October 21, 1917 - (continued) caravans are quite often seen, but since the RR to Kalgan and to the Mongolian border has taken possession of the freight trade, they are rarer now. The camels are great large brutes of the Bactrian type, bearing two high humps between which the saddle is securely placed. At the Great Wall, at Nankow yesterday, I was interested to see several pack trains of donkeys and mules which all carried the double packed saddle as in Yunnan, no girth being in use. An odd custom I have noticed here is the carrying of various small birds about on a stick or perch. They are fastened to the sticks by a string attached to the sternum or breast bone apparently. Finches, chickadees, pipets and other birds are thus treated. Pekinese dogs are also seen here and treated as lap dogs, being carried about in the arms as in America. Those I have seen are reddish haired and larger than our breeds. These same Chinese women who pet dogs smoke cigarettes inhaling the smoke and exhaling it through their nostrils. Chow dogs are common on the street, but are scavengers and without definite owners.