Part 53 - Camp near Kargong La with coolie delays and Rhododendron collection

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SUMMARY:
The party experienced delays as coolies failed to arrive, while Ludlow and the diarist collected a few flowers of Rhododendron edgeworthii. On 10th May they moved to the west side of Kargong La amid rain, sent Tsompen to Lalung to trace missing loads, and eventually received the loads at a filthy, wet camp with no special flowers noted.

CONTENT:
day. Coolies rolled up when they felt inclined, & in spite of the presence of three gyimpus, they were not all at our camp by the time we left, with the majority at 8.30. It is well we stopped so soon, as the remainder have not yet turned up at 5.0pm. Ludlow & I went on up the path & found R. edgeworthii 3709 (originally Rhod. buluatum?), now collected under 3720 in full flower on many trees. But it is difficult to reach, & could only secure three flowers. We want to go slow, but hardly as slow as this. Perhaps once started, the coolies will improve. Some leeches, all kinds of flies are bad. No coolies in by night.

10th May. Camp to W side of Kargong La, 2 1/2 miles. B.P. 19.61 Temp. 60° Time 3.0pm. Ht. approx. 9015'. Rained all night, fine from 6.0 am till evening with small showers. We hung on waiting for coolies to arrive, & sent Tsompen down to Lalung to find out what had happened. He brought back two loads & found a man who had run away. At 12 noon we started off, still two loads short. But they all came on and got into a filthy camp about 4.0pm, when it was raining pretty hard. No special flowers,