MANUAL or THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. 93 



smaller escarpments, which, in the course of time, have become nearly CHAP. V, 



obliterated by the erosion of the hill streams." -, 



'' _ _ Geology and 



The same features are, though less distinctly, observable on the Minekalogy. 

 eastern side of the Kundas and in the range of hills extending —orthT" 

 from Mukarte to Paikare, sometimes called the Himagala range. Kundas. 



The following sketch is a view of Mukarte with the Paikare 

 river at its foot. Tukalhallibetta, the terminating point of the 

 Kundas on the north, is concealed by clouds. The Himagdla 

 range begins with Mukarte. 



F1G:V1.-VUW OFIVIAKURTY PEAK wi7h PART of the HIMACALft RANGE, amd the VALLEY 

 OF THE PYKARA. 



Mr. Blandford further remarks — 



" There are several small insular outliers, such as that to the north- 

 west of Mailur, the Hoolicaldroog and the adjoining hills, the hills 

 to the east of Coonoor, and the two pi'ominent hills * * * to the 

 west of Ootacamund, all of which are bounded partly at least by 

 escarpments more or less distinctly marked. Subsequent fresh water 

 denudation has much modified, where it has not destroyed, most of the 

 pre-existing features of the hills, in some cases rendering the escarp- 

 ments still deeper and more marked, in others cutting through them 

 and making them up into rounded spurs, so that it is only by observing 

 their general outline from some distance that an idea can be formed 

 of original appearance." 



In many of the valleys of the hills are found large deposits of Alluvial 

 alluvium, sometimes spreading into plains or flats of consi- deposits, 

 derable extent. These deposits of the neighbouring mountains 

 appear to have accumulated in the large serpentine lakes, many 

 bf which are believed to have existed at some early period of the 

 geological history of the hills, and which were formed by dams or 

 ounds of rock thrown up across the valleys, by which means the 

 Egress of the water was checked. Through these natural bunds of 

 ock streams will often now be seen gradually wearing a path 

 iiownwards to the bottom of the original valley. Of these 



