Part 45 - Route revisions and coolie logistics from Mashina toward Dunkhar and Waitsang

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SUMMARY:
The diarist, ill with bronchitis, outlines a staged route through multiple settlements, then reaches Mashina and pushes the coolies on to Dunkhar, revising planned departure dates. Many people are sick, including a man of Wangmoo who was injured, and the writer discusses difficulties securing coolies due to local allegiances to H.H., Wangmoo, Ani Choden, and Pema Dechen, before deciding to move on.

CONTENT:
Bad night & Bronchitis. I cannot manage hills as they are here. They are too hard work now for me. I got no sleep at all. We are all having a late start this morning, which I hate, but the coolies are so damn tired. Our plans must now be: 11 Dunkhar, 12 Halt, 13 Shambling, 14 a camp on Kuru Chu R bank, 15 Lhumbe, 16 Halt, 17 Takila, 18 Ungar, 19 Pimi, 20 Tang, 21 Halt, 22 Shabjetang on the Bumthang Chu, 23 Halt, 24, 25, 26 northwards, 27th Waitsang. That is a lot of good time wasted, though the Rudu La may be good via Tang; the route is new & fairly high, so should be of interest.

Later. We got to Mashina in very good time, so I asked the coolies to go on to Dunkhar, which they did, but were all in, tired, at 3.0 p.m., having come very steeply down over 5000' & up nearly 2000'. We have altered dates a little, & will leave here on 12th, and Lhumbe 14th, Ungar 16th, Tang 18th, Shabjetang 20th & halt there. Many sick people here, as I was specially tired, including one of Wangmoo's men who fell off his horse & made a hole right through into his mouth with a stone.

In some ways, it may be well to leave this area. Coolies might have been difficult. They have to come from here, & would have to come 3 days' march before reaching me to move me 1 day's march. And then to Waitsang would have taken, I'm told, no less than 8 nights on the way, besides going into Tibet. All the men up the Kuru Chu valley are not available as coolies. Here, nearly all are H.H.'s subjects, personal servants: so they would come with me. At Shambling, all are Wangmoo's, Ani Choden & Pema Dechen's. At Tungyang they are Wangmoo's. These people do not do the ordinary coolie work, except for their owners. Anyway we are off now, for better or worse; it does not matter what happens here.