Part 7 - Journey from Bongaigaon to Hatisar; march toward a ridge south of Surelakha

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SUMMARY:
After a night of heavy rain, the party departed early with a lorry driven by Chhong Dorje, struggling through muddy roads from Bongaigaon and reaching Hatisar at noon before walking to a prepared camp. On 24 April they marched to a ridge 4 miles south of Surelakha through heavy evergreen forest, with the coolies arriving later and in weak condition.

CONTENT:
During the night, there was more very heavy thunder rain, but it was fine when we got out at 2:00 am, and the lorry with Chhong Dorje was waiting. We loaded up at once, but did not leave Bongaigaon till 5:00 am, just after sunrise. The drive was not much fun. We stuck completely a dozen or more times in the first 10 miles and more in the second. It was awfully hot too, and we were all soon soaked through with sweat, pushing the beastly thing along, and laying hundreds of branches to keep the lorry from sinking too far. I suppose it is 30 miles or so to Hatisar, just inside the Bhutan border, and we reached that at 12:00 noon, seven hours going. A good deal of the road lay through sal forest. Just North of Hatisar we left the lorry and walked another 1 1/2 miles to a prepared camp. Coolies were waiting, and all arrangements were good.

24th April. Ridge 4 m S of Surelakha. Left at 6:00 am, in at 1:30 pm 10 miles. Coolies took from 6:00 till 2:30 to reach here, but a good many are pretty weak. We went through heavy evergreen forest the whole way, and