Part 65 - 23 March entry at Gyipu: route via Karteng and Sharteng, transport changes and weather

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SUMMARY:
Notes include an Albizzia odoratissima tree near camp and confirmation that a primula matched Primula denticulata seen at Tauktoo Garden. On 23 March the party crosses the Myam Sang Chu by a bamboo bridge and climbs via Karteng and Sharteng to Gyipu with coolie changes; Pinto goes to Tawang with presents to the Dzongpen, and the day turns cloudy with rain from noon and low snow levels.

CONTENT:
Albizzia odoratissima 1222 tree just before reaching here (1222). From now on transport must be changed at villages. Tomorrow we change twice on the way to Karteng. The primula seen yesterday was the same as at Tauktoo Garden - P. denticulata.

23rd March. GYIPU. 7 miles. B.P. 199.3. Temp 52° Ht. approx 7044'.
B.P. taken at 4.0 p.m. Rather a trying day. We got all loads off by about 7.0 a.m., by which time the head of the snake of coolies must have reached the Myam Sang Chu. The road leads down to the river easily, crosses by a bamboo bridge & ascends very steeply to Karteng, about 1500' up. There the coolies are changed. Thence down & across a side stream & up again steeply to Sharteng where they are again changed. Then up steeply at first, then more or less level round the shoulder to Gyipu. The changing was really done very well, only the last half dozen loads were left behind for which coolies had to be found. Pinto went off to Tawang with presents to the Dzongpen. It clouded over all day & rained from 12.0 on. Snow is now low down at 9 or 10,000 ft. The Pöla was open 10 days ago, but must now have