beasts, men and gods-第31节
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had asked me in a recent letter to meet him。 Thus we left the Uliassutai where we had lived through so many exciting events。
On the sixth day after our departure there arrived in the town the Mongol…Buriat detachment under the command of the Buriat Vandaloff and the Russian Captain Bezrodnoff。 Afterwards I met them in Zain Shabi。 It was a detachment sent out from Urga by Baron Ungern to restore order in Uliassutai and to march on to Kobdo。 On the way from Zain Shabi Bezrodnoff came across the group of Poletika and Michailoff。 He instituted a search which disclosed suspicious documents in their baggage and in that of Michailoff and his wife the silver and other possessions taken from the Chinese。 From this group of sixteen he sent N。 N。 Philipoff to Baron Ungern； released three others and shot the remaining twelve。 Thus ended in Zain Shabi the life of one party of Uliassutai refugees and the activities of the group of Poletika。 In Uliassutai Bezrodnoff shot Chultun Beyli for the violation of the treaty with the Chinese； and also some Bolshevist Russian colonists； arrested Domojiroff and sent him to Urga； and 。 。 。 restored order。 The predictions about Chultun Beyli were fulfilled。
I knew of Domojiroff's reports regarding myself but I decided； nevertheless； to proceed to Urga and not to swing round it； as Poletika had started to do when he was accidentally captured by Bezrodnoff。 I was accustomed now to looking into the eyes of danger and I set out to meet the terrible 〃bloody Baron。〃 No one can decide his own fate。 I did not think myself in the wrong and the feeling of fear had long since ceased to occupy a place in my menage。 On the way a Mongol rider who overhauled us brought the news of the death of our acquaintances at Zain Shabi。 He spent the night with me in the yurta at the ourton and related to me the following legend of death。
〃It was a long time ago when the Mongolians ruled over China。 The Prince of Uliassutai； Beltis Van； was mad。 He executed any one he wished without trial and no one dared to pass through his town。 All the other Princes and rich Mongols surrounded Uliassutai； where Beltis raged； cut off communication on every road and allowed none to pass in or out。 Famine developed in the town。 They consumed all the oxen； sheep and horses and finally Beltis Van determined to make a dash with his soldiers through to the west to the land of one of his tribes； the Olets。 He and his men all perished in the fight。 The Princes； following the advice of the Hutuktu Buyantu； buried the dead on the slopes of the mountains surrounding Uliassutai。 They buried them with incantations and exorcisings in order that Death by Violence might be kept from a further visitation to their land。 The tombs were covered with heavy stones and the Hutuktu predicted that the bad demon of Death by Violence would only leave the earth when the blood of a man should he spilled upon the covering stone。 Such a legend lived among us。 Now it is fulfilled。 The Russians shot there three Bolsheviki and the Chinese two Mongols。 The evil spirit of Beltis Van broke loose from beneath the heavy stone and now mows down the people with his scythe。 The noble Chultun Beyli has perished； the Russian Noyon Michailoff also has fallen； and death has flowed out from Uliassutai all over our boundless plains。 Who shall be able to stem it now？ Who shall tie the ferocious hands？ An evil time has fallen upon the Gods and the Good Spirits。 The Evil Demons have made war upon the Good Spirits。 What can man now do？ Only perish； only perish。 。 。 。〃
Part III
THE STRAINING HEART OF ASIA
CHAPTER XXIX
ON THE ROAD OF GREAT CONQUERORS
The great conqueror； Jenghiz Khan； the son of sad； stern； severe Mongolia； according to an old Mongolian legend 〃mounted to the top of Karasu Togol and with his eyes of an eagle looked to the west and the east。 In the west he saw whole seas of human blood over which floated a bloody fog that blanketed all the horizon。 There he could not discern his fate。 But the gods ordered him to proceed to the west； leading with him all his warriors and Mongolian tribes。 To the east he saw wealthy towns； shining temples； crowds of happy people； gardens and fields of rich earth； all of which pleased the great Mongol。 He said to his sons： 'There in the west I shall be fire and sword； destroyer； avenging Fate； in the east I shall come as the merciful； great builder； bringing happiness to the people and to the land。'〃
Thus runs the legend。 I found much of truth in it。 I had passed over much of his road to the west and always identified it by the old tombs and the impertinent monuments of stone to the merciless conqueror。 I saw also a part of the eastern road of the hero； over which he traveled to China。 Once when we were making a trip out of Uliassutai we stopped the night in Djirgalantu。 The old host of the ourton； knowing me from my previous trip to Narabanchi； welcomed us very kindly and regaled us with stories during our evening meal。 Among other things he led us out of the yurta and pointed out a mountain peak brightly lighted by the full moon and recounted to us the story of one of the sons of Jenghiz； afterwards Emperor of China； Indo…China and Mongolia； who had been attracted by the beautiful scenery and grazing lands of Djirgalantu and had founded here a town。 This was soon left without inhabitants； for the Mongol is a nomad who cannot live in artificial cities。 The plain is his house and the world his town。 For a time this town witnessed battles between the Chinese and the troops of Jenghiz Khan but afterwards it was forgotten。 At present there remains only a half…ruined tower； from which in the early days the heavy rocks were hurled down upon the heads of the enemy； and the dilapidated gate of Kublai； the grandson of Jenghiz Khan。 Against the greenish sky drenched with the rays of the moon stood out the jagged line of the mountains and the black silhouette of the tower with its loopholes； through which the alternate scudding clouds and light flashed。
When our party left Uliassutai； we traveled on leisurely； making thirty…five to fifty miles a day until we were within sixty miles of Zain Shabi； where I took leave of the others to go south to this place in order to keep my engagement with Colonel Kazagrandi。 The sun had just risen as my single Mongol guide and I without any pack animals began to ascend the low； timbered ridges； from the top of which I caught the last glimpses of my companions disappearing down the valley。 I had no idea then of the many and almost fatal dangers which I should have to pass through during this trip by myself； which was destined to prove much longer than I had anticipated。 As we were crossing a small river with sandy shores； my Mongol guide told me how the Mongolians came there during the summer to wash gold； in spite of the prohibitions of the Lamas。 The manner of working the placer was very primitive but the results testified clearly to the richness of these sands。 The Mongol lies flat on the ground； brushes the sand aside with a feather and keeps blowing into the little excavation so formed。 From time to time he wets his finger and picks up on it a small bit of grain gold or a diminutive nugget and drops these into a little bag hanging under his chin。 In such manner this primitive dredge wins about a quarter of an ounce or five dollars' worth of the yellow metal per day。
I determined to make the whole distance to Zain Shabi in a single day。 At the ourtons I hurried them through the catching and saddling of the horses as fast as I could。 At one of these stations about twenty…five miles from the monastery the Mongols gave me a wild horse； a big； strong white stallion。 Just as I was about to mount him and had already touched my foot to the stirrup； he jumped and kicked me right on the leg which had been wounded in the Ma…chu fight。 The leg soon began to swell and ache。 At sunset I made out the first Russian and Chinese buildings and later the monastery at Zain。 We dropped into the valley of a small stream which flowed along a mountain on whose peak were set white rocks forming the words of a Tibetan prayer。 At the bottom of this mountain was a cemetery for the Lamas； that is； piles of bones and a pack of dogs。 At last the monastery lay right below us； a common square surrounded with wooden fences。 In the middle rose a large temple quite different from all those of western Mongolia； not in the Chinese but in the Tibetan style of architecture； a white building with perpendicular walls and regular rows of windows in black frames； with a roof of black tiles and with a most unusual damp course laid between the stone walls and the roof timbers and made of bundles of twigs from a Tibetan tree which never rots。 Another small quadrangle lay a little to the east and contained Russian buildings connected with the monastery by telephone。
〃That is the house of the Living God of Zain；〃 the Mongol explained； pointing to this smaller quadrangle。 〃He likes Russian customs and manners。〃
To the north on a conical…shaped hill rose a tower that recalled the Babylonian zikkurat。 It was the temple where the ancient books and manuscripts were kept and the
