Showing 6828 results

SUMMARY:
A halt day with damp conditions; the diarist photographed and tended drying flowers, and noted Tibetans trading salt, wool, and cloth at Pangstang with rice sent to Towa Dzong. On 20th June they crossed the river to inspect west-side cliffs, where few plants were in flower; Pasang collected P. muscoides, and P. strumosa was confirmed with notes on its hybridization with P. calderiana.

CONTENT:
about 5 feet across, stopped 50 yards above camp. So back we went to bed. The boys were out across the river down below, but had a poor day, got nothing. I did some photographs in the morning, changed flowers and that is about all today. Flowers take much longer now to dry. The atmosphere is always damp, and our fire is not so good in the tent as in the huts we've been used to. I'm told now that many Tibetans will be coming down in the next few days, with salt, wool and woollen cloth. They exchange at Pangstang for madder mostly, and some rice. But more of the rice is H.H.'s and Her H.'s and other officials, all is sent to Tibet for sale in Towa Dzong and other places.

20th June Halt. It was misty and doubtful when we got up at 5:30 this morning, but there was a clear patch of blue sky to the south, which I was sure would mean a good day. But we didn't go straight for the pass. I wanted to investigate the cliffs on the West side as soon as we could cross the river which we did about 9:00 a.m. But there was very little indeed in flower. Mec. horridula had not opened its buds at all. P. bellidifolia was common, and Pasang got P. muscoides (19303) to add to the list. I had seen a yellow mass through binoculars and went to find out what that was. It turned out to be P. strumosa (19304), and I now know that all the colour varieties we found before were hybrids of Calderiana and strumosa as I supposed. What is interesting is that P. strumosa has the exact same unpleasant smell as Calderiana has, which would seem to put it nearer P. Calderiana than ever. There is no doubt they are the parents of all the mixed colours around here... It was a fine day after the first

SUMMARY:
The diarist notes many migratory birds from Tibet and poor seed results except likely from Marlung or passes to the west. On 21 Sept., they remain in camp while Yundon and Pasang collect Primula caveana and a fine woolly Phandra from Tamagorra Nala, returning late and exhausted, with Yundon suffering a bad headache. On 22 Sept., amid cold wind and intermittent rain and sun, letters arrive from H.H. and mail from Hicks and Ludlow, but none from Betty.

CONTENT:
This, in the same way as I did with Mec. simplicifolia. Hope it turns out well. The whole scene is too big for a cine-camera. There are a good many birds now on migration from Tibet. I saw hundreds of wagtails and two Afghan redstarts today. And I must have seen 20 Ibisbills, but they aren't on migration though. We did not do well with seed again, and certainly most of our seed this year will come from Marlung or over the passes to the West.

21st Sept. Halt. Rain at night, but a lovely day of sun and cumulus clouds. I stayed in camp to deal with yesterday's seeds, while Yundon and Pasang went up Tamagorra Nala to the NE to get P. caveana and the 8 plants of white caveana marked by Yundon when we were here before. They have just returned at 6:00 pm when I was beginning to be a bit anxious about them. Boulder scree is dangerous: one can very easily make a false step and have a nasty fall. It was too late for me to examine any seed brought, but they have got all the white P. caveana, and another basket of the usual caveana as no seed is ripe. They also found the very fine Phandra which is woolly all over, and which we took twice at Marlung, but never saw in very good flower. Today they have brought both seed and fine flower. It is a beautiful thing. I have not been able to see if the seed is good or not. Otherwise just a Sax or a Saussurea, and a few odd very small primula roots - perhaps P. cervicina or P. walshii, which I may take too. As they have had such a long day, we will not go out tomorrow, but I will do the seed and get the roots properly packed. Yundon returned with a very bad head, which he said he had most of the day.

22nd Sept. Halt. Stayed in camp. Rain and sun very cold indeed, with a strong wind. Letters came in from H.H. with food etc and a mail from Hicks, Ludlow and Kalimpong, but in some strange way no letters from Betty. Hers must have

SUMMARY:
This page contains only the number '22' and no other diary content.

CONTENT:
22

SUMMARY:
In camp above Trün after a misty morning, the diarist notes finding Gentiana waltonii, a Ceratostigma (possibly the same as at Lhakhang in 1933), Codonopsis convolvulacea, Delphinium gyalanum, and Briggsia aurantiaca, and mentions sending old seeds to Edinburgh. Traveling by the high road from Drotang to Trün through forest, they encountered about 15 Lopas who inspected the diarist’s gun with interest.

CONTENT:

200. Natrampa
     Pedicularis corydaloides 2408. Allium prattii 2409. Cornus macrophylla 2410.
     Quercus semicarpifolia 2411. Dryopteris xanthopennata 2412. Polystichum wilsonii 2413.
     Leucosceptrum clarkei 2414.

was almost always a wind with the mist or rain.

22nd July. In camp above Trün. 6 miles. 10500'. Another lovely day,
but misty all up the valley in the early morning till about
8.0 am. I came across three things I have been looking
for today. First the gentian which was seen on the dry,
(but south) side of the river on our way down in May. It is
Gentiana waltonii 2416
now just coming into flower, and a fine sight 2416. I
sent a few of last year's old seeds to Edinburgh before, under
Ceratostigma minus 2422
no number. Then I found a little Ceratostigma 2422,
just coming into bloom. I hope it is the same as the
Codonopsis convolvulacea 2423
one we got at Lhakhang in 1933, a new sp. And 2423
Delphinium gyalanum 2421.
Briggsia aurantiaca 2420
the same creeper (vinca blue) which we got quite near
the Ceratostigma at Lhakhang, a beautiful flower,
but only just coming out. I took the high road
this time from Drotang to Trün, and it is very much
pleasanter than the riverside path, easier, more level,
and through forest for most of the way. We passed a
body of about 15 Lopas, both men and women, and had quite
good fun with them. I took some photos of them, and
then they inspected my gun with much interest, and

SUMMARY:
Travel notes record heavy rain, difficult marching, and a camp on the Gyara Phu Chu, followed by a fine day reaching Gyara (Nepar). Common Primula species were noted, Lerwa with young were observed, and there is disappointment at few notable finds, with hopes to visit passes east of Lilung; transport delays prevent moving on to Pamse.

CONTENT:
Langong Trip has not been a great success (S. 647)

Last night and rain most of today with a few fine intervals. I have not been out much here yet, as we were late in, due to meeting a string of mules on a bad part of the path. The mules had come from Lhasa to summer in Langong for the grazing. I think this side of the Langong Chu must be a little drier than the south, though it does not appear to be much. Here P. hopeana, P. dryadifolia, P. macrophylla are very common, but we have seen nothing of interest.

To
22nd June. Camp on GYARA PHU CHU. 6 miles. BP. 191.1 T. 55° T. 3.0pm. Ht approx. 11832'.
Heavy rain last night, and very heavy all day today from 8.0am till 2.0pm. Then fine but cloudy. Our intention was to camp above the fir forest, but Chulla distinguished himself and came on another 4 miles. It did not matter as it happened, because we found no flowers to delay us high up. We saw Lerwa at 15,000 - 4 adult birds with a clutch of young. The adults all kept together looking after the young as if it were a joint family. On the N. of the pass P. kansuensis was very common, and some P. hopeana and dryadifolia. The forest was too dense on the way down for us to see much, and we could not see up any side valleys. The rain was really awful for two hours and soaked us through. This is a big river at the moment, and I suppose comes in from the Pacha Peaks. It is sad to think that the longest day is past, and I don't feel that I have got very much yet. It has been disappointing so far, but I hope for better finds further East, if only we can get where we want to go. There are three Passes East of Lilung, the Magu, Shoka and Namdo Las, each of which I hope to visit, but I feel that we will be lucky indeed if that all comes off. Ludlow and Sherriff will also I expect have found that this is not such a good area as that we visited in 1936. Or it may only be that everything in East Tsari is considerably later, due to more snow. Today was very cold indeed, and I don't remember any days as cold as this in Tsari.

To
23rd June. GYARA (Nepar). 4 miles. A really fine day at last, with a shower or two, but hot real sun in between. We have dried all our bedding and everything. I hoped to get on to Pamse, but transport changes here and at Pamse as well. There are no horses here, all are up the valley and won't be down till the evening. So here we must remain.

SUMMARY:
The diary records a march from Rapdang to Tromda, followed by several halt days due to missing transport and delays, during which repairs were made and a cold bath taken in the Tsangpo. Samduprup was sent to Guru Namgyel Dz. and returned with orders to wait three days, and the Dzongpon’s envoy asked for the lamyig. A report is noted about an earlier plane crash near Langong (Langong Phu Chu), including details of four deceased men and insignia on the aircraft.

CONTENT:
22nd Nov. Rapdang. Left at 0800: in at 2.0. Kit in at 2.30 till 6.0pm: some did not come in at all this evening. We paid for transport before leaving, which we have not had to do since Rong. The other method is much nicer.

23rd Nov. Tromda. A very short march of 7 miles only. We were in at 10.0 to find no 'dayig' had come. It was produced to us by a Tibetan who said he had found it on the road. So we know we will have a delay here. Some coolies still have not caught up since yesterday. We sent Samduprup to Guru Namgyel Dz. He returned late in the evening with the news that we must wait 3 whole days here for transport!

24th Nov. Halt. Tromda. Spent the day in clearing up, repairing boxes & generally getting things in order again. Also bathed in a very cold Tsangpo.

25th Nov. Halt. Again spent in repairs. The Dzongpon sent a man down to see us. He asked for the lamyig, but we managed to put him off. He was one of two who had to investigate a plane which crashed near Langong - in the 'Langong Phu Chu'. Kyindong & Guru Namgyel were ordered to look into this. The story he told us was that he went there in the 9th Tib month last year & that the plane must have crashed two years before. There were 4 men, one thought to be an officer with some rank badge on his R shoulder only. The plane had a star in blue & red on the wings. Two men were found some hundreds of yards away from the crash, two inside - one strapped to his seat. Their clothes were all rotten, so were the notes they carried, one man having a big wad of notes. The only thing...

SUMMARY:
Notes include an Albizzia odoratissima tree near camp and confirmation that a primula matched Primula denticulata seen at Tauktoo Garden. On 23 March the party crosses the Myam Sang Chu by a bamboo bridge and climbs via Karteng and Sharteng to Gyipu with coolie changes; Pinto goes to Tawang with presents to the Dzongpen, and the day turns cloudy with rain from noon and low snow levels.

CONTENT:
Albizzia odoratissima 1222 tree just before reaching here (1222). From now on transport must be changed at villages. Tomorrow we change twice on the way to Karteng. The primula seen yesterday was the same as at Tauktoo Garden - P. denticulata.

23rd March. GYIPU. 7 miles. B.P. 199.3. Temp 52° Ht. approx 7044'.
B.P. taken at 4.0 p.m. Rather a trying day. We got all loads off by about 7.0 a.m., by which time the head of the snake of coolies must have reached the Myam Sang Chu. The road leads down to the river easily, crosses by a bamboo bridge & ascends very steeply to Karteng, about 1500' up. There the coolies are changed. Thence down & across a side stream & up again steeply to Sharteng where they are again changed. Then up steeply at first, then more or less level round the shoulder to Gyipu. The changing was really done very well, only the last half dozen loads were left behind for which coolies had to be found. Pinto went off to Tawang with presents to the Dzongpen. It clouded over all day & rained from 12.0 on. Snow is now low down at 9 or 10,000 ft. The Pöla was open 10 days ago, but must now have

SUMMARY:
Notes describe receiving naive letters and small gifts from Ashe Wangmo, including permission to use her garden at Lingtsi. The page details the route from Takyela to Lhuentse Dzong (Lingtsi), terrain and mileage, mentions that the Kuru Chu route to Lhakang Dzong is impassable in summer and that mapped hot baths are unknown, and remarks on a very hot camp and being met by the zumpin's son.

CONTENT:
49

on rocks about 1 1/2 miles this side of Shukang. It is big, a
creamy white, rather larger than the Bhutan lily. We each
had letters from Ashe Wangmo today. Poor girl, she seems to
be rather lost after the amusing times we had together. The
letters were very naive. It must be dull for them after
so much excitement. She sent us both small presents, & told
us to make use of her garden at Lingtsi - a very kind
thought.

Lendraw says "to Leightse Dzong"
(5) 23rd July. To LHUENTSE DZONG (LINGTSI) 6 miles. 5000' 6900. Path on leaving the ridge
at Takyela ascends gradually, first through pine forest, then through
rice fields & cultivation to m 3. After this the descent is at
first easy, then pretty steep to Lingtsi at m 6. Throughout, the
path is easy for animals. At Lingtsi there is a large
Dzong, with about 50-60 soldiers. Above the Dzong is a village
& some cultivation. Below the path from Tangmasu to
Lingtsi there is a great deal of cultivated land, mostly belonging
to the Maharaja. "Hot baths" marked on the map just
east of the bridge over the Kuru Chu are unknown.
The route from Lhuentse direct up the Kuru Chu to
Lhakang Dzong is impassable in summer, but is used by traders
in winter. // A very hot day & a very hot
camp, nicely built for us, but in a corner of a side
nala where no wind can reach it. We were met by
the zumpin's son some miles out, others by two comic

SUMMARY:
Arrival at Lingtsi was marked by a musical welcome, with songs contrasted to those of Ha Paro; the landscape is compared to Trunza with the Kuru Chu below the Dzong, in very hot but fine weather. The page details the route from Lingitse down to the Kuru Chu with bamboo bridges over the Kuru Chu and Khoma Chu (ponies possible), passing the Ngarigong Chu, and includes notes on views of Tangnam, Lingtsi road, Lingtsi Dzong, and the Kuru Chu bridge.

CONTENT:
old men with trumpets, & two equally comic young boys with a drum & a gong. With them were six women, & the whole troupe accompanied us in, the women singing the while. The songs here are quite different to the Ha Paro ones, but equally pleasing. Lingtsi is somewhat like Trunza with the huge Kuru Chu running in a gorge below the Dzong. But the hills here are steeper & bigger. We had a pleasant glimpse of the snow hills this morning. For three days now, it has been fine. I wonder what that means. It is very hot indeed here, not a place either of us will stay in longer than absolutely necessary -

24th July. LINGITSE (LINSI of map.) 8 miles. 6400'. Path drops pretty steeply downstream below the Dzong to the Kuru Chu river, which is about 1000' below the Dzong. At m 1 it meets the river, which is crossed by a bamboo bridge about 50 yards long. This was in good condition in July 33, & ponies could be taken over with care. Route continues down left bank for 500 yards, where the Khoma Chu enters. This river is also unfordable in summer, & is crossed by a bamboo bridge 100x above the junction with the Kuru Chu. Ponies can be taken over with care. Path then follows close to the left bank of the Kuru Chu & is easy. At m 5 the Ngarigong Chu enters from the left. This is the only river entering the Kuru Chu after the Khoma Chu (the map is wrong). It is

B.21. Contd.
Views on Tangnam
Lingtsi road. Coolies
in forest.
Lingtsi Dzong
from Tangnam
road. Lingtsi Dzong
from below. Bridge
over Kuru
Chu. Ponies crossing
B.22. Bridge over

SUMMARY:
Wet, misty march of 9 miles to Simoneri at about 13,500 ft; few new plants noted except a gentian (no. 2209) and Meconopsis bella near a large swamp, which proved disappointing. Notes on local pass and rest house names (Karkyu La, Taktsang, Tomtsang, Shao ngu La), including a tale of a lama pacifying tigers and bears, and fatigue from repeated 4,000 ft climbs since the 14th.

CONTENT:
Not a good day, spoilt by a headache.

24th June. Simoneri. 13500' 9 miles. Wet, misty most of the day, with some fine patches here. Plenty of old friends in the flower line on the Karkyu La, but little new, except a gentian 2209, & here Mec. bella. This is a nice looking place, on the edge of a huge flat swamp. But it is disappointing, as I found nothing here.

The names of the passes & Rest houses are interesting. Taktsang (Tiger's lair) & Tomtsang (Bear's lair) explain themselves. The coolies say that a year or two ago none dared pass these places—for the tigers & bears—till a lama spoke to the tigers & bears & put things right!

Yesterday's pass, the Shao ngu La, means the 'Shao weeps'—or even the shao weeps. Certainly it is a beast of a climb. Karkyu La means "Put your staffs down": I suppose it means that the pilgrimage is over as far as passes are concerned, & everyone may drop their climbing sticks there. I must have climbed about 4000 ft everyday since the 14th & have got fed up with it. Tomorrow