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The Shans have their teeth blackened like the Annamites but only the upper are thus darkened. At 4 P.M. we met a troup of a dozen soldiers returning afoot from Opium inspection with 2 mounted men, official doubtless. Two of the men were beating gongs which gave out a very soft mellow sound like some striking clocks. This sound could be heard a mile before meeting them & was quite delightful amid the rolling hills. Whether it is a device for warning offenders or simply an entertainment for the road was not [[strikethrough]] evident [[/strikethrough]] obvious. The opium poppy is secretly grown here & the govt. is trying to surpress its cultivation. Smuggling takes but is controlled at the ports by officials stationed there. [[circled]] 7 [[/circled]] No rain fell during the night which was brilliant with [[strikethrough]] by [[/strikethrough]] a full moon. A runner from Shih-tien