It was about a quarter to two o'clock in the afternoon, and we were steaming in line ahead, with the _Mikasa_ leading, our course being about South-South-West, when, the fog thinning somewhat, we suddenly saw, away on our port bow, a great cloud of black smoke, underneath which we presently discerned several large ships approaching in two lines, their black hulls and yellow funnels showing up with remarkable distinctness against the light grey background of fog. Instantly every telescope and pair of binoculars in the Japanese fleet was levelled at them in an endeavour to identify the craft in sight--for we were intimately acquainted with the characteristics of every ship in the enemy's fleet--and presently we recognised the big, three-funnelled craft at the head of the port line as the _Oslabia_, while the two-funnelled battleship leading the starboard line was undoubtedly the _Suvaroff_, Admiral Rojdestvensky's flagship. Astern of her followed the _Alexander Third, Borodino_, and _Orel_; while in the wake of the _Oslabia_ we were able to identify the _Sissoi Veliki, Navarin_, and _Admiral Nakhimoff_, with a long string of other craft at that moment too far distant for identification. While we were still endeavouring to identify some of the more distant ships, the _Mikasa_ made the general signal: "The fate of our Empire depends upon our efforts. Let every man do his utmost!" It was greeted with a great roar of "Banzai Nippon!" which swept along the line of the fleet like the rumbling of distant thunder. The crews of the ships had, of course, been at quarters, and the officers at fire-control stations, for some time, and now we began to receive from the range-finders the range of the _Oslabia_, the leading Russian ship. "Fifteen thousand yards", "Fourteen thousand", "Twelve thousand," came the reports in rapid succession as the two fleets rushed toward each other. At a distance of twelve thousand yards the _Mikasa's_ helm was shifted and the course of the Japanese line altered four points to the eastward, as though our purpose was to pass along the Russian line to port, exchanging broadsides as we passed; and so the enemy evidently understood, for he came steadily on. But we knew differently. Already every forward gun in the fleet was bearing steadily upon the _Oslabia_, and when, in obedience to a signal from the flagship, the speed of the Japanese fleet quickened up to fifteen knots, we knew that the great battle was about to begin.