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SUMMARY:
Listened to the Coronation broadcast by wireless with Puntso, Tenduk, and another Puntso from Ha, and prepared outgoing mail. Halted at Chendesi with heavy rain and collected rhododendrons, primulas, and conifers. Marched from Chendesi to Phobsikha with notes on weather, altitude, timing, route, and nearby cultivation.

CONTENT:
27

I don't know. The wireless behaved very well, and we have heard the whole Coronation show from 2.45 pm onwards – that is from the very beginning. We even heard the Oath taken by the King. Puntso and Tenduk were joined by the other Puntso from Ha, and all came into my tent and listened. I am sending off a mail on 14th, so have been writing a good deal this afternoon.

13th May. Halt Chendesi. 8000 ft. Fine till 2.0 pm, then very heavy rain and hail for a few hours. Overcast in the evening. Went up the forest to the south of Chendesi, and found Rhod. Thomsonii, Rhod. Keysii and a variation of Rhod. Falconeri (?). There are lots of Prim. erythrocarpa up that way in open fields and edges of forest. Took specimens of all the conifers seen. Packed up a mail, to be sent off tomorrow morning early.

14th May. Phobsikha 98 miles. BP. 193.8° Temp. 58° Time 4.30 pm. Ht. 10500 ft. Left Chendesi at 5.30 am, reached here at 2.0 pm. Very heavy rain yesterday evening and a good deal through the night. Clear this morning: rain began falling at 2.0 pm. Path leaves Chendesi and follows a rough bearing of 250° Magnetic. At first fairly steep, but on the whole easy, with a good deal of level going. It passed several cultivated areas on the hillside.

SUMMARY:
Notes of Kodachrome, Dufaycolour and B.W. photographs of Primula, Rhododendron, Enkianthus, Clematis, Saxifraga, and landscape subjects across late May 1949. Mentions sending Dufay films 5 and 6 from Tang on 19/05/1949 and includes scenes such as an old man at Ngang Lhakang, rain on rose leaves, a river below Pang Sang, and a view towards Kankar Punsum from Pangotang.

CONTENT: Kodachrome G.S. 9 Dufaycolour 6
Rhod. rhabdotum 18877. 17/5. 1 Rhod. glaucum 18887 18/5.
Rhod. glaucum 18887 18/5. 2 Prim. Roylei 18895 18/5.
Prim. Roylei 18895 18/5. 3 Prim. elongata 18896 18/5.
Prim. elongata 18896 18/5. 4 Rhod. Thomsonii 18/5.
Rhod. Thomsonii against light 18/5. 5 } not exposed.
Primula geraniifolia 18913 20/5. 6 }
Primula geraniifolia 18913 21/5. Dufay 5 & 6 sent off 19/5/49 Tang
Old man at Ngang Lhakang. 21/5.

Dufaycolour 7
1 Primula geraniifolia 18913 20/5.
2 Primula geraniifolia 18913 21/5. B.W. 5. 3 Enkianthus 18909 & Clematis 18912 22/5.
1 Primula geraniifolia 18913 20/5. 4 Rhod. cinnabarinum yellow. 24/5.
2 Primula geraniifolia 18913 21/5. 5 Rhod. campanulatum 25/5.
3 Old man at Ngang Lhakang 21/5. 6 Saxifraga 18972 26/5.
4 Enkianthus 18909 & Clematis 18912 22/5.
5 Rain drops on rose leaves. 23/5.
6 River below Pang Sang. 25/5.
7 Rhod. cinnabarinum yellow. 24/5.
8 View up to Kankar Punsum from Pangotang. 24/5.
9 Rhod. campanulatum or Wallichii 25/5.
10 Saxifraga 18972 Pangotang 26/5.
11 P. Calderiana white form. 27/5.
12 Rhod. Wightii? (18998) & elongata 28/5.
Batemanii

SUMMARY:
The page describes conifer- and rhododendron-dominated terrain and extensive cultivation in the Tang valley, contrasting land use practices with those near Kalimpong. On 15th April, the party traveled from Pimi over the RUDO LA in persistent snow, observed few flowers, and received wine and food sent by Asha Wangmoo at the pass.

CONTENT:
On the way up is Pinus excelsa. Up here there is nothing but conifers & rhododendron. The pines have given place to Spruce (Picea spinulosa 18702) (Bashing), Tsuga (dumosa 18701) (Seshing), Fir (Dungshing) & some Larix (Sasuing) (Rhod. thomsonii 18697). We saw some very nice P. gracilipes — also (15699) Bryocarpum himalaicum just coming into flower. There is a great deal of cultivation in the Tang valley, not only low down in the valley bed, but right up close to where we are here, over 11,000 ft. Our people were amused when we asked the locals about fields which we saw had had buckwheat in them last year. "Would they lie fallow this year?" we asked. "Oh they won't be used for at least 12 years again!" was the answer. The owner just goes to another bit of land. This to anyone near Kalimpong, where land can hardly be got, often at Rs 600/- an acre, was wonderful.

15th April. PIMI. over the RUDO LA (9690, 12600). 5 1/2 hours, 11 miles. A beastly day when we hoped so much for a fine one. It was snowing gently as we left at 5:45 this morning. After a slight ascent, the path is almost level till 4 when a steep ascent brings one to the Rudo La at 11:30. We had a glimpse of blue sky suddenly, & a small patch of sun, but that was all, it snowed all the way otherwise. The wind was cold on top. Our mules were back from there. This side descent very easy for an hour or so, then suddenly the path goes downstairs, & continues downstairs for more than an hour before easing off. The ridge is followed all the way, & for that reason no flowers were seen, except one Rhod. (Rhod. arboreum 18703), & P. Calderiana in fat bud, covered in farina, smelling its usual bad smell. Asha Wangmoo sent wine & food for us to meet us on the pass. Here a great place has been prepared again, against our visit.