re established
here in well-made trenches, with the shelter of the forest at their
backs for reserves and supports. Upon this iron front the Germans
spent themselves in fruitless attacks, incurring crippling losses. It
was only after repeated and disastrous failure of these tactics that
they began a different method of approach.

Here, as everywhere else, they have a large amount of artillery, and
under incessant shell fire they proceeded to sap their way toward the
Russian trenches. Incidentally they expended shells enough to last an
army through the whole of a small war, and where formerly six acres of
trees projected from the main forest there are now no trees at all.

The parapet of their trench is only thirty-five paces from the Russian
parapet, and the men crouching behind their shelter can hear the
voices of their enemies. None dare lift head or hand to even the
loopholes on the breastworks, since the worst shot in the world can
send bullet after bullet through any loophole at that distance. The
Russians are able to throw hand grenades, with which their trenches
are supplied, clear into the German trenches, while the German
shelling has had to cease since their own men are in equal danger from
any shell aimed at the Russian trenches.

I rode down through the forest in an effort to reach one of the
trenches two nights ago, passing from the pale shine of the snow upon
the bare fields to sheer darkness. I found the staff established in a
spacious dugout some 400 yards behind the actual first line. Here, as
always, was a straw-padded, candle-lit interior, with an orderly
waiting, with telephone to ear, and all those rough-and-ready
contrivances by which men live who have death forever at their elbow.
Here, too, their faces disguised by weeks of beard and grimed with the
smirch of war, were burly Russian officers, those adequate and quietly
confident men who are the strength and inspiration of the Russian
Army.

In all the gloom, where all life was balanced on a hair, one thing was
steadfast and cordial, and that was the unshaken assurance of these
cheerful, expert fighting men in their power to hold the Germans and
presently to resume the offensive, to which each one of them looks
forward, and advance at last toward the frontier of Germany. None
underestimates the enemy. They criticise him in a spirit of absolute
professional impartiality, admiring quite frankly the organization and
courage of the German infantr