The official diary of the Gould mission to Lhasa sent by the British government. Read more about the mission diary.
An uneventful march has taken us off the high plateau, and into a valley which is the source of the Shigatse tributory of the Tsanpo River. Although we have only descended some 600 feet, -the air and general climate is distinctly less rigorous, and air feels somehow softer. Flowers and small juniper have again begun to appear.
On the march we saw some Kyang '(wild ass) and goa (Tibetan gazelle) at both of which Chapman took some cinema shots with telephoto lens.
Although we are now in a distinct valley, the circumscribing slopes are easy and rounded and from the military point of view the ground is easy.
There is no suitable ground for aerodromes or landing grounds. We are now pitching tents every day to supplement the bungalow accommodation and to practice the men, for beyond Gyantse we shall have no shelter but tents. Quite a camp springs up round the bungalow owing to transport drivers black woven yak hair tents, etc.
Author: Philip Neame [see handwritten annotations in Diary by Hugh Richardson in MS. Or. Richardson 2, Bodleian Libary, Department of Oriental Collections, University of Oxford]
Page Reference: Pt II p.3