The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-14
WHITE RAVENS' OF EASTERN CAMPAIGN
 ARE SKI PATROLS
Novel Scouting System of Aus trfans Described, By Mem
 Der of Fleet Runners.

1 Vienna, Jan. 14-Use of the skis in Ithis war, previously described in these l dispatches, has been developed on 2 large scale out the Carpathians and on the hills and dreary plains of Cali cda, where thousands of Austro- Hun garian soldiers move about rapidly and Enoiselessly in this manner. Their first duty is scouting, but now and then 1 they are obliged, to fight and fight hard
 While some of the ski organizations have white uniforms others have to make use of white blankets to render themselves as invisible as they possi- bly can. A ski patrols experience of a night is here related by the officer in charge. The patrol had left camp 1.-the even ing, and, wrapped in white blankets, the mon were speeding through a. Car pathian forest late at night when the breaking of twigs cautioned the officer to order them to cover.
 "A second later,' he says, T heard an alarm signal given by one of my corpopa1s I decided to investigate and with three men proceeded in the direction when the signal had come. Near an ice and snow-covereds braun ble bush one of the patrol signahled eau ton and the informed me that near him on the right there was a Russian scouting party.
 There was nothing to be seen, how ever. Though the moon shone bright Ny, the tree brunlcs snow-covered un- dergrowth and a shower of powdered silver sent down by the gently Tnoving g branches of the trees, hampeTed the view. So we crept under the blanabdes and saw to it that the powdered, cold silver entered by our collars.
 \ The cushing wait was none too pleas ant We were measuring the snow with the length of our bodies, which is not the finest pastine I know.
 Right ahead of me there was an open stretch of snow and I had been watching the f1ligrees thrown upon it by the moon as it's beams broke through the branches of the tall beeches and oaks, when a hong, black shadow appeared from the right. 'sTIre next instant three Cossacks en- tered the clearing. Their horses were small and shaggy and white. and the men seemed to hang in the saddles rather than sit in them. They were wrapped in thick furs. The bright t moonlight showed they were Asfa:tics- broad faces with strong clhins. pronni- nent cheekbones and long black boards with the frost clingdng to the hair, "A sign from me, and my men were on their feet-another moment and the lCossacks were off their horses. They were the most surprised lot Ab1ect
 
 difficulty understanding that we were no evil spirits of the forest.
 THle Cossacks had hardly been talk en to the rear oy one of the men when elles vigorous tramp of Russian ir1faa1- try was heard. Back under. the bra m fole bush, twenty yards away from us the Russians marched past
 The writer then Eecounts how the ski patrol followed the Russians into a village Later in the night he was able to get in touch with the com naander of a German contingent, which coupled 9 quarry on the other side of the village. Towards morning he also discovered how the Russians, who had l taken the village. could be outhanked. Width dawn every body was in his place and fire was opened. The Ru1ssians were forced to retreat in disorder. leaving behind many killed and wound ed in addition to prisoners
 we are known as the white ra- vens' concludes the account