On Friday, July 19th, we arrived at
Ujmutchin. It is 25 miles from Soviet
Outer Mongolia and 35-40 miles from the Manchukuo border, in the northeast
wedge of IHTTP/1.1 100 Continue
nner Mongolia. This is a lama
town, where the head Prince of the Silingol League of Mongols has his
residence.
Bogged down in the river.
This has been the most
exciting week I have ever had in my life, packed with adventures and strange
encounters. It has been so full that I
have not had the chance of continuing my letters, when one rattles along for 20
hours a day in a lorry, over sand dunes and through rivers, when one interviews
Living Buddhas and Japanese agents and Buriat and Mongol princes. It is hard to find a minute to write beyond
the notes, so I will continue my story where I left off having had a very long
sleep.
After arriving in Beidzemiao where 1000 ignorant
lamas live, I slept all day and all night. The place was a collection of mud houses with magnificent temples.
Next day (Wednesday) the Living Buddha,
Diluwa said he wanted to see me and give me an interview. So Müller and I went past the temples where
the lamas were busy praying in yellow robes and came to a small temple dwelling where the
Diluwa was staying.
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Gareth at the Lama service.
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