Showing 21 results

SUMMARY:
During a three-day halt, the party planned to head toward Sakden, while noting a Primula from Yonpu La as P. Boothii, previously found by Cooper and K. Ward in the Nyamjang chu. Lumsden treated many patients, the Dzongpen provided supplies and huts for the route up the Gamri Chu, and Ahmad Sheikh made excuses when tasked with making mince pies.

CONTENT:
all he said, though with some difficulty. Plans have been made for us to go almost anywhere we like, and we will, after three days here, go off towards Sakden again. Weather perfect, with no sign of rain for a while yet. The Primula found on the Yonpu La 1147 must be P. Boothii, a Petiolaris primula. It is uncommon, but was found by Cooper three times and by K. Ward in the Nyamjang chu. It has some farina on unopened buds, though nowhere else. The colour is beautiful, but might not last in sunshine. I have two excellent colour Lumière photos of it.

3rd, 4th, 5th March Halt. We are in no hurry, so halted here for three days and did nothing but eat, write, and sleep. Lumsden, however, had his work cut out and had many patients, some sham and many real. The Dzongpen has been very kind indeed to us, supplied us with all sorts of stores and other things, and prepared huts for us on our way up the Gamri Chu. Ahmad Sheikh continues to produce wonderful excuses for anything he does not know. We told him to make mince pies yesterday,

SUMMARY:
The writer describes Tibetan superstitions, particularly the aversion to shooting hares due to their donkey-like ears. After delays at Lala and slow transport with yaks and donkeys, they arrived late at Towa, where a curry made overly hot by Ahmad Sheikh left Ludlow unable to eat, though strawberries and cream from H.H. were excellent.

CONTENT:
for thinking that this was a good moment, was because
all over Tibet this year the crops have been good. They have
many superstitions these people, one is always coming
across them. I don't think any of the local people would
mind us shooting in the least: but they would hate to
see us shoot a hare. There are many reasons for this,
one of which is that the hare has ears like a donkey,
and a donkey is a much valued animal. Our
arrival at Towa was really most amusing - not at the
time, but after we had had a day to think it over.
Owing partly to the delay in changing transport at
Lala, and partly to the fact that we had yaks and donkeys
among the transport, we did not get in till 7.0 pm.
We had breakfasted as usual at 5.0 am and had had
practically nothing since then. So we were very hungry
and ordered, to save time, tinned soup, curry and rice and
a tin of strawberries which H.H. gave us, and one of cream
also H.H.'s present. The soup was rotten stuff, and we
looked forward to a real tuck in of curry. But Ahmad
Sheikh had put the chillies and powder in with a very
unsteady hand in the dark, and it was so hot Ludlow
could eat none at all. I managed a good deal, but
felt it for a long time afterwards. The strawberries and
cream were really excellent. When we arrived

SUMMARY:
The party proceeds via Chagal, while the Dzongpen departs to Drokpa La with the Trim jigmpu and a coolie, leaving Tenduk, Ahmad Sheikh, and the diarist with 14 coolies. At Chagal Dzong they record weather and notable plants, and exchange calls with the Dzongpen who arranges matters for the next day.

CONTENT:
134

the south side. 2422. Otherwise the only flower of interest was a Delphinium 2424, with white sepals & black petals. Crops are nearly ripe here, & already some are being cut & threshed. When we were here last, they were only about 2-3 inches up. Dzongpen has gone off to the Drokpa La today with the Trim jigmpu & a coolie, leaving Tenduk, Ahmad Sheikh & I with 14 coolies to go on via Chagal. Nothing of any interest here, no birds worth recording.

24th July. Chagal Dzong. 6 m. Fine all day, with clouds & sun. Rain last night. A dull march in, with nothing much to see. Plenty of Ceratostigma on the hillside, & a lot at camp on the N side of the river. The little Primula tibetica collected here on our way to Lung first time, is still in bloom, & has a scape about 2" long. Also a very bright yellow Pedicularis, all over the boggy meadow. Dzongpen very kind. I see him tomorrow. Tenduk visited him this afternoon.

25th July. Halt. Chagal. Fine most of the day, but no sun. Exchanged calls with the Dzongpen, who was very pleasant, & has made all arrangements for tomorrow. Nothing very

[Marginalia:]
Delphinium 2424
Ceratostigma minus
Pedicularis fletcheri 2427
Pedicularis longiflora v. tubiformis 2429
rec. Sherriff on Dricheng La. 2436
Cremanthodium plantagineum 2435

SUMMARY:
The writer records numerous alpine plants and seed collections, endures a foul, windy camp, and notes Ahmad Sheikh down with fever while lamenting that Lumsden left the quinine behind. They describe irrigation channels reminiscent of Hunza and then march 7 miles to Trün along river galleries, passing a side gorge bridge and the old village of Tenzika, with environmental measurements noted.

CONTENT:
51

contained a great deal, would be thoroughly worth visiting later. I saw Paraquilegia, Meconopsis (a small one), 4 Primulas, the seeds of one sikkimensis one I collected a few of (1327). An Androsace (1328) a few seeds. Gentians, saxifrages, rhododendrons and many other good looking things. A foul camp with an awful wind and dust. Ahmad Sheikh down with fever, I suppose malaria again. Lumsden left the quinine behind, dash him, but between us we can muster about 20 pills. Birds interesting. The valley is obviously wetter, but is a dry one till the rains come. South face still pretty bare even high up. Up this side valley I noticed two water channels had been taken off the main stream. The engineering reminded me forcibly of Hunza. They must have been a mile or two long and were for the most part along cliff faces.

25th April. To Trün 7 miles. Barometer 194°. Temp 60° Time 4.0 pm. Approximate height 10426'.
Road easy, but along galleries keeping 100 ft or so above the river. At mile 1½ cross a side gorge by a bridge and at mile 3 an old village called Tenzika. Then level past several gorge side nalas to a

SUMMARY:
Notes list packing and equipment requirements including custom lightweight boxes, camera gear, medicines, spirits, clothing, and a soldering outfit. Mentions fitting Ahmad Sheikh's oven into a chop box and providing a small bedding roll for Damong.

CONTENT:
Suggestions: -

Most Kashmir yakdans are too big & heavy; have boxes made of 3-ply wood as Museum chop boxes but stronger, or a little larger.

Ahmad Sheikh's oven to be made to fit exactly inside a chop box, other things inside it.

All made-up boxes for flowers or birds to be cut the same size if possible.

Small bedding roll for Damong.

Try ironing flowers in drying paper.

Cameras: 1: Leica + filter x (or lighter) + portrait attachment / 2: New small Bell & Howell, 3: 1/4 pl. Una + Lumiere Filmcolor. Walking stick stand for small telephoto 20".

Medicines: 500 Quinine Bihydrochloride, 500 Genasprin. Case containing 12-18 screw-top bottles, all same size, labelled on top of lid.

Spirit. Instead of large Museum case, small box containing about 8 sweet bottles ("Kellner's Bullseyes or Acid drops").

Clothes: 1 thin coat, 1 wind coat, 2 cardigans, 2 shorts, 1 jodhpurs, 1 breeches, 5 socks, 2 stockings, 2 vests, 1 pants, 2 thin shirts, 1 thick shirt, scarf. Waterproof. Gloves or mittens. Army & Navy pattern.

Fluxite soldering outfit.

SUMMARY:
Itemized payments and advances including dak runners and postmen at Trashigong, customs duty, coolies, luggage, and railway tickets via Sealdah and Siliguri, plus car, lorry, and other travel to Gangtok, Calcutta, Rawalpindi, and Srinagar. Personal disbursements include payments to Kuntip, Pintso, Danong, and Ahmad Sheikh, along with purchases such as a watch for the postmaster, sparklets, a Roorkhi chair, bacon, and cotton wool and flour.

CONTENT:
14.10. Pay for Trashigong Dak runners. x 40.

Pay Kuntip Rs. 70. x 70. Balance ex 2000 cash = 40
" Pintso Rs. x 250 " ex A. Sheikh adv. = 20
" Danong Rs. x 150

Additional to postmaster. Rs. x 58

Pay T'gong postmen 2nd month x 40 + A. Sheikh pay 270
P.M. K'khata for Customs duty on parcel. x 25 Coolies pay 240
Dak runners K'khata. x 20 510
Luggage Rangma x 207 4591
Servants tickets Sealdah. x 14 5101
Own tickets Siliguri. x 62 Ramzana 270
Pintso etc. " x 15. 5371

3 Boxes to Cooks. Calcutta x 7
Ahmad Sheikh advance for travel x 100
Car to Gangtok. x 60
Tickets to Calcutta. x 78.
Tickets to Rawalpindi. x 268
Lorry to Srinagar. x 60
Watch for Postmaster. 1524
930
2032
5 doz sparklets. 44 / 157
Roorkhi chair. 20
Bacon 23
Cotton wool & flour 11
1624.

SUMMARY:
Page records expenditures for provisions, tickets, excess luggage, wireless, and transport, including routes via Rangiya, Howrah, Pindi, Bombay, and the Diwangiri–Chungkar–Dewri stages. Payments and advances are noted for individuals including Ahmad Sheikh, Danong, Guba, Pintso, Tenduk, with sums handled via the Postmaster and Pradhan, and an item for Tsongpen.

CONTENT:
1
Curry Powder 10 Seers. 10
Saffron 12 Tickets to Rangiya 120
Advance. Spencers. 250 Excess Luggage Rangiya 45
Beads. 9 Cox's charges. 35
Harrods - £50. (38) 500 Postmaster. 200
Danong. Adv. 40 Lorry to Mala 20
Kit Pindi - Rangiya. Tomb. 153 Cash from Bank Rs 3500.
Ahmad Sheikh (incl Jan 40 Rs) 200 less to Pradhan 1000 = 2500
Guba (incl Jan 35 Rs) 150 Pintso & Tenduk Clothes. 40 + 20 60
Statesman 9 mths. 27 Diwangiri Bill. Selves 2/10/- Kashmir 1/10/- Pintso 2/4/- . 22/2 6-4
Kit Bombay. Rangiya 236 Diwangiri to Chungkar 77 Coolies 31-2
Wireless 200 Chungkar 7 to Dewri 13. 20-0
Spencers Balance 272 Cox & Kings Calcutta. Cal to Rangiya. 177
Lorry to Pindi 95 Dak runners T'gong 80 Servants 20 Notes. 100
Car " " 50 Danong from S. Choling own wires. 50
Tickets to Howrah. 280 Tsongpen (to be sent by Pradhan or P.M.) 25
Excess - 140
Wireless Batteries 50
Hats. 42
Toys. 10

SUMMARY:
The writer records taking a group photo as the party prepares to split, listing members and discussing conflicting reports about the Tobrang–Pang La route, with Golay warning it is impassable for mules and plans to send Petuk back with them. On the 10th they collected 19 birds and prepared potted flowers for travel, and on the 11th August they marched 11 miles to LAO (11,200'), aided by Tibetans when coolies were short, with misty weather and an owl collected.

CONTENT:
As our party will be splitting up soon, I took a group photo yesterday of everyone: there were F.L., self, Ahmad Sheikh, Rauzana, Ba Kingsa Puntso, Danong, Kusho, Tenduk, Kurtep, Menchung, Petuk (syce), Golay (dak), Dotila (HH's sepoy) and two mules of Torgues'. Reports of the road from Tobrang via the so-far unknown Pang La varied a great deal, but were generally that it was not too bad. But Golay, who brought our mail the other day, came from Singhi Dzong that way, and reports it to be awful, and quite impossible for mules. So we will have to send Petuk back with them when we can use them no further.

10th: Today it has rained off and on most of the day, but we have been out for some hours and collected 19 birds, many of which are valuable. Our collection of birds is probably even now worth £200, the amount promised by the Museum, which we have not yet accepted. I am taking three flowers from here in pots - a primula, an androsace and a gentian, but I fear they will hardly survive the bumping rough treatment of the road.

11th August. To LAO. 11 miles. 11200'. Fine till after arrival in camp at midday. Only 20 coolies turned up to time, but others arrived later, and we were saved by some Tibetans who came to the rescue. Mist low all day, and no views. No flowers, but shot an interesting little owl and a few other birds. Although

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:
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