the ferocious hands? An evil time has
fallen upon the Gods and the Good Spirits. The Evil Demons have made war
upon the Good Spirits. What can man now do? Only perish, only
perish. . . ."

Part III

THE STRAINING HEART OF ASIA

CHAPTER XXIX

ON THE ROAD OF GREAT CONQUERORS

The great conqueror, Jenghiz Khan, the son of sad, stern, severe
Mongolia, according to an old Mongolian legend "mounted to the top of
Karasu Togol and with his eyes of an eagle looked to the west and the
east. In the west he saw whole seas of human blood over which floated
a bloody fog that blanketed all the horizon. There he could not discern
his fate. But the gods ordered him to proceed to the west, leading with
him all his warriors and Mongolian tribes. To the east he saw wealthy
towns, shining temples, crowds of happy people, gardens and fields of
rich earth, all of which pleased the great Mongol. He said to his sons:
'There in the west I shall be fire and sword, destroyer, avenging
Fate; in the east I shall come as the merciful, great builder, bringing
happiness to the people and to the land.'"

Thus runs the legend. I found much of truth in it. I had passed over
much of his road to the west and always identified it by the old tombs
and the impertinent monuments of stone to the merciless conqueror. I saw
also a part of the eastern road of the hero, over which he traveled to
China. Once when we were making a trip out of Uliassutai we stopped the
night in Djirgalantu. The old host of the ourton, knowing me from my
previous trip to Narabanchi, welcomed us very kindly and regaled us with
stories during our evening meal. Among other things he led us out of the
yurta and pointed out a mountain peak brightly lighted by the full moon
and recounted to us the story of one of the sons of Jenghiz, afterwards
Emperor of China, Indo-China and Mongolia, who had been attracted by the
beautiful scenery and grazing lands of Djirgalantu and had founded here
a town. This was soon left without inhabitants, for the Mongol is a
nomad who cannot live in artificial cities. The plain is his house and
the world his town. For a time this town witnessed battles between the
Chinese and the troops of Jenghiz Khan but afterwards it was forgotten.
At present there remains only a half-ruined tower, from which in the
early days the heavy rocks were hurled down upon the heads of the
enemy, and the dilapidated gate of Kublai, the grandson of Jenghiz Khan.
Agains