Showing 9 results

SUMMARY:
On 21 August the diarist left Paro in heavy rain, reached Gorena, met repeatedly with Tasho, the Tongsa Zimpon, other Zimpons, and a Lama Delegate, dealt with a bath mix-up, and recovered delayed mail, sending Betty’s letters by express to Kalimpong before her trip to Calcutta. They noted no specimens of Paeonia suffruticosa from Gorena down, suspecting loss to fires or cultivation at Gorena Monastery. On 22 August at Pyimitangka, Tasho joined an early breakfast that proved poor due to a new cook, with weather still wet and misty.

CONTENT:
21 August. Paro. A dreadful day of rain again. We left in heavy rain at 6.0; it continued heavy till 12.0 when we reached Gorena. At 1.0 we got in, to be met by Tasho. Last night after I had been in bed for over 2 hours, the Tongsa Zimpon was announced. We had a cheerful talk for an hour before he left. I thought that politeness itself on both our parts, and said goodbye to him. But just as I was ready, at 5.15 next morning, to start off, the 2 Zimpons and Lama Delegate rolled up, and again we talked for an hour. In Paro, I stayed in the same place, and this time was again offered a bath. I said, knowing the house before, that I would not have one, and sat down to tea. Half an hour later the Ha Zimpon said, "I'll leave you now to have your bath." Water had been in all the time. Nothing else exciting happened until it was dark, when the mails which had been lost came in. Tasho said he was sending an 'express man' to Kalimpong who would be there in 4 days. So I hurriedly packed up Betty's letters and sent them off. She will get them before going to Calcutta. It was all an awful rush in Paro. I had ample time there, but I was not left alone for more than 10 minutes till Tasho left at 7.45 pm. Otherwise I could have gone through Betty's letters to see if anything needed an answer or not. Got nothing special on the way, and could see no sign of Paeonia suffruticosa which B.S. asked for from Gorena down. Either it has gone due to fires, or it was grown at Gorena Monastery—cultivated—or something like that.

22nd August. Pyimitangka. Again wet and misty, but not so bad. Tasho came to breakfast at 5.15, and her new cook did not excel. He produced an omelette each in a plate each and a spoon each. Nothing else at all. Gradually salt and other things materialised. No milk or sugar. Rather a failure. We left just...

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.

SUMMARY:
The diarist receives letters from Betty and outlines plans: Hicks will arrive in Bumthang on 5 Oct, they hope to leave about the 13th and reach Tashigang on 3 Nov; the party will include Ludlow, the diarist, Betty, Virginia, Tess, and Tasho. Entries for 30 September at Pangotang and 1 October at Tolegang note wet weather, seed collecting (including Primula umbratilis), Pasang and Mundru’s work continuing until 17 October, a visit from the Sokpon who received gifts, and mail sent to HH for Kalimpong.

CONTENT:
To cheer me up today—I was feeling very miserable—a mail came in, with letters from Betty in Calcutta at last, and also from her in London. Nothing from HH at all for the first time when a mail has been sent. Hicks confirms that he will arrive in Bumthang on 5th Oct. So we should be able to leave on 13th about, and reach Tashigang on 3 Nov. Ludlow has got a passage, Betty says, and also she and I, Virginia, Tess, and Tasho. So we should have a good time, 6 of us from Bhutan.

30th September. Pangotang. It rained all night again, but was fine when Pasang and Mundru went off about 6:00 am. We were off just after them, and had a day half rain half fine, but no sun. It doesn't look yet like clearing up, but I do most sincerely hope it is fine now for four days. There is a lot to be got in Tolegang and quite a lot on the other side. After that it doesn't matter so much, except for Pasang and Mundru, whose work won't finish until 17 October. Primula umbratilis here is nearly ripe, and I got some seed, but the big Androsace is still green. This is our last of many halts in Pangotang. The Sokpon came to call and I gave him a little bottle of saffron and a torch, which is doing him very well. But we've been in his district for a long time now, ever since 23rd of May. Sent off a small mail to HH for Kalimpong. I shall only be able to send off one more after this, except for Ha.

1st October. Tolegang. Fine till 10:00 then rain and snow off and on the rest of the day. We are camped about 14,000-14,500' and it is raw and chilly. We got some seed of Primula umbratilis, the very pale form which occurs here, and a few other things. But the Phlomis (19716) I particularly wanted, is still in flower; seeds are not nearly ripe. Neither are seeds of the interesting Gentian 19721. But I took roots of

SUMMARY:
The diarist finalizes loads, sends spare items to H.H., notes further gifts from the Ashis, and expresses deep gratitude for H.H.’s hospitality in Bhutan, agreeing with Betty to take Tasho home for five months. On 13th October they travel from Kuji to Wangdicholing to say goodbye to H.H., then on to Gyetsa in heavy rain, finding a poor reception and remarking on the late, unsettled monsoon.

CONTENT:
actually seen it done. I carefully worked out all loads and found three boxes spare, besides all our extra stores, four tents and various odds and ends. So I sent all these to H.H. Now this afternoon we have been given more presents by the Ashis, and it is a problem how to fit them in. One more box would have been most useful. I suppose we'll get everything in somehow. And so ends our stay with H.H. I have certainly a lot to be grateful to him for. I have stayed with him in all 2 days, 6 days, 3 days and 5 days and he has made me and my friends his guests all the time we have been in Bhutan. He has fed us all, and our servants, all the time: he has provided saddles for us, sent our mail each way and generally looked after us all. Could hospitality ever be greater? In return Betty and I now have to take Tasho home, and we will have a job looking after him no doubt. He will be with us about 5 months.

13th October. Gyetsa. Rain at night and a dull day, with heavy rain several times during the day. We left Kuji at 7:30 and went to Wangdicholing at 8:30 to say goodbye to HH and Co. Choden was there, but not Pema Dechen, and Tasho was with us from Kuji. We had tea cakes and so on and after taking a few group photos, we left at 9:30 and got in here in a bad rain storm at 2.0 pm. The weather is very unsettled indeed, and looks like continuing like this. Reception here poor - nothing got ready in the way we have come to expect. This continued heavy rain too is rather unexpected, and we all feel now that it is high time that we got into settled steady weather. All through the year the monsoon has been late.

SUMMARY:
After an early start, Tasho and his man led the diarist to Codonopsis aff. vinciflora, and there are notes on discussing with HH the organization of medical work in Bhutan, including a hospital at Tongsa and rest houses. On 23 August at Isalunape heavy rains had altered the river and plants were later than in 1937, with the Zimpon improving the lodging. On 24 August at Tahudu the party reached camp early despite washed-out paths, noting large patches of Lilium wallichianum, finding Luculia pinceana, and collecting old seed of Streptocarpus simplex.

CONTENT:
After 6:00 am Tasho rode up the first mile. Here one of his men pointed out Codonopsis 'aff. vinciflora', the one I was looking for when we last passed. It was just where we had been looking, but then it was not in flower, all mixed up in the holly oak foliage. Now we saw about a hundred plants, all just coming into flower, so it must be about a fortnight later this year. Tasho was nicer and showed more life this time. He appears to have been talking to Jigme Dorji about various things in the country - hospital at Tongsa, getting the doctors going, and medicine organised etc. I am going to talk to HH about it all, and see if HH will give Tasho the job of organising all medical work now in Bhutan, also putting the rest houses in order.

23rd August. Isalunape. 5:30 to 10:00. Mist and some rain, but just fine all day. It is obvious that there has been exceedingly heavy rain lately. The river is quite different now and it is over the path in 3-4 places and much discoloured. This certainly seems the wetter month in Bhutan. I notice all plants here are later than in 1937. P. capitata and crispata are just coming into flower now, and in '37 they were in full flower by 12 August. Ceratostigma also is just becoming a fine sight. The Zimpon met me here, and has obviously taken great trouble to make this place better than before. Beds are made, curtains hanging (!) and all sorts of improvements. All I'm afraid of are fleas and bugs.

24th August. Tahudu. Fine most of the day, but misty and damp. There has been terrific rain everywhere lately, and the path is washed away in very many places. We were all in camp by 2:45 or 3, after 5:15 start. The only interesting things were the sight, across the valley here, of 2 patches of each of about 100 Lilium wallichianum. And I found Luculia pinceana. It is a beautiful tree, with very fine big flowers. Got (old) seed of Streptocarpus simplex.

SUMMARY:
After heavy rain, the writer reached Damthang and rediscovered a striking blue Codonopsis near Hatö village, planning to mark plants for seed and corm collection. The next day they returned to Ha via Ha La, photographed Meconopsis habitat, and noted abundant Polygonum vacciniifolia. A remark notes that Tasho remains unmoved by commendable deeds in Bhutan.

CONTENT:
deserves the thanks of everyone in Bhutan for what he has done. It leaves Tasho unmoved. He hardly thinks of such things at all.

16th August Damthang. We left this morning after a night of very heavy rain, at 9.30 were in Damthang at 1.30. The only interesting thing which happened on the way was the finding again of the very lovely Codonopsis which I got in 1937 under 3568. This we failed to find near Paro where originally taken, & was very worried about it. But here - just below Hatö village - we found many plants, & should have no real difficulty in getting seed & corms fit in October. I will in any case have them marked with stakes. The flower is most beautiful, a bright vivid blue, & bigger than Codonopsis vinciflora. This is shown up well by a wine red ring 1/2" diam in the centre of the flower, & a rusty brown large globular stigma. Otherwise it is just like C vinciflora. If we get this introduced, it should be a great attraction at home. The corms or tubers are like potatoes, & can be as much as 2" long.

17th August. Return to Ha via Ha La. The day started well, after heavy rain at night, & B & I got up to the Ha La by 9.30 in drizzling rain. But when we reached the place where Mec. superba grows, between the two passes, the sun came out & we had one hour quite bright again. During this I took some habitat photos of the Mec., which of course is now in unripe fruit. It was very pretty up there, as flowers are still numerous. The most beautiful is certainly Polygonum vacciniifolia sprawling over rocks & forming huge clumps of bright rich pink.

SUMMARY:
Arrived in Bumthang, met by Tasho at Kurji; Hicks arrived later due to Trinley’s septic foot. Plans set to leave on 13 October, with Gundra and Basang going on 9 October to Sephu, Omta Tso, Thampala, and Ritang; received news from home written 8 September and discussed Tasho’s behavior toward Raja Dorji. From 8–10 October at Haat, with heavy rain and a meal with HH on the 8th.

CONTENT:
7th October. Bumthang. Arrived here at 8:30, along a very wet path. There had been a thunderstorm and very heavy rain in the night, - but was worse down this way: Tasho met us in Kurji, where we again stay, and here there was no news of Hicks. But a letter came in from him at 10:00 saying he would be in today, and he arrived at 1:30. He was late because Trinley, Ashi Wangmo's man who has been with him, got a septic foot and couldn't walk any further. So now our plans are all made, we will leave on 13th October, and Gundra and Basang will go on 9th for their little trip to Sephu, Omta Tso, Thampala and Ritang. Tasho only arrived yesterday himself. Got a mail, and Betty is getting on well, written on 8th September from home. Tasho stayed for a long time till after Hicks arrived and I had a pretty good talk to him about various things, including his behaviour to Raja Dorji in Kalimpong, and the way he changed his mind and did just as he wanted to irrespective of anyone else. I hope all that did good, and Tasho took it really very well.

8th - 10th October. Haat. A good deal of rain, some very heavy indeed, but a good deal of sun too. We had a meal with HH on 8th and stayed there for some

SUMMARY:
Zimpon visits from Tashi Cho Dzong and demonstrates imported rice mills, with the diarist comparing Kashgar huskers. The party travels through Pyimitangha to Paro and Ha Dzong amid variable weather, meets Tasho and his men near the Belaka, and laments missing a Codonopsis previously collected on 14 Aug 1937.

CONTENT:
Zimpon rode down from Tashi Cho Dzong to see us, he stayed a long time with us. He has imported two rice mills & I went to see one. It is a small & easily transported machine, which husks 30 mds a day. He takes 5% of rice as payment. He made the wooden driving wheel & the power is water. It all works very well. I showed him how the rice huskers of Kashgar work, & think he will make one to try.

11th August. Pyimitangha. 5.15 to 10.30. Fine till we got in, then a few showers, & a fine evening. A nice valley, dryer than any seen in Bhutan, with mixed pine & broadleaf forest. Ceratostigma griffithianum common on first half of March, but in poor flower this year.

12th Aug. Paro. Mist & some rain until close to Paro. Were met on the Belaka by some of Tasho Drugyel's men with tea & biscuits, & later on by Tasho himself. This was unfortunate, as I had no chance of finding the Codonopsis again, which I got on 14 Aug 1937, & which is new. This was very sad indeed, but I will have another chance on returning.

13th August Ha Dzong. 6.30 to 2.30 Heavy rain to start with but clearing up. Did not see any Peony, but was not looking carefully

SUMMARY:
On the diarist’s birthday at Chensi Rongang, Tasho—the girls’ brother—arrived from herding, and local girls sought medicine, including for gonorrhoea; the diarist departed after declining to host them. Reports accuse the headman of Kuoma of extracting rice and supplies despite H.H.’s contrary order, prompting the need for action. The route climbed over Latsi La and continued to Tongnanying before a steep, muddy descent into dense forest after overnight rain.

CONTENT:
rather silly that we are so close and so far away.
3rd May - Chensi Rongang. 8 miles Ht approx. 6500'

My birthday. Yesterday did not finish when I thought it had. A very filthy man arrived and greeted me in Hindi. He was Tasho, the brother of the girls. They all have the same father and mother except the lad who has a different mother. He had come in from herding the cows. He was a cheerful soul whom I liked best of all. The younger girl came again with a bunch of hangers-on: she wanted medicine for gonorrhoea. She is not an attractive girl in any way, and her sister, suffering as she is, is much nicer, cleaner and easier to talk to. The hangers-on all wanted medicine and were not very grateful for it. I was very glad indeed to escape this morning, though that meant saying goodbye to the sisters. I refused to have them in my tent, so little time was wasted. All the hangers-on were, I thought, unpleasant; now we also hear that the headman of Kuoma has been doing the locals down by saying that he is to collect rice and other things for me, although he knows H.H.'s order to the contrary. The men had to give quite a lot, none of which I saw incidentally. So we must take some action on that.

The road leads up steeply to the Latsi La at m 1, then more or less flat over steep grass hillside for 2 m. to Tongnanying and so on to m 4 where it suddenly enters dense forest and drops very steeply indeed for some 1500 feet I should think. The path was very muddy and slippery. It had rained all night, but luckily was not raining this morning till after