406 



THE ANAMALLAYS. 



Chap. XXIV. 



tageously be sent to the Pulneys. I understand, too, that it 

 is in contemplation to form a Company for tlie cultivation of 

 coffee on these hills, in which case it is to be hoped that the 

 extension of the growi^h of chinchona-plants will be advanced 

 by private enterprise, fi-om motives of humanity as well as 

 with a view to successful commercial speculation.^ 



I did not visit the Anamallay hills, to the south of Coim- 

 batore and westward of the Pulneys, as no planter was as yet 

 established on them, and a considerable time must elapse 

 before they are prepared for the introduction of the chinchona- 

 plant. At the time of my visit no bold clearer of jungles had 

 ventured to invade the domains of the conservators of forests 

 on the Anamallays. 



Dr. Cleghom reports that these hills are under the influ- 

 ence of the south-west monsoon, though not so much so as 

 the Koondahs at Sispara : but I do not find that he gives any 

 detailed account of the amount of moisture in the atmosphere 

 during the winter. The soil is described as deep and covered 

 with rich pasture, streams of water are numerous, there are 

 table-lands 6000 to 7000 feet above the sea, and very fine 

 timber in the ravines. The three hill-tribes, called Kaders, 

 Poliars, and Malsars, trade in cardamoms, turmeric, ginger, 

 honey, wax, resins, soapnuts, and millet. Dr. Cleghorn con- 

 siders that, from the extent of forest, the resemblance of the 

 flora to that of Ceylon, and the altitude, the Anamallays are 

 suitable for the cultivation of coffee on a large scale, and for 

 colonization of small communities of Englishmen.^ In this 



* For short accounts of the Piiluey 

 hills, see — 



1. 3Ieinoir of the Varagherry Hills, 

 by Capt. B. S. Ward, Madras Journal 

 of Literature and Science, Oct. 1837, 

 vol. vi. p. 280. 



2. Observations on the Pulneij Moun- 

 tains, by Dr. Wight, Madras Journal, 

 V. p. 280. 



H. ItepDii on the Puhieij'>, by Lieut. 



E. H. Beddome, Madras Journal, 

 1857. 



4. Sir Charles Trevelyan's Official 

 Tour in the South of India. He says, 

 " It is an important fact that, as re- 

 gards much the largest portion of this 

 ti'act, there is no claim to the soil 

 which can interfere with the establish- 

 ment of the most absolute freehold." 



^ For a very interesting account of 



