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seem brighter.

The local General Yang has called on me this afternoon, and he gave me a leg of bacon. He did covet the Newton high-power rifle, but of course he did not get it. He is quite friendly.

Aug. 17. We had a very hard time getting the coolies started this morning, but got started at last. We are now in the home of a friendly and very likeable Lolo or rather Noso, Mr. Li. He is doing everything possible to help me secure specimens. We are staying in his home, the elevation of which is three thousand feet.

The road today led over and along the side of a precipice that the Chinese and Lolos call Ngeh Ngai or wicked cliff. This is because the road along this cliff is really a dangerous one. At one place falling or rolling rocks are apt to strike one as he crosses. The road or rather path is less than a foot wide, and on a bed of shifting sand, gravel, and small stones. Here if one should fall he would slide and fall into the river over a hundred feet below. When rocks roll down a cloud of dust rises that reminds me of the infernal regions. I took a picture of this place and also of another very steep portion of this road. At other places the road goes along the edges or the sides of perpendicular cliffs overhanging the river.

I have succeeded in purchasing for the Smithsonian Institution two old Lolo armors that may be two hundred years old, the price being about $20.00 Mexican. I have also purchased a decorated wooden bowl and two decorated wooden spoons. The Lolo armors are rare and very hard to secure.

We set a number of traps tonight, and will set more tomorrow. Tomorrow I will climb up a high mountain and probably stay in Lolo homes a couple of days.

We are entirely in the hands of the Lolos, and will be for the next few days, but we are probably as safe as we can be anywhere in West China. There are other Lolo groups of which just the opposite would be true.

The Lolos have a script of their own.  It is used by Lolo priests in writing their sacred books.  I saw a sample today.

Aug. 18. Chen Gih Uen and Yang Fong Tsang went on a two days' excursion up one high mountain, and with Mr. Li and two hunting dogs I went up another.  There was a climb of at least 6000 feet making a total of at least 9000 feet.  When we finally reached the top, what was my surprise to find [[underline]] Nashan [[/underline]] ^[[Washan]] directly to the southeast, and in plain sight.

We set the traps.  Wild boar came near the traps but did not step into them.

We first went to a Chinese hut owned by a Chinese who rents the ground from Mr. Li, the educated Christian Lolo.  Mr. Li is a head man in his district and has inherited much property.  This hut was made of small bamboo sticks and covered by these and by reeds.  The door came only to my waist. There is no place where we could possibly sleep.  We were offered a bamboo matting as a covering, but it would leak like a sive in case of rain.

We went to another hut.  It was divided into two rooms by a transparent wall made of small bamboo twigs.  This wall did not go to the roof.  One room was used