Part 133 - 7–8 March: Journey to Gyandro and KYIMPU via Char Chu

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SUMMARY:
Travel from the Char Chu valley to Gyandro is described, passing Sampa and Nyerong, with notes on weather, terrain, vegetation, and abundant wildlife including pheasants, partridge, and a musk deer. The diarist and Ludlow attempted to shoot partridge without success. A subsequent entry records the march to KYIMPU with distances, temperatures, and elevations.

CONTENT:
7th March. To Gyandro. 12 miles. B.P. 188.2. Temp. 54°. Time 3.30pm. Ht. 13514'.

A cloudy morning, followed by rain from 12.0 to 3.30pm. Road leads up the Char Chu Branch, an easy path, passing Sampa about mile 4. Then a little higher up cross to the left bank and pass the small village of Nyerong about mile 8. Here turn up a side valley, which is steeper, pass a ruined house where there is a little cultivation, and so on to Gyandro, 1 house, and about 20-30 small fields of barley. The main Char Chu has pretty dry sides, though high up rhododendrons can be seen, and some juniper. Up this side valley, the hills are obviously wetter and have quite a lot of grass on the north faces, while rhododendron and juniper is common a little higher than this. There are Chrysolophus pheasant here, and a great number of partridge. Ludlow and I were out for some time, and both missed a partridge. Within 20 yards of each of us a musk deer - the same one - got up, but neither of us was loaded with anything but dust shot and small cartridges.

8th March. To KYIMPU. 12 miles. B.P. 190.0 Temp. 49° Time 4.0pm. Ht. 12320'.