beasts, men and gods-第7章

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fle　and　I　was　allowed　to　continue　my　story。

〃Begin！〃　I　cried　to　my　friend　and　we　took　part　in　the　shooting。　Soon　the　meadow　began　to　swarm　with　Soyots；　stripping　the　fallen；　dividing　the　spoils　and　recapturing　their　horses。　　In　some　forms　of　warfare　it　is　never　safe　to　leave　any　of　the　enemy　to　renew　hostilities　later　with　overwhelming　forces。

After　an　hour　of　very　difficult　road　we　began　to　ascend　the　mountain　and　soon　arrived　on　a　high　plateau　covered　with　trees。

〃After　all；　Soyots　are　not　a　too　peaceful　people；〃　I　remarked；　approaching　the　Governor。

He　looked　at　me　very　sharply　and　replied：

〃It　was　not　Soyots　who　did　the　killing。〃

He　was　right。　　It　was　the　Abakan　Tartars　in　Soyot　clothes　who　killed　the　Bolsheviki。　　These　Tartars　were　running　their　herds　of　cattle　and　horses　down　out　of　Russia　through　Urianhai　to　Mongolia。　They　had　as　their　guide　and　negotiator　a　Kalmuck　Lamaite。　　The　following　morning　we　were　approaching　a　small　settlement　of　Russian　colonists　and　noticed　some　horsemen　looking　out　from　the　woods。　One　of　our　young　and　brave　Tartars　galloped　off　at　full　speed　toward　these　men　in　the　wood　but　soon　wheeled　and　returned　with　a　reassuring　smile。

〃All　right；〃　he　exclaimed；　laughing；　〃keep　right　on。〃

We　continued　our　travel　on　a　good　broad　road　along　a　high　wooden　fence　surrounding　a　meadow　filled　with　a　fine　herd　of　wapiti　or　izubr；　which　the　Russian　colonists　breed　for　the　horns　that　are　so　valuable　in　the　velvet　for　sale　to　Tibetan　and　Chinese　medicine　dealers。　　These　horns；　when　boiled　and　dried；　are　called　panti　and　are　sold　to　the　Chinese　at　very　high　prices。

We　were　received　with　great　fear　by　the　settlers。

〃Thank　God！〃　exclaimed　the　hostess；　〃we　thought。　。　。〃　and　she　broke　off；　looking　at　her　husband。


CHAPTER　X

THE　BATTLE　ON　THE　SEYBI


Constant　dangers　develop　one's　watchfulness　and　keenness　of　perception。　　We　did　not　take　off　our　clothes　nor　unsaddle　our　horses；　tired　as　we　were。　　I　put　my　Mauser　inside　my　coat　and　began　to　look　about　and　scrutinize　the　people。　　The　first　thing　I　discovered　was　the　butt　end　of　a　rifle　under　the　pile　of　pillows　always　found　on　the　peasants'　large　beds。　　Later　I　noticed　the　employees　of　our　host　constantly　coming　into　the　room　for　orders　from　him。　　They　did　not　look　like　simple　peasants；　although　they　had　long　beards　and　were　dressed　very　dirtily。　　They　examined　me　with　very　attentive　eyes　and　did　not　leave　me　and　my　friend　alone　with　the　host。　　We　could　not；　however；　make　out　anything。　　But　then　the　Soyot　Governor　came　in　and；　noticing　our　strained　relations；　began　explaining　in　the　Soyot　language　to　the　host　all　about　us。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　the　colonist　said；　〃but　you　know　yourself　that　now　for　one　honest　man　we　have　ten　thousand　murderers　and　robbers。〃

With　this　we　began　chatting　more　freely。　　It　appeared　that　our　host　knew　that　a　band　of　Bolsheviki　would　attack　him　in　the　search　for　the　band　of　Cossack　officers　who　were　living　in　his　house　on　and　off。　　He　had　heard　also　about　the　〃total　loss〃　of　one　detachment。　However；　it　did　not　entirely　calm　the　old　man　to　have　our　news；　for　he　had　heard　of　the　large　detachment　of　Reds　that　was　coming　from　the　border　of　the　Usinsky　District　in　pursuit　of　the　Tartars　who　were　escaping　with　their　cattle　south　to　Mongolia。

〃From　one　minute　to　another　we　are　awaiting　them　with　fear；〃　said　our　host　to　me。　　〃My　Soyot　has　come　in　and　announced　that　the　Reds　are　already　crossing　the　Seybi　and　the　Tartars　are　prepared　for　the　fight。〃

We　immediately　went　out　to　look　over　our　saddles　and　packs　and　then　took　the　horses　and　hid　them　in　the　bushes　not　far　off。　　We　made　ready　our　rifles　and　pistols　and　took　posts　in　the　enclosure　to　wait　for　our　common　enemy。　　An　hour　of　trying　impatience　passed；　when　one　of　the　workmen　came　running　in　from　the　wood　and　whispered：

〃They　are　crossing　our　swamp。　。　。　。　　The　fight　is　on。〃

In　fact；　like　an　answer　to　his　words；　came　through　the　woods　the　sound　of　a　single　rifle…shot；　followed　closely　by　the　increasing　rat…tat…tat　of　the　mingled　guns。　　Nearer　to　the　house　the　sounds　gradually　came。　　Soon　we　heard　the　beating　of　the　horses'　hoofs　and　the　brutish　cries　of　the　soldiers。　　In　a　moment　three　of　them　burst　into　the　house；　from　off　the　road　where　they　were　being　raked　now　by　the　Tartars　from　both　directions；　cursing　violently。　　One　of　them　shot　at　our　host。　　He　stumbled　along　and　fell　on　his　knee；　as　his　hand　reached　out　toward　the　rifle　under　his　pillows。

〃Who　are　YOU？〃　brutally　blurted　out　one　of　the　soldiers；　turning　to　us　and　raising　his　rifle。　　We　answered　with　Mausers　and　successfully；　for　only　one　soldier　in　the　rear　by　the　door　escaped；　and　that　merely　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　a　workman　in　the　courtyard　who　strangled　him。　　The　fight　had　begun。　　The　soldiers　called　on　their　comrades　for　help。　　The　Reds　were　strung　along　in　the　ditch　at　the　side　of　the　road；　three　hundred　paces　from　the　house；　returning　the　fire　of　the　surrounding　Tartars。　　Several　soldiers　ran　to　the　house　to　help　their　comrades　but　this　time　we　heard　the　regular　volley　of　the　workmen　of　our　host。　　They　fired　as　though　in　a　manoeuvre　calmly　and　accurately。　　Five　Red　soldiers　lay　on　the　road；　while　the　rest　now　kept　to　their　ditch。　　Before　long　we　discovered　that　they　began　crouching　and　crawling　out　toward　the　end　of　the　ditch　nearest　the　wood　where　they　had　left　their　horses。　The　sounds　of　shots　became　more　and　more　distant　and　soon　we　saw　fifty　or　sixty　Tartars　pursuing　the　Reds　across　the　meadow。

Two　days　we　rested　here　on　the　Seybi。　　The　workmen　of　our　host；　eight　in　number；　turned　out　to　be　officers　hiding　from　the　Bolsheviks。　　They　asked　permission　to　go　on　with　us；　to　which　we　agreed。

When　my　friend　and　I　continued　our　trip　we　had　a　guard　of　eight　armed　officers　and　three　horses　with　packs。　　We　crossed　a　beautiful　valley　between　the　Rivers　Seybi　and　Ut。　　Everywhere　we　saw　splendid　grazing　lands　with　numerous　herds　upon　them；　but　in　two　or　three　houses　along　the　road　we　did　not　find　anyone　living。　　All　had　hidden　away　in　fear　after　hearing　the　sounds　of　the　fight　with　the　Reds。　　The　following　day　we　went　up　over　the　high　chain　of　mountains　called　Daban　and；　traversing　a　great　area　of　burned　timber　where　our　trail　lay　among　the　fallen　trees；　we　began　to　descend　into　a　valley　hidden　from　us　by　the　intervening　foothills。　There　behind　these　hills　flowed　the　Little　Yenisei；　the　last　large　river　before　reaching　Mongolia　proper。　　About　ten　kilometers　from　the　river　we　spied　a　column　of　smoke　rising　up　out　of　the　wood。　Two　of　the　officers　slipped　away　to　make　an　investigation。　　For　a　long　time　they　did　not　return　and　we；　fearful　lest　something　had　happened；　moved　off　carefully　in　the　direction　of　the　smoke；　all　ready　for　a　fight　if　necessary。　　We　finally　came　near　enough　to　hear　the　voices　of　many　people　and　among　them　the　loud　laugh　of　one　of　our　scouts。　　In　the　middle　of　a　meadow　we　made　out　a　large　tent　with　two　tepees　of　branches　and　around　these　a　crowd　of　fifty　or　sixty　men。　　When　we　broke　out　of　the　forest　all　of　them　rushed　forward　with　a　joyful　welcome　for　us。　　It　appeared　that　it　was　a　large　camp　of　Russian　officers　and　soldiers　who；　after　their　escape　from　Siberia；　had　lived　in　the　houses　of　the　Russian　colonists　and　rich　peasants　in　Urianhai。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　we　asked　with　surprise。

〃Oh；　ho；　you　know　nothing　at　all　about　what　has　been　going　on？〃　replied　a　fairly　old　man　who　called　himself　Colonel　Ostrovsky。　　〃In　Urianhai　an　order　has　been　issued　from　the　Military　Commissioner　to　mobilize　all　men　over　twenty…eight　years　of　age　and　everywhere　toward　the　town　of　Belotzarsk　are　moving　detachments　of　these　Partisans。　　They　are　robbing　the　colonists　and　peasants　and　killing　everyone　that　falls　into　their　hands。　　We　are　hiding　here　from　them。〃

The　whole　camp　counted　only　sixteen　rifles　and　three　bombs；　belonging　to　a　Tartar　who　was　traveling　with　his　Kalmuck　guide　to　his　herds　in　Western　Mongolia。　　We　explained　the　aim　of　our　journey　and　our　intention　to　pass　through　Mongolia　to　the　nearest　port　on　the　Pacific。　　The　officers　asked　me　to　bring　them　out　with　us。　　I　agreed。　　Our　reconnaissance　proved　to　us　that　there　were　no　Partisans　near　the　house　of　the　peasant　who　was　to　ferry　us　over　the　Little　Yenisei。　　We　moved　off　at　once　in　order　to　pass　as　quickly　as　possible　this　dangerous　zone　of　the　Yenisei　and　to　sink　ourselves　into　the　forest　beyond。　　It　snowed　but　immediately　thawed。　　Before　evening　a　cold　north　wind　sprang　up；　bringing　with　it　a　small　blizzard。　　Late　in　the　night　our　party　reached　the　river。　　Our　colonist　welcomed　us　and　offered　at　once　to　ferry　us　over　and　swim　the　horses；　although　there　was　ice　still　floating　which　had　come　down　from　the　head…waters　of　the　stream。　　During　this　conversation　there　was　present　one　of　the　peasant's　workmen；　red…haired　and　squint…eyed。　　He　kept　moving　around　all　the　time　and　suddenly　disappeared。　　Our　host　noticed　it　and；　with　fear　in　his　voice；　said：

〃He　has　run　to　the　village　and　will　guide　the　Partisans　here。　　We　must　cross　immediately。〃

Then　began　the　most　terrible　night　of　my　whole　journey。　　We　proposed　to　the　colonist　that　he　take　only　our　food　and　ammunition　in　the　boat；　while　we　would　swim　our　horses　across；　in　order　to　save　the　time　of　the　many　trips。　　The　width　of　the　Yenisei　in　this　place　is　about　three　hundred　metres。　　The　stream　is　very　rapid　and　the　shore　breaks　away　abruptly　to　the　full　depth　of　the　stream。　The　night　was　absolutely　dark　with　not　a　star　in　the　sky。　　The　wind　in　whistling　swirls　drove　the　snow　and　sleet　sharply　against　our　faces。　　Before　us　flowed　the　stream　of　black；　rapid　water；　carrying　down　thin；　jagged　blocks　of　ice；　twisting　and　grinding　in　the　whirls　and　eddies。　　For　a　long　time　my　horse　refused　to　take　the　plunge　down　the　steep　bank；　snorted　and　braced　himself。　　With　all　my　strength　I　lashed　him　with　my　whip　across　his　neck　until；　with　a　pitiful　groan；　he　threw　himself　into　the　cold　stream。　　We　both　went　all　the　way　under　and　I　hardly　kept　my　seat　in　the　saddle。　　Soon　I　was　some　metres　from　the　shore　with　my　horse　stretching　his　head　and　neck　far　forward　in　his　efforts　and　snorting　and　blowing　incessantly。　　I　felt　the　every　motion　of　his　feet　churning　the　water　and　the　quivering　of　his　whole　body　under　me　in　this　trial。　At　last　we　reached　the　middle　of　the　river；　where　the　current　became　exceedingly　rapid　and　began　to　carry　us　down　with　it。　　Out　of　the　ominous　darkness　I　heard　the　shoutings　of　my　companions　and　the　dull　cries　of　fear　and　suffering　from　the　horses。　　I　was　chest　deep　in　the　icy　water。　　Sometimes　the　floating　blocks　struck　me；　sometimes　the　waves　broke　up　over　my　head　and　face。　　I　had　no　time　to　look　about　or　to　feel　the　cold。　　The　animal　wish　to　live　took　possession　of　me；　I　became　filled　with　the　thought　that；　if　my　horse's　strength　failed　in　his　struggle　with　the　stream；　I　must　perish。　　All　my　attention　was　turned　to　his　efforts　and　to　his　quivering　fear。　　Suddenly　he　groaned　loudly　and　I　noticed　he　was　sinking。　　The　water　evidently　was　over　his　nostrils；　because　the　intervals　of　his　frightened　snorts　through　the　nostrils　became　longer。　　A　big　block　of　ice　struck　his　head　and　turned　him　so　that　he　was　swimming　right　downstream。　　With　difficulty　I　reined　him　around