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There is near here a small glacier (a tiny one) consisting of a pile of snow that never completely melts away, at the lowest altitude I have seen or heart about in Szechuan. The altitude is 13500 feet. The heaps of snow on the mountain above are about 15600 feet. This "glacier" is caused by the drifting of large quantities of snow during the winter. A small stream runs through under it, making a sort of a cave. 

Aug. 16. There was a very heavy frost last night, and it was so cold that I could not sleep for about three hours. This morning our tents were covered with frost. 

I started ahead with the guides and my guns, hoping to meet some big game, but saw nothing but tracks of bears, etc. We moved camp to a spot near O Er, camping there for the night. In the afternoon the guides and I climbed a nearby mountain but saw no game. We have worked exceedingly hard, with very bad luck. We have not seen a single large mammal during the last five days. The guides feel very badly about it. Tonight we are at the altitude of 10800 feet. Today I bought a pheasant new to my collecting that is said to thrive near the snow line. It had been cut open down the belly and dried out flat, but Mr. Pen did a fine job of skinning and restoring it. We are returning to O Er tomorrow. I killed five small birds today. There is no moon now until about 3.00 a.m., and tonight there are clouds, so insects are coming to the lantern pretty well. Mr. Pen worked until two o'clock last night skinning birds. He is still slow, but improving much in the quality of his work.