Part 32 - Halt at Rip la with rhododendron collecting and mail from Kalimpong

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SUMMARY:
A wet halt day spent scrambling on a steep rock slope near Rip la to observe rhododendrons, notably Rhododendron edgeworthii, anthopogon, and lindleyi, with signs of bear and musk deer but no sightings. Men later brought in masses of R. edgeworthii, and the diarist began a letter to Betty before receiving mail from Kalimpong.

CONTENT:
a number of rhododendrons which are now over, and R. lindleyi
on the side of the Rip la and down a bit was very common. But
it is never easily seen up in the trees where it is happiest.
27th April. Halt. Very wet all night. Fine for three hours this
morning, then heavy rain all the rest of the day. We went to a
cliff opposite, where Rhodos. could be seen. The place is a 45° rock
slope, with no soil on it in places, while in others some trees
and shrubs have managed to find an anchorage. Obviously every now
and then anything on the slope just shoots off to the bottom. It is quite
impossible to climb the smooth slippery rock, but we went up the
between bits with the odd trees and bamboo, and found it very hard
work indeed. There were masses of Rhod. edgeworthii (18777) and
a little higher of Rhod. anthopogon (18776). Otherwise the day was
rather a disappointment. We had to go on up above 2000' and then
down another way. I hope I have at any rate some good photos of
these two species. Nothing else of interest seen, except a lot of Rhod.
lindleyi, which here is almost entirely a ground growing plant. We
came across many fresh marks of both bear and musk deer, but saw
none. When we returned, we found some men had brought
in masses of Rhod. edgeworthii for me. What a beautiful thing
it is, at its best: the buds are rich rose pink, and opened flowers
even retain quite a lot of pink in them. What a pity we
constantly have this miserable weather. Nothing could be more
monsoony than we are now having. Perhaps in the real
season it will be better. I started writing a letter to Betty
this evening, and no sooner had I decided to stop than a mail from
Kalimpong came in. As it contained two letters for Betty, I decided to