Observers' Field Reports 113 



reached on August 13. Observing first at nearby points on the railways radiating from 

 Moukden, the South Manchurian Railway was followed northward as far as Kwanch- 

 engtze, thence eastward over a branch of the Chinese Eastern Railway to Kirin, where 

 observations were made on September 9. 



After completing the work at Kirin, the journey was continued northward over the 

 Russian railway to Harbin. Hitherto a knowledge of Chinese or English had been 

 sufficient for traveling by rail, but on the Russian railways in Manchuria a knowledge of 

 the Russian language is necessary. At Harbin permission to observe was readily ob- 

 tained from the Russian Consul-General, who kindly introduced me to the engineer in 

 charge of the Russian Eastern Railways and to Mr. A. Pavloff, the Director of the Meteor- 

 ological Observatory. Through the kind interest of these officials a general letter of 

 introduction for the party was written in the Russian language which proved of great 

 value in our intercourse with the police and railway authorities en route, and valuable 

 information was gained respecting the work done by Russian observers. 



Leaving Harbin on September 18 we proceeded to Tsitsihar Station and thence by 

 the Chinese Light Railway to Tsitsihar City, where we were very hospitably received by 

 the Russian Consul, Mr. Afanasiew. The consulate interpreter, Mr. Chang Da Min, 

 by the kind permission of Mr. Afanasiew, accompanied the party for the remainder of the 

 journey west of Harbin, and proved very helpful in our meetings with the officials to 

 whom it was necessary to report arrival and from whom permission to observe was ob- 

 tained. After making observations at Buchedu and Hailar we arrived at Manchouli on 

 the Siberian border, where observations were made on September 27. The next morning 

 we started on the return journey, reaching Tsitsihar on September 29. Here we left Mr. 

 Chang Da Min and proceeded to Harbin. 



After occupying Imienpo, the contemplated work at other points along the railway 

 from Harbin to Vladivostok was omitted by telegraphed instructions from the chief of 

 party, and we returned directly to Pehtaiho, arriving there on October 4. 



With the exception of a short cart journey at the beginning of the trip and the 200 

 miles between Dairen and Antung which was made by sea, the entire journey of about 

 3,500 miles was made by rail. No delay was caused by the war, owing chiefly to the 

 numerous letters of introduction secured by the chief of party, Dr. C. K. Edmunds, and 

 also because of the interest taken by the various American Consuls, who advised the 

 railway officials of the party's itinerary. A large supply of stores is not necessary on any 

 part of the trip, and with a capable "cook boy' travel should present no difficulties. 



Although the months of July and August are the rainy season in this region, there 

 were no long delays occasioned by wet or cloudy weather. September was generally fair, 

 though there were many cloudy days. In Manchuria near the railways as elsewhere 

 brigandage was rife, the "kao liang," a crop growing to the height of 10 to 12 feet, making 

 an ideal hiding place for bands of armed robbers. Even the outskirts of large towns like 

 Moukden and Kwanchangtze are considered unsafe. 



The total distance covered on this trip was 3,548 miles, all but about 230 miles being 

 by rail; the average travel per station for the 35 stations was 101 miles, and the average 

 distance between stations is a little less than 50 miles. The party left Pehtaiho on July 1 1 

 and returned on October 5, 1916, after an interval of 87 days, thus making the average 

 field time per station about 2.5 days. The average field expense per station was $13.21. 



Leaving Pehtaiho, the railway first passes near the foot of a range of mountains; 

 further on it passes through isolated granite hills where hot springs abound, then enters a 

 gently rolling country near Chinchowfu, and finally passes on to a flat region where the 

 soil is a loamy clay in the neighborhood of Kowpangtze. This flat country extends south- 

 easterly from Kowpangtze beyond Newchwang, again becoming hilly as one approaches 

 the Kwantung Leased Territory. Near Port Arthur it is somewhat mountainous, and 



