SUMMARY:
Mail arrived with letters up to 6 August and a note from Betty at Changu; Danang departed with Pompoli and Tundru. At Tashiling the path to Chendesi was badly damaged, a pony fell through a weakened bridge and could not be rescued, and after storms the huts were preferred except for filthy Tsalimape; on hearing H.H. had gone back to Bumthang they planned to go straight through. Reaching Tongsa, the heaviest rains continued and people in Trongsa Dz. reported considerable recent damage.

CONTENT:
Described as being carried in a dhooley by 4 men. That is very sad, & Ludlow will miss him very much indeed. A small mail came in last night, with letters of up to 6 August from home - very quick - & a note from Betty from Changu. I heard later that with Danang went Pompoli & Tundru.

29th August. Tashiling. Yesterday the path to Chendesi showed signs of wear. There were 6-7 baddish breaks, but today there were 15-20 & some were big affairs. Some have only come down 2-3 days ago. Just before we reached a bridge whose sides have been scoured out a bit, a man crossed with 3 ponies. 2 got across, & the 3rd broke one of the long tree planks & fell through into a chasm below. How the pony squeezed through the breadth of only one plank, I don't know. We helped for over an hour, but could do nothing, & had to leave. I fear the pony will be dead before help we sent for here reaches it. I would have ridden over that bridge five minutes later, & it certainly would have given way with me on. So I consider myself lucky today. It has just kept fine once more today. I expected a sparkling day because about 1.0 last night there was a thunderstorm & very heavy rain, which came in through the roof & soaked us all. If there were decent places for tents, I wouldn't dream of occupying these huts. Chendesi & Tashiling huts are, at any rate, clean & bugless. Tsalimape is the filthy place. Heard last night that H.H. has gone back to Bumthang, so we will go straight through too.

30th August. Tongsa. A dreadful day of the heaviest rain yet seen. Again the path was washed away in many places. In Trongsa Dz. they said considerable damage had been done by the rain in the last 7-9 days. That was when H.H.

SUMMARY:
The diarist travels down from the Lao La to Ritang and on to Trashidinka in the Tang Chu valley, noting dense forest, steep side valleys, masses of Lilium giganteum, rain, leeches, and a painful leg. At Ritang there is a mail mix-up involving a box of tankhas exchanged by the Maharaja, and later the party camps on the Pele La Range east of the Tang Chu; the Tang Chu area is noted as rich in Primulas.

CONTENT:
NB. Tang Chu area rich in Primulas (nos 5-10).

5th June. Camp in Tang Chu valley at Trashidinka, 9 miles. Ht. approx 9000'. (Trashidinka).

Fine till 3.0pm, then rain. Path drops pretty steeply on north side of the Lao La, and continues through dense forest. At m 3 it reaches the main E to W route 1/2 m to the E of Ritang. This is followed down to Ritang at m 3 1/2. Thence path keeps up the L bank of the Tang Chu, winding about a good deal and climbing up and down. Two side valleys are crossed, the second a very steep sided one, and the path keeps gradually up to the village of Trashidinka. Just opposite this, a big valley enters the R. bank of the Tang Chu. // We had a long wait at Ritang, and while there a mail arrived, having taken 18 days I believe. There we heard another mail had gone on "for the Gangtok sahibs". Pimbo thought it was not right, so called the man back, and it turned out to be a box with tankhas which the Maharaja had exchanged for my rupees. It was addressed clearly enough to the "flower collecting sahib wherever he may be", but no one could read the writing. Beyond Ritang we saw masses of Lilium giganteum. Rain came on here, so did leeches, flies and dimdams. It's a pretty foul place, but ahead looks excellent. My left leg has been very painful for three days now, but I don't know any reason for it, so can do nothing. Very glad to get news of Ludlow again.

6th June. Camp on Pele La Range E of Tang Chu. B.P. 190.5 T. 54°. 5.0pm. (up to 15,000 ft)

SUMMARY:
Entry dated 15 February 1936 records logistics for the expedition: Lumsden joined in January, suffered bouts of illness after dinners, and brought numerous stores including medical supplies. Kit and stores were dispatched via Bombay and Pindi to Ranguja; the party left Srinagar on 9 February by car and lorry, reaching Tret and then Pindi before catching a train.

CONTENT:
15th Feb. 1936. This year we have a much bigger bandobast
than before. Lumsden came out on 16th Jan. to join us, &
came to Srinagar till we were ready to be off. He gave us
rather a fright several times by getting ill. After any
dinner party almost, he had a bad attack of sickness &
diarrhoea, but seems to have got over that now. He brought
out with him 14 cases of stores from Harrods - a trial
this year. They were all beautifully packed in 5-ply boxes
weighing between 50 - 70 lbs each. He also brought 8 boxes
of medical stores, valued at £70 odd. This was much more
than we had expected, maybe far too much. Most of
our kit was sent ahead, all home stores direct from
Bombay to Ranguja. Other stores from Spencers & our tents
from Pindi. All reached Ranguja about the 1st Feb. We
left Srinagar on 9th morning in a hired car, with
kit & servants in a lorry. Reached Tret the first night, &
Pindi early next morning, catching the express at 11.40.
Our 2nd class compartment had not been reserved, as there
was only one on the train. The result was that we had

SUMMARY:
Lists several bird specimens dated late August and early September 1933, followed by an outline of the journey from Lhakhang Dzong across southern Tibet. The route passes via Kuru Chu, Towa Dzong, Monda, Monda La, Tö Monastery by Pomo Tso, Tö, Ling, along Yamdrok Tso to Nangkartse, over Karo La to Gyantse, and then back to India via Phari to Kalimpong.

CONTENT:
2316 31.8.33 ♀ Propasser pulcherrimus waltoni
2317 - ♂ - -
2318 1.9.33 ? Ianthia c. rufilata
2319 - ♂ Emberiza godlewskii khamensis
2320 - ? Phoenicurus schisticeps Adelura coeruleocephala
2321 - ♂ Dendrotreron hodgsonii

No 11. From Lhakhang Dzong our journey in Tibet is of no great interest from the ornithological point of view. The avifauna of the plateau is remarkably uniform throughout its vast extent. Most of the species we met with are familiar to everybody who has studied this region. I propose only to outline our subsequent route. On leaving Lhakhang Dzong (Sep. 3) we ascended the Kuru Chu to Towa Dzong (Sep. 5) and Monda (Sep. 9) & crossed the unexplored Monda La to the Tö Monastery on the eastern shore of the Pomo Tso Lake (Sep. 10). From Tö we proceeded to Ling (on Sep. 11) skirted the western shore of the beautiful Yamdrok Tso reached Nangkartse (on Sep. 13) 4 stages from Lhasa. We then turned west over the Karo La to Gyantse (reached on Sep. 24) returned to India by the Phari road to Kalimpong, which we reached on

SUMMARY:
Bird specimens are listed for 30 May, 31 May, and 1 June 1933, including a Yellow-beaked Blue Magpie prepared as a skeleton for the museum. The page includes notes on Lachung and Yamthang, mentioning grassy clearings, a rest house like that at Sharithang Nis near the Ho Chu, and the valley’s rich forests.

CONTENT:

1841. 30.5.33 ♀ Ianthia c. rufilata. Red flanked bush robin ✓

1842. " ♀ Pyrrhula erythrocephala Red headed bullfinch. ✓

1843. " ♂ " " - - - ✓

1844. " ♂ Anthus hodgsoni. Indian tree pipit. ✓

1845. " ♂ Pyrrhoplectes epauletta Gold headed black finch. ✓

1846. " ♀ " " - - - ✓

1847. " ♂ Ithaginis cruentus. ✓ Blood pheasant.

1848. " ♂ Phylloscopus magnirostris. Large billed willow warbler. ✓

1849. " ? Phylloscopus t. trochiloides. Dull green willow warbler. ✓

1850. " ♂ Hemichelidon sibirica cacabata. Sooty flycatcher. ✓

1851. 31.5.33. ♀ Urocissa flavirostris flavirostris. Yellow beaked blue magpie
      made into skeleton for Museum.

1852. 1.6.33 ♂ Tarsiger c. chrysaeus. Golden bush robin. ✓

1853. " ♂ Laiscopus c. nepalensis. Eastern alpine accentor ✓

1854. " ♀ " " - - - ✓

1855. " ♂ Propasser t. thura White browed rose finch. ✓

Lachung; Yamthang really means the mud meadow which is rather a misnomer as there are grassy clearings in the forest both above & below the rest house. The latter is built on the same plan as that at Sharithang Nis, near the junction of 2 considerable streams which together form the Ho Chu. The valley a large one & rich forests on both sides & is decidedly pretty.

SUMMARY:
Page lists bird specimens numbered 1730–1748 with sex, scientific names, and common names, all dated 11 May 1933. Entries include various thrushes, grosbeaks, finches, robins, warblers, and sunbirds, with geographic descriptors such as Himalayan, Nepal, Tibetan, and Sikkim. One entry notes “Hodgson's pipit.”

CONTENT:
1730 11.5.33 ♀ Oreocincla m. mollissima Small billed The plain backed mountain thrush.
1731 11.5.33 ♂ Mycerobas carnipes. White winged grosbeak.
1732 11.5.33 ♀ Mycerobas carnipes. (Albino). White winged grosbeak.
1733 11.5.33 ♂ Myophonus t. temminckii Himalayan Whistling Thrush.
1734 11.5.33 ♂ Oreocincla m. mollissima Small billed Plain backed mountain thrush.
1735 11.5.33 ♂ Propasser thura thura Nepal white browed rose finch.
1736 11.5.33 ♂ Procarduelis n. nepalensis. Nepal dark rose finch.
1737 11.5.33 ♂ Procarduelis n. nepalensis. Nepal dark rose finch.
1738 11.5.33 ♂ Fringillauda b. haematopygia. Tibetan mountain finch.
1739 11.5.33 ♂ Phoenicurus frontalis. Blue fronted redstart.
1740 11.5.33 ♂ Larvivara brunnea White browed bush robin.
1741 11.5.33 ♂ Ianthia hypererythra. Rufous bellied bush robin.
1742 11.5.33 ♂ Anthus roseatus. Hodgson's pipit.
1743 11.5.33 ♂ Certhia f. nepalensis. Nepal tree creeper.
1744 11.5.33 ♂ Phylloscopus t. trochiloides. Dull green willow warbler.
1745 11.5.33 ♂ Phylloscopus p. pulcher. Orange barred willow warbler.
1746 11.5.33 ♂ Lophophanes v. beavani. Sikkim black tit.
1747 11.5.33 ♂ Aethopyga ignicauda ignicauda. Fire tailed yellow backed sunbird.
1748 11.5.33 ♂ Aethopyga ignicauda ignicauda. Fire tailed yellow backed sunbird.

SUMMARY:
Notes daily bathing at a pond with dug-out canoes and an inspection of Kuth plantations, healthy in places but grub-damaged elsewhere. Records travel from Sharithang to Chumpithang, Gangtok, and Kalimpong, with Mec. superba common on the Ha La and Kin La and seed ripening noted. Stayed with Odling (where Morris was also staying), then continued via Calcutta to Srinagar; specimens collected total 660.

CONTENT:
about 40 yards x 15 yards & 4 ft deep. On this he has 8 dug-out canoes which we found great fun. All of us bathed, including Chuni, & we bathed every day, wet or fine. I went up & saw all but one of the Kuth plantations. Kuth was looking quite healthy in some places, but rather eaten by grubs in others.

26th Aug. Sharithang. Tobgye came up to near the Ha La with us, & left us in a very heavy storm. Reached Sharithang at 6.45 pm. On the Ha La & Kin La, & particularly between the two, Mec. superba is very common. Seeds just brown: should be ripe about the end of September.

27th August. Chumpithang. Fine till about 12:00, then rain the rest of the day.

28th Aug. Gangtok. Walked the 32 miles in 11 hours exactly, & Tobgye's mule with my kit came in with me. Rained very hard all day.

29th Aug. Kalimpong. Motored in to Kalimpong & stayed with Odling, where Morris was also staying. Left Kalimpong on 31st, arrived Calcutta 2nd Sept, & went on the same night, reaching Srinagar on 5th Sept in time for lunch.

Specimens collected 660.

SUMMARY:
The diary notes arrival at Sanga Chöling after severe cold, the first fine day in some time, active seed collecting and drying of specimens, and a letter from Ludlow with specimen numbers. It records news of Tarka’s party (with Tendrup and Tsering), plans to proceed via Tsona toward Trashigang, kindness from Ashi Gyelmo, and missing photo enlargements likely held by the Kharpon Dzongpon. The party then marches to Charme with transport arranged, while men sent with rice by the HH of Bhutan fail to locate them.

CONTENT:
be glad to reach Sanga Chöling tomorrow. I purposely took no riding ponies today, as it was far too cold to ride, and would be dangerous, but Simba got on a spare pony till I spotted him, by which time he was almost too cold to walk. Everyone laughed at him, which certainly did him good.

29th October. Sanga Chöling. Fine at last. Our first day without rain or snow since leaving the Loka, we are all very glad to have it. It is reasonably warm down here too, though a strong wind blows all day. Got seed of Gentiana waltonii; Primula jaffreyana var. hyacinthina, & 2 Dracocephalums. Found a letter from Ludlow & R. vellereum 6645, Dracocephalum hemsleyanum 6646, Frac. 6647.
Tarka here: they left on 21st & seemed in good form, & have got a fine lot of seeds, more probably than I have since we last saw each other. But of course Tarka has both Tendrup & Tsering with him, & although rainy in Tsari, they had no snow. Tarka sent off Tendrup for seed & seedlings of Meconopsis sherriffii, to the Drichung La, so I will not have to go up there either. We will stop here two days & then go on without a halt to Tsona if possible, reaching there I hope on the 11th Nov. If Pemba is there, I hope I may then be able to send off Tarka's mail so as to catch him still in India. Ashi Gyelmo has been very kind, & provided a hot lunch of gyathuk on our arrival, & has sent potatoes & other things down already. She is a kind soul. The peach, Ludlow said, looked awful, covered in kutch. But she must have been taken unawares, as she has now a clean face & is as much a peach as ever. The enlargements I took of her have never turned up. The Kharpon Dzongpon must have them still.

30th & 31st October. Halt Sanga Chöling. Fine: clouded at night. Bright sun & strong wind during the day. Spent these days in camp, repacked roots of primulas, got out the dry specimens & got seeds all dried. The air is very dry indeed, & everything was soon dry.

1st Nov. To Charme. We got a letter sent on about transport, so had no difficulties with changes today, & got to Charme by noon. Dry & sunny with a very strong cold wind up the valley. Clouds over the main range, & a lot of snow on the hills south of Kaprang, but we don't see any up towards the La. I hope now to go through to Trashigang without a stop, eleven days to Tsona, & another 6 or 7 from there on to Trashigang. HH of Bhutan sent four men with rice to meet us, but did not know where we were, these poor people spent a long time wandering

SUMMARY:
Describes a riverside march with bridges and a near-vertical ladder en route to Trum, comparing the terrain to Baltistan and noting local trees and flowering plants. Records a subsequent march to Natrampa with fine conditions, noted as interesting for Ludlow and the writer.

CONTENT:
narrow cantilever bridge to the left bank. The bridge is a little higher up than it was in Bailey's time, and avoids the 400' ascent and descent he mentions. Cross the bridge at mile 4 and down left bank for 1/2 mile where a gorge comes in. Here there is a 30 ft ladder, almost vertical, perched on a column of stones, well built and strong. The path winds up a little above this, and gradually down to the river side. Cross to right bank by a bridge, often washed away, at mile 6. Proceed close to the river through shrubbery and cultivation to Trum, a small village at mile 7. An interesting march, which reminds one very much of Baltistan with the path on jaharies and with ladders. Gorges of the river are pretty narrow, and the side valleys come through absolute slits, only a few feet wide. Above us the hillside is covered with pine 1344 (Pinus tabulaeformis) and fir 1345 (Picea spinulosa), with a good deal of juniper. Nothing much yet in the way of flowers, but a rhododendron 1342 (Rhododendron vellereum) and some interesting ferns, especially 1340 (Pteris dactylina). Gooseberries are here in plenty, just over the flowering stage. Trees are mostly peach, willow and poplar, with buckthorn and other scrub.

26th April. To Natrampa. 7 miles. BP 19.47 Temp. 52 Time 4.30 Approx height 10247'.
Fine. A most interesting day for both Ludlow and myself.

SUMMARY:
Mentions a flowering specimen at Punakha on 29 May 1915 and doubts about obtaining seed. Provides a detailed route description from Phungui across side valleys and bridges along the Gauri Chu to the Munde La, noting waterfalls, villages, and Takpa inhabitants.

CONTENT:
certainly Cooper's 3937, found at Punakha at 5000'
in flower on 29th May '15. It is a fine flower, but
I doubt if we could get the seeds. I saw it growing
on rocky ground about ½ mile above the bridge over
the main Gauri Chu, on the R. bank - 30 yards off
the road to the right, and again close to the road a little
further on. // Leaving Phungui the road drops and
crosses a side valley which leads up to the Sikkim
La. Then up, and again down to a side valley, the
Murbe Chu at m 3. Both are crossed by bridges, and the
latter is a fair sized river. Again the ascent is steep,
over a ridge and down to the L bank of the Gauri Chu at m 5.
This is followed to m 6½ where the Gauri Chu is
crossed by a bridge to the R bank. Path gradually
climbs and crosses a side valley at 7½. Thence ascent
very steep, over a ridge and past a fine waterfall at m 8.
Then past a village at m 9, it turns slightly left and
an exceedingly steep ascent begins, after crossing a side
valley at m 10. The path is stepped for a great part
of the steep climb to the Munde La (about 9600') at m
12½. Most of this is through jungle. At the Munde La,
the country opens out and slopes of wonderful grazing are
around. There are several villages near here and the
inhabitants are Takpas, more nearly allied to Tibetans.