Part 17 - Thira La to Chomo Dzong and toward Dzeng: river crossing, harvest, papermaking, and plant notes

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SUMMARY:
Botanical observations near camp included Cremanthodium, P. littledalei, Meconopsis integrifolia, and saxifrages. After leaving the Thira La, Taylor returned to the Gyanda Chu and the party halted at Chomo Dzong to collect coracles and cross the river, observing barley harvesting and local papermaking, before abandoning a planned route from Kyakden to the Rong Chu and proceeding to Dzeng on the Tsangpo, where Primula and Gentiana waltoni were noted.

CONTENT:
Near our camp were very fine. On the high rocky slopes were several species of Cremanthodium, we saw here more fruiting plants of P. littledalei than anywhere else, always growing among boulder scree, or at the foot of cliffs, in crevices protected from rain: a few were still in flower. Beside them grew Meconopsis integrifolia, some still with an odd flower on them. Saxifrages too were common here, the prettiest perhaps being a little wine red one only once seen, Saxifraga (No. 6).

Leaving the Thira La, Taylor returned to the Gyanda Chu, by a valley further North which entered the Gyanda Chu at Chomo Dzong. Here we had to halt a day while coracles were collected to ferry us across the river to the right bank. Barley crops were now ripe and we watched the Tibetans collecting the heads by putting two canes together and drawing them up the straws, pulling the heads off, while leaving the straw standing. Later on we watched the more dangerous method used in cutting the straw. In a small field a dozen or more men stripped to the waist, were let loose with murderous looking scythes on long handles. These were not wielded in the sedate way they are at home, but to the tunes of shouted songs were wildly swung over the left shoulder and head before being brought down in a sweep worthy of a professional golfer. The men did not advance in line, but wandered about where they fancied. Another occupation in which the people of Chomo Dzong were busy, was paper making, we watched this very simple and efficient manufacture from the peeling of the Daphne bark to the setting out of the cloth trays to dry in the air.

Unfortunately we could not manage the proposed trip from Kyakden over the hills to the East into the Rong Chu valley and had to turn down the river to Dzeng on the Tsangpo. Primula was seen on these dry slopes near the valley bed and Gentiana waltoni now appeared on an open dry hillside.