SUMMARY:
The party halts at Dongkar amid showers, hosts the Tsona Dzongpon who enjoys cigarettes and Cointreau, and arranges to send him a Rhoorki chair from Calcutta. Notes mention Bhutanese traders from Trashiyangsi, glacier views near the Gorpa La with a route to Gor, and botanical finds including a notable gentian (Lomatogonium spathulatum) and other species.

CONTENT:
62

number of Bhutanese here from Trashiyangsi today - trading.

Note. The glaciers on the hills to the north of the Gorpa La are extensive, and certainly show from Dongkar through an angle of 68° Mag to 98° Mag. There is a route down the valley from the Gorpa La to the village of Gor. A few peas are grown in Dongkar.

17th August. Halt at Dongkar. A good day with some showers, but lovely in between. We had some pretty heavy rain in the night, and a good deal came in through the tent, which is otherwise magnificent. The Tsona Dzongpon called and stayed an hour. He was given a tin of cigarettes on the quiet and was very pleased with them. Later on he asked for a drink of something warming! And he a lama. He was given a glass of Cointreau, and judging by the noise made, thoroughly enjoyed it. He sat in my Rhoorki chair and was so pleased with that too, that we are going to send one from the Army & Navy in Calcutta. Found a few flowers, but only one of interest, a fine gentian growing in very dry stony ground. (834). It must be near that found on the Thuka La by Dansey near Lingmathang, though the habitat is so entirely...

[Margin Notes:]
Donkhar 17/Aug
Lomatogonium spathulatum sp. nov. 834
Potentilla 835.
Adenophora smithii 836
Pedicularis rhinanthoides var. labellata 837
Primula sikkimensis 838
Picris spinulosa 839

Lomatogonium spathulatum sp. nov. 834

SUMMARY:
The diarist records finding three beautiful primulas growing under overhanging rocks near the CHO LA/Tulung La and photographing them despite late-afternoon mist. The route is said not to have been previously travelled by Europeans and is famed as the path by which Lobpön Rimpoché entered Tibet from India, with a note that CHO LA should likely be written as CHÖ.

CONTENT:
from Tsona to Dongkar were here. Besides M. horridula there were a number of the Tulung La little meconopsis. Two gentians were in seed and were collected on the CHO LA. Down this side we both thought of Prim. eburnea, and within a few minutes came across it. It was growing in a typical situation, under overhanging rocks and in clefts of rocks. It is certainly a beauty. Beside it, in even more pronounced clefts and more under overhanging rocks, was a, to us, new primula. It is also a beauty, very delicate and very sweet scented. It looks like a greenhouse cineraria. With these two again in similar situations, was a third primula — the Seti primula collected on the way to Mago. All three are beauties and all three grow in the same habitat. I took photos of all, but it was late — 4:00 pm by our time — and the mist was low which was very difficult. Results reasonably good.

For other reasons this is an interesting route. It has not been travelled before by Europeans. It is famed as the route by which Lobpön Rimpoché entered Tibet from India when he introduced Buddhism to Tibet. He stopped between the CHO LAs. For that reason the CHO LA should probably be written CHÖ, meaning "religious".

SUMMARY:
Pintso went to Tiyangsi to hire coolies to trace lost mail that had earlier come via Dirang, Mago, Atsona, and Dongkar. On the Maharaja’s orders, a Dzongpen sent four boxes of jackfruit that arrived inedible after a long journey amid heavy rain; Kuntip’s stomach trouble returned, and the party halted at Shingbe, with Danang noted.

CONTENT:
74

day. Pintso went down to Tiyangsi to get coolies to send off to find out about the lost mails. When our last mail arrived - the one that went all round by Dirang Mago Atsona to Dongkar - four other coolies came with it.

Contax
5.6.7.8 sent
23.8.
Cine film

7. 8. 9 ditto.
      F. Pack
      No 2 ditto.
      Kodak
      Calcutta.

The Maharaja had kindly given orders to one of his Dzongpens to send the Sahibs some fruit. So he obeyed, and sent off on a 20-day journey four huge boxes of jack fruits. The jack fruit is a disgusting fruit at the best of times. It looks (and smells) like a sheep's stomach. After a month's knocking about it is quite definitely not fit to eat. We were hoping the box would contain vegetables, so our disappointment can be imagined when this mass of mush was opened up. It rained hard all day. Our washing was optimistically hung out to dry in the morning, and remains out tonight wetter than when hung up. Kuntip in the morning was his old self again, but suddenly developed his tummy ache again. I'm afraid his inside is seriously out of order.

24th August. Halt at Shingbe. Danang. Gulla ol )

SUMMARY:
News from Trashigong reports daks were diverted via Neoli and handed to the wife of Babu Pradhan, who has kept them while Pradhan is away in Calcutta; a small mail is prepared to go next morning. The party moves camp to the west side of Dib La in heavy rain and mist, noting several primulas and Bryocarpum, and makes use of a log hut with prepared flats for tents.

CONTENT:
88
mail.

possible. News came from Trashigong that the daks or at least three of them had been found. They had had to go by Neoli, and there had been handed over to the wife of Babu Pradhan for some obscure reason. Pradhan himself was away in Calcutta so the bitch of a woman has kept them and refuses still to give them up. She must have had one of them for over 2 1/2 months. Packed up a small mail to go off tomorrow morning.

15th Sept. Camp below Dib La (west) 4 miles Ht 11527' (BP 191.6°)
Dib La.
Lil. nanum 959. Temp 52°. Heavy rain and thick mist all day
Prim. thibetica 960. long. Moved camp to the west side of the range
Prim. normanniana 961. which on the way up was better than the East.
One can't do anything in rain like this though.
There are quite a number of primulas on the
East side of the Dib La. I took plants today
of Winteri? (No. 1.) and another primula, both over
Bryocarpum. of course. Bryocarpum also grows in considerable
numbers there. I saw no signs of any other
primulas on the pass or below, though there
should be some, as the area must compare pretty
well with the Saden passes. There is a reasonably
good log hut here, and we have had small flats
prepared for our tents - not ideal but good enough for

SUMMARY:
The diarist describes taking telephoto and cinema panoramas from near the Me La and Dib La, viewing Kula Kangri, the Mago hills, Chakzam Chu, Gauri Chu, and the hills above Pinbogong, and mentions sketching a rough map and seeing a pnoepyga. The entry explains the meaning of Sangthopelri, first seen from the Cho La, and relates the tradition of Lobpön Rimpoche (Guru Rimpoche) traveling from India to Tibet via this route, noting glaciers seen at Mena and before reaching the Me La.

CONTENT:
East of the Me La. Then a panorama with telephoto lens (Focal length 24"). Then a telephoto (F 38") of Kula Kangri. Also with the cinema I took more or less the same, including a short view of the hills to Mago. Again with my small camera with ordinary telephoto lens. A rough sketch map with angles from the Dib La is opposite, not to any kind of scale. I could also see the Mago snow hills, the Chakzam Chu, Gauri Chu, the hills above Pinbogong and away down to India and the plains. I could hardly tear myself away from the Pass with that view still to be seen. Will probably go up again this evening. Got a few birds, including a pnoepyga on the way down.

The word Sangthopelri means 'abode of the gods' or something like that. It is the name of the mountain which we first saw from the Cho La. We walked round two sides of it, seeing a glacier from it at Mena and another before reaching the Me La. The name seems to originate from the fact that Lobpön Rimpoche (Guru Rimpoche) on his way to introduce Buddhism to Tibet went from India by this route. Beyond the Me La he stopped and lived with his two wives beside a rock, on which there is

SUMMARY:
The writer describes numerous relics and legends of the Guru along the route from Trashigong toward Dongkar, including caves, stones, and other notable features said to mark his journey from India. A mail bag is sent down with one of HH’s sepoys while they await word from HH about visiting Bumthang; if not permitted, they plan to go to Sakden for seed and bird collecting.

CONTENT:
92.

...how a house or gompa is built. There is a landslide across the valley here, and the piled-up earth and stones are full of caves and marks, all said to be due to the Guru. The house on top of the stone was built later and now contains images of the Guru and his two wives. This route from Trashigong up is, I believe, full of relics of the Guru's journey. A place just north of Trashigong has many such. Among others is a huge stone, said to be an egg of the eagle on which the Guru flew up from India. There are also, in tow, dragons, rocks from which springs burst at different places each year, dragons, and all sorts of other exciting things. Altogether, the Guru has very much left his mark between India and Dongkar at least.

Packed up a mail in a mail bag and spare sack and arranged for it to be taken down tomorrow by one of HH's sepoys. As we have not heard from HH to say we may come to Bumthang, we are beginning to feel that he would perhaps not have us this year, just before he goes down to India. If we decide not to go there, we will probably go to Sakden instead. There are good seeds to be collected there and birds too. It would be less trouble to us too. We might arrange to meet HH at...

(Marginal notes: Cine film 11 & 12 c, Contax film 9 & 10, F. Pack No 3 all

SUMMARY:
Halted at Lagnabi near Rocha Chu. Notes mail problems with parcels stuck at Kumarikhata and returned from Rangiya; sent Box No. 3 of flowers and some seeds by air mail. Plans to move to Sana, with Danang going to the Me La for seed; avoiding Bumthang at HH’s request and going to Sakden instead.

CONTENT:
96

Rocha Chu 28th Sept. Halted. Lagnabi.
Cirrhopetalum = Bulbophyllum wallichii 988
Bulbophyllum yokzunense 998

A mail arrived on 26th with several parcels. I rather think that all our mails from us have now been posted. I had a letter from Spencers in Calcutta saying that they had just received my letter of 28th June asking for 1200 cigarettes for the servants. Spencers thought that as this was such a long time ago they had better verify the order again. So no cigarettes were sent. But the latest trouble is that the P.O. at Kumarikhata cannot send foreign parcels, so that all our bird & flower parcels lie there in that beastly damp, hot atmosphere. The postmaster did his best, & sent off two parcels, but super efficiency in Rangiya apparently returned them. They love doing each other down.

Sent off a mail today, with it Box No 3 of flowers 751 - 869, & some seeds, the latter by air mail. We have about finished here now. Bar Pnoepygas & Tesias there are few birds, we have an excellent series of these. Sana will be the next move, & while we are there Danang will go up to the Me La & start off on seed. It will be a little early, but that can't be helped. HH would rather we did not go to Bumthang as he is busy getting ready for India. I am glad - that saves us a long walk. So we go to Sakden instead. A few of my photos were

SUMMARY:
Notes on receiving mail from Calcutta, ongoing photography with a small camera and limited use of the big camera at Dib La. Locals bring gifts; the Dzongpen of Lhuentse sends a man and has new bridges built over the Khoma and Kuru Chhu in expectation of a visit. On 30th Sept., the party returns to the main valley near Chorten Korra amid fair weather, though the monsoon persists and potted plants are not doing well.

CONTENT:
returned by last mail, from Calcutta. All are satisfactory, but I find it very hard indeed to place some of the views. Neither of us has bothered to carry about our big cameras, but I have a Contax with me always, and have a fair collection of snapshots and views, though for the latter, the big camera is preferable. Since we left I have only taken three film packs with it, and nearly the whole of one of them was the other day from the Dib La. We are rather worried by people bringing up presents of fruit and maize: sometimes two come in a day. Today the Dzongpen of Lhuentse sent a man. They had heard we would go there and so had made completely new bridges over the Khoma and Kuru Chhu. How they must curse us sometimes. There is no sign of the end of the monsoon even yet, we have rain daily, though it is fine for most of the day and the jungle except in the morning is reasonably dry. Sent a post off this morning.

30th Sept. CHORTEN KORRA 4 miles 5825'.
Returned to the main valley again. Weather fair till the evening: pretty hot here, but there is a good breeze up the valley all day. The potted plants are not looking too well. They have been in a dark

SUMMARY:
Itemized expenses for supplies and freight from Calcutta and R'Pindi to Kalimpong, including purchases from Spencers and Harrods. Records advances and payments for mule transport from Phari to Gyantse, Tuna, Dochen, Kala, and Samoda.

CONTENT:
ACCOUNTS.

Cigarettes 200 tins. Spencers. Calcutta. 243 - 0 - 0. ✓
Cox & Kings. R'Pindi 14 pkgs R'Pindi to Kalimpong. 150 - 0 - 0 ✓
" Calcutta. 12 " Calcutta - Kalimpong. 76 - 1 - 0
Soap. Candles. Cointreau. Spencers. 70 - 0 - 0 ✓
Harrods. £ 53/- B.M.
Vegetables. Dried £ 11/- ✓
Advance to muleteers 25 mules to Phari @ Rs 6/- = 150 + 4 riding at Rs 10/- = 40 = 190. 100 - 0 - 0 ✓✓
Mules to Phari 16 loads at 6/12 mule & 14 loads at 5/12 mule : 95 - 0 - 0 ✓✓
17 mules Phari to Gyantse at Rs 8/4. Advance paid Rs. 100/- 100 - 0 - 0 ✓✓
24 " " Tuna at Rs 2/- 48 - 0 - 0 ✓✓
22 " " Dochen @ Rs 1/- 22 - 0 - 0 ✓✓
22 " to Kala, 22 to Samoda + mixture mules

SUMMARY:
List of Primula specimens with numbers, determinations, and notes such as seed-only, sections, and cross-references. Localities recorded include several Himalayan passes and a lake.

CONTENT:
PRIMULA NUMBERS.

3580 ✓ Primula gracilipes. Jelep La. Cunninghamii Craib. 1 P
3583 o " tibetica 2
3585 o " Phasaensis. SEED only. Yamdrok Tso.
3592 ✓ " atrodentata
3602 o " Florindae. " " Kongbo Nga La. S

3603. o " atrodentata " " 3. D
3604. o " pumilio " " 4.
      3611 ✓ " Roylei. Lang La. 5. P
      3612 ✓ " atrodentata " d
      3616 o " macrophylla SEED only " N
      3633 o " glabra. Lo La. 6
      3636 ✓ " atrodentata? " 7 d
      3637 ✓ " vernicosa. " 8 P
      3640 o " sp. nov.? Clutterbuckii?? " 9
      3647 ✓ " Bryocarpum himalaicum -
      3648 ✓ " " Pet. Sect. yellow sp. nov. 10 P
      3649 ✓ " Cortusoides Sect. Pet. lacerata 11 P
      3650 o " Normaniana 12
      3671 ✓ " Boothii. gracilipes Nyng La 13 P
3605. ✓ " sp. Pet. Sect. aff. Griffithii. " 14 P
      3700 o " Normaniana. "
3606. ✓ " Cortusoides sect. " p
3607. ✓ " Boothii = 3671. gracilipes " p
      3745 ✓ " sp. Pet Sect. aff. Griffithii. Lo La p
      3746 ✓ " " " " fruit spec. " p
3608. ✓ " sp. Pet Sect. sp nov. yellow = 3648 " p
      3756 o " sp nov. = 3640. "