beasts, men and gods-第17章

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e　of　Koko　Nor。　　If　Finland　deserves　the　ordinary　title　of　the　〃Land　of　Ten　Thousand　Lakes；〃　the　dominion　of　Koko　Nor　may　certainly　with　justice　be　called　the　〃Country　of　a　Million　Lakes。〃　　We　skirted　this　lake　on　the　west　between　it　and　Doulan　Kitt；　zigzagging　between　the　numerous　swamps；　lakes　and　small　rivers；　deep　and　miry。　　The　water　was　not　here　covered　with　ice　and　only　on　the　tops　of　the　mountains　did　we　feel　the　cold　winds　sharply。　　We　rarely　met　the　natives　of　the　country　and　only　with　greatest　difficulty　did　our　Kalmuck　learn　the　course　of　the　road　from　the　occasional　shepherds　we　passed。　　From　the　eastern　shore　of　the　Lake　of　Tassoun　we　worked　round　to　a　monastery　on　the　further　side；　where　we　stopped　for　a　short　rest。　　Besides　ourselves　there　was　also　another　group　of　guests　in　the　holy　place。　　These　were　Tibetans。　　Their　behavior　was　very　impertinent　and　they　refused　to　speak　with　us。　　They　were　all　armed；　chiefly　with　the　Russian　military　rifles　and　were　draped　with　crossed　bandoliers　of　cartridges　with　two　or　three　pistols　stowed　beneath　belts　with　more　cartridges　sticking　out。　　They　examined　us　very　sharply　and　we　readily　realized　that　they　were　estimating　our　martial　strength。　After　they　had　left　on　that　same　day　I　ordered　our　Kalmuck　to　inquire　from　the　High　Priest　of　the　temple　exactly　who　they　were。　For　a　long　time　the　monk　gave　evasive　answers　but　when　I　showed　him　the　ring　of　Hutuktu　Narabanchi　and　presented　him　with　a　large　yellow　hatyk；　he　became　more　communicative。

〃Those　are　bad　people；〃　he　explained。　　〃Have　a　care　of　them。〃

However；　he　was　not　willing　to　give　their　names；　explaining　his　refusal　by　citing　the　Law　of　Buddhist　lands　against　pronouncing　the　name　of　one's　father；　teacher　or　chief。　　Afterwards　I　found　out　that　in　North　Tibet　there　exists　the　same　custom　as　in　North　China。　Here　and　there　bands　of　hunghutze　wander　about。　　They　appear　at　the　headquarters　of　the　leading　trading　firms　and　at　the　monasteries；　claim　tribute　and　after　their　collections　become　the　protectors　of　the　district。　　Probably　this　Tibetan　monastery　had　in　this　band　just　such　protectors。

When　we　continued　our　trip；　we　frequently　noticed　single　horsemen　far　away　or　on　the　horizon；　apparently　studying　our　movements　with　care。　　All　our　attempts　to　approach　them　and　enter　into　conversation　with　them　were　entirely　unsuccessful。　　On　their　speedy　little　horses　they　disappeared　like　shadows。　　As　we　reached　the　steep　and　difficult　Pass　on　the　Hamshan　and　were　preparing　to　spend　the　night　there；　suddenly　far　up　on　a　ridge　above　us　appeared　about　forty　horsemen　with　entirely　white　mounts　and　without　formal　introduction　or　warning　spattered　us　with　a　hail　of　bullets。　　Two　of　our　officers　fell　with　a　cry。　　One　had　been　instantly　killed　while　the　other　lived　some　few　minutes。　　I　did　not　allow　my　men　to　shoot　but　instead　I　raised　a　white　flag　and　started　forward　with　the　Kalmuck　for　a　parley。　　At　first　they　fired　two　shots　at　us　but　then　ceased　firing　and　sent　down　a　group　of　riders　from　the　ridge　toward　us。　　We　began　the　parley。　　The　Tibetans　explained　that　Hamshan　is　a　holy　mountain　and　that　here　one　must　not　spend　the　night；　advising　us　to　proceed　farther　where　we　could　consider　ourselves　in　safety。　　They　inquired　from　us　whence　we　came　and　whither　we　were　going；　stated　in　answer　to　our　information　about　the　purpose　of　our　journey　that　they　knew　the　Bolsheviki　and　considered　them　the　liberators　of　the　people　of　Asia　from　the　yoke　of　the　white　race。　　I　certainly　did　not　want　to　begin　a　political　quarrel　with　them　and　so　turned　back　to　our　companions。　　Riding　down　the　slope　toward　our　camp；　I　waited　momentarily　for　a　shot　in　the　back　but　the　Tibetan　hunghutze　did　not　shoot。

We　moved　forward；　leaving　among　the　stones　the　bodies　of　two　of　our　companions　as　sad　tribute　to　the　difficulties　and　dangers　of　our　journey。　　We　rode　all　night；　with　our　exhausted　horses　constantly　stopping　and　some　lying　down　under　us；　but　we　forced　them　ever　onward。　　At　last；　when　the　sun　was　at　its　zenith；　we　finally　halted。　　Without　unsaddling　our　horses；　we　gave　them　an　opportunity　to　lie　down　for　a　little　rest。　　Before　us　lay　a　broad；　swampy　plain；　where　was　evidently　the　sources　of　the　river　Ma…chu。　　Not　far　beyond　lay　the　Lake　of　Aroung　Nor。　　We　made　our　fire　of　cattle　dung　and　began　boiling　water　for　our　tea。　　Again　without　any　warning　the　bullets　came　raining　in　from　all　sides。　　Immediately　we　took　cover　behind　convenient　rocks　and　waited　developments。　　The　firing　became　faster　and　closer；　the　raiders　appeared　on　the　whole　circle　round　us　and　the　bullets　came　ever　in　increasing　numbers。　We　had　fallen　into　a　trap　and　had　no　hope　but　to　perish。　　We　realized　this　clearly。　　I　tried　anew　to　begin　the　parley；　but　when　I　stood　up　with　my　white　flag；　the　answer　was　only　a　thicker　rain　of　bullets　and　unfortunately　one　of　these；　ricocheting　off　a　rock；　struck　me　in　the　left　leg　and　lodged　there。　　At　the　same　moment　another　one　of　our　company　was　killed。　　We　had　no　other　choice　and　were　forced　to　begin　fighting。　　The　struggle　continued　for　about　two　hours。　　Besides　myself　three　others　received　slight　wounds。　　We　resisted　as　long　as　we　could。　　The　hunghutze　approached　and　our　situation　became　desperate。

〃There's　no　choice；〃　said　one　of　my　associates；　a　very　expert　Colonel。　　〃We　must　mount　and　ride　for　it　。　。　。　anywhere。〃

〃Anywhere。　。　。　。〃　　It　was　a　terrible　word！　　We　consulted　for　but　an　instant。　　It　was　apparent　that　with　this　band　of　cut…throats　behind　us　the　farther　we　went　into　Tibet；　the　less　chance　we　had　of　saving　our　lives。

We　decided　to　return　to　Mongolia。　　But　how？　　That　we　did　not　know。　And　thus　we　began　our　retreat。　　Firing　all　the　time；　we　trotted　our　horses　as　fast　as　we　could　toward　the　north。　　One　after　another　three　of　my　companions　fell。　　There　lay　my　Tartar　with　a　bullet　through　his　neck。　　After　him　two　young　and　fine　stalwart　officers　were　carried　from　their　saddles　with　cries　of　death；　while　their　scared　horses　broke　out　across　the　plain　in　wild　fear；　perfect　pictures　of　our　distraught　selves。　　This　emboldened　the　Tibetans；　who　became　more　and　more　audacious。　　A　bullet　struck　the　buckle　on　the　ankle　strap　of　my　right　foot　and　carried　it；　with　a　piece　of　leather　and　cloth；　into　my　leg　just　above　the　ankle。　　My　old　and　much　tried　friend；　the　agronome；　cried　out　as　he　grasped　his　shoulder　and　then　I　saw　him　wiping　and　bandaging　as　best　as　he　could　his　bleeding　forehead。　　A　second　afterward　our　Kalmuck　was　hit　twice　right　through　the　palm　of　the　same　hand；　so　that　it　was　entirely　shattered。　　Just　at　this　moment　fifteen　of　the　hunghutze　rushed　against　us　in　a　charge。

〃Shoot　at　them　with　volley　fire！〃　commanded　our　Colonel。

Six　robber　bodies　lay　on　the　turf；　while　two　others　of　the　gang　were　unhorsed　and　ran　scampering　as　fast　as　they　could　after　their　retreating　fellows。　　Several　minutes　later　the　fire　of　our　antagonists　ceased　and　they　raised　a　white　flag。　　Two　riders　came　forward　toward　us。　　In　the　parley　it　developed　that　their　chief　had　been　wounded　through　the　chest　and　they　came　to　ask　us　to　〃render　first　aid。〃　　At　once　I　saw　a　ray　of　hope。　　I　took　my　box　of　medicines　and　my　groaning；　cursing；　wounded　Kalmuck　to　interpret　for　me。

〃Give　that　devil　some　cyanide　of　potassium；〃　urged　my　companions。

But　I　devised　another　scheme。

We　were　led　to　the　wounded　chief。　　There　he　lay　on　the　saddle　cloths　among　the　rocks；　represented　to　us　to　be　a　Tibetan　but　I　at　once　recognized　him　from　his　cast　of　countenance　to　be　a　Sart　or　Turcoman；　probably　from　the　southern　part　of　Turkestan。　　He　looked　at　me　with　a　begging　and　frightened　gaze。　　Examining　him；　I　found　the　bullet　had　passed　through　his　chest　from　left　to　right；　that　he　had　lost　much　blood　and　was　very　weak。　　Conscientiously　I　did　all　that　I　could　for　him。　　In　the　first　place　I　tried　on　my　own　tongue　all　the　medicines　to　be　used　on　him；　even　the　iodoform；　in　order　to　demonstrate　that　there　was　no　poison　among　them。　　I　cauterized　the　wound　with　iodine；　sprinkled　it　with　iodoform　and　applied　the　bandages。　　I　ordered　that　the　wounded　man　be　not　touched　nor　moved　and　that　he　be　left　right　where　he　lay。　　Then　I　taught　a　Tibetan　how　the　dressing　must　be　changed　and　left　with　him　medic