Showing 4 results

SUMMARY:
Route ascends via the right-hand nala to Okse La, then descends steeply through forest to Korphu before continuing down to the Jirgang River and a cantilever bridge, with rice cultivation seen at Nabzi. More flowers are noted, including Michelia doltsopa (2953) and a pure white, sweet-scented Rhododendron edgeworthii (2952) high in a tree that Tseringpen manages to reach.

CONTENT:
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the right hand or more easterly of the two nalas. Path ascends through, easy at first, becoming steeper. At m 4 a pass (Okse La) is reached, probably 1500 - 2000 ft above last camp. From here the descent is very steep indeed, all through dense forest. At m 7 1/2 it becomes easier, then a steep ascent before a level approach to the first Bhutanese village of Korphu, containing 22 houses at m 8 1/2. From this village to the river (Jirgang) beyond the descent is steep, and a wooden cantilever bridge is reached at m 10. The river is a full 1000' below the village, and on the opposite side of the river is fairly extensive rice cultivation at Nabzi.

We saw rather more flowers today, the best find being when a few fallen petals called my attention to a big magnolia tree (Michelia doltsopa 2953). While looking at these flowers, we spotted a lovely rhododendron (Rh. edgeworthii 2952), growing as I thought in a completely impossible place, a full 70 ft above the ground in a huge tree. However Tseringpen said he thought he could manage, and he did, though I wasn't too happy at letting him try. The rhododendron is pure white, with a magnificent scent, and a very fine open flower.

SUMMARY:
The party moved up the valley with coolies burdened by heavy loads and delays at Molo, noted weather changes, and observed several rhododendrons and primulas. On 22 April at a camp above Singo Samba, a hazardous bridge crossing led Ramzana to cross while Ludlow forded downstream with Tseringpen. On 23 April, despite fresh snow and the coolies’ refusal to move, Ludlow, Tseringpen, and the diarist scouted and broke a path to the Lo La pass, checking known plant sites now under snow.

CONTENT:
have weighed at least 130 lbs. In most cases the coolies also carried a lot of stuff to trade in Pachakshiri, so they have very heavy loads. We left at 7:15 and were in at 12:15, but transport did not arrive until about 4:00 pm, chiefly because they all went to Molo to drink chang and get extra loads to take for themselves. A small shower of rain at 4:00 pm, but evening clear. Rhododendrons are more in flower up this valley than at Molo, R. 3624 (3631) is common. R. cinnabarinum is just coming into flower and R. vellereum is in flower in a good many places. P. Roylei just in flower common.

22nd April. Camp 4 m. above Singo Samba. 7 miles. Rained and snowed a good deal during the night. Fine but clouded all morning. Fine rain and mist by 12:00 noon and for rest of the day. No flowers today, and really rather few signs of them. Nearly up here, Primula prenantha is common, but only leaves visible yet. P. glabra is just in flower beside camp. P. atrodentata also shown here. The bridge at Singo Samba is not nice - it consists of only one usable plank, with another a foot lower and very wavy. The length is about 30 yards and the height above water 15 ft. Ramzana crossed first in good style, but Ludlow preferred to ford the river 200 yards further down. Poor Ramzana ran, or did his best to, twice more across the bridge when he saw Ludlow about to ford. I'm afraid I was angry with Ludlow for telling no-one but Tseringpen, whom he took with him, what he was going to do. The valley up here looks lovely and should hold good flowers when they come on. Isopyrum is just showing new leaves on the cliffs on the R. bank. A few seed were found.

23rd April, Halted Camp. Clouded early, fine and bright till 2:00 pm, then cloudy and some rain. We were all ready to cross the Lo La and expected an early start, but woke up to find 2" of fresh snow in camp. That really made no difference, but the coolies refused to move, so here we still are after a perfect clear sunny day. As there was nothing else to be done Ludlow, Tseringpen and I went up to the Pass to make a path, ordering a dozen men to follow and stamp it down. Deep snow lay just beyond camp and continued to the pass, but it was not very often that one went through. It only took us 3 hours to reach the top, and we are convinced the coolies could have gone up. I was shown the places P. Elizabethae, Omphalogramma minus and brachysiphon and some rhododendrons were - all under snow now. On our way back we dug down near the P. Elizabethae

SUMMARY:
Travel from Chumpithang to Karponang and then on to Kalimpong in fine but cold weather, with extensive seed collecting including Meconopsis superba and Gentiana depressa. Transport was arranged at Rinchengang for Danang and Tseringpen; Betty was met near Gangtok before reaching Kalimpong, where coolies were paid off and a lorry arranged. Plants were later sent by air from Calcutta via BOAC.

CONTENT:
and most of the way down here. But luckily it cleared up before we reached the pass and was a perfect day. We stopped a good long time on the passes, and collected all the Meconopsis superba seed we could, there must have been 3 or 4 lbs I should think. Beautiful views of clouds everywhere. Got in about dusk and heard that all loads had caught up now.

1st Nov. Chumpithang. Beautiful day, very cold and hard frost in the morning. Found Danang and Tseringpen in Rinchengang still waiting for transport, which we fixed up for them, and came on here. They will come one day later. A good deal of Gentiana depressa in flower still 2 miles before getting here. Stayed here in a tent, as there is now no bungalow.

2nd Nov. Karponang. Another perfect day, and cold but dead clear on the Natu, with a fine view of Chomolhari in the distance. Again in just before dusk, but with all the kit, and also got quite good seed on the way.

3rd Nov. Kalimpong. Met Betty 2 miles above Gangtok, she having started before dawn for through the whole way in the car. Her arm is of course much better, but it is rather disappointing still. Paid off all coolies, arranged a lorry for tomorrow and got home by 3:00 in very good order with plants and everything none the worse.

Later. Sent off plants by air from Calcutta by BOAC.

SUMMARY:
The party marches from Kupup to Yatung over the Jelep La in heavy snow, with difficult mule transport and botanical notes on Primula gracilipes. In Yatung they deal with a customs issue over cigarettes, receive mail from Gyantse, trace missing kit sent from Ha, meet a Subedar, and dine with local contacts.

CONTENT:
...a few common orchids. Tseringpen wants to take a press tomorrow, in case we come across anything in the primula line.

24th Feb. Kupup. 13 miles. Fine in the morning, but clouded over by 10 am. The rest of the day there was a heavy snowstorm, with rain and thunder in the valleys. We had intended to stop at Gnatong, but snow was heavy then, and we thought we might not reach the pass next day, so went on. I walked all the way, and was very tired indeed when we got in, as the climb is from 6500' to 13000', with some up and down thrown in. Went to bed early with a splitting headache. Near Lingti Primula gracilipes was just coming into flower, but the scapes hardly showed at all. Cleared up after dark.

25th Feb. Yatung 18 miles. Very fine morning, though the valleys were full of cloud. We were a bit late in getting off, and transport reached the Jelep La about 10.30 am. Snow not very much, but an icy path down this side made the going very hard for the mules. Muleteers wanted to stop in Rinchengang, but we persuaded them to come on here, where they reached about 4.30. Found more Primula gracilipes (3580) on the way down. As soon as we got in, two people came to see us, so we could not have our tea, then Norbhu's son and the head clerk also came. The head clerk was more concerned about two loads of cigarettes which were among our muleteers' things. As there is a strict order against importing them, there was some trouble. We had promised the Khampa mule owners to take these up as our own. All our people seem fit and David is quite happy.

26th Feb. Yatung. Halt. Fine all day. Got a good mail, sent back from Gyantse. Spent the day in writing letters, seeing the Subedar of the Det. 1/15th Punjab Regt., and dining with Norbhu's wife and Charles Marbleu. In between we tried to find out what had happened to our kit which was sent on by tonga, that from Ha. Eventually heard from Phari that the Ha kit was there, but they knew nothing of any other loads. Sub. Maryam Singh is a great talker and we know most of his life history before we left. Dinner with Norbhu's wife was rather a trial, though she, Charles and Charles' fiancée are all nice. We had English-style