evised another scheme.

We were led to the wounded chief. There he lay on the saddle cloths
among the rocks, represented to us to be a Tibetan but I at once
recognized him from his cast of countenance to be a Sart or Turcoman,
probably from the southern part of Turkestan. He looked at me with
a begging and frightened gaze. Examining him, I found the bullet had
passed through his chest from left to right, that he had lost much blood
and was very weak. Conscientiously I did all that I could for him. In
the first place I tried on my own tongue all the medicines to be used on
him, even the iodoform, in order to demonstrate that there was no
poison among them. I cauterized the wound with iodine, sprinkled it with
iodoform and applied the bandages. I ordered that the wounded man be not
touched nor moved and that he be left right where he lay. Then I taught
a Tibetan how the dressing must be changed and left with him medicated
cotton, bandages and a little iodoform. To the patient, in whom the
fever was already developing, I gave a big dose of aspirin and left
several tablets of quinine with them. Afterwards, addressing myself to
the bystanders through my Kalmuck, I said very solemnly:

"The wound is very dangerous but I gave to your Chief very strong
medicine and hope that he will recover. One condition, however,
is necessary: the bad demons which have rushed to his side for his
unwarranted attack upon us innocent travelers will instantly kill him,
if another shot is let off against us. You must not even keep a single
cartridge in your rifles."

With these words I ordered the Kalmuck to empty his rifle and I, at
the same time, took all the cartridges out of my Mauser. The Tibetans
instantly and very servilely followed my example.

"Remember that I told you: 'Eleven days and eleven nights do not move
from this place and do not charge your rifles.' Otherwise the demon of
death will snatch off your Chief and will pursue you!"--and with these
words I solemnly drew forth and raised above their heads the ring of
Hutuktu Narabanchi.

I returned to my companions and calmed them. I told them we were safe
against further attack from the robbers and that we must only guess the
way to reach Mongolia. Our horses were so exhausted and thin that on
their bones we could have hung our overcoats. We spent two days here,
during which time I frequently visited my patient. It also gave us
opportunity to bandage our own fortunately light woun