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234 THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR
the Japanese drew a plan of it, showing at the
same time the position of the “ O ” fort and the
Ghost Trench, and we were even, a few days
later, told that this trench had now been captured.
The day after the capitulation of Port Arthur
I walked all over the forts and the trenches in the
Eastern section of the fortress. I came to “ Q
”
fort and went across the open field down to North
Kikuan fort ;
but of any trench here or anywhere
near there was not a vestige. It was indeed a
“ Ghost ” trench, created in the disturbed brains of
men with highly-strung nerves.
This state of affairs had become apparent to
the Japanese themselves. They saw that to gain
the much desired end it would be necessary to
infuse new blood, to evoke competition, play on
the old clan jealousies, and to shift the regiments
about a bit so that they should not always have to
operate against the same positions where they had
suffered and been beaten back time after time, and
which to their minds therefore had come to stand
as something terrible, uncanny and awe-inspiring.
Already on October 20th, the loth brigade of
the second reserve had arrived from Japan and had
been detailed to reinforce the nth Division. On
November 17th the 7th Army Division arrived in
Dalny and marched to Shuangtaikou, eight miles
to the rear of the Japanese lines.
This division consisted of young fresh troops
direct from home. It was recruited from the
Hokaido districts and has always been considered
one of the best and bravest of the whole Japanese
army. It was the only division which had not, so
far, taken any part in the war ;
remaining at home
while their comrades were out fighting for their
country and decking themselves with honour. It
is easy to imagine with what feelings they had
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