beasts, men and gods-第8节

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〃Remain　behind　the　detachment　and　help　us。〃

〃All　right；〃　I　answered；　〃but　let　us　talk　a　little；　in　order　that　they　may　think　we　are　parleying。〃

After　a　moment　I　shook　the　hand　of　the　Soyot　and　returned　to　the　soldiers。

〃All　right；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃we　can　continue　our　journey。　　No　hindrance　will　come　from　the　Soyots。〃

We　moved　forward　and；　when　we　were　crossing　a　large　meadow；　we　espied　at　a　long　distance　two　Soyots　riding　at　full　gallop　right　up　the　side　of　a　mountain。　　Step　by　step　I　accomplished　the　necessary　manoeuvre　to　bring　me　and　my　fellow　traveler　somewhat　behind　the　detachment。　　Behind　our　backs　remained　only　one　soldier；　very　brutish　in　appearance　and　apparently　very　hostile　to　us。　　I　had　time　to　whisper　to　my　companion　only　one　word：　〃Mauser；〃　and　saw　that　he　very　carefully　unbuttoned　the　saddle　bag　and　drew　out　a　little　the　handle　of　his　pistol。

Soon　I　understood　why　these　soldiers；　excellent　woodsmen　as　they　were；　would　not　attempt　to　go　to　the　Seybi　without　a　guide。　　All　the　country　between　the　Algiak　and　the　Seybi　is　formed　by　high　and　narrow　mountain　ridges　separated　by　deep　swampy　valleys。　　It　is　a　cursed　and　dangerous　place。　　At　first　our　horses　mired　to　the　knees；　lunging　about　and　catching　their　feet　in　the　roots　of　bushes　in　the　quagmires；　then　falling　and　pinning　us　under　their　sides；　breaking　parts　of　their　saddles　and　bridles。　　Then　we　would　go　in　up　to　the　riders'　knees。　　My　horse　went　down　once　with　his　whole　breast　and　head　under　the　red　fluid　mud　and　we　just　saved　it　and　no　more。　　Afterwards　the　officer's　horse　fell　with　him　so　that　he　bruised　his　head　on　a　stone。　　My　companion　injured　one　knee　against　a　tree。　　Some　of　the　men　also　fell　and　were　injured。　　The　horses　breathed　heavily。　　Somewhere　dimly　and　gloomily　a　crow　cawed。　Later　the　road　became　worse　still。　　The　trail　followed　through　the　same　miry　swamp　but　everywhere　the　road　was　blocked　with　fallen　tree　trunks。　　The　horses；　jumping　over　the　trunks；　would　land　in　an　unexpectedly　deep　hole　and　flounder。　　We　and　all　the　soldiers　were　covered　with　blood　and　mud　and　were　in　great　fear　of　exhausting　our　mounts。　　For　a　long　distance　we　had　to　get　down　and　lead　them。　　At　last　we　entered　a　broad　meadow　covered　with　bushes　and　bordered　with　rocks。　　Not　only　horses　but　riders　also　began　to　sink　to　their　middle　in　a　quagmire　with　apparently　no　bottom。　　The　whole　surface　of　the　meadow　was　but　a　thin　layer　of　turf；　covering　a　lake　with　black　putrefying　water。　　When　we　finally　learned　to　open　our　column　and　proceed　at　big　intervals；　we　found　we　could　keep　on　this　surface　that　undulated　like　rubber　ice　and　swayed　the　bushes　up　and　down。　　In　places　the　earth　buckled　up　and　broke。

Suddenly；　three　shots　sounded。　　They　were　hardly　more　than　the　report　of　a　Flobert　rifle；　but　they　were　genuine　shots；　because　the　officer　and　two　soldiers　fell　to　the　ground。　　The　other　soldiers　grabbed　their　rifles　and；　with　fear；　looked　about　for　the　enemy。　Four　more　were　soon　unseated　and　suddenly　I　noticed　our　rearguard　brute　raise　his　rifle　and　aim　right　at　me。　　However；　my　Mauser　outstrode　his　rifle　and　I　was　allowed　to　continue　my　story。

〃Begin！〃　I　cried　to　my　friend　and　we　took　part　in　the　shooting。　Soon　the　meadow　began　to　swarm　with　Soyots；　stripping　the　fallen；　dividing　the　spoils　and　recapturing　their　horses。　　In　some　forms　of　warfare　it　is　never　safe　to　leave　any　of　the　enemy　to　renew　hostilities　later　with　overwhelming　forces。

After　an　hour　of　very　difficult　road　we　began　to　ascend　the　mountain　and　soon　arrived　on　a　high　plateau　covered　with　trees。

〃After　all；　Soyots　are　not　a　too　peaceful　people；〃　I　remarked；　approaching　the　Governor。

He　looked　at　me　very　sharply　and　replied：

〃It　was　not　Soyots　who　did　the　killing。〃

He　was　right。　　It　was　the　Abakan　Tartars　in　Soyot　clothes　who　killed　the　Bolsheviki。　　These　Tartars　were　running　their　herds　of　cattle　and　horses　down　out　of　Russia　through　Urianhai　to　Mongolia。　They　had　as　their　guide　and　negotiator　a　Kalmuck　Lamaite。　　The　following　morning　we　were　approaching　a　small　settlement　of　Russian　colonists　and　noticed　some　horsemen　looking　out　from　the　woods。　One　of　our　young　and　brave　Tartars　galloped　off　at　full　speed　toward　these　men　in　the　wood　but　soon　wheeled　and　returned　with　a　reassuring　smile。

〃All　right；〃　he　exclaimed；　laughing；　〃keep　right　on。〃

We　continued　our　travel　on　a　good　broad　road　along　a　high　wooden　fence　surrounding　a　meadow　filled　with　a　fine　herd　of　wapiti　or　izubr；　which　the　Russian　colonists　breed　for　the　horns　that　are　so　valuable　in　the　velvet　for　sale　to　Tibetan　and　Chinese　medicine　dealers。　　These　horns；　when　boiled　and　dried；　are　called　panti　and　are　sold　to　the　Chinese　at　very　high　prices。

We　were　received　with　great　fear　by　the　settlers。

〃Thank　God！〃　exclaimed　the　hostess；　〃we　thought。　。　。〃　and　she　broke　off；　looking　at　her　husband。


CHAPTER　X

THE　BATTLE　ON　THE　SEYBI


Constant　dangers　develop　one's　watchfulness　and　keenness　of　perception。　　We　did　not　take　off　our　clothes　nor　unsaddle　our　horses；　tired　as　we　were。　　I　put　my　Mauser　inside　my　coat　and　began　to　look　about　and　scrutinize　the　people。　　The　first　thing　I　discovered　was　the　butt　end　of　a　rifle　under　the　pile　of　pillows　always　found　on　the　peasants'　large　beds。　　Later　I　noticed　the　employees　of　our　host　constantly　coming　into　the　room　for　orders　from　him。　　They　did　not　look　like　simple　peasants；　although　they　had　long　beards　and　were　dressed　very　dirtily。　　They　examined　me　with　very　attentive　eyes　and　did　not　leave　me　and　my　friend　alone　with　the　host。　　We　could　not；　however；　make　out　anything。　　But　then　the　Soyot　Governor　came　in　and；　noticing　our　strained　relations；　began　explaining　in　the　Soyot　language　to　the　host　all　about　us。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　the　colonist　said；　〃but　you　know　yourself　that　now　for　one　honest　man　we　have　ten　thousand　murderers　and　robbers。〃

With　this　we　began　chatting　more　freely。　　It　appeared　that　our　host　knew　that　a　band　of　Bolsheviki　would　attack　him　in　the　search　for　the　band　of　Cossack　officers　who　were　living　in　his　house　on　and　off。　　He　had　heard　also　about　the　〃total　loss〃　of　one　detachment。　However；　it　did　not　entirely　calm　the　old　man　to　have　our　news；　for　he　had　heard　of　the　large　detachment　of　Reds　that　was　coming　from　the　border　of　the　Usinsky　District　in　pursuit　of　the　Tartars　who　were　escaping　with　their　cattle　south　to　Mongolia。

〃From　one　minute　to　another　we　are　awaiting　them　with　fear；〃　said　our　host　to　me。　　〃My　Soyot　has　come　in　and　announced　that　the　Reds　are　already　crossing　the　Seybi　and　the　Tartars　are　prepared　for　the　fight。〃

We　immediately　went　out　to　look　over　our　saddles　and　packs　and　then　took　the　horses　and　hid　them　in　the　bushes　not　far　off。　　We　made　ready　our　rifles　and　pistols　and　took　posts　in　the　enclosure　to　wait　for　our　common　enemy。　　An　hour　of　trying　impatience　passed；　when　one　of　the　workmen　came　running　in　from　the　wood　and　whispered：

〃They　are　crossing　our　swamp。　。　。　。　　The　fight　is　on。〃

In　fact；　like　an　answer　to　his　words；　came　through　the　woods　the　sound　of　a　single　rifle…shot；　followed　closely　by　the　increasing　rat…tat…tat　of　the　mingled　guns。　　Nearer　to　the　house　the　sounds　gradually　came。　　Soon　we　heard　the　beating　of　the　horses'　hoofs　and　the　brutish　cries　of　the　soldiers。　　In　a　moment　three　of　them　burst　into　the　house；　from　off　the　road　where　they　were　being　raked　now　by　the　Tartars　from　both　directions；　cursing　violently。　　One　of　them　shot　at　our　host。　　He　stumbled　along　and　fell　on　his　knee；　as　his　hand　reached　out　toward　the　rifle　under　his　pillows。

〃Who　are　YOU？〃　brutally　blurted　out　one　of　the　soldiers；　turning　to　us　and　raising　his　rifle。　　We　answered　with　Mausers　and　successfully；　for　only　one　soldier　in　the　rear　by　the　door　escaped；　and　that　merely　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　a　workman　in　the　courtyard　who　strangled　him。　　The　fight　had　begun。　　The　soldiers　called　on　their　comrades　for　help。　　The　Reds　were　strung　along　in　the　ditch　at　the　side　of　the　road；　three　hundred　paces　from　the　house；　returning　the　fire　of　the　surrounding　Tartars。　　Several　soldiers　ran　to　the　house　to　help　their　comrades　but　this　time　we　heard　the　regular　volley　of　the　workmen　of　our　host。　　They　fired　as　though　in　a　manoeuvre　calmly　and　accurately。　　Five　Red　soldiers　lay　on　the　road；　while　the　rest　now　kept　to　their　ditch。　　Before　long　we　discovered　that　they　began　crouching　and　crawling　out　toward　the　end　of　the　ditch　nearest　the　wood　where　they　had　left　their　horses。　The　sounds　of　shots　became　more　and　more　distant　and　soon　we　saw　fifty　or　sixty　Tartars　pursuing　the　Reds　across　the　meadow。

Two　days　we　rested　here　on　the　Seybi。　　The　workmen　of　our　host；　eight　in　number；　turned　out　to　be　officers　hiding　from　the　Bolsheviks。　　They　asked　permission　to　go　on　with　us；　to　which　we　agreed。

When　my　friend　and　I　continued　our　trip　we　had　a　guard　of　eight　armed　officers　and　three　horses　with　packs。　　We　crossed　a　beautiful　valley　between　the　Rivers　Seybi　and　Ut。　　Everywhere　we　saw　splendid　grazing　lands　with　numerous　herds　upon　them；　but　in　two　or　three　houses　along　the　road　we　did　not　find　anyone　living。　　All　had　hidden　away　in　fear　after　hearing　the　sounds　of　the　fight　with　the　Reds。　　The　following　day　we　went　up　over　the