th　the　Reds。　　The　following　day　we　went　up　over　the　high　chain　of　mountains　called　Daban　and；　traversing　a　great　area　of　burned　timber　where　our　trail　lay　among　the　fallen　trees；　we　began　to　descend　into　a　valley　hidden　from　us　by　the　intervening　foothills。　There　behind　these　hills　flowed　the　Little　Yenisei；　the　last　large　river　before　reaching　Mongolia　proper。　　About　ten　kilometers　from　the　river　we　spied　a　column　of　smoke　rising　up　out　of　the　wood。　Two　of　the　officers　slipped　away　to　make　an　investigation。　　For　a　long　time　they　did　not　return　and　we；　fearful　lest　something　had　happened；　moved　off　carefully　in　the　direction　of　the　smoke；　all　ready　for　a　fight　if　necessary。　　We　finally　came　near　enough　to　hear　the　voices　of　many　people　and　among　them　the　loud　laugh　of　one　of　our　scouts。　　In　the　middle　of　a　meadow　we　made　out　a　large　tent　with　two　tepees　of　branches　and　around　these　a　crowd　of　fifty　or　sixty　men。　　When　we　broke　out　of　the　forest　all　of　them　rushed　forward　with　a　joyful　welcome　for　us。　　It　appeared　that　it　was　a　large　camp　of　Russian　officers　and　soldiers　who；　after　their　escape　from　Siberia；　had　lived　in　the　houses　of　the　Russian　colonists　and　rich　peasants　in　Urianhai。
  〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　we　asked　with　surprise。
  〃Oh；　ho；　you　know　nothing　at　all　about　what　has　been　going　on？〃　replied　a　fairly　old　man　who　called　himself　Colonel　Ostrovsky。　　〃In　Urianhai　an　order　has　been　issued　from　the　Military　Commissioner　to　mobilize　all　men　over　twenty…eight　years　of　age　and　everywhere　toward　the　town　of　Belotzarsk　are　moving　detachments　of　these　Partisans。　　They　are　robbing　the　colonists　and　peasants　and　killing　everyone　that　falls　into　their　hands。　　We　are　hiding　here　from　them。〃
  The　whole　camp　counted　only　sixteen　rifles　and　three　bombs；　belonging　to　a　Tartar　who　was　traveling　with　his　Kalmuck　guide　to　his　herds　in　Western　Mongolia。　　We　explained　the　aim　of　our　journey　and　our　intention　to　pass　through　Mongolia　to　the　nearest　port　on　the　Pacific。　　The　officers　asked　me　to　bring　them　out　with　us。　　I　agreed。　　Our　reconnaissance　proved　to　us　that　there　were　no　Partisans　near　the　house　of　the　peasant　who　was　to　ferry　us　over　the　Little　Yenisei。　　We　moved　off　at　once　in　order　to　pass　as　quickly　as　possible　this　dangerous　zone　of　the　Yenisei　and　to　sink　ourselves　into　the　forest　beyond。　　It　snowed　but　immediately　thawed。　　Before　evening　a　cold　north　wind　sprang　up；　bringing　with　it　a　small　blizzard。　　Late　in　the　night　our　party　reached　the　river。　　Our　colonist　welcomed　us　and　offered　at　once　to　ferry　us　over　and　swim　the　horses；　although　there　was　ice　still　floating　which　had　come　down　from　the　head…waters　of　the　stream。　　During　this　conversation　there　was　present　one　of　the　peasant's　workmen；　red…haired　and　squint…eyed。　　He　kept　moving　around　all　the　time　and　suddenly　disappeared。　　Our　host　noticed　it　and；　with　fear　in　his　voice；　said：
  〃He　has　run　to　the　village　and　will　guide　the　Partisans　here。　　We　must　cross　immediately。〃
  Then　began　the　most　terrible　night　of　my　whole　journey。　　We　proposed　to　the　colonist　that　he　take　only　our　food　and　ammunition　in　the　boat；　while　we　would　swim　our　horses　across；　in　order　to　save　the　time　of　the　many　trips。　　The　width　of　the　Yenisei　in　this　place　is　about　three　hundred　metres。　　The　stream　is　very　rapid　and　the　shore　breaks　away　abruptly　to　the　full　depth　of　the　stream。　The　night　was　absolutely　dark　with　not　a　star　in　the　sky。　　The　wind　in　whistling　swirls　drove　the　snow　and　sleet　sharply　against　our　faces。　　Before　us　flowed　the　stream　of　black；　rapid　water；　carrying　down　thin；　jagged　blocks　of　ice；　twisting　and　grinding　in　the　whirls　and　eddies。　　For　a　long　time　my　horse　refused　to　take　the　plunge　down　the　steep　bank；　snorted　and　braced　himself。　　With　all　my　strength　I　lashed　him　with　my　whip　across　his　neck　until；　with　a　pitiful　groan；　he　threw　himself　into　the　cold　stream。　　We　both　went　all　the　way　under　and　I　hardly　kept　my　seat　in　the　saddle。　　Soon　I　was　some　metres　from　the　shore　with　my　horse　stretching　his　head　and　neck　far　forward　in　his　efforts　and　snorting　and　blowing　incessantly。　　I　felt　the　every　motion　of　his　feet　churning　the　water　and　the　quivering　of　his　whole　body　under　me　in　this　trial。　At　last　we　reached　the　middle　of　the　river；　where　the　current　became　exceedingly　rapid　and　began　to　carry　us　down　with　it。　　Out　of　the　ominous　darkness　I　heard　the　shoutings　of　my　companions　and　the　dull　cries　of　fear　and　suffering　from　the　horses。　　I　was　chest　deep　in　the　icy　water。　　Sometimes　the　floating　blocks　struck　me；　sometimes　the　waves　broke　up　over　my　head　and　face。　　I　had　no　time　to　look　about　or　to　feel　the　cold。　　The　animal　wish　to　live　took　possession　of　me；　I　became　filled　with　the　thought　that；　if　my　horse's　strength　failed　in　his　struggle　with　the　stream；　I　must　perish。　　All　my　attention　was　turned　to　his　efforts　and　to　his　quivering　fear。　　Suddenly　he　groaned　loudly　and　I　noticed　he　was　sinking。　　The　water　evidently　was　over　his　nostrils；　because　the　intervals　of　his　frightened　snorts　through　the　nostrils　became　longer。　　A　big　block　of　ice　struck　his　head　and　turned　him　so　that　he　was　swimming　right　downstream。　　With　difficulty　I　reined　him　around　toward　the　shore　but　felt　now　that　his　force　was　gone。　　His　head　several　times　disappeared　under　the　swirling　surface。　　I　had　no　choice。　　I　slipped　from　the　saddle　and；　holding　this　by　my　left　hand；　swam　with　my　right　beside　my　mount；　encouraging　him　with　my　shouts。　　For　a　time　he　floated　with　lips　apart　and　his　teeth　set　firm。　　In　his　widely　opened　eyes　was　indescribable　fear。　　As　soon　as　I　was　out　of　the　saddle；　he　had　at　once　risen　in　the　water　and　swam　more　calmly　and　rapidly。　　At　last　under　the　hoofs　of　my　exhausted　animal　I　heard　the　stones。　　One　after　another　my　companions　came　up　on　the　shore。　　The　well…trained　horses　had　brought　all　their　burdens　over。　　Much　farther　down　our　colonist　landed　with　the　supplies。　　Without　a　moment's　loss　we　packed　our　things　on　the　horses　and　continued　our　journey。　　The　wind　was　growing　stronger　and　colder。　　At　the　dawn　of　day　the　cold　was　intense。　　Our　soaked　clothes　froze　and　became　hard　as　leather；　our　teeth　chattered；　and　in　our　eyes　showed　the　red　fires　of　fever：　but　we　traveled　on　to　put　as　much　space　as　we　could　between　ourselves　and　the　Partisans。　　Passing　about　fifteen　kilometres　through　the　forest　we　emerged　into　an　open　valley；　from　which　we　could　see　the　opposite　bank　of　the　Yenisei。　　It　was　about　eight　o'clock。　　Along　the　road　on　the　other　shore　wound　the　black　serpent…like　line　of　riders　and　wagons　which　we　made　out　to　be　a　column　of　Red　soldiers　with　their　transport。　　We　dismounted　and　hid　in　the　bushes　in　order　to　avoid　attracting　their　attention。
  All　the　day　with　the　thermometer　at　zero　and　below　we　continued　our　journey；　only　at　night　reaching　the　mountains　covered　with　larch　forests；　where　we　made　big　fires；　dried　our　clothes　and　warmed　ourselves　thoroughly。　　The　hungry　horses　did　not　leave　the　fires　but　stood　right　behind　us　with　drooped　heads　and　slept。　　Very　early　in　the　morning　several　Soyots　came　to　our　camp。
  〃Ulan？　　（Red？）〃　asked　one　of　them。
  〃No！　No！〃　exclaimed　all　our　company。
  〃Tzagan？　　（White？）〃　followed　the　new　question。
  〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　Tartar；　〃all　are　Whites。〃
  〃Mende！　　Mende！〃　they　grunted　and；　after　starting　their　cups　of　tea；　began　to　relate　very　interesting　and　important　news。　　It　appeared　that　the　Red　Partisans；　moving　from　the　mountains　Tannu　Ola；　occupied　with　their　outposts　all　the　border　of　Mongolia　to　stop　and　seize　the　peasants　and　Soyots　driving　out　their　cattle。　To　pass　the　Tannu　Ola　now　would　be　impossible。　　I　saw　only　one　way　to　turn　sharp　to　the　southeast；　pass　the　swampy　valley　of　the　Buret　Hei　and　reach　the　south　shore　of　Lake　Kosogol；　which　is　already　in　the　territory　of　Mongolia　proper。　　It　was　very　unpleasant　news。　　To　the　first　Mongol　post　in　Samgaltai　was　not　more　than　sixty　miles　from　our　camp；　while　to　Kosogol　by　the　shortest　line　not　less　than　two　hundred　seventy…five。　　The　horses　my　friend　and　I　were　riding；　after　having　traveled　more　than　six　hundred　miles　over　hard　roads　and　without　proper　food　or　rest；　could　scarcely　make　such　an　additional　distance。　　But；　reflecting　upon　the　situation　and　studying　my　new　fellow　travelers；　I　determined　not　to　attempt　to　pass　the　Tannu　Ola。　　They　were　nervous；　morally　weary　men；　badly　dressed　and　armed　and　most　of　them　were　without　weapons。　　I　knew　that　during　a　fight　there　is　no　danger　so　great　as　that　of　disarmed　men。　　They　are　easily　caught　by　panic；　lose　their　heads　and　infect　all　the　others。　　Therefore；　I　consulted　with　my　friends　and　decided　to　go　to　Kosogol。　　Our　company　agreed　to　follow　us。　　After　luncheon；　consisting　of　soup　with　big　lumps　of　meat；　dry　bread　and　tea；　we　moved　out。　　About　two　o'clock　the　mountains　began　to　rise　up　before　us。　　They　were　the　northeast　outspurs　of　the　Tannu　Ola；　behind　which　lay　the　Valley　of　Buret　Hei。
  CHAPTER　XI
  THE　BARRIER　OF　RED　PARTISANS
  In　a　valley　between　two　sharp　ridges　we　discovered　a　herd　of　yaks　and　cattle　being　rapidly　driven　off　to　the　north　by　ten　mounted　Soyots。　　Approaching　us　warily　they　finally　revealed　that　Noyon　（Prince）　of　Todji　had　ordered　them　to　drive　the　herds　along　the　Buret　Hei　into　Mongol