“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.