The Washington times., 1916-06-19
FIGHT IN BOATS IN
MARSH WARP ARE
Russian Soldiers Use Special
Craft for Scouting and Raid
ing German Lines.

LONDON. June IA vivid pen pic
ture of life and war conditions along
the Russian front Is contributed by NJ.
A. Pancratoff to the Russkoye Slovo.
THE marshes" he writes. have
| awakened from their winter sleep. Even
on the paved roads movement is all but
impossible: to the right and left every
thing Is submerged. The small river
Sen has become enormously broad;
Its shores are lost In the distance
wait. 1t will be still better later on the
| inhabitants say. 1T will be impossible
| for the Germans to drag an empty cart
along. much less cannon"
THE marshes have awakened, and are
| taking their revenge on man for having
| disturbed the ordinary life OF Polessie.
| But. however difficult the operation the
| war must be continued and material OBJ
| stacles must be overcome. Owing to the
| enormous area covered by water the
| inha bitants have taken to boat building.
| Sentries and patrols move In boats. re-
connoitering parties travel in boats. fire
on the enemy from boats, and escape In
| boats from the attentions of the Ger
man heavy guns.
Scouts Travel in Boats.
THE great marshy basin of tho
Sen and the P Is full Of new
boats. which are called 'baidaka.' These
! 'baidaka' are small. constructed to hold
three or four men. The boats are flat
! bottomed and steady. The scouts take
the 'baidaka. on their shoulders. and
| as soon as they come to deep water
| launch their craft and row to the other
side. Small oars or paddles are used.
| and puntinR operations are often neces-
| sary.
"On the Sen these boats move with
| great secrecy in the night: In the day
time they are hidden In PUSHES ana
reeds. , No.. A..
'baidaka.' The Germans come very
sudden to this place. said one OF my
companions. Our soldiers are con-
cealed everywhere We decided to row
near the forest, so that in case OF ne
cessity we might gain the shelter OF
the trees. The silence was broken oy
occasional rifle reports from the direc-
ton OF Pinsk. and big gun roared
now and then. Once shell flew over
head, kissing as 1t went. But this was
very ordinary music to us.
II was more interested In the intense
silence of the marsh. for l knew that
posts abounded. and perhaps German
scouts were In the vicinity. The marsh
Twas full of men In hiding. and the
| waiting for a chance shot was more
Our sentinels fired twice close by; we
did not know why. The shots re-
our boat and hid our heads. It wal
difficult for us to advance through the
underground, as the spaces between
the bushes were very narrow. W.
Il could not row. and we had to punt with
our oars.
, Near the Germans.
1--WE advanced In this fashion half al
, hour. Then We reached a lake-like ex
pense clear OF growth. This is thu
: river S--en.' was further informed
The Germans are on the other side
II could not see where the other side
was. The watre spread to the horizon
and ended only In the purple border q
the forest. We must be quiet here.
one whispered. The boat moved nlo =
the river without a splash, and strange
: Inaccustomed outlines grew up as W,
, l asked my nelghbor. 'Pinsk.' he re
: piled. felt excited; we were near
, town that was occupied by The Ger
! mans. and l wished the boat woul'
3 I'VE got into the rushes and move,
[ through the Jungle as though we wer
advancing In open water, for the patl
through the rushes had been preoare'
in the autumn. We advanced in thi
manner. forty minutes until we coul
distinctly hear the whistling OF stean
engines and the bells ringing In tn
monastery at Pinsk. 1t was evlden
that the monks had remained. 'Th
: Kaiser himself was In Pinsk In Novepl
: ber.' said one of my companions AN
r we knew It, The Germans blew horn
!. all over the railway line and sang theI
n national hymn In Pinsk there wa
9 much animation
u "a minute or two later the boa
: stopped and was told II was danger
= Gus to 60 further. On the right we coui
see the outlines OF houses and OF th
= quay at Pinsk. only about \ thousan
. PAGES distant The town was covere
l by thin mist and n faint fog was RI,
| ing from the marsh.
There on your left arc their heav
/, guns. I could see nothing except som
4, trenches near the quay.
- I'VE took our leave OF Plnsk. TIL
n twilight had arrived and II was nece'
~ sary to retire."
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