Part 41 - Transport arrangements and march notes from Damthang to Sharithang

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SUMMARY:
The diary records paying for pony transport and arranging routes via the Jelep La and Nathu La, with generous provisions from Rani Chuni and many loads of plants and seeds despite Betty having broken her arm. On 30 Oct at Damthang, coolies and transport are disorganized and late; on 31 Oct at Sharithang, rain and sleet continue with snow above 11,000 ft.

CONTENT:
four collectors. They will have to change transport at Rinchenpong. We have paid them at Rs 9/- per pony. Ludlow had 5 1/2 loads and Hicks at 10 1/2. I also paid Tsangpon at the rate of Rs 10/- per pony to Kalimpong - Rs 105/- - that being about half what we expect the cost to be. They will all go the Jelep La route, while we will go by the Nathu La. As usual we have been very well looked after here. Rani Chuni has been pouring things over to us, butter, cider, eggs, meat, even whisky. We can't stop her, and we'll be lucky to get off with just the number of transport ordered. With us we have 8 pony loads and 3 coolies with live plants. That can't all fit into a jeep and trailer, and we will certainly have to use some other form of transport to get the rest through. And so we end what has been a very successful trip for us all, with the one exception of Betty breaking her arm. Ludlow certainly has the best collection, but we all have lots of good stuff, and seeds should prove interesting, and also the rooted plants, of which we have brought more than ever before. We have 3 big baskets - each a man's load - each having 3 tiers of plants in them.

30th Oct. Damthang. Raining in the morning, off soon in the day. Coolies and transport very sad indeed. They do just as they like, and even by 4.0 pm several are not in after an 8 mile march. What is worse, is that we saw some of the boxes which were yesterday passing the bungalow this evening. In fact they never went yesterday at all. These people are very difficult now. There is no authority, no discipline.

31st Oct. Sharithang. Rain and sleet fell all evening and night, there was quite a bit of snow on the road today from about 11000 ft up to the top.