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SUMMARY:
Notes from Chendebi on the Trongsa Road record plant observations and collections, plans to stay two days, and mention of H.H.'s 'kazana' caravan of 200 loads passing through. The writer recalls a very wet visit in 1933 with comic hardships, and on 12 May notes more rain and identifies Rhododendron griffithianum as common just below Chendebi.

CONTENT:
Chendebi - Trongsa Road R. arboreum 3017, R. virgatum 3021, Enkianthus deflexus 3020, Gaultheria griffithiana 3019
Chendebi. R. rhaedoforum 3035 Berberis 3034

...takes its place & is very common just below Chendebi. A few Rhod. edgeworthii too were seen. We will stay here two days. In any case that would be necessary, as H.H.'s 'kazana' - his lakh of rupees & many other things - 200 coolie loads - are just in Chendebi this evening, & they have to go on tomorrow.

My recollections of Chendebi in 1933 are amusing but not very pleasant. We never saw more than 100 yards or so in any direction owing to the thick mist. It rained hard all the time we were here, & dinner in our bamboo village was comic. Rain came in through the roof everywhere, & a young torrent found its way to the dining room. We all sat on the table with our feet on the chairs like that. I also remember a plate of soup being brought in with a leech on the edge of it. It has started to rain this evening, but I don't think will be very much.

12th May. Halt Chendebi. Some rain yesterday evening, & more again this evening. Went out in the morning, & picked up a few flowers. The fine rhod. we found yesterday is Rhod. griffithianum. It is a beauty & very common just below Chendebi, but seems to stop abruptly here. Also one shrub of another red rhododendron, which...

• SUMMARY:
  Notes two bird species new to the collection: Psittiparus ruficeps ruficeps found motionless in a scarlet rhododendron at 6000 ft, and Niltava grandis grandis in deep dark rain forest at 6000 ft. Both are described as scarce and found nowhere else.

CONTENT:
Dec 10. - Two birds new to the collection
Psittiparus ruficeps ruficeps. The only specimen we took. It was sitting
motionless in a scarlet rhododendron (R. arboreum) 6000 ft.
Niltava grandis grandis. In deep dark rain forest 6000 ft. Decidedly scarce.
These birds found nowhere else.

208.2 = 1989
78
1922.02 = 2190'
1989
1978
2

• 3967
  1983.5

L: p. 13. Describes camp - Dec 5-9

SUMMARY:
Travel from Kyi La to Chendebi via Tangsebi, with steep ascents and a crossing of the Chendebi Chu; coolies were changed at Tangsebi and a pony was used for one climb. Weather was sunny and hot after light rain the previous night, and notes mention rhododendrons along the Chendebi - Trongsa road, with R. arboreum common and a large white rhododendron noted.

CONTENT:
25

replaced by rice.

8400ft 11th May. To Chendebi. 16 miles. BP. 197.6 Temp. 60° Time 3.0pm. Ht. Map Ht. 7500'

Left Kyi La at 5.30 am, in at Chendebi at 4.15pm, having changed coolies at Tangsebi. Leaving Kyi La the path drops gradually for a mile, then ascends and finally drops very steeply at m 3 to the Chendebi Chu, which is crossed at m 3 1/2. Ascent on the north side is very steep indeed, for 2 miles, when the first houses of Tangsebi are reached. Here coolies are changed if one is going to Chendebi. From here the ascent is again very steep indeed for 2 miles till the main Chendebi - Trongsa road is reached at m 7. A path, unfit for anything but coolies, goes more direct towards Chendebi, meeting the main path at about m 8. Thence the path is good and more or less level, rising gradually the last mile or so to Chendebi. A fine sunny hot day. It rained yesterday evening and some of the night, but not much. It was nice to get up from the hot Mangde Chu valley, almost straight to 7000ft. I had a pony today for the first time, but only used him for that climb. Rhod. arboreum is very common along the main road, but nearly all over. But another rhod. a fine big white one, which I don't yet know,

R. arboreum on Chendebi - Trongsa Road
R. griffithianum 3.26

SUMMARY:
After a clear morning following heavy rain, the party marched up the rocky gorge to Lepo, crossing to the left bank and noting numerous Primula and Rhododendron species; locals were friendly and the plain resembled Pangchen. Rain returned in the afternoon. The next day was a halt at Lepo due to continuous rain, with time spent writing letters.

CONTENT:
Le-Lepo.

5th April. Lepo. B.P. 19.45. Temp. 51°. Time 3.30 pm. Approx ht. 9766. Much to our surprise after an awfully wet day and night the sky was absolutely clear this morning and the day up till about 2.30 perfect. The march up the gorge is pretty. The sides of the valley are very rocky and steep with numerous waterfalls on either side. We crossed to the left bank at 1 and at a waterfall just before the bridge there was masses of P. gracilipes (originally noted as P. Boothii). Before that, quite close to Le, there is a new primula (P. atrodentata 1278), very like P. erythrocarpa (denticulata), but with a white eye. It varies in colour a good deal, in size and beauty. It extends up here too, where it is seen almost side by side with erythrocarpa. Close beside it was a small flowered Rhododendron (Rhd. virgatum 1279). Various other red rhododendrons were seen on the way (including Rhod. Kendrickii 1280, R. arboreum 1281, R. argipeplum 1282, R. Thomsonii 1283, and R. baileyi 1284 & 85). The locals seem quite friendly and willing to help in every way. This is an open plain 300 yards across, not unlike Pangchen. Rain came on at 2.30 and hard at about 4.30 again. The hills are again all clothed in fir and pine, with a good deal of rhododendron lower down.

6th April. Halt at Lepo. It rained all night and rained all day today. A mail came in and I spent most of the day writing letters.

SUMMARY:
At Nabzi (4600 ft) on April 30th, after fine weather turning to rain by noon, Pimbo fetched the local Kazi, who agreed to arrange a trip to a pass towards the Black Mountain. A brief search along the Trongsa path yielded few plants, while notes describe how the Jirgang Chu joins the Mangde Chu near Byiti Sam and outline routes via Nabzi Kortha and the Trashi La.

CONTENT:
Jirgang Chu Valley R. Arboreum 2800. 11

April 30th Nabzi 4600ft. Fine all yesterday and last night, but rain by 12 noon today. The local Kazi did not come up yesterday, so Pimbo went down for him today and brought him back.

I went out along the Trongsa path, but although the country looks wonderful - or would be 1500' higher - we found little but some ferns. A man said there were primulas along the bunds of the fields, but not yet out - red, yellow and white. But we can see no sign. When I asked the colour of some irises at the same place, he said they were red, white, yellow and blue, all from the same plant, so I can't put much weight in what he says.

The Kazi has just been down, and he says he will arrange for us to go up to a pass, towards the Black Mountain. Beyond that he knows nothing of the country. This is good, and I hope we will get into some good country.

The Jirgang Chu flows to the Mangde Chu, joining it about 3 miles above BYITI SAM (Bitana Sang). Shamgong Dzong is about 3 miles above BYITI SAM. The road to Byiti Sam goes via Nabzi Kortha over the Trashi La, 3 m beyond and then down a valley to the Mangde Chu. The Trongsa road goes along