Showing 8 results

SUMMARY:
Notes an incident where Kurtip was thought to be under a 'mantra' by Tawang people after a dispute, and remarks on the Tulung La tree. Describes the route from Re over the steep Cho La to Karmu via Mena, following the Mena Chu through forested terrain.

CONTENT:
very bad, had come to the conclusion that it was
not an illness, but that Kurtip had had some
'mantra' put on him by the Tawang people because
he beat them up a bit when they failed to get a
move on between Muktur & Tawang. Noticed
the small Tulung La tree here again. It must
grow all along these hills, but only or mostly in
the main range.

21st August. Camp at KARMU. 8 miles. 12995'. (B.P of
Cho La 183.8 Temp 52° = 16151' BP of Karmu 189.1 Temp
55° = 12295'.). After leaving the thang at Re,
path ascends steeply to the south keeping to the left bank
of the stream. At m 1 a small plateau is reached.
The final ascent to the CHO LA at m 2 is very steep
indeed. The pass itself is an absolute knife edge,
steeper on the north than the south. Descent over
bare hillside to the south into a beautiful valley,
thickly fir clad on the north north west face. A
river is met at m 3 1/2 & followed down being
crossed occasionally. At m 5 a plain is reached,
called Mena, where there are usually yak herds. The
Mena Chu is followed down first over open country,
then through thick forest. The path keeps up the
R bank after m 5 & is more or less level to

SUMMARY:
Notes a move from near Yonpu La to Khomanagri and then to Chungkar, with fine weather and good birding at camp. Reports misidentified P. eburnea seed as P. capitata and sends Kurtip back to Narim Thang to collect true material, and dispatches seeds and a flower box to the B.M. With Danong, revisits primula sites along the Diwangiri road.

CONTENT:
The Donga La is this (Dis) La. Boiling point in camp, about 50 feet below Yonpu La, is 196.9. Temp 52° = 8374'.

4th November. To KHOMANAGRI. 12 miles. 4500'. A longish march, but downhill most of the way. Bright sunny weather. This is one of the pleasantest camps we have ever had, and besides being pleasant, is in a good place for birds. Found a mail waiting for us. By this I heard that all the P. eburnea seed I took home last year turned out to be P. capitata. So Kurtip's stock is very low. I will send him off as quickly as possible back to Narim Thang to try to get the real thing this time.

5th Nov. Halt Khomanagri. Sent off a post with some seeds and Box 5 of flowers to the B.M. A perfect day, neither hot nor cold; three blankets needed at night. Got some interesting badal zats here.

6th Nov. CHUNGKAR. 8 miles. 6000'. Dull and cool day, pleasant march down to the valley and then a 4000 ft ascent.

7th Nov. Halt Chungkar. Rained in the morning, and cleared up to a most perfect day by 11.30. Danong and I went down the Diwangiri road to the cliff on which 552, 553, and 554 were found. It is a full 6 miles short of Chungkar. We climbed up the cliff and found signs of many primulas, both 552 and 554.

SUMMARY:
The diarist, after a sleepless night, spends the day labelling and packing seeds and bulbs of lilies (including L. giganteum and L. wallichianum), notes a recovering Tibetan companion who will continue as far as Trashigong, and awaits mail. He reprimands Kurtip for distributing quinine, struggles with scarce coolies, sends on 20 loads, and records the next stage to Shali with a brief route note.

CONTENT:
704

Lilies. giganteum
Lil. wallichianum
Lil. karsum 1041
Notholirion bulbuliferum 717

had so many before as in my bed last night. How they got in I don't know, but from 11:00 pm on, I never got a wink of sleep. Spent the day labelling and packing up seeds and bulbs of L. giganteum, L. wallichianum and two other lilies 717 and 1041. Tibetan much better, and think beginning to enjoy life again. But he must come on with us tomorrow as far as Trashigong at least. No news of the mail yet.

When we left here for Sawa I gave Kurtip a 100-bottle of Quinine and told him to take 3 a day. After nine days I find only 38 left. Naturally was very angry with him. He had been giving them to various people round about. I would cheerfully leave all my money and clothes about and neither Kurtip nor any of the others would touch them. But medicine, especially quinine, is more than they can resist, and I suppose, should never be left in their charge. Coolies are scarce here, so we sent on 20 loads today. We go with the same lot again tomorrow. The small boys came up again for loads this morning, but were turned empty away.

11th October. To SHALI. 12 miles. Ht. 6349'. (BP 201.0 Temp 78°).
Path crosses the river just above the Dzong and climbs up the left bank. It is good nearly the whole way, but

SUMMARY:
Record of wages and advances paid to several individuals, with entries noting money orders and settlement dates in 1934. Mentions an advance by Tobgye and identifies Danong as Lepcha, son of Ribu. Location given as the Cinchona Plantation at Mungpoo in the Darjeeling District.

CONTENT: PAY etc.

Ahmad Sheikh. Paid Rs. 150/- from April 1st on May 6th. 235 on 1.12.34. = Paid to 31.12.34.
Gulla. Pay Rs. 90/- = May, June, July. 210 on = Paid to 30.12.34.
Danong. X Paid Rs. 50/- on May 23 by M.O. Rs. 10 Tsuna. 13.8. Rs. 50 28.9. Rs. 150/- 14.11.34
Pintso. X Paid Rs. 50/- Advance by Tobgye 9.6.34. Paid Rs. 250/- 14.11.34
Kurtip. X Paid Rs. 20 on 20.9. in Dib La (+ Rs. 5.1.10.) + Rs. 75/- Paid in full. 5.11.34.

Danong Lepcha son of Ribu. other Lepcha.
Cinchona Plantation.
Mungpoo. Darjeeling District.

SUMMARY:
The diarist records compass bearings from Chera La to several snow peaks and notes that two western peaks with glaciers are uncharted. Due to locals stating there is no yak route to Chera and limited manpower, the party decides to split: the diarist with A. Sheikh, Gulla, and Kurtip to Chera, and Ludlow with Pintso, Ramzana, and Danong to Luguthang.

CONTENT:
Chera La as follows: from Chirachun to a snow peak in direction of Tawang 284° Mag. From Chera La up the Dongma Chu to a snow peak at the head of the river 36° Mag. From Chera La to a snow peak west of the Tulung La 332° Mag. The two western of these peaks are not shown on the map at all. Both look over 20,000 ft. and have glaciers on them. In camp here, we find considerable trouble. The locals now say we cannot get by yaks to the mountains to the west at all. This makes things very difficult indeed. We may manage things by dividing camp, I going where they say they can't take yaks, and Ludlow going to Luguthang or some such place. But wherever we go, it is a gamble. We must choose some valley to settle in for a week or two and work thoroughly. If it's good, we win, if it's bad we lose, as the time for flowers will be over.

NB
To split up:—
S to Chera
L to Luguthang

Later. The decision is now made: there is definitely no yak route to Chera — the place I intend going to. As there are only 15 available men, only one of us can go there. So I, with A. Sheikh, Gulla and Kurtip go there; while Ludlow goes to Luguthang with Pintso, Ramzana and Danong. They say that laden yaks will find it difficult to go to Luguthang ("the sheep plain"). Our boxes are so unlike

SUMMARY:
The party halts at Sana amid heavy rain that floods the tent; a Tibetan patient improves as more pus and cores are expelled. Their taphon begs for trousers and is promised pyjamas, and the next day they march to Trashiyangsi Dzong before rain sets in, with Danong and Kurtip returning.

CONTENT:
walk a little and in much less pain. There is still a lot of pus and two cores came out today. With the bright sun leeches have vanished as quickly as they come with the rain. Evening again heavy rain. I'm afraid I shall get no chance of a view from the Donger La, as tomorrow is our last day. I shan't be sorry to leave this place; it has not been very exciting.

8th October. Halted Sana. Very heavy rain last night flooded my tent. A good sunny morning. The Tibetan is very much better, though a lot of pus still comes out, and another core was squeezed out this morning. We sent him off at 1.0pm to get down to the next hut, a mile or two down the hill. Our excellent 'taphon' has just been prostrating himself in front of our tent. When cursed by Ludlow, he came to me. Eventually we found that what he was begging for was a pair of pants. These aren't generally worn in Bhutan, but he seems to think he has risen to them now. I have promised him my pyjamas in two days time, but they won't last him long.

Quercus griffithii 1053
Pleione praecox 1056
9th Oct. TO TRASHIYANGSI DZONG. 11 miles Ht. 5883' (BP. 20.17) Temp 68° A beautiful day until about 2.30 when the rain came on. Danong and Kurtip returned.

SUMMARY:
Camped at Tobrang with persistent rain, the party continued collecting, including several 'badal rats', and birding near a marsh on the Pang La route. Notes mention primulas by the marsh, illness of Kurtip, Ramzana and companions remaining well, and a misdirected mail reportedly sent to Sahden after a message from Pinto. Leeches and dense jungle hindered hunting despite a spell of fine weather.

CONTENT:
81

about 100 lbs, a good test on a path like the Me La - Cho La one.

Tobrang
31st August Halt Tobrang. Bad day: rain from morning till night. Very wet work collecting.

1st September Halt Tobrang. Rain mist all day, but we did surprisingly well, getting three or four "badal rats". Saw a star in the evening which promises well for tomorrow!

2nd September Tobrang. Quite a good day. Rode up the Pang La route to a marshy flat, where there were any number of good birds about. Got nothing new, but several wanted birds. There are some primulas growing on the edge of the marsh, but they have no flowers or stalks—probably the common yellow one. Kurtip again down with fever, fairly badly. Ramzana & Co. all quite fit though.

3rd September Tobrang. Fine all day. It almost makes one hope the monsoon may be over. In spite of the good day though, we got a poor bag, losing several, & not managing to get a shot at others through the denseness of the jungle, or because of armies of leeches. A note came by devious ways from Pinto today. Some BF has sent our mail up to Sahden again. It

SUMMARY:
At Tsona, the party hiked above camp, photographed Paraquilegia grandiflora, collected butterflies, and shot a few birds, then spent the afternoon developing and packing, leaving a dump of 11 boxes. Mail arrived after a month; Kurtip recovered, and it is noted that permission to reach the area was hard-won in Lhasa, while Pintso had exaggerated the cost of gifts given earlier.

CONTENT:
31

Most of this was genuine first-hand appreciation, but Pintso made the best of things, and told them that the bowl cost Rs 45/-. Actually it cost Rs 8/-. He compared the cloth to my Harris tweed, whereas it cost Rs 5/- for the piece of 5 yards we gave. Kurtip is a better man today. He is up and about. I don't know how he managed that trip from Shao yesterday.

18th July. Halt Tsona. Heavy rain during the night, but a good clear day. Ludlow and I went up the hill behind camp in the early morning. I took 2 good colour photos of the Paraquilegia grandiflora (No 678). We then wandered about the hillsides, and collected some good butterflies - three Parnassius and 2 or 3 Colias, - later on I shot a few birds. Spent the afternoon developing and packing up. We leave a dump of 11 boxes here till our return. Kurtip now normal again and fit enough to start off with us tomorrow for Mago. This afternoon our first mail arrived - just a month since the last. I hear from Tsona that we were lucky to get here. Rai Bahadur Norbhu had to try six times in Lhasa, the Kashag was very reluctant to grant permission. It seems the Chinese are doing