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SUMMARY:
Single catalogue entry recording a female Seicercus b. burkii (Black browed flycatcher warbler) dated 17 May 1933, specimen no. 1776. The entry is marked as checked.

CONTENT:

1776. 17.5.33. ♀ Seicercus b. burkii. Black browed flycatcher warbler. ✓

SUMMARY:
The diary records medical aid to many locals, hunting and bird observations near Tonse and Saman, and a major forest fire near Tonse Dzong filling the valley with smoke. After halts and a cold, windy lake crossing to Be, the writer notes help from the local headman and visits nearby iron mines, describing the shaft and a small blast furnace and taking ore samples.

CONTENT:
57

Threatening looking. Half the population came today for medicine. There were about 20 in the morning, followed by 60 after lunch. We did not go out today. Lahu got 3 geese, 1 at the Tonse and 2 near Saman.

6th Feb. Halt. Went upstream again towards Tonse Dzong. Last night the forest on the hill near the Dzong had been set on fire and was blazing all day today. The whole valley was filled with blue smoke, visibility very poor. We did not quite reach the Dzong. I saw 3 kingfishers, and shot two. The little ringed plover I got the other day are paired off and apparently breeding. Saw a few geese - about 30 mallard. The kingfishers are I think only the second we have seen in SE Tibet in all our trips. Once we saw one near Charme (Sanga Choling). There are undoubtedly fish in the lake, as there are a number of goosander and some cormorants always to be seen. The locals say they cannot catch fish in winter, as the water is too clear and the fish see the hooks.

7th Feb. Halt. Stayed in camp. It is getting very warm nowadays, as the max. temp shows. The whole valley is now filled with blue smoke, the fire at Tonse continues.

8th-9th Feb. Halt.

10th Feb. Be. Cold and a strong wind up the lake. We took 2 1/2 hours in the double boat to reach here, and it was very cold indeed. The Dzongpon's 'tsap' refused to come at the last moment.

11-12 Feb. Very cold all day, but gradually clearing up. Local headman is a good soul and helps a great deal in getting our supplies.

13th Feb. Went up to the iron mines, about 3 miles above Be, and 200' up from the lake. The shaft goes into the hillside at an angle down of about 10°. It is 40-50' long and does not appear to be used much. I took samples of the ore. It is smelted at the same place. The blast furnace is a hollow about 6 ft x 3' x 3', with two hollow holes and a hole in the roof.

[Diagram labels:]
hole for smoke
holes for bellows
this part bricked up when full of ore and charcoal. Iron when smelted goes to bottom and is then taken out.

SUMMARY:
A Jongpen provided sugar, dried fruit, and a rifle for a potentially dangerous journey to the Lola, and is praised—along with the Chayul Jongpens—as helpful and pro-British. On 3 November at Yar Shika, the party travelled in fine weather; Ludlow went on ahead, and the writer reviewed the first part of Damon’s collection while contending with strong winds and uncertain information about the Karta-Pula Dza La route between Trashi Trongme and Tsuna. On 4 November at Shio Dzong, conditions were again good with peaks clearing by morning.

CONTENT:
should be made, she says he did it with great success. Sugar & kishmish were provided by the Jongpen. The latter said that perhaps they would be in danger going to the Lola that they should take a rifle with them. He gave one, & made them take it, which I think was extremely good of him. He gave a great deal of help all the way, & undoubtedly he & the Chayul Jongpens are very nice helpful people, & both very pro-British.

3rd November. Yar Shika. 11500? 12 m. A perfect day. Left at 6.30, in at 1.30 pm. Ludlow went on further from here, & I believe transport was very late. Went over the first 45 of Damon's collection, they are very uninteresting so far. But we are reaching the more interesting zone. I'm afraid he missed a great deal. There is a perfectly hellish wind here tonight, though there was hardly any till 3.0 pm. I can find out nothing about the Karta-Pula Dza La route, though one man said two days from Trashi Trongme to Tsuna, which is obviously all wrong.

4th November. Shio Dzong 15m. 13200' Another perfect day: all the peaks are cloudy, but clear by 7.0 am. There were no gymnosperms in

SUMMARY:
The diarist travels from a halt to Gyechar, meeting H.H. and Luden, is given tea by Tasho Penlo Wangdi at Lame Gompa, and notes magnificent Thalictrum while Ngudup prepares food; Betty slips and hurts her arm but improves the next day. They proceed to Trongsa Dzong, collect some seeds, receive further provisions from H.H., and then march toward Tashiling under clear skies.

CONTENT:
105

31st July - Halt. Another good day, with very heavy rain indeed at night. Each day here has been good & each night very very wet. We were left alone today, except for a few odd things sent to us from someone.

1st August - Gyechar Again fine & sunny until after we reached here at 2.0pm, when there was some rain. We left at 8.0 & H.H. & Luden came out to meet us. Then on, past Lame Gompa where Tasho Penlo Wangdi gave us tea & 'ao-ed' to us from the window of the Dzong. It was very hot & sunny, but very pretty up to the pass, where the Thalictrum (chelidonii?) was really magnificent. Some of the plants were 10 feet high, bearing huge heads of flowers. We should get ample seed there. Ngudup came on here to give us food & see that all was in readiness for us. Betty stood the journey well, but two slips on the clay path near the end hurt her arm a good deal.

2nd August - Trongsa Dzong. From 5.10 am till 11.45, with halt on top of the pass, & the usual flower halts. A perfect day, blue sky & bright sun, of course very hot indeed down here, but there is a breeze. Nothing much to be seen on the way, of any interest, but we got some seeds - of 2 raspberries, & a few of Streptopus & Clintonia. We should get more on our way back. Betty much better today, not feeling her arm so much. H.H. has provided food again here for us all, servants included.

3rd August - Tashiling A clear night & hardly a cloud in the sky this morning. A good march, never too hot, as we were off by 5.15, through the huge Dzong, & down to the bridge over the

SUMMARY:
The diarist records a cable from Taylor about plans to arrive in Calcutta on April 2, then details travel from Kala to Gyantse with strong winds and dust storms, wildlife sightings and shooting, and use of the wireless. Mail reports from Wright Smith on the 1937 primulas, and upon reaching Gyantse they call on Richardson, Dr Morgan, Colbourne, Hudson, and receive a friendly visit from Tendong.

CONTENT:
NB read a cable from Taylor "Passed Doctor. Absence extended December. Arrive Calcutta April 2nd."
That is one thing now settled. Ludlow went out at the hot springs with his gun, and got 1 teal, 1 pintail and 1 mallard. I sent Punso out here with the .22 rifle and he hit 3 geese but got none. Very cold in the evening, clouded in the North.

3rd March. To Kala. 12 miles. A perfectly fine day. Even when we left at 7:30 the wind was very strong, and we finished in a filthy dust storm. Rham tso frozen all over this end, but a good many duck and geese seen. The river connecting the Rham tso and the Kala tso was quite dry, a most unusual thing. By 1:00 pm clouded all over. We had the wireless out last night, and it was as good as could be wished for.

4th March. To Samoda. 14 miles. Fine, with no wind while we crossed the Kala plain. Even in the evening there was little, a great relief after yesterday. We saw a big herd of kiang on the plain and got a telephoto cine of them. 18 gazelle were too nervous. Above Samoda at the springs were some duck, and one obliging solitary snipe. Ludlow and I had 3 shots at it with the catapult, then Tsompen got it on his second shot.

5th March. To Khangma. 14 miles. A beastly day, wind very strong, with dust storm. Tsompen shot a merganser, Ludlow missed 8 mallard with dust shot .410 and then got 3 partridges with one shot. Jill (dog) rather happier today and her feet not so sore. David has been feeling the height and wind, and having bad headaches, but he seems alright today and much happier.

6th March. Saugong. 14 miles. Fine day, cleared up late at night. Mail came in about 8:00 pm. Wright Smith has now settled all points about my 1937 primulas, with the possible exception of 3301 which he thinks is P. chasmophila. Seeds have germinated, and I expect he will wait till they flower. Saw more duck and partridge on the way and shot 1 partridge, when five burhel got up.

7th March. Gyantse. 15 miles. A very strong wind all day, which caused a dust storm all over the Gyantse plain. Arrived at 12 noon. Called on Richardson, Morgan the doctor (16 B.T.A.) and the two B.O.'s (O.C. 16th Detachment) Colbourne and Hudson. Tendong, now Jongpen of Gyantse, one of Ludlow's old pupils came to call on us, and was most friendly. He is very dirty to look at, but a good soul, and very...

SUMMARY:
A halt day with fine weather was spent in camp changing and drying pressed flowers, planning to collect on the E face of the Khoma Chu beyond the Rip La; Pasang took a jungle walk and Betty was expected to reach Trashigangsi, with remarks on severe flies noted in June 47. On 26 April they marched about 9 miles to Dengchung in mixed weather, disputing reports of no local flowers and snow at Lulu.

CONTENT:
Dengchung, I want to go there. I have agreed to stay there 6 nights and then come straight back to Khoma instead of Tali Gompa. This saves the locals somewhat, as the Dengchu people will have to take me the full march. Today has been our first wholly fine day with no rain at all.

25th April. Halt. Another fine day, with just a little rain around 4.0 am for half an hour and then mist which the sun had to disperse. We had a slack day today, and I remained in camp all day, and changed flowers and took out dry ones. We now are down to only three presses. There was sun nearly all day and flowers are drying well. Pasang went off by himself for a jungle walk but saw nothing at all. I hope tomorrow is fine, as I think we should get a good deal in the wooded E face of the Khoma Chu beyond the Rip La. Betty will have reached Trashigangsi now, and will be glad of the halt they intend to have there. I think that June may be a pretty foul month, as everyone says how bad the flies are there. However we will be pretty high by then, and perhaps they won't worry us unduly. Certainly in June 47 they were dreadful when Betty and I came down through E. Bhutan.

26th April. DENGCHUNG 9 miles BP. 199.2 63° 12.0. Ht. It has again been mostly fine, though we started with rain and have had more in the afternoon. All the reports I got were that down here there were no flowers at all, while at Lulu there was snow. I am convinced both reports are wrong. Certainly there are more flowers here than we

SUMMARY:
Notes discuss arranging a witnessed statement in Bhutan, with Ludlow as the other witness. Diary entries for 16 and 17 May describe heavy rain, mail passing through, letters for Betty, travel by mule from Ungar to Pimi, and plant observations including Rhododendron rhabdotum and a small Anemone noted by Hicks; Ngudup and Damdum are mentioned.

CONTENT:
sign a statement that it is all in order etc before a Notary Public. What a hope, in Bhutan. Ludlow is the other witness, so I don't know what the widow of the deceased will do.

16 May Ungar 5.15 to 11.15. Fine till 11.0 and then very heavy rain indeed all evening. Another mail from H.H. passed through. One letter to me and one to Betty. I added a bunch of letters for Betty, others have gone on. A nasty place and a nasty day. Nudup and Damdum very sad indeed.

17th May. Pimi. Rain heavy all night, and all today very heavy after an hour of just being fine in the morning. Off at 5.15, in at 9.30. Pimi in my memory will always be a fine place. I won't see it again, or don't want to. I was lucky to get a mule this morning, and found that it could manage up here really very easily. We came slowly, but took just over the four hours. The only thing of interest really was Rhod. rhabdotum, which was fairly common. It also is easy to seed, as Betty will be able to remember the Carmine Cherry tree. Above that about 4-500' is a staircase on the road, there, on the left is plenty of R. rhabdotum. It is a most beautiful thing, especially perhaps in freshly opened yellow rich cream coloured corolla with the red stripes. The little Anemone which Hicks took is also now common, within 1/2 mile of camp, and we should get seed of that too I hope. It is a delicate pretty little plant. No day could be much worse for rain than today. Perhaps it may rain itself dry by the morning. It would be nice if that were to happen. The Ungar people were rather difficult, so Ngudup said, this morning. I confess I would be difficult under similar

SUMMARY:
Travel from Chumpithang to Karponang and then on to Kalimpong in fine but cold weather, with extensive seed collecting including Meconopsis superba and Gentiana depressa. Transport was arranged at Rinchengang for Danang and Tseringpen; Betty was met near Gangtok before reaching Kalimpong, where coolies were paid off and a lorry arranged. Plants were later sent by air from Calcutta via BOAC.

CONTENT:
and most of the way down here. But luckily it cleared up before we reached the pass and was a perfect day. We stopped a good long time on the passes, and collected all the Meconopsis superba seed we could, there must have been 3 or 4 lbs I should think. Beautiful views of clouds everywhere. Got in about dusk and heard that all loads had caught up now.

1st Nov. Chumpithang. Beautiful day, very cold and hard frost in the morning. Found Danang and Tseringpen in Rinchengang still waiting for transport, which we fixed up for them, and came on here. They will come one day later. A good deal of Gentiana depressa in flower still 2 miles before getting here. Stayed here in a tent, as there is now no bungalow.

2nd Nov. Karponang. Another perfect day, and cold but dead clear on the Natu, with a fine view of Chomolhari in the distance. Again in just before dusk, but with all the kit, and also got quite good seed on the way.

3rd Nov. Kalimpong. Met Betty 2 miles above Gangtok, she having started before dawn for through the whole way in the car. Her arm is of course much better, but it is rather disappointing still. Paid off all coolies, arranged a lorry for tomorrow and got home by 3:00 in very good order with plants and everything none the worse.

Later. Sent off plants by air from Calcutta by BOAC.