e front
through a country which the enemy has devastated. There is no village
which does not bear the mark of wanton destruction. I have seen these
things for myself. Houses have been burned, others pillaged and the
contents dragged into the streets and there smashed. Churches have been
invariably gutted and defiled.

It is impossible not to admire these endless battalions of Siberians.
They are common objects of this countryside. I came past Suwalki as they
were moving up, column after column, in gray overcoats aswing in the
rhythm of their stride, like the kilts of Highlanders. It was they who
bore the brunt of the fighting, unsupported by artillery, in forests of
Augustowo, and, with the Baltic regiments, pushed on and took Lyck.
These are the men who marched forty miles, starting at midnight, then
went into action between Gor and Raigrod and delivered a bayonet charge
which their officers still boast about today.

I may not indicate the geography of the front on which the Russians and
Germans are now facing each other, but the German general plan is to
protect the railway and all approaches to a vital junction such as
Goldapp and Insterburg. Between them and the frontier lies a country of
singular difficulty for the troops. It is easy of defense, with small
broken hills, innumerable lakes and roads winding in watered valleys
among woods. The Germans have gone to earth in their usual lavish
fashion, digging themselves in with a thoroughness worthy of permanent
fortifications. Their trenches are five feet deep, with earthworks in
front zig-zagging as a precaution against enfilading. Some of them are
very cleverly hidden with growing bushes. All peasants remaining at the
country-side in Prussia are compelled to work digging trenches. The
emplacements [Transcriber: original 'implacements'] for guns of large
calibre have concrete foundations.

The Germans had fortified Suwalki, employing forced labor. They had
connected up the trench system with telephone installation and appointed
a Military Governor and other functionaries. Many German officers were
joined there by their wives and families, who when they retired took
with them souvenirs consisting of nearly every portable object of value
in the town, besides much furniture and clothing.

The Russian trenches are scarcely more than shallow grooves in the
ground with earth thrown up in front of them, making barely sufficient
cover for prone riflemen.

At once the G