Showing 6828 results

SUMMARY:
Notes a letter from Tongue reporting that HW does not want Bruce Bakewell and reflections on Bruce’s forest plans. Records travel at 9000 ft along the Longte Chu to Sefu via the Richen Zampa and Richen Chu, with cultivation and wheat threshing observed, and abundant Lilium nepalense above Chendesi.

CONTENT:
Lil. nepalense 3339. 67

a letter from Tongue, in which he mentions that HW does not want Bruce Bakewell. I wonder what HW thinks of the forest plans worked out by Bruce. He cannot realize what he is missing if he does not show any enthusiasm. However it is his show. I cannot do any more than put up the whole thing as I see it to him.

9000ft. 1st July. To Sefu 8 miles. BP. 195.9° Temp. 67° Time 4.0pm. Ht.

Keep up the main Longte Chu for 4 miles. A valley then enters from 150° M, the river of which contains as much or more water than the Longte Chu. There is a bridge here called the Richen Zampa, the valley is called the Richen Chu. Follow up the left bank for 4 miles to Sefu, where a valley enters from the N. West. There is a good deal of cultivation here, the valley is wide and open on both sides. Crops of wheat were being threshed as we arrived. The most interesting flower today was Lilium nepalense, which was very common for the first 2 or 3 miles above Chendesi. It is a grand sight when full open, the tips of sepals and petals being reflexed, and showing the big deep red star inside the tube. Always growing on very steep rocky hillside, among bracken and other such plants. It

SUMMARY:
The diarist records plant collections and observations, noting poor weather but good flowers, and a promising valley toward the Chachu La with yak shelters and a large lake. While halted in camp, they receive mail from Betty via Wangmo’s servant to Bumthang and send replies; they also collect the first seeds of the year. On 3rd July they make a long day trip to Tolegang, pressing 18 specimens including Primula waddellii.

CONTENT:
1st July: Saxifraga brunoniana 19270.
Rhod. calderianum 19277.
Streptopus simplex 19280.
Cardiocrinum giganteum 19284.

...for a few nice things, the best being what I think is a Buddleia, but if so, it's a much bigger flower than B. colvilei (19272) which it somewhat resembles. Lil. giganteum is also common down the valley, and Briggsia (B. muscicola 19266), on a tree, is rather nice. A miserable day for weather, but a good day for flowers.

2nd July. Halt. In camp, and fine in the morning after a night of very heavy rain indeed. From what I saw of the valley towards the Chachu La, it is good. But one would have to spend a night or two up there. There are two yak herds' shelters, one at 13500, and one above 14500 just near the biggest lake I have seen in Bhutan. That would be a good place. There are magnificent cliffs all around, and I did get two nice saxs from the only cliffs I visited. But primulas, other than calderiana and umbratilis were scarce. P. umbratilis is common at 14500 and rather paler. I saw one white one, and hope it may mean that real white ones are close. If we can't get good places in Haubung, we must return there. A mail from Betty came in on 30th night, very surprisingly, sent by Wangmo's servant to Bumthang. So I have written letters to Betty and Wangmo, to go off today if possible — or at any rate tomorrow. We collected the first of this year's seed — P. atrodentata. This is always the first to seed, and unless one takes it soon, it is likely to be eaten by yaks.

3rd July. Halt. Went to Tolegang, and had a day with hardly any rain, but a long one. Left at 6.0 am and back at 5.0 pm rather tired, but with 18 flowers (19330) in the press, some good ones amongst them, including Primula waddellii, which I had forgotten was so very pink and different in colour from P. tenuiloba. There can be no mistaking the two. After reaching the lake, we turned up right...

SUMMARY:
Observations include mass flowering of Primula whitei around 14,000 ft and a pale yellow Sikkimensis-type primula likely from hybridisation. On 10 June the party halted, marked several Primula populations, recorded Primula vernicosa as a notable westward occurrence, kept busy drying specimens, and planned to return to Phobjikha via the Pele La Range towards Chendebi while collecting a few Rhododendron variants.

CONTENT:
P. flagellaris 3231.
Lloydia serotina 3232 Cypripedium tibeticum 3233

It has up to 4 flowers on a scape of 3" on pedicels of 3/4". At about 14000 or a little over P. whitei was in flower in masses still, & the flowers were on the whole bigger than low altitude, early ones. Among a mass of P. Hopeana 3227, I saw a few plants of a Sikkimensis primula coloured pale yellow, tinged with pink 3228. This presumably is the result of hybridisation. We have so far seen no P. sikkimensis, nor of P. Waltoni.

10th June. Halt. - Rained most of the night, but fine & overcast nearly all today. I have marked with 12 stakes the new little petiolaris primula 3192, & today marked the var. of P. Griffithii 3205 & P. umbratilis 3213. We came across P. vernicosa today, No 3240.

As far as I know this has never been recorded from nearly so far west as this; in fact I don't think it is recorded as occurring outside SE Tibet. It is no beauty, but interesting. We all took it easy today after a climb to the top of the ridge. We got back by 11.30 & stayed in camp. Tsongpen has little rest though, as flowers will not dry in this humid atmosphere, & he has about 200 still being changed. A few variations in Rhododendron completed the bag. We now move on back to Phobjikha, but will go a new route over the Pele La Range towards Chendebi.

Rhod. fulgens 3239. R. campanulatum 3243, R. campan. var. aeruginosum 3244

SUMMARY:
A fine day with a walk into town, meeting a Mrs. and her daughter, and tea with a woman from England discussing Australia. In the afternoon they admired flowers in the gardens, then had dinner and attended a comedy at the theatre, returning home around eleven.

CONTENT:
10th June, Thursday. Fine morning. Went into town with
for a walk. Met Mrs. [unclear] and her daughter. Had tea with
from England. She is a very pleasant person. We had a long
about Australia. She has been here for about two years
and likes it very much. She says the climate is much better
than in England. We went for a walk in the afternoon
and saw some beautiful flowers. The gardens are looking
very well. We had dinner at six o'clock and then
went to the theatre. The play was very good and we
enjoyed it very much. It was a comedy and we laughed
a great deal. We got home about eleven o'clock
and went straight to bed. It has been a very pleasant day.

SUMMARY:
Notes describe a caravan of lamas stopping at a minimal shelter, continued snowfall around the bungalow, and attempts to find and identify very large snipe, with few flowers due to lack of sun. On 10th May at CHANGU TSOMGO there was a fine morning after fresh snow, a further search for the snipe yielded little, and bird activity seemed to have moved lower.

CONTENT:
wonderful traveller in the mountains. The whole caravan is stopping tonight at a shelter 2 miles beyond here. They will have a miserable time, as the place is nothing but a shelter. It is ten years since the Tashi Lama left Tibet, since then he has been in Mongolia & Nanking. It seems generally to be thought that it will be a very good thing if he does return. The two lamas were dressed in new yellow clothes & looked very fine on their decorated mules. I went out again this afternoon up the hill behind the bungalow, & there was very surprised to see two of the biggest snipe I have ever seen. I shot both but only picked up one. We are not certain if it is a wood snipe or solitary. They must have a nest, but the snow was so heavy over that I had to return without finding it. It continues to snow this evening. Had we only had a few days sun, I believe there would have been many more flowers coming out: as it is we have only one specimen.

10th May. CHANGU TSOMGO. A fine morning for a change. Breakfast 5.30. Climbed the hill behind the bungalow to look for yesterday's snipe, but found neither it nor its nest. There had been about 6" fresh snow last night covering most tracks. Back at 11.30, only one bird between us. The fresh snow must have driven them down a bit. Hear there

B. 3 contd.
Ramzana
climbing through
fresh snow
behind bungalow

SUMMARY:
Route from Karpo over the Trakan La is described, with an easy ascent and gradual descent into valleys and grassy hills. Few flowers noted, but some Saxifraga and Cyananthus are mentioned; Lumsden shot a young musk deer which Ramzana halal-slaughtered. The party suffered slight headaches and celebrated with a large birthday dinner.

CONTENT:
Saxifraga tangutica 2003, punctulata 2004, signatella 2007.
not yet ripe, but we are taking some on with us. All of us again had slight headaches. We had a huge birthday dinner of hare soup, roast partridge, pate de foie gras, apricot cream, and mushrooms on toast. Perhaps it was no wonder we slept badly.

11th August. Karpo via Trakan La. 12100'. 11 m. An easy ascent up a broad valley over grassy slopes to the Trakan La (16900'?) at m 3. The pass is a broad one & very stony both sides. The road over the pass first leads down left handed to avoid a mass of boulders, then crosses a small valley to another broad open valley in the same line as the final ascent to the Trakan La. Thence descent easy & gradual over grassy hills, to m 10, when it becomes steeper, with a final steep fall to the valley bed at Karpo, where there are three little clusters of houses, some cultivation. Nothing very much today in the flower line, but G. stictantha? (unopened) on the pass, Cyananthus incanus (var leiocalyx?) on the way down. Lumsden missed a fluke from musk deer, then at the same point shot a young male, which Ramzana managed to halal, or said he did. Yak meat very good.

SUMMARY:
Mail from Sarshang reports mixed results with new Meconopsis seed: Hay and Sandeman failed while Anderson succeeded; Taylor comments on germination methods. The diarist moves from Camp Kangchukka on the Pele La range with detailed route notes, persistent rain, and remarks on Primula no. 3249 possibly being P. stirtoniana. Camps, meadows, and forest routes are described en route toward Rukubzhi and Longte Chu.

CONTENT:
11th June. Camp Kangchukka, on Pele La range. 10 miles. Ht. approx 12000' (To 12000 ft.)

Another mail came in yesterday in only 10 days from Sarshang. Not very good news about the new Meconopsis seed. Hay, Sandeman & Edinburgh have all failed with it, but Anderson & another man have some up. Taylor says they were too kind to the seed, & tried bottom heat. However other seeds are reported at nearly 100% germination. Rained last night, & fine this morning till 10, then rain all day. The only interesting thing seen was Primula no. 3249, which I have been taking for P. tenuiloba. But now I see its size, it cannot be that. This is a fine Primula, with big leaves - perhaps Stirtoniana, which I do not know well. Climbed up to E. on to ridge, then along ridge to South till m 2. Then down past an open glade through the forest below the ridge. At m 4 again along a ridge which is followed to m 6 where there is a large open grassy glade. From here up to the ridge again. At m 8 turn to the R. & down to a lush open meadow. Then descent through forest to a big open meadow & some temporary houses at m 10. A good camp.

12th June. Rukubzhi (To Longte Chu) 6 miles. Approx 9000'. Rained all last night, &

SUMMARY:
Diary describes a fine-weather traverse from below Karpo over Sokpo Pass with steep shale and scree, turning near Chioling and reaching a yak encampment at the foot of Mihrang La; the route recalls Tulung La. Botanical notes include several gentians and Swertia; one young Cremophilum was shot and bharal were seen, with identifications discussed with Sherriff. The following day begins with a steep ascent to Mihrang La from camp between Cha La and Chorten Namo.

CONTENT:
12th August. Camp beyond Sokpo La, 15,000 feet, 8 miles. Fine all day,
clouds and sun. Route lies up the valley immediately below Karpo
towards the North East. Ascent easy up the right bank. At mile 1 1/2, a
valley enters from the right-hand side on the left bank. The main
stream is crossed here and the side valley followed. The route soon
becomes very steep and continues so to the top of the pass, the
last 300 feet being over loose, very steep shale. Sokpo Pass
at mile 5 (17,000 feet). Descent on the east side is steep at first over loose scree,
then easy over grass down a broad valley. At mile 7, the
valley turns towards S. Chioling. This is left and another
valley followed up. At the foot of the Mihrang La, a yak encampment at about mile 8. A
beautiful day and a really stiff pass, much reminding me of
the Tulung La (Gen. kherica). Gentian 1983 was very common and the flowers
were open (Gen. waltonii 2028). P. rotundifolia, the Kashong La one I think, was fairly
common (Swertia multicaulis 2029). G. waltonii goes to nearly 14,000 feet. Shot one young
Cremophilum (Ph. pectinibunda 2030) and saw two herds of bharal. The little gentian
2034 (Gent. punctulata - Sherriff says 2035 = Gen. marquandii?) is very common at camp here.

(Mile from summit of Cha La)
13th August. Camp between Cha La and Chorten Namo, 15,000 feet, 7 miles. Route up
a broad grassy valley, keeping left-handed to mile 2, then to the east up
an extremely steep shale ridge to Mihrang La at mile 2 1/2 (17,000 feet). Descent at...

SUMMARY:
Entries describe heavy rain, leeches at 10,000 ft, and travel to Tobrang followed by a steep ascent to East Pangola camp at 11,500 ft. The party caught Bhutan Glory butterflies, received mail from Bumthang with photos to Paro, and noted poor camping space and dense jungle.

CONTENT:
at 10000 ft. we are back in the leech zone, as I found on taking my stockings off - four leeches hard at it. Rained hard all afternoon - air damp, everything damp or rather beastly.

12th August. TOBRANG. To 7700 6 miles. Rain nearly all day, but cleared up for an hour when we reached Tobrang. and we were lucky in catching about ten Bhutan Glory butterflies. Unexpected mail in from Bumthang, with it our photos. up to Paro. Coolies were complete today, and got in in good time.

13th August. CAMP. East Pangola 11500 6 miles. Route leaves Tobrang and ascends very steeply direct up the hillside away from the river. For the first three miles, it is very steep over grass through a broad clearing in the forest. From mile 3-4 1/2 path is muddy and bad and very steep through dense jungle. At mile 4 1/2 a level ridge is reached and followed for a few hundred yards: then path, again fairly steep, continues through dense jungle to camp. There are no inhabitants or houses, and very little camping space. Water good. Walking up in the sunshine to the forest was very hot work. Later we got into the mist and shade of the trees. Shortly after 11.0 rain came on and kept on for the rest of the day. Not much of a camp. and nothing to be seen, partly because of dense jungle and partly

Butter