Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/136

 IV

, the ablest of Nobunaga's generals, was now engaged in the conquest of Mōri Terumoto, who was the prince of a large part of the Central Provinces, and who had not yet submitted to the supremacy of Nobunaga. Hidéyoshi had for some weeks been carrying on an attack upon the Castle of Takamatsu, in the province of Bitchū, which was one of Terumoto's strongholds. The garrison defended themselves with great courage. The castle was protected on one side by a river, and on the other three sides by swamps; so it was impossible for a large force to approach it by land. Hidéyoshi's character was marked by a wonderful genius for strategy. He saw that the one way to capture the fort was to flood it out with water. With this intent, he commanded his troops to dam up the river below the fortress. This was gradually accomplished. The water rose by degrees, and the higher it rose the more uncomfortable became the occupants of the castle. 86