influence among the Mongols. It was no wonder, for he was a close friend
and pupil of the Dalai Lama in Potala (Lhasa), was the most learned
among the Lamites, a famous thaumaturgist and doctor. He occupied an
almost independent position in his relationship with the Living Buddha
and achieved to the leadership of all the old wandering tribes of
Western Mongolia and Zungaria, even extending his political domination
over the Mongolian tribes of Turkestan. His influence was irresistible,
based as it was on his great control of mysterious science, as he
expressed it; but I was also told that it has its foundation largely
in the panicky fear which he could produce in the Mongols. Everyone who
disobeyed his orders perished. Such an one never knew the day or the
hour when, in his yurta or beside his galloping horse on the plains, the
strange and powerful friend of the Dalai Lama would appear. The stroke
of a knife, a bullet or strong fingers strangling the neck like a vise
accomplished the justice of the plans of this miracle worker.

Without the walls of the yurta the wind whistled and roared and drove
the frozen snow sharply against the stretched felt. Through the roar of
the wind came the sound of many voices in mingled shouting, wailing
and laughter. I felt that in such surroundings it were not difficult to
dumbfound a wandering nomad with miracles, because Nature herself had
prepared the setting for it. This thought had scarcely time to flash
through my mind before Tushegoun Lama suddenly raised his head, looked
sharply at me and said:

"There is very much unknown in Nature and the skill of using the unknown
produces the miracle; but the power is given to few. I want to prove it
to you and you may tell me afterwards whether you have seen it before or
not."