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A change in the tour programme necessitated by unusually wet weather |
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Ahon came in the morning and said that in his opinion we could not possibly cross the Yangnyu between Longmien and Totok. It had been pouring all night and was pouring still and the camp was a pond. We could not take breakfast in the shelter built for our meals as the floor was under water. There was no sign of its stopping and four men were reported sick. I therefore had to decide whether to go on on the chance of being able to cross the Yangnyu and get to Totok or go back to Wakching via Chinglong and Chingtang and postpone my visit to Choi Mon and Changnoi till a more convenient season. The decision had to be made at once as otherwise we should get to Wakching and find our relays of ration gone to Totok, to stop which a message would have to go at once to have them back at Shiong. On the other hand if I decided to go on and then failed to cross the river we would have to come back by Chinglong and would reach Wakching having run out of rations and our fresh supply would be two days march away. My own inclination was to go on and get across the river somehow which would very likely be possible in two days time, but the escort had not been dry for three nights and as many days and there seemed little hope of a change in the weather. I therefore decided that the latter part of the tour must be postponed in any case, and sent off runners via Chinglong, to stop our stuff going to Totok from Wakching. |
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The rain stopped for a short time at about 9.45, enabling us to break up camp in nothing worse than a drizzle, and we started for Longmien in faint sunshine, but it soon turned to rain again. Longmien and Chinglong chiefs met us on the road and we camped at Longmien in the mud. The village was visited by Mr. Webster in 1913. It gave us an excellent reception. Coming here from Chaoha we dropped about 3000 feet in 6 miles, the path being a series of very steep descents in between short level stretches. The tail of the column was so far above the head, that the "Halt" was blown four times without its being heard at all in front, and I had to get halfway down the column or further before it was heard. The path was as slippery as anything much short of ice could be. The weather cleared for us to camp but a heavy storm came on again before we had finished camping in. |
