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d　to　defend　the　fortress。　Continuous　deliberations　were　held　by　both　the　Chinese　and　Mongols。　Finally；　our　old　acquaintance　Tzeren　came　to　me　as　one　of　the　unconcerned　foreigners　and　handed　to　me　the　joint　requests　of　Wang　Tsao…tsun　and　Chultun　Beyli　to　try　to　pacify　the　two　elements　and　to　work　out　a　fair　agreement　between　them。　　Similar　requests　were　handed　to　the　representative　of　an　American　firm。　　The　following　evening　we　held　the　first　meeting　of　the　arbitrators　and　the　Chinese　and　Mongolian　representatives。　　It　was　passionate　and　stormy；　so　that　we　foreigners　lost　all　hope　of　the　success　of　our　mission。　　However；　at　midnight　when　the　speakers　were　tired；　we　secured　agreement　on　two　points：　the　Mongols　announced　that　they　did　not　want　to　make　war　and　that　they　desired　to　settle　this　matter　in　such　a　way　as　to　retain　the　friendship　of　the　great　Chinese　people；　while　the　Chinese　Commissioner　acknowledged　that　China　had　violated　the　treaties　by　which　full　independence　had　been　legally　granted　to　Mongolia。

These　two　points　formed　for　us　the　groundwork　of　the　next　meeting　and　gave　us　the　starting　points　for　urging　reconciliation。　　The　deliberations　continued　for　three　days　and　finally　turned　so　that　we　foreigners　could　propose　our　suggestions　for　an　agreement。　　Its　chief　provisions　were　that　the　Chinese　authorities　should　surrender　administrative　powers；　return　the　arms　to　the　Mongolians；　disarm　the　two　hundred　gamins　and　leave　the　country；　and　that　the　Mongols　on　their　side　should　give　free　and　honorable　passage　of　their　country　to　the　Commissioner　with　his　armed　guard　of　eighty　men。　This　Chinese…Mongolian　Treaty　of　Uliassutai　was　signed　and　sealed　by　the　Chinese　Commissioners；　Wang　Tsao…tsun　and　Fu　Hsiang；　by　both　Mongolian　Saits；　by　Hun　Jap　Lama　and　other　Princes；　as　well　as　by　the　Russian　and　Chinese　Presidents　of　the　Chambers　of　Commerce　and　by　us　foreign　arbitrators。　　The　Chinese　officials　and　convoy　began　at　once　to　pack　up　their　belongings　and　prepare　for　departure。　　The　Chinese　merchants　remained　in　Uliassutai　because　Sait　Chultun　Beyli；　now　having　full　authority　and　power；　guaranteed　their　safety。　　The　day　of　departure　for　the　expedition　of　Wang　Tsao…tsun　arrived。　　The　camels　with　their　packs　already　filled　the　yamen　court…yard　and　the　men　only　awaited　the　arrival　of　their　horses　from　the　plains。　　Suddenly　the　news　spread　everywhere　that　the　herd　of　horses　had　been　stolen　during　the　night　and　run　off　toward　the　south。　　Of　two　soldiers　that　had　been　sent　out　to　follow　the　tracks　of　the　herd　only　one　came　back　with　the　news　that　the　other　had　been　killed。　　Astonishment　spread　over　the　whole　town　while　among　the　Chinese　it　turned　to　open　panic。　　It　perceptibly　increased　when　some　Mongols　from　a　distant　ourton　to　the　east　came　in　and　announced　that　in　various　places　along　the　post　road　to　Urga　they　had　discovered　the　bodies　of　sixteen　of　the　soldiers　whom　Wang　Tsao…tsun　had　sent　out　with　letters　for　Urga。　　The　mystery　of　these　events　will　soon　be　explained。

The　chief　of　the　Russian　detachment　received　a　letter　from　a　Cossack　Colonel；　V。　N。　Domojiroff；　containing　the　order　to　disarm　immediately　the　Chinese　garrison；　to　arrest　all　Chinese　officials　for　transport　to　Baron　Ungern　at　Urga；　to　take　control　of　Uliassutai；　by　force　if　necessary；　and　to　join　forces　with　his　detachment。　　At　the　very　same　time　a　messenger　from　the　Narabanchi　Hutuktu　galloped　in　with　a　letter　to　the　effect　that　a　Russian　detachment　under　the　leadership　of　Hun　Boldon　and　Colonel　Domojiroff　from　Urga　had　pillaged　some　Chinese　firms　and　killed　the　merchants；　had　come　to　the　Monastery　and　demanded　horses；　food　and　shelter。　　The　Hutuktu　asked　for　help　because　the　ferocious　conqueror　of　Kobdo；　Hun　Boldon；　could　very　easily　pillage　the　unprotected　isolated　monastery。　　We　strongly　urged　Colonel　Michailoff　not　to　violate　the　sealed　treaty　and　discountenance　all　the　foreigners　and　Russians　who　had　taken　part　in　making　it；　for　this　would　but　be　to　imitate　the　Bolshevik　principle　of　making　deceit　the　leading　rule　in　all　acts　of　state。　　This　touched　Michailoff　and　he　answered　Domojiroff　that　Uliassutai　was　already　in　his　hands　without　a　fight；　that　over　the　building　of　the　former　Russian　Consulate　the　tri…color　flag　of　Russia　was　flying；　the　gamins　had　been　disarmed　but　that　the　other　orders　could　not　be　carried　out；　because　their　execution　would　violate　the　Chinese…　Mongolian　treaty　just　signed　in　Uliassutai。

Daily　several　envoys　traveled　from　Narabanchi　Hutuktu　to　Uliassutai。　　The　news　became　more　and　more　disquieting。　　The　Hutuktu　reported　that　Hun　Boldon　was　mobilizing　the　Mongolian　beggars　and　horse　stealers；　arming　and　training　them；　that　the　soldiers　were　taking　the　sheep　of　the　monastery；　that　the　〃Noyon〃　Domojiroff　was　always　drunk；　and　that　the　protests　of　the　Hutuktu　were　answered　with　jeers　and　scolding。　　The　messengers　gave　very　indefinite　information　regarding　the　strength　of　the　detachment；　some　placing　it　at　about　thirty　while　others　stated　that　Domojiroff　said　he　had　eight　hundred　in　all。　　We　could　not　understand　it　at　all　and　soon　the　messengers　ceased　coming。　　All　the　letters　of　the　Sait　remained　unanswered　and　the　envoys　did　not　return。　　There　seemed　to　be　no　doubt　that　the　men　had　been　killed　or　captured。

Prince　Chultun　Beyli　determined　to　go　himself。　　He　took　with　him　the　Russian　and　Chinese　Presidents　of　the　Chambers　of　Commerce　and　two　Mongolian　officers。　　Three　days　elapsed　without　receiving　any　news　from　him　whatever。　　The　Mongols　began　to　get　worried。　　Then　the　Chinese　Commissioner　and　Hun　Jap　Lama　addressed　a　request　to　the　foreigner　group　to　send　some　one　to　Narabanchi；　in　order　to　try　to　resolve　the　controversy　there　and　to　persuade　Domojiroff　to　recognize　the　treaty　and　not　permit　the　〃great　insult　of　violation〃　of　a　covenant　between　the　two　great　peoples。　　Our　group　asked　me　once　more　to　accomplish　this　mission　pro　bono　publico。　　I　had　assigned　me　as　interpreter　a　fine　young　Russian　colonist；　the　nephew　of　the　murdered　Bobroff；　a　splendid　rider　as　well　as　a　cool；　brave　man。　　Lt。…Colonel　Michailoff　gave　me　one　of　his　officers　to　accompany　me。　　Supplied　with　an　express　tzara　for　the　post　horses　and　guides；　we　traveled　rapidly　over　the　way　which　was　now　familiar　to　me　to　find　my　old　friend；　Jelib　Djamsrap　Huktuktu　of　Narabanchi。　Although　there　was　deep　snow　in　some　places；　we　made　from　one　hundred　to　one　hundred　and　fifteen　miles　per　day。


CHAPTER　XXVI

THE　BAND　OF　WHITE　HUNGHUTZES


We　arrived　at　Narabanchi　late　at　night　on　the　third　day　out。　　As　we　were　approaching；　we　noticed　several　riders　who；　as　soon　as　they　had　seen　us；　galloped　quickly　back　to　the　monastery。　　For　some　time　we　looked　for　the　camp　of　the　Russian　detachment　without　finding　it。　　The　Mongols　led　us　into　the　monastery；　where　the　Hutuktu　immediately　received　me。　　In　his　yurta　sat　Chultun　Beyli。　　There　he　presented　me　with　hatyks　and　said　to　me：　　〃The　very　God　has　sent　you　here　to　us　in　this　difficult　moment。〃

It　seems　Domojiroff　had　arrested　both　the　Presidents　of　the　Chambers　of　Commerce　and　had　threatened　to　shoot　Prince　Chultun。　Both　Domojiroff　and　Hun　Boldon　had　no　documents　legalizing　their　activities。　　Chultun　Beyli　was　preparing　to　fight　with　them。

I　asked　them　to　take　me　to　Domojiroff。　　Through　the　dark　I　saw　four　big　yurtas　and　two　Mongol　sentinels　with　Russian　rifles。　　We　entered　the　Russian　〃Noyon's〃　tent。　　A　very　strange　picture　was　presented　to　our　eyes。　　In　the　middle　of　the　yurta　the　brazier　was　burning。　　In　the　usual　place　for　the　altar　stood　a　throne；　on　which　the　tall；　thin；　grey…haired　Colonel　Domojiroff　was　seated。　　He　was　only　in　his　undergarments　and　stockings；　was　evidently　a　little　drunk　and　was　telling　stories。　　Around　the　brazier　lay　twelve　young　men　in　various　picturesque　poses。　　My　officer　companion　reported　to　Domojiroff　about　the　events　in　Uliassutai　and　during　the　conversation　I　asked　Domojiroff　where　his　detachment　was　encamped。　He　laughed　and　answered；　with　a　sweep　of　his　hand：　　〃This　is　my　detachment。〃　　I　pointed　out　to　him　that　the　form　of　his　orders　to　us　in　Uliassutai　had　led　us　to　believe　that　he　must　have　a　large　company　with　him。　　Then　I　informed　him　that　Lt。…Colonel　Michailoff　was　preparing　to　cross　swords　with　the　Bolshevik　force　approaching　Uliassutai。

〃What？〃　he　exclaimed　with　fear　and　confusion；　〃the　Reds？〃

We　spent　the　night　in　his　yurta　and；　when　I　was　ready　to　lie　down；　my　officer　whispered　to　me：

〃Be　sure　to　keep　your　revolver　handy；〃　to　which　I　laughed　and　said：

〃But　we　are　in　the　center　of　a　White　detachment　and　therefore　in　perfect　safety！〃

〃Uh…huh！〃　answered　my　officer　and　finished　the　response　with　one　eye　closed。

The　next　day　I　invited　Domojiroff　to　walk　with　me　over　the　plain；　when　I　talked　very　frankly　with　him　about　what　had　been　happening。　He　and　Hun　Boldon　had　received　orders　from　Baron　Ungern　simply　to　get　into　touch　with　General　Bakitch；　but　instead　they　began　pillaging　Chinese　firms　along　the　route　and　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　become　a　great　conqueror。　　On　the　way　he　had　run　across　some　of　the　officers　who　deserted　Colonel　Kazagrandi　and　formed　his　present　band。　　I　succeeded　in　persuading　Domojiroff　to　arrange　matters　peacefully　with　Chultun　Beyli　and　not　to　violate　th