Viewing page 21 of 37

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

- 23 -

and owners of pack animals, I cared for the specimens, drew a map of the district covered, etc. 

The journey which we have just finished has been remarkable because of the high altitudes which we traversed, and on which we have collected. We have actually camped on ground higher than Mount Blanc, and have collected night moths there by the lanterns; we have collected day insects up to 17150 feet. In other words, we have collected over three miles above sea level. The districts covered are not actually pictured with even approximate accuracy on the maps of the world. Even Mr. Edgar, who has lived on the Tibetan border since 1902 had never traversed that territory, and to him it was unknown or at least unfamiliar ground. To have made such a trip and collected at such altitudes was an achievement. I have accomplished my ambition to collect at altitudes almost as high as birds and insects exist. 

Mr. Urech and Mr. Sherap have been collecting Tibetan artifacts for me. There are some good and interesting ones. I hope to add to the  collection. 

There is an expedition here sent by the Nanking Government and Sen Yat Sen University to measure the great Mt. Ganka. In the expedition are three foreigners, Swiss scientists, including Doctor Heim. 

In order to make our recent tour, I had to engage pack animals for the whole trip, and pay them the same amount whether they traveled or rested. We were  lucky to get pack animals at all. 

Mr. Edgar acted as guide and interpreter on the expedition, and even acted as cook much of the time so that Ho could skin when there were birds or mammals to skin. 

Aug. 15. Labelled boxes 681-734. Dried them all in the oven, and put moth-balls in them. We also dried the bird and mammal skeletons, over a charcoal fire to kill the maggots. We have now about sixty boxes of insects here. I will probably take them to Suifu and mail them there.