beasts, men and gods-第31部分

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defend　all　the　officers　of　Uliassutai；　maintaining　that　one　must　not　trust　only　the　reports　of　Domojiroff。　　When　our　conversation　was　finished；　the　Captain　stood　up　and　offered　his　apologies　for　detaining　me　in　my　journey。　　Afterwards　he　presented　me　a　fine　Mauser　with　silver　mountings　on　the　handle　and　said：

〃Your　pride　greatly　pleased　me。　　I　beg　you　to　receive　this　weapon　as　a　memento　of　me。〃

The　following　morning　I　set　out　anew　from　Zain　Shabi；　having　in　my　pocket　the　laissez…passer　of　Bezrodnoff　for　his　outposts。


CHAPTER　XXXI

TRAVELING　BY　〃URGA〃


Once　more　we　traveled　along　the　now　known　places；　the　mountain　from　which　I　espied　the　detachment　of　Bezrodnoff；　the　stream　into　which　I　had　thrown　my　weapon；　and　soon　all　this　lay　behind　us。　　At　the　first　ourton　we　were　disappointed　because　we　did　not　find　horses　there。　　In　the　yurtas　were　only　the　host　with　two　of　his　sons。　　I　showed　him　my　document　and　he　exclaimed：

〃Noyon　has　the　right　of　'urga。'　　Horses　will　be　brought　very　soon。〃

He　jumped　into　his　saddle；　took　two　of　my　Mongols　with　him；　providing　them　and　himself　with　long　thin　poles；　four　or　five　metres　in　length；　and　fitted　at　the　end　with　a　loop　of　rope；　and　galloped　away。　　My　cart　moved　behind　them。　　We　left　the　road；　crossed　the　plain　for　an　hour　and　came　upon　a　big　herd　of　horses　grazing　there。　　The　Mongol　began　to　catch　a　quota　of　them　for　us　with　his　pole　and　noose　or　urga；　when　out　of　the　mountains　nearby　came　galloping　the　owners　of　the　herds。　　When　the　old　Mongol　showed　my　papers　to　them；　they　submissively　acquiesced　and　substituted　four　of　their　men　for　those　who　had　come　with　me　thus　far。　　In　this　manner　the　Mongols　travel；　not　along　the　ourton　or　station　road　but　directly　from　one　herd　to　another；　where　the　fresh　horses　are　caught　and　saddled　and　the　new　owners　substituted　for　those　of　the　last　herd。　　All　the　Mongols　so　effected　by　the　right　of　urga　try　to　finish　their　task　as　rapidly　as　possible　and　gallop　like　mad　for　the　nearest　herd　in　your　general　direction　of　travel　to　turn　over　their　task　to　their　neighbor。　　Any　traveler　having　this　right　of　urga　can　catch　horses　himself　and；　if　there　are　no　owners；　can　force　the　former　ones　to　carry　on　and　leave　the　animals　in　the　next　herd　he　requisitions。　　But　this　happens　very　rarely　because　the　Mongol　never　likes　to　seek　out　his　animals　in　another's　herd；　as　it　always　gives　so　many　chances　for　controversy。

It　was　from　this　custom；　according　to　one　explanation；　that　the　town　of　Urga　took　its　name　among　outsiders。　　By　the　Mongols　themselves　it　is　always　referred　to　as　Ta　Kure；　〃The　Great　Monastery。〃　　The　reason　the　Buriats　and　Russians；　who　were　the　first　to　trade　into　this　region；　called　it　Urga　was　because　it　was　the　principal　destination　of　all　the　trading　expeditions　which　crossed　the　plains　by　this　old　method　or　right　of　travel。　　A　second　explanation　is　that　the　town　lies　in　a　〃loop〃　whose　sides　are　formed　by　three　mountain　ridges；　along　one　of　which　the　River　Tola　runs　like　the　pole　or　stick　of　the　familiar　urga　of　the　plains。

Thanks　to　this　unique　ticket　of　urga　I　crossed　quite　untraveled　sections　of　Mongolia　for　about　two　hundred　miles。　　It　gave　me　the　welcome　opportunity　to　observe　the　fauna　of　this　part　of　the　country。　　I　saw　many　huge　herds　of　Mongolian　antelopes　running　from　five　to　six　thousand；　many　groups　of　bighorns；　wapiti　and　kabarga　antelopes。　　Sometimes　small　herds　of　wild　horses　and　wild　asses　flashed　as　a　vision　on　the　horizon。

In　one　place　I　observed　a　big　colony　of　marmots。　　All　over　an　area　of　several　square　miles　their　mounds　were　scattered　with　the　holes　leading　down　to　their　runways　below；　the　dwellings　of　the　marmot。　In　and　out　among　these　mounds　the　greyish…yellow　or　brown　animals　ran　in　all　sizes　up　to　half　that　of　an　average　dog。　　They　ran　heavily　and　the　skin　on　their　fat　bodies　moved　as　though　it　were　too　big　for　them。　　The　marmots　are　splendid　prospectors；　always　digging　deep　ditches；　throwing　out　on　the　surface　all　the　stones。　In　many　places　I　saw　mounds　the　marmots　had　made　from　copper　ore　and　farther　north　some　from　minerals　containing　wolfram　and　vanadium。　　Whenever　the　marmot　is　at　the　entrance　of　his　hole；　he　sits　up　straight　on　his　hind　legs　and　looks　like　a　bit　of　wood；　a　small　stump　or　a　stone。　　As　soon　as　he　spies　a　rider　in　the　distance；　he　watches　him　with　great　curiosity　and　begins　whistling　sharply。　　This　curiosity　of　the　marmots　is　taken　advantage　of　by　the　hunters；　who　sneak　up　to　their　holes　flourishing　streamers　of　cloth　on　the　tips　of　long　poles。　　The　whole　attention　of　the　small　animals　is　concentrated　on　this　small　flag　and　only　the　bullet　that　takes　his　life　explains　to　him　the　reason　for　this　previously　unknown　object。

I　saw　a　very　exciting　picture　as　I　passed　through　a　marmot　colony　near　the　Orkhon　River。　　There　were　thousands　of　holes　here　so　that　my　Mongols　had　to　use　all　their　skill　to　keep　the　horses　from　breaking　their　legs　in　them。　　I　noticed　an　eagle　circling　high　overhead。　　All　of　a　sudden　he　dropped　like　a　stone　to　the　top　of　a　mound；　where　he　sat　motionless　as　a　rock。　　The　marmot　in　a　few　minutes　ran　out　of　his　hole　to　a　neighbor's　doorway。　　The　eagle　calmly　jumped　down　from　the　top　and　with　one　wing　closed　the　entrance　to　the　hole。　　The　rodent　heard　the　noise；　turned　back　and　rushed　to　the　attack；　trying　to　break　through　to　his　hole　where　he　had　evidently　left　his　family。　　The　struggle　began。　　The　eagle　fought　with　one　free　wing；　one　leg　and　his　beak　but　did　not　withdraw　the　bar　to　the　entrance。　　The　marmot　jumped　at　the　rapacious　bird　with　great　boldness　but　soon　fell　from　a　blow　on　the　head。　　Only　then　the　eagle　withdrew　his　wing；　approached　the　marmot；　finished　him　off　and　with　difficulty　lifted　him　in　his　talons　to　carry　him　away　to　the　mountains　for　a　tasty　luncheon。

In　the　more　barren　places　with　only　occasional　spears　of　grass　in　the　plain　another　species　of　rodent　lives；　called　imouran；　about　the　size　of　a　squirrel。　　They　have　a　coat　the　same　color　as　the　prairie　and；　running　about　it　like　snakes；　they　collect　the　seeds　that　are　blown　across　by　the　wind　and　carry　them　down　into　their　diminutive　homes。　　The　imouran　has　a　truly　faithful　friend；　the　yellow　lark　of　the　prairie　with　a　brown　back　and　head。　　When　he　sees　the　imouran　running　across　the　plain；　he　settles　on　his　back；　flaps　his　wings　in　balance　and　rides　well　this　swiftly　galloping　mount；　who　gaily　flourishes　his　long　shaggy　tail。　　The　lark　during　his　ride　skilfully　and　quickly　catches　the　parasites　living　on　the　body　of　his　friend；　giving　evidence　of　his　enjoyment　of　his　work　with　a　short　agreeable　song。　　The　Mongols　call　the　imouran　〃the　steed　of　the　gay　lark。〃　　The　lark　warns　the　imouran　of　the　approach　of　eagles　and　hawks　with　three　sharp　whistles　the　moment　he　sees　the　aerial　brigand　and　takes　refuge　himself　behind　a　stone　or　in　a　small　ditch。　　After　this　signal　no　imouran　will　stick　his　head　out　of　his　hole　until　the　danger　is　past。　　Thus　the　gay　lark　and　his　steed　live　in　kindly　neighborliness。

In　other　parts　of　Mongolia　where　there　was　very　rich　grass　I　saw　another　type　of　rodent；　which　I　had　previously　come　across　in　Urianhai。　　It　is　a　gigantic　black　prairie　rat　with　a　short　tail　and　lives　in　colonies　of　from　one　to　two　hundred。　　He　is　interesting　and　unique　as　the　most　skilful　farmer　among　the　animals　in　his　preparation　of　his　winter　supply　of　fodder。　　During　the　weeks　when　the　grass　is　most　succulent　he　actually　mows　it　down　with　swift　jerky　swings　of　his　head；　cutting　about　twenty　or　thirty　stalks　with　his　sharp　long　front　teeth。　　Then　he　allows　his　grass　to　cure　and　later　puts　up　his　prepared　hay　in　a　most　scientific　manner。　First　he　makes　a　mound　about　a　foot　high。　　Through　this　he　pushes　down　into　the　ground　four　slanting　stakes；　converging　toward　the　middle　of　the　pile；　and　binds　them　close　over　the　surface　of　the　hay　with　the　longest　strands　of　grass；　leaving　the　ends　protruding　enough　for　him　to　add　another　foot　to　the　height　of　the　pile；　when　he　again　binds　the　surface　with　more　long　strandsall　this　to　keep　his　winter　supply　of　food　from　blowing　away　over　the　prairie。　　This　stock　he　always　locates　right　at　the　door　of　his　den　to　avoid　long　winter　hauls。　　The　horses　and　camels　are　very　fond　of　this　small　farmer's　hay；　because　it　is　always　made　from　the　most　nutritious　grass。　　The　haycocks　are　so　strongly　made　that　one　can　hardly　kick　them　to　pieces。

Almost　everywhere　in　Mongolia　I　met　either　single　pairs　or　whole　flocks　of　the　greyish…yellow　prairie　partridges；　salga　or　〃partridge　swallow；〃　so　called　because　they　have　long　sharp　tails　resembling　those　of　swallows　and　because　their　flight　also　is　a　close　copy　of　that　of　the　swallow。　　These　birds　are　very　tame　or　fearless；　allowing　men　to　come　within　ten　or　fifteen　paces　of　them；　but；　when　they　do　break；　they　go　high　and　fly　long　distances　without　lighting；　whistling　all　the　time　quite　like　swallows。　Their　general　markings　are　light　grey　and　yellow；　though　the　males　have　pretty　chocolate　spots　on　the　backs　and　wings；　while　their　legs　and　feet　are　heavily　feathered。

My　opportunity　to　make　these　observations　came　from　traveling　through　unfrequented　regions　by　the　urga；　which；　however；　had　its　counterbalancing　disadvantages。　　The　Mongols　carried　me　directly　and　swiftly　toward　my　destination；　receiving　with　great　satisfaction　the　presents　of　Chinese　dollars　which　I　gave　them。　But　after　having　made　about　five　thousand　miles　on　my　Cossack　saddle　that　now　lay　behind　me　on　the　cart　all　covered　with　dust　like　common　merchandise；　I　rebelled　against　being　wracked　and　torn　by　the　rough　riding　of　the　cart　as　it　was　swung　heedlessly　over　stones；　hillocks　and　ditches　by　the　wild　horses　with　their　equally　wild　riders；　bounding　and　cracking　and　holding　together　only　through　its　tenacity　of　purpose　in　demonstrating　the　cosiness　and　attractiveness　of　a　good　Mongol　equipage！　　All　my　bones　began　to　ache。　　Finally　I　groaned　at　every　lunge　and　at　last　I　suffered　a　very　sharp　attack　of　ischias　or　sciatica　in　my　wounded　leg。　　At　night　I　could　neither　sleep；　lie　down　nor　sit　with　comfort　and　spent　the　whole　night　pacing　up　and　down　the　plain；　listening　to　the　loud　snoring　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　yurta。　　At　times　I　had　to　fight　the　two　huge　black　dogs　which　at