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SUMMARY:
Rainy halt days in Langong with a meeting with the gyimpon, who arranges coolies and discusses routes via Lo La, Trashigong, and the Tsari Sama pilgrimage, with notes on the difficult Migyitun road over the Potsang La. The party moves to a camp by the upper bridge over the Langong Chu, collects plants (including Meconopsis), struggles with midges and slow coolies, and then reaches above Singo Samba where a bridge’s planks appear to have been removed.

CONTENT:
35

9th June. Halt. Langong. Rain most of the night, rain today. This is the first day there has been no wind in Langong. The gyimpon came to call, we had a long talk. He is ordering coolies for all I want, which now is to go to the Lo La, stay there 5 or 6 days, come back to the lowest bridge and then do the Tsari Sama pilgrimage. This is not as I had thought, a longish circle, coming back by the Chumbumbu La, but only a small one from Trashigong back to Trashigong, which can, with difficulty, be made in a day. We should take four days from bridge to bridge. It sounds quite promising. Rations for coolies may be a little difficult. The gyimpon tells me the Migyitun road is possible, but very difficult, over the Potsang La, would take three days. This is what I heard in Migyitun. I hope we may go there in Oct.-Nov. Langong is covered with snow from the Tibetan 10th to 3rd months, even the rivers being covered over. In Langong village, on the south side of the valley, he says they don't have much more than one foot of snow in a fall.

10th June. Halt. Langong. Heavy rain last night. Clouded, with showers all day. We went down the left bank under the cliffs, found flowers there had come on a lot, got quite a good haul, but nothing of outstanding interest. Coolies all promised for tomorrow morning.

11th June. To Camp at upper bridge over Langong Chu. 10 miles. Wet night, but mostly fine today till 3.0 p.m. A disappointing day. I had hoped to find much more out, but really there is little change down here since we came up. Meconopsis betonicifolia is very common, and I still think is a poor flower, beaten easily by Meconopsis simplicifolia, and most of the others. Midges very bad all day, making walking no rest at all. Coolies very slow, but quite a cheery, pleasant crowd, much more so than the Molo people.

12th June. Camp 3 miles above Singo Samba. Wet night and a very wet day. A bad day in all ways. Although most of the Langong people seem nice, especially the gyimpon, there are some nasty bits of work. And we seem to have struck them. I went on ahead today and reached Singo Samba by 9.0 a.m. There was no bridge there. Someone has lifted the two big planks and let them go down the river. There can be no other explanation; I am quite positive it was done by...

SUMMARY:
At Langong, the diarist records collecting several Primula and other alpine plants, observing a new warbler (P. tibetanus), and noting marmots and lingering snow. A clutch of Crossoptilon eggs and a blood pheasant egg are obtained; the gyimpon arrives and promises coolies, and plans are made to explore valleys between Pa La and Lo La before visiting the Pachakshiri Loba.

CONTENT:
Langong

depressed, but then we saw P. bariensis, and knew that there would be other things as well. For a change, the second time only, I did not take a gun, and of course saw the new warbler P. tibetanus. There were two of them, in juniper scrub, just as on the Bimbi La. Of interesting things, we saw Mec. simplicifolia - and I particularly examined the filaments, which were white. Then Tsonypon brought in a primula, which I think must be P. chamaethauma 3893 (P. chionantha 3893). Then P. macrophylla 3894, 3895 (P. macrophylla var. macrocarpa 3895) was seen. Then over a ridge we found in almost full flower that delightfully pretty - and fragrant - P. rotundifolia. On the whole a good day. There are many marmots running about, now the snow is off the ground. The actual pass is probably still covered with snow, as there were huge drifts a good deal lower than the highest we went, on the North faces. I heard on return that one man had already found a nest of Crossoptilon, but he has not brought the eggs yet.

29th May. Halt. Langong. Fine most of the day, but clouded and showery. Started in the morning about at 11.00 a.m. Saw nothing much. In fact there is remarkably little in the valley. Collected Primula yargongensis 3914. Our offer for eggs is doing well. Today got a clutch of seven eggs of Crossoptilon, nest on the ground in a bush. Later on a man came in with one blood pheasant's egg, and will see the nest tomorrow. The eggs were very difficult to blow, having chicks inside. (P. dryadifolia 3917, Rhododendron v. microstoma 3918, Ranunculus 3919, 3923, Primula 3925, Gal. nambanensis 3920, Corydalis 3921, 3922, Lonicera litangensis 3926).

30th May. Halt. Langong. Mostly fine in Langong, but rain mist on the hills all day. I went up the valley immediately North of Langong village, running parallel to the Tscha valley. There is nothing in any of these valleys till one gets to 13,500 feet or so. Then primulas appear. This is a fine valley, with a good sized lake at about 13,500 feet above which there is a fine waterfall. But flowers are few and far between, and I think we are really too early yet. The gyimpon has arrived, seems very helpful and friendly. He wants to go off for 8 days, but has promised coolies all I want in the meantime. My plans are to stay here two more days, and then go West, up a valley which lies between the Pa La and Lo La routes. Stay there four days and return here for two before going off to the Pachakshiri Loba on the 9th, for a week. That will take up all the time I can spare in this area. Everything here seems to be late. Snow lies pretty thick on the hills yet, and nearly all passes are shut. Tsari Sama - known generally as Tsari Sarpa, "the new Tsari" is not

SUMMARY:
Notes praise for Tenzing’s seed work on Doshong La, foul autumn weather at Langong, and preparations including paying off the Molo people and arranging a trip to Migyitun via Kusho. On 15 October at Langong Halt it rains with snow on the hills; by 16 October the party camps 2 miles north of Chubumbu La in continuous heavy rain with swollen rivers.

CONTENT:
Tenzing did very well with seeds on the Doshong La. He would have perfect weather when there, must have been just at the right time too. Taylor very fit indeed, everyone happy, except possibly Ramzana, who has done badly this year all round. He is quite above himself, and I think has been spoilt. Weather very foul here, looks like continuing so for a month. Langong looks very different in Autumn, and all are now busy cutting grass, iris leaves soon, storing them in their huts for the winter. I have not tackled the juniper above Langong going to Migyitun yet.

15th October. Langong Halt. Rain all night, and thick snow on the hills. Some sun today, and I thought it might clear up, but it has not, and is raining again this evening. Paid off the Molo people. Kusho says he has arranged the Migyitun trip alright, but I'm not too optimistic yet, though he seems reasonably confident. I stayed in camp today, and was quite glad of a rest. The Chubumbu valley has had very heavy rain falling in it all day, and I fear we are in for a nasty time there, but I would rather have bad weather now, and then clear in three or four days time for crossing to Migyitun.

16th October. Camp 2 m N. of Chubumbu La. Rain all night and all today. I think this is the wettest and the worst day I have had yet this year. The rivers are fuller than they were in

SUMMARY:
At Langong, the diarist collected eggs of Crossoptilon harmani and Blood pheasant and described a demanding routine of writing up flowers and blowing eggs. On 31st May, halted at Langong due to continuous rain and, with Tsongpen, attempted to reach Shethang La toward the Sur La side but turned back in severe weather and deep snow, noting bearings, distance, and elevation, and shooting a target bird.

CONTENT:
Langong

open for more than a month, and think I can do little to change the local people's ideas. Yesterday I was brought 7 eggs of Crossoptilon harmani, from a nest near here in shrubs. Today I went to see a nest of Blood pheasant, 6 eggs, took them all. It is hard work just now, out at 5.30, & back by 3.0pm or so, then all flowers to write up & eggs to blow. Each of the blood pheasant eggs took me half an hour this evening.

31st May Halt Langong. Rained hard all night & all today without a stop. Went up with the intention of crossing the Shethang La to the Sur La side & collecting there. We went due S. from camp & climbed far too high, having to drop a good deal when we knew which the valley was at the head of which the La lies. It rained very hard all day & blew half a gale, so that collecting was almost impossible. I had no feeling in my hands nor had Tsongpen. The La lies at a bearing of approx 145° from Langong & is about 4-5 miles distant. We were unable to reach it, the final ascent of about 700 ft appearing - in the mist - to be very steep indeed, & was deeply covered in snow. Snow will not melt for at least a month. I should guess its height at 15000' about, or perhaps more. I shot what I hope is the wanted bird - Phyll

SUMMARY:
Entries describe camps and travel around the Langong Chu Valley near Langong with rainy weather, extensive botanical observations (including Berberis, Meconopsis, and several Primula), and bird sightings such as snowcock eggs and blood pheasant. Notes mention an attempt toward the Lo La pass, information that Tsari Sama (Tsari SARPA) will not open until August, and companions Tsongpen and Chulia (the latter unwell).

CONTENT:
29

Berberis ludlowii 3851 is very common just in flower now. A fine big-flowered Berberis, 3851 is also common. The flowers are not yet close together however.

Langong Chu Valley
26th May. Camp 2 miles E. of Langong. 7 miles. Rained all night. Fine with showers all day. We started off in good style, finding many flowers, but then got out of the area, and here they are hardly out yet. Found the first Meconopsis betonicifolia 3869, in flower, a good colour. Primula alpicola is just coming into flower in one place, with the yellow form, otherwise red form. Not enough to take as specimens yet. Cremanthodium do exist here; I have seen several close to camp. Saw many snowcock eggs. Blood pheasant also seen in two places. Tsongpen shot one, but it fell at our feet and was too quick for us, running at the rate of knots into the forest again.
Fritillaria cirrhosa 3865, Pieris diffusa 3863, Rhododendron anthopogon 3861, Lysimachia prolifera 3860
Meconopsis betonicifolia 3859, Myricaria dahurica 3870

To Langong, Langong Chu Valley
27th May. Langong. 3 miles. B.P. 190.8. Temp. 58°. Time 11.00 am. Ht approx. 12083'. Rained at night. No sun today, clouded with some showers. This is a lovely valley, broad, with open grassy meadows on the left bank, but forested down to the river on the right. There are very few flowers of interest though. We saw lots of old signs of Primula cawdoriana in one nala. Primula pantlingii, P. hopeana (3880), P. sikkimensis, and P. alpicola are all coming into flower. The headman is not here just now. From information Tsongpen heard, Tsari Sama will not be open till August. It is known more as Tsari SARPA (= new) than Tsari Sama, though both are used. I shot one blackbird here today. They are very common indeed. Instead of skinning, I have injected 8 drops of a 1 to 20 solution of formalin, and 2 drops up the anus. Chulia has a bad head, looks as if he might have fever. I have no aspirin, but luckily have a little quinine and some Ortal. There are lots of Cremanthodium about.

28th May. Halt. Langong. Misty and rain nearly all day. Tsongpen T. went up towards a pass almost due South of Langong. The only name I can get is the Lo La. There is another Lo La further West. All seem to be called the same, just because Lopas come over them. It was misty; I never saw the actual Pass, though I should think it would be 15,000' and about 5-6 miles from Langong. We mean to go again. For a long way, there was nothing at all in the flower line; it began to be a bit...

SUMMARY:
Notes record a decision to go up the Langong Chu and halt for five days until coolies are available, with a message to Ludlow at Lhoda Chu near Moto and mention of Ludlow at Sengo Samba. Bird observations include Trochalopteron henrici being common, Ibis bill pairs below the village, and numerous Turdus albocinctus; Pyrrhula erythaca is noted at 11,000 ft. Plant entries such as Streptopus simplex, Me. betonicifolia, and Me. paniculata are listed with numbers.

CONTENT:
L. & B. L & S decide to go as far up the
Langong Chu & halt there for 5 days.

• until coolies become available

  To
  Ludlow at Lhoda Chu
  near Moto.

  Streptopus simplex 1866
  Me. betonicifolia 1865
  Desc of journey

  Trochalopteron
  ibi 76 T. Henrici everywhere. - Prince Henri's Laughing Thrush

  Ibis bill : 3 pairs below the village.

  This blackbird seems both to the N. of the main
  ibi 189 Turdus albocinctus, numerous. river & is quite common in Langong valley.
  Pyrrhula erythaca erythaca It has a pleasing song.
  P. erythaca at 11000 ft in thick jungle. Beavan's Bullfinch

  Ludlow at Sengo Samba.
  Lho La Chu

  Me. paniculata 1869.
  x P. vossa 1868

SUMMARY:
Field notes from Langong list multiple Primula specimens with observations on flowering, variation, and a possible hybrid, and note nearby passes (Lo La/Shethang La and Chubumbu La) used in July–August. Bird nesting records for Crossoptilon harmani and Blood Pheasant at about 12,000 ft are dated 28–29 May 1938.

CONTENT:
Langong - May 38. Primula macrocephala 3889, R. laudandum 3900, agglutinatum form 3902, Lil. nanum 3903, Gaultheria trichophylla 3905, Androsace delavayi 3906, Mec. integrifolia 3909, Trichophragma 3910, Lloydia serotina 3915.

30a Littledalei Langong

3892. Primula rotundifolia. Very early. Almost in full bloom, certainly so in a good many cases. It was in full flower on the Kashong La (15000') on 15th July.

3893. Primula chamaethauma. Has a very short flowering period, and grows where snow has just melted.
      Flowers vary a good deal in colour, but I think the very great majority are almost the same.
      When flowers fall off, the scape has not yet appeared. But this is not always the case as is shown by —

3894 P. chamaethauma x P. Roylei? 3893 and 3894 grow together. 3894 are a few specimens which seem rather different to the typical form. Both grow among P. Roylei. Is this one a cross between 3893 and P. Roylei? The long scape and the short pedicels rather point that way, and the colour of the flower is nearer P. Roylei. But it has none of the unpleasant smell of the latter, which was very noticeable in the plants of P. Roylei here.

3895. Primula macrophylla. I was not sure whether to call this P. macrophylla or P. macrocarpa. It differs from each, as far as I have seen them before. It is small for P. macrophylla, and has a very large white ring outside the eye at the base of the lobes.

3896. Primula sikkimensis. Langong.

3897. Primula yargonjensis. Langong.

VALLEY TO SOUTH has a path up it by which Lopas come in July - August. It is known as the Lo La on the South side, and the SHETHANG LA this side. Rough bearing from Langong = 145°.

VALLEY to Lopa country leaving the main valley about 1 1/2 m W. of Langong leads to the CHUBUMBU LA, also not open till July - August.

LANGONG CROSSOPTILON HARMANI. c/7. 12000'. 28.5.38. All eggs difficult to blow. Nest said to be in a hole under shrubs, no particular making of a nest, just use of a natural place.

BLOOD PHEASANT. I. kuseri. c/6 12000' 29.5.38. Chicks with a few feathers on them in all eggs. Nest under a dwarf juniper bush, in a hole in the ground. No special things used for nest, just made with the leaves of the juniper, dead grass and moss. Not lined in any way. Parent bird had been driven off before I arrived, but a few feathers of her blood pheasant were in nest, and 2 birds within 40 yds.

SUMMARY:
Lists live plants to be sent by KLM freight to London and the R.B.G. Edinburgh, noting a large quantity of roots, bulbs, and tubers collected. Describes severe weather at Chumbumbu La and successful but difficult seed collecting trips from Langong to the Chiniung La, with plans to march to Migyitun.

CONTENT:
75 Live Plants Collected
Chumbumbu La Oct 17 P. chionantha 6609 P. elizabethae 6610
mec. violacea 6611.

...the live plants wanted, which are now: 1 small plant Pedicularis, 1 small Primula Aliciae, 1 Elizabethae (Lola) 2 Tsariensis (Lola) 1 Rowlei (Lola) & laeta (Lola) 1 ? Clutterbuckii (Lola) 1 Boothii (Lola) 1 yellow Pet. Sect. (Lola) 1 big plant Tsariensis (Lola) 1 yellow Pet sect (Tsari Sama) 1 yellow Pet sect (Chumbumbu La) 1 Elizabethae (Chumbumbu La). All these are at the moment timed to arrive in London on the 12th Dec, & in the R.B.G. Edinburgh on early morning of 13th! Ludlow & Taylor also have a good bundle of roots too, & altogether we have far more roots, bulbs & tubers than ever brought back before. So I hope we get them successfully home this time. I intend to send all by KLM freight, & shudder at the thought of how much they will cost.

17th October. Langong. Rain all night & day. Very cold indeed on the Chumbumbu La, in fact everywhere. Today was a repetition of yesterday, really beastly weather, a strong wind driving rain & sleet. We got a few seed of P. Elizabethae 6610, roots of it & of the Pet. Primula & also seeds of the Primula aff. Clutterbuckii, which I did not expect. Also a few of Omphalogramma brachysiphon 3952. The others I have taken as these are probably nearly all O. minus, with perhaps a small mixture of O. brachysiphon. So cold & beastly up the last camp, that as we were back by 12.30, we packed up at once & came on here, arriving at 4.0pm. No sign of rain stopping, in fact the locals say this is a very wet month, rain below & snow on the hills. We thus save a day, & tomorrow I must go up to the Chiniung La to finish off the Langong collecting.

18th October. Halt. Heavy rain all night & all today. Tsongpen & I went up to the Chiniung La, making an early start. Snow was everywhere above about 13500 & nearly a foot deep on the Pass. However we did better than I expected, & got some of all the seeds we were for except the little dwarf Lonicera, which had dropped its seed & was hardly to be seen. P. macrocarpa had very few seed, nearly every capsule was blind. And so now I have finished all seed collecting from flowers seen this year. The rest of our march is either over new ground, or over the old 1936 ground. But there can be little but Rhododendrons with any seed left. All seems fixed for our march to Migyitun on the 20th, rather to my surprise. At present I cannot make out the route, but

SUMMARY:
Diary notes from Lang La record snow, limited rhododendrons in the valley bottom, and plant collections. The route passes through the Nepar-Molo district with references to paths toward Se La and Langong, and previous finds at Natrampa and Bimbi La. On 14 April they reach Molo, noting measurements and that the headman is away while much of the population has been sent to carry timber to Lhasa.

CONTENT:
Lang La 13th April. Rh. lanatum var. luciferum 3620. Mec. betonicifolia 3621, Prim. bryoides 3622

L bank. These two villages, one either side of the river are in a district called Nepar, the whole area being called Nepar-Molo. A path goes up the valley to the south before reaching Kethong to the Se La, so to Langong, not open for 2 months yet. Distance 2 1/2 marches. We are in for bad weather it seems. It is now snowing hard - 1.0 pm. Saw little of interest today. P. atrodentata continues as far as here, but rhododendrons are few in the valley bottom, though the north face is covered dense with them & abies. Down here most of the rhododendrons are R. cinnabarinum, the beautifully coloured one we got in Natrampa & on the Bimbi La.

14th April. To Molo. 4 miles. B.P. 193.0° Temp. 56° Time 1.30 pm. Ht. 10700 ap. At last we have reached the place we are aiming at. But our luck is not yet in. There is nothing out here, except the local people. We find that the headman is away & not only that but 2/3rds of the population have been made to carry timber to Lhasa to make or remake a

SUMMARY:
Field notes record Primula and other alpine plants from Palung to above Talitsa and around Lang La, including observations above Tautsa’s north face. Specimens 3610–3619 were noted on the east and west sides of Lang La, with details on abundance, coloration differences by aspect, and elevation up to 12,000 feet.

CONTENT:
MB
Primula atrodentata common from Palung to above Talitsa, in flower but only 1" high. A great percentage of flowers are white.

Primula Jaffreyana common above larch forest above Tautsa North face.

Lang La

3610 Small gentian sp. (stelliveris group) Lang La W. side. (four striations to each petal)
3611 Primula Roylei (Calderiana). Lang La. In bud. Common both sides of pass.
3612 Primula atrodentata. Lang La E. side. Common from Pan Pass to 12000'. Blue on E, white on west.
3613 Rhod. Thomsonii sp. Lang La. Common E. side.
3614 Mec. horridula. Lang La W. side. Small form.
3615 Iris sp.
3616 Primula macrophylla sp. Lang La E side.
3617 Rhododendron sp. (wallichii). Lang La E side. Dried specimen with seed.
3618 Rhododendron sp. (clementinae). Lang La E side. Dried specimen with seed.
3619 Rhododendron sp. (calianthum). Lang La E side. Dried specimen with seed.