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NANSHAN TO PORT ARTHUR 21
Loa-tsao-shan. Their strongest position was on
the high steep mountain, Ojikeisan, which rises
over the An-tze-ling Pass. The rugged outlines
stand boldly out against the sky, and its sides,
from which a succession of craggy spurs spring
forth, in many places form perfectly perpendicular
walls and break-neck precipices.
The attack on the Russian lines of defence
began on July 26th. The Japanese ist Division
formed the right wing and the nth Division their
left, with the 9th as the centre. It was a foggy
morning, and a heavy mist hung over the tops of
the hills and obstructed the view of the Russian
positions. This cleared up about nine o’clock,
and the Japanese guns opened fire; but they
had to leave off every now and again, as showers
of rain fell intermittently, blotting the enemy’s
trenches out of sight. The infantry advanced
towards evening, and occupied the foot and the
lower spurs of the hills. After dark a general
night attack was made all along the line, but it
was everywhere repulsed.
The 27th dawned fine, and a violent artillery duel
began early in the morning, the Japanese concen-
trating most of their fire on the Russian positions
on Ojikeisan. About noon their infantry began a
forward movement, and by 3 p.m. they had forced
the Russians to retire from their lower trenches.
These were at once occupied by the Japanese;
and now began one of the most remarkable fights
in modern history. The upper parts of the hills
are so steep that it is a marvel any man could
climb them, but the Japanese went to work un-
dauntedly. The very steepness of the hill-sides
was in a way an advantage to them, as every-
where there were dead angles, where they could
stop for awhile and recover breath. Little by
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