beasts, men and gods-第6章

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whose　foot　lay　so　many　others　who　had　failed　to　make　this　same　climb　to　freedom　which　we　had　just　accomplished。　　Perhaps　they　lacked　the　persistence　or　the　presence　of　mind；　perhaps　they　had　not　the　poetic　ability　to　sing　odes　about　〃roads；　bridges　and　gold　mines〃　or　perhaps　they　simply　had　no　spare　trousers。


CHAPTER　IX

TO　THE　SAYANS　AND　SAFETY


Dense　virgin　wood　surrounded　us。　　In　the　high；　already　yellow　grass　the　trail　wound　hardly　noticeable　in　among　bushes　and　trees　just　beginning　to　drop　their　many　colored　leaves。　　It　is　the　old；　already　forgotten　Amyl　pass　road。　　Twenty…five　years　ago　it　carried　the　provisions；　machinery　and　workers　for　the　numerous；　now　abandoned；　gold　mines　of　the　Amyl　valley。　　The　road　now　wound　along　the　wide　and　rapid　Amyl；　then　penetrated　into　the　deep　forest；　guiding　us　round　the　swampy　ground　filled　with　those　dangerous　Siberian　quagmires；　through　the　dense　bushes；　across　mountains　and　wide　meadows。　　Our　guide　probably　did　not　surmise　our　real　intention　and　sometimes；　apprehensively　looking　down　at　the　ground；　would　say：

〃Three　riders　on　horses　with　shoes　on　have　passed　here。　　Perhaps　they　were　soldiers。〃

His　anxiety　was　terminated　when　he　discovered　that　the　tracks　led　off　to　one　side　and　then　returned　to　the　trail。

〃They　did　not　proceed　farther；〃　he　remarked；　slyly　smiling。

〃That's　too　bad；〃　we　answered。　　〃It　would　have　been　more　lively　to　travel　in　company。〃

But　the　peasant　only　stroked　his　beard　and　laughed。　　Evidently　he　was　not　taken　in　by　our　statement。

We　passed　on　the　way　a　gold　mine　that　had　been　formerly　planned　and　equipped　on　splendid　lines　but　was　now　abandoned　and　the　buildings　all　destroyed。　　The　Bolsheviki　had　taken　away　the　machinery；　supplies　and　also　some　parts　of　the　buildings。　　Nearby　stood　a　dark　and　gloomy　church　with　windows　broken；　the　crucifix　torn　off　and　the　tower　burned；　a　pitifully　typical　emblem　of　the　Russia　of　today。　　The　starving　family　of　the　watchman　lived　at　the　mine　in　continuing　danger　and　privation。　　They　told　us　that　in　this　forest　region　were　wandering　about　a　band　of　Reds　who　were　robbing　anything　that　remained　on　the　property　of　the　gold　mine；　were　working　the　pay　dirt　in　the　richest　part　of　the　mine　and；　with　a　little　gold　washed；　were　going　to　drink　and　gamble　it　away　in　some　distant　villages　where　the　peasants　were　making　the　forbidden　vodka　out　of　berries　and　potatoes　and　selling　it　for　its　weight　in　gold。　A　meeting　with　this　band　meant　death。　　After　three　days　we　crossed　the　northern　ridge　of　the　Sayan　chain；　passed　the　border　river　Algiak　and；　after　this　day；　were　abroad　in　the　territory　of　Urianhai。

This　wonderful　land；　rich　in　most　diverse　forms　of　natural　wealth；　is　inhabited　by　a　branch　of　the　Mongols；　which　is　now　only　sixty　thousand　and　which　is　gradually　dying　off；　speaking　a　language　quite　different　from　any　of　the　other　dialects　of　this　folk　and　holding　as　their　life　ideal　the　tenet　of　〃Eternal　Peace。〃　　Urianhai　long　ago　became　the　scene　of　administrative　attempts　by　Russians；　Mongols　and　Chinese；　all　of　whom　claimed　sovereignty　over　the　region　whose　unfortunate　inhabitants；　the　Soyots；　had　to　pay　tribute　to　all　three　of　these　overlords。　　It　was　due　to　this　that　the　land　was　not　an　entirely　safe　refuge　for　us。　　We　had　heard　already　from　our　militiaman　about　the　expedition　preparing　to　go　into　Urianhai　and　from　the　peasants　we　learned　that　the　villages　along　the　Little　Yenisei　and　farther　south　had　formed　Red　detachments；　who　were　robbing　and　killing　everyone　who　fell　into　their　hands。　　Recently　they　had　killed　sixty…two　officers　attempting　to　pass　Urianhai　into　Mongolia；　robbed　and　killed　a　caravan　of　Chinese　merchants；　and　killed　some　German　war　prisoners　who　escaped　from　the　Soviet　paradise。　　On　the　fourth　day　we　reached　a　swampy　valley　where；　among　open　forests；　stood　a　single　Russian　house。　　Here　we　took　leave　of　our　guide；　who　hastened　away　to　get　back　before　the　snows　should　block　his　road　over　the　Sayans。　　The　master　of　the　establishment　agreed　to　guide　us　to　the　Seybi　River　for　ten　thousand　roubles　in　Soviet　notes。　　Our　horses　were　tired　and　we　were　forced　to　give　them　a　rest；　so　we　decided　to　spend　twenty…four　hours　here。

We　were　drinking　tea　when　the　daughter　of　our　host　cried：

〃The　Soyots　are　coming！〃　　Into　the　room　with　their　rifles　and　pointed　hats　came　suddenly　four　of　them。

〃Mende；〃　they　grunted　to　us　and　then；　without　ceremony；　began　examining　us　critically。　　Not　a　button　or　a　seam　in　our　entire　outfit　escaped　their　penetrating　gaze。　　Afterwards　one　of　them；　who　appeared　to　be　the　local　〃Merin〃　or　governor；　began　to　investigate　our　political　views。　　Listening　to　our　criticisms　of　the　Bolsheviki；　he　was　evidently　pleased　and　began　talking　freely。

〃You　are　good　people。　　You　do　not　like　Bolsheviki。　　We　will　help　you。〃

I　thanked　him　and　presented　him　with　the　thick　silk　cord　which　I　was　wearing　as　a　girdle。　　Before　night　they　left　us　saying　that　they　would　return　in　the　morning。　　It　grew　dark。　　We　went　to　the　meadow　to　look　after　our　exhausted　horses　grazing　there　and　came　back　to　the　house。　　We　were　gaily　chatting　with　the　hospitable　host　when　suddenly　we　heard　horses'　hoofs　in　the　court　and　raucous　voices；　followed　by　the　immediate　entry　of　five　Red　soldiers　armed　with　rifles　and　swords。　　Something　unpleasant　and　cold　rolled　up　into　my　throat　and　my　heart　hammered。　　We　knew　the　Reds　as　our　enemies。　　These　men　had　the　red　stars　on　their　Astrakhan　caps　and　red　triangles　on　their　sleeves。　　They　were　members　of　the　detachment　that　was　out　to　look　for　Cossack　officers。　　Scowling　at　us　they　took　off　their　overcoats　and　sat　down。　　We　first　opened　the　conversation；　explaining　the　purpose　of　our　journey　in　exploring　for　bridges；　roads　and　gold　mines。　　From　them　we　then　learned　that　their　commander　would　arrive　in　a　little　while　with　seven　more　men　and　that　they　would　take　our　host　at　once　as　a　guide　to　the　Seybi　River；　where　they　thought　the　Cossack　officers　must　be　hidden。　Immediately　I　remarked　that　our　affairs　were　moving　fortunately　and　that　we　must　travel　along　together。　　One　of　the　soldiers　replied　that　that　would　depend　upon　the　〃Comrade…officer。〃

During　our　conversation　the　Soyot　Governor　entered。　　Very　attentively　he　studied　again　the　new　arrivals　and　then　asked：　　〃Why　did　you　take　from　the　Soyots　the　good　horses　and　leave　bad　ones？〃

The　soldiers　laughed　at　him。

〃Remember　that　you　are　in　a　foreign　country！〃　answered　the　Soyot；　with　a　threat　in　his　voice。

〃God　and　the　Devil！〃　cried　one　of　the　soldiers。

But　the　Soyot　very　calmly　took　a　seat　at　the　table　and　accepted　the　cup　of　tea　the　hostess　was　preparing　for　him。　　The　conversation　ceased。　　The　Soyot　finished　the　tea；　smoked　his　long　pipe　and；　standing　up；　said：

〃If　tomorrow　morning　the　horses　are　not　back　at　the　owner's；　we　shall　come　and　take　them。〃　　And　with　these　words　he　turned　and　went　out。

I　noticed　an　expression　of　apprehension　on　the　faces　of　the　soldiers。　　Shortly　one　was　sent　out　as　a　messenger　while　the　others　sat　silent　with　bowed　heads。　　Late　in　the　night　the　officer　arrived　with　his　other　seven　men。　　As　he　received　the　report　about　the　Soyot；　he　knitted　his　brows　and　said：

〃It's　a　bad　mess。　　We　must　travel　through　the　swamp　where　a　Soyot　will　be　behind　every　mound　watching　us。〃

He　seemed　really　very　anxious　and　his　trouble　fortunately　prevented　him　from　paying　much　attention　to　us。　　I　began　to　calm　him　and　promised　on　the　morrow　to　arrange　this　matter　with　the　Soyots。　　The　officer　was　a　coarse　brute　and　a　silly　man；　desiring　strongly　to　be　promoted　for　the　capture　of　the　Cossack　officers；　and　feared　that　the　Soyot　could　prevent　him　from　reaching　the　Seybi。

At　daybreak　we　started　together　with　the　Red　detachment。　　When　we　had　made　about　fifteen　kilometers；　we　discovered　behind　the　bushes　two　riders。　　They　were　Soyots。　　On　their　backs　were　their　flint　rifles。

〃Wait　for　me！〃　I　said　to　the　officer。　　〃I　shall　go　for　a　parley　with　them。〃

I　went　forward　with　all　the　speed　of　my　horse。　　One　of　the　horsemen　was　the　Soyot　Governor；　who　said　to　me：

〃Remain　behind　the　detachment　and　help　us。〃

〃All　right；〃　I　answered；　〃but　let　us　talk　a　little；　in　order　that　they　may　think　we　are　parleying。〃

After　a　moment　I　shook　the　hand　of　the　Soyot　and　returned　to　the　soldiers。

〃All　right；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃we　can　continue　our　journey。　　No　hindrance　will　come　from　the　Soyots。〃

We　moved　forward　and；　when　we　were　crossing　a　large　meadow；　we　espied　at　a　long　distance　two　Soyots　riding　at　full　gallop　right　up　the　side　of　a　mountain。　　Step　by　step　I　accomplished　the　necessary　manoeuvre　to　bring　me　and　my　fellow　traveler　somewhat　behind　the　detachment。　　Behind　our　backs　remained　only　one　soldier；　very　brutish　in　appearance　and　apparently　very　hostile　to　us。　　I　had　time　to　whisper　to　my　companion　only　one　word：　〃Mauser；〃　and　saw　that　he　very　carefully　unbuttoned　the　saddle　bag　and　drew　out　a　little　the　handle　of　his　pistol。

Soon　I　understood　why　these　soldiers；　excellent　woodsmen　as　they　were；　would　not　attempt　to　go　to　the　Seybi　without　a　guide。　　All　the　country　between　the　Algiak　and　the　Seybi　is　formed　by　high　and　narrow　mountain　ridges　separated　by　deep　swampy　valleys。　　It　is　a　cursed　and　dangerous　place。　　At　first　our　horses　mired　to　the　knees；　lunging　about　and　catching　their　feet　in　the　roots　of　bushes　in　the　quagmires；　then　falling　and　pinning　us　under　their　sides；　breaking　parts　of　their　saddles　and　bridles。　　Then　we　would　go　in　up　to　the　riders'　knees。　　My　horse　went　down　once　with　his　whole　breast　and　head　under　the　red　fluid　mud　and　we　just　saved　it　and　no　more。　　Afterwards　the　officer's　horse　fell　with　him　so　that　he　bruised　his　head　on　a　stone。　　My　companion　injured　one　knee　against　a　tree。　　Some　of　the　men　also　fell　and　were　injured。　　The　horses　breathed　heavily。　　Somewhere　dimly　and　gloomily　a　crow　cawed。　Later　the　road　became　worse　still。　　The　trail　followed　through　the　same　miry　swamp　but　everywhere　the　road　was　blocked　with　fallen　tree　trunks。　　The　horses；　jumping　over　the　trunks；　would　land　in　an　unexpectedly　deep　hole　and　flounder。　　We　and　all　the　soldiers　were　covered　with　blood　and　mud　and　were　in　great　fear　of　exhausting　our　mounts。　　For　a　long　distance　we　had　to　get　down　and　lead　them。　　At　last　we　entered　a　broad　meadow　covered　with　bushes　and　bordered　with　rocks。　　Not　only　horses　but　riders　also　began　to　sink　to　their　middle　in　a　quagmire　with　apparently　no　bottom。　　The　whole　surface　of　the　meadow　was　but　a　thin　layer　of　turf；　covering　a　lake　with　black　putrefying　water。　　When　we　finally　learned　to　open　our　column　and　proceed　at　big　intervals；　we　found　we　could　keep　on　this　surface　that　undulated　like　rubber　ice　and　swayed　the　bushes　up　and　down。　　In　places　the　earth　buckled　up　and　broke。

Suddenly；　three　shots　sounded。　　They　were　hardly　more　than　the　report　of　a　Flobert　rifle；　but　they　were　genuine　shots；　because　the　officer　and　two　soldiers　fell　to　the　ground。　　The　other　soldiers　grabbed　their　rifles　and；　with　fear；　looked　about　for　the　enemy。　Four　more　were　soon　unseated　and　suddenly　I　noticed　our　rearguard　brute　raise　his　rifle　and　aim　right　at　me。　　However；　my　Mauser　outstrode　his　rifle　and　I　was　allowed　to　continue　my　story。

〃Begin！〃　I　cried　to　my　friend　and　we　took　part　in　the