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Smithsonian Notes David C. Graham -8- June 23. Today I received letter from Yang and Ho wanting me to get them out. I don't know any way to do it. [[red "x" in left margin]] Box 51 is insects, filled June 15-21, Alt. 1700 ft. Chengtu. June 28. There is now Civil War near Kiating. The road directly to Yachow is very unsafe. Travel to Kuanshien is impossible because there is civil war there. I am now training three new netters and collectors. I am training two to skin birds and mammals and they are doing pretty well on the mammals but weak so far on the birds. There is no doubt as to the advisability of my going to Tatsien[[strikethrough]]bu[[/strikethrough]]^[[lu]]. [[Two red "x"s in left margin]] June 30. Filled two new boxes of insects Box No. 52, June 25, Insects Box 53-54 June 30 " [[ditto mark for "Insects"]] All at Chengtu, Alt. 1700 ft. Civil war is going on all around us so that it is not safe to travel in any direction. I have sent a Chinese teacher to Kuanshien to try to get Yang and Ho out. I am training two new collectors for skinning birds and mammals, Mr. San of Suifu and Mr. Ho, a student of the West China Union University. I am also training a new netter instead of Li. July 3. The messenger sent to bring the two collectors, Yang and Ho, out from Kuanshien has returned without them. Robbers stole his best clothing. Filled Box No. 55, insects July 1-3, alt. 1700 ft. July 4. The netters couldn't leave our house because the soldiers are commandeering laborers for coolies and forcing others to join the army. We are getting good catches of night moths. I am daily training two students, Mr. San and Mr. Pen, to skin mammals and birds. There is fighting around Kiating and elsewhere but the road to Tatsien[[strikethrough]]bo]]^[[lu]] is open. [[red "x" in margin]] July 5. Filled boxes 56-57, insects captured at Chengtu, July 3-4, 1933, alt. 1700 feet. Civil war is certain in many parts of Szechuan. However, I am hoping to get to Tatsien[[strikethrough]]bo[[/strikethrough]]^[[lu]], starting within a few days. I hope to send one man into Yunnan Province to collect reptiles, beetles, etc. Three men are collecting in the [[strikethrough]]Chingtsing[[/strikethrough]]^[[Chungking]] District. Two men are collecting near Kuanshien and I hope to get to Tatsien[[strikethrough]]b[[/strikethrough]]^[[l]]u. July 10. I am definitely giving up the idea of going to Tatsien[[strikethrough]]b[[/strikethrough]]^[[l]]u, partly because the money available this year is less than in previous years and partly because the roads to Tatsienbu are not safe. I hope to get off to Kuanshien within a few days. We are having fair results at night, moth catching. Every day I am training the new collectors, hoping they will reach a high state of efficiency. [[red "x" in left margin]] July 11.Today I had two men practicing on skinning birds and mammals and they and two others on insects. We got a fair catch of insects. I went into the city to investigate the possibility of getting by a round-about route into Kuanshien and on into the high mountains. There is a possibility that may work out all right. Filled box of insects No. 58, July 8-11, Chengtu.
