Part 143 - Singo Samba to Trashidzong and Tsari Sama, 9–10 October: field notes and plans

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SUMMARY:
The diarist reports from Singo Samba and then Trashidzong/Tsari Sama, noting misty and rainy weather, limited finds of rhododendrons and primulas, and heavy grazing by yaks that destroyed desired Meconopsis and Primula stands. Plans are made to leave kit with one man and proceed lightly with eight coolies around Tsari Sama, while noting Ludlow and Taylor’s move from Kyimdong toward the Bimbi La to target several Meconopsis species; the pilgrim season at Sacha Peso appears over.

CONTENT:
cut for himself a pair of soles for his boots. He then went off & pulled half a yak's tail out to make thread to stitch on his soles.

9th October. Singo Samba. Fine, but some rain last night, thick mist till 8.00am this morning. Found little today: two rhododendrons & a good collection of Ludlow's primula which is down as close to P. ioessa (3789). It is not ioessa, will be interesting if the seed come up well. Crossed the ridge, recamped on the L. bank, leaving rather a long march for tomorrow up to Trashidzong.

10th October. Trashidzong, Tsari Sama. Fine, but becoming more clouded all day, till rain fell in the evening about 5.0pm. Clouds very low, looks bad for tomorrow. The seeds I wanted most today are not to be found. When last here, there was a wonderful show of P. sikkimensis of all colours growing together, some most beautiful: also a very fine red P. alpicola. But all have been eaten by yaks, or dried up - not find a single stem - very disappointing. A small rhododendron here, taken on the Chumbumbu La, is so ripe that all capsules are fully open, the seed falls out almost too easily. It is nice to find some rhodos. like that. As yaks cannot go round Tsari Sama, I am leaving one man here to look after kit to be left, & will only take on 8 coolies lightly loaded, with our beddings, rations for three days, camp table, bed & chair - no tents.

A great pity the weather has broken, as we should do well here, but a fine day would help a great deal. Ludlow & Taylor should have left Kyimdong by now, for their way to the Bimbi La. I hope they have a fine day for their halt & collecting there, as there is a good deal to be done there. Taylor very anxious to see & get seed of Meconopsis argemonantha. If he does so, & gets M. bella & M. sherriffii, we should have seen 16 different Meconopsis this trip. M. nepalensis, M. simplicifolia, M. betonicifolia, M. horridula, M. hor. var lutea, M. integrifolia, M. lyrata, M. florindae, M. impedita, M. speciosa, Ward's ivory poppy (M. harleyana), M. bella, M. sherriffii, M. argemonantha, M. paniculata & one other which I can't think of. Taylor has also been very near M. torquata, M. discigera & M. superba, but unfortunately we none of us saw them. The yak herds have left this place, I think only a short time ago, & the lamas have also left the small gompa here, so presumably the pilgrim season is over, & we will have Sacha Peso to ourselves again.