Part 45 - Lalung march and halt: road, weather, insects, and observations

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SUMMARY:
A slow, difficult march to Lalung over a bad road with intermittent rain; Lalung is a cultivated clearing whose name is explained, dam-dim flies are severe—badly affecting Ludlow—and dense low-elevation forest yields little, though Lilium giganteum is common but not in flower. The following day is a halt at Lalung with a fine morning before a violent evening storm brings rivers into flood, and Tsongpen shot a new...

CONTENT:
slowly indeed.

Lalung proves disappointing

22

To 27th April. Lalung. 5 miles. BP. 200.2° Temp. 65° Time 2.0pm. Ht. approx 6716'. A very slow march, a very bad road. Bright clear after a night of rain, till evening, then more rain. The pass is crossed 1/2 m from camp then the path keeps down steeply at times & gradually occasionally. Lalung is a large cleared area, with a good deal of cultivation. The name is from Lha = gods, Lungpa = valley, the story being that a lama reincarnation came here & found the place so nice that he called it The place of the gods. But the dam-dim flies are really very bad. They worry me a bit, but the effect is very bad on Ludlow, whose hands & wrists are twice their normal size. We saw little in the way here. The forest is so dense that it is almost impossible to spot flowers. In any case, we are really too low for good things, & intend to go off up some valley for a few days soon. Lilium giganteum is common round about, but not in flower, but I have seen no signs of other lilies.

28th April. Halt. Lalung. Fine until lovely morning. Clouded early, rain by 2.30 & a terrific storm of rain in the evening, which has brought all the rivers down in flood. Tsongpen shot a new