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SUMMARY:
Notes 1938 expedition plans for the Yilung Chu–Gyala area and records February travel from Mansehra via Rawalpindi to Calcutta and Kalimpong, dealing with delayed kit and shipping. Mentions visits with the Potters and Bakewells, calling Taylor and Mary, staying with Tobgye, a trip to Gangtok to see Gould, and preparations to proceed to Pedong.

CONTENT:
In 1936 L.D. collected in the upper reaches of the Subansiri. In 1938 they decided to collect in the drainage basin for the north of Molo on the Yilung Chu down to Gyala at the entrance to the gorge. (journey to last for 10 months). East of the area covered in 1936 — between Long. 94° and the bend of the Tsangpo — is contained in the Tsela District of Kongbo Takpo.

1938.

Feb. 8th. Mansehra The last two days have been cold with a good deal of snow at Uri. So we decided to leave today about 11:30, and go as far as possible. Actually the road was not really bad, and there was no snow beyond Uri. Primula inayatii was in flower at the cliff beyond Uri. At Domel we heard the road between Domel and Kohala was shut, so we went by the Abbottabad road and reached Mansehra very easily by 5:45 pm. Bungalow very clean and nice.

Feb. 9th. Rawalpindi. Left at 8:30, and got in in good style just after 11:00. The kit servants reached Pindi by mail lorry at 3:20 pm. Spent most of the day with the Potters and Bakewells.

Feb. 12th. Calcutta Left Pindi by the Frontier Mail on 10th at 2:10 pm and reached here at 8:00 am today. The first blow was to find that our kit had not arrived on our train. We then went to Cox and Kings and heard that the B.M. boxes had not been taken off the 'Domala' and that all the seven cases of whisky and rum had not been sent on from Bombay. Then we found the Bank all shut, and a good many shops too. In the evening we went to Mrs. Graham's house and telephoned to Taylor and Mary — six minutes to each, which meant a bill of Rs 160/-.

Feb. 13th. Kalimpong. Arrived here this morning by 10:30. It was nice, as always, to see Tobgye again, and we are staying in their house with them.

Feb. 24th. to Pedong. 10 miles We can now be said to have started. While with Tobgye we went to Gangtok, spent two nights with Gould. It was in a way rather a waste of time, as Gould is not a bit fit, and could not see us for very long. After that all our time was spent in packing and checking kit, leaving stuff for Taylor and making arrangements for his following us on. Tobgye had sent on some of our kit, on two different

SUMMARY:
Header indicating the 1949 II section begins on 14/09/1949 and continues to the end.

CONTENT:
1949 II

14. 9. 49 - end.

SUMMARY:
Camped on a steep slope near Chukar, the party finds the location friendlier than Mago or Tsena though lacking level ground. On a halt day, the writer went with Danang to nearby cliffs to collect primulas and delphinium, noted Thalictrum of Mago and the Tulung La Meconopsis, and arranged for a local man to care for specimens with plans to retrieve them from Trashiyangsi in October.

CONTENT:
67

is hardly surprising however. Our yak men are a deformed looking lot, but cheerful enough. Everyone here is pleasanter than in either Mago or in Tsena. I wish we had known of this place before. I'm sure it would have proved of great interest a month or more earlier. There is barely room for tents here, we are all on a horrible slope. If it rains hard, we will undoubtedly be washed out of our tents. But there is no level ground anywhere near. Probably a better camp would be beside the river, but in fact we did not go down so low, as I would have had a hard climb tomorrow.

19th August. Halt at Chukar. In the morning I went with Danang up to the cliffs, wandered about them hoping to find more than the three primulas of yesterday, but got nothing new. Bagged 16 of the new primula & 6 of the blue one. Also this evening bagged 6 delphinium. A local man is to look after them, & I will send a man from Trashiyangsi in October to retrieve the lot. I hope the scheme works. The pretty Thalictrum of Mago is growing here too & the Tulung La Meconopsis. Quite a good day on the whole, but

SUMMARY:
Entry for the 19th at Chang Chuda listing plant specimens numbered 2092–2096, including G. otophora, nanlaensis f. flavescens, Lomatogonium deltoideum, and Delp. viscosum.

CONTENT:
19th Chang Chuda
G. otophora 2092
nanlaensis
f. flavescens 2094
Lomatogonium
deltoideum 2095
Delp. viscosum 2096

SUMMARY:
Notes the first box of flowers and multiple photographic media (Dufaycolor, Film Pack, cine film, Kodachrome) dated 19/3, with subjects including Black-naped woodpecker and Picus canus gyldenstolpei. Mentions L. 29, the place Djate, and the name Lundstein alongside 'dochong'.

CONTENT:
1st Box of Flowers 19/3. L. 29. Djate
Dufaycolor III IV 19/3. Black-naped woodpecker
Film Pack III IV V 19/3. Picus canus gyldenstolpei
Cine film III IV 19/3 Lundstein dochong L. 29
Kodachrome II 19/3 120

SUMMARY:
The party splits as W and Mrs W go to Punakha while the diarist and Ludlow, on Tobgye's advice, take a dense leech-infested jungle path from below Lomitsawa towards Wangdupotrang. They avoid shooting due to sensitivities in the late Shabdrung’s area near Thimbu, collect some birds, butterflies, and plants, and after a tiring nine-hour trek reach the Punakha Chu/Mo Chu; camp conditions are filthy with flies, mud, and fleas.

CONTENT:
36

Nearly every tree trunk was covered with moss. Birds were therefore different too, and we had quite an interesting bag. It is again very difficult to find shot birds in the intensely dense jungle. This is a filthy small camp, full of flies and mud. Yesterday too was bad, and Ludlow had little sleep owing to fleas.

70
1st July. TO WANGDUPOTRANG. 10 miles (by jungle path 16 miles). 4508' (An Ht. ). W and Mrs W went off to Punakha, and Ludlow and I decided on Tobgye's advice to go to Wangdupotrang by a jungle path. As we

(B. 16. contd) View from Lomitsawa down towards Wangdi Potrang in the misty early morning.

were still in the late Shabdrung's area, in Thimbu, the Penlop of which died the other day, Tobgye did not want us to shoot on the normal route, as the transport men talk, and the fact of our shooting here may get to the ears of the Maharaja's lama, who at present holds such power over the Maharaja. We therefore left the main route ½ mile below Lomitsawa, and turned into the re-entrant to the South West.

magnificent fern with fronds 3-5 ft long
This led us into the densest jungle we have seen, and full of leeches - even worse than Sikkim. We hardly dared to stop a second, as our feet became covered with them.

Schima wallichii 201
Polygala arillata 202
Pyrola rotundifolia 203

There were good butterflies to be caught though, and also we managed to get a few birds and some flowers. The route was as tiring as I have yet come across in Bhutan, and we walked for 9 hours before reaching here. This is on the Punakha Chu or Mo Chu, which we joined at

SUMMARY:
Mentions receiving mail at Tsona and newspapers for pressing flowers. On 2nd June they camped 3 miles up the Bimbi La route from Podzo Sumdo in the Tsari valley, describing a steep path through rhododendron, bamboo, and evergreen forest. On 3rd June they went up toward the Bimbi La, noting a tiny berberis (specimen 1763) and a pretty androsace covering the hillside, before heavy rain set in.

CONTENT:
85

held up much, though our man found it waiting for him
at Tsona. From now on we should not do so badly. I
got four mail letters from home dated 20th April which is very
good. We had 36 newspapers which are badly wanted for
pressing flowers in.

2nd June Camp 3 m up Bimbi La route from Podzo Sumdo. 9 miles.
B.P. 190.0 Temp. 54 Time 2.30pm Ht. 12441'. Up the main Tsari
valley to Podzo Sumdo at m 6, then turn up the side valley to
the NE. The path here is quite good & the ascent through
rhododendron, bamboo & evergreen forest pretty steep. Good
camping ground 3 miles up in an open space, with fir
rhododendron close by.

3rd June. Halt. Fine till 1.0pm, then heavy rain all day.
Went up to the Bimbi La, on a good path, never very
steep, the whole way. It leads through dense rhododendron
for 2000 ft or so, then on to bare open hillside. Here
I found a very small berberis 1763, growing only a
foot or so high. Also a very pretty androsace which
covered the hillside for 100 yards or more. We went
right up close to the pass, & then turned R. up a

SUMMARY:
Rained overnight but the party traveled about 7 miles to Öla, facing major disputes with transport coolies allegedly stirred up by the Noro Gyumpu's brother; the diarist struck a man who threatened a woman with a knife. Kesang, having taken mail to Kyindong Dzong where the Dzongpen refused to forward it, was sent back to have it sent on to Tsari Chunchar, leaving Taylor unlikely to receive it until his return.

CONTENT:
troubles
77

20th October. ÖLA. 7 miles. App. 13000'. Rained all night & a good deal early this morning, but was fine for us nearly all the way here, up till evening. All promises did not amount to much, & by sending Kucho off to all huts, the transport started in about 8:00 am. Then there was the most awful row, chiefly due to the Noro Gyumpu's brother, who seems to have a good deal of power here, & is an absolute "soor." Without him all would have been well, but he was making the coolies dissatisfied & quarrelsome. The loads were not off till 10:00 am & before that I had hit a man very hard across the face for trying to pinch a lighter box off a woman. He was a beastly nuisance & had a foul temper, threatening the woman with his knife, so I'm not at all sorry for hitting him. Most things went wrong today, starting with the non-appearance of the transport. Just as we reached the Pa La route, Kesang appeared. He had taken the mail to Kyindong Dzong, where the Dzongpen refused to allow it to go on, saying I would be coming there soon, & would pick it up. I sent Kesang back, & asked for the mail to be sent on at once to Tsari Chunchar, which Kesang thinks he can manage. Poor Taylor will not now get the mail till he is home, or

SUMMARY:
The diarist camps on the north side of Cho La, describing the route along the Rong Chu and then the Re Chu with several crossings, noting a good camp at Re before the final ascent and giving bearings and distances. A partridge was shot earlier, and both Kuntip and Puitu are reported to be feeling better.

CONTENT:
69

think we will almost certainly find it all about
the Cho La if the situation is suitable. Finished
the evening by shooting a partridge - again a
very interesting bird from a place like this.

• about 2000ft for Seamus.

20th August. Camp N side of CHO LA. 5 miles. 14360'.
Path drops down to the Rong Chu, a river nearly as
big as the Myangchu Chu in summer. Follow up
the left bank under steep bare cliffs. The R bank
less steep & thickly wooded with deciduous & conifers.
At m 1½ cross by a food bridge to the R bank &
at m 2 leave the Rong Chu - follow up the
Re Chu due South. The Re Chu is crossed at m
to the L bank & recrossed further up. A good
CG at m 4.5 at Re, before the final ascent
to the Cho La. Water & grazing good & fuel ample.
Bearing of Re to the mouth of the Re Chu is
50° Mag. & from Re to the Cho La 215° Mag. Distances
between should be approx equal, the pass being perhaps
a little closer. The Rong Chu is a fine valley
with magnificent cliffs on its north side. The south
too is nice, thickly wooded. A week in the
valley would certainly produce some good birds
& possibly flowers too. Kuntip is better this
evening. He & even Puitu were

SUMMARY:
Route descriptions for 20th July describe a steep ascent from Tangnam away from the Tang Chu through conifer forest to the Rudo La (Rudong La) pass, then a difficult knife-edge descent to Pimi, followed by a stage toward Shukhang with bridges over side streams and the Ungar Chu. Notes mention collecting flowers and birds, mist turning to heavy rain, severe leeches, and camping in tents.

CONTENT:
into a pretty poor camp at 6.30

20th July. PIMI. 13 miles. 9500'. Route leaves Tangnam, turning away from the Tang Chu and ascending steeply, first over the open hillside, then through dense conifer forest to m 3, where it emerges on to open grassy hillside. Ascent is then easy, mostly through open country to m 6, where the conifers are left. For the next mile, the path is very steep and stony through rhododendrons to the RUDO LA (Rudong La), 12600' at m 7.

Descent for the first mile easy, then a rise over a small knob. From m 8 to m 11 the path is extremely bad, being down rock steps along a knife edge ridge nearly the whole way. From 11 to 14 descent easy and path fair to Pimi - one shelter. Water and fuel ample - leeches also ample. A misty morning, but by seven the sun was bright and the country looked as pretty as we have yet seen it. We wandered slowly to the pass, collecting flowers and birds - very few butterflies out. Lunch at top and we started off at 1.30, the mist again came down. It rained very hard all the rest of the day. Leeches perfectly awful and we are in tents. A beastly evening.

20th July. SHUKHANG 10 miles. 6500'. For the first 3 1/2 miles, route is through dense forest, the path being level in parts, and steep descent in others, and difficult for laden animals. At m 3 1/2 dense jungle is left, and route descends steeply by zigzag path through open country to a 5400', where a large side stream is crossed by a bridge. The right bank of this is followed for a few hundred yards to the UNGAR CHU, which is crossed by a covered bridge at m 5 1/2 (5400'). The village of