30 description of the several stattois^s. 



Houses, House-keeping, &c. 



The houses composing the cantonment, are, generally, 

 perched on the top of the small round hills ; grouped along 

 the base of Dodabet, or in the slopes or valleys between them ; 

 they are surrounded or approached by the graceful Acacia 

 tree, not many years since imported from Australia, and which 

 is propagated by its seed, in great abundance. Each house 

 has a beautiful garden attached, abounding in every descrip- 

 tion of European flowers, some attaining a size unknown in 

 England. One Heleotrope in Mr. Dawson's garden is 10 

 feet high and 30 feet in circumference, and a Verbena attain- 

 ing the height of 20 feet, with the branches of a tree. The 

 time required, and the distance travelled in going from one 

 house to another, is, in some instances, much greater 

 than in any cantonment in the low country ; added to 

 which, the roads leading to them are sometimes steep, and, 

 after rains, slippery, and in wet weather horses should be 

 rough shod. 



There are at present upwards of 150 habitable houses in 

 Ootacamund, of every size and description, from the palaCg 

 built by Sir W. Rumbold, down to thatched cottages with 

 three or four rooms. Of these, 40 or 50 (besides Sir W. 

 Rumbold's large house, now converted into the Club House) 

 are in point of size and accommodation fitted for the recep- 

 tion of large families, and more than one would, with little 

 alteration, be large enough for the reception of the Grover- 

 nor General : The Marquis of Dalhousie occupied the only 

 upper-roomed House called " Walthamstow" the property of 

 Major Minchin ; Lord Harris, "Woodcock Hall," beautifully 

 situated overlooking the Lake : " Bishop's Downs," the pro- 

 perty of the Bishop of Madras, commands an extensive view, 

 embracing the Lake, with a Park of upwards of 150 acres 



