MANUAL OF THE NILAGIRl DISTRICT. 205 



should be reserved as ''a public granary," "These bazaars," they CHAP. XII. 

 say, '^ were originally erected to encourage native merchants from T>"~7r 

 the low country to settle at Ootacamand, and the arrangement History. 

 appears to have succeeded perfectly, supplies of all kinds being 

 in abundance ;" but, as they ai e kept up at public expense, they 

 suggest, after reserving the " granary," that the remainder should 

 be granted to deserving occupants " on such conditions as may 

 secure the several objects connected with them." The " Bake 

 House " was to be treated likewise. They recommend the erection 

 of permanent bridges in Ootacamand by the Pioneers and the 

 completion of the bund. As regards the ghats, they note that a 

 road from Ootacamand to Coonoor was nearly completed ; that the 

 Coonoor Ghat was opened to an extent of five miles from the top, 

 and only 2| miles remained to be completed ; they find the 

 passage of the Bhavani at Mettapollium accomplished with 

 difficulty in basket boats ; so, whilst favoring the erection of a 

 suspension bridge, they recommend the immediate construction 

 of a " flying bridge " of boats, Two excellent travellers' bunga- 

 lows had already been constructed, one at Coonoor and one at 

 Mettapollium. On the road to the west by Gudalur they 

 recommend that boats, " teengars," be provided for the Paikare 

 river, and suspension bridges for smaller streams. They find a 

 " most excellent " travellers' bungalow at Neduwattam, but that 

 at Paikare fast going to decay. They advise the partial abandon- 

 ment of the Kotagiri and Srimugai Pass, as likely to be 

 superseded by that of Coonoor, a road having been opened from 

 that place to Kotagiri. They did not visit the Kundas, but 

 report the Sisapara ghat as already open, and recommend the 

 construction of bungalows at the head and foot of the pass. At 

 the Avalanche a large wooden bungalow, built at the Government 

 Farm (Hoonsur ?) in Mysore, had already been erected. The 

 steepness of the gradients of some of the ghats did not attract 

 attention, for they remark that the Coonoor and Gudalur ghats 

 (the old with gradients of 1 in 8) will, on completion, " be easy 

 for travellers and wheeled carriages of any description almost 

 throughout the year." The times have changed j even one innineteeu 

 does not suffice, but a railway is demanded for easy ascent. As 

 regards the suitability of the hills as a sanitarium, they consider 

 it "proved beyond a doubt," and submit a report from Dr. Baikie, 

 Principal Civil Surgeon, in support of this opinion. They advise 

 the establishment of a subordinate sanitarium at Dimhatti, where 

 accommodation sufficient for ten officers already existed, originally 

 intended for the use of a missionary establishment. They propose 

 to provide also accommodation for fifty soldiers there. Their good 

 opinion of the Nilagiri climate was imqualified, being " for the 

 restoration of health unequalled in any part of India." " The 

 Committee have never experienced and never heard of any place in 



