e now almost due east
of the city of Monastir. That city was now in imminent danger.

On the 16th the entire line of formidable frontier defenses centered
on Kenali had to be abandoned by the German and Bulgarian troops, in
which operation they lost heavily. They then retreated across the Viro
River, west of the railroad and across the Bistritza River to the east
of the line, so that the Russians, following them up closely,
succeeded in arriving within four miles of the city. Meanwhile the
Serbians, in the mountains east of the swamps which protected the
plain along the Cerna, were rushing rapidly on in their effort to
swing around to the northeast of the city before the enemy should be
able to intrench himself among the rolling hills that bound the
northern extent of the plain. It was significant that among the
prisoners were a number of members of regiments which had been
fighting, only a week previously, upon the Dobrudja front under
Mackensen.

CHAPTER XL

MONASTIR FALLS

A glance at the map will show that Monastir was now practically in the
hands of the Allies, that it would be impossible for the Germans and
Bulgarians to hold it any longer. As has already been explained, the
plain or valley near whose head it stands is a broad, level region
which here penetrates the mountainous interior of this portion of the
Balkan Peninsula. To the eastward it is bounded by low, rolling
foothills, which gradually rise into high, rocky mountains or heights.
On the west there are no foothills: the mountains rise abruptly,
stretching south almost to Kastoria. The railroad, after leaving
Banitza, in the foothills, swings around into the plain, but under the
shadows of the high ridges on the western side. Up toward the head of
the plain these mountains curve slightly inward. About ten or fifteen
miles below the point where they meet the rolling foothills, thus
forming the head of the valley, the city of Monastir lies, some of its
outlying suburbs being plastered up against the base of the mountains.

An army occupying the heights above would absolutely dominate the
city; its artillery could pound it to a wreck within a few hours.

It was along these heights on the western edge of the plain that the
French and the Serbians had advanced, driving the Bulgarians and
Germans before them. Just at Monastir these heights are especially
high and jagged, and the Bulgarians and Germans might very well have
held out here against