the shelling of port arthur began on august 7, 1904, by a pair of land-based guns, and was carried on intermittently until august 19, 1904. the japanese fleet also participated in shore bombardment, while in the northeast the army prepared to attack the two semi-isolated hills protruding from the outer defense perimeter: high takushan (big orphan hill) and the smaller hsuaokushan (little orphan hill). these hills were not heavily fortified, but had steep slopes and were fronted by the ta river, which had been dammed by the russians to provide a stronger obstacle. the hills commanded a view over almost a kilometer of flat ground to the japanese lines, and it was thus essential for the japanese to take these hills to complete their encirclement of port arthur.