Part 17 - Camp on the Jirgang Chu between Korphu and Nabzi

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SUMMARY:
The party forded rivers along the Gale Chu, noting shelters used by men tending H.H.'s cattle en route to Bumthang, and encountered their first rhododendrons (R. rhabdotum), with Tsungpen climbing a tall tree to reach blooms. They met Bhutanese with H.H.'s cattle and made camp on the Jirgang Chu between Korphu and Nabzi, with little else of interest noted in the dense forest and no knowledge of the Black Mountain from locals.

CONTENT:
fordable, but probably impossible in summer. The river is
forded several times, and where two valleys join, both
of equal size. Here a convenient camp can be made.
Water good. All down the Gale Chu are temporary
shelters, which are used by the men looking after H.H.'s
cattle, which come down here for the winter. They are
now on their way back to Bumthang. — Today we
came across the first rhododendrons, which I am pretty
certain are all R. rhabdotum, though the red marking is
not so marked as in those I have seen before. The first
was fully 70 feet up a very tall tree, & Tsungpen did very
well indeed to get there. The flowers were almost over.
Here they are in full bloom, also high up trees, & the
shrubs are very leggy, two to four flowers, very little
scent. Nothing else of much interest, & the forest is too
thick to wander about in. Met some Bhutanese with H.H.'s
cattle, going to Bumthang, but they know nothing of the
Black Mountain.

28th April. Camp on the Jirgang Chu, between Korphu & Nabzi. 10 miles.
B.P. 205.3° Temp. 76° Time - 4.30 p.m. From last camp keep to