Part 30 - Entries for 25–26 April: halt day and march to Dengchung

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SUMMARY:
A halt day with fine weather was spent in camp changing and drying pressed flowers, planning to collect on the E face of the Khoma Chu beyond the Rip La; Pasang took a jungle walk and Betty was expected to reach Trashigangsi, with remarks on severe flies noted in June 47. On 26 April they marched about 9 miles to Dengchung in mixed weather, disputing reports of no local flowers and snow at Lulu.

CONTENT:
Dengchung, I want to go there. I have agreed to stay there 6 nights and then come straight back to Khoma instead of Tali Gompa. This saves the locals somewhat, as the Dengchu people will have to take me the full march. Today has been our first wholly fine day with no rain at all.

25th April. Halt. Another fine day, with just a little rain around 4.0 am for half an hour and then mist which the sun had to disperse. We had a slack day today, and I remained in camp all day, and changed flowers and took out dry ones. We now are down to only three presses. There was sun nearly all day and flowers are drying well. Pasang went off by himself for a jungle walk but saw nothing at all. I hope tomorrow is fine, as I think we should get a good deal in the wooded E face of the Khoma Chu beyond the Rip La. Betty will have reached Trashigangsi now, and will be glad of the halt they intend to have there. I think that June may be a pretty foul month, as everyone says how bad the flies are there. However we will be pretty high by then, and perhaps they won't worry us unduly. Certainly in June 47 they were dreadful when Betty and I came down through E. Bhutan.

26th April. DENGCHUNG 9 miles BP. 199.2 63° 12.0. Ht. It has again been mostly fine, though we started with rain and have had more in the afternoon. All the reports I got were that down here there were no flowers at all, while at Lulu there was snow. I am convinced both reports are wrong. Certainly there are more flowers here than we