SUMMARY:
Notes on Cine film No. 1 with views of Kangchenjunga from Lagyap, scenes near Galingka and Lingmothang, and plant observations at Lingmothang and Gautsa. Records currency exchanged at Phari with rates and totals.

CONTENT:
314

Kalimpong 14th October 1946
to

Cine film No. 1 Kangchenjunga from Lagyap.
Primula gracilipes
Views near Galingka & Lingmothang
Gentiana amoena at Lingmothang.
Fruit of Sorbus sp. at Gautsa.

Changed money at Phari @ 3.35 sangs per rupee
Rs 2000 = 6700 sangs.
and Rs 1000 = 3400 sangs at 3.4 Doke Ripon
Rs 800 = 2680 ? 3.35
12780

SUMMARY:
Diary notes of travel from Srinagar to Kalimpong via Sialkot, Lahore, Calcutta and Siliguri, including a lorry breakdown, train fares, and logistics. Observes crown imperials, yellow crocus, and wild Tulipa stellata near the Banihal road, and lists presents for Bhutanese and Tibetans.

CONTENT:
24th April 1933. KALIMPONG. 4300' We left Srinagar 9.0 am on Tuesday 18th
on a lorry (1 1/2 ton) with Ramzana & Ahmad Sheikh. Banihal road
pretty good, with deep snow cuttings on north side. Some crown
imperials seen on north & a few yellow crocus on south. The
saffron beds were lovely, covered with the little wild Tulipa stellata.
Stopped the night at KUDH, about 60-65 miles from Jammu.
Reached Sialkot at 12.00 on 19th & stopped night in Residency.
Repacked ammunition & guns. Dined with Jock Scotland &
Burton. Lorry Srinagar to Sialkot - Rs. 30/-. Engaged another
lorry for Rs 33/- to Lahore, being considerably cheaper than
train fare with excess. After 10 miles one of the back wheels
came off with no warning. At the moment we were going slow
& were saved a crash. Found another lorry at 2.0 & reached
Lahore 5.30 pm. A spare axle was brought, but did not fit,
but was filed & hammered for 2 hours & then forced in. Left
Lahore 7.0 pm 20th & reached Calcutta 7.0 am 22nd. Spent the day
getting stores from Mazda, Lindsay St. & did well to get everything
for Rs 500/-. Left Calcutta 8.15 pm 22nd & reached Siliguri 6.30 am
23rd. Changed to narrow gauge, reaching Gielle Khola 11.0 am.
Kalimpong 1.0 on 23rd. Fares: 2 - 1st Cl. Lahore to Calcutta 245/-
Calcutta - Gielle Khola 83/-. Car to Kalimpong Rs 8/- each. Presents
brought for Bhutanese & Tibetans: Brocade, binoculars, necklaces,
heavily scented soap, scent, hats, papier mache lotus bowls, saffron,

SUMMARY:
The diarist recounts recent travel from Bombay to Delhi, Pindi, Srinagar, and Calcutta before arriving in Kalimpong on the 18th. He mentions seeing B. Gould and Metcalfe, meeting Ludlow, fishing on the Wangat, and attending a Brighton Cup match with Peter Collins. He is delayed in Kalimpong because Puitso and Tenduk have not returned from Ha, and Tobgye has sent urgent messages to them.

CONTENT:
18th April. Kalimpong. I have had a good deal of travelling lately. At Bombay on 1st April, then up to Delhi, where I saw B. Gould & Metcalfe: then on to Pindi & Srinagar. Ludlow came in from the Sind & we had two days together in Srinagar before going out to camp on the 7th. I had one day's fishing on the Wangat, but not too successful. After another 3 days I left Srinagar on the 13th April, taking two cars down to Pindi (Rs 40 & 26 tolls). Reached Calcutta on 16th morning, the hottest day they had had so far, & stayed the 17th till 9.0 p.m. Peter Collins & I had some squash one evening & went & saw a match in the Brighton Cup tournament on Saturday. Finally I reached here on the 18th morning, to find that neither Puitso nor Tenduk have come back from Ha. Tobgye sent off urgent messages for them, & does not know why they have not turned up. So at the moment I am held up here, but hope to get

SUMMARY:
Farewell letters with small gifts were dispatched, and several boxes of bird specimens were sent off amid improving but still rainy weather. At Narim Thang, the writer went to the Kang La pass, saw little view, and collected snow partridge, including specimens for Inglis in Darjeeling.

CONTENT:
Kang La morning we sent back our last bunch of letters. It was
an awful job writing no less than nine farewell letters
in one day, to the Maharaja, Maharani, Tobgye, Ashe
Pedon, Ashe Wangmo, Tashi Dorji, Tashi Naku and Pintso
Wangdu. Helped by two hot toddies, we finished up in
good style just before dinner. This morning we did the
letters up in parcels with a scarf in each with a
small bottle of scent to the ladies. We also packed
three boxes of birds and got them off too, leaving only a
very few which we must take through Tibet with us.
Yesterday was fine for quite a number of hours, and
this morning has been the best for some time. But now
at 9:30, it is again raining and mist is low down. It
does appear to be getting gradually better though, and we
hope for a decent day yet.

27th August. Narim Thang. Fairly fine till the afternoon. I left at 6:00 am
and went to the Kang La (16,300') for the first time. Took two
hours. Practically no view, but it looks sunnier and
drier on the other side. In fact I did see sunshine
there. No birds or flowers seen near the pass which
is a knife edge ridge of broken rock. Saw 50-60
snow partridge on the way up and shot three: one for
a skeleton and one for Inglis in Darjeeling. The
other day I "bagged" 22 more P. eburnea at the

SUMMARY:
Account of meeting Lopa traders and making a short pilgrimage from Karutra over the Kashong La and back via the Shupten La, with notes on Lagyap Thungtso. Records abundant gentians, two new primulas (2359, 2373), the white Sikkim prim, Prim. Cawdoriana, and paraquilegia; the dakchi arrived but brought no mail.

CONTENT:
Lopa country, we met some Lopas coming up to trade with Trüm, and they said their villages were very low down, it took 6 days to reach here. From Karutra there is a short pilgrimage which we did today, over the Kashong La, round to the river and back by the Shupten La, which is about 3 m south of here. The lake is called Lagyap Thungtso—thung being one of the very long trumpets they blow in monasteries. The locals say that they can see one in the lake when it is clear. In the dip on this side of the lake, we found other gentians in plenty, and two more new primulas, both very pretty but nearly over, 2359 and 2373, the latter with huge 1 1/2" flowers and only standing the same height off the ground. On this side of the Shupten La, where it is also pretty wet, we saw masses of the white Sikkim prim we found on the Tahar La, and also to my surprise Prim. Cawdoriana, and huge clumps of paraquilegia. Soon after getting back to camp, the dakchi came in, but no mail. However we heard that our mail had

SUMMARY:
The party marches from Kupup to Yatung over the Jelep La in heavy snow, with difficult mule transport and botanical notes on Primula gracilipes. In Yatung they deal with a customs issue over cigarettes, receive mail from Gyantse, trace missing kit sent from Ha, meet a Subedar, and dine with local contacts.

CONTENT:
...a few common orchids. Tseringpen wants to take a press tomorrow, in case we come across anything in the primula line.

24th Feb. Kupup. 13 miles. Fine in the morning, but clouded over by 10 am. The rest of the day there was a heavy snowstorm, with rain and thunder in the valleys. We had intended to stop at Gnatong, but snow was heavy then, and we thought we might not reach the pass next day, so went on. I walked all the way, and was very tired indeed when we got in, as the climb is from 6500' to 13000', with some up and down thrown in. Went to bed early with a splitting headache. Near Lingti Primula gracilipes was just coming into flower, but the scapes hardly showed at all. Cleared up after dark.

25th Feb. Yatung 18 miles. Very fine morning, though the valleys were full of cloud. We were a bit late in getting off, and transport reached the Jelep La about 10.30 am. Snow not very much, but an icy path down this side made the going very hard for the mules. Muleteers wanted to stop in Rinchengang, but we persuaded them to come on here, where they reached about 4.30. Found more Primula gracilipes (3580) on the way down. As soon as we got in, two people came to see us, so we could not have our tea, then Norbhu's son and the head clerk also came. The head clerk was more concerned about two loads of cigarettes which were among our muleteers' things. As there is a strict order against importing them, there was some trouble. We had promised the Khampa mule owners to take these up as our own. All our people seem fit and David is quite happy.

26th Feb. Yatung. Halt. Fine all day. Got a good mail, sent back from Gyantse. Spent the day in writing letters, seeing the Subedar of the Det. 1/15th Punjab Regt., and dining with Norbhu's wife and Charles Marbleu. In between we tried to find out what had happened to our kit which was sent on by tonga, that from Ha. Eventually heard from Phari that the Ha kit was there, but they knew nothing of any other loads. Sub. Maryam Singh is a great talker and we know most of his life history before we left. Dinner with Norbhu's wife was rather a trial, though she, Charles and Charles' fiancée are all nice. We had English-style

SUMMARY:
Diary entries record fine weather, observations of flowering Gentiana and seed collecting of Primula species around Kyimpu Halt and Le La. On 4 October the author moves to a camp north of Drichung La, parts from Ludlow and Lumsden, and continues with Ahmad Sheikh, Tsongpen, and Pimbo toward Trim while continuing seed collections.

CONTENT:
Scrophularia & Codonopsis vinciflora. Androsace not yet ripe, & G. waltonii is in full flower.

2nd October. Kyimpu Halt. A fine day with sun all day. The Drichung La has a lot of snow, but it should soon go with this sun. Went up to the Le La, & saw G. amoena in full flower. Got a fine haul of seeds of P. nivalis (macrophylla?) & a similar higher altitude one. Most are barely ripe yet, as P. cawdoriana, P. rotundifolia. A little Mec. bella found.

3rd October. Kyimpu Halt. A perfect day, even the hills being clear of cloud almost all day. Stayed in camp & dried & packed seeds.

4th October. Camp N of Drichung La. 15000'(?) 7 miles. Fine, but cloudy except from 8.0 am till 1.30 pm. Quite a good day for seeds again, but P. cawdoriana is not yet ripe. Left Ludlow & Lumsden behind, will next see them in India, at Dirang Dzong about the end of November. Ahmad Sheikh & Tsongpen accompany me, & Pimbo as far as Trim to make the bandobast. Seeds of P. nivalis sp very common & ripe 2719. They are the same as the Le La seeds 1561(2). Also a Primula like P. atrodentata, but I think perhaps different 2722. Snow lies about 500 ft above camp, & thence to the top. I handed over my gun

SUMMARY:
A local guide led the party to their campsite at Lachen and reported that the last European to camp there was 27 years earlier, when White, the P.O., camped shortly after the Tibetan War.

CONTENT:
Lachen. - The man who conducted
us to our camping site informed
us that the last time a European
had camped here was 27 years ago,
when White the P.O. had camped
here shortly after the Tibetan War.

SUMMARY:
Describes Sengai Dzong near Lachung at the junction of two glacial streams, with a small ramshackle dzong and a cliff monastery inhabited by a few lamas. Surrounding cliffs feature hanging glaciers above forests of slender firs (Abies Webbiana), with the scene marred by monsoon clouds and heavy rain.

CONTENT:
Aug 17
Lachung. Sengai Dzong is situated on a
flat - where the stream meanders
peacefully through willow & rhododendron glades -
at the junction of 2 glacial streams from
the North West. The Dzong consists of a
small ramshackle building more
worthy of the name 'hut' than Dzong.
There is also a small monastery
built into a cliff in which 2 or 3 Lamas
live. The cliffs & peaks surrounding
the Sengai Dzong plain are sheer &
imposing. Small hanging glaciers
descend from every peak & below them
are forests of rather slender firs
(Abies Webbiana). It is a pretty spot
but the beauty of the place was spoilt
by monsoon clouds & drenching rain

SUMMARY:
The diarist acquires a sheep and extra ponies to reach Temu La, aiming for views of snow mountains, and notes various birds including geese, a kite, Lophobasileus, a crossbill, a black woodpecker, a Sitta, and a large flock of Grandala. At Latsa Lunang above Tumbatse, poor visibility prevents mountain views; seeds of Notholirion hyacinthinum and two Berberis are collected, and weather and snow conditions are recorded before proceeding to Lunang.

CONTENT:
26

very obliging, ready to help. We are getting a sheep here, & taking on 2 extra ponies to the Temu La. About 2 miles from here there were many geese, some duck on the open plain & on some odd water. I also saw one kite - only the second to be seen since India. Our main idea in coming on is to try to get views of the snow mountains from the Temu La while the good weather lasts, but I wonder if it will last. Clouds came up fast today & we would not have had good views had we been there today. Yesterday B & I were out up the valley for birds & got 2 more Lophobasileus, a crossbill, a black woodpecker & a Sitta which seems different to any we have yet got, & different to anything in the Fauna of B.I.

19th Dec. Latsa Lunang (above Tumbatse). Left 7.30: in 3.30: transport 7.30 to 4.30 ponies. Clouded up during the day, & nothing visible from the La except hazy up the Tsangpo. An ice mass lay at 40° & another at approx 80°, but nothing could be identified - a great disappointment to us. We did not try to reach Tumbatse. This is a good camping ground, with about five houses. The Sancha can almost be seen from here, & seems to have more snow on it. Here the locals tell me, snow hardly falls at all. I got seed of Notholirion hyacinthinum within 500' of the La, SE side, & two Berberis, one blue fruit, one red N of the La. There was hardly a bird to be seen or heard in the forest on either side, particularly N side, till we got here - I heard a few calling only, but when we reached here, saw a large flock of Grandala, males & females, about 100 together. They were constantly on the move, between a tall Picea & some Hippophae which were covered with fruit. Shot one male or female. This evening it is heavily overcast, is snowing low down to the N beyond Tumbatse, perhaps even down to Lunang. Saw a jay, above Temo.

20th Dec. Lunang. Left at 8.0: in about 2.0. Road very easy & open.