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SUMMARY:
The diarist describes settlements and mani stones near Dzama in the Pemako region, attempts to trace the Kongbo Tsangpo from Adju la, and notes forests of pines along the Tsangpo with a sighting of a quail and Carmine Cherry in bloom near Chanzam. The following day is a halt due to cloud, snow on the Gyala Peri–Namcha side, and evening rain.

CONTENT:
Feb 23. Vaccinium leucobotryum 12251
Prunus cerasoides var. rubra 12252
Rhod. scopulorum 12248
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in appearance, indeed some of them are sons or grandsons of real Bhutanese who settled in Pemako. This area is more popular than the Yigrong Chu area. There are signs of several new villages being started on both banks of the Po Tsangpo. This route must be old though. There is a mani rock, a pile of mani stones in the middle of the dense forest near Dzama which looks very old indeed. On nearly all manis there are old stone pots, carved with manis, which are attractive. They are said to be brought up from Pemako & made there. I would like to take one back if it is possible. From the Adju la I studied the mass face opposite to see if I could follow the route of the Kongbo Tsangpo, but it appeared quite impossible that any river could cut through what appeared an endless wall of ice & rock. But this evening, with the sun behind the range, there appears a route, though it seems almost impossible that any river should cut so low. I think this is the finest sight I have ever seen. We reached here too late for photography, but hope for one more good morning tomorrow. Certainly this village, in fine weather, is the finest situated I have ever seen. Close to camp here I see quite a number of the Carmine Cherry tree, in fuller bloom than we found it at Chanzam. While walking along the ridge between the Po Tsangpo & the Guh Tsangpo, I put up a quail, only the second, I think, that we have seen in Tibet. The forest today was mostly wet, broadleaf, but on the Tsangpo, there and this side, there were pines. I see from here down the main Tsangpo valley about four miles away that the l. bank is clothed almost entirely in pines, which seems very extraordinary to me. I would have expected both banks to be wet forest. Clouds are coming up fast this evening, & I doubt if we will get the view we hoped for tomorrow morning.

24th Feb. Halt. It was clouded when we got up this morning, snow was falling low down on the Gyala Peri - Namcha side. This continued all day, & in the evening rain started falling here too. It is a great disappointment to us.
Prunus cerasoides var. rubra 12252

SUMMARY:
Notes on finches, monal, and partridge near the Karma La, with rhododendrons (including Rhod. scopulorum) observed in flower and seed around Tsakchung, Tangdong, and Lubong. A man from Pemako reports the Su La route may be possible with coolies, while at Tangdong the party rests, collects flea sticks and peach seed, and remarks on the Loto Dingpon’s inefficiency and signs of spring.

CONTENT:
blossom - big flowers of a good colour. I got into a bunch of finches in the forest this side of the pass and collected four. They appear different to any we have so far collected. Their call is different to the orange-breasted bullfinch, but I did here see one or two orange-breasted bullfinches sitting feeding with these birds. Rhododendrons have come on quite a bit since we went to Tsakchung; we found many of the red lanatum one, and one or two virgatum Ser. in flower.

28th Feb. Lubong. Some rain at night, mostly clouded today. On the way up to the Karma La I put up six monal, all ♀'s and was unable to see if they were 'dang' or 'tse'. Otherwise only game seen were partridge. The rhododendron which we saw in bud on our way to Tsakchung was just out - only one flower - but it is a fine rhod. and I am glad we have a fair amount of seed of it, collected before, both at Tangdong and at Tsakchung. (Rhod. scopulorum 12264 in flower: 12231 in seed and 12231A). Otherwise nothing of interest, except a thrush found in the same spot as on our way out. The man whom we met at Tsakchung, who had come up from Pemako, says the Su La route is possible, and he thinks we will be able to get coolies. He would perhaps help us too, as he knows Loba language and has been through the country to the south of Tortong. This opens up possibilities, and we may yet get out that way.

1st March Tangdong. Some rain at night, but a lovely day. We were in by 10.30, but enjoyed having plenty of time to sit and rest. Most of this time we spent in hunting for flea sticks, both of which have given us a lot of trouble lately. Our hunt was very successful and a good bag resulted. We find the same peach in flower here. It has a most beautiful very large flower, so we took seed. Coolies very poor today. The Loto Dingpon is not nearly so efficient as the Lome one, and there always seems to be great talk when he is about, and then inefficiency. There is a great difference again visible. Rhod. virgatum is in flower in several places. Trees are showing life and catkins visible here and there. The sky also shows a change. There are more cumulus clouds about, which I take to be a sign of spring.