Showing 6828 results

SUMMARY:
The diarist collected flowers, including a new Lonicera, and noted a small remote village. After resolving a delay when their dakchi was engaged by another man, the mail was sent around 11:00 with a promise of return by the twelfth day. They refused to exchange Tibetan notes, gathered local paper for drying specimens, arranged transport with an accompanying man for tomorrow, and recorded trouble with coolies over pay.

CONTENT:
got one or two flowers including a new Lonicera. There is a small village of 2 houses or jompa up there, tucked away in a very steep valley. When I came back I found the mail had not gone. Our dakchi was engaged by another man as servant. I was pretty vexed at that, sent for him, but luckily the 'new master' had just gone off on the kunghon, so we sent the mail off soon after 11.0. He promises to be back by the twelfth day. Today has been a succession of interruptions - would I change silver Rs. for notes, had I a torch bulb for sale, would I give the pretty girl's brother some cigarettes. The notes turned out to be Tibetan notes, so I refused. I never knew there were such things as Tibetan notes. We have collected about 50 more sheets of local paper, so now have a pretty good supply of drying paper available till the mail comes in. We are promised transport for tomorrow, & have a man appointed to come with us as far as we want him to make all arrangements. So all now seems set fair. There has been some trouble with coolies which I cannot quite make out. They refused to come & reported getting too little money or pay. They were

SUMMARY:
The writer discusses notable rhododendrons collected, plans to leave on the 6th, and having sent mail via the Trim headman to Chayul, asking him to collect meconopsis seeds from the Drichung La. A passport misunderstanding with the local Lama is resolved, leading to assistance, and the writer comments on Lumsden’s poor performance while noting Ludlow’s rhododendron likely matches R. campylogynum.

CONTENT:
He must have brought back 15 other rhododendrons, some of which will I think extend the known range of Chinese varieties a long way further to the West. The pick of the bunch seems to be what I think K.W calls the Scarlet Runner, and another raisin coloured one, with bloom and all, which was most noticeable. We decided to leave here on the 6th and are busy packing up all flowers and birds, and re-arranging stores once more. We sent off a mail yesterday morning, the Trim headman taking it as far as Chayul. I have told him to try and collect seeds of the pink meconopsis from the Drichung La in a month to 6 weeks time, as he lives pretty close to its habitat. The Lama here we now find, was really under the impression, as everyone else was, that we had no passport. Hence our difficulty when here before. We have now shown it him, and he has sent men all over the place saying we must have whatever we want. Lumsden I gather was a complete washout. He collected nothing and did nothing all the way. He will not interest himself in anything at all. The rhododendron 'Scarlet Runner' which Ludlow found seems to be R. campylogynum, or something very near it. I

SUMMARY:
The writer reports finding P. caveana and, with Tundup’s collections, totals 27 gatherings, then receives mail including two lots from Kalimpong and letters from Betty, who has found P. jigmediana again. They comment on Hicks’ limited results with the camera, news that Bhutan’s treaty matters seem settled, car delivery news from Chris, and concern over the Paro Penlop’s worsening condition as H.H. cannot visit. On 15th June they halt in camp, send mail to Betty, Kalimpong, and H.H., note heavy showers, and remark on large butter consumption.

CONTENT:
Primula farinosa 19149
Primula sapphirina 19147
Meconopsis horridula 19136
Cremanthodium decaisnei 19148
Cypripedium himalaicum 19131
Cypripedium elegans 19134
Orchis chusua 19129
19144

valley to the east and found P. caveana in full flower, and with a few things collected by Tundup, we are 27 gatherings in all. I was busy writing these up when the mail arrived, and a good mail too, with two lots from Kalimpong, and two letters of 23rd - 28th from Betty. She has done pretty well I think, and has found P. jigmediana for the second time only. They also have P. caveana I suppose most of what I have otherwise. She seemed more cheerful too, but Hicks is not a great success I fear. He wrote to me in a cheerful enough way, and realized he was not as good as he might be. I fear he hasn't done much with the camera, whether the camera's or his fault I don't know. There was no special news in the mail I think except that Bhutan now seems to have all points of their Treaty settled at last, not badly either, if India keeps the bargain. Chris tells me the car I ordered at home on "18 months delivery" in Nov. last, will be delivered in June - now. That is rather unfair to him I feel, but it's very nice to know I won't have to take our car home. Paro Penlop is apparently worse, and H.H. very sorry he cannot manage to go and see him which he feels he certainly ought to do. I suppose it is cancer without doubt now. As there was such a lot to do, I decided to send off a mail tomorrow and not go out after flowers.

15th June Halt. Stayed in camp and sent off a mail to Betty and to Kalimpong and to H.H. Fine with some heavy showers. Nothing to report. I find we have disposed of over a maund of butter in 3 weeks, and cannot think how that could possibly

SUMMARY:
Expected malaria patients from Punakha did not appear, despite H.H.’s orders, leading to frustration and letters to H.H. and Tobsgye. On 20 Oct the party marched to Taluku, found the hut gone, noted a better camp at Nahila, and collected 47 bulbs of Lil. Wallichianum; on 21 Oct they reached Balimape, where the Zimpon was away in Ha.

CONTENT:
shrubs all the way down, but otherwise the place looks dry. We were to have had 40 malaria cases here waiting for us, from Punakha, whose blood Hicks was to make slides of to see what kind of malaria they all suffer from. H.H. ordered these men to be produced. But there was nothing here, all the Dzongpon said was "There is no fever in Punakha". If this is really so, which I very much doubt, then all our gift of 5000 Paludrine is being just thrown away now. I personally think there is a lot of fever, but that the Dzongpon is a fool who has not the energy to call in the sick people. I've written a stinker to H.H. & told Tobsgye all about it. We are both rather sick at this. It seems v. difficult to get anything done for these people. They say they want something done, but then won't do anything, when one tells them what to do.

20th Oct. Taluku. A lovely day, with clouds in the morning, but clearing to the real cold weather dryness. This is an absurdly short march which I only arranged as there was a nice hut here, which would save trouble for the locals in making arrangements. But we got here to find the hut gone. That doesn't really matter as we have tents, but a much better camp would have been at Nahila, 4 miles on. We got 47 very fine bulbs of Lil. Wallichianum on the hillside across the valley here. Some are bigger than I have ever seen, but none has had more than 2 flowers on it, whereas in Kalimpong gardens they can have up to 5 flowers.

21st Oct. Balimape. Again fine though mostly clouded. We got in by 2.0 but kit not till 4.0 - 5.0 pm. The Zimpon is away in Ha, so we are spared any trouble here in the way of conversation & entertainment. He is a pleasant man, but it makes things easier if he is not here.

SUMMARY:
The writer recalls a 1933 arrival with Ludlow at Mangde Chu, aided by Tobgye with mules and beer, notes current finds including Lilium wallichianum and Codonopsis purpurea, and describes a clean bamboo house near Tongsa Dzong. On 4th August at Chendesi, in clear weather they collected many flowers, went via the Lamse La to find Primula hasecharis, and stayed in a bamboo house built two years earlier for H.H.’s visit to Ha.

CONTENT:
108

Mangde Chu. I always remember that bridge, where in July '33, Ludlow & I arrived very hot indeed & somewhat tired after a longish day collecting birds & flowers. Tobgye very kindly had sent down 2 mules for us to ride to Tongsa Dzong, & more welcome still, 2 bottles of beer, kept cold in the river water. The only flowers of note today were Lilium wallichianum (19559), and Codonopsis purpurea (19532), seed of which we must get in October this year. I've taken it before, but not seed. Here they have made a very fine bamboo house of 4 rooms for us, & also stables & cookhouse. I wish it could be kept clean. At present it is unused & absolutely clean, & even smells clean.

4th August. Chendesi. Another perfect day, after a bright clear night. All this clear weather is very unexpected & unusual, but welcome, especially on these potentially leechy days. We took a good many flowers today, & could have taken more, but I have limited space in our boxes now. Here I went up the Lamse La route to get Primula hasecharis (19574), & found it in masses on the same cliff as in '37. Again we are not in tents, but in a bamboo house, built 2 years ago for H.H. when he visited Ha. This was a longer march than I remembered it to be, from 5

SUMMARY:
The diary describes travel along the Mangde Chu with a cantilever bridge leading to Langti, Yundruchöling, and Beling, noting Ashe Paldon's old winter residence and nearby pinus forest. Observations include absence of a small iris seen previously, many monkeys feeding in a large tree, effects of grass burning on regeneration, river suitability, and mapping inaccuracies, with the route leaving Bashaling toward Kiji La.

CONTENT:
23

is crossed opposite this, the beginning of pretty extensive cultivation on the left bank is seen. The path gradually falls to the Mangde Chu at mile 8 there is a strong cantilever bridge, leading to three villages Langti, Yundruchöling, and Beling. In Yundruchöling there is Ashe Paldon's old winter residence and in both places a good deal of cultivation. Above the monastery there is extensive pinus forest, extending for about a mile. We saw no more of the little iris today, which we found yesterday (3001). It seems to grow in a very limited area, where found extended only 100 by 30. There were masses of monkeys today, all feeding on the fruit of a big tree. A good many bits of chir forest could be worked up here. The Mangde Chu is not too good, rather rapid in many places and flowing in a gorge here and there. But I think it could be worked. Burning grass has undoubtedly spoilt big areas, and we saw few young trees. The map is very far out, all the places on the left bank of the Mangde Chu seem to be wrong, and a good many unknown. I have put in the approximate places on my map.

10th May. Kiji La 7 miles. BP 203.2 Temp. 77° Time 1.0pm. Ht. 5300ft.
Fine last night and today. Path leaves Bashaling and follows up