Part 64 - Contouring to Lussing La and into Panggetangka; poor collecting and mail received

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SUMMARY:
The party contoured the hillside from the fir forest up to Lussing La, then entered the Panggetangka valley toward the Rufo Zam, finding only three small plant specimens and considering a stay due to transport being requisitioned. The writer rode a yak cautiously. A letter from Betty reports two primulas that Tsangpo does not remember, and Ludlow mentions a curious Petiolarid.

CONTENT:
But it was a sad day in every way. We should have seen things, I expected, as our route lay up through the fir forest to the rhod. & open hillside above, & then from above. 6.30 am till 11.0 we contoured the hillside about 500' above the firs, keeping south, & finally up to the Lussing La, which is a pass over a ridge only. Beyond that we were in the valley called on the map Panggetangka, which runs down to the Rufo Zam. The whole day we got 3 plants, only small bits of these three, & saw nothing of interest. Now we may have to stay here 5 days, which seems a pity, but the Druk Locha needs all transport in tow, & there it is. I rode a yak today, & had to be very careful getting on & off, & in allowing anyone close behind. But we had no accidents.

This place doesn't really look good. It is too much scrub & too much yak-eaten for my liking. I don't think we will get much. A mail came in yesterday after all - but not for 4 hours after I had sent off my mail. With this one was a letter from Betty. She is not happy I fear, & it worries me that she should be there with Hicks, & not enjoying it. And there is still a good long while to go, before she will start coming my way - 2 months from now. Not much news in my mail, but Betty tells me she has two good primulas, which Tsangpo doesn't remember. I should think one might be P. tsariensis & one P. caveana, but how much earlier they must be than we are here. Ludlow also talks of a queer Petiolarid which I have no ideas about. It should be interesting.