SUMMARY:
Mail is sent with Ludlow toward Lhasa via Tsela/Tsela Dzong amid uncertainty about Mohammed; the diarist writes Richardson for help and plans further dispatches to Tongkyuk Dzong to meet Henry on July 1. Entries for 21–24 March record letters from Richardson, Tsarong, Taring, and Fox, a large flock of migrating kites near Pemo, fair weather after heavy rain, and a route from Tongkyuk Chu past Pemo, Sishila valley, Parka and Parka Phu Chu toward Namla La, reaching Lokmo.
CONTENT:
We have sent our mail with Ludlow to Tsela to go to Lhasa as best he can arrange. It seems something has happened to Mohammed who hasn't made other arrangements for post. I have written Richardson to get our mail up at once from Gyantse & send it here by the man Ludlow sends to Lhasa. I have asked him again to get it to Lhasa by 1st August & 1st October & send to Tsela Dzong & to Tsetang. In the meantime I hope we will get news of Mohammed. We are to send our next lot of letters to Tongkyuk Dzong to meet Henry on July 1st. He will have to pack up & send off to Tsela Dzong.
21 March Halt. We had some news from the outside world on 19 evening, as some men came back from Lhasa with letters from Richardson & Tsarong & Taring & Fox. It was nice to get news, but it did not clear up our mail business. No-one mentioned it, & we now doubt even if Rai Sahib got to Gyantse at all. I have asked Tsarong's boys in Lhasa to make enquiries. Today we walked up to Pemo. Just as we got there a large flock of kites arrived - about 100-120 of them. Many came down on the fields where wheat was just coming up. A local fired a shot at them, then all flew off & went on on their migration route.
22nd March. Halt. Fine at last, after a night of very heavy rain, when snow fell low down to about 10000'.
23rd March Halt. Another fine day, but clouded over very quickly indeed between 5.0 & 6.0 pm.
24th March. Lokmo. About 10 miles. Path up the Tongkyuk Chu past PEMO at m 1 & so on past the entrance to the Sishila valley at m 4 1/2, and over the Parka Phu Chu at m 6, where the village of Parka lies. (about 20-25 houses & considerable cultivation). The Parka valley (called Shabra Lungba) lies due North from Parka. Beyond the village the path crosses a ridge & at m 7 passes the bridge which leads up another valley to the Namla La. Both rivers here are about the same size. The valley up which Lokmo lies is at a bearing of about 290°. Lokmo lies high up above the river, about 500'. There are some 30 houses & considerable cultivation. Another village is on...