Part 179 - Tawang and Muktur, 12 November: travel logistics and plant collecting

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SUMMARY:
Brief stop at Tawang before dark where lamas promised coolies; evening spent sorting seeds amid cloudy, misty weather. On 12 November the party marched about 10 miles to Muktur (c. 8000'), with Pinto successfully managing multiple transport changes after assurances from the Dzongpen's budli; arrival was at 1:30 pm and rhododendron seeds were collected.

CONTENT:
From Milakatong La. Primula P. jigmediana 2840, purella 2841, gambeliana aff. 2829. (50)

Tawang. We were only in a short time before dark. Three men - 2 lamas - called & promised that coolies would be here in the early morning. A busy evening sorting seeds. Very cloudy, misty, but no rain - pleasantly warm after high camps.

12th November. Muktur. 8000'(?). 10 miles. It rained most of the night and all this morning till 10 am, after which it was fine till 4.0 pm. Clouds down all day, & raining again this evening. Pinto did wonders to get everything off by 8.0 am. He had considerable difficulty. At the first change, I saw the Dzongpen's “budli” who promised there would be no further changing. I was very grateful, & gave him odd presents of money. We insisted on his two headmen coming with us. It was lucky we did, as actually we changed transport 4 or 5 times more. But there was never any delay, & we arrived, much to my astonishment, at Muktur at 1.30 pm. I saw nothing of interest on the way down: got a campanula on the way up, then went out here to look for rhododendrons. This must be a wonderful place for them. We got capsules, but no ripe seed, of Rhod. rhabdotum, seed of a R. maddenii, which is everywhere, the commonest shrub near here. Also seed of what