SUMMARY:
The diarist notes movements of people from Sakden to Phongmi and Rungsung and trade with Dirang, then halts at Taktu with a good morning after birds, mails sent and received, and a visit from the Kazi. A quoted letter from the postmaster at Kumarikhata reports the death of Mr. S. M. Lemarchand and mentions earlier mails from Bhutan; nights are frosty and chilly.

CONTENT:
119

The whole of Sakden moves down to Phongmi + Rungsung about now, or else they are busy exchanging their butter + yak produce for Indian corn from this side or Dirang.

28th
27th Oct. Halt Taktu. Had a very good morning after birds. Then prepared to send a mail off. Another mail arrived in the afternoon, with letters from Srinagar of 9th — pretty quick work. A grand day again. The Kazi came down in the evening + stopped here the night. There is just a touch of frost here at nights, + it is very chilly, with a breeze all night.

A letter from the postmaster Kumarikhata is so good, that I quote it:— "Dear Sir, I am very glad in receipt of your letter with the mails sent on 28th Sept from Bhutan I am enclosing the list of mails in which you will come to know everything. I am extremely glad that both of you are doing well in Bhutan + pray to Almighty God for your safe arrival at Kumarikhata. I am sorry to report to you untimely death of Mr. S. M. Lemarchand. After returning from Gauhati he proceeded England, but before his arrival at home he breathed his last breath. At last I beg to acknowledge receipt of one letter to Director General of Post + Telegraph in which I hope it will be good for the office as well"

[Marginal notes:]
Cine film
14 + 15 C
F Packs
4, 5 + 6
Contax
12 + 13
sent 28/10.

SUMMARY:
Plans were made on 11 November to arrive in London on 12 November. They were met by Stalin, who efficiently divided up everything.

CONTENT:
on 11th Nov, to arrive in London on 12 November. They were met
by Stalin who divided up everything more efficiently.

SUMMARY:
Notes abundant fish in the Tsangpo and tame black‑necked cranes, with warm conditions after Yamdrok Tso. On 20 March they traveled by skin boats (Kowah) down the Tsangpo to Dorje Tra, demonstrated the wireless to the Dzongpen, dealt with missing boxes from Tamalung, and chased cormorants; on 21 March they continued by Kowah to Chira, describing Dorje Tra’s monastery on a rock and slower river flow.

CONTENT:
Ludlow 15
Tsangpo river
Fish appear numerous. The ferrymen told us that there were large fish in the river up to 10-20 lbs. Formerly they were allowed to catch them, but not nowadays.

Magnificent river, even here, though it must be nearly at its lowest. On the plain there were many black-necked cranes, tamer than usual: some allowed me up to 40 yards. Stayed in home, very comfortable. Beautifully warm down here after the Yamdrok Tso.

20th March. Dorje Tra. 18 miles. 8 hours by Kowa - down the Tsangpo. Perfect weather, no clouds all day. We listened in to the Scotland England Rugger match yesterday evening, but heard very badly. However we could follow the whole game. On such a clear night there are probably electrical disturbances about. Certainly when I stroked Jill, she sparked all over. We were rash enough to show the wireless to the Dzongpen, in the afternoon he came again in the evening. Eleven boxes never turned up from Tamalung, although we waited till after 11:00 this morning. Transport also was very late in turning up, and finally we decided to leave ponies and sail down the Tsangpo in the skin boats - 'Kowah'. We could have got everything into three, but for comfort and safety we took six. At 11:15 we embarked and were off, much to the delight of the villagers who must love a tamasha like that.

Near Gonkar the river is quite swift, but it opens out and is slower lower down. We had some fun chasing cormorants, which abound, choosing one which has eaten so much it has difficulty in flying. One we got close to and catapulted, eventually hitting it on the head and killing it. Inside was a fish of fully 1½ lbs - the tail well up the cormorant's neck. It was a pleasant change just lying in the boats at ease. The men don't do very energetic rowing, but keep at it for hours. They drink chang as long as they have it and sing merrily all the time they row. Dorje Tra was further than expected, we were not in till nearly 8:00 pm. Then we woke the village, looking for a house to stay in. This was finally done and we had a good night, again undisturbed by any uninvited guests.

21st March. To Chira. 18 miles. 6 hours by Kowah again by Kowah down the Tsangpo. Fine, no clouds, but rather windy. River slower flowing on the whole. Dorje Tra is a picturesque place, mostly monastery, plastered up against a big rock sticking out into the river. We left at 8:00 am and halted here at...

SUMMARY:
The party set up the wireless and clearly heard England for the first time since Puntsogong, likely aided by monsoon conditions, with generally fine weather though cloudy on the hills. On 27 May they halted in camp due to rain, and on 28 May they went about seven miles down the valley along a difficult river path; Ludlow crossed the river, and they noted abundant Rhododendron lindleyi, a magnolia about to flower, and mixed jungle of bamboo, rhododendron, birch, larch, Tsuga dumosa and deciduous trees.

CONTENT:
Schisandra grandiflora 1704
Creeper 1704. The wireless was put up last night and worked fairly well; we even heard England a very little. This morning I switched on at 5:00 am and heard England perfectly. Ludlow waited till 6:00 am and got the news, the first we have had since Puntsogong at the end of February. Presumably monsoon conditions have made the reception so good. That will be one good thing in favour of the monsoon. Yesterday and today both fine again, though cloudy on the hills.

Meigiptan 1714
27th May. Halt in camp. Rain all day.

28th May. Went down the valley for about 7 miles or so. The path after mile 4 is awful, being in the river with water up to one's knees most of the way. Rhododendron lindleyi 1715 is abundant and very pretty from mile 4 down. Otherwise there was nothing of much importance found. Ludlow crossed the river and went down a little. A nice little magnolia is about to come out. The path on the left bank is quite good at first, the country pretty open, with a jungle of mostly scrub. This changes to denser mixed jungle of bamboo, rhododendron, birch, larch, Tsuga dumosa and deciduous trees.