“Mende,” they grunted to us and then, without ceremony, began examining us critically.  Not a button or a seam in our entire outfit escaped their penetrating gaze.  Afterwards one of them, who appeared to be the local “Merin” or governor, began to investigate our political views.  Listening to our criticisms of the Bolsheviki, he was evidently pleased and began talking freely.

“You are good people.  You do not like Bolsheviki.  We will help you.”

I thanked him and presented him with the thick silk cord which I was wearing as a girdle.  Before night they left us saying that they would return in the morning.  It grew dark.  We went to the meadow to look after our exhausted horses grazing there and came back to the house.  We were gaily chatting with the hospitable host when suddenly we heard horses’ hoofs in the court and raucous voices, followed by the immediate entry of five Red soldiers armed 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 exploring for bridges, roads and gold mines.  From them we then learned that their commander would arrive in a little while with seven more men and that they would take our host at once as a guide to the Seybi River, where they thought the Cossack officers must be hidden.  Immediately I remarked that our affairs were moving fortunately and that we must travel along together.  One of the soldiers replied that that would depend upon the “Comrade-officer.”

During our conversation the Soyot Governor entered.  Very attentively he studied again the new arrivals and then asked:  “Why did you take from the Soyots the good horses and leave bad ones?”

The soldiers laughed at him.

“Remember that you are in a foreign country!” answered the Soyot, with a threat in his voice.

“God and the Devil!” cried one of the soldiers.

But the Soyot very calmly took a seat at the table and accepted the cup of tea the hostess was preparing for him.  The conversation ceased.  The Soyot finished the tea, smoked his long pipe and, standing up, said: 

“If tomorrow morning the horses are not back at the owner’s, we shall come and take them.”  And with these words he turned and went out.

I noticed an expression of apprehension on the faces of the soldiers.  Shortly one was sent out as a messenger while the others sat silent with bowed heads.  Late in the night the officer arrived with his other seven men.  As he received the report about the Soyot, he knitted his brows and said: 

“It’s a bad mess.  We must travel through the swamp where a Soyot will be behind every mound watching us.”