normal aspect, with
stock grazing contentedly everywhere, while in every village there are
quantities of geese, chickens, and pigs. There are acres and acres of
rich farming land, with grain still stacked, while the Autumn plowing
and belated harvesting are proceeding as usual.

Nine villages through which the Russian armies swept give no sign of war
having passed this way. At an occasional station or village a few
destroyed buildings are seen, but these in every instance appear to have
been places where the retreating Austrians halted or attempted to make
stands, and the fire even at these points seems to have been carefully
concentrated on strategic points--for instance, a town where the railway
depot and a warehouse have been leveled. I was particularly impressed by
the village of Botszonce, near Halicz. A few versts from there a
stubborn fight lasting several days resulted in the abandonment of the
Austrian line of resistance and a retreat, with a halt at Botszonce.

Hence the town was shelled, and the municipal offices and big buildings
in the centre were utterly destroyed, but three buildings stand
conspicuously among the ruins. These are two churches, and the Town
Hall, with a spire resembling that of a church. The fact that the
building next to the latter was leveled utterly, while not a single
shell entered the supposed church, indicates that the Russian practice
at 5,000 meters was sufficiently accurate to insure the protection of
sacred edifices, while neighboring buildings were wrecked. It is also
significant of the Russian restraint following a hard battle where
losses were substantial.

It is universally observable that where villages were shelled attempts
were made to spare the peasants' houses, few of which were damaged, save
by fires spreading from other buildings. Everywhere wanton destruction
has obviously been avoided, and the percentage of towns in this zone
where any damage whatever was done is small. The foregoing facts signify
the restraint and soberness exercised both by the Cossacks and the
following infantry. The natives were not unfriendly to the Russians,
which would partially account for this, but such discipline as was
exhibited is significant even in a friendly country, when one considers
the size and extent of the invading armies.

Other conclusions based on conversations with Russian officials, which
were obviously prejudiced, and with peasants, whose evidence was given
to a corres