leading trading firms and at the monasteries, claim tribute and after
their collections become the protectors of the district. Probably this
Tibetan monastery had in this band just such protectors.

When we continued our trip, we frequently noticed single horsemen far
away or on the horizon, apparently studying our movements with care. All
our attempts to approach them and enter into conversation with them were
entirely unsuccessful. On their speedy little horses they disappeared
like shadows. As we reached the steep and difficult Pass on the Hamshan
and were preparing to spend the night there, suddenly far up on a ridge
above us appeared about forty horsemen with entirely white mounts and
without formal introduction or warning spattered us with a hail of
bullets. Two of our officers fell with a cry. One had been instantly
killed while the other lived some few minutes. I did not allow my men
to shoot but instead I raised a white flag and started forward with
the Kalmuck for a parley. At first they fired two shots at us but then
ceased firing and sent down a group of riders from the ridge toward
us. We began the parley. The Tibetans explained that Hamshan is a holy
mountain and that here one must not spend the night, advising us to
proceed farther where we could consider ourselves in safety. They
inquired from us whence we came and whither we were going, stated in
answer to our information about the purpose of our journey that they
knew the Bolsheviki and considered them the liberators of the people of
Asia from the yoke of the white race. I certainly did not want to begin
a political quarrel with them and so turned back to our companions.
Riding down the slope toward our camp, I waited momentarily for a shot
in the back but the Tibetan hunghutze did not shoot.

We moved forward, leaving among the stones the bodies of two of our
companions as sad tribute to the difficulties and dangers of our