Part 175 - Towa halt; meeting with Jongpen and route planning to Nangartse

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SUMMARY:
The party halts at Towa, where the Jongpen, newly returned from Lhasa, invites them to stay another day for dinner. They plan to travel to Nangartse by the route between Pomo and the Yamdrok Tsos, arrange transport changes at Lalung, Monda La, Ling, and Nangartse, and note local transport rates between Singhi Dzong, Lala, and Towa.

CONTENT:
local serai, a filthy yard and much filthier hovel of a home. But Ludlow soon stirred him up, and we were taken to this camping ground, which we recognize from White's book as the place he was meant to camp.

6th Sept. Halted at Towa. In the evening we heard that the Jongpen had just come back from Lhasa and would like us to stop another day and have dinner with him. Rather against our will we agreed to. In the meantime we had asked about the route to Nangartse. There are three routes — one to the East which Williamson took: one to the West to Pomotsongo and one between the Pomo and Yamdrok Tsos. This is the one we wanted to go by, and curiously enough it was the one suggested by the Jongpen's men. No one has been by it yet: we will see both lakes and if clear Kulu Kangri and the main range to the West of it. And I think we have gained our point that we want to have transport only changed at Lalung, Monda La, Ling and Nangartse. That will make an enormous difference. We can't get over the transport rates here. The rate from Singhi Dzong to Lala — a very hard 12 mile march was 1 tanka per animal or 1/2 tanka per coolie. From there on to Towa is 5 miles, but the coolies have not yet come in for their pay. I suppose they are not used to