ians were finally compelled to retire to a line of hills running
from Guchevo, through Jagodina and Proslop to Rozani, where they
intrenched themselves and prepared to resist any further advance.

The Austrians, however, continued to attack. Around Krupanie below
Loznitza, the Serbians made a stubborn defense and succeeded in holding
the heights of Kostainik. But their southern, or left, wing continued to
be driven back.

By September 11, 1914, the Austrians had advanced as far as a line drawn
from Shanatz to Petska. At this critical moment, however, one of the
divisions of the force that had been recalled from Syrmia arrived and
the combined forces were ordered to advance against the Sokolska
Mountains, whose ridges were occupied by the Austrians.

The Serbians rushed the heights with their customary elan. The Austrians
resisted stubbornly. They, in their turn, had been tasting the first
draughts of victory, and were not so prepared to give in as on previous
occasions. For a long time the fighting was hand to hand. The men even
hurled big rocks at each other, grappled together in each other's arms
and fought with knives and teeth. But finally some of the Austrians
broke and scattered and presently all of them fled. Their trenches and
ground on both sides of them, however, were covered with dead, Serbians
and Austrians promiscuously mingling together.

So complete was the Serbian victory that their troops were now able to
advance and form a new line from Shanatz to Brodjanska Glavitza, with
the cavalry patrolling clear down to the Drina at Liubovia.

Further north, however, the Austrians were still in possession of
Matchko Kamen (Cat Rock). Here the fighting had been most terrific, the
heights having been taken and retaken no less than eight times. This
position dominated all the country around within artillery range. By
taking this strategic point the Serbians would have had complete
possession of a chain of heights which begin with Guchevo on the north,
and would have constituted a natural frontier which could have been held
with a minimum force of troops and expenditure of ammunition. But this
move was not carried out. Both sides were literally tired out. The
Serbians were unable to advance any farther, while the Austrians were
content with not being driven back any farther. They were, also, no
doubt worried by the fact that down in the southern section the Serbians
had succeeded in not only driving the Austrians