358 THE NEILGHERRIES— Chap. XXII. 



CPIAPTER XXII. 



NEILGHERRY HILLS. 



Extent — Formatiou — Soil — Climate — Flora — Hill tribes — Todars — An- 

 tiquities — Badagas — Koters — Kurumbers — Irulas — English stations — 

 Koterglierry — Ootacaiuund — Coonoor — Jakatalla — Government gardens 

 at Ootacumund and Kalliutty — Mr. Mclvor — Cofiee cultivation — Rules 

 for sale of waste lands — Forest conservancy. 



The Neilgherryi hills, between latitude 11° 10' and 11° 32' 

 N., and longitude 76° 59' and 77° 31' E., form the most 

 elevated mountain mass in India, south of the Himalayas ; 

 the highest peak, that of Dodabetta, being 8610 feet above 

 the level of the sea. They are isolated on three sides, and 

 rise up abruptly from the plains of Coimbatore on the south, 

 and from the table-lands of Wynaad and Mysore on the 

 north and east, to a height of 6000 feet above the former, and 

 2000 to 3000 above the latter ; from which they are divided 

 by the broad ravine of the river Moyaar. On the west they 

 are united with the Koondah range, which is a continuation 

 of the western ghauts. The area of the Neilgherries contains 

 268,494 acres, of which 24,000 are under cultivation. 



The formation consists of syenitic granite, with veins 

 of basaltic rock, hornblende, and quartz, while, in some 

 parts, half-decomposed laterite underlies the soil. The pla- 

 teau is not a flat table-land, but a succession of undulating 

 hills and intervening grassy valleys, with ravines thickly 

 wooded, numerous streams, and occasional rocky ridges 

 running up into fine mountain-peaks. The streams all go 



' Nil, blue, and riiri, a mountain ; from the blue Justilias which cover many 

 of the hill-slopes. 



