stretches over a huge portion of Central Asia。 The cradle of peoples； histories and legends； the native land of bloody conquerors； who have left here their capitals covered by the sand of the Gobi； their mysterious rings and their ancient nomad laws； the states of monks and evil devils； the country of wandering tribes administered by the descendants of Jenghiz Khan and Kublai KhanKhans and Princes of the Junior lines： that is Mongolia。
Mysterious country of the cults of Rama； Sakkia…Mouni； Djonkapa and Paspa； cults guarded by the very person of the living Buddha Buddha incarnated in the third dignitary of the Lamaite religion Bogdo Gheghen in Ta Kure or Urga； the land of mysterious doctors； prophets； sorcerers； fortune…tellers and witches； the land of the sign of the swastika； the land which has not forgotten the thoughts of the long deceased great potentates of Asia and of half of Europe： that is Mongolia。
The land of nude mountains； of plains burned by the sun and killed by the cold； of ill cattle and ill people； the nest of pests； anthrax and smallpox； the land of boiling hot springs and of mountain passes inhabited by demons； of sacred lakes swarming with fish； of wolves； rare species of deer and mountain goats； marmots in millions； wild horses； wild donkeys and wild camels that have never known the bridle； ferocious dogs and rapacious birds of prey which devour the dead bodies cast out on the plains by the people： that is Mongolia。
The land whose disappearing primitive people gaze upon the bones of their forefathers whitening in the sands and dust of their plains； where are dying out the people who formerly conquered China； Siam； Northern India and Russia and broke their chests against the iron lances of the Polish knights； defending then all the Christian world against the invasion of wild and wandering Asia： that is Mongolia。
The land swelling with natural riches； producing nothing； in need of everything； destitute and suffering from the world's cataclysm： that is Mongolia。
In this land； by order of Fate； after my unsuccessful attempt to reach the Indian Ocean through Tibet； I spent half a year in the struggle to live and to escape。 My old and faithful friend and I were compelled； willy…nilly； to participate in the exceedingly important and dangerous events transpiring in Mongolia in the year of grace 1921。 Thanks to this； I came to know the calm； good and honest Mongolian people； I read their souls； saw their sufferings and hopes； I witnessed the whole horror of their oppression and fear before the face of Mystery； there where Mystery pervades all life。 I watched the rivers during the severe cold break with a rumbling roar their chains of ice； saw lakes cast up on their shores the bones of human beings； heard unknown wild voices in the mountain ravines； made out the fires over miry swamps of the will… o'…the…wisps； witnessed burning lakes； gazed upward to mountains whose peaks could not be scaled； came across great balls of writhing snakes in the ditches in winter； met with streams which are eternally frozen； rocks like petrified caravans of camels； horsemen and carts； and over all saw the barren mountains whose folds looked like the mantle of Satan； which the glow of the evening sun drenched with blood。
〃Look up there！〃 cried an old shepherd； pointing to the slope of the cursed Zagastai。 〃That is no mountain。 It is HE who lies in his red mantle and awaits the day when he will rise again to begin the fight with the good spirits。〃
And as he spoke I recalled the mystic picture of the noted painter Vroubel。 The same nude mountains with the violet and purple robes of Satan； whose face is half covered by an approaching grey cloud。 Mongolia is a terrible land of mystery and demons。 Therefore it is no wonder that here every violation of the ancient order of life of the wandering nomad tribes is transformed into streams of red blood and horror； ministering to the demonic pleasure of Satan couched on the bare mountains and robed in the grey cloak of dejection and sadness； or in the purple mantle of war and vengeance。
After returning from the district of Koko Nor to Mongolia and resting a few days at the Narabanchi Monastery； we went to live in Uliassutai； the capital of Western Outer Mongolia。 It is the last purely Mongolian town to the west。 In Mongolia there are but three purely Mongolian towns； Urga； Uliassutai and Ulankom。 The fourth town； Kobdo； has an essentially Chinese character； being the center of Chinese administration in this district inhabited by the wandering tribes only nominally recognizing the influence of either Peking or Urga。 In Uliassutai and Ulankom； besides the unlawful Chinese commissioners and troops； there were stationed Mongolian governors or 〃Saits；〃 appointed by the decree of the Living Buddha。
When we arrived in that town； we were at once in the sea of political passions。 The Mongols were protesting in great agitation against the Chinese policy in their country； the Chinese raged and demanded from the Mongolians the payment of taxes for the full period since the autonomy of Mongolia had been forcibly extracted from Peking； Russian colonists who had years before settled near the town and in the vicinity of the great monasteries or among the wandering tribes had separated into factions and were fighting against one another； from Urga came the news of the struggle for the maintenance of the independence of Outer Mongolia； led by the Russian General； Baron Ungern von Sternberg； Russian officers and refugees congregated in detachments； against which the Chinese authorities protested but which the Mongols welcomed； the Bolsheviki； worried by the formation of White detachments in Mongolia； sent their troops to the borders of Mongolia； from Irkutsk and Chita to Uliassutai and Urga envoys were running from the Bolsheviki to the Chinese commissioners with various proposals of all kinds； the Chinese authorities in Mongolia were gradually entering into secret relations with the Bolsheviki and in Kiakhta and Ulankom delivered to them the Russian refugees； thus violating recognized international law； in Urga the Bolsheviki set up a Russian communistic municipality； Russian Consuls were inactive； Red troops in the region of Kosogol and the valley of the Selenga had encounters with Anti…Bolshevik officers； the Chinese authorities established garrisons in the Mongolian towns and sent punitive expeditions into the country； and； to complete the confusion； the Chinese troops carried out house…to…house searches； during which they plundered and stole。
Into what an atmosphere we had fallen after our hard and dangerous trip along the Yenisei； through Urianhai； Mongolia； the lands of the Turguts； Kansu and Koko Nor！
〃Do you know；〃 said my old friend to me； 〃I prefer strangling Partisans and fighting with the hunghutze to listening to news and more anxious news！〃
He was right； for the worst of it was that in this bustle and whirl of facts； rumours and gossip the Reds could approach troubled Uliassutai and take everyone with their bare hands。 We should very willingly have left this town of uncertainties but we had no place to go。 In the north were the hostile Partisans and Red troops； to the south we had already lost our companions and not a little of our own blood； to the west raged the Chinese administrators and detachments； and to the east a war had broken out； the news of which； in spite of the attempts of the Chinese authorities at secrecy； had filtered through and had testified to the seriousness of the situation in this part of Outer Mongolia。 Consequently we had no choice but to remain in Uliassutai。 Here also were living several Polish soldiers who had escaped from the prison camps in Russia； two Polish families and two American firms； all in the same plight as ourselves。 We joined together and made our own intelligence department； very carefully watching the evolution of events。 We succeeded in forming good connections with the Chinese commissioner and with the Mongolian Sait； which greatly helped us in our orientation。
What was behind all these events in Mongolia？ The very clever Mongol Sait of Uliassutai gave me the following explanation。
〃According to the agreements between Mongolia； China and Russia of October 21； 1912； of October 23； 1913； and of June 7； 1915； Outer Mongolia was accorded independence and the Moral Head of our 'Yellow Faith；' His Holiness the Living Buddha； became the Suzerain of the Mongolian people of Khalkha or Outer Mongolia with the title of 'Bogdo Djebtsung Damba Hutuktu Khan。' While Russia was still strong and carefully watched her policy in Asia； the Government of Peking kept the treaty； but； when； at the beginning of the war with Germany； Russia was compelled to withdraw her troops from Siberia； Peking began to claim the return of its lost rights in Mongolia。 It was because of this that the first two treaties of 1912 and 1913 were supplemented by the convention of 1915。 However； in 1916； when all the forces of Russia were pre…occupied in the unsuccessful war and afterwards when the first Russian revolution broke out in February； 1917； overthrowing the Romanoff Dynasty； the Chinese Government openly retook Mongolia。 They changed all the Mongolian ministers and Saits； replacing them with individuals friendly to China； arrested many Mongolian autonomists and sent them to prison in Peking； set up their administration in Urga and other Mongol towns； actually removed His Holiness Bogdo Khan from the affairs of administration； made him only a machine for signing Chinese decrees； and at last introduced into Mongolia their troops。 From that moment there developed an energetic flow of Chinese merchants and coolies into Mongolia。 The Chinese began to demand the payment of taxes and dues from 1912。 The Mongolian population were rapidly stripped of their wealth and now in the vicinities of our towns and monasteries you can see whole settlements of beggar Mongols living in dugouts。 All our Mongol arsenals and treasuries were requisitioned。 All monasteries were forced to pay taxes； all Mongols working for the liberty of their country were persecuted； through bribery with Chinese silver； orders and titles the Chinese secured a following among the p