Semi-weekly herald., 1915-05-24

hose who are going to this point on
he trenches.
We left our motor cars standing In
the streets Of this ruined village, our
drivers remaining with them.
The reader must remember that our
party is headed for the first-line
trenches, where the French army is
near to the army of Germany. Both
armies are intrenched.
On the day of our visit no battle
RACES on our immediate front. There
are plenty of shots being fred both
from small arms and from the 3-inch
guns, but there is no general engage
ment No assault had been ordered.
Up and down the valley, near and
far, came the sound of the cannon.
Going Single File.
Our party of ten having reached tine
trenches, started on its march in sin
gle file. We found the entrance not
concealed or covered up. No spider
had spun web across the opening to
deceive the passerby as tradition re-
lates was done for Mahomet when he
was escaping from his pursuers. 9th
er trenches doubtless have obscure or
concealed entrances, but ours had the
open door. This does not mean that
anyone could go in. No stranger nor
man without pass could get within
20 miles of these trenches. We were
in the military zone and were COM
manded by French officer from the
staff of General Joffre. Thus equip
ped we could go anywhere.
Trenches Surprise.
The trenches were not exactly what
we had anticipated. They contained
many surprises. They are varied in
form and thoroughly mixed up and
criss-crossed in direction. They are
cut through limestone which on the
top is composed of small pieces rest
ing finally on solid rock. Circum-
stances seemed to make solid rock
more necessary at the top than at the
bottom. A rifle shot, well directed
could cut through the top layers.
We had not gone far into the
trenches when We discovered that
they were not deep enough to protect
our Swedish editor, who is u tall man
Soon after he came bobbing along the
rifles began to crack from the direc.
ton of the German lines. These arm.
les have been so long intrenched tha,
every movement is watched, and the
gray hat of the man from Stockholm
had been discovered. His comrade:
asked him to please stoop littl.
lower. He had not till then realized
that he had been causing the riff,
shots.
Could Easily Get Lost.
l can scarcely describe the novelt,
of these limestone trenches. Gu,
movements were rapid. The visitin,
party were kept busy turning corner!
for the trenches are like catacombs
If follower lost track of those /,
front, and could not speak French
he must find out by signs from tn,
soldiers relative to the particular di
reetion the party had taken. Know
ing that ! could not speak French
took warning and kept up with thos,
who were in the lead.
We had not been tramping insid,
the trenches long until we entered {
long stretch covering critically ex
posed position. The Germans hat
evidently discovered something new
going on in the French trenches
Their rifle shots became more FIRE
quent; too frequent for comfort
There were times when the trenches
swerved from the outer edge and tn,
danger seemed rduced.
NORTHERN FRANCE BATTLE
FIELD, April l6.-(By Mail)-I d,
not know the length of our marcl
through the trenches. but the dis
tance must have been several miles.
The main trenches which lea,
around and around are the hallway,
through which the soldiers go an,
come. Cut out of the Railways ar,
little habitations in which certai,
number of soldiers live. eat and sleep
Had it not been for these little room
our party could not have gou,
through. Two good sized men coul,
not pass into trench. Some of thes,
side rooms had been dug several fee
down into the limestone and thu,
formed secure places to be used /,
case the Germans should make n bonn
hardment with artillery and the lime
stone retreats would be safe and Sc
cure