Part 111 - Mangde Chu and Chendesi: collecting notes and lodging

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SUMMARY:
The writer recalls a 1933 arrival with Ludlow at Mangde Chu, aided by Tobgye with mules and beer, notes current finds including Lilium wallichianum and Codonopsis purpurea, and describes a clean bamboo house near Tongsa Dzong. On 4th August at Chendesi, in clear weather they collected many flowers, went via the Lamse La to find Primula hasecharis, and stayed in a bamboo house built two years earlier for H.H.’s visit to Ha.

CONTENT:
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Mangde Chu. I always remember that bridge, where in July '33, Ludlow & I arrived very hot indeed & somewhat tired after a longish day collecting birds & flowers. Tobgye very kindly had sent down 2 mules for us to ride to Tongsa Dzong, & more welcome still, 2 bottles of beer, kept cold in the river water. The only flowers of note today were Lilium wallichianum (19559), and Codonopsis purpurea (19532), seed of which we must get in October this year. I've taken it before, but not seed. Here they have made a very fine bamboo house of 4 rooms for us, & also stables & cookhouse. I wish it could be kept clean. At present it is unused & absolutely clean, & even smells clean.

4th August. Chendesi. Another perfect day, after a bright clear night. All this clear weather is very unexpected & unusual, but welcome, especially on these potentially leechy days. We took a good many flowers today, & could have taken more, but I have limited space in our boxes now. Here I went up the Lamse La route to get Primula hasecharis (19574), & found it in masses on the same cliff as in '37. Again we are not in tents, but in a bamboo house, built 2 years ago for H.H. when he visited Ha. This was a longer march than I remembered it to be, from 5