beasts, men and gods-第24章

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ut　the　features　of　the　man。　　His　overcoat　was　Mongolian　but　his　trousers　and　under　jacket　were　not　of　the　Mongolian　pattern。　　We　asked　ourselves　what　had　happened　to　him。

Our　Mongol　bowed　his　head　in　anxiety　and　said　in　hushed　but　assured　tones：　　〃It　is　the　vengeance　of　Jagasstai。　　The　rider　did　not　make　sacrifice　at　the　southern　obo　and　the　demon　has　strangled　him　and　his　horse。〃

At　last　Tarbagatai　was　behind　us。　　Before　us　lay　the　valley　of　the　Adair。　　It　was　a　narrow　zigzagging　plain　following　along　the　river　bed　between　close　mountain　ranges　and　covered　with　a　rich　grass。　It　was　cut　into　two　parts　by　the　road　along　which　the　prostrate　telegraph　poles　now　lay；　as　the　stumps　of　varying　heights　and　long　stretches　of　wire　completed　the　debris。　　This　destruction　of　the　telegraph　line　between　Irkutsk　and　Uliassutai　was　necessary　and　incident　to　the　aggressive　Chinese　policy　in　Mongolia。

Soon　we　began　to　meet　large　herds　of　sheep；　which　were　digging　through　the　snow　to　the　dry　but　very　nutritious　grass。　　In　some　places　yaks　and　oxen　were　seen　on　the　high　slopes　of　the　mountains。　Only　once；　however；　did　we　see　a　shepherd；　for　all　of　them；　spying　us　first；　had　made　off　to　the　mountains　or　hidden　in　the　ravines。　We　did　not　even　discover　any　yurtas　along　the　way。　　The　Mongols　had　also　concealed　all　their　movable　homes　in　the　folds　of　the　mountains　out　of　sight　and　away　from　the　reach　of　the　strong　winds。　Nomads　are　very　skilful　in　choosing　the　places　for　their　winter　dwellings。　　I　had　often　in　winter　visited　the　Mongolian　yurtas　set　in　such　sheltered　places　that；　as　I　came　off　the　windy　plains；　I　felt　as　though　I　were　in　a　conservatory。　　Once　we　came　up　to　a　big　herd　of　sheep。　　But　as　we　approached　most　of　the　herd　gradually　withdrew；　leaving　one　part　that　remained　unmoved　as　the　other　worked　off　across　the　plains。　　From　this　section　soon　about　thirty　of　forty　head　emerged　and　went　scrambling　and　leaping　right　up　the　mountain　side。　　I　took　up　my　glasses　and　began　to　observe　them。　The　part　of　the　herd　that　remained　behind　were　common　sheep；　the　large　section　that　had　drawn　off　over　the　plain　were　Mongolian　antelopes　（gazella　gutturosa）；　while　the　few　that　had　taken　to　the　mountain　were　the　big　horned　sheep　（ovis　argali）。　　All　this　company　had　been　grazing　together　with　the　domestic　sheep　on　the　plains　of　the　Adair；　which　attracted　them　with　its　good　grass　and　clear　water。　　In　many　places　the　river　was　not　frozen　and　in　some　places　I　saw　great　clouds　of　steam　over　the　surface　of　the　open　water。　　In　the　meantime　some　of　the　antelopes　and　the　mountain　sheep　began　looking　at　us。

〃Now　they　will　soon　begin　to　cross　our　trail；〃　laughed　the　Mongol；　〃very　funny　beasts。　　Sometimes　the　antelopes　course　for　miles　in　their　endeavor　to　outrun　and　cross　in　front　of　our　horses　and　then；　when　they　have　done　so；　go　loping　quietly　off。〃

I　had　already　seen　this　strategy　of　the　antelopes　and　I　decided　to　make　use　of　it　for　the　purpose　of　the　hunt。　　We　organized　our　chase　in　the　following　manner。　　We　let　one　Mongol　with　the　pack　camel　proceed　as　we　had　been　traveling　and　the　other　three　of　us　spread　out　like　a　fan　headed　toward　the　herd　on　the　right　of　our　true　course。　　The　herd　stopped　and　looked　about　puzzled；　for　their　etiquette　required　that　they　should　cross　the　path　of　all　four　of　these　riders　at　once。　　Confusion　began。　　They　counted　about　three　thousand　heads。　　All　this　army　began　to　run　from　one　side　to　another　but　without　forming　any　distinct　groups。　　Whole　squadrons　of　them　ran　before　us　and　then；　noticing　another　rider；　came　coursing　back　and　made　anew　the　same　manoeuvre。　　One　group　of　about　fifty　head　rushed　in　two　rows　toward　my　point。　　When　they　were　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　paces　away　I　shouted　and　fired。　　They　stopped　at　once　and　began　to　whirl　round　in　one　spot；　running　into　one　another　and　even　jumping　over　one　another。　　Their　panic　cost　them　dear；　for　I　had　time　to　shoot　four　times　to　bring　down　two　beautiful　heads。　　My　friend　was　even　more　fortunate　than　I；　for　he　shot　only　once　into　the　herd　as　it　rushed　past　him　in　parallel　lines　and　dropped　two　with　the　same　bullet。

Meanwhile　the　argali　had　gone　farther　up　the　mountainside　and　taken　stand　there　in　a　row　like　so　many　soldiers；　turning　to　gaze　at　us。　Even　at　this　distance　I　could　clearly　distinguish　their　muscular　bodies　with　their　majestic　heads　and　stalwart　horns。　　Picking　up　our　prey；　we　overtook　the　Mongol　who　had　gone　on　ahead　and　continued　our　way。　　In　many　places　we　came　across　the　carcasses　of　sheep　with　necks　torn　and　the　flesh　of　the　sides　eaten　off。

〃It　is　the　work　of　wolves；〃　said　the　Mongol。　　〃They　are　always　hereabout　in　large　numbers。〃

We　came　across　several　more　herds　of　antelope；　which　ran　along　quietly　enough　until　they　had　made　a　comfortable　distance　ahead　of　us　and　then　with　tremendous　leaps　and　bounds　crossed　our　bows　like　the　proverbial　chicken　on　the　road。　　Then；　after　a　couple　of　hundred　paces　at　this　speed；　they　stopped　and　began　to　graze　quite　calmly。　　Once　I　turned　my　camel　back　and　the　whole　herd　immediately　took　up　the　challenge　again；　coursed　along　parallel　with　me　until　they　had　made　sufficient　distance　for　their　ideas　of　safety　and　then　once　more　rushed　across　the　road　ahead　of　me　as　though　it　were　paved　with　red　hot　stones；　only　to　assume　their　previous　calmness　and　graze　back　on　the　same　side　of　the　trail　from　which　our　column　had　first　started　them。　　On　another　occasion　I　did　this　three　times　with　a　particular　herd　and　laughed　long　and　heartily　at　their　stupid　customs。

We　passed　a　very　unpleasant　night　in　this　valley。　　We　stopped　on　the　shore　of　the　frozen　stream　in　a　spot　where　we　found　shelter　from　the　wind　under　the　lee　of　a　high　shore。　　In　our　stove　we　did　have　a　fire　and　in　our　kettle　boiling　water。　　Also　our　tent　was　warm　and　cozy。　　We　were　quietly　resting　with　pleasant　thoughts　of　supper　to　soothe　us；　when　suddenly　a　howling　and　laughter　as　though　from　some　inferno　burst　upon　us　from　just　outside　the　tent；　while　from　the　other　side　of　the　valley　came　the　long　and　doleful　howls　in　answer。

〃Wolves；〃　calmly　explained　the　Mongol；　who　took　my　revolver　and　went　out　of　the　tent。　　He　did　not　return　for　some　time　but　at　last　we　heard　a　shot　and　shortly　after　he　entered。

〃I　scared　them　a　little；〃　said　he。　　〃They　had　congregated　on　the　shore　of　the　Adair　around　the　body　of　a　camel。〃

〃And　they　have　not　touched　our　camels？〃　we　asked。

〃We　shall　make　a　bonfire　behind　our　tent；　then　they　will　not　bother　us。〃

After　our　supper　we　turned　in　but　I　lay　awake　for　a　long　time　listening　to　the　crackle　of　the　wood　in　the　fire；　the　deep　sighing　breaths　of　the　camels　and　the　distant　howling　of　the　packs　of　wolves；　but　finally；　even　with　all　these　noises；　fell　asleep。　　How　long　I　had　been　asleep　I　did　not　know　when　suddenly　I　was　awakened　by　a　strong　blow　in　the　side。　　I　was　lying　at　the　very　edge　of　the　tent　and　someone　from　outside　had；　without　the　least　ceremony；　pushed　strongly　against　me。　　I　thought　it　was　one　of　the　camels　chewing　the　felt　of　the　tent。　　I　took　my　Mauser　and　struck　the　wall。　　A　sharp　scream　was　followed　by　the　sound　of　quick　running　over　the　pebbles。　　In　the　morning　we　discovered　the　tracks　of　wolves　approaching　our　tent　from　the　side　opposite　to　the　fire　and　followed　them　to　where　they　had　begun　to　dig　under　the　tent　wall；　but　evidently　one　of　the　would…be　robbers　was　forced　to　retreat　with　a　bruise　on　his　head　from　the　handle　of　the　Mauser。

Wolves　and　eagles　are　the　servants　of　Jagasstai；　the　Mongol　very　seriously　instructed　us。　　However；　this　does　not　prevent　the　Mongols　from　hunting　them。　　Once　in　the　camp　of　Prince　Baysei　I　witnessed　such　a　hunt。　　The　Mongol　horsemen　on　the　best　of　his　steeds　overtook　the　wolves　on　the　open　plain　and　killed　them　with　heavy　bamboo　sticks　or　tashur。　　A　Russian　veterinary　surgeon　taught　the　Mongols　to　poison　wolves　with　strychnine　but　the　Mongols　soon　abandoned　this　method　because　of　its　danger　to　the　dogs；　the　faithful　friends　and　allies　of　the　nomad。　　They　do　not；　however；　touch　the　eagles　and　hawks　but　even　feed　them。　　When　the　Mongols　are　slaughtering　animals　they　often　cast　bits　of　meat　up　into　the　air　for　the　hawks　and　eagles　to　catch　in　flight；　just　as　we　throw　a　bit　of