MANUAL OF THE nIlAGIRI DISTRICT. 67 



Auemale and Kiuula mountains, Mcttapollium, Coimbatore CHAP. IV, 

 and the plains, Kotagiri, Doddabetta, Wellington, and the Law- FART III, 

 rence Asylum can be obtained. Wellington. 



Kotagiri lies to the east and north of Wellington, about p*'^^^'^"^'J^^^ 

 13 miles distant, with a population of 31 Europeans and 600 climate, &c. 



Natives. There is a good road winding through the mountains. 



It is in a sheltered plateau, protected from the south-west monsoon, 

 at an elevation of about 6,200 feet. It has not received proper 

 trial as a sanitarium, but I cannot help thinking that the climate 

 is such as to deserve its receiving greater attention than it has 

 done heretofore. Many years ago there was an experiment of 

 the kind tried by establishing a small sanitarium at Dimhatti 

 near the Orange Valley to the north, but I am informed that the 

 place is now in ruins, and I have not records to show whether 

 it was satisfactory or otherwise. The soil in the vicinity is good 

 for vegetables and fruit, and tea is grown on the slopes of 

 excellent quality, particularly in the plantation known as 

 Catsfield. There are no hotels or public bungalows. The 

 principal house is surrounded by beautiful grounds with a small 

 lake. It belongs to Mr. Gordon Forbes, and is called "Kota Hall.'^ 

 There is a small church, but no resident clergyman. Also a 

 well-conducted dispensary, and a small bazaar. 



JDoddahetta may be visited from Wellington, either by skirting 

 the mountains to the eastward, following those bearing to the 

 north and west, or by passing through the Jackatalla valley 

 and old race-course up the mountain side. From the top, as it is 

 the highest elevation in Southern India, on a clear day views 

 may be had of Ootacamand, to the west, lying at its base ; the 

 Kundas to the west and south, and the Anemales to the south, 

 Kotagiri to the eastward, Coonoor and the hills overlooking 

 Coimbatore to the south and east, and Mysore to the north. 



January, February, and March are intensely dry and cold at Seasons, 

 nights, the atmosphere throughout the day being clear and free 

 from clouds, but the sun's rays are very powerful and require to 

 be guarded against. This is the season at which sun-strokes 

 occur on the Hills. There are gi'eat variations of the temper- 

 ature between day and night ; ice forms in the ravines, and hoar- 

 frost and heavy dews are of ordinary occurrence. As a general 

 rule a heavy shower may be expected about the end of January, 

 or before the 10th of February. 



During February and March there is still a hard dry east wind 

 blowing, but, if it is a good year, heavy rain may be expected about 

 the 25th of March with thunder, which clears the air. Should 

 there not be rain at the end of March and beginning of April, 

 the air becomes heavy and hot, with frequent thunder-storms 

 from the south, but damp and cold by night, rendering, under 

 these circumstanc-es, the season sickly. 



