Part 17 - Tsangpo River travel by Kowah: Dorje Tra to Chira with wildlife observations

1 page

SUMMARY:
Notes abundant fish in the Tsangpo and tame black‑necked cranes, with warm conditions after Yamdrok Tso. On 20 March they traveled by skin boats (Kowah) down the Tsangpo to Dorje Tra, demonstrated the wireless to the Dzongpen, dealt with missing boxes from Tamalung, and chased cormorants; on 21 March they continued by Kowah to Chira, describing Dorje Tra’s monastery on a rock and slower river flow.

CONTENT:
Ludlow 15
Tsangpo river
Fish appear numerous. The ferrymen told us that there were large fish in the river up to 10-20 lbs. Formerly they were allowed to catch them, but not nowadays.

Magnificent river, even here, though it must be nearly at its lowest. On the plain there were many black-necked cranes, tamer than usual: some allowed me up to 40 yards. Stayed in home, very comfortable. Beautifully warm down here after the Yamdrok Tso.

20th March. Dorje Tra. 18 miles. 8 hours by Kowa - down the Tsangpo. Perfect weather, no clouds all day. We listened in to the Scotland England Rugger match yesterday evening, but heard very badly. However we could follow the whole game. On such a clear night there are probably electrical disturbances about. Certainly when I stroked Jill, she sparked all over. We were rash enough to show the wireless to the Dzongpen, in the afternoon he came again in the evening. Eleven boxes never turned up from Tamalung, although we waited till after 11:00 this morning. Transport also was very late in turning up, and finally we decided to leave ponies and sail down the Tsangpo in the skin boats - 'Kowah'. We could have got everything into three, but for comfort and safety we took six. At 11:15 we embarked and were off, much to the delight of the villagers who must love a tamasha like that.

Near Gonkar the river is quite swift, but it opens out and is slower lower down. We had some fun chasing cormorants, which abound, choosing one which has eaten so much it has difficulty in flying. One we got close to and catapulted, eventually hitting it on the head and killing it. Inside was a fish of fully 1½ lbs - the tail well up the cormorant's neck. It was a pleasant change just lying in the boats at ease. The men don't do very energetic rowing, but keep at it for hours. They drink chang as long as they have it and sing merrily all the time they row. Dorje Tra was further than expected, we were not in till nearly 8:00 pm. Then we woke the village, looking for a house to stay in. This was finally done and we had a good night, again undisturbed by any uninvited guests.

21st March. To Chira. 18 miles. 6 hours by Kowah again by Kowah down the Tsangpo. Fine, no clouds, but rather windy. River slower flowing on the whole. Dorje Tra is a picturesque place, mostly monastery, plastered up against a big rock sticking out into the river. We left at 8:00 am and halted here at...