Part 47 - Charithang field notes: local games, staff changes, and travel plans

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SUMMARY:
The writer describes playing a local stone-throwing game with Phuntshog (Pintso), some rifle practice, and issues with Lepcha assistants, deciding that Changu will return. On 29th May at Charithang they climbed to see a bird’s nest, collected a few birds, learned Tobgye will not arrive until 3rd June, planned to go to Damthang on the 1st, dealt with many ticks, and sent a large Meconopsis (imperialis) to Yatung after finding plants near the Kyu la not yet in flower.

CONTENT:
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with Phuntshog (Pintso) and some other locals this afternoon. It is presumably quoits, but played with round flat stones, which are thrown about 15 yards. We then had a little rifle practice with the .22 rifle, which was much enjoyed. The Lepchas are not proving so good as we hoped. Danong is working well enough, but his young brother Changu is useless. D. produced tears and a story of the death of his daughter this afternoon, and said one of them must return. So Changu will go tomorrow.

29th May. Charithang. Rather a poor day, with rain on and off all day. I went a long climb up the hills to the North to the watershed to see a bird's nest. We found it but I missed the bird, probably a sun bird, and it never came back again, so I left the eggs. Collected a few birds on the way down. Heard that Tobgye will not arrive here till 3rd June, so we have asked for transport to go to Damthang as soon as possible, and hope to leave on 1st. The forest here is full of ticks, and I must have picked off over 50 during my outing. I would rather have them than leeches, of which there are none here yet. Sent back a huge meconopsis (imperialis) to Yatung, in case it will flower and seed there later. Found them near the Kyu la in fair numbers, but not yet out.