File COX - Photocopy of diary covering 1919 Burma Expedition with Reginald Farrer

Photocopy of personal journal of E.H.M. Cox 31st January - 29th December 1919, 132 leaves, 200x320mm

1 folder with Photocopy of personal journal of E.H.M. Cox 31st January - 29th December 1919. Covering the Burma Expedition with Reginald John Farrer (17 February 1880 – 17 October 1920)
Remarkable account of 2 people, written between 1919 and 1920 and occasionally containing language and attitudes that would be considered offensive today; E.H.M. Cox, photographer, botanist, hunter, writer, and Reginald Farrer: botanist, painter and writer. Sail to Rangoon from Liverpool. Train and boat to Myitkyina and make base; from there they make expeditions into Kachin country with a large train of coolies, Gurkhas and Indian staff. Routine [as far as possible] seems to be gathering specimens, plants and seeds, taking photos, both glass plate and roll film, drying and pressing plants. Travelling from place to place and camping for as long as they need. Long treks in the north-east highlands climbing to 10,000 ft. and more. The diary is very closely observed and personal .The writer finds he has to do much more than the above accomplishments due to non-appearance of cooks, coolies etc. The weather plays an important part in the diary due to its erratic behaviour. Interesting that they receive pretty regular mail and both write a lot in return. British District Officers play a [generally] useful part in their plant searches. [description by SM]

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• English

E.H.M.Cox recorded the 1919 expedition as 'Farrer's Last Journey, Upper Burma 1919-20'