Part 247 - Puitsogong to Yonpu La camp and halt; weather, costs, and observations

1 page

SUMMARY:
Notes that potted seedlings are unhealthy, some missing, and labels lost, possibly due to sheep. The party leaves Puitsogong for a camp on Yonpu La, briefly accompanied by the raja Tokpola; it is very cold with good views to Sangdo Pelri, and caravan size and coolie payments are recorded. The next day they halt at Yonpu La, enjoy clearer views, and the writer takes photographs and notes birds.

CONTENT:
in pots were not looking too healthy. A number have disappeared lately and some have died. I think our sheep get at them. Anyway I found that a good many labels had gone, and as the seedlings have died down, it is not easy to recognise them now.

2nd November. Camp on Yonpu La (summit of) 6 miles 8000' Rained slightly all morning. We left Puitsogong, and the raja (whose name is Tokpola - a Kurtip) came with us for a couple of miles. A pleasant camp, and a lovely place to be in clear weather, as the snow hills to the north, especially Sangdo Pelri are very well seen from here. For the height it is extraordinarily cold, about the same as Sahden at night. Our caravan is down to 48 men, but some did not carry full loads. All through Bhutan we have paid on the average 2 tenkhas a day per coolie. But the exchange we got was this year only 10 per rupee, as opposed to last year's 13 or 14. All travelling expenses for the last five months have worked out to little more than Rs 1000/-.

3rd Nov. Halted at Yonpu La. A very cold night and morning. It cleared up, and we got a pretty good view of the hills to the North.

(Film 16c, FP 7, Contax 14 finished) I went up the hill to the E of camp and took some photos, but no bearings. Had a good day with birds. Mostly a dull day, but clouds high to the north. Some mist. Fresh snow on hills as low as