Showing 2 results

SUMMARY:
Knight arranges to forward mail to Tsona or Sangachöling, with plans to have someone at S.C. bring it on. The diarist travels in heavy rain from Cyandro to Kyimpu, changing coolies en route, and notes several alpine plants, hoping to find Gentiana amoena in flower on the Leda.

CONTENT:
Knight fixed about the mail, but he will always forward mail either to Tsona or to Sangachöling. We must get someone at S.C. to bring it on to us. I think perhaps this is the best way of doing it.

26th July. Cyandro. 12 miles. Rained all day very hard. Nothing seen at all till near Cyandro, where I saw a good deal of that pretty vinca-blue creeper 2423 (Codonopsis vinciflora), collected again under a new number. Here there is one big Aconite (Aconitum orochryseum sp. nov. 2433, viridiflorum 2433) 5 1/2 - 6 ft tall, but nothing else of interest seen. Had to change coolies half way, but there was not very much delay, as notice had been sent on. Great hopes for tomorrow: we should find some good things on the way up the Leda, & I hope that Gentiana amoena will be in flower on the top.

27th July. Kyimpu. 12,500. 12 miles. Yesterday was really a foul day; it rained all evening then all night. Today was reasonably fine till about 10. Then rain hard all day. There was not very much to be seen all day - on the way up a small campanula & a very small Meconopsis (Meconopsis 2451), with fine blue flowers. Gentiana amoena seems hardly any further on than when I was there last, three weeks ago. Near it were two Cremanthodium (Cremanthodium sherriffii 2458, Cremanthodium purpurifolium 2454), one of which I had (Rhododendron lepidotum 2447, Codonopsis convolvulacea 2448, Cyananthus incanus 2452, thermile 2457, Fritillaria fusca sp. nov. 2459).

SUMMARY:
Notes a ruined iron chain bridge below Tsetang and a night spent in a newly renewed but empty Dzong. The party travels to Lagyari/Lhagyari, halts for transport arranged by a helpful ruling nun, then crosses the Potrang La to Lasor, recording birds and early-season botanical observations.

CONTENT:
27 March Ludlow 22. "No European seems to have travelled this stage. Bailey avoided it - p. 313 F.K.W. u. 1924."

top joint & hurt my wrist. It might have been much worse. There are still the remains of an old iron chain suspension bridge.

Chain bridge 1 1/2 m below Tsetang - two huge piles of rocks & two chains still hanging down from one.

No one was in the Dzong which had just been renewed, so we spent the night in it, & were very comfortable. The Tsangpo here takes a very sharp 100° turn to the North. (70 13100' see Ludlow p. 22-23.)

27th March. Lagyari. 15 miles. Perfect weather & v. hot. Started at 7.0 am, in at 4.0 pm. Transport mostly bullock, & again many boxes badly damaged. Half way up we came across geese & shot three. Also saw a Sheldrake & some pintail, mallard & teal. Lagyari is a lovely place: Dzong & monastery on the edge of a cliff on the river bank, & beautiful wooded flats below, in which we are camped. They threaten to keep us here a day, but we still hope for the best. Ludlow has gone to the Dzong to call for both of us. There are no flowers out here yet, though Iris (ensata?) is 1" above ground & there is a very small gentian showing flowers here & there. P. tibetica not yet in flower. This place seems independent of Lhasa & is ruled, & ruled well by a nun.

28th March. Halted Lhagyari. Fine. As ponies could not be produced in time, we had to halt. However the nun gave orders for donkeys & bullocks to come today & take on as much kit as we could spare - about 28 loads. The remainder will be carried by mules & ponies tomorrow. We lunched today in the gompa, a beautifully clean place. The nun is a fine looking woman, related to many people of importance - of some importance herself. She was very friendly & helpful. From here to Tsona is only 4 days march, so this might be a good way home. There is little snow of course up here in winter.

29th March. Lasor (12,200' ap). 16 miles. Beautiful day. Left at 7.15 am, in at 4.0 pm. The ascent to the Potrang La (16500 ft) is steeper than we expected. Gradually the hills become more vegetated, & there are many dwarf junipers & a small Rhododendron near the top. But the East side shows a more marked contrast, & the rainfall on the E must be very considerably more than on the West. From the very top, it is apparent. Rhododendron covers the hillside (R. lepidotum). Among these we saw many old stalks of Primula - P. macrophylla(?) & P. sikkimensis. There are also gentians, these seen being much too early for flowers on the north side of the main range & at this altitude.