beasts, men and gods-第13章
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feathers streaming out behind。 On his nose were big Chinese spectacles。 He was sitting on a low divan； nervously clicking the beads of his rosary。 This was Ta Lama； Prince of Soldjak and High Priest of the Buddhist Temple。 He welcomed us very cordially and invited us to sit down before the fire burning in the copper brazier。 His surprisingly beautiful Princess served us with tea and Chinese confections and cakes。 We smoked our pipes； though the Prince as a Lama did not indulge； fulfilling； however； his duty as a host by raising to his lips the pipes we offered him and handing us in return the green nephrite bottle of snuff。 Thus with the etiquette accomplished we awaited the words of the Prince。 He inquired whether our travels had been felicitous and what were our further plans。 I talked with him quite frankly and requested his hospitality for the rest of our company and for the horses。 He agreed immediately and ordered four yurtas set up for us。
〃I hear that the foreign Noyon；〃 the Prince said； 〃is a good doctor。〃
〃Yes； I know some diseases and have with me some medicines；〃 I answered； 〃but I am not a doctor。 I am a scientist in other branches。〃
But the Prince did not understand this。 In his simple directness a man who knows how to treat disease is a doctor。
〃My wife has had constant trouble for two months with her eyes；〃 he announced。 〃Help her。〃
I asked the Princess to show me her eyes and I found the typical conjunctivitis from the continual smoke of the yurta and the general uncleanliness。 The Tartar brought me my medicine case。 I washed her eyes with boric acid and dropped a little cocaine and a feeble solution of sulphurate of zinc into them。
〃I beg you to cure me；〃 pleaded the Princess。 〃Do not go away until you have cured me。 We shall give you sheep； milk and flour for all your company。 I weep now very often because I had very nice eyes and my husband used to tell me they shone like the stars and now they are red。 I cannot bear it； I cannot！〃
She very capriciously stamped her foot and； coquettishly smiling at me； asked：
〃Do you want to cure me？ Yes？〃
The character and manners of lovely woman are the same everywhere： on bright Broadway； along the stately Thames； on the vivacious boulevards of gay Paris and in the silk…draped yurta of the Soyot Princess behind the larch covered Tannu Ola。
〃I shall certainly try；〃 assuringly answered the new oculist。
We spent here ten days； surrounded by the kindness and friendship of the whole family of the Prince。 The eyes of the Princess； which eight years ago had seduced the already old Prince Lama； were now recovered。 She was beside herself with joy and seldom left her looking…glass。
The Prince gave me five fairly good horses； ten sheep and a bag of flour； which was immediately transformed into dry bread。 My friend presented him with a Romanoff five…hundred…rouble note with a picture of Peter the Great upon it； while I gave to him a small nugget of gold which I had picked up in the bed of a stream。 The Prince ordered 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 day
