Part 145 - Sezi to Omta Tso: Primula collecting in heavy rain

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SUMMARY:
Travel past yakherd huts at Sezi to Omta Tso, where a camp could be made. Despite foul rain and wind making photography difficult, primulas were collected and photographed, with abundant plants near Thita Tso and difficult cliff-face specimens that even Tenduk struggled to reach; P. hopeana was massed at camp.

CONTENT:
P. macrocarpa 3385
Mec integrifolia 3386
Lilium elatum var humile 3388 Prim macropetalum 3389.

space where there are some huts, used by yakherds, at m. 3. This is
called Sezi, the valley comes to an abrupt end here. Beyond this
the river is seen falling almost sheer for 500 ft. or so. The path winds
up on the left bank, under a cliff and then up to the Omta Tso at
m. 4. The Omta Tso is about 80x long and 40x across. A camp
can be made here, and there is some rhododendron for fuel. // I
spent the day in alternate cursing and rejoicing. Cursing the
weather, which was really as foul as anything could be, and rejoicing
in the flowers, especially primulas: rejoicing in their beauty or
newness, and cursing because photography on a day like this is really
very trying. Most exposures for colour were 10-15 minutes, in pouring
rain, with a wind, and under two umbrellas and various people trying
to keep wind off the flowers and rain off the camera. However it was
a good day: any day must be good when one gets primulas like
Nos. 3383 and 3384. The former just covers the hillside on the
shores and above, of Thita Tso. The latter was hard to get,
only on the most sheer cliff faces, where even Tenduk could
hardly reach. In fact we only got enough to press. There is lots
more, but it will be a job to get seed, unless the cliff is quite
dry. Here at camp P. hopeana is in masses.