Showing 6828 results

SUMMARY:
An easy downhill march to Yatung through fir, larch, and rhododendron is described, with few flowers seen and notes on birds and scenes such as Kargiu monastery. The party visits the Depen of Pipithang with Pema translating, rides along the Amo Chu, meets telegraph clerk Rosemeier, and decides to skip Lingmathang due to late flowers, with plans for Ludlow to go to Sharithang while the writer returns.

CONTENT:
13

snow was very fine. The Tibetans have some most expressive words. Their word for dawn means either "The lifting of the skies", or "Sunlight on the peaks."

to
14th May. YATUNG. 9950'. 12 miles. Fine most of the day at low

B. S. contd
Scenes on the way down from Chusitang.
Kargiu monastery -
Piptanthus nepalensis (no. 3)

altitudes, snow on the hills after midday. An easy march down hill to the Chumbi valley, through fir rather than pine & larch & rhododendron jungle. We let the kit go on ahead & wandered down very slowly, looking for birds. Surprised how few flowers are out. There is hardly anything to be collected here now, & there will be less in Lingmathang. Still no news about Tibet from Williamson. Called on the Depen of Pipithang, an agreeable Tibetan trade agent. There the head clerk of the B.T.A. - Pema - met us & translated. Rode in from Pipithang up the Amo Chu, a river which looks ideal for trout, were it not in Tibet. Met here by Rosemeier, the telegraph clerk, who long outstayed his welcome.

15th May. YATUNG. All flowers are so far behind that we have decided not to go to Lingmathang to seek flowers. We will see the place tomorrow & when Ludlow is ready he will go direct to Sharithang. I must return

SUMMARY:
Rain in Yatung limited collecting to a few rhododendrons and a viburnum, and ponies were arranged for travel to Gangtok amid staffing issues due to Williamson’s wedding. The next day the journey from Yatung to Tsomgo crossed the Natu La in mist and soft snow, with a small avalanche observed and a pony falling.

CONTENT:
of much the same style as the Kashmir houses, but ever so much more pukka-built. The Tibetans we meet are all very cheerful, & invariably greet one by taking off their hats & salaaming.

17th May YATUNG. Rained most of the day, & after two & a half hours on the hill behind the bungalow we only got one bird. Took R. cinnabarinum (L&S. 748), R. cephalanthum (L&S. 9), a few rhododendrons & a viburnum V. cordifolium (L&S. 10). Arranged for ponies (three) for Gangtok. I take Ahmad Sheikh with me, & therefore Ludlow is left without a cook. He wired Williamson for permission to use the chowkidar while I was away & got the helpful answer that he had no objection provided the B.T.A agreed. The B.T.A is in Gyantse. In fact W's wedding is a perfect curse.

Sherriff returns to Gangtok for Williamson's wedding.

18th May. TSOMGO. 22 miles. 11 hours. It was a lovely clear morning in Yatung, so I left at 6.15 & decided to cross the Natu La while the going was good. Ahmad Sheikh & I each rode a mule, while our bedding was on a third one. Up to Chushithang it was lovely & the view perfect. As we reached the pass the clouds came down, & actually on the top we were in thick mist. The track was easy so far, though there is still nearly as much snow as when we crossed before. On this side there appeared to be the same amount of snow, & it was very wet & soft. A short way this side of the pass, a small avalanche passed about 10 yds in front of me, & when I stopped to watch it, I heard that the last pony had fallen. It had been caught in an even

SUMMARY:
Notes scarce flowering near Yatung, a visit to the B.T.A.'s house, and photographing the chowkidar's wife; Worth has gone to Gyantse. On 16th May at Yatung they ride to Lingmathang, find few flowers (primulas and rhododendrons), collect three blood pheasants, and remark on well-built local houses.

CONTENT:
14

wiser provided one keeps 100 yards away from any houses. Even
here practically no flowers are out, except a few rhododendrons
P. denticulata - & masses of a primula like denticulata. It is most disappointing.
Clematis alpina (LD 4)
We went over to see the B.T.A.'s house & garden - both very nice
looking places. Worth, the B.T.A. has gone up to Gyantse. I got
the chowkidar's wife to come & be photographed this afternoon. She
hasn't much in the way of fine clothing, but is typically Tibetan.
Chowkidar's name Tami.

16th May. YATUNG. Today we rode 6 miles up the valley to
Lingmathang, where we had intended to mark flowers for
autumn seed collection. But there were no flowers to mark.
B.S. contd. griffithii & tanneri. The only ones we saw were two primulas & some rhododen-
Scenes in P. griffithii (LD 5) drons. One primula was a beautiful one, deep purple
Chumbi valley coloured, with a yellow eye. This was a good sunny
near Ling- day with a pleasant breeze. It seems the weather this
mathang side of the hills is better than the other. At Lingmathang
we climbed up the hill on the left bank to about 13,500'
looking for birds & flowers. Both were very scarce, but we came
Birds across three blood pheasants which we collected. The two
males varied considerably in colour on the forehead & tail
feathers, possibly due to age, or possibly because we are
halfway between two places where their colours are known
to vary. The houses here are very well built - chalet
style - with roofs of short lengths of pine wood. They are

SUMMARY:
This page contains only the year 1933, likely serving as a section divider in the diary.

CONTENT:
1933

SUMMARY:
Daily max/min temperatures (°F) and weather notes are recorded at Yigong Tso for early February, noting clear days, cloud, wind, and precipitation. Observations include snow on hilltops and rain at night, with snow reported down to 8500 ft.

CONTENT:
49.

Temperatures
Place: Yigong Tso. Max. Min. Weather.
1st Feb & 31st Jan - 1st Feb. Clear.
2 Feb & 1 Feb - 2 Feb 58° 27° F. Cloudy some snow on tops flurries. Cloudy day.
3 Feb & 2 - 3 Feb 58° 17° F. Cloudy till midnight: then clear. Clear day.
4 Feb & 3 - 4 Feb 59° 15° F. Clear.
5 Feb & 4 - 5 Feb 63° 17° F. Cloudy till 4:00 am then clear. Clear day. Cloud evening.
6 Feb & 5 - 6 Feb 58° 19° F. Light cloud. Cloudy evening with wind.
7 Feb & 6 - 7 Feb 61° 24° F. Light cloud at night. Clear day. Some cumulus cloud.
8 Feb & 7 - 8 Feb 63° 37° F. Cloudy. Snow on hilltops. Very little rain at night.
9 Feb & 8 - 9 Feb 60° 36° F. Rain at night. Snow to 8500'. Heavy cloud. Rainy day.
& 9 - 10 Feb 35°

SUMMARY:
Brief notes and Kodachrome photo captions mention views near Yigrong Tso, including downstream scenes and a view from near camp. There is a note about types from Dre for medicine and movement up and down the valley to the Yigrong Range from camp at Gyadzong.

CONTENT:
Kodachrome 12-
Downstream from Yigrong Tso block. 15.1.
Yigrong Tso from near camp 15/1
Types from Dre for medicine 16/1.
Up & down valley to Yigrong Range from camp Gyadzong 16/1.

SUMMARY:
Notes on Lilium growing in dense forest at Yongbu La, with the summit opening to grassy downs affording excellent grazing for cattle. Birds observed include skylarks, greenfinches, and titlarks, with a specimen entry noted as 2421 ♂ Passer domesticus.

CONTENT:
2421 ♂ Passer domesticus.

p. 30
Yongbu La
Lilium - like L. giganteum it loves
dense shade & we found it in
heavy forest competing quite
successfully with a host of trees
& shrubs in the dense undergrowth.
Top of the Yongbu La opens to a
series of grassy downs affording
excellent grazing for cattle. Skylarks
on the summit & also greenfinches
& titlarks.

SUMMARY:
Notes abundant Primula filipes along the path east from the chorten at the south end of the pass, and records a single primula (1147) likely P. Boothii found by the Tsongpen east of Yongpu La among waterfalls, though no more were located. Mentions a badly burned lady in poor condition and hopes Lumsden can help. Also reports shooting a barking deer for meat and enjoying views of the snows.

CONTENT:
10

Prim. filipes The specimens taken here were along the path which leads East from the Chorten at the S. end of the pass. Anywhere along that path where a small nala crosses the path, there is P. filipes. I went along a mile, and found it every few hundred yards. The lady had a very bad night with her burnt legs. I hope Lumsden will manage to do something for her. They were 17 days unattended, so are in an awful state, and the smell is really bad. I went out twice in the afternoon saw a barking deer, which I shot at 40 yards with a .410 lethal bullet. Its flesh will provide a very good change from the everlasting moonghi.

1st March Halt. Saw nothing in the morning, but Tsongpen
Yongpu La went up the hill E of the Yongpu La and came down a side
Prim. gracilipes 1147 nala where he found a beautiful primula (1147) which
Rho. grande 1148 I think must be P. Boothii. I immediately went there, but could find no more. It was only seen in a very small area among waterfalls, on mossy rocks in the shade on a south face. It is heliotrope with a greenish yellow centre and the best flowers were 1 inch across, or more. We have lovely views of the snows each morning awaits

SUMMARY:
At Yönpula the party marched through Pinus longifolia forest and noted Rhododendron arboreum in flower while searching near Yönpu La for a previously seen rhododendron, collecting seeds instead. Lumsden is mentioned, and several severe medical cases, including a badly burned elderly woman, were brought in for treatment at the 8000' camp.

CONTENT:
8

off, as we were a bit late - Lumsden taking too long
over his shave!

28th Feb. YÖNPULA. 8000' 7 miles. Yesterday & today the marches Pinus longifolia forest
have mostly been through forest of Pinus longifolia, with which the
southern hill faces are covered. The northern faces are mostly covered
with other evergreens, but have some pine too. There are still no Rhod arboreum
flowers to be seen except Rhododendron arboreum. Some of them were Yönpu La
lovely. I looked today to try & find the new rhod. seen on the 28 Feb
Yönpu La, but it was not in bloom. But we collected seeds Rhod maddenii 1141, 1142
of what may be it, taken from close to, if not the same Rhod arboreum 1143
bush. Lumsden's fame is spreading. In the evening Hemiphragma heterophylla 1144
yesterday the worst case of burning I've ever seen was brought Pieris filipes 1145
in on a stretcher from 8 miles away. She had had a fit
& fallen in the fire, both legs being horribly burnt. That
was 17 days ago so they are pretty fruity now. Poor old lady,
she was having an awful time. She will come on today
for more treatment. Several other awful cases were brought in
the last two days - all of a year or two's standing, & pretty
difficult to treat. It is very parky up here; there is no snow
but signs of it pretty close to. Yesterday's camp was a

SUMMARY:
At Yume, the diarist notes wet, misty conditions, sparse flowering, and prominent rhododendron, pays off the coolies, and arranges horses to Sangacholing. The following day, during a halt, the diarist and Tsungpen follow the Yume Chu on a difficult, muddy route through dense jungle and see little in flower.

CONTENT:
we merely go down 1½ m to Yume, where I will halt a day I think.

25th June. Yume. 1½ m. 11800'. Wet in the morning and misty all day. There is not so much out here as I had hoped. A Gentian stylophora was seen, a clematis one or two small flowers. The plain here is full of the yellow rhododendron, and where there are meadows, there are masses of P. sikkimensis and of P? a candelabra with pale wine red flowers. A good many have white flowers. I have not been out yet, but do not expect to find a great deal.

Paid off the coolies at the rate of 2 shoogon per day's march and 1 per halt. All have gone, and horses are arranged from here to Sangacholing. Fine for most of the afternoon, but hills always in mist.

26th June. Halt. Tsungpen and I went down the Yume Chu for 4 miles or so along what was called a good road. It wasn't bad for a mile or two, but was then either in the river, along the edge, or in the mud. The jungle was far too dense for there to be many flowers: mostly bamboo with some cypress and fir and evergreen trees. Saw nothing.