beasts, men and gods-第14章
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e eternally frozen； rocks like petrified caravans of camels； horsemen and carts； and over all saw the barren mountains whose folds looked like the mantle of Satan； which the glow of the evening sun drenched with blood。
〃Look up there！〃 cried an old shepherd； pointing to the slope of the cursed Zagastai。 〃That is no mountain。 It is HE who lies in his red mantle and awaits the day when he will rise again to begin the fight with the good spirits。〃
And as he spoke I recalled the mystic picture of the noted painter Vroubel。 The same nude mountains with the violet and purple robes of Satan； whose face is half covered by an approaching grey cloud。 Mongolia is a terrible land of mystery and demons。 Therefore it is no wonder that here every violation of the ancient order of life of the wandering nomad tribes is transformed into streams of red blood and horror； ministering to the demonic pleasure of Satan couched on the bare mountains and robed in the grey cloak of dejection and sadness； or in the purple mantle of war and vengeance。
After returning from the district of Koko Nor to Mongolia and resting a few days at the Narabanchi Monastery； we went to live in Uliassutai； the capital of Western Outer Mongolia。 It is the last purely Mongolian town to the west。 In Mongolia there are but three purely Mongolian towns； Urga； Uliassutai and Ulankom。 The fourth town； Kobdo； has an essentially Chinese character； being the center of Chinese administration in this district inhabited by the wandering tribes only nominally recognizing the influence of either Peking or Urga。 In Uliassutai and Ulankom； besides the unlawful Chinese commissioners and troops； there were stationed Mongolian governors or 〃Saits；〃 appointed by the decree of the Living Buddha。
When we arrived in that town； we were at once in the sea of political passions。 The Mongols were protesting in great agitation against the Chinese policy in their country； the Chinese raged and demanded from the Mongolians the payment of taxes for the full period since the autonomy of Mongolia had been forcibly extracted from Peking； Russian colonists who had years before settled near the town and in the vicinity of the great monasteries or among the wandering tribes had separated into factions and were fighting against one another； from Urga came the news of the struggle for the maintenance of the independence of Outer Mongolia； led by the Russian General； Baron Ungern von Sternberg； Russian officers and refugees congregated in detachments； against which the Chinese authorities protested but which the Mongols welcomed； the Bolsheviki； worried by the formation of White detachments in Mongolia； sent their troops to the borders of Mongolia； from Irkutsk and Chita to Uliassutai and Urga envoys were running from the Bolsheviki to the Chinese commissioners with various proposals of all kinds； the Chinese authorities in Mongolia were gradually entering into secret relations with the Bolsheviki and in Kiakhta and Ulankom delivered to them the Russian refugees； thus violating recognized international law； in Urga the Bolsheviki set up a Russian communistic municipality； Russian Consuls were inactive； Red troops in the region of Kosogol and the valley of the Selenga had encounters with Anti…Bolshevik officers； the Chinese authorities established garrisons in the Mongolian towns and sent punitive expeditions into the country； and； to complete the confusion； the Chinese troops carried out house…to…house searches； during which they plundered and stole。
Into what an atmosphere we had fallen after our hard and dangerous trip along the Yenisei； through Urianhai； Mongolia； the lands of the Turguts； Kansu and Koko Nor！
〃Do you know；〃 said my old friend to me； 〃I prefer strangling Partisans and fighting with the hunghutze to listening to news and more anxious news！〃
He was right； for the worst of it was that in this bustle and whirl of facts； rumours and gossip the Reds could approach troubled Uliassutai and take everyone with their bare hands。 We should very willingly have left this town of uncertainties but we had no place to go。 In the north were the hostile Partisans and Red troops； to the south we had already lost our companions and not a little of our own blood； to the west raged the Chinese administrators and detachments； and to the east a war had broken out； the news of which； in spite of the attempts of the Chinese authorities at secrecy； had filtered through and had testified to the seriousness of the situation in this part of Outer Mongolia。 Consequently we had no choice but to remain in Uliassutai。 Here also were living several Polish soldiers who had escaped from the prison camps in Russia； two Polish families and two American firms； all in the same plight as ourselves。 We joined together and made our own intelligence department； very carefully watching the evolution of events。 We succeeded in forming good connections with the Chinese commissioner and with the Mongolian Sait； which greatly helped us in our orientation。
What was behind all these events in Mongolia？ The very clever Mongol Sait of Uliassutai gave me the following explanation。
〃According to the agreements between Mongolia； China and Russia of October 21； 1912； of October 23； 1913； and of June 7； 1915； Outer Mongolia was accorded independence and the Moral Head of our 'Yellow Faith；' His Holiness the Living Buddha； became the Suzerain of the Mongolian people of Khalkha or Outer Mongolia with the title of 'Bogdo Djebtsung Damba Hutuktu Khan。' While Russia was still strong and carefully watched her policy in Asia； the Government of Peking kept the treaty； but； when； at the beginning of the war with Germany； Russia was compelled to withdraw her troops from Siberia； Peking began to claim the return of its lost rights in Mongolia。 It was because of this that the first two treaties of 1912 and 1913 were supplemented by the convention of 1915。 However； in 1916； when all the forces of Russia were pre…occupied in the unsuccessful war and afterwards when the first Russian revolution broke out in February； 1917； overthrowing the Romanoff Dynasty； the Chinese Government openly retook Mongolia。 They changed all the Mongolian ministers and Saits； replacing them with individuals friendly to China； arrested many Mongolian autonomists and sent them to prison in Peking； set up their administration in Urga and other Mongol towns； actually removed His Holiness Bogdo Khan from the affairs of administration； made him only a machine for signing Chinese decrees； and at last introduced into Mongolia their troops。 From that moment there developed an energetic flow of Chinese merchants and coolies into Mongolia。 The Chinese began to demand the payment of taxes and dues from 1912。 The Mongolian population were rapidly stripped of their wealth and now in the vicinities of our towns and monasteries you can see whole settlements of beggar Mongols living in dugouts。 All our Mongol arsenals and treasuries were requisitioned。 All monasteries were forced to pay taxes； all Mongols working for the liberty of their country were persecuted； through bribery with Chinese silver； orders and titles the Chinese secured a following among the poorer Mongol Princes。 It is easy to understand how the governing class； His Holiness； Khans； Princes； and high Lamas； as well as the ruined and oppressed people； remembering that the Mongol rulers had once held Peking and China in their hands and under their reign had given her the first place in Asia； were definitely hostile to the Chinese administrators acting thus。 Insurrection was； however； impossible。 We had no arms。 All our leaders were under surveillance and every movement by them toward an armed resistance would have ended in the same prison at Peking where eighty of our Nobles； Princes and Lamas died from hunger and torture after a previous struggle for the liberty of Mongolia。 Some abnormally strong shock was necessary to drive the people into action。 This was given by the Chinese administrators； General Cheng Yi and General Chu Chi…hsiang。 They announced that His Holiness Bogdo Khan was under arrest in his own palace； and they recalled to his attention the former decree of the Peking Governmentheld by the Mongols to be unwarranted and illegalthat His Holiness was the last Living Buddha。 This was enough。 Immediately secret relations were made between the people and their Living God； and plans were at once elaborated for the liberation of His Holiness and for the struggle for liberty and freedom of our people。 We were helped by the great Prince of the Buriats； Djam Bolon； who began parleys with General Ungern； then engaged in fighting the Bolsheviki in Transbaikalia； and invited him to enter Mongolia and help in the war against the Chinese。 Then our struggle for liberty began。〃
Thus the Sait of Uliassutai explained the situation to me。 Afterwards I heard that Baron Ungern； who had agreed to fight for the liberty of Mongolia； directed that the mobilization of the Mongolians in the northern districts be forwarded at once and promised to enter Mongolia with his own small detachment； moving along the River Kerulen。 Afterwards he took up relations with the other Russian detachment of Colonel Kazagrandi and； together with the mobilized Mongolian riders； began the attack on Urga。 Twice he was defeated but on the third of February； 1921； he succeeded in capturing the town and replaced the Living Buddha on the throne of the Khans。
At the end of March； however； these events were still unknown in Uliassutai。 We knew neither of the fall of Urga nor of the destruction of the Chinese army of nearly 15；000 in the battles of Maimachen on the shore of the Tola and on the roads between Urga and Ude。 The Chinese carefully concealed the truth by preventing anybody from passing westward from Urga。 However； rumours existed and troubled all。 The atmosphere became more and more tense； while the relations between the Chinese on the one side and the Mongolians and Russians on the other became more and more strained。 At this time the Chinese Commissioner in Uliassutai was Wang Tsao… tsun and his advisor； Fu Hsiang； both very young and inexperienced men。 The Chinese authorities had dismissed the Uliassutai Sait； the prominent Mongolian patriot； Prince Chultun Beyle； and had appointed a Lama Prince friendly to China； the former Vice…Minister of War in Urga。 Oppression increased。 The searching of Russian officers' and colonists' houses and quarters commenced； open relations with the Bolsheviki followed and arrest and beatings became common。 The Russian officers formed a secret detachment of sixty men so that they could defend themselves。 However； in this detachment disagreements soon sprang up between Lieutenant…Colonel M。 M。 Michailoff and some of his officers。 It was evident that in the decisive moment the detachment must separate into factions。
We foreigners in council decided to make a thorough reconnaissance in order to know whether there was danger of Red troops arriving。 My old companion and I agreed to do this scouting。 Prince Chultun Beyle gave us a very good guidean old Mongol named Tzeren； who spoke and read Russian perfectly。 He was a very interesting personage； holding the position of interpreter
