aratively good roads. But matters now began to quiet down
somewhat--activities on both sides decreased. Russian sentiment had
grown strong in North and Central Persia, a fact accentuated by the
spirit displayed among the Moslem sects. Various isolated mountain
tribes met the Russians with declarations of allegiance--obviously the
safest policy to adopt with a powerful conqueror. Disease and famine
stalked through the smoldering district of Van; only one doctor was
available for 40,000 people--a large number of them in dire need of
medical assistance.

In the first week of July, 1915, lively fighting was reported to have
occurred north and south of Lake Van and south of Olti. A Turk force
of 30,000 men, concentrated to the east of Bitlis, were being hard
pressed by the Russians. Organized massacre of Armenians in Bitlis was
regarded as an indication that the Turks intended to retreat from that
point. They had also distributed 40,000 rifles among Kurds in the Mush
Valley for use against Armenians.

Up to July 6, 1915, there had been only an artillery duel in the coast
region, and a Russian motor boat sank a Turkish sailing vessel. South
of the Kara Dagh range a Russian detachment encountered a regiment of
Turkish infantry with artillery, machine guns, and two squadrons of
cavalry. The Turks were again reported as coming off second best with
considerable damage inflicted upon them. A Turkish offensive west of
Ahlavat also failed.

After the Russians penetrated to Mush (eighty-three miles south of
Erzerum), and Plian, Halil Bey, commander of the Turkish forces in the
Caucasus, reorganized his army, bringing its strength up to 90,000,
including six divisions of infantry, one of cavalry, and a large body
of Kurds. General Eudenitch, the Russian commander, thus found himself
confronted with the alternative of hastily attempting to concentrate
his forces in the face of a strong Turkish army, or to retreat and
thus expose a large Armenian population to Turk and Kurdish revenge.
The main Russian army withdrew along the right bank of the Euphrates,
the Turks occupying the left bank, July 22-25, 1915, being held in
partial check by rear-guard actions.

On August 1, 1915, Halil Bey's forces came into contact with a
considerable body of Russians at Palantchen, on the left bank of the
Euphrates, twelve miles southwest of Kara Kilissa. The Russians had
taken positions on a line extending from the northeast to the
southwest from Da