Part 185 - Diary: March from Pyimitanka to Paro amid continuous rain

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SUMMARY:
The diarist notes receiving Wright-Smith's list of last year's primulas and describes relentless rain flooding the Thimbu Chu while marching 11 miles to Pyimitanka and then 10 miles to Paro. Local officials from Paro sent extra servants and a mule, which proves inconvenient, and a specimen of Ceratostigma is collected.

CONTENT:
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with it Wright-Smith's list of last year's primulas, which makes more pleasant reading. I have not studied it fully or counted the new species yet, but they are pleasantly numerous. A particularly foul day, and we have now had three equally foul running. But it is cool, and the primula roots will not suffer as much as if the sun were bright.

13th To Pyimitanka 11 miles. There is still no stop in the rain, either day or night. Rivers are very high, and the path along the Thimbu Chu was well under water for long spells. The water was over my knees several times. There seems absolutely no reason why it should not rain for another fortnight. Luckily nothing of ours has got wet yet, at any rate the flowers are still dry. I do wish the local officials would allow one to arrive in peace. I have all the servants I want, but three were sent out by Paro a three days' march, with a mule, to meet me. I sent them back one day, but now must keep them with me, they get in the way the whole time. It is of course, very kind of the officials. I wish we could go on straight through Paro without a stop, but I must have a day there. Took a specimen today of a Ceratostigma - nothing else interesting.

14th August. To Paro 10 miles. Another equally foul day: rain all last