Part 23 - Gortsum to Dhur: bulb collecting, seed work, and camp activities

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SUMMARY:
Entries describe leaving frost-bound Gortsum after a storm, incentivizing the team to dig a large haul of lily bulbs (430 total) with little Meconopsis bella seed found, and reaching camp early. The next day at Dhur was a short march with collection of Notholirion macrophyllum bulbs and Thalictrum chelidonii seed, seed-drying and packing, games with companions, and Yundon sent to Shasjetang to collect more seed before rejoining at Kuji (Bumthang).

CONTENT:
5th October. Gortsum. Another lovely day. We were all anxious to be off this morning. It thundered last evening and rained and sleeted heavily, but cleared up about midnight and was sparkling and very cold indeed. My tent was thick with frost which we eventually thawed off by making 3 large fires and bringing the tent to them. It is a long march and we were anxious to get as many bulbs of the new lily as possible. So I offered Rs 1/- per 25 to Pasang, Yundru, Tupden and the man with a pony. On the word 'go' Yundru was down to it at once, the others were slower. When we had to stop, the result was Yundru 157, Pasang 123, Tupden and the pony man 75 each. So we have 430 bulbs, as well as a good deal of seed. I could find very little Mec. bella seed, although it was quite profuse in the same place, when in flower. We got in at 2.0 having walked very fast today. It is very very warm here to us, after those high camps, but I must say is rather pleasant for a change.

6th Oct. Dhur. A lovely day and a very short march. In at 8.30 am. We collected only two things on the way - bulbs of Notholirion macrophyllum and seed of Thalictrum chelidonii. I had a good day drying seed and packing things away, while everyone else washed clothes and bodies for our arrival tomorrow. By 2.30 I had finished work, so joined Ngudup, Namgyal, and HH's syce who had come out to meet me in a game of stone throwing, like we used to have with the high lama officials in Lhasa. From 2.30 till it was too dark to see at 5.45 we played without a pause, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Yundon went on today to Shasjetang to get seed of four other trees and shrubs, and will join us in Kuji (Bumthang) tomorrow.