Part 93 - Field notes and alpine plant collecting; letters sent; 4 July halt and collections near Sekpen's huts

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SUMMARY:
The diarist describes plant collecting on cliffs and sand slopes, with Pasang separately gathering notable specimens, and notes wildlife sightings, weather, and plans to camp higher and visit Marlung. Letters were sent to Betty and Asha Wangmoo. On 4 July, amid active trade movement, Pasang and Yundun collected more plants near the Sekpen's huts, and plans are considered for a September trip to the Tibdey La after returning from Bumthang.

CONTENT:
1 June
Went to a big cliff straight ahead. This was covered at the foot with almost white P. umbratilis (19332), and with a lot of the yellow Sax I saw 2 days ago, glabricaulis (19306). Then again to the right, then found P. waddellii and one or two other good things, including a high altitude Delphinium muscosum (19328) and a Sax bergianoides (19329) and a nice dwarf plant which I don't remember seeing before (19327), which grows in sand slopes below cliffs. Pasang was separate, and he got one fine big Gentian, G. phyllocalyx (19322), and also a very pretty little white Potentilla coriandrifolia (19324), which I'd like to get seed of, but unfortunately he only saw enough for the press.

Pasang saw many bharal, I saw one. I must take out the gun and have a go at one one day. We were lucky today, as it was almost fine the whole day until 5 minutes after we returned, when there was a deluge of rain. Really we should camp now at 14,500' to get the best of the alpines. They all seem to be high, and camping here at 12,000' is far too low: it makes a long walk to reach 15,000'. Tomorrow we have an off day, then go up to Marlung, at about 13,500'. Perhaps from there I will send the lads off for a couple of nights to one of the yakherds' shelters, which now mostly seem to be about 14,500'. Sent off a letter to Betty and one to Asha Wangmoo this morning.

4th July. Halt. More fine than wet. Great moving of trade up and down today, mostly Bhutanese, but also Tibetans. I stayed in camp, but Pasang and Yundun preferred to go out. They went up the valley behind the Sekpen's huts, then over the ridge to the north, and they collected 10 quite good plants, including one fine Prim. soldanelloides (19346), which was growing on a cliff, which I think unusual. I've always seen it just on steep open grassy hillside. Ngudup seemed surprised when I told him we would return here after Bumthang, for seed. I've been wondering whether it might not be good to go to the Tibdey La for Sept 1-12th or 15th.