A discussion at once sprang up among the officers as to what they should do with this group, which split the detachment into two distinct parties.  Lt.-Colonel Michailoff with several officers joined themselves to Poletika’s group just as Colonel Domojiroff arrived with his detachment.  He began to get in touch with both factions and to feel out the politics of the situation, finally appointing Poletika to the post of Commandant of Uliassutai and sending to Baron Ungern a full report of the events in the town.  In this document he devoted much space to me, accusing me of standing in the way of the execution of his orders.  His officers watched me continuously.  From different quarters I received warnings to take great care.  This band and its leader openly demanded to know what right this foreigner had to interfere in the affairs of Mongolia, one of Domojiroff’s officers directly giving me the challenge in a meeting in the attempt to provoke a controversy.  I quietly answered him: 

“And on what basis do the Russian refugees interfere, they who have rights neither at home nor abroad?”

The officer made no verbal reply but in his eyes burned a definite answer.  My huge friend who sat beside me noticed this, strode over toward him and, towering over him, stretched his arms and hands as though just waking from sleep and remarked:  “I’m looking for a little boxing exercise.”

On one occasion Domojiroff’s men would have succeeded in taking me if I had not been saved by the watchfulness of our foreign group.  I had gone to the fortress to negotiate with the Mongol Sait for the departure of the foreigners from Uliassutai.  Chultun Beyli detained me for a long time, so that I was forced to return about nine in the evening.  My horse was walking.  Half a mile from the town three men sprang up out of the ditch and ran at me.  I whipped up my horse but noticed several more men coming out of the other ditch as though to head me off.  They, however, made for the other group and captured them and I heard the voice of a foreigner calling me back.  There I found three of Domojiroff’s officers surrounded by the Polish soldiers and other foreigners under the leadership of my old trusted agronome, who was occupied with tying the hands of the officers behind their backs so strongly that the bones cracked.  Ending his work and still smoking his perpetual pipe, he announced in a serious and important manner:  “I think it best to throw them into the river.”

Laughing at his seriousness and the fear of Domojiroff’s officers, I asked them why they had started to attack me.  They dropped their eyes and were silent.  It was an eloquent silence and we perfectly understood what they had proposed to do.  They had revolvers hidden in their pockets.

“Fine!” I said.  “All is perfectly clear.  I shall release you but you must report to your sender that he will not welcome you back the next time.  Your weapons I shall hand to the Commandant of Uliassutai.”