Part 57 - Lo La to Molo; meeting Taylor and camps on Langong Chu and Singo Samba (May 16–25)

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SUMMARY:
Diary records travel from Lo La and Singo Samba to Molo, where Taylor arrives, followed by several halt days to reorganise. The party then moves to camps on the Langong Chu and above Singo Samba while Ludlow and Taylor explore down the Lilung Chu; mail and future rendezvous plans are noted. Botanical collecting is mentioned throughout, though limited by logistics and weather.

CONTENT:
Lo La
May 16. R. forrestii var. repens 3783, Primula 3784, Calostrotum 3785.
Singo Samba, Loda Chu near Molo. May 16. R. chaetomallum var. chamaephytum 3786. R. ponderosum 3792. 78.
P. calderiana 3788, locosa 3789. Paraquilegia anemonoides 3790. Lloydia tibetica 3791. R. laudum var. lucidum 3793.

masses, just coming into flower now. There is still a lot of snow on this side; Ludlow's Primula elizabethae has still a covering of 3ft over it. But I saw it on the south of the pass in masses yesterday on a small patch clear of snow. It was 1-1 1/2" up, so it won't be very long in coming away now. We hear here that there is no news of Taylor yet in Molo. They know of our coming. However, no news is good news, as had he had to turn back, I think our mail would have arrived with news of Taylor's return. We all crossed this fine bridge in style; Ludlow had no great difficulty this time. He could not have turned whether he wanted to or not.

Taylor arrives
17th May. To Molo. 10 miles. Fine road. Arrived in Molo 1:30 pm. Taylor walked in at about 3:00, before our kit had arrived. A wonderfully well-timed meeting, seeing he was last talked to by either of us in London by phone on 12th Feb.

Molo - Halt, reorganise kit and loads, buying bags of flour, developing photographs, planning future.
18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23rd May. Halt Molo. Dry sunny weather on the whole. Taylor is collecting masses of things, thoroughly happy. I have been too busy to get very much collecting done. Coolies were difficult. We should have been off on the 23rd, but no one turned up at all.

24th May. To Camp on Langong Chu, 5 miles south of Molo. Rained all night. Heavy rain 7:00 to 9:00 then a fine day. Coolies and ponies all turned up and we were off at 7:00. As we had had so much trouble last time, I did not try to go far, and kit was all in by 2:00 pm. Ludlow and Taylor went off down the Lilung Chu, starting at the same time. They have Pinso, Tenduk, Dawd, Ramzana and Tsering. I have Cutha, Kusho and Tsourpon. I fancy they are off to a very good area, though there will be some trouble in getting there. But this area also will be good, and also will be difficult. Nothing of interest to me was found today. The mail went off at 6:30, and then we were glad to get on the move again. We hope to see our next mail when we all meet at Tsala Dz. on 31st July. They will not come via Molo, but direct down the river, and should take 21 days or so.

25th May. To Camp 3 miles above Singo Samba. 7 miles. Height approx. 11,500'. Rained during the night. Fine today except for showers. Nothing much seen along the river bank. The path is in fine forest most of the way, with a few small clearings every now and then. Primula prenantha 3848.