Part 97 - Nayu Chu to Shoka: headman’s assistance, specimens, and robber warnings

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SUMMARY:
Travel along the Nayu Chu was difficult with deep water and mud; Magnolia globosa was found in bloom and a route toward the Tunza La is noted. On 11 July at Nayu, the headman offered ponies for transport to Lamdo and social visits ensued, including mention of his relation to Ashe Cyelmo of Sangacholing; a preserved bird specimen spoiled. On 12 July the party moved to SHOKA amid showers, with reports of Khampa robbers crossing the Tsangpo and the Nayu gyupon departing to meet them.

CONTENT:
Hydrangea heteromalla 5809
48

Nayu Chu
where the water today was anything up to 5 ft deep. Some of the logs were 6" or a foot under water, which made them very tricky things to cross. But no one fell in. The mud all the way is awful & very deep too. We found Magnolia globosa (?) 5805, in bloom, but otherwise nothing of interest was seen. From just this side of Damze a path leads up a large valley to the East, to the Tunza La, over which in August, the Minyu Lopas come. It seems to be a much higher pass, and would have been better there, but we can't go now for lack of rations.

11th July. Nayu 5 miles. Rained a good deal at night. Fine, with showers here. Some sun. We got in by 9 am & have everything dried now. The headman is very friendly again & he has offered his ponies to take me to Lamdo, a great blessing, as otherwise I should have had to change transport no less than ten places on the way there. I am paying at the rate of Rs 1/12 (Tib) from here to Lamdo per pony. That is more than I would otherwise pay, but worth it every time. Everything I have from the tent down intrigues these people, & the headman even brought his wife down to see everything, which I think I must put up with. And now I have to have some food with him this evening & let him hear the wireless, which will probably not work. He is related, I find to Ashe Cyelmo of Sangacholing. As far as I can make out his brother was her first husband, & another brother married one of the daughters. All three daughters were this brother's, not the Drugpa Rimpoche's. When he said his brother married one of the daughters, I recognized him. They are really very alike, but this man has more in him.

The young black woodpecker has gone bad, viz. is a mass of maggots. It seems this formalin method of preservation is a rotten one. I have lost two good birds now, & may lose more.

12th July. To SHOKA. 7 miles. Showers all day, no sun. I was asked not to leave this morning, I think because the gyupon had some work to do, but he said because of a band of 100 Khampa robbers who were coming across the Tsangpo, going upstream. They are said to be all ex-lamas of one monastery which was burnt by the Chinese. The lamas turned robbers seem to cause consternation wherever they go. The Nayu gyupon went off too this morning, to meet them I suppose, with him rode