The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1923-06-08
IN
CHINA PERILOUS
Clifford Pope Tells of Many
Difficulties Faced.
BANDS OF OUTLAWS ARE BUSY

After reading the interesting &C
counts of explorers, the average per
son Is prone to feel that the daily life
of those sent out to little-known quar-
tiers of the globe is one continual
round of pleasure with an ever-chang
ing field Of beauty. A survey of the
account of Clifford H. Pope, member
of the Third Asiatic expedition, which
has been sent out by the American
Museum Of Natural History in Co
operation with Asia Magazine, and
who is collecting fish and reptiles,
should disillusion such persons. In a
letter just received from Mr.. Pope he
states that he is collecting on the Is
land of Hainan, China, and says:
"Hainan is $50 miles by 55, but in
order to get on well on the island one
would have to know at least six dia-
lects-some Of these amounting to
different languages. At the port, Hoi-
how, 1 could not find man who would
serve to act as guide or interpreter
even this far in. Here 1 cannot read
lily locate man who can teach me
the dialect I need in order to work
over on the east coast To get along
in the NodOa market one has to speak
three dialects-and not one of the
three would be OF use in the noun
tains Is miles to the south or over on
the east coast. Nor would the dialect
spoken rs miles to the south help
one over on the east coast,
"fn other words you have to change
interpreters and boys almost as often
master dialect in day or two.
Explains Methods Of Working.
my general plan of work after halt
ing in new locality Is to make care
full survey Of my surroundings and,
after looking over all the area 1 be-
lieve 1t possible to cover, divide this
area up into districts Of similar as
poets as regards soil, vegetation, lay
Of the land and the like, then proceed
Systematically to search over all or
part Of each type area. If find any
thing Of particular value and yet
fairly common, post notices in that
type area to the effect that will buy
these objects at certain price. I try
to avoid jumping at conclusions or
making assumptions that should fol-
low some theory.
"In China, as you know, all Is topsy
turyV-you find alligators buried out
on what is apparently barren, unin-
habitable plain, and lots of nice fish
in what appears to be an eight-foot-
in-diameter, two-foot-deep mudhole in
which no self-respecting fish should
live. We always question the natives
carefully, especially in thickly-settled
districts 1--WE have worked almost en-
tirely In SUCH, as they know every
inch of the soil, all Of which they have
turned over or under many, many
times. When they tell you unbeliev-
able things you must assume posi-
bility of truth In spite of the fact that
you will often chase mythical dragons,
etc.
"Once in a while you will be glad.
Who would think of fishing in a mud
hole, or searching for alligators on a
bare, barren plain right in the heart
of q densely populated area and only
four miles from large city! Yes, In
China one must assume that anything |
might live anywhere, and so start from
q base of utter ignorance. 1 by no |
means despair of locating interesting |
In spite Of the lack of
forests. In fact, I am now fairly GER
tain Of two localities where they may
be found and 1 am sure that each
locality has Its own species. You prob
ably know that they are worshiped
and carefully protected. Where they
occur, think that the Chinese are
more than apt to know about them.
One has to be careful In collecting
them, too. It would be all right If no
drought followed, but II one did, well,
you would be entirely to blame.
HaInan overrun With Robbers.
"Hainan Is just now overrun with
and one never knows when
one will be robbed or kidnapped,
although as yet these robbers have not
attempted to kidnap a foreigner. 1t
nay be because they have had few
foreigners, other than mis-
Iionaries, rarely coming this way. They
'ob us at will Only a few days ago
hey took $3.50 microscope on Its way
o the mission hospital. Chinese citi-
ems always travel with q military
yuard. On this occasion the band Of ,
100 well-armed robbers easily put to
light the ten guarding soldiers after ,
lowing of the sergeant's head. This |
obbery took place only four or five '
niles from Nodoa. There have been
everal since my arrival. ,
''The robbers enter the market when
hey wish as no one dares modest
hem. We expect G any time to BE- S
erved q notice Of general attack and
ooting. In that case one can only
ide ones money and wait. But one
so utterly at the mercy Of these out '
lws that one nevsr fears. II they {
ONE, they come. and II they stay Y
way one thanks ons's stars for ones {