trampled upon by his ministers and officials.

They were therefore not at all anxious to support

the government in this war. Cossacks had to drive
the unwilling men to Manchuria at the point of the
bayonet. Yes, Russian fighters were brave and
strong, but lacking in morale, the first requisite of
a successful war. We, on the contrary, had an in
1
vincible spirit called Yamato-damashii, disciplined
under the strict rules of military training.
All the manifold details of business connected
with mobilization were prosecuted with mechanical
exactness and promptitude, as had been previously
planned out. Everything was now ready and we
were all eagerly waiting for the day of departure.
What an exciting happy time we had, while thus
waiting and watching! We stroked our arms, itch
ing for action, sharpened our swords, pictured to
ourselves what we would do on the actual battle
field. Many a soldier must have flourished his
glittering sword, as I did, and smiled significantly
in the midnight moonlight of the quiet garrison
ground.
When all necessary preparations were finished,
our colonel put us through an armed inspection.
The large drill-ground from one end to the other
1
Yamato-damashii, the spirit of Yamato, an expression that
contains in itself the idea of all that is heroic in Japanese his
tory and character. Yamato was the province first conquered by
Jimmu Tenno, and where he established his empire. The name
is still used for that province, and poetically, to mean all Japan.
IO