Part 45 - 9 May, Bashaling: Panther encounter and route notes along Mangde Chu

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SUMMARY:
The writer describes startling wildlife encounters including partridges and a close sighting of a panther, with no time to photograph. Notes record hot, windy conditions and a route descending from Phunzor to a cantilever bridge over the Rindi Chu, then along the Mangde Chu right bank through Pinus longifolia forest with some cultivation observed.

CONTENT:
minutes later I walked on a pair of partridges, which flew up into a tree. Then a little further on I walked round a corner of the path, there was a panther only 20 yards away coming towards us. He came another 5 yards then saw us, turned and went up the hillside. It was lovely to see him so close and quite undisturbed. I had no time to get a photo of any of these three episodes of course, though I tried to get the camera ready for the panther.

9th May. Bashaling. 8 miles. BP. 105.7° Temp. 80° Time 2:00 pm. HV.

No rain last night after 6:00 pm. Fine and very hot today, but with a pretty strong up valley wind just like Trashigong. Path falls steeply from Phunzor, which is in a side valley, to the Rindi Chu which is crossed by a cantilever bridge at 1/2 m. Thence ascent steep to m 1. After this path is more or less level.

Chiefly lies through Pinus forest on a steep dry hillside. At m 3 a cattle shed is passed and at m 4 1/2 a little cultivation is seen below the path. The path keeps on the Mangde Chu R bank all the way and from m 4 1/2 falls gradually, getting a little closer to the river. The forest almost all the way is mainly Pinus longifolia. At m 6 1/2 a prominent ridge