nder. Instead they built a square
camp which they prepared to hold as long as one of them remained
alive. When their ammunition began to give out, they rolled rocks
down on their enemy and hurled large stones at the advancing foe.
At the same time the French artillery aided them by raining shells
on the Germans, though the artillery was miles from the scene of
action. Thus the Chasseurs were able to hold their position until they
were relieved on June 17, 1915. In the meantime the French proceeded
down the valley of the Fecht and up the mountains overlooking the
valley. An assault was made on the top of Braunkopf and an attack
was made on Anlass on June 15 and 16, 1915. The French captured
Metzeral on June 19, 1915, the Germans having set fire to it before
being driven out. The soldiers of the republic then began to bombard
Muenster with such success that they destroyed a German ammunition
depot there. The Sondernach ridge was held by the French about
the middle of July, 1915, and they continued to gain ground so
that they were near Muenster by the end of July, 1915. In these
actions the French mountaineers were pitting their skill against
the mountaineers from Bavaria.

By midsummer the lines on both sides of the western front were
an elaborate series of field fortifications. The shallow trenches
of the preceding fall were practically things of the past. And
these fortifications extended from the Vosges to the North Sea.
They naturally varied with the nature of the region in which they
were built. The marshy character of the soil along the Yser and
about the Ypres salient made it impossible to go down very deep.
Hence it was necessary to build up parapets which were easy marks
for the artillery. The Germans had the better places on the higher
levels from Ypres to Armentieres; but the British line opposing them
showed remarkable engineering skill. The advances of the Allies
had resulted in making the first line of trenches somewhat temporary
in character in the sections about Festubert, La Bassee, and the
Artois; but in these regions there were strong fortifications in
the rear of both lines. The condition of the ground from Arras to
Compiegne was excellent for fortification purposes. The Teutons
had the better position in the chalky region along the Aisne, though
the chalk formation did not add to the comfort of the men. In the
northern part of Champagne trench life was more bearable. The forests
in the Argonne, the