CHAPTER I
BEGINNING THE VOYAGE
PAGE
The Summons—The Emperor visits the Fleet—Worries and Work—Fear of Japanese Mines—Repairs—The Order of St. Anne—Mishaps—Suspicions and Nerve-strain—On the Dogger Bank—The Kamchatka "attacked"—The North Sea Trawlers—The Aurora fired on—The Ship's Barber—"Foggy Albion"—Crossing the Bay—Complications—At Vigo—Protests from England
CHAPTER II
OFF NORTH-WEST AFRICA
Vigo and the Spanish—Chased—An English Escort—That Horrid Britannia!—A Memorial Service for Alexander III.—Cruisers—Tangier—Japanese Torpedo-boats at Hull—The Suvaroff—Morocco and the Moors—Rumours and Lies—Cutting the Cable—The Malay breaks down—Vessels in the Squadron—The Captain gets some Soap!—Great Heat—Dakar—Those English again!—Coal the Weakness—Sunstroke—Japanese Spies—The Natives—Visiting the Fleet—Heat and Thirst—Whales sighted—The Malay again—Strike of a Stoker
CHAPTER III
CROSSING THE LINE
Off Gaboon—Rats—Wiring for News—Requested to leave by the French—Cannibals—Awaking a King—Photographed with Royalty—A Captain reprimanded—Libreville—Dancing a Tam-tam—Andrew Andrewitch—Crossing the Line—How they fast—Great Fish Bay—A Portuguese Gunboat—Albatrosses—Dysentery—Angra Pequena—News of Mukden—English Possessions everywhere—German Sympathy—Sad News from the Front—Visiting the Malay—Lights put out—Rat Hunting
CHAPTER IV
ON THE WAY TO MADAGASCAR
Passing Capetown—A Steamer following—A Furious Gale—The Malay again in Trouble—Fire on the Suvaroff—Bad Coal—General Alarm—Another Storm—Madagascar in Sight—Sickening News from Port Arthur—Hopeless Darkness—The Orel invaded by Jews—A Swiss Schooner—St. Mary—Scenery and People—The French Cordial—Tang-tang—Undecipherable Signals Japanese—Mysterious Signals—The Esperanza nervous—Port Arthur surrendered—Christmas—Warships sighted—Are they Japanese?—Mutiny on the Roland—Arrival at Nosi Be—The Admirals meet—Uncertainty and Dissatisfaction
CHAPTER V
AT MADAGASCAR
Life in a Torpedo-boat—Elephantiasis—Officers discharged—Sailors suffocated—A Funeral Service—Further Tragical Mishaps—Suvaroff Shore Leave stopped—A Snake in the Hay—Requiem Service on Board the Ural—A Sad Spectacle—Population of Nosi Be—Frightened Oxen—Telegrams from Home—News of the Oleg—The Kuban arrives—Prickly Heat—Rumours of Return—Luxurious but Useless Ships—Animals on Board—On Shore—Gambling—Blessing the Water—The Rainy Season—The Mad Ensign—Intense Heat—Malay returns with Sick and Incapables—Arrest of Mutineers—The Foreign Legion—Pianola Musicians—Bad Meat—Shipping Cattle—Sinking of the Bengal Coal Steamer—Passive Resistance
CHAPTER VI
WAITING FOR ORDERS
Uncertainty—Firing Practice—Martial Law in Russia—Narrow Escape from a Collision—The Suvaroff flooded—Capture by the Oleg—On Shore—A Supposed Spy—German Methods—Playing for High Stakes—Our Hopeless Situation—Wasting Money—Man Overboard—Big Ships sighted—Internal Affairs in Russia—Rumours of Reinforcements—German Colliers—Confession under Difficulties—Europeans at Nosi Be—Breakdown of Rezvy—Complaints of Local Governor—Loss of Torpedo-boats—Shore Leave stopped—Apathy and Oblivion—A Narrow Escape—A Spy at Large—Sorting the Letters—Visit from Another Spy—Admiral Birilieff criticised—Waiting and wasting Time—A Sad Anniversary—A Comedy of Ladies—Money-changing—The Barber in Difficulties—A Humbugging Frenchman—Cleaning the Ships—Mysterious Balloon—Court-martial—Undisciplined Sailors—Rumours of Peace
CHAPTER VII
EVENTS AT NOSI BE
A Nigger Wedding—Effects of Drink—Anxiety about the Irtish—Quarrels among the Officers—A Suppressed Telegram—Bad News of Vladivostok—A Dummy Dirk—Indignation at Home News—Good Work by Divers—The Malagassy impertinent—The Germans jeering—The General Staff anathematised—News about Mukden—A Prophecy—Examining the Aurora—Waiting for the Regina—Signal for Departure
CHAPTER VIII
ACROSS THE INDIAN OCEAN
Leaving Nosi Be—Confusion on the Kamchatka—Preparations—The Regina and the Japanese—A Grand Armada—Fearful Heat—Various Breakdowns—Steaming without Lights—A Star mistaken for a Ship—Cattle on Board—Chagos Archipelago—Artificer Krimmer—More Mishaps—Coaling at Sea—Look-out Boxes—Night Alarms—General Mismanagement—Success Unlikely—More Deaths—The Admiral's Weak Nerves—Guarding Divers from Sharks—Lights Ahead—Reflections on the Outlook—A Favourable Current—Opportunities of Attack—Life on Torpedo-boats—An "Iconoclast"—An Unjust Reprimand—Across the Equator—Japan's Advantages—Towing Torpedo-boats—Preparations for Fighting—Officers Drunk—Opium Cigarettes—Rats
CHAPTER IX
THROUGH THE STRAITS OF MALACCA
Mutiny—More Mishaps—Dogs—Straits of Malacca—Imaginary Torpedo-boats—Will the Japanese attack?—Passing Malacca—No News of the War—Night Attack feared—Small Hope of Victory—Passing Anamba—Bound for Kamranh—Constant Fear of Japanese—A Time of Alarms—More Deaths
CHAPTER X
THE STAY AT KAMRANH
Arrival at Kamranh—Chances Neglected—Despair—Losing Time—More Accidents—Meeting of Admirals and Captains—Post Difficulties—A Goat—Cockroaches—Hard Work repairing—A French Cruiser—Food Scarce—Admiral Folkersham Ill—Meeting of Engineers—False News—A Regrettable Incident—Forest Fires—Foreign Contempt for Russia—Requested to leave Kamranh—Where is the Third Fleet?—Two Colliers arrested—Fatal Errors—Discretion of the English Press—Phantom Submarine
CHAPTER XI
DELAYS AT VAN FONG
Sympathy of French Admiral—Japanese Spies—Expensive Food—The Russian System—A Rat Bite—Squalor—Want of Engineers—An Alarm—"Apes" and "Anyhows"—The Oleg—Preparations for Easter—Officers usually Drunk—Easter—Prickly Heat—Expecting Nebogatoff—Row on the Orel—Neutrality a Farce—Night Alarms—Buying Children—Suspicious Lights—No News of Nebogatoff—French Admiral as Poet—No News from Manchuria—Getting Cigarettes—The Annamese People—Nebogatoff in Sight—Excitement—A Good Post—French Impertinence—Poisonous Gases—Leaving Van Fong
CHAPTER XII
PREPARING FOR BATTLE
Expecting Torpedo and Submarine Attacks—Delay—Signals—Formosa—Coaling—A Steamer arrested—Love of Secrets—A Possible Japanese Scout—Contraband Ships—Preparations for Battle—An English Trick—A Balloon sighted—No Sign of the Japanese—The Irtish breaks down—Hopes of reaching Vladivostok
NOTE BY MADAME POLITOVSKY
APPENDIX.—OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE RUSSIAN
LOSSES IN THE BATTLE
