Part 23 - Camp routine and march to Karutra via Drotang

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SUMMARY:
The diarist describes difficult stream crossings with washed-out bridges, a woman helping her brother, and a day in camp changing flowers and bathing. On 12 July they travel about 8 miles to Karutra via Drotang, encounter rain after 10 a.m., note relatively scarce rainfall in the valley, and await possible mail from Tsona via the dak runner.

CONTENT:
Chimaphila japonica (like Pyrola) 2340 Moneses uniflora 2340A Frit. cirrhosa 2341 121

streams considerably, and some of them were not too easy to cross.
All bridges had been partly washed away, and in each case there was
only one thin tree trunk left to walk on. I was amused to see
one woman cross with her load, take it off and come back to
take a man's load. The man was obviously her brother, and
was a bit 'pagal' so they say. Stayed in camp today,
changing flowers etc., and had a 'bath'. Ludlow and Lumsden
have the only tub, so I wait for a warm place, have a
basin in my tent and make a thorough mess of the whole
place sponging myself down. The dak runner was supposed
to be back in 12 days, and tomorrow will be the 12th. Of
course that depended on whether there was a mail in Tsona
or not. I do hope he managed to get one there.

12th July. Karutra. (about 13,000') 8 miles. Fine till 10, rain the
Incarvillea lutea 2342
rest of the day. But even here the valley is not very
Pyrola rotundifolia 2343
wet yet. I think rain has been scarce this year on the
whole so far. The path climbs steeply up the valley
side to Drotang, a small village with a good deal of
cultivation. A little beyond this and it goes level for
1/2 mile. Then most of the way a steep ascent through