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SUMMARY:
The page records inquiries about the frontier with Tibet, noting Dis (Thib) La as the boundary and classifying Chang Pu and Manam as Bhutanese, Beting on the frontier, and Sanglung as Tibetan. It describes a hot day’s march from Trashiyangsi to Tsirgom via Chunkara monastery, descending to a cantilever bridge near the junction of the Tawang and Tyangsi Chus and then following the Trashiyangsi River.

CONTENT:
interesting birds, but hard or impossible to get in many cases. We are overwhelmed with presents here and really find it most trying and difficult to thank the donor. We asked the local big bugs about the frontier with Tibet today. They are very hazy, like everyone else. However they agree that the frontier is at the Dis (Thib) La: that Chang Pu is Bhutanese: that Manam is Bhutanese: that Beting is on the frontier and that Sanglung is Tibetan. The frontier would therefore appear to follow the Dis La range south for a few miles, then go down a shoulder to the south east meeting the Nyamjang Chu about due E of Beting.

Trashiyangsi 12th October TO TSIRGOM CHUNKARA 8 miles. Ht 2818' (BP. 207.2' Temp. 87°)

Path descends gradually for first two miles, through cultivation, then steeply to a well made cantilever bridge over the Trashiyangsi River at m 5. This bridge is not as shown on the map but 1/4 m above the junction of the Tawang and Tyangsi Chus. The path then keeps close to the river on the right bank within 100 yards of the bank and not more than 100-200' above it, past Chunkara monastery at m 7 to camp Tsirgom in cultivation at m 8.11. A piping hot day, but with a fair breeze all day from 8.0 am on. The drop to the river is a full 3000 ft, much more than it appears.

SUMMARY:
Travel account from Tsetang through Lhagyari over the Putrang La to the Tsangpo at Dzam, along to Nang Dzong, and via the Kongbo Nga La to Molo, noting wetter forests, pheasants, and a large black woodpecker, with arrival at Molo on April 14. Notes include Abba Lulla showing Bailey-related letters and observations of bar-headed geese and the valley's daily wind patterns.

CONTENT:
10a

Ibis 53 . 26 March - April 14.

From Tsetang we proceeded to Lhagyari, a rich and important Dzong lying at the foot of the Putrang La 16,470. We were struck by the change in scenery on the eastern side of the pass. Bare barren mountains now gave place to whole slopes covered with birch & juniper, where pheasants of 2 species

Ibis 377 Crossoptilon crossoptilon harmani } lurked in the Rhododendron undergrowth
Ibis 382 Tetraophasis szechenyii

We were entering on the borders of a much wetter region than any we had passed through since leaving the Chumbi Valley.

From the Putrang La we descended to the level of the Tsangpo at Dzam where giant pollarded peach trees were already in blossom, and marched along the right bank for 4 days to Nang Dzong. At Nang we left the river to avoid a gorge, and ascended to the Kongbo Nga La which we had crossed in 1936. Here, very much to our surprise, we saw several specimens of a large, black, satanic-looking woodpecker

Ibis 369-372 Dryocopus martius khamensis - in burnt larch forest on the western slopes of the pass. From the Kongbo Nga La to Molo we followed our 1936 route reached Molo on April 14.

Go to p. 17a

Ludlow 19
Abba Lulla befriended Bailey in 1913 when he was robbed of all his money on his journey up the Tsangpo with Morshead. The old trader produced Bailey's letter of recommendation for our inspection & seemed very proud of it. He also showed us a letter from K. W. & Cawdor written in April 1924. Large number of bar-headed geese feeding on the newly sprouting grass near the landing ghat.

Ludlow 20.
The dust is very bad in this Tsangpo valley. Regularly every day the wind blows down the valley from 10 am until sunset. Then there is a short period of calm until 10 pm. Then the up-stream wind sets in & (often) blows throughout the night.

SUMMARY:
The diarist travels from Trimo to Marmang and then on to Le, Pangchen, and Shakti, noting a steep river descent suggestive of the Himalayan Range crossing. Botanical observations focus on Rhod. 12548 in mass bloom, with mention of few other flowers, severe flies at Pangchen, and cooperative coolies.

CONTENT:
106

arranged a camp site, then said "all coolies are now ready to take you on - will you go?" It seemed a good chance, so we went on to Marmang, about 7 miles further. The Trimo people are so nice after the more sophisticated Tibetans of the Dzongs. I had no time to look for rhodos. in Trimo, and did not try the Poha route. It is a relief to get away from Trimo, after all the hints that Dzongs from Netong on have been making about the impossibility of getting on from Tsona without a T.G. letter. Saw a magpie in Trimo and two more in Marmang.

24th May Le. Left at 7.0 in at 12. It is longer than expected, this march, and the road rough but not unduly up and down. In fact the path falls all the way, and this must be by far the steepest fall in the river anywhere from its source. It would appear therefore that the line of the main Himalayan Range is between Le and Marmang, as every river I have followed through the Himalayas takes a sudden marked downward inclination when actually passing through the Range. The only interesting flower today was Rhod. 12548 which may be Rhod. maddenii odoriferum. As seeds I have often taken seed before, but never seen the flower, which is beautiful and very fragrant indeed.

25th May Pangchen. Fine till we got in. Not good for flowers. But Rhod. 12548 was in masses all the way, and still in flower everywhere. It is a very fine shrub. Rhod. thasdotum was seen, but no sign of flowers anywhere. Here the flies are terrible. I have never seen so many flies before. We were to stay a day, but had to give up. It would be no rest with flies as they are here.

26th May Shakti. Coolies came on very well indeed, and the people here are good. They do not like copper shokangs but they want

SUMMARY:
After shooting two snowcock, the party descends to the Seti Chu, then ascends the Dza La en route from Mago toward Tsona and descends to Cen where herdsmen are camped. They collect Gentiana amoena (2773) and another Gentian (2772) but most seeds are worm-eaten; Tenduk is sick, others have headaches, and the day is very cold and windy over two 17,000 ft passes.

CONTENT:
196

Shot two snowcock. Descent easy on South over open scree, yaks and shepherds still at the head of the Seti Chu, which is reached at about m. 8. Here the Mago road continues to the South. The path to the Dza La - direct from Mago to Tsona turns right handed and ascends pretty steeply to the pass at m. 9 1/2. Thence easy descent over rocks at first, grass later, to Cen, where yaks and herdsmen are still camped. On the Dza La I found the Gentiana amoena (G. vernula 2773) we have come all this way for, and collected a good many hundred heads. On sorting them out this evening, I find about 50-60 seeds only, the rest all being eaten by some blasted worm. We also got lots of another Gentian 2772, which may be G. musigena, but it is so dried up that I cannot say what it is. Tenduk was sick this side of the Dza La, and I think the rest have headaches. A hard day, with two passes over 17,000 ft. Last night the wind never dropped at all, but blew hard down the valley all night and today too. The passes were very cold indeed. Here the wind is much less. The atmosphere was as clear as could be. I rather think there may be a few clouds forming for tomorrow, but we have no grouse, and the worst passes are over.

SUMMARY:
While awaiting Taylor’s arrival at Molo on 17 May 1940, the party planned a four-week excursion south of the Himalayas and left Molo on 22 April for the Pachakshiri district. The page notes the rich flora of Sikkim and Bhutan toward the Tsangpo gorge and recalls a 1936 split expedition in the Tsari District, where Ludlow briefly explored near Lo La and Nyug La, revealing notable alpine flora.

CONTENT:
II
Ludlow - Sherriff
From Molo to Pachakshiri and back. April - May 1940.

We calculated that Taylor would not reach Molo till May 17th, so Ludlow and I had nearly four weeks in which to make a trip to the south of the Himalayas. Eastward from Mago little botanical exploration has been carried out south of the main axis, owing to the unfriendly tribes which inhabit that region. The flora of Sikkim and Bhutan is rich, and owing to increased rainfall as one goes eastward towards the Tsangpo gorge, it probably becomes richer. We therefore left Molo on the 22nd April full of hopes of getting a rich harvest from the Tibetan District of Pachakshiri, which lies southeast of Molo.

In 1936, when Ludlow and I visited the Tsari District, we split into two parties in the second half of June. I kept to the area where the various branches of the Subansiri River cut through the Himalayas, while Ludlow went east to Molo, with the intention of getting over the main axis to Pachakshiri. He had not much time, and owing to this, and the difficulty of getting transport to take him to Pachakshiri he was only able to spend a short time near the Lo La and a day or two on the Nyug La, near Lhalung. But these few days were ample to show how exceptionally interesting was the Alpine flora of the district visited. To take only the Genus Primula: Ludlow found the following new

SUMMARY:
Notes two Primula specimens and common birds observed, including Phylloscopus tibetanus and a juvenile ruby-throat. Describes the route from camp over the Mira La to Chomo Dzong with multiple river crossings and mentions a large monastery, and the Shambuling Chu entering the Nyang Chu valley.

CONTENT:
600
Younghusband

6061. Primula Nivalis sect aff. macrocarpa. I don't know this primula. The flower is very like that of P. macrocarpa as found near here. But the habitat is more like that of P. rotundifolia, the leaves are very unlike P. macrocarpa, being more the texture of P. Jaffreyana or P. rotundifolia. The calyx lobes also are very long, the white farina is like that on P. rotundifolia.
6062. Primula sp. (Minutissimae) pumilio Very little seen.

BIRDS. No. 1, 2, 3, Phylloscopus tibetanus. Pretty common here, all in dwarf rhododendron, dwarf juniper & salix. But in bad condition. All seem to have lost their tails.
No. 4. Ruby throat. A juvenile ♂, not ♀.

From Camp 12th May, to CHOMO-DZONG. The valley divides at camp, the southerly valley being the route followed by pilgrims round a mountain. The westerly valley is followed for 2 miles, after which the path leads up the hillside to the north toward the Mira La, reached after passing a small lake, in 3½. Descent on North side steep at first, to m 4½, then in broad open valley to m 7, passing some yak herd huts, L. From here to Chomo Dzong, the path is pretty steep descent, through forest, the path crossing the river several times, reaching Chomo Dz on the L bank at m 20. There is a large monastery at Chomodzong. The Shambuling Chu enters the Nyang Chu valley at 250° M.