beasts, men and gods-第49章

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Djam　Bolon　pronounced　this　last　with　an　accent　on　every　word。　　I　did　not　question　him　about　it；　as　I　was　accustomed　to　the　mystery　of　this　country　of　the　mysteries　of　good　and　evil　spirits。


CHAPTER　XXXIX

〃THE　MAN　WITH　A　HEAD　LIKE　A　SADDLE〃


After　drinking　tea　at　Djam　Bolon's　yurta　I　rode　back　to　my　quarters　and　packed　my　few　belongings。　　The　Lama　Turgut　was　already　there。

〃The　Minister　of　War　will　travel　with　us；〃　he　whispered。　　〃It　is　necessary。〃

〃All　right；〃　I　answered；　and　rode　off　to　Olufsen　to　summon　him。　But　Olufsen　unexpectedly　announced　that　he　was　forced　to　spend　some　few　days　more　in　Urgaa　fatal　decision　for　him；　for　a　month　later　he　was　reported　killed　by　Sepailoff　who　remained　as　Commandant　of　the　city　after　Baron　Ungern's　departure。　　The　War　Minister；　a　stout；　young　Mongol；　joined　our　caravan。　　When　we　had　gone　about　six　miles　from　the　city；　we　saw　an　automobile　coming　up　behind　us。　The　Lama　shrunk　up　inside　his　coat　and　looked　at　me　with　fear。　　I　felt　the　now　familiar　atmosphere　of　danger　and　so　opened　my　holster　and　threw　over　the　safety　catch　of　my　revolver。　　Soon　the　motor　stopped　alongside　our　caravan。　　In　it　sat　Sepailoff　with　a　smiling　face　and　beside　him　his　two　executioners；　Chestiakoff　and　Jdanoff。　Sepailoff　greeted　us　very　warmly　and　asked：

〃You　are　changing　your　horses　in　Khazahuduk？　　Does　the　road　cross　that　pass　ahead？　　I　don't　know　the　way　and　must　overtake　an　envoy　who　went　there。〃

The　Minister　of　War　answered　that　we　would　be　in　Khazahuduk　that　evening　and　gave　Sepailoff　directions　as　to　the　road。　　The　motor　rushed　away　and；　when　it　had　topped　the　pass；　he　ordered　one　of　the　Mongols　to　gallop　forward　to　see　whether　it　had　not　stopped　somewhere　near　the　other　side。　　The　Mongol　whipped　his　steed　and　sped　away。　　We　followed　slowly。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　I　asked。　　〃Please　explain！〃

The　Minister　told　me　that　Djam　Bolon　yesterday　received　information　that　Sepailoff　planned　to　overtake　me　on　the　way　and　kill　me。　Sepailoff　suspected　that　I　had　stirred　up　the　Baron　against　him。　Djam　Bolon　reported　the　matter　to　the　Baron；　who　organized　this　column　for　my　safety。　　The　returning　Mongol　reported　that　the　motor　car　had　gone　on　out　of　sight。

〃Now；〃　said　the　Minister；　〃we　shall　take　quite　another　route　so　that　the　Colonel　will　wait　in　vain　for　us　at　Khazahuduk。〃

We　turned　north　at　Undur　Dobo　and　at　night　were　in　the　camp　of　a　local　prince。　　Here　we　took　leave　of　our　Minister；　received　splendid　fresh　horses　and　quickly　continued　our　trip　to　the　east；　leaving　behind　us　〃the　man　with　the　head　like　a　saddle〃　against　whom　I　had　been　warned　by　the　old　fortune　teller　in　the　vicinity　of　Van　Kure。

After　twelve　days　without　further　adventures　we　reached　the　first　railway　station　on　the　Chinese　Eastern　Railway；　from　where　I　traveled　in　unbelievable　luxury　to　Peking。

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Surrounded　by　the　comforts　and　conveniences　of　the　splendid　hotel　at　Peking；　while　shedding　all　the　attributes　of　traveler；　hunter　and　warrior；　I　could　not；　however；　throw　off　the　spell　of　those　nine　days　spent　in　Urga；　where　I　had　daily　met　Baron　Ungern；　〃Incarnated　God　of　War。〃　　The　newspapers　carrying　accounts　of　the　bloody　march　of　the　Baron　through　Transbaikalia　brought　the　pictures　ever　fresh　to　my　mind。　　Even　now；　although　more　than　seven　months　have　elapsed；　I　cannot　forget　those　nights　of　madness；　inspiration　and　hate。

The　predictions　are　fulfilled。　　Approximately　one　hundred　thirty　days　afterwards　Baron　Ungern　was　captured　by　the　Bolsheviki　through　the　treachery　of　his　officers　and；　it　is　reported；　was　executed　at　the　end　of　September。

Baron　R。　F。　Ungern　von　Sternberg。　。　。　。　　Like　a　bloody　storm　of　avenging　Karma　he　spread　over　Central　Asia。　　What　did　he　leave　behind　him？　　The　severe　order　to　his　soldiers　closing　with　the　words　of　the　Revelations　of　St。　John：

〃Let　no　one　check　the　revenge　against　the　corrupter　and　slayer　of　the　soul　of　the　Russian　people。　　Revolution　must　be　eradicated　from　the　World。　　Against　it　the　Revelations　of　St。　John　have　warned　us　thus：　　'And　the　woman　was　arrayed　in　purple　and　scarlet；　and　decked　with　gold　and　precious　stones　and　pearls；　having　in　her　hand　a　golden　cup　full　of　abominations；　even　the　unclean　things　of　her　fornication；　and　upon　her　forehead　a　name　written；　MYSTERY；　BABYLON　THE　GREAT；　THE　MOTHER　OF　THE　HARLOTS　AND　OF　THE　ABOMINATIONS　OF　THE　EARTH。　　And　I　saw　the　woman　drunken　with　the　blood　of　the　saints；　and　with　the　blood　of　the　martyrs　of　Jesus。'〃

It　is　a　human　document；　a　document　of　Russian　and；　perhaps；　of　world　tragedy。

But　there　remained　another　and　more　important　trace。　　In　the　Mongol　yurtas　and　at　the　fires　of　Buriat；　Mongol；　Djungar；　Kirkhiz；　Kalmuck　and　Tibetan　shepherds　still　speak　the　legend　born　of　this　son　of　crusaders　and　privateers：

〃From　the　north　a　white　warrior　came　and　called　on　the　Mongols　to　break　their　chains　of　slavery；　which　fell　upon　our　freed　soil。　This　white　warrior　was　the　Incarnated　Jenghiz　Khan　and　he　predicted　the　coming　of　the　greatest　of　all　Mongols　who　will　spread　the　fair　faith　of　Buddha　and　the　glory　and　power　of　the　offspring　of　Jenghiz；　Ugadai　and　Kublai　Khan。　　So　it　shall　be！〃

Asia　is　awakened　and　her　sons　utter　bold　words。

It　were　well　for　the　peace　of　the　world　if　they　go　forth　as　disciples　of　the　wise　creators；　Ugadai　and　Sultan　Baber；　rather　than　under　the　spell　of　the　〃bad　demons〃　of　the　destructive　Tamerlane。



Part　IV

THE　LIVING　BUDDHA


CHAPTER　XL

IN　THE　BLISSFUL　GARDEN　OF　A　THOUSAND　JOYS


In　Mongolia；　the　country　of　miracles　and　mysteries；　lives　the　custodian　of　all　the　mysterious　and　unknown；　the　Living　Buddha；　His　Holiness　Djebtsung　Damba　Hutuktu　Khan　or　Bogdo　Gheghen；　Pontiff　of　Ta　Kure。　　He　is　the　incarnation　of　the　never…dying　Buddha；　the　representative　of　the　unbroken；　mysteriously　continued　line　of　spiritual　emperors　ruling　since　1670；　concealing　in　themselves　the　ever　refining　spirit　of　Buddha　Amitabha　joined　with　Chan…ra…zi　or　the　〃Compassionate　Spirit　of　the　Mountains。〃　　In　him　is　everything；　even　the　Sun　Myth　and　the　fascination　of　the　mysterious　peaks　of　the　Himalayas；　tales　of　the　Indian　pagoda；　the　stern　majesty　of　the　Mongolian　ConquerorsEmperors　of　All　Asiaand　the　ancient；　hazy　legends　of　the　Chinese　sages；　immersion　in　the　thoughts　of　the　Brahmans；　the　severities　of　life　of　the　monks　of　the　〃Virtuous　Order〃；　the　vengeance　of　the　eternally　wandering　warriors；　the　Olets；　with　their　Khans；　Batur　Hun　Taigi　and　Gushi；　the　proud　bequests　of　Jenghiz　and　Kublai　Khan；　the　clerical　reactionary　psychology　of　the　Lamas；　the　mystery　of　Tibetan　kings　beginning　from　Srong…Tsang　Gampo；　and　the　mercilessness　of　the　Yellow　Sect　of　Paspa。　　All　the　hazy　history　of　Asia；　of　Mongolia；　Pamir；　Himalayas；　Mesopotamia；　Persia　and　China；　surrounds　the　Living　God　of　Urga。　　It　is　little　wonder　that　his　name　is　honored　along　the　Volga；　in　Siberia；　Arabia；　between　the　Tigris　and　Euphrates；　in　Indo…China　and　on　the　shores　of　the　Arctic　Ocean。

During　my　stay　in　Urga　I　visited　the　abode　of　the　Living　Buddha　several　times；　spoke　with　him　and　observed　his　life。　　His　favorite　learned　Marambas　gave　me　long　accounts　of　him。　　I　saw　him　reading　horoscopes；　I　heard　his　predictions；　I　looked　over　his　archives　of　ancient　books　and　the　manuscripts　containing　the　lives　and　predictions　of　all　the　Bogdo　Khans。　　The　Lamas　were　very　frank　and　open　with　me；　because　the　letter　of　the　Hutuktu　of　Narabanchi　won　for　me　their　confidence。

The　personality　of　the　Living　Buddha　is　double；　just　as　everything　in　Lamaism　is　double。　　Clever；　penetrating；　energetic；　he　at　the　same　time　indulges　in　the　drunkenness　which　has　brought　on　blindness。　　When　he　became　blind；　the　Lamas　were　thrown　into　a　state　of　desperation。　　Some　of　them　maintained　that　Bogdo　Khan　must　be　poisoned　and　another　Incarnate　Buddha　set　in　his　place；　while　the　others　pointed　out　the　great　merits　of　the　Pontiff　in　the　eyes　of　Mongolians　and　the　followers　of　the　Yellow　Faith。　　They　finally　decided　to　propitiate　the　gods　by　building　a　great　temple　with　a　gigantic　statue　of　Buddha。　　However；　this　did　not　help　the　Bogdo's　sight　but　the　whole　incident　gave　him　the　opportunity　of　hurrying　on　to　their　higher