Showing 14 results

SUMMARY:
Notes on the Kyag Chu spring’s seasonal flow, a halt at Trashiying with poor weather, and a wet march to the Tsokang at Shacho Pebo in Tsari Sama. The diarist describes logistical issues with coolies and rations, and records abundant Primula and Rhododendron, including vast masses of P. valentiniana; blood pheasant chicks are noted.

CONTENT:
'Kyag Chu' or Indian spring. During the winter it does not flow - but is said to flow to India. On the 10th of the 4th Tibetan month it begins to flow here again. All the coolies washed in it as soon as they arrived.

14th June. Halt. Trashiying. Cloudy & rainy nearly all day. I went up the hillside E of camp for about 2000 ft or more, but the mist was very thick & decided not to traverse on to the head of the valley, which abounds in cliffs & has a good deal of snow still lying. We went over the ridge to the next valley & returned by the Trashi La. Very little seen of any interest. P. tsariensis everywhere, but no P. valentiniana. Mec. simplicifolia very common & good colour. Blood pheasant now have their chicks hatched out - one or two days old.

15th June. The Tsokang at Shacho Pebo, Tsari Sama. 7 1/2 miles. BP. 187.7°. Temp. 46°. Time 3.30 pm. Ht. app. 13576'.
A wet night last night, & a terrific downpour all day today, without a pause, with a strong wind. Yesterday evening one of my four coolies returned - with no rations - but with a chit to say the coolies were to return to Langong. This was not from the gyunpa but from his underling. He added that the Trashiying people would take me round Tsari, but ignored the fact that there are only five people there. Tsoupon-Kusho did some good work & for some rations - to be repaid in kind - from the locals, & my coolies - now 14 - agreed to come with me. It was raining hard at 4 am & has not yet stopped. I have seldom had such a bad day for weather, as there is a high wind with it all. We had hoped to cross to the South of the Himalayas, but this pilgrimage apparently keeps to the North. At first there was nothing at all to be found. Then we got into good country, & here it is very good, must be like the Lo La N. side, only a little higher. Of flowers, there is masses of P. Roylei (calcareum) - a very fine form - P. tsariensis, P. valentiniana, P. kongboensis, P. prenantha, P. pudibunda, P. elizabethae & others, besides one new to me - P. subularia 5561. Rhododendrons too are good, very interesting ones seen today, there are R. ludlowii 5555, & R. campylogynum (mekongense) 5560. Another nice one is one of the Glaucum Ser. (charitopes) No. 5565. The finest sight of all, is certainly P. valentiniana, which is in masses. We can see, when the mist rises a little, vast areas, coloured a deep wine red. I went this afternoon to have a look at it, & was amazed at how much there is. Beside it & among it are Rhodo. ludlowii (mekongense) & P. elizabethae. We reached here about 12 noon, all soaked to the skin. The

SUMMARY:
Page lists plant specimens with collection numbers and localities across Dhur Chu, Goshon La, Jin La, Namda La, Lintang, and Shu Chu. Taxa noted include Anemone rupicola, Carduus, Primula species, Trollius, Meconopsis, Polygonum, Cremanthodium, Pedicularis, Swertia, and a white Crucifer.

CONTENT:
16916

19135 Anemone rupicola Dhur Chu. 3-10
19467 Carduus sp. " "
19750 Prim. macrophylla. Goshon La " X
19785 " sapphirina Dhur Chu. " X
19791 " glabra " " X
19792 Trollius Ranunculus sp. Jin La. "
19793 Mec. bella Namda La " X
19794 Polygonum sp. 2" spikes. Jin La. " X
= 19441 ? 19795 ? Namda La " X
19796 Prim. geraniifolia. Lintang "
19797 Cremanthodium yellow. Namda La "
19798 Pedicularis sp. Jin La. "
19801 Swertia aff hookeriana. Namda La "
19802 (2) Mec. simplicifolia Dhur Chu. "
19803 Crucifer white = 1937 acc Jin La " X

• 804 Prim. pusilla " " X
• 6 (2) Mec. horridula " " Goshon X
• 7 Polygonum sp. 4" tassels. Shu Chu " X
  = 19464 - 8 Prim. sikk. Hopeana red tube Goshon La "

SUMMARY:
Page records photographic notes using Dufaycolor and Kodachrome films for subjects including Primula caveana, P. umbratilis, Cassiope, Rhododendron setosum, and Meconopsis simplicifolia. Locations mentioned include Menla-harchu La and areas above it, including a lake. Entries are dated through mid to late June.

CONTENT:
73

B.W. 7. Dufaycolor 13
1 P. macrophylla 10/6 1 P. Caveana no filter 16/6
2 P. involucrata 19090 10/6 2 P. Caveana habitat 16/6
3 P. reticulata 19108 13/6 3 P. Caveana closer 19144 16/6
4 Cypripedium tibeticum 19123 14/6 4 P. tenuiloba 19167 16/6
5 Prim. umbratilis 19128 14/6. 5 P. umbratilis 19183 18/6
6 Nomocharis nana 14/6 6 Cassiope 19095 18/6
7 P. Caveana. moved? 19144 16/6
8 P. Caveana habitat v.g. 16/6 Dufaycolor 14
9 P. Caveana closer 16/6 1 Cassiope & Rhod. setosum & Nomocharis 19/6
10 P. tenuiloba 19167 16/6 2 R. setosum. R. anthopogon & R. aeruginosum 19/6
11 P. umbratilis 19183 18/6 3 Mec. simplicifolia or P. strumosa 19204 20/6
12 Cassiope 19095 18/6 4 Mec. simplicifolia or P. strumosa 19204 20/6
5 Mec. simp. Lake at Menla-harchu La 20/6
Kodachrome CS. 14. 6 Mec. simp. Lake at Menla-harchu La 20/6
Prim. Caveana. behind. bad. 16/6. 7 Prim. bellidifolia 21/6
Rest would not turn. 8 Small purple pea 1"-2" 18992 21/6

Kodachrome 15.
P. umbratilis 1/2 speed 19183 18/6.
Cassiope 19095 18/6
P. Caveana 19144 18/6
P. macrophylla v macrocarpa -
Mec. simplicifolia above Menla-harchu 20/6.
Mec. simplicifolia or P. strumosa 19204 20/6

SUMMARY:
At Pangtang, the diarist reports improved weather after night rain, limited seed readiness, and observations of several plants in flower or seed, while Ngudup arranged a new zareba to shield the tent from strong winds. The following day was a halt with morning sun and afternoon rain; seed collecting yielded mixed results due to grazing and insect damage, and the diarist photographed an ibis bill at a nearby spring.

CONTENT:
7th September. Pangtang. Heavy rain in the night, but fine all day today, with much more of a feeling of dryness. We got a few seed on the way up, but again found most things were not ready. In fact we got Primula umbratilis in perfect flower on a cliff where no sun reaches. Here I have not yet looked round, except to see Mec. simplicifolia, seed of which has mostly been thrown. My zareba here had been disposed of, but Ngudup ordered another, and it really is rather nice because it keeps the very strong wind off the tent. It blows very strongly all day long here.

8th Sept. Halt. Fine all morning. Rain all afternoon. We only went up the hillside opposite camp to look for seed. Some were over - like the nice little Daphne; but we got about 60 seed in the end. The nice Aster that was everywhere is not to be found - all eaten by yaks. On the other hand we got two Arabis in very ripe seed, and the cushion saxifrage, whose seed were nearly all thrown. I could not find a single Anemone rupicola. Mec. horridula seed is ripe, but the plant here is so poor that it is not worth taking. P. umbratilis is not yet ready, but should not take more than 10 days or so in places. As usual the worst enemy to seed collecting is caterpillars or little bugs of some kind. There was not a ripe seed of Salvia to be found, though lots of unripe ones. As soon as they showed any colour at all, a bug got into them. The prettiest flower we got was a fine annual Gentian, with a minute root, but sometimes as many as 25 flowers on the plant, each about 5/8" across. It is worth trying to get seed of, and a white Sax still in full flower is also worth while. We have a nice ibis bill at the spring beside us. He seems quite happy, and I took a cute picture of him last evening. I hope permanent residents at his spring won't frighten him away.

CONTENT:
2219 Mec. betonicifolia. Yume Podzo Sumdo. 26/6/36.
2252 Ficariifolia lutea Scrophularia (like this) Sanga Choling Kyimpu. 29/6/36
2477 pallida Saxifraga. Chikchar. 23/8/36
2484 odontica Prim. Valentiniana. " - 24/8/36
2483 Gent. like G. phyllocalyx but smaller. " 23/8/36
2490 P. chionantha subsp. sikkimensis White Prim. sikkimensis - 27/8/36
2492 Morina nepalensis - 23/8/36
2497 Primula 1642 flava Podzo Sumdo 25/8/36
2498 Dicrv. pantlingii " 1654. - 25/8/36

1611. Fritillary. cirrhosa Yarap Chikchar. 18/5/36
      1613 Mec. simplicifolia Yarap 19/5/36
      2500 Gaultheria trichophylla ? like a heath. Podzo Sumdo. 25/8/36
      2501 ? Bears food. -
      2503 Rubus Raspberry. Migyitun 2

SUMMARY:
The diary records movements from the east side of Kongbo-nga La via Mye to Shu, with delayed coolies and negotiations for transport. It notes forest and plant observations near the pass, attempts to contact Gyantse and Ford by wireless, strong winds, and halts on 1–2 Dec due to uncertain transport.

CONTENT:
Nang.

28 Nov. Camp on E side of Kongbo-nga La. Coolies had not come in by 9.0, so we set off at 10.0 with about 30-40 loads only, leaving Samdup behind. A good day but spoilt by transport trouble. Reached the pass by 2.30 & in at camp - not at Nye - at 5.0pm. Coolies came in soon after except about 15 who only turned up next day. It was good to be in forest again, pine, larch & birch on the west side, & juniper, larch & birch on the E, with pine on N faces. Rhod. vellereum common, with two small Rhodos. On the E side saw some P. jaffreyana & a lot of Androsace of 3 species.

29 Nov. Mye. A short march in today where we should have reached yesterday. Samdup also turned up by 11.0 & our kit has again caught us up. I saw two partridge on the way up the Pass. Ludlow then saw one 'Kuling' & another, while Ludlow missed a Crossoptilon on this side. This is the first village with pent wooden roofs. All to the W of this are flat roofed. The hilltops often have early morning mist on them now - a sign of a damper climate. I was surprised to see no Mec. simplicifolia on the pass - only M. horridula.

30 Nov. Shu. An easy march. We were in by 1.0 (start 8.0) & coolies were in shortly after. A few were late. I tried to contact Gyantse at 3.30 pm (BT) by W/T, but got no answer. Later tried Ford (TASA) but again got no answer. Local Dzongpon's man tried to refuse to give us anything but day to day transport. We demanded 'Dzongyel', & we think we have succeeded, at the price of 2 days halt & a than of cloth & ten cigarettes! Supplies difficult, & we have hardly managed to get anything. Very strong wind in evening.

1st Dec. Halt. Fine, but clouded by midday. Wind by 2.30.

2nd Dec. Halt. Fine & clear & windy. We doubt if our transport will come as promised, by this evening. This is a bad place to get away from - in 1938 we were held up five days at Kyimdong Dzong.

SUMMARY:
The diarist describes promising terrain at the forest–grassland edge ('shing sam pang sam'), nearby lakes, and a retreating glacier beyond the head of the Trongsa Chu, with reports of takin in that area. On a rainy halt day, companions went far afield and returned with Mec. simplicifolia; later the writer found many near the tent and mentions Sherriff.

CONTENT:
Coming into flower. Maybe they don't grow here. I hope I haven't come to a poor primula, as they are the best things in my mind, to find. Every place where the forest ends & the grassy hillside begins, is called 'shing sam pang sam' which just means the edge of forest & grass. It is there we intend to go later on, & must say the country there & beyond looks good. To the south, about 1000 ft up, are several lakes, & I always think the slopes above them seem specially good. Away beyond, is a retreating glacier, & somewhere beyond that, I was told, is the head of the Trongsa Chu. It is here, the locals say that takin are to be found in quantity. Locally they are called them and Drong guinsi, which is the Bhutanese word. Drogpas come over from that direction soon, if they see any we will be able to find out. It was lovely open up there, & made one want to go on & on. I could cheerfully have gone on all afternoon, but would have failed to get back had I done so.

28th May. Halt. Mostly rainy, but with nice sunny patches. I stayed in camp to rest after yesterday. The lads went out a long way, & had a bad day. They brought in Mec. simplicifolia though, from miles away. In the evening I went 50 yds from my tent, & found about 100 of them! Today I took some of the dormant Sherriff's

SUMMARY:
Notebook page listing plant specimens with collection numbers, taxa, and localities such as Marlung, Pangshang, Chela La, Tseli La, Natu La, Ha (Hato), Shanthang, and Changu, along with day–month collection dates. Brief notes occur for some entries (e.g., possible flower color).

CONTENT:
19776 Lloydia yellow? Marlung. 27.9
19698 Cremanthodium Pangshang 8.9
19856 Prim. capitata v. crispata Maruthang. 17.10
19853 Cyananthus rosatus. Chela la 24.10
19854 Mec. simplicifolia Tseli la 26.10. May be pink 195
19855 " panic or nepal. Tseli la "
19544 Thalictrum chelidonii Damthang. 30.10.
19620 Codonopsis sp. nov. Ha (Hato) "
18040 Crabapple. Ha. 25.10.
19689 Polygonum vacciniifolium Natu la. 31.10 200
19860 Prim. capitata crispata Shanthang. 31.10.
19859 " Kingii. " 1.11
19861 " capitata Natu la 2.11.
(2) 19862 " obliqua Changu. "
19863 Mec. nivosa " "

SUMMARY:
The author follows a poor path near the Changla, then turns back and descends a small nala to a grassy plain bordered by cliffs and steep hillsides. The plain is covered with Mec. simplicifolia, with rhododendrons and a red Lonicera (2379–2383), and a striking primula (2385) thought to differ from a similar specimen collected at Mipa and seen in bud at Natrampa.

CONTENT:
But it certainly does not. It goes down a little, then level or up, keeping left handed till one must be facing east again. The path is not good, mostly over stony hillside, where there was little or nothing to be seen. I went on to about m 5 where there is a huge cliff on the left, with water coming through it, then gave it up. We were too high, there seemed no prospect of getting low enough for flowers. So turned back to a small nala about 1 m beyond the Changla, and went straight down this. It leads to a very nice grassy plain 150 yards broad and 300 yards or so long, with cliffs on the N and steep hillside on the South.

The plain is covered with Mec. simplicifolia in flower. On the N are a few rhododendrons and a pretty red Lonicera, 2379 - 2383. Before we got there, we came across a most beautiful primula 2385, which I think is different to a rather similar one collected at Mipa, also Dawing in bud at Natrampa. The leaves are very similar, though bigger, the flower is very much bigger, and it has the wrinkle of the orange eye hairy, which I did not notice in the Mipa one. It is a magnificent primula, but a

SUMMARY:
Botanical entries list Primula, Rhododendron, and Androsace specimens, highlighting a fine Androsace (No. 2235) nearly a foot tall. Stores from Chusam arrived with wireless, batteries, and rations; many people headed toward Sanga Chöling from the Kingkor, with women carrying bamboo poles toward Totsen, Sha ngu ha, and Sincoveni; weather was windy and sunny, mist rising up the Tsari Chu, and ponies took from 6 am to 2 pm.

CONTENT:
Mec. simplicifolia 1877, P. sikkimensis var. plantaginea 1878, Primula sonchifolia 1879, L. nanum 1880
Rhod. campylocarpum 1881, Rhod. campylogynum 1882, Rhod. forrestii var. repens 1883
Primula valentiana 1884
Androsace strigillosa var. cavaleriei 2235

to 4" high. There is a very fine androsace here No. 2235, a beautiful bright colour, the under surface of the petals contrasting with the upper. It grows to nearly a foot high. Our stores from Chusam arrived here with us - the wireless, batteries & some rations. A great number of people seem to be going to Sanga Chöling, many or all from the Kingkor. About 60 passed by here as I was shaving this morning, all carrying bundles of bamboo poles about 12-15 ft long. The majority were women, who are not allowed to do the Kingkor, but go from Totsen to the Sha ngu ha & Sincoveni. Ponies today took from 6.0 am till 2.0 pm. Here there is a strong wind, & the sun is shining most of the time - very pleasant for a change again. One can see the mist that comes up the Tsari Chu over the end of this