Müller, who was tight, went out to play with the dogs and then came back into Otcheroff’s yurt.  The German was red in the face and drunk.  “You have insulted me”, the Prince cried:  “You from England, Germany and Russia come, and then you and the English go, and only the Russians remain”.  He went on with his speech:  “The Japanese, they lie, they want to get a grip on the country”.  The group including some Russians began to drink toasts.  “To the glory of the Buriats!”  “To an independent Mongolia!”  Koster, a Russian, says for a joke:  “Well here’s to the ‘Japs’” and drinks to them.

I did not grasp for several minutes what was happening, when suddenly the Prince shrieked to one of the company, Shuskin:  “What!  You drink the health of the ‘Japs’.  No!”  Otcheroff was in a terrible temper and in great fury and with terrible cursing in Russian said:  “You son of a ----- Mother!”  To which Shuskin replied:  “I did not say anything”.  A Mongol present shouted at Shuskin:  “You are a traitor to your country, the Japanese beat you in 1905¹ and yet you drink their health.  They are now trying to choke the Mongols and you drink their health”.  However, it was actually another person, Koster, who had made the insulting toast.  Shuskin denied the remark vehemently, but nobody believed him.  “You lie.  You lie.  You said it.  You are a traitor”, stated the Russians present.  Poor Shuskin controlled himself:  “I’m going now, thank you for your hospitality”.  “Come back.  You’re afraid.  You know you drank to the health of the cursed ‘Japs’.”  Shuskin came back, very dignified and sat next to Otcheroff.  “Look I am a Russian Officer.”  Otcheroff breaks in:  “Yes, yes a Russian officer and you drink the health of the enemies of the Mongols, the people who are trying to smash the Buriats.  You son of a Red!”  As Shuskin leaves, Otcheroff in a drunken state draws up his sleeves and attempts in vain to strike the departing officer.

As we leave, there are terrific flashes of lightning towards Manchukuo and others from the north.  It lights up the sheep that are huddled together and the lambs that are sheltering in the deep furrows.  Neureutz winds blow and the tents are very exposed on the hill and rattle.  We are pleased to get into our beds.

---