rabi, six miles north of Kara Kilissa, to Djamschato,
six miles southwest of the important Akhtunski Pass, covering the
roads to Erivan, in Transcaucasia. In opposing this front the Turks
exposed their communications, then 150 miles long, to attack from the
direction of Sarikamish. The violent and picturesque fighting that
developed during the first week of August will be described in the
next volume.

The Turkish and Persian borders had meanwhile settled down to
comparative quiet. Up to this stage the Russian commander had made no
attempt to advance to Erzerum, though there were strong grounds for
belief that the defenses of that fortress were by no means so strong
as had been supposed or represented.

Russia was waiting her time in this theatre of war: her object was
merely to hold the gate. She had just suffered severe reverses in
Galicia and the Carpathians, and was now fighting desperately to avoid
the great enveloping movement engineered by all the skill and weight
of Von Hindenburg and Von Mackensen on her own territory of Poland and
Russia itself.

PART XI--THE WAR IN AFRICA

CHAPTER LXXVII

THE CAMEROONS

The war in Africa smoldered and flamed during the second period from
February to August, 1915. The fight for the colonial possessions
became a struggle for existence.

During the spring of 1915 the fighting in the Cameroons was generally
favorable to the allied arms. In April the advance of the French and
British troops forced the Germans to transfer their seat of Government
from Buea to Yaunde. In this month, Colonel Mayer's French column
succeeded in pushing its way over the River Kele, while about the same
time a British detachment seized a bridge across Ngwa.

On May 11, 1915, the station of Escha was taken. The Germans who
occupied a strong position at Njoke were driven out, and the place was
occupied by the British on May 29, 1915.

In the hinterland, along the Sanga River, the French columns had met
with continued success in harrying and driving out the enemy. The
Germans displayed great bravery, and offered stubborn resistance, but
were forced to fall back on fortified Monso. Here they held out for
some days, when they were forced to capitulate, and considerable
stores of guns and ammunition fell to the victors.

The French troops continued their successful drive by taking Assobam
and Besam on June 25, 1915, and then occupied the important post of
Lomji, in the capture of wh