Showing 3 results

SUMMARY:
After a 10-mile march to Menjisi in windy weather, the writer receives letters from Betty via Trinley and notes serious delays to H.H.'s stores sent from Lhuntse, affecting travel plans to Bumthang. Kapo is treating many syphilis patients with limited drugs, while reports mention Tshering doing well, Hicks being tired, the finding of P. Normaniana, a planned route via Ungar and Pimi, concerns from Tobgye about the Treaty and the Maharaj Kumar, and news from Norman regarding a problematic sale to Mintri.

CONTENT:
15th May Menjisi. 10 miles. Wet in the night, but fine today locally and with a very strong wind. I had a long talk with Kapo yesterday, who came in the morning and again for dinner. He gave me a letter from Betty, brought by Wangmo's Trinley. Incidentally H.H.'s large box of stores, sent off from Lhuntse on 4th to Betty, had only got 1 day's march from Lhuntse by May 11th. I don't know what had happened. That has held up other things too, as H.H.'s man cannot return to Bumthang till he has an answer from Betty. Kapo seems to be busy with his syphilis patients, who are a great many. But he finds difficulty in keeping them in Lhuntse. Also he cannot get other drugs for H.H. for other diseases. I gave him what I could spare. It was grand to hear again from Betty, though her letter was written some time ago. They seem to have done fairly well, and have also found P. Normaniana. Tshering doing well, and Hicks seemingly tired. I hope he can stand it all. We left at 5:15 this morning and got in about 10:30. This is a much better division of the marches - Lhuntse, Menjisi - Ungar - Pimi, and I must tell Betty to do the same. We passed another dak today and took ours out on Betty's unopened. This was a bigger one and was sent from K'pong on 29th April. I had several letters from Tobgye, worried about the Treaty and also the Maharaj Kumar's behaviour to him. He has not been at all kind, and his behaviour towards Tobgye is disgusting and disgraceful. I hope now that he will not get Kaysang, who is far too good for him. Norman's letter says that he is off, and he also thinks there may be difficulty about selling Crocket to Mintri, who is a slimy individual. Among other things sent to me is a will which I witnessed many years ago. It is sent in original, and I have to

SUMMARY:
Notes describe intense heat in lowland Bhutan and a fine bridge over the Kuru Chu, followed by return to camp at Lhuntse Dzong. Yundru requests medicine for syphilis, mentioning prior injections by Kapo. The Tinnymu Bridge is described in detail, with no notable flowers observed.

CONTENT:
43

places, the lowest part of Bhutan. They won't ask questions, perhaps because they know they won't get a very good answer. But it can't be helped, one must fill in these two days as best we can. The Dzong here is very well worth looking at, I should say old. There is a fine bridge over the Kuru Chu about 1 mile downstream - one of the finest I've seen in Bhutan, a bit bigger than the Trashigangsi Chu bridge by a good bit. I would certainly not like to live down here. It is very hot indeed. But the Bhutanese say there is no fever. Yundru, our new slave, has just come to ask for medicine for syphilis. I'm sorry he has that, though nearly all seem to have some kind of V.D. He tells me Kapo injected him three times a year ago, but with no result. He says it was done one in each shoulder or in the vein of the forearm, and that it hurts a great deal. I don't wonder.

14th May. Lhuntse Dzong. Back again here, but this time camped in a nice quiet place beneath some cypresses above the Dzong, rather shut in, but pleasant. Ludlow and I must have been here in 1933. We were in by 8:30 this morning. Very wet last night, and cloudy this morning, but just fine. I had a very disturbed night, with water fleas in my pyjamas which I couldn't catch. They come in off the coolies' clothes, when he is carrying the bedding, or so I imagine. The Tinnymu Bridge is a fine one, 42 yards from built up pier to pier, with at each end 4 cantilevers. It is quite recently built, only 6-7 years ago, the last one having been washed away in a flood. Nothing interesting in the flower line.

SUMMARY:
Tsering and Yundra left with two coolies after HH arranged provisions and permits, with a plan to meet again at Ribang. On 11 Oct a halt day included visits from Tasho and HH, who brought presents and ice from the Thunlarharchung to keep a blood sample cool for transport to Kalimpong. On 12 Oct, during rainy weather, the party hosted Tasho, Kapo, Phup Gyeltsen, and Nyercheu Tropa and spent time firing .22 ammunition.

CONTENT:
more at all, doubled up with rheumatoid arthritis, but who now has no pain. We have in between times packed up organized pretty well, are ready to move off at any time. Tsering and Yundra left on 9 morning with 2 coolies, and were all quite happy. HH made all arrangements for them - food then rations, a permit and all they could want for their little trip. We next see them on 17 at Ribang.

11th Oct. Halt. Tasho came at 9.0 am and left at 5.0. HH came at 1.0. So we have not had much of the day to ourselves. HH brought presents to us, and also brought a good deal of snow. This was for us to keep a blood sample of his cool on the way to Kalimpong. It leaves today, and will get to K'pong in 8 days! The ice came all the way from the Thunlarharchung, and the men who brought it were somewhat told off for taking 3 days on their way there and back. It is about 100 miles.

12th Oct Halt. Our last day here. Rain at night and in the morning. All day still clouded and rainy. Today we had Tasho, Kapo, Phup Gyeltsen, and Nyercheu Tropa to 'lunch' at 9.0 and they stayed till 3.0 pm. We filled in some of that time by firing off 150 rds of .22 ammo.