Part 113 - Samtegang to Tsalimape via Wangdipotrang and Hinglai La, 6–10 August

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SUMMARY:
The party marches in persistent rain from Samtegang to Wangdipotrang and over Hinglai La to Tsalimape, with a halt day due to wet weather. They encounter an unprepared Ritang headman, receive a protracted visit from a local Dzongpon, and have slow coolies over the pass. Few flowers are seen, but seeds of Streptopus simplex, Vaccinium, and a Cotoneaster are collected; Lilium nepalense is noted as common.

CONTENT:
We hear Raja Dorji lost 160 cattle there lately.

6th August - Samtegang. Rain at night, rain and mist most of the way here. Nothing of interest on the way, except Lilium nepalense, which is fairly common, and in unripe seed just now. We took from 5:30 to 12:45, the longest march so far. The Ritang headman was no good. He was not ready for our arrival, had no wood or supplies, and then failed to have any coolies in the morning, and did not turn up himself. Samtegang was very different, everything there was ready and well done.

7th August - Wangdipotrang. Thick mist and rain - on the one day I thought we could certainly expect to be fine. But it cleared up later and was bright for a while. The local Dzongpon came and called and he caused us some consternation by staying for an hour and a half. At last I thought he was waiting for me to tell him he could go, so I got up and induced him to get up too. Then I led him out of the room and showed him the steps down. But not a bit - he led me through two other rooms and then said "Here you are - here is the lavatory." I told him I did not want that, and then reluctantly had to lead him back to our room, where Betty was very surprised to see him again. A pleasant, polite man, but very little use, one would think.

8th August - Halt. Wet all day.

9th August - Camp Hinglai La. Off at 5:15 in heavy rain. We reached the pass at 1:00 pm, and coolies not till 4:00 pm. They were very slow. Cleared up in the evening. Little of interest seen.

10th August - Tsalimape. A little over 3 hours. No flowers except one Pyrola. But we got very good seed of Streptopus simplex, and also of Vaccinium and a Cotoneaster. Here a very pleasant camp-fire.