308 Fishing Localities. Chapt. xxiv 



From MetapoUiam to Pillur stream, 9J miles. 

 ■i „ n Kadukai, 10i „ 



,, „ „ Nirali stream, 12 ,, 



„ Nirali Hill, 12J „ 



„ Perali viUage, 13J ., 



The Taimalai brook is crossed just below Perali, on the 

 Nirali side. Thence the road ascends a steep incline, and crosses 

 cultivation at the top of the hill, which belongs to Perali. 

 Thence the road strikes down by an easy path to the most 

 magnificent pools and runs you may wish to set eyes on. They are 

 in the midst of the wildest, forest-clad, rocky country, and the 

 water is crowded with grand Mahseer, as Paddy would say, " the 

 " wathur's stiff with 'em." But don't dream of sleeping there. I 

 slept as high up as Sittuguni, we being a jolly Christmas party of 

 five Europeans, but every man John of us, black and white, got a 

 thorough going fever, some being very seriously ill indeed, and we 

 lost one poor fellow of our number from it, in spite of all the good 

 doctor could do for him at Madras. We had been told it was safe 

 at that season. Don't you be tempted to sleep higher up than 

 Tekampatti; there friends and self, and natives, have slept again 

 and again with immunity. 



Just a little above Kadukai or Kadavu, which means a ford, is 

 the lowest large pool, just below a waterfall, where you will find 

 Mahseer. Above that pool they swarm, below it you will get 

 splendid pools in abundance, but only Caruatic Carp. At least the 

 Mahseer below it seem to be so comparatively few, and the 

 Carnatic Carp so many, that below that point we always put aside 

 our spinning tackle, and took the fly. If you want to fish for 

 Mahseer, therefore, you had better go on past Perali ; though I have 

 struck the river at Kadavu, straggled up the river to this pool — an 

 awful strusde, — fished it for Mahseer, and then fished the river 

 down to the Puthur ford, and so back for breakfast at Tekampatti. 

 The natives were very reluctant indeed to show us the river above 



this] 1. We only found it by most persistent clambering, and 



thai is why I have put it down so particularly for you. Below 

 Perali you can do nothing without a boat, above it you can do a 



little iii. in the shore, but to do the river justice, you ought to have 

 a boat. The Mahseer here are, as nearly as 1 can tell you. " as big 

 " as a portmanteau." 



