SUMMARY:
The party exchanged ceremonial scarves before departing over a good pass with many flowering shrubs, but refrained from collecting birds or butterflies due to the death of the Dzongpen of Thimbu. They marched to Tsalimape along the Bemem Chu toward Trashi Cho Dzong; despite requests not to visit or photograph during mourning, W. went to the Dzong, and collecting was deferred until reaching the next pass.

CONTENT:
34

ready to start off. We all in turn gave him scarves, and he did likewise to us. He held out his hands with a closed scarf in them, while we placed an open one over his forearms, and then took the one he offered. When this was over we left, and following the custom, we waved to each other and imitated wolf calls till we were out of sight. Road good the whole way, not too steep either side. Found a number of flowering shrubs on both sides of the pass. Unfortunately last night the Dzongpen of Thimbu (Trashi cho Dzong) died, so out of respect for the dead, we cannot collect either birds or butterflies yet. It is very sad, but we must agree to this. Bar. Ht. 8900'.

29th TO TSALIMAPE. 12 miles. 7700' (Bar. Ht. 8200'). An easy but hot march down the BEMEM CHU and up towards Trashi Cho Dzong. We were asked not to visit this Dzong, where the Thimbu Penlop died last night, but W. is off there now. He was asked not to take photos too, but again has taken his camera, having no thought for anyone but himself. Flies are perfectly beastly here, as the camp is in the village, the worst camp we have had so far. Butterflies are at last out, but we couldn't collect today. Tomorrow when we reach the pass we will start to collect again.

SUMMARY:
Records continued fine mornings following a Bhutanese 'St. Swithin's Day' weather rule. On 19th July the party traveled 8 miles to Trongsa in leech-ridden conditions, found a single campanula flower, and stayed in HH's summer house above the dzong; the Zimpon recounted his trip to Calcutta with HH and his heavy duties at Damthang arranging salaams and gifts for visitors to the Maharaja.

CONTENT:
back to Chendebi again. The Bhutanese St. Swithin's Day rule is holding good. We had awful rain for the last 10 days of the last Bhutanese month. But if the 30th was fine, we were to have 15 days fine, if wet, then bad weather for a month. It was not fine, but there was comparatively little rain and we had sun in the afternoon. Since then all mornings have been fine.

19th July. To Trongsa. 8 miles. Very heavy rain all last evening and night. Fine this morning, leeches very bad, got 5 or 6 on my feet and some on my hands which weren't seen till too late. Found only one flower of a nice campanula, but otherwise nothing of interest. Here we are staying in a very nice kind of summer house which HH uses, above the dzong. It is pleasantly cool and a breeze blows all day. The Zimpon seems a very nice man. I had met him before in Bumthang, where we had competed at archery. He was down in Calcutta with HH last year, and has been telling me all about his experiences there. His work was light, he got all the fun there was, and thoroughly enjoyed himself. But at Damthang on the way back, he had to work hard, as everyone who came to salaam the Maharaja had to do so through him, he had to give presents to them all. So that of the 8 or 9 maunds of things he had brought

SUMMARY:
The party reports delays due to missing loads and exhausted coolies while aiming for Nang Dzong. On 2nd April they march to TROMDA in rain and snow; Puitso catches up after spending the night on the road, and the route is noted for sandy paths, a spur crossing, and vegetation including pines, rhododendrons, and Primula species in side valleys.

CONTENT:
They are all of poor physique & some are lunatics: most seem to be diseased. We should have got to Nang Dzong in two days; now it will take at least three, but it was worse going on today, with 15 loads not yet arrived & the coolies very tired. The valley is rather drier here, we saw no pines on the hills after the first two miles, but they are covered with shrubs, not yet in flower, though showing green here & there.

2nd April. To TROMDA. 6 miles. 10800'
A clouded day, with rain & snow for an hour even in the valley, clearing up later. Puitso did not get off till after dark last night, & himself arrived at Rabdang just after we had left this morning. He spent the night on the road. We left at 6.45 & got in at 9.30 am. with the same coolies. There is a good deal of sand on the path, but it is not so much up & down, with the exception of one spur crossed at mile 2. No flowers on the way, but I saw a few heads of Primula pumilio here - a species just coming into flower. The hills again have pines on the north faces & also rhododendrons. On the way here one passes some small side valleys with water, & they all seem to have a primula growing in them. P. sikkimensis is there, but there is another also, which appears to be P. microdonta,

SUMMARY:
The diarist describes severe weather around Pomo Tso, including hail, snow, and rain, and notes finding a small delphinium near the lake’s southeast corner. On 11th September, they outline routes from Tö Monastery toward Ling Dzong via Yo La or Ling La, with details of terrain, flocks, streams, and gradual ascents and descents.

CONTENT:
91

in the monastery, they remain there all winter. It is built
on a cliff on the edge of the Pomo Tso. 11. A perfectly foul
day: it rained a good deal during the night & was misty
& rainy up to the Pass. As we reached the Pomo Tso a
violent hail storm came on, which turned into snow
& rain later. Got in at 2.30 & found a yakherd's tent
pitched for the men & some wood & dung collected

B. 28. Evening scene on Pomo Tso to South
dry. No views all day, but we could just see
enough to know that normally the views should have
been wonderful. All the hills covered with snow. Found
a nice little delphinium in the river bed near the
SE corner of the Pomo Tso.

11th September. To LING DZONG. 14700' 10½ miles. From Tö Monastery
two routes lead to the North, one over the YO LA to
Shabring & the other over the LING LA direct to LING. The
former would be the more direct route to TALUNG. The

B. 28. The Tö Monastery & Pomo Tso from the North: a panorama of the Pomo Tso from West to East from
latter route leaves the monastery in an Easterly direction,
gradually bending northwards across grassland, climbing
very gradually to the LING LA (17000') at m 2½.
Descent on the north is equally gradual, at abt m 5
a river is met & followed down on the left bank.
The hills are grass covered & numerous large flocks
of sheep are grazed here. At m 6 a small stream
comes in from the West, at m 8½ the valley

SUMMARY:
Travel to Kap and then Chayul Dzong, including difficulty lowering the Tibetan mastiff Tumshu down a stone ladder, with Pinto assisting. Notes children peeling rhododendron leaf indumentum to sell as Bané for lamp wicks and observes currants, irises, and early paraquilegia and rhododendrons; an outing up the nala SE of Kap with Tsongpen and Tendup found few flowers fully out.

CONTENT:
have found. He shows it below Lung on the way to the Chupung La, whereas it is above Dotrang on the way to the Kashong La.

4th May. To Kap. 7 miles. Fine. Some difficulty in getting the dog Tumshu—the Tibetan mastiff, a useless beast really (G.)—down the stone ladder today. He was eventually carried on one man's shoulders, while Pinto came down next, holding a rope round Tumshu's neck, to keep his head up, so that he could not bite the carrier. Currants in flower and pretty numerous. The irises here are lovely, every spare inch covered with them. We noticed the children yesterday pulling the thick indumentum off the underside of a rhododendron leaf. They do this when the leaf is more or less dry, then roll up the indumentum, which comes off in one piece, and sell it to the treasury. It is extensively used as a wick in an oil lamp, and goes by the name of Bané.

5th May. Chayul Dzong. 6 miles. Tsongpen, Tendup and I went up the nala SE of Kap, leaving at 5.0 am. I was disappointed to find flowers had hardly come on at all. Paraquilegia, however, is everywhere just on the point of flowering. One or two rhododendrons were just out, but nothing new. Camped

SUMMARY:
The writer describes a difficult return to camp after gear failures, arriving after dark to Ludlow’s camp in snow and thick mist, and notes splendid views around Gorpo La and the Tibetan plateau. On 16 August they traveled to Dongkar Dzong via the Sang La, collecting gentians and butterflies and viewing the Nyamjang Chu and nearby hills toward the Cho La.

CONTENT:
60

valley and 2000 ft down. When I started to return, first Ahmad Sheikh's pony's girth broke, then Culla was thrown, then the girth broke again. Finally we got to where Ludlow had decided to camp, after dark. The rain came on and turned to snow, and there was thick mist. So everything was pretty beastly. Dinner was equally beastly. It was a poor ending to a most perfect day. The mountain to the north of the Gorpo La is magnificent, covered with snow. The view E from the pass, over Tibetan plateau was equally magnificent. During the night there was an inch of snow. On the pass found a Corydalis like flower, pale lavender and a few saxifrages and cremanthodiums.

287 16th August. TO DONGKAR DZONG. 5 m. 13350'. Another
good day but patchy. Climbed up the R. bank to
Sang La Aug. 16. the SANG LA (17129') and rested there for an hour or
Gentiana algida 828. more. The sun came out, with it the gentians,
" " algida 829. parnassius and fritillary butterflies. Caught a
Donkhar number of them and got a few gentians. The view
Hedysarum sp. nov. 832 up the Nyamjang Chu was fine over typical
dry plateau. Dongkar is seen directly below to
the W. of the Sang La and the hills to the SW. near
the Cho La were occasionally seen. Lunched

SUMMARY:
Notes confirm the Tibetan Magpie occurs south of the main range, with records at Treno Dzong in the Nyam Jang Chu valley and earlier sightings by Ludlow, S., and W. Griffith; Rose Finches were common at Archpo. First-time localities are listed for Aegithaliscus concinnus talifuensis across SE Tibet with habitat and breeding remarks, alongside brief film stock references.

CONTENT:
L. 46. Archpo I found Rose Finches common. I also saw a pair of Magpies (Pica p. bottanensis) just below Treno & in well south of the main range.

1945 9371
510 10422
9371
37484
18742
1874
9766.456

L. Ibis 65. There can be no doubt that the Tibetan Magpie does occur south of the main range in certain favoured localities. In April 1936, Ludlow, in November 1938, we met with it at Treno Dzong in the Nyam Jang Chu valley. In 1937, S. saw 3 or 4 pairs at Gyetsa in Bhutan, the same locality in which W. Griffith saw it in 1838 (Ibis 1937 p. 20).

8th
Kodachrome III & IV etc. etc. Ibis 65
Cine Kodak V.
Film Pack VI, VII & VIII
Dufaycolor V.

L. Ibis 68. Lepo. 5th April 8th Aegithaliscus concinnus talifuensis - Tit.
For the first time: Goshuany, Cine Cali - Natrampa, Seing, Migyitun, Molo, Langong Chu, Gyala, Gyanda Chu.

Extremely abundant in SE Tibet in Holly Oak zone, conifer forest & bamboo thickets. It collects into large parties as soon as the young birds are able to fly. Nothing seems to be known about the breeding of this Tit. L. noted young birds on the wing in late May. Found both N & S of the main range, but appears to be more plentiful in the drier zone to the north than it is in the dense forests on the southern slopes.

See Ibis 69.

L. 46. The rhodos at this march were amazingly brilliant. The gorge in this march was magnificent.

SUMMARY:
The diarist describes sparse official presence across Tibetan towns, then records halts and short marches with bullocks en route toward Tsela Dzong. A pony carrying Ludlow and Elliot’s bedding goes missing and is later recovered; Sandup returns to Kyindong, and difficult road conditions near Risho require manhandling loads, with mention of skin ferries.

CONTENT:
There can be no other country which runs itself like Tibet. Since we left Gangtok we have not come across many officials in their place of business. The T.T.A. Yatung is hardly ever anywhere but in Kalimpong. There was a dzongpon in Phari. There was one in Gyantse. But there were none in Nangkarbe, Pede or Gongkar. The Nethong Dzongpon was in residence, and we have seen none since then.

3rd Dec. Halt. Very windy last evening, but clear and cold at night, with not a very low temp. No one appeared this morning early, but by 11.0 some 30 bullocks had come. The men are a pleasant friendly - several having been with us before both in 1933 and 1938 in Langong or beyond Kyindong Dzong. They remember us, apparently quite happily, and they even remember Jill. They are going to Tsela Dzong with us, and we should have no trouble when once away from here. The only troublesome people are the representatives of the Dzong. The village here is very poor, but they seem friendly enough.

4th Dec. Kamchang. Bullocks got off in good time, last party leaving at 8.0. We were in at 11.30 - it is a short march. But bullocks take a very long time. One pony with Ludlow and Elliot's bedding never arrived in. Kamchang is the lower of two villages, each only with a few houses. Pollarded walnut trees are much in evidence.

5th Dec. Halt. Again had to halt, this time owing to the lost pony. It strayed up a side valley 2 miles from here. Sandup has gone back to Kyindong. Pony came in late at night - or rather the bedding was brought in - the pony had fallen and hurt itself.

6th Dec. Camp 2 m. beyond Chongrong on S. bank, left at 7.30: in with bullocks at 4.30pm. Road very bad for bullocks in 3 places, the worst being 1 1/2 m beyond Risho, where all loads had to be manhandled for 100 yds over a cliff. There are 'skin' ferries at 1 1/2 m above Risho, -

SUMMARY:
Botanical observations near camp included Cremanthodium, P. littledalei, Meconopsis integrifolia, and saxifrages. After leaving the Thira La, Taylor returned to the Gyanda Chu and the party halted at Chomo Dzong to collect coracles and cross the river, observing barley harvesting and local papermaking, before abandoning a planned route from Kyakden to the Rong Chu and proceeding to Dzeng on the Tsangpo, where Primula and Gentiana waltoni were noted.

CONTENT:
Near our camp were very fine. On the high rocky slopes were several species of Cremanthodium, we saw here more fruiting plants of P. littledalei than anywhere else, always growing among boulder scree, or at the foot of cliffs, in crevices protected from rain: a few were still in flower. Beside them grew Meconopsis integrifolia, some still with an odd flower on them. Saxifrages too were common here, the prettiest perhaps being a little wine red one only once seen, Saxifraga (No. 6).

Leaving the Thira La, Taylor returned to the Gyanda Chu, by a valley further North which entered the Gyanda Chu at Chomo Dzong. Here we had to halt a day while coracles were collected to ferry us across the river to the right bank. Barley crops were now ripe and we watched the Tibetans collecting the heads by putting two canes together and drawing them up the straws, pulling the heads off, while leaving the straw standing. Later on we watched the more dangerous method used in cutting the straw. In a small field a dozen or more men stripped to the waist, were let loose with murderous looking scythes on long handles. These were not wielded in the sedate way they are at home, but to the tunes of shouted songs were wildly swung over the left shoulder and head before being brought down in a sweep worthy of a professional golfer. The men did not advance in line, but wandered about where they fancied. Another occupation in which the people of Chomo Dzong were busy, was paper making, we watched this very simple and efficient manufacture from the peeling of the Daphne bark to the setting out of the cloth trays to dry in the air.

Unfortunately we could not manage the proposed trip from Kyakden over the hills to the East into the Rong Chu valley and had to turn down the river to Dzeng on the Tsangpo. Primula was seen on these dry slopes near the valley bed and Gentiana waltoni now appeared on an open dry hillside.