the mountain passes.

Many spectacular engagements took place during the development of the
Russian offensive among the mountain spurs of the Carpathians. On
Christmas Day, 1914, two Russian infantry regiments, under a murderous
fire and wading waist deep in the icy water of the River Jasiolka,
dislodged by bayonet charges the Austrians from their line and took as
prisoners four officers and 150 men. On the same day an inferior force
of Austrians surprised a Russian detachment and took 4,000 prisoners.

In another engagement south of the Vistula, in the region of Tarnow, the
Russians drove back the Austrians from the Tuchnow-Olpiny line. The
enemy abandoned ten rapid firers and the Russians took prisoner 43
officers and more than 2,500 men. The next day, December 2, 1914,
continuing the pursuit of the Austrians, the Russians captured 8 machine
guns and about 1,000 prisoners. The Russians occupied the heights near
Siedfizka, on the left bank of the Biala River. This gave them
possession of a twenty-mile strip of territory separating the two
Austrian forces.

Late in December, 1914, all attacks by the Austrians in the territory
between the Pilica and the upper reaches of the Vistula ceased and the
Russians assumed the active offensive in this region. They cleared the
left or easterly bank of the Nida River by the capture of an obstinately
defended Austrian position which was taken by storm.

South of the Vistula, or astride it on the front from Opatow across the
Biala River to Biecz, the Russians took prisoners 200 officers and
15,000 men in their sweeping process. A retreat of Austrians in Galicia
along the Lisko-Sanok-Dulka-Zmigrod front was precipitate, the nature of
the country favoring them, the corridor-like valleys and passes
preventing the Russians from pursuing them over parallel roads or
harassing their flanks. Only six roads cross the Carpathians, two of
which are little more than mountain trails. Owing to the unbroken
character of this region, the Russian cavalry was able to do little
scouting, while the extreme cold interfered with the work of aeroplanes.

In western Galicia the Russians made progress in spite of the almost
impassable condition of the country due to mud, driving the enemy from
the front of Stromnik-Gorlice-Jasliska, taking guns and a large number
of machine guns.

The year of 1914 closed with the Russian troops advancing in western
Galicia, having stormed several fortified works of the