Showing 9 results

SUMMARY:
During a halt at Langong, two local men reconnoitred the Chiniung La, encountering deep snow, a half-frozen lake to the south, remains of Lopas on the pass, and few flowers, while the diarist records plant notes and a long circuit over the main range. That evening the gyimpon described local customs regarding Lopas and claimed that “Highburn Pk” near Tso Kar is the real Takpa Shiri; the writer wished to hear the account through Pintso but struggled to understand Kusho, who had been drinking chang. The party then moved to a camp south of the Tse La in heavy rain.

CONTENT:
Chiniung La
Trip to Chiniung La

20th June. Halt Langong. Rain nearly all day, finer in the evening. Trompen or rather two locals went up the valley to the South of Langong to try the South of the main range. It took 3 hours to reach the pass, going without a halt. The pass is called the CHINIUNG LA, (BP. 185.0, Temp 51°. 9.0 am, Ht. approx 15318.) There is a good deal of deep snow on this side still, but sufficient has melted to show the remains of some Lopas who died on the pass last year. Five died there, but we only saw one. They don't just leave their dead where they lie, but put a few stones round them, cover them with their hats & their fibre rain coat affair, then leave them little bundles of tsampa or food, & stick their bow up at one end. The arrows however, seem to have been taken away. Two Lopas crossed this pass last week & returned. On the South side, about 500 ft. down is a large lake, still half frozen, which shows how late things are here. There were hardly any flowers out as far as we went - P. Valentiniana near others of P. tsariensis. We got nothing on the South side. Then we did a big circle round to the left, over the main range again, but there was little new. P. chamaethamna was really more beautiful in masses, occasionally mixed with P. tsariensis. P. Hobsonii common & also P. macrophylla 5608. P. rotundifolia 5606 was common near the Chiniung La. Out at 5.30, back at 3.30 pm. pretty tired. The gyimpon this evening said they had not much trouble with the Lopas. When they come, a yak is killed on a stone & both the Lopas & the Langong people drink the blood. After this there is no trouble between the men, but he said that perhaps a woman or two or a child might get hit up, he did not know much about them. Tomorrow they have some kind of tamasha. As far as I can make out, they all go out with guns & let them off in Pachakshiri direction. It seems some idea of frightening the Lopas, who however know nothing about it all. I should like to have heard the whole story through Pintso. Kushos Urdu or Hindi is about as good as my Tibetan, & he is almost impossible to understand, especially as he had been drinking chang this evening. The gyimpon insists that the "Highburn Pk" - near Tso Kar - is the real Takpa Shiri, & that it is universally so called. I wonder if he can be right?

21st June. Camp S. of the Tse La. 6 miles. BP. 186.4° Temp. 50° Time 3.30 pm. Ap. ht. 14457'. Heavy rain

SUMMARY:
The diarist notes abundant P. rotundifolia near Taktsang and decides to cut across rather than go to Potrang. An officer in the Tibetan army from Lhasa, met at Tama La, initially questioned the diarist’s presence on the route but ultimately supported the party and reprimanded some coolies; he questioned Tenduk about the diarist and departed early for Potrang.

CONTENT:
...been pretty hard at it since leaving Chienchar. The P. rotundifolia are in masses near here, and there are lots of bellidifolia too, but none of the red ones. I have decided not to go to Potrang but to cut across from here.

22nd June. TAKTSANG. 4 miles. Approx 13,500'. Late in the evening an officer in the Tibetan army from Lhasa, who is on the pilgrimage, arrived at Tama La. I sent him tea and cake, and he came and called. At first he was a bit worried about my being on the 'kinglam' and thought I had no passport, and he asked my name. But eventually he was quite happy about everything. Some of the coolies - not the Chienchar ones, had been at him, so I heard. However he told them off pretty good and proper and said there was to be no nonsense, and that they were fairly to run over the pass with my stuff. He stayed till nearly dark, then I went and saw him, and came back to dinner at 7:30. He asked Tenduk all sorts of questions about me. One was, what were all those flowers for? Tenduk told him I took them home and put them up as decoration on the wall. He went on at 5:30 this morning to Potrang and we arranged to

SUMMARY:
Notes from Shagam La (next to Tame La) describe heavy snow and a difficult descent, with several primulas and gentians collected (nos. 2184–2189), including Meconopsis var. lutea noted as from Mipa rather than the Tawang district. Mentions a previous sighting of Pyrrhocorax at 16,000 ft and that a 'big bug' from Lhasa is expected tomorrow.

CONTENT:
Shagam La - (next to Tame La). P. hyacinthina 2185, Glabra 2186, Gent. phyllocalyx 2187
Meconopsis var. lutea - of no. 2188

The latter is reported as being found in Mipak, of the Tawang dist. This is Mipa, but hardly the Tawang dist., the height is 15800 and not 13800'. But I have my hopes about it. There was also a gentian seen there 2187, but very little. On this side of the pass too, there is much snow, mostly avalanched snow. We all came down various ways, on our feet sliding, or on our bottoms. The latter method was better and had about a 100' non stop run. It was difficult for the coolies. Snow for about a mile, then steep shale slopes with sharp rocks. On the R, South face, among some cliffs, were lots of P. bellidifolia, showing I think we are in a slightly drier valley, a P. sapphirina 2184.

Also there were masses of P. rotundifolia, or what I take to be that. Where I last saw that & bellidifolia together was in the Rong Chu, with them went P. eburnea, but that we did not see today. I hear a big bug from Lhasa is on my heels and will be here tomorrow. Saw no birds of any interest today, but yesterday forgot to record Pyrrhocorax - 16000'. A fine primula found today, which I suppose will go down as sikkimensis, is No. 2189. It has...

SUMMARY:
Notes several Primula species near a small lake and along a route ascending to the Naszi La. Describes the path up the stream through rhododendron and fir forest, provides hypsometer readings on the pass, and lists magnetic bearings to nearby peaks including Chomolhari, Kula kangri, Black Mountain, and Wangchelakha.

CONTENT:
saw two primulas just coming to life, and further down, on the
cliff W of the little lake, 150x away, was another, whose dead
leaves looked like P. rotundifolia, but whose seed capsules were
like P. Cawdoriana. Another little primula is very common up
there - perhaps P. tenuiloba, while P. atrodentata is actually
in flower on the top. The route is roughly as follows:-
Proceed up the main stream for 1/2 m, then cross it to the right
bank, just above where a biggish valley enters from the South.
Keep up the left bank of this, through fir & rhododendron
forest. A pathway is cut all the way. About m 2 cross to the
R bank & keep on up the stream, through small rhododendron
bushes, the path gradually getting steeper. At m 3 it is level
for a 100x or so & turns left (E) keeping under cliffs on the
left hand. At m 3 1/2 a small lake is met, & just before this
the path climbs steeply up the last 400' to the Naszi La, at
m 4. The hypsometer readings on the pass were: B.P. 187.5°
Temp 38° Time 8.30 am. Mag. bearings to various peaks were:
Chomolhari 295°, Kula kangri 7°, and to the first (most northern)
peak of Black Mountain 160°. To Wangchelakha was 339° all
Mag. bearings. // The descent was amusing. By now the snow

SUMMARY:
Notes record Ludlow at Kyimpu and Ludlow's route toward Gyandra via Leda, with mentions of seeds including Cyananthus lobatus and P. rotundifolia (not ripe).

CONTENT:
Ludlow at Kyimpu

Ludlow at Kyimpu
seeds of Cyananthus lobatus

Ludlow to Gyandra via Leda
nec bella seeds
P. rotundifolia seeds not ripe
G. Waltoni

SUMMARY:
The diarist records persistent wet and snowy weather, local accounts of seasonal precipitation, and difficulties drying seeds, which are laid out on blotting paper. On a halt at Lanjong, they pack numerous seed lots, note additional collections by Taylor, confirm transport with the gyampon, and mention snow on nearby hills and the expected arrival of the Kyimdong Dzongpen, suggesting the Pa La route remains passable.

CONTENT:
76

Weather NB
One man who has been, says we do not go to Tso Kar, although a possible path does lead that way. It seems too much to hope for fine weather, as I have seldom seen the weather so set wet looking. It snowed all day where we were, but wet snow, which did not lie much during the day. I have always thought the monsoon ended quite suddenly up here on 18th Oct. But that cannot be so in this longitude. This is the 24th of the 8th month, locals say quite definitely that during the 8th & 9th months they expect a lot of rain here, & snow up the mountains. In the 10th month, they say, it does not snow much, but they have their really heavy falls in the 11th & 12th, when everything is shut up. They retire to their huts then, remain in them for four months, seldom even going out to visit their next door neighbors 50-100 yds away. All the animals too are shut up in the huts, & fed on the dried grass the locals are now busy storing. It is a great problem how to dry our seeds this weather. I have most laid out on blotting paper, which is changed & dried as often as possible, & the seeds moved about on it. If out of the capsule they dry then pretty quickly, but rhododendrons take a very long time.

19th October. Halt. Lanjong. Fine & bright till 2.0pm: then heavy cold showers & snow chiefly up the Mipitun Pa La way. Stayed in camp. Lovely & warm all morning, & the sun allowed me to get nearly all my seeds packed up. Altogether I have this year 316 seed lots, which must mean about 360 or 370 packets, while Taylor must have an extra 150-200, so we are doing well. I hope for another 50 or so on the way home. I have asked the gyampon over & over again about tomorrow's transport, & he assures me still that all is ready, & we should take but three days. This evening it is again overcast, & a good deal of rain about, but much colder, so we hope for fine weather again. We have not collected in the valley due N. of Lanjong village, but there was nothing to be expected there, except some more P. rotundifolia seed. And it seems more important for me to get out of this valley as soon as possible. Snow this morning was well down into the abies forest, & appeared very thick high up the hills. The Kyimdong Dzongpen is expected shortly, so presumably the Pa La route is kept open, or being a good path, is passable in deep snow.

Seeds NB

SUMMARY:
Diary entries record fine weather, observations of flowering Gentiana and seed collecting of Primula species around Kyimpu Halt and Le La. On 4 October the author moves to a camp north of Drichung La, parts from Ludlow and Lumsden, and continues with Ahmad Sheikh, Tsongpen, and Pimbo toward Trim while continuing seed collections.

CONTENT:
Scrophularia & Codonopsis vinciflora. Androsace not yet ripe, & G. waltonii is in full flower.

2nd October. Kyimpu Halt. A fine day with sun all day. The Drichung La has a lot of snow, but it should soon go with this sun. Went up to the Le La, & saw G. amoena in full flower. Got a fine haul of seeds of P. nivalis (macrophylla?) & a similar higher altitude one. Most are barely ripe yet, as P. cawdoriana, P. rotundifolia. A little Mec. bella found.

3rd October. Kyimpu Halt. A perfect day, even the hills being clear of cloud almost all day. Stayed in camp & dried & packed seeds.

4th October. Camp N of Drichung La. 15000'(?) 7 miles. Fine, but cloudy except from 8.0 am till 1.30 pm. Quite a good day for seeds again, but P. cawdoriana is not yet ripe. Left Ludlow & Lumsden behind, will next see them in India, at Dirang Dzong about the end of November. Ahmad Sheikh & Tsongpen accompany me, & Pimbo as far as Trim to make the bandobast. Seeds of P. nivalis sp very common & ripe 2719. They are the same as the Le La seeds 1561(2). Also a Primula like P. atrodentata, but I think perhaps different 2722. Snow lies about 500 ft above camp, & thence to the top. I handed over my gun

SUMMARY:
Notes record primulas found near a rocky nala and two Blood Pheasants shot at high elevations. During two halt days, letters were written and mail sent; the mail runner was dismissed and replaced by a 'tapion'. Dawong and Tsompen collected new primulas west of the Bimbi La while the author surveyed the hillside near camp.

CONTENT:
rocky nala, which the path crosses. Here we found three (P. caveana 1768, P. macrocarpa 1769) primulas. Two in flower, both I think new 1768 and 1769. The first is certainly new to us, and a beauty with a very fine scent. I think it must be near to P. rotundifolia, with its colour and scent. The third was not collected as it was not yet in flower, and very little was seen. Shot two Blood pheasant, Kuseri, one at about 14500 and the other close to camp at 12500.

4th June. Halt. Stayed in camp, wrote letters all day long, a very tiring thing to do. Packed up mail and sent it off, or rather gave it to go next morning.

5th June. Halt. Dismissed our mail runner for general inefficiency and grousing, and sent off the 'tapion' in his place. He will get Rs 13 a month and has been paid everything up to date. He is a thoroughly good lad. Dawong and Tsompen went up the valley to the W of the Bimbi La and brought back a new primula (P. macrophylla macrocarpa), lilac and very pretty, No 1778. Also a yellow one 1780 (P. jucunda var ponticola). I went up the hillside below camp to the E. Saw masses of Roylei, macrophylla, glabra and atrodentata.

SUMMARY:
Diary describes a fine-weather traverse from below Karpo over Sokpo Pass with steep shale and scree, turning near Chioling and reaching a yak encampment at the foot of Mihrang La; the route recalls Tulung La. Botanical notes include several gentians and Swertia; one young Cremophilum was shot and bharal were seen, with identifications discussed with Sherriff. The following day begins with a steep ascent to Mihrang La from camp between Cha La and Chorten Namo.

CONTENT:
12th August. Camp beyond Sokpo La, 15,000 feet, 8 miles. Fine all day,
clouds and sun. Route lies up the valley immediately below Karpo
towards the North East. Ascent easy up the right bank. At mile 1 1/2, a
valley enters from the right-hand side on the left bank. The main
stream is crossed here and the side valley followed. The route soon
becomes very steep and continues so to the top of the pass, the
last 300 feet being over loose, very steep shale. Sokpo Pass
at mile 5 (17,000 feet). Descent on the east side is steep at first over loose scree,
then easy over grass down a broad valley. At mile 7, the
valley turns towards S. Chioling. This is left and another
valley followed up. At the foot of the Mihrang La, a yak encampment at about mile 8. A
beautiful day and a really stiff pass, much reminding me of
the Tulung La (Gen. kherica). Gentian 1983 was very common and the flowers
were open (Gen. waltonii 2028). P. rotundifolia, the Kashong La one I think, was fairly
common (Swertia multicaulis 2029). G. waltonii goes to nearly 14,000 feet. Shot one young
Cremophilum (Ph. pectinibunda 2030) and saw two herds of bharal. The little gentian
2034 (Gent. punctulata - Sherriff says 2035 = Gen. marquandii?) is very common at camp here.

(Mile from summit of Cha La)
13th August. Camp between Cha La and Chorten Namo, 15,000 feet, 7 miles. Route up
a broad grassy valley, keeping left-handed to mile 2, then to the east up
an extremely steep shale ridge to Mihrang La at mile 2 1/2 (17,000 feet). Descent at...