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SUMMARY:
Diary entries describe camping and limited botanical finds around Probukha, including Rhododendron triflorum and a small rhododendron (No. 3111). Mail was sent via Chandesi, and Tenduk was dispatched there with H.H.'s report. The party then marched to a camp in the Mara Chu Valley amid mist and rain.

CONTENT:
10,500 ft

Path goes level for 2 miles, then into forest, a descent pretty steep. Direction at first towards South, then turning westward. Enters the Phobukha district below the junction of main stream and that coming from the Tsela Nala. Good camping ground and good water.

25th May. Probukha Halt. Spent the day in camp getting a mail ready to go off in the morning.

26th May. Probukha Halt. It has been fine here since we came, except for an hour or more's rain in the evenings. Sent off a mail by Chandesi. We searched the cliffs opposite camp, but except for Rhododendron triflorum there is hardly anything in flower. One little rhododendron found. No. 3111.

27th May. Probukha Halt. Heavy rain again yesterday evening, but a lovely morning. We went down the left bank in the morning, but saw nothing of interest. I sent Tenduk to Chandesi yesterday with H.H.'s report, and our only hope is in him. Tomorrow we go downstream a day's march, and perhaps will find more flowers lower down.

28th May. Camp in Mara Chu Valley. 8 miles. B.P. 198.4 Temp. 65° Time 5:30. Height.
Left camp at 6:00 am, in about 12:00, just before rain first came on. Then after 2 hours fine but in heavy mist, rain started, and came down

SUMMARY:
Notes from Natrampa dated April 29 list Rhododendron taxa with associated regional distributions and numbers. Several entries note possible new species (sp. nov.) alongside areas such as Yunn., S.E.T., Burm.-Tib. frontier, Assam, Sik., Bhut., Tibet, and India N.E. Frontier.

CONTENT:
Natrampa
April 29.

Rhododendrons
Yunn. S.E.T., Burm.-Tib. frontier - neriiflorum 1352
Assam. Tib. Burm.-Tib. frontier triflorum 1353
Sik. Bhut. 8582b cinnabarinum var.
Var. no. purpurellum 1354
Sik. Bhut. 8581b. glaucophyllum 1355
Sik. Bhut. 8582b cephalanthum 1356
Yunn. S.E.T. Burm. Ass. 8580. fulvum 1357
Yunn. S.E. Tibet. India N.E. Frontier. arizelum 1358
sp. nov. - populare 1359
sp. nov. dekatanum 1360
Yunn. Tib. Ass. Burm. megeratum 1361
Sik. Tib. pumilum? 1362
S.E.T. Bhut. tsariense 1364
sp. no. amandum 1365
Sik. Bhut. virgatum 1366

196.1 65. 8490
1.0733
8490
59430
26470
265
9113.42

SUMMARY:
The diarist describes local opposition to ascending Dungshigon due to fears of hail damaging crops, noting that Pintso mentioned the Tsari pilgrimage to reassure them. On 15 May at Phobshikha, after variable weather, the party explored a cliff and mountain, recording Primula strumosa (3060), Rhododendron triflorum (3061), masses of Primula winteri (3053), and several rhododendron species.

CONTENT:
going up Dungshigon. That has caused some worry. The locals don't like the idea: let the Sahib go anywhere else, some will gladly take him. But if he goes up Dungshigon, it will bring disaster to us in the form of hail, which will ruin our crops. I'm sorry they thought of that. I must go, but this is the time of hail storms. They are certain to come, and I will be blamed for all the damage they do. Pintso has told them how I did the pilgrimage of Tsari, perhaps that will help.

15th May. Halt Phobshikha. Rain last evening and night. Fine today till 4:00 pm, except for a shower or two, then heavy rain. We went across the valley to a grand looking cliff, and three of us went up by different routes, but the only find was Rhododendron triflorum, 3061.

But on the extreme top of the mountain we found 3060, Primula strumosa. It was just out near the top, but in full flower rather lower down. It grows in moss under Abies and Rhododendron. Up there Primula winteri 3053 was in masses. Every time I see that Primula I think it is the prettiest one I have ever seen, and I always feel elated however many times I see it. Rhododendrons are not very numerous here, except a few kinds, Rhododendron arboreum, R. thomsonii and the big R. falconeri.

SUMMARY:
Tsangpo returned with 41 specimens, including notable rhododendrons from near Mandi and Trulung. The diarist reports continuous rain and late snow while moving through Dau, Lunang, and Latsa, with limited flowering observed except some primulas and rhododendrons in bud. Observations include weather severity and early-season phenology such as P. calderiana, P. whitei, P. atrodentata, and Mec. betonicifolia.

CONTENT:
neither one thing nor the other. Tsangpo came back on 8th, with 41 specimens, showing that down there there is now very much more than here. The big Maddenii Series Rhododendron from Trulung is still not out, but he got two good ones — one yellow from just below Mandi (12348) which is new to us, and may be interesting. The other, in two forms (12354, 12370) of which we got some seed in Feb. It must be a beautiful thing. The former is slightly pink, the latter pure white. They are probably the same, though leaf shape and size of plant are rather different as well.

10th April. A filthy day of rain all day long without a pause, and it looks like going on for a good while.

11th April. Dau. Another even worse day. It has now rained continuously for two days and 3 nights which is a lot for this time of year. Snow lay low to around 1000' this morning, and had been lying a good deal below Dau. After 3.0pm here it was very heavy — half snow half rain. Rhododendrons fairly good. R. virgatum series was really lovely. No 12375 is a fine tree too. We only saw one R. triflorum in flower — a miserable thing. There are a great many P. chungensis just in bud now, all along the road, which should soon be very fine indeed.

12th April. Lunang. There was 1" of snow last night in camp, but it did not snow very much with us. In the narrow valley 2 m below Lunang the going was difficult, as there were 9-10" of fresh snow, and up here when we arrived, about 5". Locals don't seem surprised at the snow, but it surprises me, as I would not have expected that on the main Himalayan Range in mid April. Owing to deep snow we saw no flowers — if there were any to see. In some clearings, I did see P. calderiana in bud showing colour. There were too P. whitei and P. atrodentata occasionally visible where snow had melted. Leaves of Mec. betonicifolia also seen.

13th April. Latsa. We are still too early for flowers here. P. calderiana is still in bud. Mec. betonicifolia very common indeed, but only 2-4" high in leaf. P. atrodentata is the only flower seen. No Rhodos. in flower yet.