Part 29 - Ascent to Natu La with Chomolhari views; film roll notes B.3–B.5

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SUMMARY:
Notes on film rolls B.3–B.5 record scenes from the ascent to the Natu La, including a telephoto of Chomolhari and views from Chumpitang. The entry describes setting out after persuading Williamson, traversing deep snow to the pass with views over the plains of India, then returning to collect birds and one flower (Primula Stewartii) in a fir forest.

CONTENT:
B3 / B4
B 3 & 4 good -
B.3. finished: Ludlow in bungalow.
B.4. full roll taken of scenes on the ascent to the Natu La. At the top. telephoto of Chomolhari
B.5. First 50 ft of views from Chumpitang.

difficulty in persuading Williamson. Eventually we got off at 7.40 on the only perfect day we have yet had. The snow was then hard enough to walk on, & remained so for the first two miles or more. Until 2 miles from the top there was no difficulty at all, & we were surprised to find how easy the pass had become in the last two days. The last 2 miles ascent are fairly steep & were hard work for the mules. As long as they kept in the narrow hardened path they got along well, but when once they put a foot off it, they sank into deep soft snow. There were still some five feet or so of snow at the top. We reached the top in a little over four hours, & had a lovely view: to the South was a low sea of clouds over the plains of India, & to the N.E. was Chomolhari, clear but not very distinct. Chomolhari means "Goddess of the mountain pass". After half an hour we started down again & the first 100 yds caused nearly every mule to fall in very soft thick snow: but no damage done. Ludlow & I reached here about 3.0 pm. very tired indeed. But after a rest & some whisky we went out after birds for 1 1/2 hours, & got a few good specimens. Collected only one flower - Primula Stewartii I think, very like Denticulata. This is a most beautiful place in the middle of a fir forest with, across the valley, a fine line of snow hills leading up to the Natu La. The evening light through the trees on the