Part 141 - Lung halts and field notes, 18–19 October

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SUMMARY:
At Lung, the Char Chu river is clearing though the monsoon persists. Over 18–19 October the diarist remained in camp, received mail thoughtfully forwarded by Ludlow, collected Cardiocrinum giganteum bulbs, and endured heavy rain while cutting paths, finding rhododendron seed unripe and seeing no tragopan or monal.

CONTENT:
Char Chu is now quite clear again, and this river is clearing up gradually. No sign as yet of the monsoon being over.

Lung, 18th October. Halt. Rained a good deal in the night and this morning, but not very heavy. Stayed in camp and collected a few Cardiocrinum giganteum bulbs. In the evening, much to my surprise, a mail arrived. Ludlow very kindly sent it on complete only taking out his own and his letters, and leaving me all the newspapers etc., very good of him and very thoughtful. It was grand to hear again from home and Kashmir. All our mails seem to be going well now, and I have a report on all my Dufaycolor film packs up to No 26. On the whole they are well reported on.

Lung, 19th October. Halt. Went up the hill, cutting a path through the high bracken. A foul day, rained hard from morning to night and mist low down on the hills. Very disappointing. We found all rhododendron seed unripe, and most will not be ripe for a month at least. I never saw a sign of a tragopan or of monal, but will go again once or twice. It was pretty bloody in the bamboo forest, frightfully wet, and the place full of rotten wood. A bad day.