Part 55 - Shao to Tsona: primula meadows, meconopsis, and route via Kachen Tso/Kachen La

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SUMMARY:
The writer describes abundant primulas and meconopsis around Shao, including a new white meconopsis and vast fields of yellowish white primulas, while noting Ludlow’s flea-infested lodging. The party proceeds toward Tsona, following the Shao Chu and a northern side valley to Kachen Tso and over Kachen La, with an easy descent past small lakes.

CONTENT:
Scotland, with the heather in full bloom. In Shao we put up in a stone built house - top storey. Very pleasant, though not too clean, as Ludlow discovered. He had many fleas and a louse or two in the morning. I have never seen so many primulas in one day. We found three yellow swamp ones, besides P. sikkimensis, another two small primulas, a huge big white one, P. Roylei that magnificent big purple blue one and some others. Besides this I found a new white meconopsis like horridula in growth and habitat and another. The small meconopsis found by Dawa on the Orka La was also near the Bum La. At Shao there are some disused fields where barley was once cultivated, and these are now absolutely full with a yellowish white primula - acres and acres of them.

15th July. TO TSONA. 16 miles. (B.P. 186.7° Temp. 50°. 13733' Corrected = 14282'). Path leads up the Shao Chu for half mile, strikes up a side valley to the North. Thence easy ascent over open country to the top of a rise at m 5 1/2. Beyond this the Kachen Tso is seen, and the path gradually ascends along the E and North sides of this to the KACHEN LA (15604') at m 7. The lake is about 1 1/2 m long and nearly a mile across. Just beyond the pass are two or three small lakes. Descent easy to the