登陆注册
4607200000024

第24章 IN THE COUNTRY OF ETERNAL PEACE(1)

The inhabitants of Urianhai, the Soyots, are proud of being the genuine Buddhists and of retaining the pure doctrine of holy Rama and the deep wisdom of Sakkia-Mouni. They are the eternal enemies of war and of the shedding of blood. Away back in the thirteenth century they preferred to move out from their native land and take refuge in the north rather than fight or become a part of the empire of the bloody conqueror Jenghiz Khan, who wanted to add to his forces these wonderful horsemen and skilled archers. Three times in their history they have thus trekked northward to avoid struggle and now no one can say that on the hands of the Soyots there has ever been seen human blood. With their love of peace they struggled against the evils of war. Even the severe Chinese administrators could not apply here in this country of peace the full measure of their implacable laws. In the same manner the Soyots conducted themselves when the Russian people, mad with blood and crime, brought this infection into their land. They avoided persistently meetings and encounters with the Red troops and Partisans, trekking off with their families and cattle southward into the distant principalities of Kemchik and Soldjak. The eastern branch of this stream of emigration passed through the valley of the Buret Hei, where we constantly outstrode groups of them with their cattle and herds.

We traveled quickly along the winding trail of the Buret Hei and in two days began to make the elevations of the mountain pass between the valleys of the Buret Hei and Kharga. The trail was not only very steep but was also littered with fallen larch trees and frequently intercepted, incredible as it may seem, with swampy places where the horses mired badly. Then again we picked our dangerous road over cobbles and small stones that rolled away under our horses' feet and bumped off over the precipice nearby. Our horses fatigued easily in passing this moraine that had been strewn by ancient glaciers along the mountain sides. Sometimes the trail led right along the edge of the precipices where the horses started great slides of stones and sand. I remember one whole mountain covered with these moving sands. We had to leave our saddles and, taking the bridles in our hands, to trot for a mile or more over these sliding beds, sometimes sinking in up to our knees and going down the mountain side with them toward the precipices below. One imprudent move at times would have sent us over the brink. This destiny met one of our horses. Belly down in the moving trap, he could not work free to change his direction and so slipped on down with a mass of it until he rolled over the precipice and was lost to us forever. We heard only the crackling of breaking trees along his road to death. Then with great difficulty we worked down to salvage the saddle and bags. Further along we had to abandon one of our pack horses which had come all the way from the northern border of Urianhai with us. We first unburdened it but this did not help; no more did our shouting and threats. He only stood with his head down and looked so exhausted that we realized he had reached the further bourne of his land of toil. Some Soyots with us examined him, felt of his muscles on the fore and hind legs, took his head in their hands and moved it from side to side, examined his head carefully after that and then said:

"That horse will not go further. His brain is dried out." So we had to leave him.

That evening we came to a beautiful change in scene when we topped a rise and found ourselves on a broad plateau covered with larch.

On it we discovered the yurtas of some Soyot hunters, covered with bark instead of the usual felt. Out of these ten men with rifles rushed toward us as we approached. They informed us that the Prince of Soldjak did not allow anyone to pass this way, as he feared the coming of murderers and robbers into his dominions.

"Go back to the place from which you came," they advised us with fear in their eyes.

I did not answer but I stopped the beginnings of a quarrel between an old Soyot and one of my officers. I pointed to the small stream in the valley ahead of us and asked him its name.

"Oyna," replied the Soyot. "It is the border of the principality and the passage of it is forbidden.""All right," I said, "but you will allow us to warm and rest ourselves a little.""Yes, yes!" exclaimed the hospitable Soyots, and led us into their tepees.

On our way there I took the opportunity to hand to the old Soyot a cigarette and to another a box of matches. We were all walking along together save one Soyot who limped slowly in the rear and was holding his hand up over his nose.

"Is he ill?" I asked.

"Yes," sadly answered the old Soyot. "That is my son. He has been losing blood from the nose for two days and is now quite weak."I stopped and called the young man to me.

"Unbutton your outer coat," I ordered, "bare your neck and chest and turn your face up as far as you can." I pressed the jugular vein on both sides of his head for some minutes and said to him:

"The blood will not flow from your nose any more. Go into your tepee and lie down for some time."The "mysterious" action of my fingers created on the Soyots a strong impression. The old Soyot with fear and reverence whispered:

"Ta Lama, Ta Lama! (Great Doctor)."

In the yurta we were given tea while the old Soyot sat thinking deeply about something. Afterwards he took counsel with his companions and finally announced:

"The wife of our Prince is sick in her eyes and I think the Prince will be very glad if I lead the 'Ta Lama' to him. He will not punish me, for he ordered that no 'bad people' should be allowed to pass; but that should not stop the 'good people' from coming to us.

同类推荐
  • 中山经

    中山经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 阿那邠邸化七子经

    阿那邠邸化七子经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 元始天尊说生天得道经

    元始天尊说生天得道经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 医学从众录

    医学从众录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 云麓漫钞

    云麓漫钞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 唐氏女

    唐氏女

    正元四年,天下初定。紫霄宝殿的大门吱一声打开,又吱一声闭合,唐仲晋一身污秽的囚服站在堂……
  • 贼影独行

    贼影独行

    系统提示:叮!恭喜进入游戏世界,随即选择难度。叮!当前游戏难度为:炼狱。某人:“???”这是一个几乎完全拟真的游戏。某人:“这是一个只坑我的游戏!”这是一个完美的异世界。某人:“这个世界对我充满了恶意!”欢迎进入天际游戏世界。某人:“天际虐我千百遍,我待天际如初恋!”这是一个非酋盗贼的艰难成长历程。一且看他如何一步步踏上盗贼神座。
  • 回收商的万界之旅

    回收商的万界之旅

    作为一个拥有逆天外挂的时空旅行者,流云总感觉,自己所倚仗的外挂,似乎跟自己所预想的不太一样……为什么我有一种不详的预感,难道未来我的画风,可能有些不太正常?现已加入宇宙大能的豪华养成计划……我在万界打酱油系列……民国—金书—漫威—现代—魔禁—诛仙—?
  • 凤在苍穹

    凤在苍穹

    她,医科大学高才生,杨氏太极第二十八代掌门人,全国武术冠军,才貌双全,绝世无双;她,知府千金,聪明伶俐,五岁吟诗,六岁作画,才艺超群,名冠扬州。一张传说中的藏宝图,一本子虚乌有的武功秘笈,一宗灭门惨案;一场冠今中外的武林盛会,一场权势的争夺。她魂附她,宝藏之迷,秘笈传说,灭门真相,江湖的血雨腥风,朝堂的风动暗涌,一路披荆斩棘,武林称雄,朝堂争锋。铅华散尽,落魄太子,少年将军,妖魅盟主,谁才是与她比翼双飞的良人?
  • 原来抵不过

    原来抵不过

    如果说可以重来,那么我慕初语,还会这样选择。也许,我等了凌然好久。但是原来,抵不过柳樱君的一句都过去了又或许,郭凝沫盼了言时更久。但是后来,抵不过尹笑的一句我知道你在等我。命运弄人造化弄人后来的我们,原来属于那个适合自己的人,却不一定是最爱的。所有的我们都很平凡,没有做大事业,没有出名出众。我从来都不后悔,爱上凌然。我也知道凌然不会后悔,最终安定他漂泊已久的心让我们的故事,开始在那个秋天。原来一切都抵不过……
  • 皇家守卫战

    皇家守卫战

    小栀子、小百合、小芍药三个女孩是非常要好的朋友。有一天,她们被一阵阵龙卷风吹到了另外一个世界,接受了新的使命。在她们踏上新的冒险途中,遇到了好多同伴,大伙儿一起打败了神仙家族和魔王。在这过程中得到了很多人的帮助,收获了纯真的友谊,最后齐心协力恢复了异世界的和平。
  • 季羡林谈师友(典藏本)

    季羡林谈师友(典藏本)

    在我所知道的世界语言中,只有汉语把“恩”与“师”紧密地嵌在一起,成为一个不可分割的名词。这只能解释为中国人最懂得报师恩,为其民族所望尘莫及。——季羡林交友之道,盖亦难矣。其中有机遇,有偶合,有一见如故,有相对茫然。友谊的深厚并不与会面的时间长短成正比。——季羡林我主要论述的是寅恪先生的人生基本态度,也就是“独立之精神,自由之思想”。这似乎有点离了题,可是我认为,并没有离。一个学者的基本人生态度怎么能够同他的学术思想截然分开呢?以陈先生的人生基本态度为切入口来求索他的学术思想,必能有新的收获。——季羡林
  • z惊艳了余生

    z惊艳了余生

    承蒙你出现,惊艳了遇见,温暖了余生,蹉跎了岁月。
  • 男神魅惑:乖乖老婆别休我

    男神魅惑:乖乖老婆别休我

    他是诧叱风云风度翩翩的商业帝豪;是众女生心中颜值爆表的钻石级男神:而她,是节操无下限的小清新一枚;当钻石级男神遭遇腹黑无节操女帝;“你,去帮我买姨妈巾。”他嗤之一笑,脸如雕塑一般毫无表情。“陆文轩,去还是不去。”他堂堂一BOSS,岂会受威胁。她近前一步,又急又气:“信不信我浸你们家一别墅的血,说,你去还是不去……”
  • 重生找个明星老公

    重生找个明星老公

    如果有机会重生一次,你想改变什么安悦兮:改变?先从名字开始还有最最重要的,那就是谈个早恋安悦兮上辈子一事无成,将就一辈子,这辈子想为自己而活,不说多么精彩,但要活出自己想要的样子安悦兮:本来只是想好好活一回就可以了,没想到,老天给自己一个更大的惊喜,一不小心,钓了个明星老公。