CHAPTER XXXIV

　　At dawn of the following morning they led up the splendid whitecamel for me and we moved away. My company consisted of the twoCossacks, two Mongol soldiers and one Lama with two pack camelscarrying the tent and food. I still apprehended¹ that the Baron² hadit in mind not to dispose of me before my friends there in Van Kurebut to prepare this journey for me under the guise³ of which itwould be so easy to do away with me by the road. A bullet in theback and all would be finished. Consequently I was momentarilyready to draw my revolver and defend myself. I took care all thetime to have the Cossacks either ahead of me or at the side. Aboutnoon we heard the distant honk⁴ of a motor car and soon saw BaronUngern whizzing by us at full speed. With him were two adjutantsand Prince Daichin Van. The Baron greeted me very kindly⁵ andshouted:

"Shall see you again in Urga!""Ah!" I thought, "evidently I shall reach Urga. So I can be atease during my trip, and in Urga I have many friends beside thepresence there of the bold Polish soldiers whom I had worked within Uliassutai and who had outdistanced me in this journey."After the meeting with the Baron my Cossacks became very attentiveto me and sought to distract me with stories. They told me abouttheir very severe struggles with the Bolsheviki in Transbaikaliaand Mongolia, about the battle with the Chinese near Urga, aboutfinding communistic passports on several Chinese soldiers fromMoscow, about the bravery of Baron Ungern and how he would sit atthe campfire smoking and drinking tea right on the battle linewithout ever being touched by a bullet. At one fight seventy-fourbullets entered his overcoat, saddle and the boxes by his side andagain left him untouched. This is one of the reasons for his greatinfluence over the Mongols. They related how before the battle hehad made a reconnaissance in Urga with only one Cossack and on hisway back had killed a Chinese officer and two soldiers with hisbamboo stick or tashur; how he had no outfit⁶ save one change oflinen and one extra pair of boots; how he was always calm andjovial in battle and severe and morose⁷ in the rare days of peace;and how he was everywhere his soldiers were fighting.

I told them, in turn, of my escape from Siberia and with chattingthus the day slipped by very quickly. Our camels trotted⁸ all thetime, so that instead of the ordinary eighteen to twenty miles perday we made nearly fifty. My mount was the fastest of them all.

He was a huge white animal with a splendid thick mane and had beenpresented to Baron Ungern by some Prince of Inner Mongolia with twoblack sables⁹ tied on the bridle¹⁰. He was a calm, strong, bold giantof the desert, on whose back I felt myself as though perched on thetower of a building. Beyond the Orkhon River we came across thefirst dead body of a Chinese soldier, which lay face up and armsoutstretched right in the middle of the road. When we had crossedthe Burgut Mountains, we entered the Tola River valley, farther upwhich Urga is located. The road was strewn with the overcoats,shirts, boots, caps and kettles which the Chinese had thrown awayin their flight; and marked by many of their dead. Further on theroad crossed a morass¹¹, where on either side lay great mounds¹² of thedead bodies of men, horses and camels with broken carts andmilitary debris¹³ of every sort. Here the Tibetans of Baron Ungernhad cut up the escaping Chinese baggage transport; and it was astrange and gloomy contrast to see the piles of dead besides theeffervescing awakening¹⁴ life of spring. In every pool wild ducks ofdifferent kinds floated about; in the high grass the cranesperformed their weird¹⁵ dance of courtship; on the lakes great flocksof swans and geese were swimming; through the swampy¹⁶ places likespots of light moved the brilliantly colored pairs of the Mongoliansacred bird, the turpan or "Lama goose"; on the higher dry placesflocks of wild turkey gamboled and fought as they fed; flocks ofthe salga partridge whistled by; while on the mountain side not faraway the wolves lay basking¹⁸ and turning in the lazy warmth of thesun, whining¹⁹ and occasionally barking like playful dogs.

Nature knows only life. Death is for her but an episode whosetraces she rubs out with sand and snow or ornaments²⁰ with luxuriantgreenery and brightly colored bushes and flowers. What matters itto Nature if a mother at Chefoo or on the banks of the Yangtseoffers her bowl of rice with burning incense²¹ at some shrine²² andprays for the return of her son that has fallen unknown for alltime on the plains along the Tola, where his bones will dry beneaththe rays of Nature's dissipating fire and be scattered²³ by her windsover the sands of the prairie? It is splendid, this indifferenceof Nature to death, and her greediness for life!

On the fourth day we made the shores of the Tola well afternightfall. We could not find the regular ford²⁴ and I forced mycamel to enter the stream in the attempt to make a crossing withoutguidance. Very fortunately I found a shallow, though somewhatmiry, place and we got over all right. This is something to bethankful for in fording a river with a camel; because, when yourmount finds the water too deep, coming up around his neck, he doesnot strike out and swim like a horse will do but just rolls over onhis side and floats, which is vastly inconvenient²⁵ for his rider.

Down by the river we pegged²⁶ our tent.

Fifteen miles further on we crossed a battlefield, where the thirdgreat battle for the independence of Mongolia had been fought.

Here the troops of Baron Ungern clashed with six thousand Chinesemoving down from Kiakhta to the aid of Urga. The Chinese werecompletely defeated and four thousand prisoners taken. However,these surrendered Chinese tried to escape during the night. BaronUngern sent the Transbaikal Cossacks and Tibetans in pursuit ofthem and it was their work which we saw on this field of death.

There were still about fifteen hundred unburied and as many moreinterred, according to the statements of our Cossacks, who hadparticipated in this battle. The killed showed terrible swordwounds; everywhere equipment and other debris were scattered about.

The Mongols with their herds²⁷ moved away from the neighborhood andtheir place was taken by the wolves which hid behind every stoneand in every ditch as we passed. Packs of dogs that had becomewild fought with the wolves over the prey²⁸.

At last we left this place of carnage to the cursed god of war.

Soon we approached a shallow, rapid stream, where the Mongolsslipped from their camels, took off their caps and began drinking.

It was a sacred stream which passed beside the abode²⁹ of the LivingBuddha. From this winding³¹ valley we suddenly turned into anotherwhere a great mountain ridge¹⁷ covered with dark, dense³² forest loomedup before us.

"Holy Bogdo-Ol!" exclaimed the Lama. "The abode of the Gods whichguard our Living Buddha³⁰!"Bogdo-Ol is the huge knot which ties together here three mountainchains: Gegyl from the southwest, Gangyn from the south, and Huntufrom the north. This mountain covered with virgin³³ forest is theproperty of the Living Buddha. The forests are full of nearly allthe varieties of animals found in Mongolia, but hunting is notallowed. Any Mongol violating this law is condemned³⁴ to death,while foreigners are deported³⁵. Crossing the Bogdo-Ol is forbiddenunder penalty of death. This command was transgressed³⁶ by only oneman, Baron Ungern, who crossed the mountain with fifty Cossacks,penetrated to the palace of the Living Buddha, where the Pontiff ofUrga was being held under arrest by the Chinese, and stole him.

1 apprehended   

逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解

参考例句：

• She apprehended the complicated law very quickly. 她很快理解了复杂的法律。
• The police apprehended the criminal. 警察逮捕了罪犯。

2 baron   

n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王

参考例句：

• Henry Ford was an automobile baron.亨利·福特是一位汽车业巨头。
• The baron lived in a strong castle.男爵住在一座坚固的城堡中。

3 guise   

n.外表，伪装的姿态

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors.他们假装成视察员进了学校。
• The thief came into the house under the guise of a repairman.那小偷扮成个修理匠进了屋子。

4 honk   

n.雁叫声，汽车喇叭声

参考例句：

• Don't honk the horn indiscriminately.不要乱鸣喇叭！
• While passing another vehicle,you must honk your horn.通过另一部车时必须鸣按喇叭。

5 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

6 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

7 morose   

adj.脾气坏的，不高兴的

参考例句：

• He was silent and morose.他沉默寡言、郁郁寡欢。
• The publicity didn't make him morose or unhappy?公开以后，没有让他郁闷或者不开心吗？

8 trotted   

小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走

参考例句：

• She trotted her pony around the field. 她骑着小马绕场慢跑。
• Anne trotted obediently beside her mother. 安妮听话地跟在妈妈身边走。

9 sables   

n.紫貂( sable的名词复数 )；紫貂皮；阴暗的；暗夜

参考例句：

• Able sables staple apples on stable tables. 能干的黑貂把苹果钉在牢固的桌子上。 来自互联网

10 bridle   

n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒

参考例句：

• He learned to bridle his temper.他学会了控制脾气。
• I told my wife to put a bridle on her tongue.我告诉妻子说话要谨慎。

11 morass   

n.沼泽，困境

参考例句：

• I tried to drag myself out of the morass of despair.我试图从绝望的困境中走出来。
• Mathematical knowledge was certain and offered a secure foothold in a morass.数学知识是确定无疑的,它给人们在沼泽地上提供了一个稳妥的立足点。

12 mounds   

土堆，土丘( mound的名词复数 )； 一大堆

参考例句：

• We had mounds of tasteless rice. 我们有成堆成堆的淡而无味的米饭。
• Ah! and there's the cemetery' - cemetery, he must have meant. 'You see the mounds? 啊，这就是同墓，”——我想他要说的一定是公墓，“看到那些土墩了吗？

13 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

14 awakening   

n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的

参考例句：

• the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
• People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。

15 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

16 swampy   

adj.沼泽的，湿地的

参考例句：

• Malaria is still rampant in some swampy regions.疟疾在一些沼泽地区仍很猖獗。
• An ox as grazing in a swampy meadow.一头牛在一块泥泞的草地上吃草。

17 ridge   

n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭

参考例句：

• We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
• The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

18 basking   

v.晒太阳，取暖( bask的现在分词 )；对…感到乐趣；因他人的功绩而出名；仰仗…的余泽

参考例句：

• We sat basking in the warm sunshine. 我们坐着享受温暖的阳光。
• A colony of seals lay basking in the sun. 一群海豹躺着晒太阳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 whining   

n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚

参考例句：

• That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
• The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着（要进来）。

20 ornaments   

n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The shelves were chock-a-block with ornaments. 架子上堆满了装饰品。
• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments. 一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 incense   

v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气

参考例句：

• This proposal will incense conservation campaigners.这项提议会激怒环保人士。
• In summer,they usually burn some coil incense to keep away the mosquitoes.夏天他们通常点香驱蚊。

22 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

23 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

24 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

25 inconvenient   

adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的

参考例句：

• You have come at a very inconvenient time.你来得最不适时。
• Will it be inconvenient for him to attend that meeting?他参加那次会议会不方便吗？

26 pegged   

v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的过去式和过去分词 )；使固定在某水平

参考例句：

• They pegged their tent down. 他们钉好了账篷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She pegged down the stairs. 她急忙下楼。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

27 herds   

兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众

参考例句：

• Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
• There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。

28 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

29 abode   

n.住处，住所

参考例句：

• It was ten months before my father discovered his abode.父亲花了十个月的功夫，才好不容易打听到他的住处。
• Welcome to our humble abode!欢迎光临寒舍！

30 Buddha   

n.佛；佛像；佛陀

参考例句：

• Several women knelt down before the statue of Buddha and prayed.几个妇女跪在佛像前祈祷。
• He has kept the figure of Buddha for luck.为了图吉利他一直保存着这尊佛像。

31 winding   

n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈

参考例句：

• A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
• The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

32 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

33 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

34 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

35 deported   

v.将…驱逐出境( deport的过去式和过去分词 )；举止

参考例句：

• They stripped me of my citizenship and deported me. 他们剥夺我的公民资格，将我驱逐出境。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The convicts were deported to a deserted island. 罪犯们被流放到一个荒岛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

36 transgressed   

v.超越( transgress的过去式和过去分词 )；越过；违反；违背

参考例句：

• You transgressed against the law. 你犯法了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• His behavior transgressed the unwritten rules of social conduct. 他的行为违反了不成文的社交规范。 来自辞典例句