Part 20 - From Tsetang to Molo via Putrang La and Kongbo Nga La; Tsangpo valley notes

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SUMMARY:
Travel account from Tsetang through Lhagyari over the Putrang La to the Tsangpo at Dzam, along to Nang Dzong, and via the Kongbo Nga La to Molo, noting wetter forests, pheasants, and a large black woodpecker, with arrival at Molo on April 14. Notes include Abba Lulla showing Bailey-related letters and observations of bar-headed geese and the valley's daily wind patterns.

CONTENT:
10a

Ibis 53 . 26 March - April 14.

From Tsetang we proceeded to Lhagyari, a rich and important Dzong lying at the foot of the Putrang La 16,470. We were struck by the change in scenery on the eastern side of the pass. Bare barren mountains now gave place to whole slopes covered with birch & juniper, where pheasants of 2 species

Ibis 377 Crossoptilon crossoptilon harmani } lurked in the Rhododendron undergrowth
Ibis 382 Tetraophasis szechenyii

We were entering on the borders of a much wetter region than any we had passed through since leaving the Chumbi Valley.

From the Putrang La we descended to the level of the Tsangpo at Dzam where giant pollarded peach trees were already in blossom, and marched along the right bank for 4 days to Nang Dzong. At Nang we left the river to avoid a gorge, and ascended to the Kongbo Nga La which we had crossed in 1936. Here, very much to our surprise, we saw several specimens of a large, black, satanic-looking woodpecker

Ibis 369-372 Dryocopus martius khamensis - in burnt larch forest on the western slopes of the pass. From the Kongbo Nga La to Molo we followed our 1936 route reached Molo on April 14.

Go to p. 17a

Ludlow 19
Abba Lulla befriended Bailey in 1913 when he was robbed of all his money on his journey up the Tsangpo with Morshead. The old trader produced Bailey's letter of recommendation for our inspection & seemed very proud of it. He also showed us a letter from K. W. & Cawdor written in April 1924. Large number of bar-headed geese feeding on the newly sprouting grass near the landing ghat.

Ludlow 20.
The dust is very bad in this Tsangpo valley. Regularly every day the wind blows down the valley from 10 am until sunset. Then there is a short period of calm until 10 pm. Then the up-stream wind sets in & (often) blows throughout the night.