Showing 3 results

SUMMARY:
At Hala Sahden the diarist records a hard frost and makes an early ascent toward Warga La and Nyuk-sang La, noting views of the Mayo peaks and Kulu Kangri and a spoiled film pack. They describe Ha people making tea from maple leaves and wood-ash water. On 26 October they march to Taktoo in perfect weather with a porter group composed mostly of women and children.

CONTENT:
118

here is pretty low, a min. thermometer placed on a plank 2 ft above ground in an open place, recorded 11° F (19° frost).

25th October Hala Sahden. Min temp last night 10° F.

As yesterday was so perfect, I breakfasted at 4.0 am. Dawa went up to the Warga La. Left for the Nyuk-sang La at 4.30. Reached a hill above the pass at 8.15 - a little over 14000 ft. The view was fine, but clouds were all along the W & E horizon, peaks here & there showing through. Saw some of the Mayo peaks well, & also Kulu Kangri for a while. When I opened a film pack up there, water came out of the tin. It must have had bad adhesive tape on it, & was of course useless. In the jungle are many small maple trees. The leaves of these are used to make tea for the Ha people. They pour water over wood ashes, collect the water underneath, & boil that with the leaves. That is mixed with Tibetan brick tea to make the latter go further. It does not sound too good.

26th October To Taktoo TAKTU 5 miles 7800'. Weather still perfect.

Of the 30 odd coolies to bring us down here today, three were men, the remainder women, with a sprinkling of what were little more than children.

SUMMARY:
The party halts at Tsona, moving from an unsuitable hovel to a happier campsite above the village, drying gear in rare sunshine. They exchange visits with two accommodating dzongpens, discuss a possible trip to Lhasa, arrange to go to Mago on the 19th, and note Dawa’s and the ailing but recovering Kuntup’s arrival. Botanical observations include new primula, saxifrage, and gentian, with dwarf pink rhododendron on bare hills and snowy peaks west of Tsona.

CONTENT:
28

5:30, some at 6:30, some not at all. Again the flowers were good, but as usual there was no time to collect. It was too cold and wet, and we were very late. But we got a new primula, a new saxifrage, and a new gentian. Hills are bare but for the dwarf pink rhododendron (R. hypenanthum). Obviously we are in a transition zone, though at the moment it is anything but dry. This is a queer place to have a dzong, but it is rich in sheep and yaks, as the grazing is excellent.

Ludlow 44. There are fine snowy peaks overlooking Tsona to the west.

16th July. Halt at TSONA. We could not live in the hovel provided for us, so as soon as possible, moved off to a camping ground above the village. Here we pitched tents, and are perfectly happy. There has been quite a lot of sun today, the first we've seen for a long time, so everything was put out to dry. The two dzongpens came to call at 7:30 am, and we returned the call at 1:00 pm. Both are very nice, and would do anything we asked. They even asked if we'd like to go to Lhasa. All arrangements will be made for us to go to Mago, and we will leave on the 19th. Dawa and Kuntup came on today. Poor Kuntup is not well, but I hope will now soon recover. His fever is over anyway. Returning from the dzong we passed a cliff to the north of the path—

SUMMARY:
The writer describes abundant primulas and meconopsis around Shao, including a new white meconopsis and vast fields of yellowish white primulas, while noting Ludlow’s flea-infested lodging. The party proceeds toward Tsona, following the Shao Chu and a northern side valley to Kachen Tso and over Kachen La, with an easy descent past small lakes.

CONTENT:
Scotland, with the heather in full bloom. In Shao we put up in a stone built house - top storey. Very pleasant, though not too clean, as Ludlow discovered. He had many fleas and a louse or two in the morning. I have never seen so many primulas in one day. We found three yellow swamp ones, besides P. sikkimensis, another two small primulas, a huge big white one, P. Roylei that magnificent big purple blue one and some others. Besides this I found a new white meconopsis like horridula in growth and habitat and another. The small meconopsis found by Dawa on the Orka La was also near the Bum La. At Shao there are some disused fields where barley was once cultivated, and these are now absolutely full with a yellowish white primula - acres and acres of them.

15th July. TO TSONA. 16 miles. (B.P. 186.7° Temp. 50°. 13733' Corrected = 14282'). Path leads up the Shao Chu for half mile, strikes up a side valley to the North. Thence easy ascent over open country to the top of a rise at m 5 1/2. Beyond this the Kachen Tso is seen, and the path gradually ascends along the E and North sides of this to the KACHEN LA (15604') at m 7. The lake is about 1 1/2 m long and nearly a mile across. Just beyond the pass are two or three small lakes. Descent easy to the