MANUAL OF THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. 387 



into a garden named Sim's Park — after Mr. J. D. Sim, a late CHAP. XVII. 

 Member of Council. It is an ofF-slioot of the deep ravine which muni^ali. 

 divides Coonoor from Wellington, the upper portion of which ties and 

 has, by the energy of the Joint Magistrate, Lieutenant-Colonel ^^^^«- 

 Richards, been converted into a race-course, which, though 

 small, is perhaps unrivalled by any in India for the picturesque- 

 ness and beauty of its position. 



The drainage of this valley forms the middle stream of Coonoor, 

 which meets the other streams at the old Cooaoor bridge. This 

 bridge is the central point of the Coonoor road system. Here the 

 old and new ghdt roads meet, and from it, along the right bank of 

 the western stream as far as the Wellington bazaar, runs the main 

 road to Ootacamand. Above this road to the left as the traveller 

 ascends is the Sub-Magistrate's Court, the Police Station, Post 

 Office, and a few private residences, and below it the Ashley 

 Engineering Works. 



The scenery of Coonoor differs very greatly from that of Ootaca- 

 mand ; its vegetation is semi-tropical, the contour of many of 

 its hills rugged and severe, though softened by profuse vegeta- 

 tion ; its coloring bright and warm. On the other hand the 

 vegetation of Ootacamand is rather that of the Temperate Zones ; 

 its hill lines are unbroken and undulating, and its coloring 

 ordinarily cold and grey. Its climate also differs as widely as 

 its scenery. Warm, moist, and relaxing, breathing of the soft 

 south, it seems calculated to induce a dolce far niente life ; whilst 

 that of Ootacamand, ordinarily cool, dry and invigorating^ 

 demands a life of energy and motion. Each, however, supplies a 

 great need. To many the climate of the higher sanitarium is 

 uncongenial and even, it may be, under certain conditions actually 

 injurious. Such persons find in Coonoor a delightful and 

 healthful retreat, and in any case a fitting preparation for the 

 colder and rarer air of the upper plateau. 



In an earlier chapter the rise of Coonoor has been referred 

 to. Its prosperity has been in great part due to the excellent 

 jcliaracter of the land in its neighbourhood for planting purposes, 

 but also in a measure to its proximity to the railway, as well as 

 the attractions of its scenery and the lusciousness of its climate. 

 Ootacamand had become an important station before a bungalow 

 was built in Coonoor ; in fact, its very existence is due to the 

 demands of visitors from the southern districts for a nearer and 

 easier road to Ootacamand than that by the Kotagiri Pass. 



The Coonoor settlement, which includes the Wellington Can- —area, 

 onment, is limited by a line drawn roughly within a radius of two 

 miles from Gray's Hotel. The area within these limits is 11'97 

 <<juare miles, or 7,660 acres. 



