Here we have to consider only Austrian Poland,
Galicia and Bukowina, for here there is much less swaying back and
forth, the Russians maintaining their lines much more steadily than
farther north. This section is an undulating terrace which slopes
down to the Vistula and the Dniester; behind rise the Carpathian
ranges, forming the natural frontier between the broad, fertile
plains of Hungary and Russia. Here the population is quite dense,
there being 240 inhabitants to the square mile. Nearly half of
the total area is in farm lands, about one-fourth woodland, and
the rest mostly meadow and pasture, less than a quarter of one
per cent being lake or swamp. Rich crops of barley, oats, rye,
wheat, and corn are grown here, while the mineral resources include
coal, salt, and petroleum, the latter especially being important in
modern warfare on account of the great quantities of fuel necessary
for motor carriages.
Here, in Galicia, we shall witness the conquests of the important
city of Lemberg--with its 160,000 population--fourth in size of
all Austrian cities, only Vienna, Prague, and Triest being larger.
Further in toward the mountains we shall see the storming of the
strongly fortified city of Przemysl (pronounced Prshemisel), also
important as the junction of the network of railroads that the
Austrians had built throughout the country, including several lines
passing over the Carpathians into Hungary.
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