erzegovina at the beginning of the war were sparsely served
by railroads. But for the purpose of an invasion of Serbia the lines
running to Tuzla in the north and to Vishegrade and Uvatz in the south
were of much strategic importance. Moreover, unlike the Hungarian plain
opposite Belgrade, the country is so mountainous and well wooded that
great bodies of troops could be moved about without being observed. We
now come to the main reason why this point was chosen, next to Belgrade.
Though we shall see that they did not reach it at their first attempt,
there is no doubt that the main objective of the Austrians was the
little town of Valievo, lying some distance back from the Jadar and the
field of battle. For at Valievo is the terminus of a light railway which
joins with the main line running from Belgrade down to Saloniki. The
Teutons were in a hurry to open this highway, for it meant opening a
means of communication with the Turks, who were to become, and later did
become, their active allies. These are political matters of significance
here insomuch as they explain the special importance of the railway from
Belgrade south along the ancient highway of the Crusaders.

Before following this route farther south, a few words should be devoted
to Montenegro. Between Serbia and Montenegro lies the Sanjak of
Novibazar. This small territory nominally belonged to Turkey before the
Balkan War, but it was in fact garrisoned by Austrian troops, the civil
administration being left to the Turks. Austria had gone to special
trouble to establish this arrangement, so that it might have a wedge
between the territories of the two little Serb nations. Anticipating
this war long ago, Austria had counted on having a large enough force in
Novibazar to prevent a union of the two armies. But, when it actually
came, she was in no position to prevent it, so much of her strength
being required to meet the Russians.

Montenegro is the natural refuge of the Serbs. Whenever in the past they
were especially hard pressed by the Turks, they would flee to the
mountain fastnesses of Tzherna Gora, the Black Mountain, for here
military operations, even in this day of modern artillery, are
absolutely impossible, and when it came to mountain guerrilla fighting,
the Turks were no match for the Serbs. Thus it was that the Serbs were
able to preserve their old traditions, their language and the best blood
of their race. And it may be said that to a slightly less