Part 87 - Tsona, 12th April: To Tsona, snow and plant notes

1 page

SUMMARY:
Notes local customs of refusing meat and sending honey to the Dzongpon. Describes a 12-mile march to Tsona over a snowy pass around 14,500 ft with clear but windy conditions, and records observations of Primula species and flocks of grandala.

CONTENT:
The locals will not eat meat of any of these wild animals, nor even hens, and are shocked at us eating pigeons. I asked if they eat honey, but they say they have to send that to the Dzongpon, who sells the beeswax and gives the remainder to cattle and mules. It looks as if we should have our clear day tomorrow all right. If so it will be very windy on top, and the sun on the snow will be pretty awful for everyone's eyes.

Tsona 12th April. To Tsona. 12 miles. 14500 ft. A long tiring day. There was a little snow during the night, but it cleared up and for the pass was neither too sunny nor too windy - in fact as good as we could have. There was not very much snow either, little over a foot at the top with deep drifts. I saw no new primulas. P. obliqua 1300 went up to about 14000, and P. atrodentata 1278 was beside the top at 15000 and is on this side too. Here the only flower seen is Prim. pygmaeorum, a minute thing less than 1/2 inch across, but pretty too, and growing very close to the grass which is close cropped by the sheep. Near Tsona we came across grandala in flocks of up to