Showing 6828 results

SUMMARY:
In camp above Trün after a misty morning, the diarist notes finding Gentiana waltonii, a Ceratostigma (possibly the same as at Lhakhang in 1933), Codonopsis convolvulacea, Delphinium gyalanum, and Briggsia aurantiaca, and mentions sending old seeds to Edinburgh. Traveling by the high road from Drotang to Trün through forest, they encountered about 15 Lopas who inspected the diarist’s gun with interest.

CONTENT:

200. Natrampa
     Pedicularis corydaloides 2408. Allium prattii 2409. Cornus macrophylla 2410.
     Quercus semicarpifolia 2411. Dryopteris xanthopennata 2412. Polystichum wilsonii 2413.
     Leucosceptrum clarkei 2414.

was almost always a wind with the mist or rain.

22nd July. In camp above Trün. 6 miles. 10500'. Another lovely day,
but misty all up the valley in the early morning till about
8.0 am. I came across three things I have been looking
for today. First the gentian which was seen on the dry,
(but south) side of the river on our way down in May. It is
Gentiana waltonii 2416
now just coming into flower, and a fine sight 2416. I
sent a few of last year's old seeds to Edinburgh before, under
Ceratostigma minus 2422
no number. Then I found a little Ceratostigma 2422,
just coming into bloom. I hope it is the same as the
Codonopsis convolvulacea 2423
one we got at Lhakhang in 1933, a new sp. And 2423
Delphinium gyalanum 2421.
Briggsia aurantiaca 2420
the same creeper (vinca blue) which we got quite near
the Ceratostigma at Lhakhang, a beautiful flower,
but only just coming out. I took the high road
this time from Drotang to Trün, and it is very much
pleasanter than the riverside path, easier, more level,
and through forest for most of the way. We passed a
body of about 15 Lopas, both men and women, and had quite
good fun with them. I took some photos of them, and
then they inspected my gun with much interest, and

SUMMARY:
This page contains only the number '22' and no other diary content.

CONTENT:
22

SUMMARY:
The diarist notes many migratory birds from Tibet and poor seed results except likely from Marlung or passes to the west. On 21 Sept., they remain in camp while Yundon and Pasang collect Primula caveana and a fine woolly Phandra from Tamagorra Nala, returning late and exhausted, with Yundon suffering a bad headache. On 22 Sept., amid cold wind and intermittent rain and sun, letters arrive from H.H. and mail from Hicks and Ludlow, but none from Betty.

CONTENT:
This, in the same way as I did with Mec. simplicifolia. Hope it turns out well. The whole scene is too big for a cine-camera. There are a good many birds now on migration from Tibet. I saw hundreds of wagtails and two Afghan redstarts today. And I must have seen 20 Ibisbills, but they aren't on migration though. We did not do well with seed again, and certainly most of our seed this year will come from Marlung or over the passes to the West.

21st Sept. Halt. Rain at night, but a lovely day of sun and cumulus clouds. I stayed in camp to deal with yesterday's seeds, while Yundon and Pasang went up Tamagorra Nala to the NE to get P. caveana and the 8 plants of white caveana marked by Yundon when we were here before. They have just returned at 6:00 pm when I was beginning to be a bit anxious about them. Boulder scree is dangerous: one can very easily make a false step and have a nasty fall. It was too late for me to examine any seed brought, but they have got all the white P. caveana, and another basket of the usual caveana as no seed is ripe. They also found the very fine Phandra which is woolly all over, and which we took twice at Marlung, but never saw in very good flower. Today they have brought both seed and fine flower. It is a beautiful thing. I have not been able to see if the seed is good or not. Otherwise just a Sax or a Saussurea, and a few odd very small primula roots - perhaps P. cervicina or P. walshii, which I may take too. As they have had such a long day, we will not go out tomorrow, but I will do the seed and get the roots properly packed. Yundon returned with a very bad head, which he said he had most of the day.

22nd Sept. Halt. Stayed in camp. Rain and sun very cold indeed, with a strong wind. Letters came in from H.H. with food etc and a mail from Hicks, Ludlow and Kalimpong, but in some strange way no letters from Betty. Hers must have

SUMMARY:
A halt day with damp conditions; the diarist photographed and tended drying flowers, and noted Tibetans trading salt, wool, and cloth at Pangstang with rice sent to Towa Dzong. On 20th June they crossed the river to inspect west-side cliffs, where few plants were in flower; Pasang collected P. muscoides, and P. strumosa was confirmed with notes on its hybridization with P. calderiana.

CONTENT:
about 5 feet across, stopped 50 yards above camp. So back we went to bed. The boys were out across the river down below, but had a poor day, got nothing. I did some photographs in the morning, changed flowers and that is about all today. Flowers take much longer now to dry. The atmosphere is always damp, and our fire is not so good in the tent as in the huts we've been used to. I'm told now that many Tibetans will be coming down in the next few days, with salt, wool and woollen cloth. They exchange at Pangstang for madder mostly, and some rice. But more of the rice is H.H.'s and Her H.'s and other officials, all is sent to Tibet for sale in Towa Dzong and other places.

20th June Halt. It was misty and doubtful when we got up at 5:30 this morning, but there was a clear patch of blue sky to the south, which I was sure would mean a good day. But we didn't go straight for the pass. I wanted to investigate the cliffs on the West side as soon as we could cross the river which we did about 9:00 a.m. But there was very little indeed in flower. Mec. horridula had not opened its buds at all. P. bellidifolia was common, and Pasang got P. muscoides (19303) to add to the list. I had seen a yellow mass through binoculars and went to find out what that was. It turned out to be P. strumosa (19304), and I now know that all the colour varieties we found before were hybrids of Calderiana and strumosa as I supposed. What is interesting is that P. strumosa has the exact same unpleasant smell as Calderiana has, which would seem to put it nearer P. Calderiana than ever. There is no doubt they are the parents of all the mixed colours around here... It was a fine day after the first

SUMMARY:
Route descriptions for 20th July describe a steep ascent from Tangnam away from the Tang Chu through conifer forest to the Rudo La (Rudong La) pass, then a difficult knife-edge descent to Pimi, followed by a stage toward Shukhang with bridges over side streams and the Ungar Chu. Notes mention collecting flowers and birds, mist turning to heavy rain, severe leeches, and camping in tents.

CONTENT:
into a pretty poor camp at 6.30

20th July. PIMI. 13 miles. 9500'. Route leaves Tangnam, turning away from the Tang Chu and ascending steeply, first over the open hillside, then through dense conifer forest to m 3, where it emerges on to open grassy hillside. Ascent is then easy, mostly through open country to m 6, where the conifers are left. For the next mile, the path is very steep and stony through rhododendrons to the RUDO LA (Rudong La), 12600' at m 7.

Descent for the first mile easy, then a rise over a small knob. From m 8 to m 11 the path is extremely bad, being down rock steps along a knife edge ridge nearly the whole way. From 11 to 14 descent easy and path fair to Pimi - one shelter. Water and fuel ample - leeches also ample. A misty morning, but by seven the sun was bright and the country looked as pretty as we have yet seen it. We wandered slowly to the pass, collecting flowers and birds - very few butterflies out. Lunch at top and we started off at 1.30, the mist again came down. It rained very hard all the rest of the day. Leeches perfectly awful and we are in tents. A beastly evening.

20th July. SHUKHANG 10 miles. 6500'. For the first 3 1/2 miles, route is through dense forest, the path being level in parts, and steep descent in others, and difficult for laden animals. At m 3 1/2 dense jungle is left, and route descends steeply by zigzag path through open country to a 5400', where a large side stream is crossed by a bridge. The right bank of this is followed for a few hundred yards to the UNGAR CHU, which is crossed by a covered bridge at m 5 1/2 (5400'). The village of

SUMMARY:
The diarist camps on the north side of Cho La, describing the route along the Rong Chu and then the Re Chu with several crossings, noting a good camp at Re before the final ascent and giving bearings and distances. A partridge was shot earlier, and both Kuntip and Puitu are reported to be feeling better.

CONTENT:
69

think we will almost certainly find it all about
the Cho La if the situation is suitable. Finished
the evening by shooting a partridge - again a
very interesting bird from a place like this.

• about 2000ft for Seamus.

20th August. Camp N side of CHO LA. 5 miles. 14360'.
Path drops down to the Rong Chu, a river nearly as
big as the Myangchu Chu in summer. Follow up
the left bank under steep bare cliffs. The R bank
less steep & thickly wooded with deciduous & conifers.
At m 1½ cross by a food bridge to the R bank &
at m 2 leave the Rong Chu - follow up the
Re Chu due South. The Re Chu is crossed at m
to the L bank & recrossed further up. A good
CG at m 4.5 at Re, before the final ascent
to the Cho La. Water & grazing good & fuel ample.
Bearing of Re to the mouth of the Re Chu is
50° Mag. & from Re to the Cho La 215° Mag. Distances
between should be approx equal, the pass being perhaps
a little closer. The Rong Chu is a fine valley
with magnificent cliffs on its north side. The south
too is nice, thickly wooded. A week in the
valley would certainly produce some good birds
& possibly flowers too. Kuntip is better this
evening. He & even Puitu were

SUMMARY:
Rained overnight but the party traveled about 7 miles to Öla, facing major disputes with transport coolies allegedly stirred up by the Noro Gyumpu's brother; the diarist struck a man who threatened a woman with a knife. Kesang, having taken mail to Kyindong Dzong where the Dzongpen refused to forward it, was sent back to have it sent on to Tsari Chunchar, leaving Taylor unlikely to receive it until his return.

CONTENT:
troubles
77

20th October. ÖLA. 7 miles. App. 13000'. Rained all night & a good deal early this morning, but was fine for us nearly all the way here, up till evening. All promises did not amount to much, & by sending Kucho off to all huts, the transport started in about 8:00 am. Then there was the most awful row, chiefly due to the Noro Gyumpu's brother, who seems to have a good deal of power here, & is an absolute "soor." Without him all would have been well, but he was making the coolies dissatisfied & quarrelsome. The loads were not off till 10:00 am & before that I had hit a man very hard across the face for trying to pinch a lighter box off a woman. He was a beastly nuisance & had a foul temper, threatening the woman with his knife, so I'm not at all sorry for hitting him. Most things went wrong today, starting with the non-appearance of the transport. Just as we reached the Pa La route, Kesang appeared. He had taken the mail to Kyindong Dzong, where the Dzongpen refused to allow it to go on, saying I would be coming there soon, & would pick it up. I sent Kesang back, & asked for the mail to be sent on at once to Tsari Chunchar, which Kesang thinks he can manage. Poor Taylor will not now get the mail till he is home, or

SUMMARY:
Mentions receiving mail at Tsona and newspapers for pressing flowers. On 2nd June they camped 3 miles up the Bimbi La route from Podzo Sumdo in the Tsari valley, describing a steep path through rhododendron, bamboo, and evergreen forest. On 3rd June they went up toward the Bimbi La, noting a tiny berberis (specimen 1763) and a pretty androsace covering the hillside, before heavy rain set in.

CONTENT:
85

held up much, though our man found it waiting for him
at Tsona. From now on we should not do so badly. I
got four mail letters from home dated 20th April which is very
good. We had 36 newspapers which are badly wanted for
pressing flowers in.

2nd June Camp 3 m up Bimbi La route from Podzo Sumdo. 9 miles.
B.P. 190.0 Temp. 54 Time 2.30pm Ht. 12441'. Up the main Tsari
valley to Podzo Sumdo at m 6, then turn up the side valley to
the NE. The path here is quite good & the ascent through
rhododendron, bamboo & evergreen forest pretty steep. Good
camping ground 3 miles up in an open space, with fir
rhododendron close by.

3rd June. Halt. Fine till 1.0pm, then heavy rain all day.
Went up to the Bimbi La, on a good path, never very
steep, the whole way. It leads through dense rhododendron
for 2000 ft or so, then on to bare open hillside. Here
I found a very small berberis 1763, growing only a
foot or so high. Also a very pretty androsace which
covered the hillside for 100 yards or more. We went
right up close to the pass, & then turned R. up a

SUMMARY:
The party splits as W and Mrs W go to Punakha while the diarist and Ludlow, on Tobgye's advice, take a dense leech-infested jungle path from below Lomitsawa towards Wangdupotrang. They avoid shooting due to sensitivities in the late Shabdrung’s area near Thimbu, collect some birds, butterflies, and plants, and after a tiring nine-hour trek reach the Punakha Chu/Mo Chu; camp conditions are filthy with flies, mud, and fleas.

CONTENT:
36

Nearly every tree trunk was covered with moss. Birds were therefore different too, and we had quite an interesting bag. It is again very difficult to find shot birds in the intensely dense jungle. This is a filthy small camp, full of flies and mud. Yesterday too was bad, and Ludlow had little sleep owing to fleas.

70
1st July. TO WANGDUPOTRANG. 10 miles (by jungle path 16 miles). 4508' (An Ht. ). W and Mrs W went off to Punakha, and Ludlow and I decided on Tobgye's advice to go to Wangdupotrang by a jungle path. As we

(B. 16. contd) View from Lomitsawa down towards Wangdi Potrang in the misty early morning.

were still in the late Shabdrung's area, in Thimbu, the Penlop of which died the other day, Tobgye did not want us to shoot on the normal route, as the transport men talk, and the fact of our shooting here may get to the ears of the Maharaja's lama, who at present holds such power over the Maharaja. We therefore left the main route ½ mile below Lomitsawa, and turned into the re-entrant to the South West.

magnificent fern with fronds 3-5 ft long
This led us into the densest jungle we have seen, and full of leeches - even worse than Sikkim. We hardly dared to stop a second, as our feet became covered with them.

Schima wallichii 201
Polygala arillata 202
Pyrola rotundifolia 203

There were good butterflies to be caught though, and also we managed to get a few birds and some flowers. The route was as tiring as I have yet come across in Bhutan, and we walked for 9 hours before reaching here. This is on the Punakha Chu or Mo Chu, which we joined at

SUMMARY:
Notes the first box of flowers and multiple photographic media (Dufaycolor, Film Pack, cine film, Kodachrome) dated 19/3, with subjects including Black-naped woodpecker and Picus canus gyldenstolpei. Mentions L. 29, the place Djate, and the name Lundstein alongside 'dochong'.

CONTENT:
1st Box of Flowers 19/3. L. 29. Djate
Dufaycolor III IV 19/3. Black-naped woodpecker
Film Pack III IV V 19/3. Picus canus gyldenstolpei
Cine film III IV 19/3 Lundstein dochong L. 29
Kodachrome II 19/3 120