icon 0
icon TOP UP
rightIcon
icon Reading History
rightIcon
icon Log out
rightIcon
icon Get the APP
rightIcon

Beasts, Men and Gods

Chapter 4 TO THE SAYANS AND SAFETY

Word Count: 2202    |    Released on: 28/11/2017

dy 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

eal intention and sometimes, apprehensiv

shoes on have passed here.

scovered that the tracks led off to o

ed farther," he rem

d. "It would have been more

beard and laughed. Evidently he w

lem 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

te 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 mercha

a when the daughter

room with their rifles and point

utfit escaped their penetrating gaze. Afterwards one of them, who appeared to be the local "Merin" or governor, began to inve

You do not like Bolshe

rmed 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 explor

ively he studied again the new arrivals and then asked: "Why di

ers laugh

eign country!" answered the Soy

vil!" cried one

p of tea the hostess was preparing for him. The conversation ceased. T

at the owner's, we shall come and take them."

a messenger while the others sat silent with bowed heads. Late in the night the officer arrived

rough the swamp where a Soyot will

nd promised on the morrow to arrange this matter with the Soyots. The officer was a coarse brute and a silly man, desiring stro

d made about fifteen kilometers, we discovered behind the bushes tw

the officer. "I shall g

f my horse. One of the horsemen was

the detachmen

us talk a little, in order that

he hand of the Soyot and

n continue our journey. No hindr

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

der 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

ldiers fell to the ground. The other soldiers grabbed their rifles and, with fear, looked about for the enemy. Four more were soon unseated and sudd

Soyots, stripping the fallen, dividing the spoils and recapturing their horses. In some forms of war

egan to ascend the mountain and soon arri

too peaceful people," I remar

me very sharp

oyots who did

ai 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 hors

xclaimed, laughin

ti or izubr, which the Russian colonists breed for the horns that are so valuable in the velvet for sale to Tibetan and Chi

with great fear

ss, "we thought . . ." and she b

Claim Your Bonus at the APP

Open
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