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Beasts, Men and Gods

Chapter 3 THREE DAYS ON THE EDGE OF A PRECIPICE

Word Count: 1416    |    Released on: 28/11/2017

on was in the hands of Soviets and where spies scrutinized all passers-by. We could not avoid these villages for two reasons. First, our attempts to avoid them when we were constantly meeti

iven to the Tartar and Cossack who helped us at the mouth of the Tuba, and the Cossack brought us in his wagon to the first village, where we received the post horses. All except a small minority of the peasants were against the Bolsheviki

ions. Such villages were inhabited by people who were not the Siberian liberty-loving peasants but by emigrants from the Ukraine, idle and drunk, living in poor dirty huts, though their village were surrounded with the black and fertile soil of the steppes. Very dangerous and pleasant moments we spent in the large village of Karatuz. It is rather a town. In the year 1912 two colleges were opened here and the population reached 15,000 people. It is the capital of the South Yenisei Cossacks. But by now it is very difficult to recognize this town. The peasant

e streets or clean the stables of the Red cavalry. I can talk with the Bolsheviki because they do not know the difference between 'disinfection'

ould allow them to export the wood from Urianhai, iron and gold from the Sayan Mountains, cattle and furs from Mongolia. What a triumph of creative work for the Soviet Government! Our ode occupied about an hour a

st of some Cossack officers who had been greatly troubling the Bolsheviki. We stood upon our guard. We could very easily have met this expedition and we were not quite assured that the soldiers would be so appreciative of our high-sounding phrases as were the

s you so muc

"Trousers .

rs of black thick cloth for riding. Those trouse

." I remarked, reflecting upon my

nish trousers. They tell me they also go without trousers

could keep himself inside these trousers, for they had such large holes that they we

pered, with a ques

ed them myself," I

ard, approaching me, said: "Let us go out

ble to buy anything, where there are plenty of sables, fox-skins, ermine and gold dust to be purchased, which they very willingly exchange for

otected by our documents," I answe

ge that rifle there into furs and gold.

in Russia can you now find trousers. All Russia goes without trousers an

two automatic pistols with forty cartridges each. We were armed now so that we could defend ourselves. Moreover, I persuade

outh of the Tuba we passed the last Russian village near the Mongolian-Urianhai border, three days of constant contact with a lawless population, of continuous danger and of the ever present possibility of fortuitous death. Only iron will power, presence of mind and dogged tenacity brought us through all the dangers and saved us from rolling ba

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1 Chapter 1 INTO THE FORESTS2 Chapter 2 THE SECRET OF MY FELLOW TRAVELER3 Chapter 3 THREE DAYS ON THE EDGE OF A PRECIPICE4 Chapter 4 TO THE SAYANS AND SAFETY5 Chapter 5 THE BATTLE ON THE SEYBI6 Chapter 6 IN THE COUNTRY OF ETERNAL PEACE7 Chapter 7 MYSTERIES, MIRACLES AND A NEW FIGHT8 Chapter 8 THE RIVER OF THE DEVIL9 Chapter 9 THE MARCH OF GHOSTS10 Chapter 10 IN MYSTERIOUS TIBET11 Chapter 11 MYSTERIOUS MONGOLIA12 Chapter 12 THE MYSTERIOUS LAMA AVENGER13 Chapter 13 THE DEMON OF JAGISSTAI14 Chapter 14 AMONG THE MURDERERS15 Chapter 15 ON A VOLCANO16 Chapter 16 A BLOODY CHASTISEMENT17 Chapter 17 HARASSING DAYS18 Chapter 18 THE BAND OF WHITE HUNGHUTZES19 Chapter 19 MYSTERY IN A SMALL TEMPLE20 Chapter 20 THE BREATH OF DEATH21 Chapter 21 ON THE ROAD OF GREAT CONQUERORS22 Chapter 22 ARRESTED!23 Chapter 23 TRAVELING BY "URGA"24 Chapter 24 AN OLD FORTUNE TELLER25 Chapter 25 "DEATH FROM THE WHITE MAN WILL STAND BEHIND YOU"26 Chapter 26 THE HORROR OF WAR!27 Chapter 27 IN THE CITY OF LIVING GODS, OF 30,000 BUDDHAS AND 60,000 MONKS28 Chapter 28 A SON OF CRUSADERS AND PRIVATEERS29 Chapter 29 THE CAMP OF MARTYRS30 Chapter 30 BEFORE THE FACE OF BUDDHA31 Chapter 31 "THE MAN WITH A HEAD LIKE A SADDLE"32 Chapter 32 IN THE BLISSFUL GARDEN OF A THOUSAND JOYS33 Chapter 33 THE DUST OF CENTURIES34 Chapter 34 THE BOOKS OF MIRACLES35 Chapter 35 THE VISION OF THE LIVING BUDDHA OF MAY 17, 192136 Chapter 36 THE SUBTERRANEAN KINGDOM37 Chapter 37 REALITY OR RELIGIOUS FANTASY 38 Chapter 38 THE PROPHECY OF THE KING OF THE WORLD IN 1890