Nelson's history of the war. Vol. XI., The struggle for the Dvina, and the great invasion of Serbia

STRUGGLE FOR DVINSK AND RIGA. 97

took Kish. Presently Ruzsky was forced back from the Lower Misse, and by the 22nd the Octo 22 enemy was at Olai, a place on the Mitau- pt Riga railway, only twelve miles from the city.

On that same day the Russians took a curious step. Under cover of their fleet, they landed a detachment of men on the Courland coast near Domeness, the cape which is the western limit of the Gulf of Riga. After a short skirmish the landing-party captured a German fort and a quantity of material, held their ground for two days, and then quietly sailed away again. Observers in the West at first took this enterprise for an attempt to take the German army facing Riga in flank, but it is clear from the facts that it could have had no such purpose. The most probable explanation is that it was a naval operation connected with mine-laying in the Dirben Channel, which is the best means of access from the west to the Gulf of Riga. To lay mines to blockade the channel it was necessary to prevent any coast batteries from firing upon the vessels thus engaged. If this was the explanation, the enterprise was wholly successful. To hold the coast for two days would permit the creation of a deadly mine-field.

Till the end of the month the Germans struggled fruitlessly to advance nearer Riga. On their extreme left they made one further attempt to move from Kemmern along the strip of land between the Aa and the sea, failed signally, and gave up the enterprise. On the centre they found that Olai was the limit of their advance. The great belt of marsh north of the railway prevented a forward movement from Kish, and the line of the Middle Misse was held in such strength that they failed to pierce it.

XI. 7