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:
Notes common primula, iris, and emerging gentians, with a few Parnassius butterflies at camp; praises local butter and mentions a local man paid in food and clothing who sells to buy an ornament for his wife. Sends for coolies to leave for Changu on the 21st; on 21 July at Drötang (11700') reports mist then sun near Karutra, parched conditions, no pheasants or larks, and shooting a rubythroat while declining to skin an aegithaliscus.

CONTENT:
The little Tama La-Tahtsang primula is also common, nearly always coloured violet, instead of the usual white seen elsewhere. Iris also fairly common near snow. Gentians are all coming on, but few fully out yet. Got a few more parnassius at camp, but nothing new amongst them. I have sent for the coolies to come tomorrow evening, will leave for Changu on the 21st. I think there is more to be had here, either down the other side of the Chayha, or later on when gentians are in full swing. The local butter is very good, much better than can be had at Sanga Choling. This man gets no pay, but food & clothing. However he is very willing to sell, to get a rupee for an ornament for his wife.

21st. July. Drötang. 11700'. 6 m. Thick mist up the hill, till half way below Karutra, then bright sun. Obviously there has not been much in the way of rain down here, things still look pretty parched. Came across no pheasant or larking. Shot one ruby throat at camp - Bunged for an aegithaliscus down here, which I am not going to skin. Pretty hot down here after last camp, where there

SUMMARY:
Notes describe a blackbird nesting with three young, its abundance in spring and summer especially in drier passes south of the main range, song similar to the British blackbird, nesting in rhododendrons near the alpine fringe, and flocking in autumn. It is noted as common in Sikkim and inhabiting 11,000–13,000 ft.

CONTENT:
Blackbird
Ibis 1909, L. p. 170. One nest with 3 young birds of Turdus merula buddhae.
This bird is plentiful in spring and summer in most of the passes we crossed
but seems to prefer the drier passes south of the main range rather than
the main range itself. The song of the Blackbird is very
similar to our own British bird, the mellow soft notes so pleasing.
Constructs its nest in rhododendron bushes on the fringe of the alpine zone.
Collects into large flocks in Autumn.

L. p. 170. Gen. Walton - It is a common bird in Sikkim, an
inhabitant of the dry zone from 11,000–13,000 ft.

SUMMARY:
The party traveled from Sanga Choling to Charme with 30 pony loads, encountering delays and afternoon rain. They visited an old lady, Ayelmu, who served tea and arranged for them to sell 12 musk pods in Calcutta and buy cloth with the proceeds; she had been married to a trader and later to the now-deceased Drugpa Rimpoche, and the writer notes that Pantan and Sanga Choling share the Drukpa religion.

CONTENT:
Too much food and no exercise since we came to Sanga Choling.

27th September. To Charme 10300 11 miles. Fine till 2.30 pm, then some pretty heavy rain. We got off reasonably early, but the kit had to be changed at m 2, and there was a long delay there. Reached Charme a little after 2.0 and all kit in at 4.0 pm. We now have 30 pony loads. The old lady came with some tea to see us off, but as we had no cups, we all went to her house. She is so full of life, and thoroughly enjoyed having us there I think. First she produced tea and tsampa and butter, then she said would we take down 12 musk pods for her and sell them in Calcutta for her: she will probably get the best part of Rs 200/- for them. Then would we buy for her cloth to the value of the money realized. She was so excited over the chance of getting this bit of trade done that she could not give us samples. However, these we finally extracted from her, and made notes of what she wanted. Then we said goodbye quite sorrowfully, and came on our way.

The old lady's name is Ayelmu, and she was married first to a trader, then to the Drugpa Rimpoche, who is also now dead. It seems that Pantan and Sanga Choling have a lot in common, their religion being the same: both are called - in Lhasa - Drugpa - the

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:
Travel from above Natrampa to Karubra and then near Kashongla with generally cloudy, wet weather and some snow higher up. Seeds of several plants were collected, and the party met a Sikkim lama from near Trashi Trongmo who spoke some Nepali. Distances and times between camps are noted.

CONTENT:
7th October. Camp above Natrampa. 6 miles. 11500'. Cloudy all day, with a little fine drizzle. The clouds come rushing up the valley from Lung, and gradually fade away, but it is still generally wet. Found some seed of Gent. Waltoni ripe, the little yellow sedum, and the yellow Dracocephalum: also the Thalictrum collected at Zumsati. Coolies very happy but exceptionally slow. Left camp at 6.30, reached here at 12.0 noon.

8th October. Karubra. Another very short day, in at 11.00. We could see that beyond the Duchung La it was absolutely clear all morning. Here the sun shone most of the day, but it also rained nearly all afternoon. Monsoon clouds come up to the main range, and just fade away. Got seeds of the blue Dracocephalum and P. pulchelloides, an aquilegia and the big scrophularia, and a few of the small androsace. The big one is not yet ripe. Here we met a Sikkim lama, who had forgotten all his Lepcha but could talk a little Nepali. He comes from near Trashi Trongmo, where he has been for 14 years: a nice man.

9th October. Camp 2 m W of Kashongla. 14000'. A most disappointing day. It rained all night, and snow was down to 500' above Karubra.