Part 161 - Waterfalls on the way to Lhahang from Homa.

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SUMMARY:
Describes sheer cliffs and numerous waterfalls en route to Lhahang from Homa, including a measured 13.5-second drop, and a sudden shift from wet conifer jungle to a dry shrub zone near Homa Chu. Notes disagreement with White’s elevation, local threshing and fruit (peaches and gooseberries; no apricots), discreet collecting of birds and butterflies, and a request to the Jongpen to collect Delphinium seeds (499).

CONTENT:
79

B. 26.
Waterfalls on the way to Lhahang from Homa.

Cliffs on the right bank are very nearly perpendicular and very high indeed. Many side streams come in, but their valleys are all so narrow that most come down as waterfalls. One fall we saw was, we thought, about 800 ft. sheer. The water took 13 1/2 secs. to reach the bottom, but then it was all spray by that time. We crossed

View up Homa Chu from near Lhahang.

to the North face and there the conifer jungle was thick. There was some lichen on the trees, but already a great difference could be seen. Suddenly, when we rounded a shoulder, we were straight from the wet to the dry zone, where there were no conifers, little grass, and only shrubs as vegetation. The suddenness was extraordinary. I don't agree with White's height of

Men and women of Lhahang threshing with flails

9,500' here but think 12,000 more like it. Crops are ripe and being threshed now. There are many wild peach trees in the cultivated area, but I doubt if they will ever ripen. Gooseberries are not bad, though barely ripe. White remarks that there is a large trade in dried apricots: there are no apricots at all - only peaches. We managed on the quiet to get three birds and a number of butterflies, but we must be very careful now. The Jongpen is a nice old thing, keen on flowers. I made use of that by asking him

Delph. grandiflorum

to collect some Delphinium seeds (499) and send them