of the Old World. 269 



Annamullay, a considerable village about five miles 

 from the ghaut or pass leading up the mountain. 



B and I rode on at daybreak, and passed the 



greater part of the day in hunting up villagers who 

 knew something of the hills, in which search, through 

 the agency of the Curnum, or head police authority, 

 we were tolerably successful, as we secured the 

 services of three men, whose employment was hunting 

 in the deepest jungle for cardamums. Under their 

 guidance, we ascended the mountains by a steep pass, 

 extremely difficult for our baggage-animals, and, 



after a hard day's fag, arrived at the hut of M , 



the celebrated elephant shot, who had established his 

 head-quarters on a little clearing he had made in the 

 heart of the jungle close to the Tunnacooddoo 

 waterfall. 



He is the Government agent appointed to collect 

 the revenue of this wild district, and also superin- 

 tendent of the teak-forests, no tree being allowed to 

 be cut without the payment of a certain tax. The 

 timber when felled is allowed to remain on the ground 

 a certain time to season, after which it is dragged by 

 elephants, who are trained for the purpose, down 

 slopes and slides of the mountain to the low-country, 

 were it is collected, and floated down the Ponani 

 Biver to the town of Ponani, on the coast, from 

 whence it is embarked for Bombay, where much 

 is exported for the purposes of ship-building. M 



