Incomplete letter from George Forrest to Clementina Traill [December 1904-January 1905]

Reference:GB 235 FRG/1/1/2/4
Dates of Creation:1904-1905
Name of Creator:
Physical Description:

Scope and Content
[Incomplete, pages numbered 5-12] Continues from his last letter at Chong Ku on the Chung Tien plateau. Forced to turn back at Chung Tien as pass at Attunze blocked by snow; took a new route back to Tali, going right down the plateau to the Yangtse, ‘…a part never traversed by Europeans before and had to make voluminous notes on the way regarding the character of country and people, elevations, direction and character of roads and streams, distances of villages from each other …These were for Mr Litton and will be incorporated in a report to be sent into Government. I suppose this is in view of the time when we will annex the province of Yunnan, which day, from the way Litton and Wilkinson talk seems not very far distant.’ From Hsia Chung Tien was accompanied by one of the headmen ‘in full war paint’; detailed description of this man’s bejewelled sword and scabbard. After four hard days reached junction of Chung Tien river and Yangtse, passing through Do qou Tien, Si Chu-qo, Kung Hsi sha, Hy pa low, Made-si-pi, Quan-sa-ba, Chow-tu and La-tsa-ku. Travelled from there up the right bank of the Yangtse north to Mu-pi-wan opposite A Hsi; detailed description and sketch showing junction of valley of Hy-pa-low with valley of Chung Tien. Main peak of mountain range estimated at c.20,000 feet. Returned to Tali via Lichiang valley, Lichiang, Hsi Ho, Hoching, Sung Kwei, Rang Kung valley and Nui Kai. Plants referenced: Pine (pp.10-11)
Administrative / Biographical History
Born in Falkirk in 1873, George Forrest became one of Scotland's most prolific plant collectors, conducting seven expeditions in Yunnan province, S.W. China between 1904 and his death there in 1932.
Note
Born in Falkirk in 1873, George Forrest became one of Scotland's most prolific plant collectors, conducting seven expeditions in Yunnan province, S.W. China between 1904 and his death there in 1932.
The Forrest correspondence collection has been summarised by library volunteer Pauline Maclean and it should be noted that the summaries and letters may contain Forrest’s language, spellings and attitudes which may be deemed offensive now.
Parts of the letter have been cut off in order to redact their contents, presumably by Eric Forrest, and the letter annotated for potential publication, presumably by either Eric Forrest or William Wright Smith.
Additional Information
published
Genre/Form
Drawings