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SUMMARY:
Entries for early February describe halts near Laka, arrival of loads, and cordial interactions with locals who report oppression by soldiers and taxes to Kanam. The author notes bird observations and hunting attempts, mentions an iron mine near Chara, sends Lahu to search for game, asks the Tonse headman for Crossoptilon, and records geographic details around Makutang, Sibhe La, and Temo Channa.

CONTENT:
...their houses and beat them up. But others are unpopular: taxes also have to be paid to Kanam; why that should be so I don't know when Kanam is not here.

1st Feb. Halt. Clear at first and very cold. Only 15 loads came yesterday. The rest arrived about 3:00 pm today. Lahu and Balbahadur were left behind for the day. Locals here seem to be glad to see us. They are outspoken about 'zulm' here, chiefly by soldiers. Laka headman's son is a nice lad. He says there are lots of 'Chaugai', also 'kap', monal and blood pheasant. I am sending Lahu up there in a day or two to look.

2nd Feb. Halt. Cloudy and pretty cold, but improving.

3rd Feb. Halt. Clear and beautiful day. We went up the spur East of Laka and had a fine view of the lake and silted up bed, which a local says is covered with water in summer. Locals are all nice. They come and talk and offer to do anything wanted without thought of money. All headmen from round about have come in, with presents. There is an iron mine up behind Chara in the hills, said to be better than the Be one. It can be reached by a path and one can get there and back in a day. Crossoptilon are said only to be near Tonse. I have asked the Tonse headman to get me one or two and he says he will.

4th Feb. Halt. Clear all day. Went up to Makutang. Saw a number of geese, missed three sitters. Also for the first time saw some waders, got 2 out of 3. There were a number of mallard too up near Makutang with the geese. I saw marks of one crane, which the locals say occasionally come here. There is a small 'tru' near Tonse, but in summer this does not function, is replaced by a 'dring', the rope of which is made of bamboo. This bamboo is said to come from 1 day's march upstream. This shows that there is more rain up there. Lahu was in the hills above Laka today. He found 3 small clumps of small bamboo there too, but says there is very little. The nala from the Sibhe La does not come down to Temo Channa, but comes in about a mile or 1 1/2 miles to the East of the Channa fan. It is a very steep sided gorge.

5th Feb. Halt. Clear till evening. Clouds come up most evenings now, but they aren't very...

SUMMARY:
At Langstong the party endures cold, poor weather, sends Angur and Akong to scout a northern nala with little to collect, and notes the continued absence of Mohammed the mail runner. Stores are divided for multiple future legs, with a planned rendezvous at Tsela Dzong about 10th Oct. On 20 March, Ludlow and Elliot depart via Tsela Dzong to Gyala with assigned team members.

CONTENT:
to the south of Langstong. Here everything seems in much the same state as it was when we left in January. It is as cold too. Perhaps up the side valleys at 11,000' or so there may be more movement, so I am sending Angur & Akong up tomorrow for two days. Little could be heard about the valley S of Langstong. But Ramzana describes it as easy, with a good path & many cattle in it. A path goes right up the valley, over a pass & down to Trip. It is used by pilgrims who do a small circuit there. There is still no sign of Mohammed, our mail runner, who should have been here 2 or 3 weeks ago. I hope nothing has happened to him.

14-15th March. Halt. Cold & poor weather here now, with practically no sun at all. Angur & Akong went up the nala to the N. of camp. Found P. whitei cf. rhododendrata common close up the nala. They saw little else and no rhododendrons at all. There is certainly very little to collect these days. We spent all our time dividing out all stores — B & I for 6 months, Ludlow & Elliot for a 6 week trip followed by Ludlow 4 1/2 months & Elliot 2 1/2 months. These have all been packed up, as has a 6 week stock for our return journey from Tsela Dzong. We have agreed that we should meet there about 10th Oct. Then get out as quick as possible, probably in two parties. I got rid of a good deal of useless stuff today, including a complete B II boiler set, which we threw into the river — an awful thing to have to do, but there was no useful alternative.

16-17-18th March. Halt. Cloudy & windy, with little sun.

19th March. Ditto & rain each night & spitting almost all day.

20th March. Halt. Heavy rain at night & a very poor day. After a hectic time of division of stores & packing & storing of boxes, Ludlow & Elliot went off this morning for their six weeks trip via Tsela Dzong to Gyala & the top of the gorge. Parties are now decided. B & I have Kancha Tsongpen & Akong. Ludlow will have Samdup, Ramzana & Laku, & Elliot Angur & Balbahadur.

SUMMARY:
Entries describe travel from Dzong with snow conditions and a stay at Latsa, reports that Ludlow and Elliot spent 24 days shooting waterfowl, and notes of increased rain in the Tsangpo valley pleasing the Tsala Dzongpon. After halts and cold weather, Ludlow and Elliot depart on the 18th with Lepchas, Ramzana, and Balbahadur, while Samdup and Kancha remain with the diarist. On the 20th at Tse, the river level and wind patterns are observed, and a brief botanical note records rhododendrons in flower.

CONTENT:
14th April. Dzong. Some snow at night. We stayed in a house at Latsa, as we feared heavy snow which did not materialize. The house was clean, like all the houses in the valley, very big. It had a big central stone fireplace in the room we were in, so we had a good wood fire all the time. Snow got deeper as we went up over the top; there must have been 1 1/2 feet. There was not so much on the S. & we were soon out of it. Left at 6.30 & got in at 1.30 pm. Ludlow & Elliot have been here for 24 days. All they've had to do has been shoot game. They've got 25 geese & as many mallard, with a few shoveller & 2 spotbill. There has been much more rain in the Tsangpo valley than usual, & the Tsala Dzongpon is very pleased, as crops there should be specially good. Last year was almost a drought.

15-16 April. Halt. Rain in night & nearly all day of 15th. Very cold for this altitude.

17-18-19 Ap. Ludlow & Elliot left on 18th & had a perfect day to go on, without a cloud in the sky, after a clear cold (min 24°) night. All the Lepchas went too, with Ramzana & Balbahadur. The 'trouble makers' - Samdup & Kancha are going with me. Ludlow should now have no more trouble: I doubt if he will even when Samdup returns. It is a pity about our servants. If only we could have got some other than Samdup & Kancha, the whole party would have been happy, that makes all the difference.

20th Ap. Tse. Back here again. The river is, to my surprise, rather smaller than in December. It must in fact be at its minimum now. Wind continues the same - upstream as far as the Gyamda junction, & downstream to the junction. B & I went up the Tse valley today, but only saw the same things as elsewhere. P. chungensis (not in flower) Rhod. vellereum 12393 in very fine flower & another Rhod 12388 fairly common. R. vellereum is in masses in the Gyamda valley, & all along the hillside on the N face.