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  From Chengtu to Songpan is a rich district for collecting. One wishes he had years in which to do it. White bear and all kinds of animals are reported.
 
  This road is very safe this year so it is well that this trip was taken. The trip might be impossible next year, and for some time afterwards. However, two foreigners were murdered last year by robbers, and the officials were punished so that the officials were unwilling for a foreigner to go where there is any danger. The Songpan magistrate forbade travelling westward or northward but permitted travelling one day eastward where collecting should be very good.

  The city of Songpan has very little vegetation excepting wheat fields, so it would not be profitable to stay here long and collect, especially since the officials do not want us to go far away from the city. Next year it might be impossible to come at all. 

  The local official is anxious for me to clear out of this district. If anything happens he will be held responsible. This is bound to shorten my stay at Songpan.

  Some of the Chinese at Songpan use prayer flags on their houses like the Lamaists of Tibet ^[[and the neighboring aborigines.]]

  I saw a Chinese baby boy whom the parents wished to protect from evil influences, especially demons that cause disease and death, on whose back the parents had a brass mirror, a brass corn charm, and a small bag in which some parts of the Buddhist classics were placed.

  July 17. The local magistrate tried to get me to make my stay in this district quite short. It was with some difficulty that I secured a longer time in which to collect ^[[at]] Huang Long Si ^[[?]] - I^[[/]]hope to find ways of delaying long enough to get a reasonable amount of collecting done. The official will not let me leave the main road along the river for the higher elevations where mammals and different kinds of birds may be found.

  July 18. At Huang Long Si I saw a number of strange birds. There are plenty of trees and there should be plenty of game. The official would not let me come here without an escort of six soldiers.

  July 18. Bad luck - I received two pounds of gunpowder from the arsenal at Chengtu for this trip, but it is false powder and will not explode. This will leave us short