Showing 33 results

SUMMARY:
A very hot day with few flowers but many birds; the Dzongpen rode ahead and the camp comprised cool bamboo-latticed huts. Observations include local lac production on trees, fine mithun-bred cattle, and an easy 6-mile stage to Phongmi through cultivated hillsides.

CONTENT:
12

fairly well with birds today, but there were no flowers to be seen: it is far too hot, almost the hottest day we have had yet. The Dzongpen rode on ahead today. An excellent camp, with three two-roomed houses has been made here. These huts are cool, being sun-proof, but letting in air. They are made of latticed split bamboo. This is

Lac
See Ludlow p. 45
? Zizyphus?
the area where the lac (sealing wax) all comes from, and I saw today some of the trees with the eggs on them. They put little branches on which the eggs are over small tree branches and in Sept. or so they hatch out and produce the lac on the branches. The local cattle are fine beasts, bred from mithun. They are used for ploughing, and give excellent milk with lots of cream.

5500
1st July. PHONGMI. (B.P. 202.6 = 4964' Temp. 78°). 6 miles. A very easy stage. Road leaves camp, crossing a small side stream, climbs steeply about 2000 ft up the hillside. Thence level with a slight drop into a big side valley at mile 4. Thence slight descent to camp. Route is over open hillside with extensive rice and maize cultivation. It is still too low for any flowers of interest, but birds are fairly plentiful and interesting. Most of this valley seems to have been

SUMMARY:
Rained overnight but the party traveled about 7 miles to Öla, facing major disputes with transport coolies allegedly stirred up by the Noro Gyumpu's brother; the diarist struck a man who threatened a woman with a knife. Kesang, having taken mail to Kyindong Dzong where the Dzongpen refused to forward it, was sent back to have it sent on to Tsari Chunchar, leaving Taylor unlikely to receive it until his return.

CONTENT:
troubles
77

20th October. ÖLA. 7 miles. App. 13000'. Rained all night & a good deal early this morning, but was fine for us nearly all the way here, up till evening. All promises did not amount to much, & by sending Kucho off to all huts, the transport started in about 8:00 am. Then there was the most awful row, chiefly due to the Noro Gyumpu's brother, who seems to have a good deal of power here, & is an absolute "soor." Without him all would have been well, but he was making the coolies dissatisfied & quarrelsome. The loads were not off till 10:00 am & before that I had hit a man very hard across the face for trying to pinch a lighter box off a woman. He was a beastly nuisance & had a foul temper, threatening the woman with his knife, so I'm not at all sorry for hitting him. Most things went wrong today, starting with the non-appearance of the transport. Just as we reached the Pa La route, Kesang appeared. He had taken the mail to Kyindong Dzong, where the Dzongpen refused to allow it to go on, saying I would be coming there soon, & would pick it up. I sent Kesang back, & asked for the mail to be sent on at once to Tsari Chunchar, which Kesang thinks he can manage. Poor Taylor will not now get the mail till he is home, or

SUMMARY:
Notes include an Albizzia odoratissima tree near camp and confirmation that a primula matched Primula denticulata seen at Tauktoo Garden. On 23 March the party crosses the Myam Sang Chu by a bamboo bridge and climbs via Karteng and Sharteng to Gyipu with coolie changes; Pinto goes to Tawang with presents to the Dzongpen, and the day turns cloudy with rain from noon and low snow levels.

CONTENT:
Albizzia odoratissima 1222 tree just before reaching here (1222). From now on transport must be changed at villages. Tomorrow we change twice on the way to Karteng. The primula seen yesterday was the same as at Tauktoo Garden - P. denticulata.

23rd March. GYIPU. 7 miles. B.P. 199.3. Temp 52° Ht. approx 7044'.
B.P. taken at 4.0 p.m. Rather a trying day. We got all loads off by about 7.0 a.m., by which time the head of the snake of coolies must have reached the Myam Sang Chu. The road leads down to the river easily, crosses by a bamboo bridge & ascends very steeply to Karteng, about 1500' up. There the coolies are changed. Thence down & across a side stream & up again steeply to Sharteng where they are again changed. Then up steeply at first, then more or less level round the shoulder to Gyipu. The changing was really done very well, only the last half dozen loads were left behind for which coolies had to be found. Pinto went off to Tawang with presents to the Dzongpen. It clouded over all day & rained from 12.0 on. Snow is now low down at 9 or 10,000 ft. The Pöla was open 10 days ago, but must now have

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:
Notes prolific flowering and collections including a new primula (P. jaffreyana 2257), an iris (2251), Incarvillea lutea (2252), and Thalictrum chelidonii. Reports shortage of drying paper, and mail issues: the runner found no mail at Tsona but had a chit from the Dzongpen; outgoing mail was forwarded by the Dzongpen and more is to be sent via Chayul.

CONTENT:
Rhod. sanguineum 1881, R. campylogynum 1882, forrestii var. repens 1883.
Diapensia himalaica 1884, Prim. valentiana 1885. P. Elizabethae 1886 sp. nov.
Omphalogramma bathysepala sp. nov. 1887

...see how much more prolific the flowers were on this side. The most interesting things were a new primula P. jaffreyana 2257. Common to quite low down. A beautiful iris 2251, which I think is near the K.W.'s Karta iris, a queer lily-like affair 2252 (Incarvillea lutea), I don't know what it is.

Thalictrum chelidonii was in flower about halfway here, beautiful as ever. There were also a number of shrubs in flower too. Altogether yesterday I collected 20 different species. Now I have no paper left to put the dried flowers in. No mail turned up, but the runner is there. He found no mail in Tsona. We thought he was doing us down, but he had a chit from the Dzongpen which shows he was alright. Our last outgoing mail was still lying there, but both were sent on by the Dzongpen.

30th June. Halt. Sanga Choling. Another perfect day. Packed up mail to send off tomorrow via Chayul. Packed up as many dried flowers as possible, but have no paper; with this confounded tamasha going on, I cannot get hold of anyone. I now only have about 80 sheets of drying paper to play about with, which is...

[Marginal Notes:]
P. jaffreyana 2257
Iris decora 2251
Thalictrum 2253
Meconopsis 2256
Jeffreyana 2257
Tibetica 2258
Dracocephalum 2255
Primula 2255
Rosa macrophylla var. farreri 2259
Gentiana 2249
Cryptantha 2250
Clematis 2254
Gentiana tibetica 2258
Jasminum officinale 2261

SUMMARY:
The party stays in the Dzongpen’s guest quarters, sends presents to Bumthang, and arranges future mail to India via Neoli instead of Dewangiri to avoid the wet march to Darrang Mela; the Dzongpen is very hospitable and even takes up shooting sparrows. On 29 June they make a short, mostly downhill march to Trashigong with the Jongpen, passing cultivated hills near Pinhogong (Rongtung) and noting the Dangme Chu (Trashiyangsi Chu) below.

CONTENT:
boxes and stores. The Dzongpen has two quite pleasant quarters for guests, and had made a place for our servants. We sent off all presents for Bumthang and arranged for the first mail to go to India today. It will go by Dewangiri, but we are arranging that in future it should go by Neoli, so as to miss the wet march from Dewangiri to Darrang Mela. The Dzongpen is not likely to worry us for shooting birds, as he saw my two rifles yesterday and immediately took both out and started potting sparrows himself. He is being as kind as Bhutan officials always have been, and provides everything. In fact he provides far too much, and we are not allowed to pay for anything if he can help it.

29th June TO TRASHIGONG 5 miles. (205.2° = 3574'. Temp. 81°.

Sent off all loads about 10 am and followed with the Jongpen at 11.30. A very short march, steep down for the first mile over a small side valley. Then the road is well graded, slightly downhill, through open hillside. The hills are cultivated here and there, but there are signs that formerly there used to be a great deal of cultivation near here. Pinhogong is the RONGTUNG of the map, or near it. Below Trashigong flows the Dangme Chu (Trashiyangsi Chu) a fine big swift

SUMMARY:
Camped below the Dzong, the diarist notes abundant irises and Primula tibetica and receives a very old walnut wooden tea pot from the Gompa via the Dzongpen. On 6th May (halt day) the Dzongpen lunched with them, abstained from certain foods, accepted liqueurs and cigarettes, and related the decline of Karuha temple’s lamas.

CONTENT:
63

below the Dzong in a much nicer place than before. The Dzongpen came to call and stayed an hour. He is a nice man, very helpful. The irises here are a wonderful sight, and there are a few little Primula tibetica just coming into flower (1551). When we were here last, I asked the Dzongpen about old wooden tea pots. He however did not know much about them, and never remembered seeing any. When I arrived today, I found one on my table. He had got it from the Gompa. All he can tell me is they are very old indeed, were used for tea by the monks, when they sat out in a row for their food, and it is made of walnut, of which there are a few trees here.

6th May. Halt. A lovely day. The Dzongpen came to lunch and stayed a couple of hours. I think he enjoyed himself, but keeps to his vows pretty strictly. He would eat no bacon, no eggs - no chicken. But he took both cherry brandy and Cointreau, and went off with a tin of cigarettes. He told us that Karuha temple used to have 40 lamas, but that they became a bad lot, married and so on, and so the place was washed out. The Lopa story is incorrect.

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:
At Chayul, the diarist notes poor weather and that Danang and Tendru have not yet arrived. The Dzongpen kindly arranges to send mail to Tsona, while Tsongpen is unwell for translation work. The following day is a fine halt day; mail is dispatched early, expected to reach Tsona by the 4th and Ludlow around the 10th, while the party still awaits Danang and company.

CONTENT:
31st October. Chayul. Rain during last night, & cloudy all day with a strong cold wind up the valley. Danang & Tendru have not arrived yet. The Dzongpen is very kind, & is arranging to send a mail on from here to Tsona. I don't know, he has his doubts, whether Tsona will send it on at once, but I hope so. We have not met today, as Tsongpen hardly feels up to the translation work with a Dzongpen. Mail leaves tomorrow morning.

1st November. Chayul. Halt. Stayed in camp, a very boring day. Danang & Co have not arrived, but I don't think they will be later than tomorrow, the arranged date. If they are, it means they must have been held up for transport. Today was a perfect day. It rained a little in the night, & there was snow very low down. For the first time yet, the wind blew down the valley, & this is the best sign of the end of the monsoon we have had. Not a cloud in the sky this evening. The mail went off this morning before 6.0, & the man will reach Tsona on the 4th midday. At that rate it should reach Ludlow about the 10th Nov.

SUMMARY:
The diarist travels from Lenda toward Lhapso Dzong amid transport difficulties and an uncooperative headman, but later receives help from a lama deputy at Lhapso Dzong. Mules arrive tired, Tamchen returns to Ludlow with Yusum mules, and an unusual halo phenomenon is observed and noted. Weather shifts from rain to fine conditions with some storms and hail.

CONTENT:
4th May Lenda. There was a good deal of rain last night, but it cleared up in the morning, though storms are all round now in the evening. I had sent Mond out here to arrange transport & found him waiting ½ m out of Lenda with a tale of woe. The headman said he would do nothing without the lama Dzongpen's permission, & the latter demanded 15 sang a pony, otherwise he would produce nothing at all. He refused everything. However I'm glad to say that the muleteers agreed to come on to Lhapso Dz, but said 2 days would be necessary. There is an unpleasant feeling of noncooperation here, & obviously some chalaki going on somewhere. There is no dzing here at all, & someone has been getting at Mond. But the headman is not helpful at all. He won't provide grain. Eggs are produced at 5 sho each soon. I'll be glad to get on tomorrow & to get to Lhapso.

5th May. Lhapso Dzong. A fine day & very beautiful, with cumulus clouds above. In the evening we had some rain storms round about. There was a little hail. Mond went to see the Dzongpen, who is not here however. He has left a lama 'tsap', who has given us all we wanted — given or promised to give. He seems a good man & very helpful. The mules were obviously tired & had rather a struggle to get in here at all. Some were not in till 6.5pm.

6th May. Halt. Tamchen went off back to Ludlow today with our Yusum mules. At 10.0 am I noticed the extraordinary system of halos as drawn on the opposite page. The biggest halo is, I imagine, another of those which I noticed in 1925 or 1926 & reported to the R. Met. Society, who told me what it was & what caused it. It is apparently very unusual & as far as I remember, they said it had only been reported 38 times. At that time the curious ovate shaped halo was absent. It was a clear bright morning, but soon very thin & very high cloud appeared almost as a veil in the blue sky and then the halos were seen. It remained fine, but clouded over after 12.0 midday. Everyone here very helpful, & we hope to be off tomorrow without trouble.