Two　days　later　we　were　approaching　the　shore　of　the　River　Uri　when　we　met　two　Russian　riders；　who　were　the　Cossacks　of　a　certain　Ataman　Sutunin；　acting　against　the　Bolsheviki　in　the　valley　of　the　River　Selenga。　　They　were　riding　to　carry　a　message　from　Sutunin　to　Kaigorodoff；　chief　of　the　Anti…Bolsheviki　in　the　Altai　region。　They　informed　us　that　along　the　whole　Russian…Mongolian　border　the　Bolshevik　troops　were　scattered；　also　that　Communist　agitators　had　penetrated　to　Kiakhta；　Ulankom　and　Kobdo　and　had　persuaded　the　Chinese　authorities　to　surrender　to　the　Soviet　authorities　all　the　refugees　from　Russia。　　We　knew　that　in　the　neighborhood　of　Urga　and　Van　Kure　engagements　were　taking　place　between　the　Chinese　troops　and　the　detachments　of　the　Anti…Bolshevik　Russian　General　Baron　Ungern　Sternberg　and　Colonel　Kazagrandi；　who　were　fighting　for　the　independence　of　Outer　Mongolia。　　Baron　Ungern　had　now　been　twice　defeated；　so　that　the　Chinese　were　carrying　on　high…handed　in　Urga；　suspecting　all　foreigners　of　having　relations　with　the　Russian　General。
  We　realized　that　the　whole　situation　was　sharply　reversed。　　The　route　to　the　Pacific　was　closed。　　Reflecting　very　carefully　over　the　problem；　I　decided　that　we　had　but　one　possible　exit　left。　　We　must　avoid　all　Mongolian　cities　with　Chinese　administration；　cross　Mongolia　from　north　to　south；　traverse　the　desert　in　the　southern　part　of　the　Principality　of　Jassaktu　Khan；　enter　the　Gobi　in　the　western　part　of　Inner　Mongolia；　strike　as　rapidly　as　possible　through　sixty　miles　of　Chinese　territory　in　the　Province　of　Kansu　and　penetrate　into　Tibet。　　Here　I　hoped　to　search　out　one　of　the　English　Consuls　and　with　his　help　to　reach　some　English　port　in　India。　　I　understood　thoroughly　all　the　difficulties　incident　to　such　an　enterprise　but　I　had　no　other　choice。　　It　only　remained　to　make　this　last　foolish　attempt　or　to　perish　without　doubt　at　the　hands　of　the　Boisheviki　or　languish　in　a　Chinese　prison。　　When　I　announced　my　plan　to　my　companions；　without　in　any　way　hiding　from　them　all　its　dangers　and　quixotism；　all　of　them　answered　very　quickly　and　shortly：　　〃Lead　us！　　We　will　follow。〃
  One　circumstance　was　distinctly　in　our　favor。　　We　did　not　fear　hunger；　for　we　had　some　supplies　of　tea；　tobacco　and　matches　and　a　surplus　of　horses；　saddles；　rifles；　overcoats　and　boots；　which　were　an　excellent　currency　for　exchange。　　So　then　we　began　to　initiate　the　plan　of　the　new　expedition。　　We　should　start　to　the　south；　leaving　the　town　of　Uliassutai　on　our　right　and　taking　the　direction　of　Zaganluk；　then　pass　through　the　waste　lands　of　the　district　of　Balir　of　Jassaktu　Khan；　cross　the　Naron　Khuhu　Gobi　and　strike　for　the　mountains　of　Boro。　　Here　we　should　be　able　to　take　a　long　rest　to　recuperate　the　strength　of　our　horses　and　of　ourselves。　　The　second　section　of　our　journey　would　be　the　passage　through　the　western　part　of　Inner　Mongolia；　through　the　Little　Gobi；　through　the　lands　of　the　Torguts；　over　the　Khara　Mountains；　across　Kansu；　where　our　road　must　be　chosen　to　the　west　of　the　Chinese　town　of　Suchow。　　From　there　we　should　have　to　enter　the　Dominion　of　Kuku　Nor　and　then　work　on　southward　to　the　head　waters　of　the　Yangtze　River。　　Beyond　this　I　had　but　a　hazy　notion；　which　however　I　was　able　to　verify　from　a　map　of　Asia　in　the　possession　of　one　of　the　officers；　to　the　effect　that　the　mountain　chains　to　the　west　of　the　sources　of　the　Yangtze　separated　that　river　system　from　the　basin　of　the　Brahmaputra　in　Tibet　Proper；　where　I　expected　to　be　able　to　find　English　assistance。
  CHAPTER　XV
  THE　MARCH　OF　GHOSTS
  In　no　other　way　can　I　describe　the　journey　from　the　River　Ero　to　the　border　of　Tibet。　　About　eleven　hundred　miles　through　the　snowy　steppes；　over　mountains　and　across　deserts　we　traveled　in　forty…　eight　days。　　We　hid　from　the　people　as　we　journeyed；　made　short　stops　in　the　most　desolate　places；　fed　for　whole　weeks　on　nothing　but　raw；　frozen　meat　in　order　to　avoid　attracting　attention　by　the　smoke　of　fires。　　Whenever　we　needed　to　purchase　a　sheep　or　a　steer　for　our　supply　department；　we　sent　out　only　two　unarmed　men　who　represented　to　the　natives　that　they　were　the　workmen　of　some　Russian　colonists。　　We　even　feared　to　shoot；　although　we　met　a　great　herd　of　antelopes　numbering　as　many　as　five　thousand　head。　Behind　Balir　in　the　lands　of　the　Lama　Jassaktu　Khan；　who　had　inherited　his　throne　as　a　result　of　the　poisoning　of　his　brother　at　Urga　by　order　of　the　Living　Buddha；　we　met　wandering　Russian　Tartars　who　had　driven　their　herds　all　the　way　from　Altai　and　Abakan。　　They　welcomed　us　very　cordially；　gave　us　oxen　and　thirty…　six　bricks　of　tea。　　Also　they　saved　us　from　inevitable　destruction；　for　they　told　us　that　at　this　season　it　was　utterly　impossible　for　horses　to　make　the　trip　across　the　Gobi；　where　there　was　no　grass　at　all。　　We　must　buy　camels　by　exchanging　for　them　our　horses　and　some　other　of　our　bartering　supplies。　　One　of　the　Tartars　the　next　day　brought　to　their　camp　a　rich　Mongol　with　whom　he　drove　the　bargain　for　this　trade。　　He　gave　us　nineteen　camels　and　took　all　our　horses；　one　rifle；　one　pistol　and　the　best　Cossack　saddle。　　He　advised　us　by　all　means　to　visit　the　sacred　Monastery　of　Narabanchi；　the　last　Lamaite　monastery　on　the　road　from　Mongolia　to　Tibet。　　He　told　us　that　the　Holy　Hutuktu；　〃the　Incarnate　Buddha；〃　would　be　greatly　offended　if　we　did　not　visit　the　monastery　and　his　famous　〃Shrine　of　Blessings；〃　where　all　travelers　going　to　Tibet　always　offered　prayers。　　Our　Kalmuck　Lamaite　supported　the　Mongol　in　this。　　I　decided　to　go　there　with　the　Kalmuck。　　The　Tartars　gave　me　some　big　silk　hatyk　as　presents　and　loaned　us　four　splendid　horses。　　Although　the　monastery　was　fifty…five　miles　distant；　by　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening　I　entered　the　yurta　of　this　holy　Hutuktu。
  He　was　a　middle…aged；　clean　shaven；　spare　little　man；　laboring　under　the　name　of　Jelyb　Djamsrap　Hutuktu。　　He　received　us　very　cordially　and　was　greatly　pleased　with　the　presentation　of　the　hatyk　and　with　my　knowledge　of　the　Mongol　etiquette　in　which　my　Tartar　had　been　long　and　persistently　instructing　me。　　He　listened　to　me　most　attentively　and　gave　valuable　advice　about　the　road；　presenting　me　then　with　a　ring　which　has　since　opened　for　me　the　doors　of　all　Lamaite　monasteries。　　The　name　of　this　Hutuktu　is　highly　esteemed　not　only　in　all　Mongolia　but　in　Tibet　and　in　the　Lamaite　world　of　China。　　We　spent　the　night　in　his　splendid　yurta　and　on　the　following　morning　visited　the　shrines　where　they　were　conducting　very　solemn　services　with　the　music　of　gongs；　tom…toms　and　whistling。　　The　Lamas　with　their　deep　voices　were　intoning　the　prayers　while　the　lesser　priests　answered　with　their　antiphonies。　The　sacred　phrase：　　〃Om！　　Mani　padme　Hung！〃　was　endlessly　repeated。
  The　Hutuktu　wished　us　success；　presented　us　with　a　large　yellow　hatyk　and　accompanied　us　to　the　monastery　gate。　　When　we　were　in　our　saddles　he　said：
  〃Remember　that　you　are　always　welcome　guests　here。　　Life　is　very　complicated　and　anything　may　happen。　　Perhaps　you　will　be　forced　in　future　to　re…visit　distant　Mongolia　and　then　do　not　miss　Narabanchi　Kure。〃
  That　night　we　returned　to　the　Tartars　and　the　next　day　continued　our　journey。　　As　I　was　very　tired；　the　slow；　easy　motion　of　the　camel　was　welcome　and　restful　to　me。　　All　the　day　I　dozed　off　at　intervals　to　sleep。　　It　turned　out　to　be　very　disastrous　for　me；　for；　when　my　camel　was　going　up　the　steep　bank　of　a　river；　in　one　of　my　naps　I　fell　off　and　hit　my　head　on　a　stone；　lost　consciousness　and　woke　up　to　find　my　overcoat　covered　with　blood。　My　friends　surrounded　me　with　their　frightened　faces。　　They　bandaged　my　head　and　we　started　off　again。　　I　only　learned　long　afterwards　from　a　doctor　who　examined　me　that　I　had　cracked　my　skull　as　the　price　of　my　siesta。
  We　crossed　the　eastern　ranges　of　the　Altai　and　the　Karlik　Tag；　which　are　the　most　oriental　sentinels　the　great　Tian　Shan　system　throws　out　into　the　regions　of　the　Gobi；　and　then　traversed　from　the　north　to　the　south　the　entire　width　of　the　Khuhu　Gobi。　　Intense　cold　ruled　all　this　time　and　fortunately　the　frozen　sands　gave　us　better　speed。　　Before　passing　the　Khara　range；　we　exchanged　our　rocking…chair　steeds　for　horses；　a　deal　in　which　the　Torguts　skinned　us　badly　like　the　true　〃old　clothes　men〃　they　are。
  Skirting　around　these　mountains　we　entered　Kansu。　　It　was　a　dangerous　move；　for　the　Chinese　were　arresting　all　refugees　and　I　feared　for　my　Russian　fellow…travelers。　　During　the　days　we　hid　in　the　ravines；　the　forests　and　bushes；　making　forced　marches　at　night。　　Four　days　we　thus　used　in　this　passage　of　Kansu。　　The　few　Chinese　peasants　we　did　encounter　were　peaceful　appearing　and　most　hospitable。　　A　marked　sympathetic　interest　surrounded　the　Kalmuck；　who　could　speak　a　bit　of　Chinese；　and　my　box　of　medicines。　Everywhere　we　found　many　ill　people；　chiefly　afflicted　with　eye　troubles；　rheumatism　and　skin　diseases。
  As　we　were　approaching　Nan　Shan；　the　northeast　branch　of　the　Altyn　Tag　（which　is　in　turn　the　east　branch　of　the　Pamir　and　Karakhorum　system）；　we　overhauled　a　large　caravan　of　Chinese　merchants　going　to　Tibet　and　joined　them。　　For　three　days　we　were　winding　through　the　endless　ravine…like　valleys　of　these　mountains　and　ascending　the　high