journey, but the advantage of natural covering and
easy crossing made it a sounder plan.

On July 28, 1914, the Serbians concentrated their forces in anticipation
of either event. The outpost forces were stationed at or near Losnitza,
Shabatz, Obrenovatz, Belgrade, Semendria, Pozarevatz and Gradishte. But
their principal armies were centrally grouped along the line
Palanka-Arangelovatz-Lazarevatz, while weaker, though important,
detachments were stationed in the vicinity of Valievo, a branch railroad
terminus, and Uzitze. This narrowed the field down to such limits that
it was possible to march the troops from point to point, while the few
railway facilities available were utilized for food and ammunition
supplies.

CHAPTER XLVIII

AUSTRIAN SUCCESSES

On the morning of July 29, 1914, the day after war had been declared,
the residents of Belgrade were startled by a deep roar, followed by the
whistling shriek of a huge body, hurtling through the air, and a shell
burst over the battlements of the old Turkish citadel, doing no damage.
Immediately there came another deep shock; the Serbian guns were
responding. Thence on the cannonading along the Danube front continued
for week after week, with only now and then a lull.

The Austrian batteries bombarded not only Belgrade, but Semendria,
Gradishte and a number of other points along the river bank. Next they
were seen building a pontoon bridge out to one of the little islands in
the river, opposite the city and barges were towed alongside the
landings on the opposite shore, presently to be crowded with black
masses of Austrian troops. Naturally, the Serbian gunners made these
objects the targets of their fire. But these were mere bluffs, such
feints as the skilled boxer makes when he wants to get behind the guard
of his opponent. If anything, these demonstrations only served to deepen
the conviction of General Putnik that the real danger was not from this
quarter.

But where was the first great blow to strike? Naturally, not only the
General Staff, but the whole army and population waited in deep anxiety.
This tension lasted over the last days of July, into the first week of
August, 1914.

Then, on August 6, 1914, some Bosnian peasants, Serbs, appeared and
reported that they had seen great bodies of soldiers moving along the
mountain roads toward Syrmia, in northeastern Bosnia. Two days later,
early in the morning, two Austrian aeroplanes whirred over the Rive