Part 71 - Hall and Dzama entries, 25–27 Feb: weather, birding scarcity, local crops, and travel via Adju La

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SUMMARY:
Notes describe worries about a Kutsap at Showa, poor birding and fatigue, and at Hall a hypsometer reading, Tsongpen’s trip to Gampo Ne, and pilgrims circling a boulder. Further notes list local crops and livestock with reliance on takin across the Po Tsangpo. On 27 Feb the party moved to Dzama with fine views of Namcha Barwa and the Gyala peaks, crossing the Adju La, with arrangements made by the Dingpon of Lome and a wild peach observed.

CONTENT:
to Kongbo out onto Showa, where he is afraid what will happen to him. The 'Kutsap' there apparently holds a wife of his as hostage. This doesn't make him feel any more friendly to the Tibetan official. We found no birds this afternoon, a disappointment after what we saw yesterday. Both of us feel very tired today.

25 Feb. Hall. Fine, but cloudy, with some sun. It rained hard last night, and was very misty this morning, but cleared considerably and looked as if it would clear altogether. Tsongpen went down to Gampo Ne today, but got little or nothing, just one rhodo which had been brought in yesterday. He took the hypsometer with him and got readings: - BP 203.0° F. Temp 48° F. (Ht = 4917') B and I looked for birds and saw very few indeed. There are interesting birds here, but there seem to be very few of them. No sign of any more quail. Nor have I found a skulker which I heard the first day - Horaites, I think. Tsongpen again saw a big green woodpecker with orange buff crest or mantle. There is a big flat, with a large boulder in the middle, round which pilgrims walk.

26th Feb. Hall. Rain again last night and clouded all day today, but just fine. We have got some wheat here, tsatse (millet) and onions. Indian corn is also grown and barley and buckwheat. There does not seem to be a great surplus of anything though. Crops are autumn sown, and are now 10" high. Peas are also autumn sown. A fair number of good cattle, with mithun blood, are kept, but I don't think are ever eaten. The locals depend on wild game, mostly takin, for meat. Takin seem plentiful on the other side of the Po Tsangpo on the left bank of the Tsangpo.

27th Feb. Dzama. Cleared up to a fine day. Views of the Namcha Barwa - Gyala peaks were quite magnificent again and lasted till we had passed the Adju La and got into the forest. All arrangements were well made by the Dingpon. I thought he was a Gyimpon, but he is Dingpon of Lome. A Dingpon has 4-6 gyimpons under him. The only interesting flower seen today was a peach, apparently wild, growing on the edge of a small clearing in the forest, with very fine