7 



not yet attended to. This morning we got a late start, and reached Ngan Bien. 

 The boat is a large one. I secured an escort from Pin Shan to Ngan Bien. The 

 deforestation is less evident as we approach Suifu. 



One of the bothers in over-land travel in China is that a coolie carrying 

 a heavy load is likely to secretly throw away some of it. This time I have been 

 anxious about the disappearance of the anthropometrical instrument for measuring 

 chests. It disappeared on the way to Shu Giang. I sent a trusted coolie down 

 the river, to enquire at all the stopping-places, such as inns, etc. We found 

 the instrument in our chapel at %an Bien tonight, where the coolie dumped 

 it secretly off his load just before starting from Ngan 3 ien to Pin Shan. It is 

 lucky that he left it in our chapel instead of a strange inn. 



March 26. In the morning at Ngan Bien the opium tax collector came on the 

 boat looking for opium. There was no opium. But he demanded some squeeze or a 

 bribe before allowing the boat to proceed. The captain offered him a small amount. 

 The collector demanded a larger amount. Words grew warm. The tax-collector struck 

 at the captian with his iron cain. The captain warded off the bloy, and shoved 

 the collector down the hill. The collector had the cagjain arrested and publicly 

 spanked until his hips were blue. We reached Suifu about 1:50. % friend Mr. 

 Edgar, F. R. G. S., was in Suifu, on Ms way to Tatienlu. We had a fine visit, 

 with thousands of interesting things to talk about . W e hope the Smithsonian 

 Institution will back a collecting expedition in 1950 into Tibet, as far as I 

 can go. Mr. Edgar will then go along with me as .guide, without salary or com- 

 pensation. He can speak Tibetan. 



March 27. I am getting odds and ends of work settled, hoping to get speci- 

 mens packed and forwarded soon. Yang Fong Tsang should get in with specimens 

 soon, ^ast night it rained. 



March 28. A notice from the pos toff ice today will make some difficulties 

 in forwarding some of the specimens. Those in alcohol or formalin will have to 

 be sent to Shanghai in care of a friend rather than by parcel post. 



Yang Fong Tsang is overdue . H e may be having some trouble. 



March 29. Filled boxes 259-264. 



April 2. It has been raining hard during the past few days. The messenger 

 Liu and Yang Fong Tsang are long overdue, and there is no word from them. 



A letter from Yachow says that the Roosevelt party has been at M 0 upin seeking 

 the jghite bear . I am very anxious to try my luck getting that bear next summer, 

 also the golden-haired monkey and the white leopard. 



Today I sent six boxes of specimens to the postoffice. 



There are reports of war in east China, and rumors of coming civil war in 

 Sze'Cbaan Province. 



