From this point we began traveling along the ourton road. In thisregion the Mongols had very poor and exhausted horses, because theywere forced continuously to supply mounts to the numerous envoys ofDaichin Van and of Colonel Kazagrandi. We were compelled to spendthe night at the last ourton before Van Kure, where a stout oldMongol and his son kept the station. After our supper he took theshoulder-blade of the sheep, which had been carefully scraped cleanof all the flesh, and, looking at me, placed this bone in the coalswith some incantations and said:

"I want to tell your fortune. All my predictions come true."When the bone had been blackened he drew it out, blew off the ashesand began to scrutinize the surface very closely and to lookthrough it into the fire. He continued his examination for a longtime and then, with fear in his face, placed the bone back in thecoals.

"What did you see?" I asked, laughing.

"Be silent!" he whispered. "I made out horrible signs."He again took out the bone and began examining it all over, all thetime whispering prayers and making strange movements. In a verysolemn quiet voice he began his predictions.

"Death in the form of a tall white man with red hair will standbehind you and will watch you long and close. You will feel it andwait but Death will withdraw. . . . Another white man will becomeyour friend. . . . Before the fourth day you will lose youracquaintances. They will die by a long knife. I already see thembeing eaten by the dogs. Beware of the man with a head like asaddle. He will strive for your death."For a long time after the fortune had been told we sat smoking anddrinking tea but still the old fellow looked at me only with fear.

Through my brain flashed the thought that thus must his companionsin prison look at one who is condemned to death.

The next morning we left the fortune teller before the sun was up,and, when we had made about fifteen miles, hove in sight of VanKure. I found Colonel Kazagrandi at his headquarters. He was aman of good family, an experienced engineer and a splendid officer,who had distinguished himself in the war at the defence of theisland of Moon in the Baltic and afterwards in the fight with theBolsheviki on the Volga. Colonel Kazagrandi offered me a bath in areal tub, which had its habitat in the house of the president ofthe local Chamber of Commerce. As I was in this house, a tallyoung captain entered. He had long curly red hair and an unusuallywhite face, though heavy and stolid, with large, steel-cold eyesand with beautiful, tender, almost girlish lips. But in his eyesthere was such cold cruelty that it was quite unpleasant to look athis otherwise fine face. When he left the room, our host told methat he was Captain Veseloffsky, the adjutant of General Rezukhin,who was fighting against the Bolsheviki in the north of Mongolia.

They had just that day arrived for a conference with Baron Ungern.

After luncheon Colonel Kazagrandi invited me to his yurta and begandiscussing events in western Mo............