Part 7 - Kupup to Yatung via Jelep La; halt at Yatung, 24–26 Feb

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SUMMARY:
The party marches from Kupup to Yatung over the Jelep La in heavy snow, with difficult mule transport and botanical notes on Primula gracilipes. In Yatung they deal with a customs issue over cigarettes, receive mail from Gyantse, trace missing kit sent from Ha, meet a Subedar, and dine with local contacts.

CONTENT:
...a few common orchids. Tseringpen wants to take a press tomorrow, in case we come across anything in the primula line.

24th Feb. Kupup. 13 miles. Fine in the morning, but clouded over by 10 am. The rest of the day there was a heavy snowstorm, with rain and thunder in the valleys. We had intended to stop at Gnatong, but snow was heavy then, and we thought we might not reach the pass next day, so went on. I walked all the way, and was very tired indeed when we got in, as the climb is from 6500' to 13000', with some up and down thrown in. Went to bed early with a splitting headache. Near Lingti Primula gracilipes was just coming into flower, but the scapes hardly showed at all. Cleared up after dark.

25th Feb. Yatung 18 miles. Very fine morning, though the valleys were full of cloud. We were a bit late in getting off, and transport reached the Jelep La about 10.30 am. Snow not very much, but an icy path down this side made the going very hard for the mules. Muleteers wanted to stop in Rinchengang, but we persuaded them to come on here, where they reached about 4.30. Found more Primula gracilipes (3580) on the way down. As soon as we got in, two people came to see us, so we could not have our tea, then Norbhu's son and the head clerk also came. The head clerk was more concerned about two loads of cigarettes which were among our muleteers' things. As there is a strict order against importing them, there was some trouble. We had promised the Khampa mule owners to take these up as our own. All our people seem fit and David is quite happy.

26th Feb. Yatung. Halt. Fine all day. Got a good mail, sent back from Gyantse. Spent the day in writing letters, seeing the Subedar of the Det. 1/15th Punjab Regt., and dining with Norbhu's wife and Charles Marbleu. In between we tried to find out what had happened to our kit which was sent on by tonga, that from Ha. Eventually heard from Phari that the Ha kit was there, but they knew nothing of any other loads. Sub. Maryam Singh is a great talker and we know most of his life history before we left. Dinner with Norbhu's wife was rather a trial, though she, Charles and Charles' fiancée are all nice. We had English-style