1925J SARGENT, NOTES 215 



is a horrible one as it is, descending through deep gorges and over mountain passes, 

 it was impossible to go over it covered with several feet of snow, the mules could 

 not negotiate it. There was nothing to do but to wait. We had no more experi- 

 ences with brigands, thanks to the gods. At Laoyatan I discharged the mulemen 

 and caravan as the road from here on is only possible for coolies and there are no 

 horse inns provided. I was delayed three days in Laoyatan as it was difficult to 

 get coolies; thirty-seven I had to employ. It was only four days from Chinese 

 New Year and people are not willing to spend New Year's on the road." 



On March 21st he wrote, — 



"After an illness which kept me in the hospital at Chengtu for eight days (I 

 contracted a severe attack of flu and bronchitis with a temperature of 104 Fahr.) 

 I finally left Chengtu on March 16th. I was delayed mainly on account of the 

 fighting and the unsettled condition of northern Szechuan." 



Rock reached early in May, the Chinese town of Choni near the Tibetan 

 frontier which will probably be his headquarters for the remainder of the 

 year. Instead of the peaceful condition which he had expected in Kansu 

 he found that serious trouble had broken out between the Chinese Moham- 

 medans and the followers of the Living Buddha, and that under existing 

 conditions it would be impossible to reach, as he expected, the Amne 

 Machin Range by the way of Radja Gomba. 



On June 24th he wrote, 



"I am leaving with my entourage for the Tebbu country once more crossing a 

 mountain called Lissedzadza much higher than Mt. Koangkei. The former is 

 east of Choni and some 16,000 feet in height. They all say there are immense 

 forests, trees of enormous size, and the country is said to be wonderful. It is in- 

 habited by a savage tribe called the Tebbu. It is possible to reach the Yellow River 

 from there and there are again forests. If we can make it I will go there. We shall 

 then return to Choni and see what turn things have taken, and if at all possible will 

 make a rush to the Amne Machin, so I shall have next year free for the Richthofen 

 Range. We have much material. There are a great many conifers in Tebbu land, 

 many Piceas and Abies and others, some with cones resembling Tsuga but it cannot 

 be Tsuga. On looking over a hillside one can pick out the various species by the 

 size and shape of tree and color of foliage. My boys are good tree climbers and with 

 our field glasses we can detect the fruits even if only near the very top. We have 



already several boxes full of plants and we have just begun. I think all in all we 

 shall have a successful year. We have a few hundred birds all dried and packed. 

 If it will not be possible to get to the Amne Machin we will work Tebbu land and 

 north, of it: by the way, it is practically in the same latitude as the Amne Machin 

 but of course much less high. From what I have seen so far and the climatic con- 

 ditions the plants from Tebbu land, which is a high mountainous country, the 

 lowest village being about 9600 feet, ought to do well in Massachusetts. I do not 

 mean the lower Tebbu where Purdom worked, but the northern or upper Tebbu, 

 where Purdom did not go. The Choni Prince assured me that no white man has 

 been in his upper Tebbu country and that no collecting had been done there." 



On June 29th he wrote, 



"In the meantime we will work the Tebbu country. From what I have seen 

 there is a large number of species of Picea and probably Abies. It is impossible 

 that they are all variations of either Picea Meyeri or Picea Wilsonii; the leaves and 

 cones differ greatly, some are green when semimature, others crimson, others pur- 

 plish black like Abies. Some are white beneath (the leaves), some dark green. 

 The size and shape and arrangement of the leaves are very different in the various 

 species. I think I found at least ten species of Picea. Where we are going now are 

 said to be enormous forests of immense trees. The Pine found on the Minshan is 

 certainly different from the Yunnan Pine; the needles are short and of a deep dark 

 green, very different from the Yunnan Pine. Pinus Armandi I have not found here 

 but in the south. Undoubtedly the Tebbu country is rich in conifers and I will 

 endeavor to get seeds of all of them even should we go to the Amne Machin, I shall 



