Part 121 - Kimi transport difficulties and halts near Tashigong, 29–31 May

1 page

SUMMARY:
The party halts due to fatigue and rain, hoping for news at Tashigong while trying to arrange housing and onward transport from Darrang Mela to Rangiya. On the 30th they reach Chunkara after problems with the gyimpon at Kimi, relying on 10 coolies who make two trips; they plan to go only as far as Tashigong Dz., learn the old Sakden Kazi is Kutsap in Pimboyong, and note letters likely never reached Lhasa, so arrangements must be made with Neoli Babu. On the 31st they are forced to halt again as kit arrives late without the tent, coolies fail to appear, and heat and parasites are troublesome.

CONTENT:
or not. This is worrying, as we are depending on having something done for us about a house to live in. Here, as we are all a bit tired, we will stay a day. Perhaps at Tashigong they may know something about us. I hope so, or we will find it very hard to make arrangements from Darrang Mela to Rangiya.

29th May. Halt. A good deal of rain at night and through the day, but there is a pleasant breeze all day. Flies bad, but nothing like Pangchen, Le and Shakti. The gyimpon went to Kimi to warn them to have our transport ready tomorrow.

30th Chunkara. Very hot indeed, and down in the main valley, at 2500' it is pretty beastly. All went well to Kimi, but there the gyimpon is a bad man, who gave no help at all. He at first tried to get coolies, but they just refused to come. I took on 10, and tried to struggle for the rest. We left at 10 and got in at 2:00 pm. He must have left about 6 pm when our same 10 coolies got back again. So they did 2 trips - about 24 miles in all. Here I am glad to say there is a dzongp man, seeing to the ploughing of the fields here which belong to the Dzong. He is seeing that we get on today, but we will only get as far as Tashigong Dz. He tells me that the old Sakden Kazi is 'Kutsap' in Pimboyong. If that is so, I am sure we will have no more trouble. But it seems clear that no letters of ours got through to Lhasa - or if they did, they never got further. So arrangements will still have to be made with Neoli Babu before long soon.

31st May. Halt. We could not get on today. Our kit arrived during the night from Kimi, all but the tent, of which there is no news. The gyimpon says coolies "are coming", but nothing happens. No one obeys the gyimpon unless there is a dzong order obviously. We hoped to get on at least as far as Tashigong, but have had to give up all hope of that even. It is very hot indeed here, and we have collected a good many fleas and ticks on ourselves and in our bedding.