288 MAI^UAL OF THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. 



CHAP. XII. measuring 10 acres, to a respectable European to cultivate, 

 Ee~ent *' °^ condition that the produce is to be appropriated to the 

 History, supply of the public market." In reply to a proposal of 

 Government to establish gardens, the Committee proposed no 

 further outlay, but urged the propriety "of making Mr. Sullivan's 

 garden the foundation for a botanical establishment," remark- 

 ing that " a great many products largely used in medicine, 

 and imported at a great expense from Europe, might be 

 raised here in any quantities." We further learn from this 

 report that, under orders from Government, advances had been 

 made " at different times to people to establish bazaars here, 

 and the market is now regularly and well supplied with every 

 essential article. The prices of rice and some other grains, 

 though cent, per cent, higher than those in the low country, are 

 not above the usual bazaar rates at the Presidency ; and when the 

 passes into Malabar are fully opened, a very considerable reduc- 

 tion of them may be confidently expected." There were by this 

 time about 500 people, with 23 shops, in the bazaar. The 

 community were still dependent on the low country for bread. 

 The Committee urged Government to estabhsh a brewery for the 

 manufacture of malt liquor for the European troops, as they 

 believed the hill barley was capable of being converted into 

 excellent malt. Hops, they thought, would grow if once 

 introduced, but many efforts made by individuals to effect this 

 had failed. They therefore urged that the Company should send 

 out plants by the next year's ships. We find that an establish- 

 ment of public palanquin-bearers was kept up. Villages, we are 

 told, were beginning to spring up at the foot of the passes. 

 They urged the employment of low-country bearers and coolies 

 (ghaut condashars) for a curious reason, fi^om which we may learn 

 what a great change has come over the Nilagiri tribes. 



" The hill people are so independent in circnmstances and character," 

 they write, " that no temptation of wages will induce them to engage 

 themselves voluntarily as coolies, and they are only prevailed npou to 

 work from a conviction that, refusing to do so, Government might 

 make some just demands against them for increase of rent, which are 

 now from motives of expediency withheld." 

 Ootacamand The result of the deliberations^ of Government was the 

 BaniSii^.^ establishment of Ootacamand as the sanitarium of Madi-as. 

 After summing up the advantages of the hill climate, with the 

 observation that the temperature was — what the late learned 

 Doctor Baillie declared to be—'' most favourable to the prolonged 

 existence of man as an animal," they resolved, in order that 

 invalids might ''reap the benefit of this chmate," that the Mysore 



1 Extracts, Minutes Consultation, 11th December 1827 



