beasts, men and gods-第15章

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；　so　we　decided　to　pass　between　these　two　points　to　reach　Van　Kure　farther　to　the　east。　　We　took　leave　of　our　Soyot　guide　and；　after　having　sent　three　scouts　in　advance；　moved　forward。　　From　the　mountains　around　the　Kosogol　we　admired　the　splendid　view　of　this　broad　Alpine　lake。　　It　was　set　like　a　sapphire　in　the　old　gold　of　the　surrounding　hills；　chased　with　lovely　bits　of　rich　dark　forestry。　　At　night　we　approached　Khathyl　with　great　precaution　and　stopped　on　the　shore　of　the　river　that　flows　from　Kosogol；　the　Yaga　or　Egingol。　　We　found　a　Mongol　who　agreed　to　transport　us　to　the　other　bank　of　the　frozen　stream　and　to　lead　us　by　a　safe　road　between　Khathyl　and　Muren　Kure。　Everywhere　along　the　shore　of　the　river　were　found　large　obo　and　small　shrines　to　the　demons　of　the　stream。

〃Why　are　there　so　many　obo？〃　we　asked　the　Mongol。

〃It　is　the　River　of　the　Devil；　dangerous　and　crafty；〃　replied　the　Mongol。　　〃Two　days　ago　a　train　of　carts　went　through　the　ice　and　three　of　them　with　five　soldiers　were　lost。〃

We　started　to　cross。　　The　surface　of　the　river　resembled　a　thick　piece　of　looking…glass；　being　clear　and　without　snow。　　Our　horses　walked　very　carefully　but　some　fell　and　floundered　before　they　could　regain　their　feet。　　We　were　leading　them　by　the　bridle。　　With　bowed　heads　and　trembling　all　over　they　kept　their　frightened　eyes　ever　on　the　ice　at　their　feet。　　I　looked　down　and　understood　their　fear。　　Through　the　cover　of　one　foot　of　transparent　ice　one　could　clearly　see　the　bottom　of　the　river。　　Under　the　lighting　of　the　moon　all　the　stones；　the　holes　and　even　some　of　the　grasses　were　distinctly　visible；　even　though　the　depth　was　ten　metres　and　more。　The　Yaga　rushed　under　the　ice　with　a　furious　speed；　swirling　and　marking　its　course　with　long　bands　of　foam　and　bubbles。　　Suddenly　I　jumped　and　stopped　as　though　fastened　to　the　spot。　　Along　the　surface　of　the　river　ran　the　boom　of　a　cannon；　followed　by　a　second　and　a　third。

〃Quicker；　quicker！〃　cried　our　Mongol；　waving　us　forward　with　his　hand。

Another　cannon　boom　and　a　crack　ran　right　close　to　us。　　The　horses　swung　back　on　their　haunches　in　protest；　reared　and　fell；　many　of　them　striking　their　heads　severely　on　the　ice。　　In　a　second　it　opened　up　two　feet　wide；　so　that　I　could　follow　its　jagged　course　along　the　surface。　　Immediately　up　out　of　the　opening　the　water　spread　over　the　ice　with　a　rush。

〃Hurry；　hurry！〃　shouted　the　guide。

With　great　difficulty　we　forced　our　horses　to　jump　over　this　cleavage　and　to　continue　on　further。　　They　trembled　and　disobeyed　and　only　the　strong　lash　forced　them　to　forget　this　panic　of　fear　and　go　on。

When　we　were　safe　on　the　farther　bank　and　well　into　the　woods；　our　Mongol　guide　recounted　to　us　how　the　river　at　times　opens　in　this　mysterious　way　and　leaves　great　areas　of　clear　water。　　All　the　men　and　animals　on　the　river　at　such　times　must　perish。　　The　furious　current　of　cold　water　will　always　carry　them　down　under　the　ice。　At　other　times　a　crack　has　been　known　to　pass　right　under　a　horse　and；　where　he　fell　in　with　his　front　feet　in　the　attempt　to　get　back　to　the　other　side；　the　crack　has　closed　up　and　ground　his　legs　or　feet　right　off。

The　valley　of　Kosogol　is　the　crater　of　an　extinct　volcano。　　Its　outlines　may　be　followed　from　the　high　west　shore　of　the　lake。　However；　the　Plutonic　force　still　acts　and；　asserting　the　glory　of　the　Devil；　forces　the　Mongols　to　build　obo　and　offer　sacrifices　at　his　shrines。　　We　spent　all　the　night　and　all　the　next　day　hurrying　away　eastward　to　avoid　a　meeting　with　the　Reds　and　seeking　good　pasturage　for　our　horses。　　At　about　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening　a　fire　shone　out　of　the　distance。　　My　friend　and　I　made　toward　it　with　the　feeling　that　it　was　surely　a　Mongol　yurta　beside　which　we　could　camp　in　safety。　　We　traveled　over　a　mile　before　making　out　distinctly　the　lines　of　a　group　of　yurtas。　　But　nobody　came　out　to　meet　us　and；　what　astonished　us　more；　we　were　not　surrounded　by　the　angry　black　Mongolian　dogs　with　fiery　eyes。　　Still；　from　the　distance　we　had　seen　the　fire　and　so　there　must　be　someone　there。　We　dismounted　from　our　horses　and　approached　on　foot。　　From　out　of　the　yurta　rushed　two　Russian　soldiers；　one　of　whom　shot　at　me　with　his　pistol　but　missed　me　and　wounded　my　horse　in　the　back　through　the　saddle。　　I　brought　him　to　earth　with　my　Mauser　and　the　other　was　killed　by　the　butt　end　of　my　friend's　rifle。　　We　examined　the　bodies　and　found　in　their　pockets　the　papers　of　soldiers　of　the　Second　Squadron　of　the　Communist　Interior　Defence。　　Here　we　spent　the　night。　　The　owners　of　the　yurtas　had　evidently　run　away；　for　the　Red　soldiers　had　collected　and　packed　in　sacks　the　property　of　the　Mongols。　　Probably　they　were　just　planning　to　leave；　as　they　were　fully　dressed。　　We　acquired　two　horses；　which　we　found　in　the　bushes；　two　rifles　and　two　automatic　pistols　with　cartridges。　　In　the　saddle　bags　we　also　found　tea；　tobacco；　matches　and　cartridges　all　of　these　valuable　supplies　to　help　us　keep　further　hold　on　our　lives。

Two　days　later　we　were　approaching　the　shore　of　the　River　Uri　when　we　met　two　Russian　riders；　who　were　the　Cossacks　of　a　certain　Ataman　Sutunin；　acting　against　the　Bolsheviki　in　the　valley　of　the　River　Selenga。　　They　were　riding　to　carry　a　message　from　Sutunin　to　Kaigorodoff；　chief　of　the　Anti…Bolsheviki　in　the　Altai　region。　They　informed　us　that　along　the　whole　Russian…Mongolian　border　the　Bolshevik　troops　were　scattered；　also　that　Communist　agitators　had　penetrated　to　Kiakhta；　Ulankom　and　Kobdo　and　had　persuaded　the　Chinese　authorities　to　surrender　to　the　Soviet　authorities　all　the　refugees　from　Russia。　　We　knew　that　in　the　neighborhood　of　Urga　and　Van　Kure　engagements　were　taking　place　between　the　Chinese　troops　and　the　detachments　of　the　Anti…Bolshevik　Russian　General　Baron　Ungern　Sternberg　and　Colonel　Kazagrandi；　who　were　fighting　for　the　independence　of　Outer　Mongolia。　　Baron　Ungern　had　now　been　twice　defeated；　so　that　the　Chinese　were　carrying　on　high…handed　in　Urga；　suspecting　all　foreigners　of　having　relations　with　the　Russian　General。

We　realized　that　the　whole　situation　was　sharply　reversed。　　The　route　to　the　Pacific　was　closed。　　Reflecting　very　carefully　over　the　problem；　I　decided　that　we　had　but　one　possible　exit　left。　　We　must　avoid　all　Mongolian　cities　with　Chinese　administration；　cross　Mongolia　from　north　to　south；　traverse　the　desert　in　the　southern　part　of　the　Principality　of　Jassaktu　Khan；　enter　the　Gobi　in　the　western　part　of　Inner　Mongolia；　strike　as　rapidly　as　possible　through　sixty　miles　of　Chinese　territory　in　the　Province　of　Kansu　and　penetrate　into　Tibet。　　Here　I　hoped　to　search　out　one　of　the　English　Consuls　and　with　his　help　to　reach　some　English　port　in　India。　　I　understood　thoroughly　all　the　difficulties　incident　to　such　an　enterprise　but　I　had　no　other　choice。　　It　only　remained　to　make　this　last　foolish　attempt　or　to　perish　without　doubt　at　the　hands　of　the　Boisheviki　or　languish　in　a　Chinese　prison。　　When　I　announced　my　plan　to　my　companions；　without　in　any　way　hiding　from　them　all　its　dangers　and　quixotism；　all　of　them　answered　very　quickly　and　shortly：　　〃Lead　us！　　We　will　follow。〃

One　circumstance　was　distinctly　in　our　favor。　　We　did　not　fear　hunger；　for　we　had　some　supplies　of　tea；　tobacco　and　matches　and　a　surplus　of　horses；　saddles；　rifles；　overcoats　and　boots；　which　were　an　excellent　currency　for　exchange。　　So　then　we　began　to　initiate　the　plan　of　the　new　expedition。　　We　should　start　to　the　south；　leaving　the　town　of　Uliassutai　on　our　right　and　taking　the　direction　of　Zaganluk；　then　pass　through　the　waste　lands　of　the　district　of　Balir　of　Jassaktu　Khan；　cross　the　Naron　Khuhu　Gobi　and　strike　for　the　mountains　of　Boro。　　Here　we　should　be　able　to　take　a　long　rest　to　recuperate　the　strength　of　our　horses　and　of　ourselves。　　The　second　section　of　our　journey　would　be　the　passage　through　the　western　part　of　Inner　Mongolia；　through　the　Little　Gobi；　through　the　lands　of　the　Torguts；　over　the　Khara　Mountains；　across　Kansu；　where　our　road　must　be　chosen　to　the　west　of　the　Chinese　town　of　Suchow。　　From　there　we　should　have　to　enter　the　Dominion　of　Kuku　Nor　and　then　work　on　southward　to　the　head　waters　of　the　Yangtze　River。　　Beyond　this　I　had　but　a　hazy　noti