Part 73 - Dza La crossing to Seti Chu and Chupda Chu with plant notes

1 page

SUMMARY:
The party ascends to the rocky, cold Dza La, descends to ford the Seti Chu, then follows the river and crosses a ridge to camp near the Chupda Chu, noting increasing wet conditions and sparse juniper. Several alpine plants are recorded, including a primula near the Seti Chu, with marginal notes listing collections from Dza La.

CONTENT:
35

(DZA LA B.P. 181.60 Temp. 45° = Corr. 17,307'. ZANGTHANG B.P. 184.6°
Temp. 47° Corr. = 15,374'). Leave camp & ascend gradually
at first, steeper later on, along bearing 100° to the
DZA LA at m 3. (17,307'). Small lake just before pass. The pass is rocky & bare.
Descent on East side is fairly steep down to the
SETI CHU, crossed by fording at m 4 1/2. Here another route from
Karta is met. Thence path ascends
gradually up the left bank of the river, crossing a
ridge at m 8. Over this, the descent is easy to
the CHUPDA CHU (thus on map: this name was not known
to our transport men). Camp at m 9. Grazing & water
good. Some stunted juniper available. // Quite a
good day, but heavy showers on arrival. We are
gradually reaching the wet zone, as the scant vegetation
shows. These hills are still almost bare of everything
but grass at this height, but there is more of it,
and there are junipers too here & there. On the Dza
La it rained & was beastly cold. Found a
gentian growing there also a plant belonging to
the gentian family. A couple of miles beyond the
Seti Chu found a beautiful primula (P. bellidifolia 701) growing in
rocks (701). It looks like capitata but I think
belongs to amethystina section. It may be the one
found on the Orka La (Salden) but I think the
colour is different & perhaps the leaves too.

[Marginal Notes]
Seti Chu valley is a fine one, inhabited only by shepherds & their herds.

Dza La 21 July
Swertia multicaulis 698
Gent. nubigena 699
Chionocharis hookeri 700
Prim. bellidifolia 701
Corydalis cachemiriana 702