this
supposition falls to the ground.
We are going by a spot seldom explored and not sounded. Occasionally
shallow places are shown on the chart, and the fairway along which we
are steaming is very narrow; the depth is unknown--it has not been
measured. We may go aground.
To-day I finished writing those reports about the battleships
_Borodino_, _Orel_, _Imperator Alexander III._, and _Kniaz Suvaroff_,
which I began long ago. I must touch them up a little and send them to
Petersburg. Many will be dissatisfied with them, and probably I shall
make enemies for myself. No matter. Having once decided on it, I must
carry it out--the more so as it appears to me the remarks will be very
useful.
At seven o'clock the torpedo-boat _Buiny_ (Boisterous) approached,
coming from Nosi Be. All is well there. The torpedo-boat offered to
escort the hospital-ship _Orel_ to the anchorage. At present our fleet
is thirty miles from the anchorage. Owing to the dangerous entrance, we
shall remain at sea all night, and go in to-morrow morning. Tossing on
the sea all night with the transports is not without danger.
_December 27th._--The fleet is steaming slowly, turning constantly in
order not to be too far off Nosi Be. At 2 p.m. the _Roland_ hoisted
a signal, "The crew have mutinied." The torpedo-boat _Biedovy_ was
ordered to reduce the mutineers to submission, and if necessary
to shoot them. The torpedo-boat, with such full powers, soon
re-established order. It appeared that the stokers did not wish to take
the place of two sick comrades, and hence the whole story.
I hardly slept all night. Went to bed at four and got up at seven.
We are approaching our anchorage. What news awaits us? After the
destruction of the fleet and the fall of Port Arthur, affairs are
radically changed. There is now no need for haste.
There are three courses open to our fleet--either to continue the
voyage to the East, to remain for an indefinite time in some place in
the expectation that its presence will be necessary on the coast of
Japan, or to return to Russia. If we are obliged to remain somewhere
and wait, will the admiral remain in the fleet? And if he goes, what
fate may his staff expect?
I had just sat down and busied myself when I heard the sound of my
beloved Little Russian march. I looked out of my port and saw we had
arrived at Nosi Be. I ran on deck and saw a wonderful picture. The
bay, the calm sea, hills all round--two of the latter especially,
covered with a thick wood, stand at the entrance opposite each other.
The sun is scorching. In the bay are the remains of the naval might of
our unfortunate fatherland. The sounds of the march re-echo. We have
rejoined all the ships that we parted from at Tangier more than two
months ago. Here are all that are left to Russia. Can it be that they
will be ingloriously and ignominiously destroyed? The fleet is still
strong enough, but is it efficient? There were more ships, and they are
battered to pieces or lie at the bottom of the sea. Can it be that our
fleet will complete the great tragedy of the ruin of an immense navy?
The meeting of our admiral and Admiral Folkersham was very hearty.
They embraced. You cannot recognise the men in the boats of Admiral
Folkersham's division. They are all in sun helmets, whereas our men
have put neck-covers on their caps. Admirals Folkersham and Enquist
were invited to lunch. They learnt the news. All are sad.
There is neither telegraph nor post here. Torpedo-boats go to Mayung
(Mojanga) in order to send the mails and telegrams. It is about 200
versts from here. There are few Europeans. We hear occasional newspaper
reports which we do not know how to believe. One is perfectly terrible.
Port Arthur surrendered with a garrison of more than 40,000 men, among
whom were 1,000 officers. It is simply incredible! The triumph of the
Japanese is complete; they will raise our ships that were sunk in Port
Arthur harbour, and leaving them their former names, will fight in them
against us.
Admiral Folkersham says there are no mails or letters from Russia. He
telegraphed twice to our staff requesting them to send on letters.
They did not even reply. What is it to them, sitting snugly in
Petersburg, that more than 850 officers alone have no news from home
for two months? It is all the same to them! They are all right, and as
regards others it is not their business.
They do not count on taking the transports _Gortchakoff_ and _Malay_
any further, but will send them to Russia from here. It is said that,
according to the first order, the fleet is to leave Madagascar on
January 1st. The captain of the torpedo-boat _Buiny_ has come. There
are several breakages and defects in this boat. I shall have to go
to-morrow morning and make arrangements for their repair.
We have a tremendous voyage before us--across the Indian Ocean, calling
nowhere. Under favourable conditions we shall get to the East Indian
Archipelago in twenty days, and then Japan is quite close. What will
it be? Can the fate of the Port Arthur fleet await us? It is said that
Nosi Be is extraordinarily like the harbour of Nagasaki. It is not
possible to remain in one's cabin. The deck is so hot that you can feel
the heat through the soles of your boots.
The cyclone that overtook us on the way to Madagascar apparently caused
much damage in this island. Thank God that we came happily out of
it. The cruise in the ships that came _viâ_ Suez was much easier than
ours. They called at well-constructed ports. The voyage was shorter.
Officers and men were frequently allowed ashore. Our fleet accomplished
a tremendous voyage, calling at a few deserted bays. The crew were not
allowed on shore, and the officers seldom had permission to land. It is
said permission to land will be given to-morrow. It does not attract
me; the shore is wild and deserted.
To-night I can sleep with my port open. I shall be able to breathe.
I must go to bed early. It is already late, and to-morrow I must get
up early, and dash round the ships. At present there are few damages.
Perhaps they have not been able to report them. I shall see to-morrow.
FOOTNOTE:
[4] A funeral march.