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SUMMARY:
Travelled about 9 miles down the valley near Tora under fine weather that later brought hail, noting Iris lactea in flower and likely matching K. Ward's 'Karta' iris, with poplars, willows, and buckthorn near a hillside monastery. Sheep were seen struggling for forage during lambing season, six partridges were shot, and a possible Ceratostigma was observed.

CONTENT:
Locals say they are white.

Tora 19th Tora 9 miles B.P. 189.47 Temp. 49° Time 4.30pm. Approx ht. :

A fine day, clouding over, with some hail in the afternoon.

The iris (Iris lactea), which we saw first yesterday, continued down the valley, is here in flower in a few places. It does not appear new, and yet surely must be K. Ward's 'Karta' iris. I have a few seeds of last year, will collect more in the autumn. The road goes down the valley the whole way, passing ruined villages and inhabited ones here and there and some cultivation. There is a biggish monastery here, perched on a hill on the right bank about 300' above the bank, and a number of trees, mostly poplar and willow (Salix babylonica?), which will soon be out. There is also some buckthorn scrub (Hippophae rhamnoides). The sheep have an awful time. On the plateau at 15,000–16,000' they have some grass which seems to do them pretty well. Down here there is no grass, and we see them in the fields, which have not yet been sown, scraping up the earth just like hens, to find some roots coming up. How they live like that I don't know. And this is the lambing season, and most have already lambed. We shot 6 partridges on the way down, and saw quite a number. Here I think there is a Ceratostigma.

SUMMARY:
Diary notes describe travel down the Loro Chu valley from Zotang toward Chayul Dzong, with locals urging the party beyond Sanga Shika to complete about 17 miles in a day. The route, taken in strong up-valley wind, included riverbank changes and a crossing near mile 15, with observations of pollarded trees, buckthorn near camp, peaches in cultivation, birds, a solar halo, and barley 3–4 inches high near Chayul Dzong.

CONTENT:
Loro Chu valley. Zotang
Salix babylonica 1317, Prunus persica 1318, Populus ciliata 1319 — all 3 pollarded
48

that whereas we should normally have changed transport three times, we did not do so at all, but came on 2 miles beyond the usual stage. This is a pretty place with a fine view of the main range downstream. There is quite a forest of buckthorn by our camp, & some good birds in it (3 Laughing Thrushes). Yesterday I saw rather a curious halo round the sun, shown opposite.

21st April To Chayul Dzong. BP. Temp. Time Approx.
(See entry 23rd April)

ht. = 17 miles. We meant to go only to Sanga Shika which is about 11 miles, but the locals pushed us on here. A perfect day again, but with a very strong wind in the afternoon, straight up the valley as usual. Road is quite good, down the valley, which is pretty wide with sheep tracks. Cross to R bank & change transport at about m 4.5. Continue down R bank to Sanga Shika at m 11, which is high up on R. bank. Thence through more cultivation (Peaches), & among many peach trees gradually down to the River which is crossed at m 15 & path follows L bank to Chayul Dzong, where there is considerable cultivation (the barley in the fields was 3-4 inches high), but hills quite dry still, although