Beasts, Men and Gods | Page 3

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This etext was prepared by Donald Lainson, [email protected].

BEASTS, MEN AND GODS
by Ferdinand Ossendowski

EXPLANATORY NOTE
When one of the leading publicists in America, Dr. Albert Shaw of the
Review of Reviews, after reading the manuscript of
Part I of
this volume, characterized the author as "The Robinson Crusoe of the

Twentieth Century," he touched the feature of the narrative which is at
once most attractive and most dangerous; for the succession of trying
and thrilling experiences recorded seems in places too highly colored to
be real or, sometimes, even possible in this day and generation. I desire,
therefore, to assure the reader at the outset that Dr. Ossendowski is a
man of long and diverse experience as a scientist and writer with a
training for careful observation which should put the stamp of accuracy
and reliability on his chronicle. Only the extraordinary events of these
extraordinary times could have thrown one with so many talents back
into the surroundings of the "Cave Man" and thus given to us this
unusual account of personal adventure, of great human mysteries and of
the political and religious motives which are energizing the "Heart of
Asia."
My share in the work has been to induce Dr. Ossendowski to write his
story at this time and to assist him in rendering his experiences into
English.
LEWIS STANTON PALEN.

CONTENTS

PART I. DRAWING LOTS WITH DEATH

CHAPTER
I.
INTO THE FORESTS
II. THE SECRET OF MY FELLOW TRAVELER

III. THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE
IV. A FISHERMAN
V. A DANGEROUS NEIGHBOR
VI. A RIVER IN TRAVAIL
VII. THROUGH SOVIET SIBERIA
VIII. THREE DAYS ON THE EDGE OF A PRECIPICE
IX. TO THE SAYANS AND SAFETY
X. THE BATTLE OF THE SEYBI
XI. THE BARRIER OF RED PARTISANS
XII. IN THE COUNTRY OF ETERNAL PEACE
XIII. MYSTERIES, MIRACLES AND A NEW FIGHT
XIV. THE RIVER OF THE DEVIL
XV. THE MARCH OF GHOSTS
XVI. IN MYSTERIOUS TIBET


PART II. THE LAND OF DEMONS
XVII. MYSTERIOUS MONGOLIA
XVIII. THE MYSTERIOUS LAMA AVENGER
XIX. WILD CHAHARS

XX. THE DEMON OF JAGISSTAI
XXI. THE NEST OF DEATH
XXII. AMONG THE MURDERERS
XXIII. ON A VOLCANO
XXIV. A BLOODY CHASTISEMENT
XXV. HARASSING DAYS
XXVI. THE BAND OF WHITE HUNGHUTZES
XXVII. MYSTERY IN A SMALL TEMPLE
XXVIII. THE BREATH OF DEATH


PART III. THE STRAINING HEART OF
ASIA
XXIX. ON THE ROAD OF GREAT CONQUERORS
XXX. ARRESTED!
XXXI. TRAVELING BY "URGA"
XXXII. AN OLD FORTUNE TELLER
XXXIII. "DEATH FROM THE WHITE MAN WILL STAND
BEHIND YOU"
XXXIV. THE HORROR OF WAR!
XXXV. IN THE CITY OF LIVING GODS, 30,000 BUDDHAS AND

60,000 MONKS
XXXVI. A SON OF CRUSADERS AND PRIVATEERS
XXXVII. THE CAMP OF MARTYRS
XXXVIII. BEFORE THE FACE OF BUDDHA
XXXIX. "THE MAN WITH A HEAD LIKE A SADDLE"


PART IV. THE LIVING BUDDHA
XL. IN THE BLISSFUL GARDEN OF A THOUSAND JOYS
XLI. THE DUST OF CENTURIES
XLII. THE BOOKS OF MIRACLES
XLIII. THE BIRTH OF THE LIVING BUDDHA
XLIV. A PAGE IN THE HISTORY OF THE PRESENT LIVING
BUDDHA
XLV. THE VISION OF THE LIVING BUDDHA OF MAY 17, 1921


PART V. MYSTERY OF
MYSTERIES--THE KING OF THE
WORLD
XLVI. THE SUBTERRANEAN KINGDOM

XLVII. THE KING OF THE WORLD BEFORE THE FACE OF GOD
XLVIII. REALITY OR RELIGIOUS FANTASY?
XLIX. THE PROPHECY OF THE KING OF THE WORLD IN 1890

There are times, men and events about which History alone can record
the final judgments; contemporaries and individual observers must only
write what they have seen and heard. The very truth demands it.
TITUS LIVIUS.

BEASTS, MEN AND GODS


Part I
DRAWING LOTS WITH DEATH

CHAPTER I
INTO THE FORESTS
In the beginning of the year 1920 I happened to be living in the
Siberian town of Krasnoyarsk, situated on the shores of the River
Yenisei, that noble stream which is cradled in the sun-bathed
mountains of Mongolia to pour its warming life into the Arctic Ocean
and to whose mouth Nansen has twice come to open the shortest road
for commerce from