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- 1934-10-14 (Creation)
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1 page
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SUMMARY:
The diarist describes comfortable bamboo hut accommodations and stages from Samri Chu to Taktu and then to Sakden over the Munda La, noting fine weather and elevations. At the first village over the pass, they observe papermaking driven by a waterwheel and efficient turning of wooden drinking bowls; Danang suggests the wood is a kind of Prunus.
CONTENT:
110
structure of bamboo huts - a room each of about 8' square, with a 'hall' in between, and small huts for the men coolies. Certainly travel in Bhutan in many parts is very pleasant and comfortable.
Samri Chu
17th October. to TAKTU 9 miles. 7840' (B.P. 18.1 Temp 60°). Fairly fine, though clouded all day. This makes a much better stage than doing the whole way to Sakden in a day. Even so, it is a longish 9 miles, and very hard work on the coolies. The temp. up here now is perfect.
18th October. To SAKDEN. 5 miles. Ht. 9731'. When we went to bed last night the mist was thick and it was raining. But a few hours later a cold N. wind sprang up, and this morning was clear and perfect, and it has remained so all day. A short march over the Munda La here.
FB
At the first village over the pass, there was considerable activity in paper making and in making small wooden drinking bowls. The paper bark is pulped by an ingenious water wheel machine, driving two hammers which fall into a stone with a well cut in it. The lathe for cutting the small cups is very efficient. I watched a cup finished from a solid lump of wood in about 5-10 minutes. Danang says the wood is some kind of prunus, but I could not make out what it was. Motive power
