Part 31 - Karutra pilgrimage via Kashong La and Shupten La with observations at Lagyap Thungtso

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SUMMARY:
Account of meeting Lopa traders and making a short pilgrimage from Karutra over the Kashong La and back via the Shupten La, with notes on Lagyap Thungtso. Records abundant gentians, two new primulas (2359, 2373), the white Sikkim prim, Prim. Cawdoriana, and paraquilegia; the dakchi arrived but brought no mail.

CONTENT:
Lopa country, we met some Lopas coming up to trade with Trüm, and they said their villages were very low down, it took 6 days to reach here. From Karutra there is a short pilgrimage which we did today, over the Kashong La, round to the river and back by the Shupten La, which is about 3 m south of here. The lake is called Lagyap Thungtso—thung being one of the very long trumpets they blow in monasteries. The locals say that they can see one in the lake when it is clear. In the dip on this side of the lake, we found other gentians in plenty, and two more new primulas, both very pretty but nearly over, 2359 and 2373, the latter with huge 1 1/2" flowers and only standing the same height off the ground. On this side of the Shupten La, where it is also pretty wet, we saw masses of the white Sikkim prim we found on the Tahar La, and also to my surprise Prim. Cawdoriana, and huge clumps of paraquilegia. Soon after getting back to camp, the dakchi came in, but no mail. However we heard that our mail had