Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 2.djvu/192

 for an army carried over sea to the attack of a foreign country was suffered to pass unutilised. In fact, the Japanese had not even a rudimentary knowledge of the science of coast defence. The Mongols and their Korean allies stepped ashore safely, marshalled their ranks and advanced in phalanx, protecting themselves effectually with their pavises. They do not appear to have been much distressed by either the cross-bows or the ordinary bows of the defenders, but they covered their own advance with a host of archers shooting clouds of poisoned arrows. The Japanese never at any time of their history used poisoned arrows: they despised them as depraved and inhuman weapons. The Mongolian shafts harassed them terribly. Still they adhered to the prescribed etiquette. A humming arrow was shot by way of warning. The Mongols greeted it with a shout of derision. Then some of the best fighters among the Japanese advanced in their usual dignified leisurely manner and formulated the traditional challenge. But the Mongol phalanx, instead of sending out a single warrior to answer the defiance, opened their ranks, enclosed the challenger, and cut him to pieces. The invaders moved in unchanging formation, obeying signals from their commanding officer, who watched their evolutions from an eminence. The Japanese soon ceased to sacrifice themselves piecemeal. A hundred horsemen dashed simultaneously at the phalanx. Ninety-