The San Francisco call., 1904-07-16
MANY AMERICAN NOTABLE LES
ON BOARD LINER MONGOLIA
Scientists Return From
the Interior of
China.

Bailey Willis of the United States
Geological Department in Washington,
Eliot Blackwelder, instructor of geol-
ogy in the University of Chicago, and
r. H. Sargent, chief tOpographer of the
Geological Department, who composed
the expedition, created under a grant
from the Carnegie Institution of Wash
ington, for geological and geographi-
cal survey of Eastern Asia, returned
yesterday from the Orient and are
registered at the Palace. They left
this country in June, 1903, going by
way of Europe and the Trans Siberian
Railroad to China, where they spent
nine months in pursuit Of scientific in
formation and achieved great success
in their undertaking.
The expedition was specially COM
mended to China by this Government
through its Minister at Peking and as
il had only scientific objects in view
the imperial authorities cordially as
sisted il in many ways. To this fact
the scientists testify in a manner that
plainly suggests their gratitude to the
y
the expedition MIR. Willis said last
evening:
| mention these facts as a suggestion that
the feeling of the Chinese against foreigners
has materially changed since the Boxer war
Those familiar with the conditions before and
after the Boxer trouble look the result of
that fair one that will benefit the nation
through the recognition by the Chinese OF the
fact that foreigners could overcome them at
any critical time in the future.
readily recall experience during our
trip which / think clearly shows the change
of feeling in that country While travelling
1 was stoned by Chinese a fact which
district who promptly caused the assa liant
to be arrested and brought before him. Much
TO my surprise the dignitary requested me TO try
the and suggest the punishment. did
sO and having apparently satisfied the magis
trate of the guilt Of the prisoner. suddenly
| surprised the accused and startled the magis-
trate by announcing that purposed to IN
terpret the law as 1t IL construed IN an Amer
lean 1 ordered the prisoner liberated
and l can still plainly picture in my mind
the look Of gratitude he bestowed upon me
when he learned the result Of his trial.
Ny amazed friend. the magistrate. then de-
manded from me my reasons for not admins
tering severe punishment to the prisoner.
explained that 1 could not positively Identify
the accused. inasmuch as I had not seen him
in the act of throwing the missile The just
ness of American law, II IS hardly necessary
TO say. strongly appealed to the magistrate, but
dare say It pleased the accused most. for
the world is pretty familiar with the manner
in which punishment is meted out in the
courts OF China In this same district four
years ago a magistrate before whom four for
eignerS were brought ordered them out and
had them murdered.
our party carried out its survey work with
the ordinary instruments. which Occasoned
much curiosity among the natives. We made
geological collections. OF which the natives had
understanding and there good reason
for anticipating that their superstitious fears
might be aroused against us. Only one
occasion. however. when observations were be
ing made at night the stars. did create
any popular feeling against Our work
caused considerable unea siness among the Chi
nese, who reported that we were waving a
down the people the curses OF the gods
Their fears were finally quieted by official
proclamation explaining the purpose Of our
work and giving assurance that mission
meant no harm TO the people.
During the nine months In the
Orient tr, lied through a large portion of
the interior OF China and were treated most
courteously by the people Our route through
Northwestern and Western Central China COM
prised about 200 miles. the greater portion of
and whore the natives We're not familiar with
foreigners yet experienced little trouble
with them. We went through the province Of
Shensi. Here in 1900. all the missionaries
were murdered. yet were not disturbed and
! in Shensi province the expedition traVersed a
district where there is a state OF scarcity
bordering on a famine.
We also visited the center of Buddhist wor-
ship in China and by order of the district
magistrate we were well entertained
The members of the expedition are
highly pleased with the result of their
many months of hard work. They
will rest here a few days and then pro-
| ceed to the East.