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SUMMARY:
Field notes describe the ascent to Chubumbu La with bearings, terrain, and vegetation changes, and map labels for nearby locations. The page records locations and observations for several alpine plants, including Rhododendron, Omphalogramma, and Primula specimens, with altitudinal ranges and morphological notes.

CONTENT:
33a

[Map Labels]
Potsangla
Chianang
Pass
Peak
Lagyong
Sheltangla
Chubumbu La
46°
65°
145°
162°

Rhododendron 3941 marked with label above camp of 6th. Same place for Nomocharis souliei, marked with stone, also small pink Rhododendron 3925, Rhododendron repens 3942 and Omphalogramma 3970.

X - To Chubumbu La 2 miles ascent. Ascent at first easy on either side of the main stream. This stream is followed more or less to the top. Owing to snow, we did not follow the path, which however exists. Path steep for the last mile, over rocky open hillside. The main valley on the South side flows at a bearing of almost 180°. Descent is steep, but a path appears to go off to the West, which may find an easy way down. Bare hill for 1 mile, then fir forest. Last 2 miles ascent from North are at a bearing of 142° approx.
Chubumbu La

3982. Omphalogramma brachysiphon. This must be the same as 3762. But when that was collected, I noticed all flowers had five lobes. Here again, nearly all are 5 lobed, but there are flowers with 6 lobes. Common from 13,000 - 13,500'.
      Chubumbu La

3983. Primula aff. strumosa. (chionogenes? Chubumbu La) I thought at first I had again found P. hilaris, but this is obviously not that. See 3648, 3754. I do not think this is the same, but cannot compare the specimens now. 3648 was already dropping its flowers when collected, the leaves had hardly appeared. This primula keeps its flowers till the leaves are quite well formed.
      (tsariensis x chionogenes? Chubumbu La)

3984. Primula tsariensis X. These are odd specimens, occurring only here and there, but always among plants of 3983. P. tsariensis from Tsari to here seems very constant. Only one or two plants with white flowers have been seen. (This does not include the Bhutan specimens). But this number

SUMMARY:
The diarist records extensive Primula and Omphalogramma observations around a steep pass, notes multiple slips on a difficult grass slope, and experiences photographic mishaps in wind, mist, and rain. They glissade down avalanche snow, then travel to Langong in heavy rain, buy a young yak, develop photographs, and plan to go to the Lo La on the 10th.

CONTENT:
Omph brachysiphon

must be Omphalogramma brachysiphon 3982. Under 3762 all flowers had five lobes, & here again the first dozen I looked at had five, but some have six. Over the pass we walked right into what must be Primula aff strumosa chionantha 3983, it was in masses, extending for a mile or so under the foot of cliffs & down avalanche shoots. Beyond it we came across P. barbatula 3990, on the cliff faces, very hard to get at. P. tsariensis was everywhere. Then we went down the most slippery & difficult grass slope I have been on and all took many tosses. On it, again in masses was Prim. Elizabethae 3985 or must now, rather reluctantly, say it is the finest primula I know. It extended down 200 yards of very steep slope. As Ludlow said "A truly magnificent primula". We also saw lots of P. Geraldinae 3987, collected before under 3640 + the high altitude P. mosheoidea 3986. An interesting specimen is No 3984, which to my mind must be a natural cross between P. tsariensis (tsariensis x chionantha?), which it most resembles & P. hilaris from which it gets its queer colour. There was little else down to the fir trees, which began about 1000' below the Pass. Left at 5.0 am, back at 3.0 pm. Mist & rain from then on. The coolies' stories of thick snow on the south was all wrong. Barring avalanche snow, there was none.

Photograph
I had a wild catastrophe today. Went out with only a few films in the film pack case behind the spares I had put all ready. Of course I wanted more than I had. The Dufaycolor film pack let me down & I wasted three precious exposures, owing to one film coming adrift in some queer way. Then when I tried to photograph P. Elizabethae in mass, the wind, mist & rain were so bad, I had to give up after half an hour's walking & hoping. The flowers would not keep still & it was hopeless to form trying. We finished the day by glissading down the avalanche snow from the Pass for nearly a mile - a new form of sport to Kusho, who seems to get quite a bit of fun out of these excursions. R. campylocarpum 3994, vernicatum 3991, forrestii 3995, populare 3997, etc. louloula 3992.

11900' 8th June. To Langong. 6 miles. Heavy rain all night. Scenery occluded today. Coolies turned up in good time, and for here about 11.0 am. Things have come on a bit here, but flowers are still very few & far between. Bought a young yak, only a few months old, for Rs. 3/-. Got all my photographs developed this afternoon, & will make preparations for going to the Lo La on the 10th.