Part 53 - Diary entry, 5th June: Tobgye's visit and plans for Ha

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SUMMARY:
Notes include orchid records and a visit from Tobgye, who brought provisions and discussed concerns about a lama from Kham influencing the Maharaja. The party describes dense woods cleared for grazing by Bhutanese herders and hopes the lama will not be in Bumthang to avoid restrictions on shooting. They have been invited to Ha for lunch and tea on the 8th and plan to go.

CONTENT:
24

Bletia palustris 60.
Cephalanthera longifolia 58
Pleione hookeriana 59.
Tobgye brought presents of beer, cake, mangoes, vegetables.

5th June. Fine till 10.0, then rain till 2.0 & fine in the evening. Tobgye arrived at midday, we gave him our very best tiffin. He went on again about 3.0pm. He is rather worried about the lama who is getting at the Maharaja. He comes from Kham & is a nephew of an old lama who used to be a great friend of Ugyen Wangchuck. This man is a hunchback; he gives out that he is collecting money for a monastery in Kham, & according to Tobgye he is doing pretty well: but he is also doing pretty well for himself, & is collecting a good deal of money & presents in kind. Tobgye dislikes him & mistrusts him, thinking him able to hypnotise. We all hope he will not be in Bumthang when we get there, or our shooting may be curtailed.

Ha - 8 miles down valley.
Ludlow
The woods are very dense, in some cases impenetrable but here & there the Bhutanese have cleared open spaces, with fire & axe to provide grazing grounds for their numerous herds of zhos (said to be a cross between the yak & the common horned cow) yaks & cows. No sheep.

We are asked to Ha to lunch & tea on 8th & have decided to go