Part 189 - Sumbatse – Kyimdong Chu halts and botanical notes

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SUMMARY:
Notes skepticism about a report of Kingdon Ward shooting near the gompa and mention that he went up the diarist’s nala likely finding primulas. Records two halts at Sumbatse with weather details, Tsongpen’s excursion with little of interest, searches for blood pheasant, a visit to Yarap with vegetables growing well, and abundant primulas above a small loch, with plant species listed.

CONTENT:
anywhere on the pilgrimage, or they would be ill after too much rain here. When Kingdon Ward was here last year, he said he was not shooting, but did so even close to the gompa. I do not believe this story, as K.W. hardly ever shoots. I was sorry to hear that K.W. went up 'my' nala, so he probably found all these primulas. The red one is a little apt to lose colour on top, and has rather a short season, but he is a beauty for all that.

Sumbatse - Kyimdong Chu Sherriff
14th June. Halt. Fine for most of the day, after a good deal of rain at night. Tsongpen went up the same valley, but kept to the south. He did not find much of interest. I went again to look for the blood pheasant, but saw nor heard any sign of him.
(Androsace graminifolia 1815, brahma-putrae 1816, strigillosa 1814, Iris decora 1817)

Sumbatse Sherriff
15th June. Halt. Rain on and off all day. The official date for the monsoon, and it looks rather like it. Went to Yarap and saw the vegetables coming on well. Then up the valley south of Yarap, but found little till the head, above a little loch, where all the primulas seen the other day were in masses, added to which was
(L. tibetica 1819, Primula trichosanthes 1832, Primula officinalis 1823)