beasts, men and gods-第22章
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end joined me with this young Chinese as a guide for a trip to the outskirts of the town。 We feigned simply a stroll but were stopped by the Chinese sentinel on the side of the city toward the nagan hushun with an impertinent command that no one was allowed to leave the town。 As we spoke with him； I noticed that between the town and the nagan hushun Chinese guards were stationed all along the way and that streams of Chinese were moving in that direction。 We saw at once it was impossible to reach the meeting from this approach； so we chose another route。 We left the city from the eastern side and passed along by the camp of the Mongolians who had been reduced to beggary by the Chinese impositions。 There also they were evidently anxiously awaiting the turn of events； for； in spite of the lateness of the hour； none had gone to sleep。 We slipped out on the ice and worked around by the river to the nagan hushun。 As we passed free of the city we began to sneak cautiously along； taking advantage of every bit of cover。 We were armed with revolvers and hand grenades and knew that a small detachment had been prepared in the town to come to our aid； if we should be in danger。 First the young Chinese stole forward with my friend following him like a shadow； constantly reminding him that he would strangle him like a mouse if he made one move to betray us。 I fear the young guide did not greatly enjoy the trip with my gigantic friend puffing all too loudly with the unusual exertions。 At last the fences of nagan hushun were in sight and nothing between us and them save the open plain； where our group would have been easily spotted； so that we decided to crawl up one by one； save that the Chinese was retained in the society of my trusted friend。 Fortunately there were many heaps of frozen manure on the plain； which we made use of as cover to lead us right up to our objective point； the fence of the enclosures。 In the shadow of this we slunk along to the courtyard where the voices of the excited crowd beckoned us。 As we took good vantage points in the darkness for listening and making observations； we remarked two extraordinary things in our immediate neighborhood。
Another invisible guest was present with us at the Chinese gathering。 He lay on the ground with his head in a hole dug by the dogs under the fence。 He was perfectly still and evidently had not heard our advance。 Nearby in a ditch lay a white horse with his nose muzzled and a little further away stood another saddled horse tied to a fence。
In the courtyard there was a great hubbub。 About two thousand men were shouting； arguing and flourishing their arms about in wild gesticulations。 Nearly all were armed with rifles； revolvers； swords and axes。 In among the crowd circulated the gamins； constantly talking； handing out papers； explaining and assuring。 Finally a big； broad…shouldered Chinese mounted the well combing； waved his rifle about over his head and opened a tirade in strong； sharp tones。
〃He is assuring the people；〃 said our interpreter； 〃that they must do here what the Chinese have done in Kobdo and must secure from the Commissioner the assurance of an order to his guard not to prevent the carrying out of their plans。 Also that the Chinese Commissioner must demand from the Russians all their weapons。 'Then we shall take vengeance on the Russians for their Blagoveschensk crime when they drowned three thousand Chinese in 1900。 You remain here while I go to the Commissioner and talk with him。'〃
He jumped down from the well and quickly made his way to the gate toward the town。 At once I saw the man who was lying with his head under the fence draw back out of his hole； take his white horse from the ditch and then run over to untie the other horse and lead them both back to our side； which was away from the city。 He left the second horse there and hid himself around the corner of the hushun。 The spokesman went out of the gate and； seeing his horse over on the other side of the enclosure； slung his rifle across his back and started for his mount。 He had gone about half way when the stranger behind the corner of the fence suddenly galloped out and in a flash literally swung the man clear from the ground up across the pommel of his saddle； where we saw him tie the mouth of the semi…strangled Chinese with a cloth and dash off with him toward the west away from the town。
〃Who do you suppose he is？〃 I asked of my friend； who answered up at once： 〃It must be Tushegoun Lama。 。 。 。〃
His whole appearance did strongly remind me of this mysterious Lama avenger and his manner of addressing himself to his enemy was a strict replica of that of Tushegoun。 Late in the night we learned that some time after their orator had gone to seek the Commissioner's cooperation in their venture； his head had been flung over the fence into the midst of the waiting audience and that eight gamins had disappeared on their way from the hushun to the town without leaving trace or trail。 This event terrorized the Chinese mob and calmed their heated spirits。
The next day we received very unexpected aid。 A young Mongol galloped in from Urga； his overcoat torn； his hair all dishevelled and fallen to his shoulders and a revolver prominent beneath his girdle。 Proceeding directly to the market where the Mongols are always gathered； without leaving his saddle he cried out：
〃Urga is captured by our Mongols and Chiang Chun Baron Ungern！ Bogdo Hutuktu is once more our Khan！ Mongols； kill the Chinese and pillage their shops！ Our patience is exhausted！〃
Through the crowd rose the roar of excitement。 The rider was surrounded with a mob of insistent questioners。 The old Mongol Sait； Chultun Beyli； who had been dismissed by the Chinese； was at once informed of this news and asked to have the messenger brought to him。 After questioning the man he arrested him for inciting the people to riot； but he refused to turn him over to the Chinese authorities。 I was personally with the Sait at the time and heard his decision in the matter。 When the Chinese Commissioner； Wang Tsao…tsun； threatened the Sait for disobedience to his authority； the old man simply fingered his rosary and said：
〃I believe the story of this Mongol in its every word and I apprehend that you and I shall soon have to reverse our relationship。〃
I felt that Wang Tsao…tsun also accepted the correctness of the Mongol's story； because he did not insist further。 From this moment the Chinese disappeared from the streets of Uliassutai as though they never had been； and synchronously the patrols of the Russian officers and of our foreign colony took their places。 The panic among the Chinese was heightened by the receipt of a letter containing the news that the Mongols and Altai Tartars under the leadership of the Tartar officer Kaigorodoff pursued the Chinese who were making off with their booty from the sack of Kobdo and overtook and annihilated them on the borders of Sinkiang。 Another part of the letter told how General Bakitch and the six thousand men who had been interned with him by the Chinese authorities on the River Amyl had received arms and started to join with Ataman Annenkoff； who had been interned in Kuldja； with the ultimate intention of linking up with Baron Ungern。 This rumour proved to be wrong because neither Bakitch nor Annenkoff entertained this intention； because Annenkoff had been transported by the Chinese into the Depths of Turkestan。 However； the news produced veritable stupefaction among the Chinese。
Just at this time there arrived at the house of the Bolshevist Russian colonist Bourdukoff three Bolshevik agents from Irkutsk named Saltikoff； Freimann and Novak； who started an agitation among the Chinese authorities to get them to disarm the Russian officers and hand them over to the Reds。 They persuaded the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to petition the Irkutsk Soviet to send a detachment of Reds to Uliassutai for the protection of the Chinese against the White detachments。 Freimann brought with him communistic pamphlets in Mongolian and instructions to begin the reconstruction of the telegraph line to Irkutsk。 Bourdukoff also received some messages from the Bolsheviki。 This quartette developed their policy very successfully and soon saw Wang Tsao…tsun fall in with their schemes。 Once more the days of expecting a pogrom in Uliassutai returned to us。 The Russian officers anticipated attempts to arrest them。 The representative of one of the American firms went with me to the Commissioner for a parley。 We pointed out to him the illegality of his acts； inasmuch as he was not authorized by his Government to treat with the Bolsheviki when the Soviet Government had not been recognized by Peking。 Wang Tsao…tsun and his advisor Fu Hsiang were palpably confused at finding we knew of his secret meetings with the Bolshevik agents。 He assured us that his guard was sufficient to prevent any such pogrom。 It was quite true that his guard was very capable； as it consisted of well trained and disciplined soldiers under the command of a serious… minded and well educated officer； but； what could eighty soldiers do against a mob of three thousand coolies； one thousand armed merchants and two hundred gamins？ We strongly registered our apprehensions and urged him to avoid any bloodshed； pointing out that the foreign and Russian population were determined to defend themselves to the last moment。 Wang at once ordered the establishment of strong guards on the streets and thus made a very interesting picture with all the Russian； foreign and Chinese patrols moving up and down throughout the whole town。 Then we did not know there were three hundred more sentinels on duty； the men of Tushegoun Lama hidden nearby in the mountains。
Once more the picture changed very sharply and suddenly。 The Mongolian Sait received news through the Lamas of the nearest monastery that Colonel Kazagrandi； after fighting with the Chinese irregulars； had captured Van Kure and had formed there Russian… Mongolian brigades of cavalry； mobilizing the Mongols by the order of the Living Buddha and the Russians by order of Baron Ungern。 A few hours later it became known that in the large monastery of Dzain the Chinese soldiers had killed the Russian Captain Barsky and as a result some of the troops of Kazagrandi attacked and swept the Chinese out of the place。 At the taking of Van Kure the Russians arrested a Korean Communist who was on his way from Moscow with gold and propaganda to work in Korea and America。 Colonel Kazagrandi sent this Korean with his freight of gold to Baron Ungern。 After receiving this news the chief of the Russian detachment in Uliassutai arrested all the Bolsheviki agents and passed judgment upon them and upon the murderers of the Bobroffs。 Kanine； Madame Pouzikoff and Freimann were shot。 Regarding Saltikoff and Novak some doubt sprang up and； moreover； Saltikoff escaped and hid； while Novak； under advice from Lieutenant Colonel Michailoff； left for the west。 The chief of the Russian detachment gave out orders for the mobilization of the Russian colonists and openly took Uliassutai under his protection with the tacit agreement of the Mongolian authorities。 The Mongol Sait； Chultun Beyli； convened a council of the
