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SUMMARY:
Hunting continues and a Kalij is taken; tensions erupt between the Loto and Lome headmen, causing fights among coolies until Thompson calms the situation. The party travels toward Lubong and then Dzama in perfect weather, noting pine forests, landslides, seeds of Gaultheria, and views toward Gyala Peri and Namcha Barwa from near the Karma La.

CONTENT:
Hunting goes on here; one is constantly hearing the sound of a gun. I got one of Kalij this afternoon. There are two districts in this part of the Po Tsangpo below Trulung—Loto and Lome, divided at Dzama, each having a headman.

21st Feb. LUBONG 5 1/2 m. The day started badly. Some coolies came early, some did not come. The headman of Loto, who was in charge, started cursing the coolies of the Lome headman and hit one. This started a regular fight with fists and sticks and a hell of a noise. We eventually got off, the headman staying behind shouting at everyone. He caught us up later, saying 3 men were after him with knives. But the trouble seemed to have settled till we got here, when it flared up again between the two headmen, who tried to throttle each other. Thompson did good work in quieting them down. The day was good, and the views fine. But we badly want a clear day tomorrow, as from the Karma La, both Gyala Peri and Namcha Barwa are visible, I'm told. It looks promising for tomorrow at present. We got seed of two Gaultherias, one with white fruit, locally called Sülü, which we have not seen before. The people here are nice, but the day has been somewhat spoilt by this awful row going on all the time. There is still very little to see of flowers of any kind, and I don't think we will get much either. Mostly the path is through pine forest, and there have been many landslides on both sides of the river. We saw a few Luculia trees, perhaps Luculia Pinceana, but in unripe fruit. From about 300' above camp, two very high snow mountains appear, one at bearing approx 170° (Namcha Barwa?) the other at approx 205° (Gyala Peri?). In the evening the headmen's quarrel was made up, and both were perfectly happy together. I prefer the Lome headman, who takes us on from tomorrow.

22nd Feb. Dzama Left at 7.15. In at 1.30. A perfect day. Cold at night, but not a cloud all day, and the views astonishingly lovely. This is no easy route, but one well worth coming, especially if one gets weather like we are now having. It is absolutely perfect. Both of us are tired this evening, after the very steep ascent to the Karma La, which is a little

SUMMARY:
Notes on finches, monal, and partridge near the Karma La, with rhododendrons (including Rhod. scopulorum) observed in flower and seed around Tsakchung, Tangdong, and Lubong. A man from Pemako reports the Su La route may be possible with coolies, while at Tangdong the party rests, collects flea sticks and peach seed, and remarks on the Loto Dingpon’s inefficiency and signs of spring.

CONTENT:
blossom - big flowers of a good colour. I got into a bunch of finches in the forest this side of the pass and collected four. They appear different to any we have so far collected. Their call is different to the orange-breasted bullfinch, but I did here see one or two orange-breasted bullfinches sitting feeding with these birds. Rhododendrons have come on quite a bit since we went to Tsakchung; we found many of the red lanatum one, and one or two virgatum Ser. in flower.

28th Feb. Lubong. Some rain at night, mostly clouded today. On the way up to the Karma La I put up six monal, all ♀'s and was unable to see if they were 'dang' or 'tse'. Otherwise only game seen were partridge. The rhododendron which we saw in bud on our way to Tsakchung was just out - only one flower - but it is a fine rhod. and I am glad we have a fair amount of seed of it, collected before, both at Tangdong and at Tsakchung. (Rhod. scopulorum 12264 in flower: 12231 in seed and 12231A). Otherwise nothing of interest, except a thrush found in the same spot as on our way out. The man whom we met at Tsakchung, who had come up from Pemako, says the Su La route is possible, and he thinks we will be able to get coolies. He would perhaps help us too, as he knows Loba language and has been through the country to the south of Tortong. This opens up possibilities, and we may yet get out that way.

1st March Tangdong. Some rain at night, but a lovely day. We were in by 10.30, but enjoyed having plenty of time to sit and rest. Most of this time we spent in hunting for flea sticks, both of which have given us a lot of trouble lately. Our hunt was very successful and a good bag resulted. We find the same peach in flower here. It has a most beautiful very large flower, so we took seed. Coolies very poor today. The Loto Dingpon is not nearly so efficient as the Lome one, and there always seems to be great talk when he is about, and then inefficiency. There is a great difference again visible. Rhod. virgatum is in flower in several places. Trees are showing life and catkins visible here and there. The sky also shows a change. There are more cumulus clouds about, which I take to be a sign of spring.

SUMMARY:
Detailed route description from Lubong to Dzama, including streams, cultivation areas, the hut BRANGCHAM, and a steep ascent to Karma La with extensive views of the Gyala Peri Range. Bearings to nearby peaks and landmarks are recorded from Karma La, and bird observations are noted at Dzama and Lubong on 22/2.

CONTENT:
58

Lubong to Dzama. 7½ miles.

Path leaves village and climbs gently to a small pass at ½ m. Thence steep descent to a side stream at m 1. After this descent less steep to m 2½ where another side stream is crossed by a bridge. Shortly after this, path begins to climb, enters cleared area of cultivation. At m 3½ one hut, called BRANGCHAM, is passed, where there is more cultivation. Climb continues a short way beyond this, then path descends a little and crosses two streams close together at m 4½. From here steep ascent begins to Karma La, which is reached at m 6. Ascent steep the whole way. A magnificent view of the snow peaks from Sanglung to the whole Gyala Peri Range is here seen. Descent very steep to Dzama at m 7½ in dense forest. There is a well-built wooden shelter for coolies here.

Bearings from Karma La.
To pass on Trulung Ridge above junction of river into Tsangpo Canyon. 315°.
To Namcha Barwa. 186°.
To Gyala Peri. 215°.
To next peak West of Gyala Peri. 232°.
To next peak again West. 242°.
To last peak of range. 255°.

Birds

5. Thrush. Female. Iris Brown. Bill yellow. Legs yellow same as bill. Dzama 22/2.
6. Honeysucker. Female. Iris Brown. Bill dark horn. Legs brown. Dzama 22/2.
7. Swallow Shrike? - pale slate blue. Upper Mandible black, Lower Mandible pale slate blue. Legs pale pinkish brown. Sex ?? Dzama 22/2.
8. Bar-winged Laughing Thrush. Male - Brown. Bill dark horn. Legs pale brown. Male. Lubong 22/2.