-36- 



in China are sometimes inclined to think that tf Honest John 

 Chinaman" is a literary fiction, more legendary than real* 



Aug. 28. It will be some relief of mind when I get 

 to Suifu with my collecting outfit and specimens. Brigands, 

 petty thieves, mold, rust, breakage by carriers, and wreckage 

 of boats are some of the possible sources of loss. Last 

 night a thief broke into a foreign compound in Kiating, 

 probably hoping that he might secure the Smithsonian guns, 

 which I had taken to the house where I spent the night. 



After losing my folding cot when the coolie was 

 drowned near Nen Chuan, I spread my blankets on flat boards. 

 It would not do to use Chinese beds, on account of the fleas, 

 bedbugs and lice. 



It is about as much work caring for the specimens, 

 labelling them, packing them, etc. as it is to collect the 

 specimens. Under caring for the specimens I would include 

 drying, wrapping, etc. 



It was a wise thing to take the Songpan trip. It 

 might be several years before that road is again as free from 

 brigands as it is this year, and before the trip is again 

 possible because there is no civil war in Szechuen. Now, that 

 the Mission has asked me to go to Ningyuenfu next spring, it 

 is certain that I could not go to Songpan next year, although 

 I could go to Moupinl probably. The Was hen trip could be 

 taken practically any year so that it may well be postponed 

 until the other important trips are all taken, iVashan is so 

 near Mb. Gmei that there is apt to be quite a close resemblance 

 in the species found at Washan and those at let. Omei. Places 

 more widely separated are more apt to produce a different 

 variety of specimens • 



Sept. 18th. Already the warclouds are gathering 

 over China, and there are rumors that the thunders of war 

 will soon be heard in Szechuen. If there had been similar 

 conditions during the summer I could not have gone to 

 Songpan. I have hurried up the packing and shipping of 

 specimens, and today the last box of specimens has gone off 

 by parcel post. Here's hoping that they all get safely out 

 of China before the Yangtse Pdver becomes closed to steamer 

 traffic and that none of the fifty boxes of specimens are lost 

 or injured. 



