Showing 41 results

SUMMARY:
On 10 November at Trimo, the diarist notes seed collections and plants seen en route to the Pō La, and reports that Taylor has gathered many specimens between Sirimo and Shakti. They describe leaving Tsona, meeting the Dzongpen who discussed Tawang and Assam officials, sending mail by special runner toward Trashi-yang, and note health updates for Phunbo and the Dzongpen along with gifts from H.H. the Maharani, Padmadechen, and Phunbo Wangdi Palden.

CONTENT:
10th Nov. Trimo. seeds of R. baileyi 6656, R. tsariense 6657, R. wallichii 6659, P. pendulum 6660, R. tsariense 6661, P. strumosa 6658

Poda
things on the way to the Pō La - P. eburnea, Gent. amoena, Mec. grandis among others. And Taylor has another 150 specimens between Sirimo & Shakti! No mail reached them yet. I am sending their mail down by special runner - 1st day Le, 2nd beyond Shakti. It should reach Trashi-yang on 13th, so I hope Taylor may get it in Bhutan yet.

10th November. Trimo. Fine, much warmer in morning till 10:30, clouded. We left Tsona in true Tsona style. Everything was ready, ponies paid for & agreement signed, faithful promises to turn up by sunrise. Actually it was 9:00 before the mules loaded up & had to dig out one of the cooks & make him go in front of me till the Pō La. I went to the Dzongpen who seemed a nice man & fairly well educated. The only really interesting thing he talked about was Tawang, when he mentioned two points: one that the Tibetans felt very much that the officials visiting there from Assam were shooting so much, especially now the new Dalai Lama is expected: & the other was a complaint against the translator who was up with the Assam Govt official. The Dzongpen said that the Babu never told them the same as the Sahib said, but gave his own version. The Dzongpen talks Hindi pretty well, but he was not there himself. I left at 9:30 am, & reached the Pass at 12:30 & Trimo at 4:30 pm. Phunbo was very bad last night, but recovered quickly, & was well enough to ride here, has no fever now. But Dzongpen was ill today, with a very bad head, was sick on the way to the Pass.

Prim.
Gent.
Mec.
Rhodo
However he also is much better this evening. We found a very little of the Prim. eburnea Ludlow mentioned, some rather unripe G. amoena, a little Mec. grandis, & several Rhododendrons. To allow everyone to recover, & to give us a chance to get some seed, I am stopping here tomorrow. It is very nice to be here, because from here on it will be warm & dry & we will have no more transport troubles.

RB
The latter have loomed large with me this year, & it is good to feel they are now over. And none of us are sorry to get to a warm place again. Presents of butter, rice, cloths etc. from H.H. the Maharani, Padmadechen, Phunbo Wangdi Palden. They had been as far as Tsari Chinchu & back again looking for us.

SUMMARY:
The diarist recounts a misty, strenuous climb over a pass and a long descent to Lamdo in the Tsangpo valley, meeting Paka Kusho on arrival and later hosting Shaka Kusho while awaiting news of Ludlow and the mail. On 31 July at Tse they reunite with Ludlow, confirm all servants are well, and plan to stay until the 7th before proceeding to Tsela Dzong on the 8th–9th, with Ludlow, Taylor, and the diarist separating on the 10th.

CONTENT:
mist, rain, and I was a bit hazy about the way we turned to. But we went on up to the top, a very steep climb of over 4,500'. Here there was a small pass, which the Hopa said was the place we should aim for, and he said he knew the path down the other side. It would take us out to the Tsangpo valley at Lamdo. Later on he said we would come out near Tse. That would have done too, but we eventually spotted the Tsangpo and to our horror, found we were 3 or 4 miles below Tsela Dzong. That meant a walk in of about 8 miles. We left camp in the morning at 5:15, and did not reach camp at Lamdo till 6:30 pm, having walked steadily for all but an hour of the time. I expected to be able to sit down and rest and have my tea and dinner in peace anyway. But on arrival I saw the Paka Kusho all dressed up waiting for me. So we sat down and talked and eventually he produced a dinner and we went on talking away till 9:30 at night, by which time I was just as tired as I could be. Our long trek was a disappointment too, as we found very little, chiefly I think because we could see so little in the thick mist. No news of Ludlow yet, and no news of the mail. But I expect both will be pretty well up to time. In the valley we came down yesterday—the first big one beyond Tsela Dzong on the South—there were a few plants of the big Meconopsis I found on Gonyi-re. All were in seed. They had probably been brought down from higher up by avalanches.

Today 30th, it has rained off and on pretty hard all day. Shaka Kusho had a tent beside mine, and stopped the night, and offered breakfast in the morning. But I refused that, so he stayed on till midday and gave me lunch. I have stayed in camp all day, done a few remaining photographs, cut my hair and generally cleaned myself up. I can't bathe, as I haven't a camp bath. I have sent a chit to meet Ludlow and hope for an answer this evening or in the morning, unless Ludlow has gone off to the North of the river, which is quite possible.

reunited - L, S & T. See Ludlow III - 112.

31st July. Tse. 4 miles. Ludlow sent up this afternoon to say he was in Tse, and would I come down there, so I went, and we all met about 5:00 pm. They called it the 30th, making the same mistake as I did when we all left Molo. We decided to stay here till the 7th, then Tsela Dzong 8th–9th, leaving, Ludlow one way, Taylor and I another, on 10th. All servants seem very fit, and very talkative too.

SUMMARY:
Botanical observations near camp included Cremanthodium, P. littledalei, Meconopsis integrifolia, and saxifrages. After leaving the Thira La, Taylor returned to the Gyanda Chu and the party halted at Chomo Dzong to collect coracles and cross the river, observing barley harvesting and local papermaking, before abandoning a planned route from Kyakden to the Rong Chu and proceeding to Dzeng on the Tsangpo, where Primula and Gentiana waltoni were noted.

CONTENT:
Near our camp were very fine. On the high rocky slopes were several species of Cremanthodium, we saw here more fruiting plants of P. littledalei than anywhere else, always growing among boulder scree, or at the foot of cliffs, in crevices protected from rain: a few were still in flower. Beside them grew Meconopsis integrifolia, some still with an odd flower on them. Saxifrages too were common here, the prettiest perhaps being a little wine red one only once seen, Saxifraga (No. 6).

Leaving the Thira La, Taylor returned to the Gyanda Chu, by a valley further North which entered the Gyanda Chu at Chomo Dzong. Here we had to halt a day while coracles were collected to ferry us across the river to the right bank. Barley crops were now ripe and we watched the Tibetans collecting the heads by putting two canes together and drawing them up the straws, pulling the heads off, while leaving the straw standing. Later on we watched the more dangerous method used in cutting the straw. In a small field a dozen or more men stripped to the waist, were let loose with murderous looking scythes on long handles. These were not wielded in the sedate way they are at home, but to the tunes of shouted songs were wildly swung over the left shoulder and head before being brought down in a sweep worthy of a professional golfer. The men did not advance in line, but wandered about where they fancied. Another occupation in which the people of Chomo Dzong were busy, was paper making, we watched this very simple and efficient manufacture from the peeling of the Daphne bark to the setting out of the cloth trays to dry in the air.

Unfortunately we could not manage the proposed trip from Kyakden over the hills to the East into the Rong Chu valley and had to turn down the river to Dzeng on the Tsangpo. Primula was seen on these dry slopes near the valley bed and Gentiana waltoni now appeared on an open dry hillside.

SUMMARY:
The party splits, with S. going up the Lando Chu towards Molo and Tsari while Ludlow and Taylor head to Lusha; the diarist travels via Tsela Dzong with Gulla and the Tsongpen, aiming to meet Kusho. Taylor is improving but will avoid the passes, with Tendrup assigned most passes and Ludlow to do Lusha La; notes mention continuing rain, river levels on the Tsangpo and Nyang Chu, and timelines to Dewangiri. Mail news: Kusho has returned from Lhasa, and Norbhu redirected the mail via Gyantse.

CONTENT:
Sept 16 Party splits - S. up the Lando Chu then on to Molo, the Do La, Langong Valley & Tsari
L. & T. to Lusha - then up the Pan La across to Tsari. Tamnyen La - Po-Doshong La

14th Sept. } Halt Temo. Rained a good deal, hardly any sun to dry our seeds. All plans made for
15th " } future. Ludlow & Taylor go off to Lusha tomorrow, while I start off too, via Tsela Dzong - Taylor very much better & able to do quite a lot. Gulla & Tsongpen only accompany me, but we hope to pick up Kusho in Tsela Dzong.

16th September. Ligding. 8 miles. Fine, but still very cloudy, with rain apparently constant on the Main Range. We have now parted again, Ludlow & Taylor going over to Lusha to start collecting in that area, while I go West. Taylor will not do the Passes, but Tendrup will work them all but the Lusha La, which Ludlow will do. They will thus be very quick, & should leave Tse before the end of the month. Taylor wants to return as quickly as possible, seeing he cannot work the passes, & he should & must be in Dewangiri by the 16th November. I work out my moves to get me down there by the 1st Dec. if I travel fast, & so I hardly think that Ludlow will wait for me so long. It looks as if we should not meet again this trip till we are in Kashmir, or won't see Taylor certainly. He is much better, & were his tongue only reasonably clean, I would say he was safely out of the wood. He is a difficult person to feed, being very particular about what he eats, & that is not easy to cope with on a trip like this. Although the rain continues, - we have had no sun at all these last three days - the monsoon must be over except for odd rain on the Main Range, which we always notice goes on till the 18th Oct or so. The Tsangpo went down two or three feet during the week we were at Temo, and it is a good 12 ft or more lower than it was when at its highest. The Nyang Chu does not show such a big drop nearly.

17th Sept. Tsela Dzong. Rain at night & showery today. It took us a good long time to get ponies etc to be transported over here. There are 5 branches of the river to cross. The Nyang Chu has only dropped a foot since we were here on 10th August. Kusho is here, having returned from Lhasa in 8 days. The mail had not reached Lhasa when he caught it up on, I think, the 31st Aug. Norbhu stayed the mail runner & sent him back here, while he sent on our mail to Gyantse by the Tibetan post. He expected it back in 8 days & was then to send it to

SUMMARY:
Notes that a Taylor RHS article was sent to Barker, Wickenden, and Rev Christie, with additional names listed: Sekab, Ward, Hartley, Schomberg, Mrs Freeman, and W.W.M. Kinman.

CONTENT:
Taylor RHS article sent to Barker, Wickenden, Rev Christie
Sekab, Ward, Hartley, Schomberg
Mrs Freeman W.W.M. Kinman CBS.

SUMMARY:
Notes list specimens 5887–5906 with habitat and identification comments on several Primula species and Meconopsis integrifolia. It records that Taylor obtained P. rotundifolia further east and includes additional taxa such as Cyananthus, Pedicularis, Geranium, Cotoneaster, and Saxifraga.

CONTENT:
53a Gonyi re
No. Taylor got rotundifolia further East.

5887 Primula Littledalei. This seems to have taken the place of 3892 (P. rotundifolia). It has much the same habitat, but does also grow out in the open on grassy ledges of the hillside. These taken from the lower altitude were in the mixed Abies rhododendron forest, which is quite unlike P. rotundifolia. They were growing just at the upper limit of P. Jaffreyana close to this. — at what I would suppose to be a very low altitude for a Rotundifolia primula.

5888. Primula hyacinthina. I don't know this form of P. bellidifolia. It has the thick farina on the back of the leaves like P. hyacinthina, but is a very small primula, much smaller than what I have seen of the latter. The usual height would be about 4"-5".

5889. Primula amabilis. I don't know this. The capsules look rather like a nivalid primula, but otherwise the plant does not. We were too late for any flowers.

5890 Primula rhodochroa. At first I thought of a dwarf kind of P. atrodentata, which it resembles in some ways. But flowers are nearly all single.

5891 Meconopsis integrifolia. Only seen growing in a very small area 50' x 50'. Flowers mostly over. There are many old scapes still standing in clumps, but the plant has old leaves at the base, just above the roots. The fresh flowers are a fine colour. Habitat is very similar to Mec. superba or Mec. Sherriffii.

Cyananthus lobatus 5893 Pedic. trichoglossa 5894 Ger. algeia x elwesii 5896 Cotoneaster nervosa 5899
" incanus v. leiocalyx 5901 " robusta 5900 " elliotii 5903
" filistyla 5906
Sax. melanocantra 5904
" signatella 5905

SUMMARY:
The diarist reports from Singo Samba and then Trashidzong/Tsari Sama, noting misty and rainy weather, limited finds of rhododendrons and primulas, and heavy grazing by yaks that destroyed desired Meconopsis and Primula stands. Plans are made to leave kit with one man and proceed lightly with eight coolies around Tsari Sama, while noting Ludlow and Taylor’s move from Kyimdong toward the Bimbi La to target several Meconopsis species; the pilgrim season at Sacha Peso appears over.

CONTENT:
cut for himself a pair of soles for his boots. He then went off & pulled half a yak's tail out to make thread to stitch on his soles.

9th October. Singo Samba. Fine, but some rain last night, thick mist till 8.00am this morning. Found little today: two rhododendrons & a good collection of Ludlow's primula which is down as close to P. ioessa (3789). It is not ioessa, will be interesting if the seed come up well. Crossed the ridge, recamped on the L. bank, leaving rather a long march for tomorrow up to Trashidzong.

10th October. Trashidzong, Tsari Sama. Fine, but becoming more clouded all day, till rain fell in the evening about 5.0pm. Clouds very low, looks bad for tomorrow. The seeds I wanted most today are not to be found. When last here, there was a wonderful show of P. sikkimensis of all colours growing together, some most beautiful: also a very fine red P. alpicola. But all have been eaten by yaks, or dried up - not find a single stem - very disappointing. A small rhododendron here, taken on the Chumbumbu La, is so ripe that all capsules are fully open, the seed falls out almost too easily. It is nice to find some rhodos. like that. As yaks cannot go round Tsari Sama, I am leaving one man here to look after kit to be left, & will only take on 8 coolies lightly loaded, with our beddings, rations for three days, camp table, bed & chair - no tents.

A great pity the weather has broken, as we should do well here, but a fine day would help a great deal. Ludlow & Taylor should have left Kyimdong by now, for their way to the Bimbi La. I hope they have a fine day for their halt & collecting there, as there is a good deal to be done there. Taylor very anxious to see & get seed of Meconopsis argemonantha. If he does so, & gets M. bella & M. sherriffii, we should have seen 16 different Meconopsis this trip. M. nepalensis, M. simplicifolia, M. betonicifolia, M. horridula, M. hor. var lutea, M. integrifolia, M. lyrata, M. florindae, M. impedita, M. speciosa, Ward's ivory poppy (M. harleyana), M. bella, M. sherriffii, M. argemonantha, M. paniculata & one other which I can't think of. Taylor has also been very near M. torquata, M. discigera & M. superba, but unfortunately we none of us saw them. The yak herds have left this place, I think only a short time ago, & the lamas have also left the small gompa here, so presumably the pilgrim season is over, & we will have Sacha Peso to ourselves again.

SUMMARY:
Page lists seed entries (e.g., Primula, Rhododendron, Berberis) with notes on handling (wet moss, CO2) and correspondence/actions involving Taylor and W. Wright Smith. Dated notes span May to July 1937, with some references to 1936 seed.

CONTENT:
SEEDS

G.S. 3024. Prim. erythrocarpa. 11.5. 3001. Iris sp.
3028 Shrub. ? 12.5. 3547 Iris sp.

3030. Jasmine yellow. 12.5. [Sent to Taylor. 14.5.37.] 3055. Liliaceae. [Regius Keeper. 18/8]
      3039 Rhod. keiskei. 13.5. 3210 Big yellow Sax.
      3043 (like 3028). 13.5.

30 Mec. sinuata. [Taylor on 26.5.37] 3205 Prim. harrisonii.
30 Rhod. glaucum. 3192 P. Listeri. [In wet moss.]
3053 P. Winteri.

3024. Primula erythrocarpa. 3 pkts. ✓ No. 3205 P. Roylei.

3025. Primula Boothii ? in CO2 ✓ (bracteosa)
      SH. 1.37. Rhod. Falconeri or Grande Ser. (no tomentum). 1936 seed. ✓ [W. Wright Smith. on 16. 6. 37.]
      3190 White flrd. shrub. 1936 seed ✓
      3187 Berberis. ✓

3026. P. Menziesiana 1936 seed. Taylor. 8.7.37.
      3410 P. Caveana. 1936 seed. Taylor. 12.7.37.

3468 P. Boothii in tin wet moss
" P. Boothii in bottle CO2 [W. Smith. 25/7/37.]
3465 Prim. candelabra 2 pkts

3477 Prim. petiolaris sp. W. Smith. 31/7/37.

SUMMARY:
Notes on seeds sent home in 1949 to G.T. at the BM (Nat Hist), with about 12–14 packets sent to Taylor around 16 April. Includes listed taxa and localities such as Rudo La and Kantanang.

CONTENT:
Seed sent home during 1949, all to G.T.
at the BM (Nat Hist).

About 12-14 pkts seed sent to Taylor on or about 16 April. Included
Albizzia sherriffii, Prunus from Rudo La

18907 Sorbus.
18924 Rosa sp. red.
(2) 19058 Berberis sp. Kantanang.
19092 Allium sp white.
18993 Myricaria sp.

SUMMARY:
Seed collections are listed with specimen numbers and brief locality notes around camp, river, lake, and cliffs, including several Primula species, anemones, Rheum, and Androsace. Notes record seed sent to Taylor and to G.T.

CONTENT:
Seed from Waitang

Nomocharis nana 19121 1 ½ blue 300' N of camp.
P. calderiana x strumosa 19000 ABC roots. 1 white in bottom ½ m N of camp. Dark eye.
1 " " " among shrubs. light eye.
2 ½ blue below camp near big rock.
P. caveana white 19175 X 8 plants marked up at head of valley, river in from E.
P. bellidifolia 19181
P. muscarioides 19183
Conifer 19198 across river
Blue anemone 19201 ½ m above camp where path used to go up. Keep below near where they join again.
Yellow " 19202
P. strumosa 19204
Rheum spiciforme 19205 200' S of lake.
Small purple pea 18992
Big anemone by lake 19207
P. tenuifolia 19212
Cochlearia white 19215 some as in 37. Cliff on L. bank near bridge. (not ripe)
Androsace globifera cushion 19217 (not ripe)
" " 2" - 3" 19220 cliff L. bank near bridge.
P. capitata 19227
Anemone narcissiflora 19232
Primula elongata
Sorbus ursina 19235
P. macrophylla v. macrocarpa near where pony tied up Dumpra. up past R moraine to overhanging cliff with big rock beside it.

Seed sent to Taylor on 30/6
18907 Surus?
18924 Rosa mac?
19058 (2) Berberis (Kautam)
19092 Allium white.
18943 Myricaria.
20123 Prunus Rudolpha
Sent to G.T. on 10/7.
Prim. atrodentata 19