Showing 14 results

SUMMARY:
Notes local customs of refusing meat and sending honey to the Dzongpon. Describes a 12-mile march to Tsona over a snowy pass around 14,500 ft with clear but windy conditions, and records observations of Primula species and flocks of grandala.

CONTENT:
The locals will not eat meat of any of these wild animals, nor even hens, and are shocked at us eating pigeons. I asked if they eat honey, but they say they have to send that to the Dzongpon, who sells the beeswax and gives the remainder to cattle and mules. It looks as if we should have our clear day tomorrow all right. If so it will be very windy on top, and the sun on the snow will be pretty awful for everyone's eyes.

Tsona 12th April. To Tsona. 12 miles. 14500 ft. A long tiring day. There was a little snow during the night, but it cleared up and for the pass was neither too sunny nor too windy - in fact as good as we could have. There was not very much snow either, little over a foot at the top with deep drifts. I saw no new primulas. P. obliqua 1300 went up to about 14000, and P. atrodentata 1278 was beside the top at 15000 and is on this side too. Here the only flower seen is Prim. pygmaeorum, a minute thing less than 1/2 inch across, but pretty too, and growing very close to the grass which is close cropped by the sheep. Near Tsona we came across grandala in flocks of up to

SUMMARY:
At Tsona the party halts through 13–15 April amid cold, wind, frost, and snowfall, noting numerous waterfowl on the lake and recording barometer, temperature, and altitude. Yaks are promised though there is disagreement on the route. A man arrives from Trashigang with rice from the Dzongpon and is tasked with sending mail.

CONTENT:
about 300 birds, and shot 8 without anyone being much the wiser. They are in perfect plumage. Tsona is cold and dry, with the usual strong wind blowing all day but dying down at night. With a clear sky and bright sun though it is not too bad.

13th April. Halt Tsona. A perfect morning after pretty hard frost at night. Later on it clouded over and snow fell all evening from about 3.0pm. Very cold with a strong wind. Yaks promised for tomorrow night, but they want to go a different way to the way we want. A lot of bar-headed geese, brahminy and other duck on the lake, also brown-headed gulls and black-necked crane. Very cold at night. I make B.P. here 186.8. Temp. 43° Time 1.0pm. Ht. 14,000'.

Tsona. 14th April. Halt. A dull day with nothing to do but try to keep warm.

Tsona. 15th April. Halt. It started to snow in the afternoon and continued most of the night. There were three inches of fresh snow in the morning and it was very cold. A man came up from Trashigang with a present of rice for us from the Dzongpon. We are using him to send off a mail tomorrow.

SUMMARY:
The diarist negotiates transport with the Dzongpon, notes low rates, and plans to cross by ferry near Chamna and go over the Temu La, with observations on weather and local birds. On 18 Dec at Dzeng, Betty and the diarist travel with a small party, crossing the river by ferry opposite Chamna, where the headman recalls their 1938 visit.

CONTENT:
cloth, while he returned with a skin covered box - atta. We bought from the Dzongpon at 11 sangs a lump, chari at 15. Rice with container (30 sangs) at 105 - atta & tsampa, with container at 63. When the Dzongpon came here, he asked to see the lamyig, but he ignored the 12 sang rate quoted in it & said we had 'tse te' transport, the rate of which was 4 shokangs per riding & 2 shokangs per donkey etc. This is lower than we ever expected to have to pay, right back to our 1938 level. He has ordered our transport - ponies - they should be off tomorrow. The plan is to go by tru from near Chamna, then over the Temu La. Wind has been bad here till yesterday. The day we arrived, the weather began to change, & clouds came at night. The result was a high wind - always downstream, from 2.30 pm, followed by clouds in the evening & cloudy nights with very high temperature at night. Yesterday it cleared completely & the temp went right down, while there was no wind. We have been out for birds & got good ones of great interest. All are now interesting as showing what are residents here. Lophobasileus elegans is the best. 'Chang-tsai' are here & we shot 3 yesterday. Parrots & crossbills seen, but not yet shot. What we really want now is a sparkling day on the Temu La, so as to be able to see Namcha & Gyala Peri - the latter of which should be a more striking view. From Tsela Dzong one can only see a little of the Namcha group, over the Temu La Range.

18th Dec. Dzeng. Left at 9.0: in at 3.0 pm. We suddenly decided yesterday evening that Betty & I should go on with the goro ponies which had arrived. So we packed up the minimum stuff & came on today. Our party is Tsongpon, Kancha, Akong & ourselves. We have a total now of 4 coolies & 11 ponies. The ferry (tru) is almost opposite Chamna, 5 m. E. of Tse & the river at the ferry is about 200 yds wide. Crossing takes about 1/2 hour per trip there & back. The headman here remembers us from 1938, & seems

SUMMARY:
The author reports that missing mail appears irretrievable after a visit from the cheerful Dzongpon, and notes differing beliefs among companions about a mantra causing a Tibetan companion’s illness. On 15 October they travel to Rungzyung in persistent rain, carrying the ailing Tibetan by stretcher, while also listing several collected plants.

CONTENT:
lost mail is not to be found. I'm afraid it must be regarded as a complete loss, not to be traced anywhere. The Dzongpon was very cheerful and kind, though he took up a lot of our time, when we wanted to read our mail soon. But he's a good soul. The poor Tibetan is in a bad way again. He has quite recovered from the original abscess in the shoulder, but now has an even worse one near the artery in the thigh. We will carry him by stretcher with us and hope the thing will come to a head soon. Poor man he has had a rotten time. He says, as usual, that someone has put a mantra on him and is rather fatalistic. Purbo & Co rather favour that idea. They all believe in it, even Pinto, educated though he is.

Trashigang
Strobilanthes glutinosus 1061
Leptodermis 1062
" steppiana 1063
Oxyspora paniculata 1064
Daphne Shillong 1065

15th October. To RUNGZYUNG. 8 m. 4050'. Rained all day. The foul weather has again come just as we start up to a collecting area, as usual. Carried the Tibetan on a stretcher, much to the locals' astonishment. His new abscess will I think come to a head tomorrow evening. It's pretty bad now. The air is simply soaking wet here - all day, in or out

SUMMARY:
After a late start from Tsuna, the party visited the Dzongpon to fix prices, then traveled via the Drong toward Lablung, ascended to the Nyongchung La, and descended into the Thang Chu valley where fuel and grazing were noted. Few flowers were seen, but a delphinium and a Corydalis were recorded; Himalayan blackbirds were numerous at Thang and gazelle were observed in the valley.

CONTENT:
33

= 14869 x 1.05 = 15612'. Ht of Thang = B.P. 186.4°, Temp. 52°.
Mean with Pass 56° = 13903' x 1.015 = 14120'.

Leave camp at Tsuna village & proceed to the Drong, reached at m 1. Thence across the plain to the north, towards the village of LABLUNG. At m 2 — ½ m short of the village turn right handed up a valley to the NYONGCHUNG LA at m 4. Ascent easy over open hillside. Bearing from La to Tsuna = 235° Mag. Rather steeper descent at 60° Mag to the Thang Chu valley. Follow up this valley across by a bridge at m 6. Good C.G. fuel available but limited: grazing, food.

A very late start, not moving off till nearly 10 am. Then a call on the Dzongpon till 11 while prices were fixed. Few flowers seen. A nice delphinium on the way up the valley to the pass, & a beautiful little Corydalis at the very top. Himalayan blackbird at Thang fairly numerous. Saw gazelle in the valley.

[Marginal notes:]
Delphinium pylzowii 657
Corydalis 658
Arenaria glanduligera 659
And

SUMMARY:
Expected malaria patients from Punakha did not appear, despite H.H.’s orders, leading to frustration and letters to H.H. and Tobsgye. On 20 Oct the party marched to Taluku, found the hut gone, noted a better camp at Nahila, and collected 47 bulbs of Lil. Wallichianum; on 21 Oct they reached Balimape, where the Zimpon was away in Ha.

CONTENT:
shrubs all the way down, but otherwise the place looks dry. We were to have had 40 malaria cases here waiting for us, from Punakha, whose blood Hicks was to make slides of to see what kind of malaria they all suffer from. H.H. ordered these men to be produced. But there was nothing here, all the Dzongpon said was "There is no fever in Punakha". If this is really so, which I very much doubt, then all our gift of 5000 Paludrine is being just thrown away now. I personally think there is a lot of fever, but that the Dzongpon is a fool who has not the energy to call in the sick people. I've written a stinker to H.H. & told Tobsgye all about it. We are both rather sick at this. It seems v. difficult to get anything done for these people. They say they want something done, but then won't do anything, when one tells them what to do.

20th Oct. Taluku. A lovely day, with clouds in the morning, but clearing to the real cold weather dryness. This is an absurdly short march which I only arranged as there was a nice hut here, which would save trouble for the locals in making arrangements. But we got here to find the hut gone. That doesn't really matter as we have tents, but a much better camp would have been at Nahila, 4 miles on. We got 47 very fine bulbs of Lil. Wallichianum on the hillside across the valley here. Some are bigger than I have ever seen, but none has had more than 2 flowers on it, whereas in Kalimpong gardens they can have up to 5 flowers.

21st Oct. Balimape. Again fine though mostly clouded. We got in by 2.0 but kit not till 4.0 - 5.0 pm. The Zimpon is away in Ha, so we are spared any trouble here in the way of conversation & entertainment. He is a pleasant man, but it makes things easier if he is not here.

SUMMARY:
Notes on extreme temperatures and plant survival are followed by a halt during which the diarist and Ludlow visit the Dzongpon with gifts to secure cooperation for travel plans. They plan routes to the Sobhe La and Gyadzong, attempt to train a local to use a thermograph, test photographic equipment, and repack supplies.

CONTENT:
fairly easy. Supplies are not easy here, there is no doubt of that. The thermograph showed fine interesting results. But the whole question of temperatures to which plants are subjected is one of great interest. On the main range there is snow now; there has been snow above 13,000 or less for about a month or two. So the plants there are protected. But north of the Himalayan range for instance, there is no snow on the Tamu La for instance. Yet we had, at 11,500, a temp of -4°F. On the Tamu La, at 13,900', the temp must be 15-20° below zero. Yet the plants survive that. A contrast was the place Lil. Wardii was growing. The temps were down to -4° there, yet I could dig out the bulbs with my hand. Where we took P. sonchifolia(?), we broke the blade of the kukri cutting the frozen soil.

27th Dec. Halt. Fine again, but with thin cirrus cloud collecting. Ludlow and I called on the Dzongpon in the morning and gave him 1 pair of binoculars, 1 bottle of saffron, 1 Stanley flask, 1 than of cotton cloth, 1 picture frame and 1 photo of the Dalai Lama. That is a bribe. He seemed more pleased and easy than yesterday, and made no objections to our plans to go towards the Sobhe La on the 30th and to Gyadzong, with 50 coolies, on about the 6th or 8th of Jan. I have tried today to teach a local about the thermograph which Ludlow and I hope to put up above Laha on the Sobhe La route. He cannot read or write, but I think I will get him to do something. He seems quite intelligent and a decent youth. Took a few photos today to test the roll film adaptor which I fitted for use with either camera. As a test, I used the readings given by a GE meter.

28th - 29th Dec. Halt. Checked and repacked all kit, and took out a 2 months' supply for our visit to Gyadzong and a small supply for Ludlow and myself to take to the Sobhe La.

SUMMARY:
Notes on pine species near the river and collection of Ward's lily bulbs; very cold by the bridge below Trongchu Dz. Halt days are spent in camp developing photos and unpacking a working thermograph, with views toward the Sobhe la; awaiting Ludlow and Elliot while the Dzongpon, a monk, is present, and more animals and kit arrive with a note from Ludlow.

CONTENT:
Pinus tabuliformis 12028
Armandii 12029
Tsuga dumosa 12030
P. whitei 12021

More of yesterday's Primula (12021). Ward's lily had a few seeds left and we took about a dozen bulbs. About one mile below Trongchu Dz, the local river is crossed by a bridge. It is very cold indeed down there, as only a very little sun reaches the river. Just before reaching the river, the same pine is met with as in the Tsangpo valley. The pine all the way down the Rong Chu is different, having 4 leaves in a sheath, instead of 2.

23rd Dec. Halt. Another perfect day, which we spent in camp doing odd things, developing photos and so on. No sign of Ludlow and Elliot, but a little more help has come in. The views everywhere here are really wonderful. We looked up the valley today, and caught a glimpse of the valley coming down from the Sobhe la. The Dzongpon is here and does not really take over till tomorrow. He is a monk. I unpacked the thermograph today, and was relieved to find that it worked. So many things have become broken in the last months, that I feared the worst.

24th Dec. Halt. Fine and clear still. Ten more animals in with kit and a note from Ludlow to say he does not expect to be here for a few days yet. We went up the

SUMMARY:
The diarist reports failed transport arrangements at Haet Tse, a visit to the Dzong, and a river crossing by kowa, noting river levels and unsettled weather. On moving to Shoka in heavy rain, there were still shortages of pack animals and help; conditions improved as more servants and a helper from the Dzongpon arrived, though Samdup and much of the kit were still missing.

CONTENT:
21st April. Haet Tse. All the very careful arrangements for us to leave came to nothing. Of the 15 ponies ordered, 2 turned up by 9.0 am and 2 more by midday. I had to go to the Dzong to see that other arrangements be made. The Dzongpon is as friendly as ever. It took me 6 minutes to cross by Kowa, going at about 3-4 miles per hour. That makes the present stream about 500 - 600 yards broad. The Kowa man said the river was at its lowest about February - March, and that now it had risen quite a bit. But it is smaller now I think than in December. Weather very unsettled.

22nd April. Shoka. A very bad day indeed. There were still only 8 animals out of 15 at Tse in the early morning. Then 1 more came. We went off for the Shoka at about 4.0 pm when the rain really came down hard. We only had Tamchen with us, and the Gyimpu was not impressed at all by our importance. No grass, no help, no nothing. But he improved when our kit started to arrive; improved again when 2 more servants came in, and was quite decent when the Dzongpon's man, sent specially to help us, also came in. It was very wet in the evening. No sign of Samdup or of the rest of our kit, in spite of all I did with the Dzongpon yesterday.

23

SUMMARY:
The party halted at Tse, planned routes with Ludlow going north toward the plateau and then to Trongsa, while Taylor and the diarist would work NW of Tsela and cross the Nyang Chu to reach Trongsa by a new route. They found delayed mail at Tsela Dz, traveled by coracle to Tsela Dzong, and then on to Puchu (Nyang Chu); there was a dispute with Tendong in Gyantse over dak payments, cordial visits with the Dzongpon and his wife, and Sherriff visited to hear the wireless, after which Ludlow went on ahead while transport was arranged.

CONTENT:
58

1st - 6th August. Halt. Tse.
It was very nice all being together again. The weather was fine nearly all the time at Tse. While there we planned for the future, that Ludlow would go off to the North to the edge of the plateau then to Trongsa by himself. Taylor and I would work the hills NW of Tsela and then go across the Nyang Chu and also to Trongsa by a new route. There was no sign of any mail at Tse, but we found that it had been lying in Tsela Dz for 15 days or more.

7th August. Tsela Dzong.

10th August. Puchu (Nyang Chu).
Plans for next month.
Tendong in Gyantse has let us down badly, having taken Rs 240 for payment of the dak wala, but he has given him hardly anything and has said he cannot send any more. We came over in many journeys of three coracles to Tsela Dz on 7th and had quite a pleasant two days there. The Dzongpon is a good man and very helpful. He came and lunched with us, and we lunched with him and his wife next day. Then Sherriff came down to listen to the wireless last night. We all came on together today as far as this, then Ludlow went on further. We have transport to arrange here for 7 days so had to stop. There is a monastery here and outside are two of the huge big wooden figures, one male and female, representing