beasts, men and gods-第12节

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ered　one　of　the　Soyots　to　guide　us　to　the　Kosogol。　　The　whole　family　of　the　Prince　conducted　us　to　the　monastery　ten　kilometres　from　the　〃capital。〃　　We　did　not　visit　the　monastery　but　we　stopped　at　the　〃Dugun；〃　a　Chinese　trading　establishment。　　The　Chinese　merchants　looked　at　us　in　a　very　hostile　manner　though　they　simultaneously　offered　us　all　sorts　of　goods；　thinking　especially　to　catch　us　with　their　round　bottles　（lanhon）　of　maygolo　or　sweet　brandy　made　from　aniseed。　　As　we　had　neither　lump　silver　nor　Chinese　dollars；　we　could　only　look　with　longing　at　these　attractive　bottles；　till　the　Prince　came　to　the　rescue　and　ordered　the　Chinese　to　put　five　of　them　in　our　saddle　bags。


CHAPTER　XIII

MYSTERIES；　MIRACLES　AND　A　NEW　FIGHT


In　the　evening　of　the　same　day　we　arrived　at　the　Sacred　Lake　of　Teri　Noor；　a　sheet　of　water　eight　kilometres　across；　muddy　and　yellow；　with　low　unattractive　shores　studded　with　large　holes。　　In　the　middle　of　the　lake　lay　what　was　left　of　a　disappearing　island。　On　this　were　a　few　trees　and　some　old　ruins。　　Our　guide　explained　to　us　that　two　centuries　ago　the　lake　did　not　exist　and　that　a　very　strong　Chinese　fortress　stood　here　on　the　plain。　　A　Chinese　chief　in　command　of　the　fortress　gave　offence　to　an　old　Lama　who　cursed　the　place　and　prophesied　that　it　would　all　be　destroyed。　　The　very　next　day　the　water　began　rushing　up　from　the　ground；　destroyed　the　fortress　and　engulfed　all　the　Chinese　soldiers。　　Even　to　this　day　when　storms　rage　over　the　lake　the　waters　cast　up　on　the　shores　the　bones　of　men　and　horses　who　perished　in　it。　　This　Teri　Noor　increases　its　size　every　year；　approaching　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　mountains。　　Skirting　the　eastern　shore　of　the　lake；　we　began　to　climb　a　snow…capped　ridge。　　The　road　was　easy　at　first　but　the　guide　warned　us　that　the　most　difficult　bit　was　there　ahead。　　We　reached　this　point　two　days　later　and　found　there　a　steep　mountain　side　thickly　set　with　forest　and　covered　with　snow。　　Beyond　it　lay　the　lines　of　eternal　snowridges　studded　with　dark　rocks　set　in　great　banks　of　the　white　mantle　that　gleamed　bright　under　the　clear　sunshine。　　These　were　the　eastern　and　highest　branches　of　the　Tannu　Ola　system。　　We　spent　the　night　beneath　this　wood　and　began　the　passage　of　it　in　the　morning。　　At　noon　the　guide　began　leading　us　by　zigzags　in　and　out　but　everywhere　our　trail　was　blocked　by　deep　ravines；　great　jams　of　fallen　trees　and　walls　of　rock　caught　in　their　mad　tobogganings　from　the　mountain　top。　　We　struggled　for　several　hours；　wore　out　our　horses　and；　all　of　a　sudden；　turned　up　at　the　place　where　we　had　made　our　last　halt。　　It　was　very　evident　our　Soyot　had　lost　his　way；　and　on　his　face　I　noticed　marked　fear。

〃The　old　devils　of　the　cursed　forest　will　not　allow　us　to　pass；〃　he　whispered　with　trembling　lips。　　〃It　is　a　very　ominous　sign。　　We　must　return　to　Kharga　to　the　Noyon。〃

But　I　threatened　him　and　he　took　the　lead　again　evidently　without　hope　or　effort　to　find　the　way。　　Fortunately；　one　of　our　party；　an　Urianhai　hunter；　noticed　the　blazes　on　the　trees；　the　signs　of　the　road　which　our　guide　had　lost。　　Following　these；　we　made　our　way　through　the　wood；　came　into　and　crossed　a　belt　of　burned　larch　timber　and　beyond　this　dipped　again　into　a　small　live　forest　bordering　the　bottom　of　the　mountains　crowned　with　the　eternal　snows。　　It　grew　dark　so　that　we　had　to　camp　for　the　night。　　The　wind　rose　high　and　carried　in　its　grasp　a　great　white　sheet　of　snow　that　shut　us　off　from　the　horizon　on　every　side　and　buried　our　camp　deep　in　its　folds。　　Our　horses　stood　round　like　white　ghosts；　refusing　to　eat　or　to　leave　the　circle　round　our　fire。　　The　wind　combed　their　manes　and　tails。　　Through　the　niches　in　the　mountains　it　roared　and　whistled。　　From　somewhere　in　the　distance　came　the　low　rumble　of　a　pack　of　wolves；　punctuated　at　intervals　by　the　sharp　individual　barking　that　a　favorable　gust　of　wind　threw　up　into　high　staccato。

As　we　lay　by　the　fire；　the　Soyot　came　over　to　me　and　said：　　〃Noyon；　come　with　me　to　the　obo。　　I　want　to　show　you　something。〃

We　went　there　and　began　to　ascend　the　mountain。　　At　the　bottom　of　a　very　steep　slope　was　laid　up　a　large　pile　of　stones　and　tree　trunks；　making　a　cone　of　some　three　metres　in　height。　　These　obo　are　the　Lamaite　sacred　signs　set　up　at　dangerous　places；　the　altars　to　the　bad　demons；　rulers　of　these　places。　　Passing　Soyots　and　Mongols　pay　tribute　to　the　spirits　by　hanging　on　the　branches　of　the　trees　in　the　obo　hatyk；　long　streamers　of　blue　silk；　shreds　torn　from　the　lining　of　their　coats　or　simply　tufts　of　hair　cut　from　their　horses'　manes；　or　by　placing　on　the　stones　lumps　of　meat　or　cups　of　tea　and　salt。

〃Look　at　it；〃　said　the　Soyot。　　〃The　hatyks　are　torn　off。　　The　demons　are　angry；　they　will　not　allow　us　to　pass；　Noyon。　。　。　。〃

He　caught　my　hand　and　with　supplicating　voice　whispered：　　〃Let　us　go　back；　Noyon；　let　us！　　The　demons　do　not　wish　us　to　pass　their　mountains。　　For　twenty　years　no　one　has　dared　to　pass　these　mountains　and　all　bold　men　who　have　tried　have　perished　here。　　The　demons　fell　upon　them　with　snowstorm　and　cold。　　Look！　　It　is　beginning　already。　。　。　。　　Go　back　to　our　Noyon；　wait　for　the　warmer　days　and　then。　。　。　。〃

I　did　not　listen　further　to　the　Soyot　but　turned　back　to　the　fire；　which　I　could　hardly　see　through　the　blinding　snow。　　Fearing　our　guide　might　run　away；　I　ordered　a　sentry　to　be　stationed　for　the　night　to　watch　him。　　Later　in　the　night　I　was　awakened　by　the　sentry；　who　said　to　me：　　〃Maybe　I　am　mistaken；　but　I　think　I　heard　a　rifle。〃

What　could　I　say　to　it？　　Maybe　some　stragglers　like　ourselves　were　giving　a　sign　of　their　whereabouts　to　their　lost　companions；　or　perhaps　the　sentry　had　mistaken　for　a　rifle　shot　the　sound　of　some　falling　rock　or　frozen　ice　and　snow。　　Soon　I　fell　asleep　again　and　suddenly　saw　in　a　dream　a　very　clear　vision。　　Out　on　the　plain；　blanketed　deep　with　snow；　was　moving　a　line　of　riders。　　They　were　our　pack　horses；　our　Kalmuck　and　the　funny　pied　horse　with　the　Roman　nose。　　I　saw　us　descending　from　this　snowy　plateau　into　a　fold　in　the　mountains。　　Here　some　larch　trees　were　growing；　close　to　which　gurgled　a　small；　open　brook。　　Afterwards　I　noticed　a　fire　burning　among　the　trees　and　then　woke　up。

It　grew　light。　　I　shook　up　the　others　and　asked　them　to　prepare　quickly　so　as　not　to　lose　time　in　getting　under　way。　　The　storm　was　raging。　　The　snow　blinded　us　and　blotted　out　all　traces　of　the　road。　　The　cold　also　became　more　intense。　　At　last　we　were　in　the　saddles。　　The　Soyot　went　ahead　trying　to　make　out　the　trail。　　As　we　worked　higher　the　guide　less　seldom　lost　the　way。　　Frequently　we　fell　into　deep　holes　covered　with　snow；　we　scrambled　up　over　slippery　rocks。　　At　last　the　Soyot　swung　his　horse　round　and；　coming　up　to　me；　announced　very　positively：　　〃I　do　not　want　to　die　with　you　and　I　will　not　go　further。〃

My　first　motion　was　the　swing　of　my　whip　back　over　my　head。　　I　was　so　close　to　the　〃Promised　Land〃　of　Mongolia　that　this　Soyot；　standing　in　the　way　of　fulfilment　of　my　wishes；　seemed　to　me　my　worst　enemy。　　But　I　lowered　my　flourishing　hand。　　Into　my　head　flashed　a　quite　wild　thought。

〃Listen；〃　I　said。　　〃If　you　move　your　horses；　you　will　receive　a　bullet　in　the　back　and　you　will　perish　not　at　the　top　of　the　mountain　but　at　the　bottom。　　And　now　I　will　tell　you　what　will　happen　to　us。　　When　we　shall　have　reached　these　rocks　above；　the　wind　will　have　ceased　and　the　snowstorm　will　have　subsided。　　The　sun　will　shine　as　we　cross　the　snowy　plain　above　and　afterwards　we　shall　descend　into　a　small　valley　where　there　are　larches　growing　and　a　stream　of　open　running　water。　　There　we　shall　light　our　fires　and　spend　the　night。〃

The　Soyot　began　to　tremble　with　fright。

〃Noyon　has　already　passed　these　mountains　of　Darkhat　Ola？〃　he　asked　in　amazement。

〃No；〃　I　answered；　〃but　last　night　I　had　a　vision　and　I　know　that　we　shall　fortunately　win　over　this　ridge。〃

〃I　will　guide　you！〃　exclaimed　the　Soyot；　and；　whipping　his　horse；　led　the　way　up　the　steep　slope　to　the　top　of　the　ridge　of　eternal　snows。

As　we　were　passing　along　the　narrow　edge　of　a　precipice；　the　Soyot　stopped　and　attentively　examined　the　trail。

〃Today　many　shod　horses　have　passed　here！〃　he　cried　through　the　roar　of　the　storm。　　〃Yonder　on　the　snow　the　lash　of　a　whip　has　been　dragged。　　These　are　not　Soyots。〃

The　solution　of　this　enigma　appeared　instantly。　　A　volley　rang　out。　One　of　my　companions　cried　out；　as　he　caught　hold　of　his　right　shoulder；　one　pack　horse　fell　dead　with　a　bullet　behind　his　ear。　We　quickly　tumbled　out　of　our　saddles；　lay　down　behind　the　rocks　and　began　to　study　the　situation。　　We　were　separated　from　a　parallel　spur　of　the　mountain　by　a　small　valley　about　one　thousand　paces　across。　　There　we　made　out　about　thirty　riders　already　dismounted　and　firing　at　us。　　I　had　never　allowed　any　fighting　to　be　done　until　the　initiative　had　been　taken　by　the　other　side。　　Our　enemy　fell　upon　us　unawares　and　I　ordered　my　company　to　answer。

〃Aim　at　the　horses！〃　cried　Colonel　Ostrovsky。　　Then　he　ordered　the　Tartar　and　Soyot　to　throw　our　own　animals。　　We　killed　six　of　theirs　and　probably　wounded　others；　as　they　got　out　of　control。　　Also　our　rifles　took　toll　of　any　bold　man　who　showed　his　head　from　behind