Part 127 - Pintso’s account of the Lopas and report of a Gompa between Kashongha and Dotrang

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SUMMARY:
A plant noted on the 26th was photographed and pressed. Pintso visited with a notebook to describe the Lopas, and observations were made about their recognition of upside-down camera images compared to Kashmiris and servants. Dawang reported an old Gompa on the route from Dotrang to Kashongha, now a pilgrimage site with oil lamps in early June, and a marking on Bailey’s map is noted as mistaken.

CONTENT:
on 26th has nearly come to full bloom, so I photographed it &
had it pressed. May it turn out to be a new one. Fine.
Pintso was asking more about the Lopas & came in with
his little notebook to tell us all about it. He described
the various tribes & finished with the lowest of the low. "These
he said "have tails about 4 to 5 inches long." It was said
in all seriousness, & he & all the Kashmiris of course,
believe it. It was curious how all the Lopas, when I
let them look through the back end of the camera, at
once recognized whoever was sitting in front. And he saw
too that the image was upside down. A jungly Kashmiri
would never see that, I doubt even if our own servants
would. The 'temple' which Dawang reported seeing on the
way to the Kashongha from Dotrang is an old Gompa of
considerable size. It used to be an important & holy place,
till looted by the Lopas. Even now though it has no
occupants, it is a place of pilgrimage. All the people in
the district go there on the 15th of the 4th month (about the
beginning of June) & make a circle of oil light lamps round.
The marking of this on Bailey's map is the only mistake we