n shoot when aiming at me. Twice on Friday I
was sent scurrying off exposed ridges by the waspish whisper of
bullets coming from a Russian position jutting from the south shore of
Lake Miadziol.

"There is not only railroad building, but also much farming going on
around Karolinow. The land for a distance of thirty miles has been
divided into thirteen farm districts by the Germans and planted to
potatoes, rye, oats and summer barley. In many parts the Germans are
taking a census, all their methodicalness contributing vastly to the
troops' comfort and happiness. Their health is amazing. The records
of one division show five sick men daily, which is not as many as one
would find in any town of 20,000 in any part of the world.

"German caution and inventiveness also keep down the casualties
marvelously. Records I saw to-day showed thirty-eight wounded in one
division in the month of March, though the division was attacked twice
during the offensive. The percentage of heavily wounded for all the
German troops in this region in the last three months averages seven.

"Despite the horrible roads, Field Marshal von Hindenburg has
penetrated to numerous villages on the front in the last few days to
greet and thank the troops. Returning to his headquarters Von
Hindenburg attended a banquet given by princes, nobles and generals of
the empire to mark the fiftieth year of the field marshal's army
service. Present amid the notables was a private soldier, in civil
life a blacksmith, who was elected with two officers by their comrades
to represent Von Hindenburg's old regiment at the banquet. The private
was chosen because he had been in all the battles, but never had been
wounded and never sick. He wears the Iron Cross of both classes."

CHAPTER XVII

RESUMPTION OF AUSTRO-RUSSIAN OPERATIONS

Just as was the case along the Russo-German line, considerable local
fighting took place during the early part of March, to the south,
along the Austro-Russian front. Here, too, much of it was between
scouting parties and advanced outposts who attempted to feel out each
other's strength. Occasionally one or the other side would launch an
attack, with small forces, which, however, had little influence on
general conditions, even though the fighting always was furious and
violent.

On March 4, 1916, a detachment of Russian scouts belonging to General
Ivanoff's army captured and occupied an advanced Austrian trench,
close to the brid