beasts, men and gods-第17章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
re were too few and their drivers did not feel that they could make the first railway station of Kuku…Hoto； which was about fourteen hundred miles away。 We were forced again to wait： for which？ Death or salvation？ Only our own energy and force could save us。 Consequently my friend and I started out； supplied with a tent； stove and food； for a new reconnaissance along the shore of Lake Kosogol； whence the Mongol Sait expected the new invasion of Red troops。
CHAPTER XX
THE DEMON OF JAGISSTAI
Our small group consisting of four mounted and one pack camel moved northward along the valley of the River Boyagol in the direction of the Tarbagatai Mountains。 The road was rocky and covered deep with snow。 Our camels walked very carefully； sniffing out the way as our guide shouted the 〃Ok！ Ok！〃 of the camel drivers to urge them on。 We left behind us the fortress and Chinese dugun； swung round the shoulder of a ridge and； after fording several times an open stream； began the ascent of the mountain。 The scramble was hard and dangerous。 Our camels picked their way most cautiously； moving their ears constantly； as is their habit in such stress。 The trail zigzagged into mountain ravines； passed over the tops of ridges； slipped back down again into shallower valleys but ever made higher and higher altitudes。 At one place under the grey clouds that tipped the ridges we saw away up on the wide expanse of snow some black spots。
〃Those are the obo； the sacred signs and altars for the bad demons watching this pass；〃 explained the guide。 〃This pass is called Jagisstai。 Many very old tales about it have been kept alive； ancient as these mountains themselves。〃
We encouraged him to tell us some of them。
The Mongol； rocking on his camel and looking carefully all around him； began his tale。
〃It was long ago； very long ago。 。 。 。 The grandson of the great Jenghiz Khan sat on the throne of China and ruled all Asia。 The Chinese killed their Khan and wanted to exterminate all his family but a holy old Lama slipped the wife and little son out of the palace and carried them off on swift camels beyond the Great Wall； where they sank into our native plains。 The Chinese made a long search for the trails of our refugees and at last found where they had gone。 They despatched a strong detachment on fleet horses to capture them。 Sometimes the Chinese nearly came up with the fleeing heir of our Khan but the Lama called down from Heaven a deep snow； through which the camels could pass while the horses were inextricably held。 This Lama was from a distant monastery。 We shall pass this hospice of Jahantsi Kure。 In order to reach it one must cross over the Jagisstai。 And it was just here the old Lama suddenly became ill； rocked in his saddle and fell dead。 Ta Sin Lo； the widow of the Great Khan； burst into tears； but； seeing the Chinese riders galloping there below across the valley； pressed on toward the pass。 The camels were tired； stopping every moment； nor did the woman know how to stimulate and drive them on。 The Chinese riders came nearer and nearer。 Already she heard their shouts of joy； as they felt within their grasp the prize of the mandarins for the murder of the heir of the Great Khan。 The heads of the mother and the son would be brought to Peking and exposed on the Ch'ien Men for the mockery and insults of the people。 The frightened mother lifted her little son toward heaven and exclaimed：
〃'Earth and Gods of Mongolia； behold the offspring of the man who has glorified the name of the Mongols from one end of the world to the other！ Allow not this very flesh of Jenghiz Khan to perish！'
〃At this moment she noticed a white mouse sitting on a rock nearby。 It jumped to her knees and said：
〃'I am sent to help you。 Go on calmly and do not fear。 The pursuers of you and your son； to whom is destined a life of glory； have come to the last bourne of their lives。'
〃Ta Sin Lo did not see how one small mouse could hold in check three hundred men。 The mouse jumped back to the ground and again spoke：
〃'I am the demon of Tarbagatai； Jagasstai。 I am mighty and beloved of the Gods but； because you doubted the powers of the miracle… speaking mouse； from this day the Jagasstai will be dangerous for the good and bad alike。'
〃The Khan's widow and son were saved but Jagasstai has ever remained merciless。 During the journey over this pass one must always be on one's guard。 The demon of the mountain is ever ready to lead the traveler to destruction。〃
All the tops of the ridges of the Tarbagatai are thickly dotted with the obo of rocks and branches。 In one place there was even erected a tower of stones as an altar to propitiate the Gods for the doubts of Ta Sin Lo。 Evidently the demon expected us。 When we began our ascent of the main ridge； he blew into our faces with a sharp； cold wind； whistled and roared and afterwards began casting over us whole blocks of snow torn off the drifts above。 We could not distinguish anything around us； scarcely seeing the camel immediately in front。 Suddenly I felt a shock and looked about me。 Nothing unusual was visible。 I was seated comfortably between two leather saddle bags filled with meat and bread but 。 。 。 I could not see the head of my camel。 He had disappeared。 It seemed that he had slipped and fallen to the bottom of a shallow ravine； while the bags which were slung across his back without straps had caught on a rock and stopped with myself there in the snow。 This time the demon of Jagasstai only played a joke but one that did not satisfy him。 He began to show more and more anger。 With furious gusts of wind he almost dragged us and our bags from the camels and nearly knocked over our humped steeds； blinded us with frozen snow and prevented us from breathing。 Through long hours we dragged slowly on in the deep snow； often falling over the edge of the rocks。 At last we entered a small valley where the wind whistled and roared with a thousand voices。 It had grown dark。 The Mongol wandered around searching for the trail and finally came back to us； flourishing his arms and saying：
〃We have lost the road。 We must spend the night here。 It is very bad because we shall have no wood for our stove and the cold will grow worse。
With great difficulties and with frozen hands we managed to set up our tent in the wind； placing in it the now useless stove。 We covered the tent with snow； dug deep； long ditches in the drifts and forced our camels to lie down in them by shouting the 〃Dzuk！ Dzuk！〃 command to kneel。 Then we brought our packs into the tent。
My companion rebelled against the thought of spending a cold night with a stove hard by。
〃I am going out to look for firewood；〃 said he very decisively； and at that took up the ax and started。 He returned after an hour with a big section of a telegraph pole。
〃You； Jenghiz Khans；〃 said he； rubbing his frozen hands； 〃take your axes and go up there to the left on the mountain and you will find the telegraph poles that have been cut down。 I made acquaintance with the old Jagasstai and he showed me the poles。〃
Just a little way from us the line of the Russian telegraphs passed； that which had connected Irkutsk with Uliassutai before the days of the Bolsheviki and which the Chinese had commanded the Mongols to cut down and take the wire。 These poles are now the salvation of travelers crossing the pass。 Thus we spent the night in a warm tent； supped well from hot meat soup with vermicelli； all in the very center of the dominion of the angered Jagasstai。 Early the next morning we found the road not more than two or three hundred paces from our tent and continued our hard trip over the ridge of Tarbagatai。 At the head of the Adair River valley we noticed a flock of the Mongolian crows with carmine beaks circling among the rocks。 We approached the place and discovered the recently fallen bodies of a horse and rider。 What had happened to them was difficult to guess。 They lay close together； the bridle was wound around the right wrist of the man； no trace of knife or bullet was found。 It was impossible to make out 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 t
