AU PYAK PHUG

Location

A »cave« (rock shelter) of no great depth and formed by overhanging rocks (compare –>Pyak Che Phug), reported WHITE (1909 edited 1994: 112; 1910: 19) from a spot near the »Assam« (perhaps: West Bengal) - Bhutan border. SITUATION: WHITE (1909 edited 1994: 112; 1910: 19) reached the cave called »Au Pyak« from a place called »Rinchingong« (note 1) on the »Ammo-chhu« or »Am mo chhu« and Amo Chhu (note 2) and then upstream the Langmarphu Chhu / Kyanka Chu (note 3): »After passing the second bridge, we came to two caves, Pyak-che and Au-pyak …« CULTURAL HISTORY - Human use: Hide-out, troglodyte dwelling. »These "robber-caves", as their name implies, were formerly used by the Hah-pa folk as a base from which to issue to rob and terrorise peaceful merchants« (WHITE 1909 edited 1994: 112; 1910: 19). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 02/02/2016

NOTE 1: »Rinchengong« (WHITE 1909 edited 1984) and »Rinchingong« (WHITE, J C 1910: 19) is not identified (compare the cave near –>Rinchingong) as it is neither listed in IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 25: 487) nor in India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006 index). WHITE (1910: 19) places»Rinchengong where the old road crosses by a substantial bridge to the left side of the Ammo-chhu.« NOTE 2: The »Am-mo-chhu« (WHITE, J C 1909 edited 1984) or »Ammo-chhu, known as the Torsa in the plains, takes its rise in the western slopes of Chomolhari [Jomolhari .23997 feet near N27°50’: E089°15’: 7314 m asl] and drains the Chumbi [N27°28’: E088°50'] valley« (WHITE, J C 1910: 32) is indicated as »Amo Chhu« in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 27 E4) and as »Torsa Chhu« in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 27 F4) but positioned as »Torsa River« at N27°00': E089°14 on AMS sheets NG45-04 Phari Dzong and NG45-08 Jalpaiguri (U502 series, 1963 edition). NOTE 3: »Our old maps are wrong; the true Lang-marphu-chhu is more to the north, while the stream marked by this name is really the Kyunka« (WHITE 1910: 19) or »Kyanka« (WHITE 1909 edited 1984). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 02/02/2016