296 ANAMALAI — HIGHER RANGES. 



21st. We left early, and much regretted our inability to remain 

 another day. In looking back, we could see the highest range 

 distant about 12 miles, north-east. The outline of this is well 

 represented in Major Hamilton's sketch. 



22dL Major Hamilton and Messrs Koe and Fraser descended - 

 into the gorge to examine the entrance to the hills by the 

 valley of the Torakudu river, when the Major took the sketch 

 given in Plate XIII. If a path can be constructed in this direc- 

 tion, the ghat near Punachi would be avoided, and the distance 

 shortened by several miles. The rest of the .party explored the 

 forest, and descended the. ghat by which we ascended. The 

 day of our departure was fine and bright, and we obtained a 

 clear view of the higher ranges from the lower valley of the 

 Torakudu. 



About a month after our visit (8th November), Lieut. Bed- 

 dome rode up in one day to the higher ranges, and had a fine 

 view of thSsummit. 



He writes—" The part that we traversed forms only a small 

 portion of' the valley, and is shut out from the rest by a sloping 

 ridge covered with dense shola, which rises out on the opposite 

 bank of the river. The greater part of the valley lies beyond 

 this ridge; another meandering river runs through the larger 

 portion of the valley ; and towards the further extremity there 

 is a large swamp, which could probably be converted into a 'fine 

 lake. The valley extends two or three miles beyond the succession 

 of waterfalls which we visited. It is widest just beyond these 

 falls, where it must be four miles across ; and the whole of the 

 centre is comprised of undulating hillocks, very fine sites for 

 building. Prom the Akka mountain, which I ascended, there 

 run two high ridges, almost of the same height as the mountain 

 itself ; between these is a narrow valley, through which a river 

 runs, eventually reaching Michael's Valley by the series of falls 

 we visited. The mountains on the opposite side of the valley 

 seem very high, and from the top of the Akka there appeared to 

 be a good extent of table-land there. My time was very limited, 

 or I should have explored the higher unknown portion of these 

 mountains. I ascended the Tangachi Peak, which is very . dif- 

 ferent in character from the Akka; the ascent lies through 



