Showing 23 results

SUMMARY:
The diarist leaves the Tsangpo valley toward Nayü La, noting views of Gyala Tsutum and a local legend linking its summit to Samye via Yüsum. On 5th July at Nayü Chu, progress is delayed by lack of coolies despite assurances from Kusho and the gyimpon; on 6th July, after heavy rain, the party camps north of Nayü La and records notable plants including Lilium giganteum, a white water lily, and Smilacina.

CONTENT:
...were there, and had a talk with her. I only just caught a glimpse of her this morning.

The Nayü La is said to be only two days off, an easy pass which is only shut by snow in the Tibetan 10th month, which would be December. And we heard before that Lopas had come to Tsela in May. The gyimpon says he has gone to the first Lopa houses in four days from here, but that a Lopa, if he wants to could reach them in two from here, going light. Just as I was leaving the Tsangpo valley today it started to clear up in the East, and I caught a glimpse of a lovely scene, which I hope I will see again. Straight down the valley, beyond Tsela Dzong is a lovely snow covered mountain, locally called Gyala Tsutum (G. Peri of the map?). It is said to have had its top cut off, to be carried to Samye. But when at Yüsum, it was stopped in some way by a female deity (?) and planted there. The little hill just S of Yüsum is now said to be this peak, and pilgrims go round it.

5th July. Camp in Nayü Chu. 5 miles. Fine and bright all day long. No rain. A wasted day however. Kusho assured us there was no trouble about coolies, that all would be ready early in the morning. He always says this, and cannot get him to say what he knows. Three coolies had turned up by 8.0 am, then I went off. We waited some hours on the way up and two more appeared. Finally had to stop here, and we waited hopefully as gradually an odd man turned up, till finally the last lot of impressed Lopas arrived in camp at 6.30 pm. So at any rate we are off and with luck should reach the Pass tomorrow. Nothing of interest again. P. Florindae very common, and P. firmipes (flexilipes?) also, but over. The tree GIUGO from which the wooden teapots are made is a maple of sorts, not the one found further west though. I have not seen it before. (No. 5740.).

6th July. Camp about 4 m. N. of Nayü La. 9 miles. BP. 193.4. Temp 65° Time 2.30 pm. Ht app. 10700'
Rained pretty steadily at night, and all morning there was heavy rain. From 2.0 pm on, more or less fine. This was a much more interesting day. I am surprised how low we still are, but we have reached the very wet zone, and flowers are more numerous. I saw what is almost certainly P. Whitei on the way up here - not in flower of course. The most interesting things were Lil. giganteum 5743, and a white water lily 5759, the first we have ever come across. A new Smilacina too was collected, 5756, and a beautifully coloured one 5754, probably the same as that taken in Bhutan last year. This valley must have been a huge lake at some time. It abounds in swamps, in fact...

SUMMARY:
The diarist camps west of Tsanang La amid continuous heavy rain, blocked by an unfordable river despite promising ground nearby. On 17 July, with Tsongpen and the coolies, they fell a fir to make a bridge, contend with sick porters and poor arrangements by Kusho (threatened with being sent back to Gyantse), note route timings between passes, and record several plant collections.

CONTENT:
Tsanang La

believe, others may explain their indifference to his face. There is nothing to be seen up here so far, but we are only at 11,000 ft. There is a small open space here, with two huts in it, one for people to stop in and one in which there is a chorten, with prayer wheels all round it. There are a lot of rhododendrons on the way here, but all over of course. A perfectly filthy day—

16th July. Camp W of Tsanang La. 4 1/2 miles. Very heavy rain all night and day without stop. The fates are much against us. Here I can see we are near an excellent place, but I can't reach it. Just ahead of us lies the main range, with a glacier coming down towards us, and within a mile I could be on excellent ground. But there is a river to cross. The rain has made it quite unfordable, and I can't get round any other way, owing to cliffs. It really is most annoying, and I think very bad luck after at last having got so near a good place. There is a lot of snow on the hills to the E of us, although they can't be very high, as we are only 11,800'.

17th July. Camp W of Tsanang La. 1 1/2 miles. Fine, with a little sun for an hour in the morning, then clouded and rain rest of day with a few fine intervals. There was still a lot of water in the river, though it was fordable. But I was a little afraid for coming back, so in the early morning Tsongpen and I felled a fir tree, and with all coolies pulling, we managed to get it across the river as a bridge. Whether it will be washed away or not remains to be seen. Four coolies were sick and did not turn up, the remainder all very against going on. I have given Kusho a severe lecture and threatened to send him back to Gyantse from Tsola. Since he has been with me, not a single coolie bundobast has been really thoroughly made. The Tsanang La was 2 days from Paha, Tsanang to Kucha La 1 day, Kucha La to Paha 2, so I ordered rations accordingly. Now I find on the third day, it will take another day to reach the La. Coolies now say four days from La to La and 5 from Paha to Kucha La. It is impossible to do good collecting under arrangements like this. We had to cut our way through forest up here today. The path is very bad indeed. Of course a lot of the day was wasted, but Tsongpen and I were out till 4.0 pm, and got a few good things. Rhod 5844 (trichocladum) is common. Rhod aff charitope 5848 local, and R. campylogynum 5847 (R. calostrotum 3855) common very small. A very nice yellow Pedicularis 5858 (Ped. megalochila La) is pretty common—the first I have noticed as being fragrant. Cremanthodium thomsonii 5809. Cremanthod. palmatum v. rhodocephalum 5852.

SUMMARY:
Notes damp weather, farewell to Pimbo, Kuntip, and Danong while taking on Tenduk, with praise for the Bhutanese workers; Tenduk will help with Kusho until the party returns to Sikkim. Describes dry, treeless country, the Kuru Chu gorge near Lhakang and its several local names, steady progress by coolies including many women wearing the Lhassa head dress, and few notable flowers or birds. A margin note mentions reunion at Yatung on Oct 3.

CONTENT:
81

Disappointing, weather still inclined to be damp. Some rain & hills always in clouds. We parted with Pimbo & Kuntip & Danong today, but are taking on Tenduk with us. These Bhutanese have been perfectly splendid workers, on for anything at any time, never having to be told to do a thing. We shall miss them, but Tenduk is a good lad will help us a lot with Kusho till we get back to Sikkim. The country today is all dry with no trees except in the villages. The gorge of the Kuru Chu is a fine one even at Lhakang, but must be much finer further down, where it cuts right through the main Himalayan Range. It is impossible to find out the name of a river here. The Kuru Chu is known near Lhakang as the Thing Chu, further up more generally as the Lhobrak Chu. It also has other names - the Mo chi chu & so on, varying at most stages. The coolies were good today & kept up an average for the first 10 miles of about 2 1/2 m.p.h. About a third were women. The women here wear the Lhassa head dress, a triangular affair perched precariously on the head. No flowers of any interest seen, & hardly any birds at all, except one bunting, choughs (red billed) & pigeon of three kinds.

reunited on Oct 3 at Yatung. S. 105
B. 26. Gorge of Kuru Chu - down

SUMMARY:
The writer records taking a group photo as the party prepares to split, listing members and discussing conflicting reports about the Tobrang–Pang La route, with Golay warning it is impassable for mules and plans to send Petuk back with them. On the 10th they collected 19 birds and prepared potted flowers for travel, and on the 11th August they marched 11 miles to LAO (11,200'), aided by Tibetans when coolies were short, with misty weather and an owl collected.

CONTENT:
As our party will be splitting up soon, I took a group photo yesterday of everyone: there were F.L., self, Ahmad Sheikh, Rauzana, Ba Kingsa Puntso, Danong, Kusho, Tenduk, Kurtep, Menchung, Petuk (syce), Golay (dak), Dotila (HH's sepoy) and two mules of Torgues'. Reports of the road from Tobrang via the so-far unknown Pang La varied a great deal, but were generally that it was not too bad. But Golay, who brought our mail the other day, came from Singhi Dzong that way, and reports it to be awful, and quite impossible for mules. So we will have to send Petuk back with them when we can use them no further.

10th: Today it has rained off and on most of the day, but we have been out for some hours and collected 19 birds, many of which are valuable. Our collection of birds is probably even now worth £200, the amount promised by the Museum, which we have not yet accepted. I am taking three flowers from here in pots - a primula, an androsace and a gentian, but I fear they will hardly survive the bumping rough treatment of the road.

11th August. To LAO. 11 miles. 11200'. Fine till after arrival in camp at midday. Only 20 coolies turned up to time, but others arrived later, and we were saved by some Tibetans who came to the rescue. Mist low all day, and no views. No flowers, but shot an interesting little owl and a few other birds. Although

SUMMARY:
The party remains halted near Kyabden from 25–31 August due to Taylor’s continuing illness, collecting some Primula seed but otherwise limited in fieldwork. A letter from Ludlow at Shoga Dzong reports his rapid move to Tongyuk and dispatches toward Lhasa; the diarist replies via Temu La and proposes meeting at Sang or Nyima around Sept 10. Weather shifts from fine to heavy rain, and Tenduk returns after falling ill en route to Lhasa.

CONTENT:
Kyabden

25th August. Halt. Went up hills due East of Kyabden river to other side. A fine and beautiful day, but very disappointing from the flower point of view. Got a good haul of seed of the little nivalid primula (P. amabilis 6192), taken first under the number 5883 at Ponyre - 21 Aug. Taylor better again, but very slow improvement.

26th August. Halt. The weather is perfect now, and it is a great pity not to be able to make use of it. But it seems we will be a long time yet before being able to move. Taylor has no energy, and is very weak. He can walk a few hundred yards slowly and that is all. He still complains of a pain in the side now, below the ribs and above the hip bone. I think he must have strained something inside. Stayed in camp.

27th August. Stayed in camp or close to it. Taylor rather worse again, feeling sick on 27th, but

28th August. considerably better on 28th, and a good deal happier about himself.

29th August. Halt. A letter at last from Ludlow who had come down fast to Shoga Dzong, where he got our second letter. On reading it, he decided to go on to Tongyuk, and started off there on the 26th. At the same time, he sent Kusho off to Lhasa and also a letter by post from Gyamda to Lhasa. Taylor much the same: there seems to be very little improvement. I wrote a letter to Ludlow today and sent it off to Tongyuk via the Temu La by a local who promises to reach there in four days. I have asked Ludlow to come and meet us at Sang or Nyima, where we hope to arrive about Sept 10th. There we must change all future plans according to Taylor's condition. I fear the year's work is really over, and that we will have to go home pretty quickly, or rather start soon and go slowly. The lovely weather we have been having has broken, and we have heavy showers again, but still with bright intervals. I do hope we have a good spell when we go down to Temu and Sang, so that I can at least get a glimpse of Gyala Peri and Namcha Barwa.

30th August. Halt. Very heavy rain last night, and clouds low down this morning. Taylor not too good yesterday evening, but had a better night.

31st August. Halt. Fine but cloudy. Rain last night. Taylor a different man today, full of beans. Tenduk arrived back at noon. He went via Shoga Dzong, Drugba Gompa and a pass beyond, but got fever and couldn't go on to Lhasa. So he returned to Gyamda and got a Dzongpen's man to go instead. He did...

SUMMARY:
Notes praise for Tenzing’s seed work on Doshong La, foul autumn weather at Langong, and preparations including paying off the Molo people and arranging a trip to Migyitun via Kusho. On 15 October at Langong Halt it rains with snow on the hills; by 16 October the party camps 2 miles north of Chubumbu La in continuous heavy rain with swollen rivers.

CONTENT:
Tenzing did very well with seeds on the Doshong La. He would have perfect weather when there, must have been just at the right time too. Taylor very fit indeed, everyone happy, except possibly Ramzana, who has done badly this year all round. He is quite above himself, and I think has been spoilt. Weather very foul here, looks like continuing so for a month. Langong looks very different in Autumn, and all are now busy cutting grass, iris leaves soon, storing them in their huts for the winter. I have not tackled the juniper above Langong going to Migyitun yet.

15th October. Langong Halt. Rain all night, and thick snow on the hills. Some sun today, and I thought it might clear up, but it has not, and is raining again this evening. Paid off the Molo people. Kusho says he has arranged the Migyitun trip alright, but I'm not too optimistic yet, though he seems reasonably confident. I stayed in camp today, and was quite glad of a rest. The Chubumbu valley has had very heavy rain falling in it all day, and I fear we are in for a nasty time there, but I would rather have bad weather now, and then clear in three or four days time for crossing to Migyitun.

16th October. Camp 2 m N. of Chubumbu La. Rain all night and all today. I think this is the wettest and the worst day I have had yet this year. The rivers are fuller than they were in

SUMMARY:
Travelled to Langong with yaks, purchased and slaughtered a sheep en route, and planned transport towards Molo and the Shothang La. The following day was a rain-bound halt, during which the gyimpu visited with a peace offering to discuss recent coolie troubles and a broken bridge, and coolies were paid a tip; only a few flowers were collected.

CONTENT:
18th June Langong. 13 miles. Rain at night, but fine nearly all day, with quite a lot of sun. It is a pity we did not have a day like this round Tsari Sama, but very likely it was not fine on the South of the Range. Instead of going down to the lower bridge a path takes off directly to the upper one. Yaks and some nice men arrived at 8 am, we were off by 9.45. Reached here at 4.0 and yaks at 5.30 pm. No change in the flowers here. Kusho has gone off to try find out what all the coolie trouble is about, but I doubt if he will get much information. Bought quite a good sheep for 3 (local) rupees on the way up, Tulia had to halal it on the spot, while the Tibetans stood back a bit. Then the old man leading the yaks said quietly "Put the tarpaulin right over it, so that it is not seen, otherwise the sahib's men better not to have stolen it." I intend to sit here tomorrow and arrange for transport to go to Molo, then to go a last time to the Shothang La, see what difference there is up there.

19th June. Halt. Langong. Rain all day, till the evening. The gyimpu came at 4.30 this morning with a peace offering. I saw him later and had a talk about things. He told some story about the Pachakshiri people having broken the bridge, which was not very clear. About the other troubles he was very sorry about that, and professed it was not his fault - that the coolies had behaved very badly, and that he would do his best to see that nothing like that happened again. He is hard up for men, having been ordered as usual to send men to the place where the paper for making Tibetan notes is - near Kyimdong Dz. And he finished up by warning me of the Cemini or Clerk who gives orders under him. He was a bad man he said or gathered that he thought a good deal of the trouble was due to him - which is what I thought. So I eventually said I had no grudge against him and we parted friends. When he brought the coolies for pay, he begged on their behalf for a tip, which I must say I was not anxious to give. But as it would probably make things easier for him, I gave out 2 tangas each. His clerk is certainly a nasty bit of work, as is often the case, and he seems to have a good deal of power. Went out in the evening and got a few flowers, but there is not very much to be had yet. A good deal coming on now, on the South faces.

SUMMARY:
At Lo La the diarist records clear, cold weather, intensive seed collecting of Primula and Omphalogramma, and notes on phenology and collection numbers. He mentions health issues (Kusho’s fever, his own heart), logistics and routes for Ludlow and Taylor via Gacha to Rolo, a returned coolie from Tsungpain, and observations over Lopa country, with Jia remembered for recognizing past camps.

CONTENT:
70 Lo La
omph. brachysiphon 6546

Could see, I have nearly two full packets of seed. Both the Omphalogrammas are over, hardly a seed left. I have not had time for more yet. There is not a cloud in the sky these evenings and the whole place is most beautiful. Very cold, hard frost at night. Kusho is sick tonight, but just a touch of fever I think. One of Tsungpain's coolies has returned, so I fear he may have some trouble. I don't know the reason: he merely says he was sent back. Ludlow and Taylor will I hope get over the bridge tomorrow up to Rolo. It was hard luck on them, and will make them late. However I believe all transport is ready for them in Rolo when they arrive, and that is something. I have been feeling my heart the last two days, and must go quietly for a bit. It is a pity now, just when there is such a lot to do, which means a lot of climbing. We still have Tsari Sama (2 passes), Tsela, Chikung La, Chubumbu La and the two to Nyigutun, Todo, and one at Nyigutun and Chikchar.

6th October. Halt. Lo La. Not a cloud all day. I went on collecting P. Elizabethae 6547, and have now five packets. Surely since one will raise something from these. That represents about seven hours work, four of them with 2 of us collecting. No P. Valentiniana seed. Omphalogramma all thrown too almost. P. Elizabethae was under 3-4 ft of snow on 15th May. The seeds must have been at their best for collecting on about 15-25th Sept. — a wonderfully short season. I hear today that Ludlow and Taylor have gone round by Gacha: presumably Pintso has come to Rolo, and if that is so, there can be no mail, or I should have heard. Jia is funny the way she remembers all our camps of even April, where we stopped only a night. She runs ahead when near them and sits down there waiting for the transport to come up.

7th October. Halt. Lo La. Fine, but cloudy a good deal of the day. Although cloudy here, I could see over the Lo La and away down over Lopa country as far as one could see, and it was absolutely clear, so I don't think there will be much snow or hail. The clouds too are coming from the East. I went up today to see if I could find Primula lactea. We got good seeds of P. Valentiniana, and found both P. Subularia and my new Dryadifolia Sect Prim (5865) tsangpoensis and got seed of them — a good collection of the latter, which was coming into flower again. I saw P. Jonarduni flowering.

SUMMARY:
Diary records travel from Lo La and Singo Samba to Molo, where Taylor arrives, followed by several halt days to reorganise. The party then moves to camps on the Langong Chu and above Singo Samba while Ludlow and Taylor explore down the Lilung Chu; mail and future rendezvous plans are noted. Botanical collecting is mentioned throughout, though limited by logistics and weather.

CONTENT:
Lo La
May 16. R. forrestii var. repens 3783, Primula 3784, Calostrotum 3785.
Singo Samba, Loda Chu near Molo. May 16. R. chaetomallum var. chamaephytum 3786. R. ponderosum 3792. 78.
P. calderiana 3788, locosa 3789. Paraquilegia anemonoides 3790. Lloydia tibetica 3791. R. laudum var. lucidum 3793.

masses, just coming into flower now. There is still a lot of snow on this side; Ludlow's Primula elizabethae has still a covering of 3ft over it. But I saw it on the south of the pass in masses yesterday on a small patch clear of snow. It was 1-1 1/2" up, so it won't be very long in coming away now. We hear here that there is no news of Taylor yet in Molo. They know of our coming. However, no news is good news, as had he had to turn back, I think our mail would have arrived with news of Taylor's return. We all crossed this fine bridge in style; Ludlow had no great difficulty this time. He could not have turned whether he wanted to or not.

Taylor arrives
17th May. To Molo. 10 miles. Fine road. Arrived in Molo 1:30 pm. Taylor walked in at about 3:00, before our kit had arrived. A wonderfully well-timed meeting, seeing he was last talked to by either of us in London by phone on 12th Feb.

Molo - Halt, reorganise kit and loads, buying bags of flour, developing photographs, planning future.
18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23rd May. Halt Molo. Dry sunny weather on the whole. Taylor is collecting masses of things, thoroughly happy. I have been too busy to get very much collecting done. Coolies were difficult. We should have been off on the 23rd, but no one turned up at all.

24th May. To Camp on Langong Chu, 5 miles south of Molo. Rained all night. Heavy rain 7:00 to 9:00 then a fine day. Coolies and ponies all turned up and we were off at 7:00. As we had had so much trouble last time, I did not try to go far, and kit was all in by 2:00 pm. Ludlow and Taylor went off down the Lilung Chu, starting at the same time. They have Pinso, Tenduk, Dawd, Ramzana and Tsering. I have Cutha, Kusho and Tsourpon. I fancy they are off to a very good area, though there will be some trouble in getting there. But this area also will be good, and also will be difficult. Nothing of interest to me was found today. The mail went off at 6:30, and then we were glad to get on the move again. We hope to see our next mail when we all meet at Tsala Dz. on 31st July. They will not come via Molo, but direct down the river, and should take 21 days or so.

25th May. To Camp 3 miles above Singo Samba. 7 miles. Height approx. 11,500'. Rained during the night. Fine today except for showers. Nothing much seen along the river bank. The path is in fine forest most of the way, with a few small clearings every now and then. Primula prenantha 3848.

SUMMARY:
Diary notes describe failed hopes of reaching Tsari due to snow on the Tsari La, bulb collection of Lilium wardii near Lilung, and negotiations with local officials for transport. The writer arranges men and yaks to cross near Singo Samba, dispatches Tsongpon with coolies, reorganizes supplies, and collects Primula and Cyananthus seed while preparing to move toward the Lo La and Langong.

CONTENT:
there does not now seem any hope of getting in, but I wonder if even Ludlow will see it before he has gone too far. The gyampon here tells me that it will be impossible to get round Tsari Sama — too much snow on the Tsari La.

29th September. Camp 2 miles above bridge on Molo road. A beautiful day till 3:00 pm. Then thunder and very heavy rain. I could find no one who knew of a lily near Lilung, but eventually an old man said he did, and came on this morning to show us. We needed no showing, as there are plenty, when once seen. I took about 50 bulbs and have ordered another 50 to be collected for Taylor. So that it should be introduced all right. No. 6541. Little else seen on the way up.
Lilium wardii 6541.
Abies strigillosa 6539.
Lactuca macrorhiza 6540.

30th September. Molo. Fine all day. Beautiful evening. Back to Molo for the fourth time, and I hope the last. Kusho optimistically took everything for granted when he was told transport would be supplied. But it will not be as easy as all that. I had a long argument with the gyampon this afternoon, and he has supplied three men for Tsongpon to go tomorrow. He should reach the Lo La on return on the 8th. Molo cannot supply men for me, but we have arranged for 6 men and 4 yaks, the latter to swim the river at Singo Samba, while we cross by the bridge. It all seems a little doubtful yet, especially as Kusho avoided telling them I was going to Tsari Sama. If they don't know that before starting, they will never agree to go when we get to Trashigong. Gentiana veitchiorum very common all over the open meadows and hills here. Got a little Primula seed, and some Aquilegia and Primula jaffrayana.
Tsangpo La Lo La

1st October. Molo. A perfect day. Hard frost last night. Tsongpon got off with three coolies in good time this morning. The coolies were remarkably early and quite cheerful about going. I spent the whole day in rearranging all my kit, flower stores and so on, and am now ready to go on to the Lo La and Langong, victualled for 15 days.

2nd October. Molo. Another perfect day. Went down the river bank and got a good deal of Primula seed. Salvia hians has thrown all its seed. One Cyananthus seed also collected, but nothing else. I do hope this weather will hold for a few weeks now. It would make all the difference.
Cyananthus sherriffii 6545