Showing 5 results

SUMMARY:
Travel from Maruthang (Reinchen Chu) to Chichukang (Tang Chu) amid heavy rain, with notable plant collecting including a new gentian, Delphinium muscosum, and primulas from Thita Tso. Tendup redirected a visitor to Rihang, and Tsongpen was sent to Thita Tso and later reported a herd of burhel near the primula site.

CONTENT:
88

anyway that Tendup told the man not to come here, but sent him on to Rihang.

6th August. To Maruthang (Reinchen Chu). 10 miles. Just fine all morning (Saxifraga sp. nov. 3528). Very heavy rain from 12.0 on (Corda. bealhamii 3527). Tsongpen went on from here to the Thita Tso. Here found a pretty little gentian No. 3531 (Gent. melensis sp. nov. 3531), which did me down badly. It was fully open and very pretty when I first saw it, so I ran in for my camera, but the rain started as I opened the camera, and it shut up in about 20 seconds.

7th August. To Chichukang (Tang Chu). 7 miles (12,200 ft). A foul day of rain, with a fine interval in the evening. Tsongpen for the primula I sent him for at the Thita Tso, taken before as 3438 (P. uniflora 3438, 3536). It is a perfect beauty, with huge flowers for its size, and should come in with P. Menziesiana. But I will be very disappointed if it is not a new one (3536). No gentians found, but several other interesting things, besides a good Delphinium (3537) (Delphinium muscosum 3537 sp. nov. Lyon), some seed of the big yellow saxifrage 3210 (Saxifraga sp. 3210). We also got roots of the three good petiolaris primulas 3366, 3367, 33843 (Roots: Barnardi alba, Chamaethauma, strumosa). Tsongpen saw a herd of 40 burhel up near the blue pet. primula place. There is a great deal of P. umbratilis not far from camp beside the waterfall just above camp, 12,500 ft higher, on the talus slopes.

SUMMARY:
After heavy overnight rain, the party went from Chamkhar (Bumthang) over the Kyikyi La to camp behind Byakar Dz, receiving food gifts from Pintso Wangdi and Ashi Choden Mother while H.H. added atta; rhododendrons were noted and a film pack was successfully developed. The following day was a rainy halt with more presents, preparations for Lhuntse, and a short excursion with Bette to collect a Prunus and a beautiful crab apple, with supplies sent as far as the Rudo La.

CONTENT:
in July also (perhaps 1st week Aug), they must breed here.

11th April. Chamkhar (Bumthang) 8 miles. c. 9500'. It rained very hard last night for a good many hours, but stopped as we got out at 5.30. We went the quicker way, over the Kyikyi La, 11,600', & down right at Byakar Dz, just behind which we are camped. Here I had expected that we would be left alone, but no sooner were we in than large presents started to arrive from Pintso Wangdi & Ashi Choden Mother. These were of foodstuffs, but still meant something in return. We saw little on the way. Rhod. ciliatum (18683) was a new one for us, we also got a good Barbatum Series Rhododendron (18682). Beside the Dzong (Byakar) another rhodo is in flower, (R. virgatum) 18687 which we last saw in Tongkyuk, but this was a much finer plant. Here everything has been made easy for us. We have ample food: H.H. has produced two mds. of atta to add to our supply, with all the butter & rice we've been given, we need for little. I developed the first film pack, with good results. It will be nice again to have a halt tomorrow. With new people with us, there is much more to do than with old. When we had Pintso & Tendup, Ramzana & Linka, the camp bundobast ran itself. H.H. has given me a very good man in Ngudup Namgyal who has authority to do anything, which makes a very great deal of difference.

12th April. Halt. Rained part of the night, & off & on all day today. We spent most of the day in camp getting things ready for the next jump to Lhuntse. More presents came in, & Pintso Wangdi sent food for us all as far as the Rudo La. Bette & I went up a side valley & found a Prunus 18691, like the Kongbo Nga La one, & a very beautiful Crab apple (18690) which we must try to get seed of.

SUMMARY:
The party reports porter issues over passports, which the lama Dzongpen reprimanded, and compares local wages with those of the Lhasa military forces. On 2nd July they traveled to Charme, changing coolies at Tankor, arriving by noon and finding conditions too dry for many flowers, with only a few plants collected and peaches still unripe.

CONTENT:
taken to the lama Dzongpen who told them off properly. Either the reason is because last year K. Ward, having no passport, gave them very much more than the normal, or it is just a try on. But I think it is due to K.W. because they have been always telling Tendup that we have no passport, so they won't take us. Actually we give them much more than any official ever would. A man driving Tapion for the Lhasa military forces for 1 shas for 2 days, whereas we give 2 shas a day.

2nd July. Charme. 10200' 11 miles. A perfect day, not nearly as hot as I had expected, as there was a strongish wind always blowing up the valley. We had to change coolies at the first village, Tankor, that rather delayed things, as only a few were ready. The last to be produced were old ladies of 60 or so. We were to change at the second village too, but there were no men there, so we did not, & arrived here at 12.0. Too dry to be any use for flowers. Only for one cotoneaster, one Lonicera?, & fern. The peaches here are very hard & unripe yet, and saw no gooseberries as we had hoped. When I paid the men - or rather women -

SUMMARY:
Travel to Kap and then Chayul Dzong, including difficulty lowering the Tibetan mastiff Tumshu down a stone ladder, with Pinto assisting. Notes children peeling rhododendron leaf indumentum to sell as Bané for lamp wicks and observes currants, irises, and early paraquilegia and rhododendrons; an outing up the nala SE of Kap with Tsongpen and Tendup found few flowers fully out.

CONTENT:
have found. He shows it below Lung on the way to the Chupung La, whereas it is above Dotrang on the way to the Kashong La.

4th May. To Kap. 7 miles. Fine. Some difficulty in getting the dog Tumshu—the Tibetan mastiff, a useless beast really (G.)—down the stone ladder today. He was eventually carried on one man's shoulders, while Pinto came down next, holding a rope round Tumshu's neck, to keep his head up, so that he could not bite the carrier. Currants in flower and pretty numerous. The irises here are lovely, every spare inch covered with them. We noticed the children yesterday pulling the thick indumentum off the underside of a rhododendron leaf. They do this when the leaf is more or less dry, then roll up the indumentum, which comes off in one piece, and sell it to the treasury. It is extensively used as a wick in an oil lamp, and goes by the name of Bané.

5th May. Chayul Dzong. 6 miles. Tsongpen, Tendup and I went up the nala SE of Kap, leaving at 5.0 am. I was disappointed to find flowers had hardly come on at all. Paraquilegia, however, is everywhere just on the point of flowering. One or two rhododendrons were just out, but nothing new. Camped

SUMMARY:
Entries for 13 and 14 October describe wet, misty conditions around Trashidzung and Langong, limited success collecting rhododendron seed, and a pressing of P. chamaethauma, with coolies assisting and seeds dried for packing. News from Ludlow reports delays and rerouting due to the Lilung bridge collapse, with casualties and mail issues, and mentions movements via Lhacha, Tsela Dzong, and toward Kyindong/Sangachöling.

CONTENT:
74a
Oct. 13 Tsari Sama
seeds of P. chamaethauma 6603, P. morsheadiana 6604,
P. sikkimensis 6606, P. vernicosa 6607,
Swertia kantelu 6605.

far as from Trashidzung here: & that the third stage is much the same. He gives two names as on the preceding page. He also says that the path never enters Loque, but it must go very close to it.

Tsari Sama
13th October. Trashidzung. Another beastly day. Thick mist & driving rain south of the Pass, & little on this side. But as we got near Trashidzung the sun came out. From here it appears exactly the same as in camp at the Kashong La in Oct. 1936. Driving rain or snow coming over the main range, petering out in a few miles. I suppose this will last another 3 or 4 days then stop, probably with some thunder snow. I did not expect much today, but hoped for seed of a good rhododendron got from here in June. But there was not a single good capsule. We saw about a dozen tiny wee things with no seed in them. Took a pressing of P. chamaethauma on the pass & root as well. Tsari Sama would undoubtedly have been a good place in June, had I been able to do the whole circle. The coolies have done well this trip, & are always ready to come out collecting seed or whatever I want. Got all my seeds dry enough to pack up before leaving this morning, for which I am very glad. We still have a good many Lo-La - Pachakshiri rhodo seeds which need more drying.
See Ludlow's diary - Kew Journal XII 14.

14th October. Langong. Heavy rain all night & all today, with mist right down in the valley. Left at 8.30 am, in at 1.0 pm, kit in a little after 3.0 pm. One coolie left for Molo yesterday evening without giving any reason, but the others agreed to carry on his load. I had hoped to hear from Ludlow here, & did so. Tendup came up on the 5th to Molo & was leaving for Kyindong on the 7th, so should have been there on the 9th. But a man here says he would only be reaching Kyindong today. Ludlow is positive the Lilung bridge was broken down to prevent their coming up to Molo. One cannot believe a word the Molo people say, but I was told quite definitely that one man & 3 mules were drowned when it broke, & that one pony got out again. The rest of the caravan going down then, returned to Molo. Ludlow & Co had to go round by Lhacha leaving on the 5th. There was no sign of the mail between, but Ludlow had left Kesang behind at Tsela Dzong, with instructions to go on to Kyindong, if necessary to Sangachöling. So at any rate I can not hear any more till then.