Part 81 - Trip to Chiniung La

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SUMMARY:
During a halt at Langong, two local men reconnoitred the Chiniung La, encountering deep snow, a half-frozen lake to the south, remains of Lopas on the pass, and few flowers, while the diarist records plant notes and a long circuit over the main range. That evening the gyimpon described local customs regarding Lopas and claimed that “Highburn Pk” near Tso Kar is the real Takpa Shiri; the writer wished to hear the account through Pintso but struggled to understand Kusho, who had been drinking chang. The party then moved to a camp south of the Tse La in heavy rain.

CONTENT:
Chiniung La
Trip to Chiniung La

20th June. Halt Langong. Rain nearly all day, finer in the evening. Trompen or rather two locals went up the valley to the South of Langong to try the South of the main range. It took 3 hours to reach the pass, going without a halt. The pass is called the CHINIUNG LA, (BP. 185.0, Temp 51°. 9.0 am, Ht. approx 15318.) There is a good deal of deep snow on this side still, but sufficient has melted to show the remains of some Lopas who died on the pass last year. Five died there, but we only saw one. They don't just leave their dead where they lie, but put a few stones round them, cover them with their hats & their fibre rain coat affair, then leave them little bundles of tsampa or food, & stick their bow up at one end. The arrows however, seem to have been taken away. Two Lopas crossed this pass last week & returned. On the South side, about 500 ft. down is a large lake, still half frozen, which shows how late things are here. There were hardly any flowers out as far as we went - P. Valentiniana near others of P. tsariensis. We got nothing on the South side. Then we did a big circle round to the left, over the main range again, but there was little new. P. chamaethamna was really more beautiful in masses, occasionally mixed with P. tsariensis. P. Hobsonii common & also P. macrophylla 5608. P. rotundifolia 5606 was common near the Chiniung La. Out at 5.30, back at 3.30 pm. pretty tired. The gyimpon this evening said they had not much trouble with the Lopas. When they come, a yak is killed on a stone & both the Lopas & the Langong people drink the blood. After this there is no trouble between the men, but he said that perhaps a woman or two or a child might get hit up, he did not know much about them. Tomorrow they have some kind of tamasha. As far as I can make out, they all go out with guns & let them off in Pachakshiri direction. It seems some idea of frightening the Lopas, who however know nothing about it all. I should like to have heard the whole story through Pintso. Kushos Urdu or Hindi is about as good as my Tibetan, & he is almost impossible to understand, especially as he had been drinking chang this evening. The gyimpon insists that the "Highburn Pk" - near Tso Kar - is the real Takpa Shiri, & that it is universally so called. I wonder if he can be right?

21st June. Camp S. of the Tse La. 6 miles. BP. 186.4° Temp. 50° Time 3.30 pm. Ap. ht. 14457'. Heavy rain