, Gorlice, and Zmigrod. The Austrians reported that the Russians
had completely evacuated the Zemplin country.

A third incursion of Germans into Galicia was arrested by Russians on
the very border of the province. Some maneuvering on the part of General
Dmitrieff's corps sufficed to check the invading columns, although they
crossed the Carpathians on a wide front extending between Wieliczka and
the headwaters of the San River.

During the same week, the garrison of Przemysl made a series of
attempts at sorties, but each time were driven back with heavy loss. The
Russians captured several hundred prisoners and ten Maxims. It was
learned later that increasing scarcity of provisions complicated by
sickness was responsible for these tentative efforts to lift the siege.
An unsuccessful attempt also was made by a force from the garrison to
open the railway in the direction of Biercza, on the southwest.

It was asserted at Austrian headquarters that the total number of
Russians captured by the Austro-Hungarians in Galicia within three days
in the middle of December, 1914, was 33,000. After a battle at Limanowa,
it was said, 26,000 were captured. The number of Russians killed was
very large, according to report, 1,200 dead being found at Limanowa
alone.

The problem of caring for prisoners had by this time become acute both
for Austria and for Russia. According to the Russian Department of the
Interior, which had charge of the maintenance of prisoners, there were
then in Russia, exclusive of the Germans reported captured in operations
under way in North Poland, 350,000 Austrian and German prisoners of war.
Of this number only 100,000 were Germans, the rest being Austrians
captured during the campaign in Galicia.

At Semipalatinek, on the Irtish River, near the borders of Western
Mongolia, one small escort of Russian soldiers was serving as guard for
100,000 Austrian and German prisoners, whose prison walls consisted of
four thousand miles of frozen steppes, separating them from the borders
of their own countries.

The prisoners were brought by rail to Omsk, where they were embarked on
steamboats for the thousand mile trip down the Irtish River to
Semipalatinek. Here quarters were found for them in the big barracks
erected for the mobilization of the Russian army and unoccupied since
its departure for the front.

Every morning at eight o'clock the prisoners were released from the
barracks and permitted to wander about a