30 WILD LIFE IN NORTH CANARA. 



fir. The leaves of tte teak tree are very- 

 large and of rather a light shade of 

 green. This teak forest in some places 

 extended over the brow of the ghants, 

 and stretched seawards, covering a 

 part of Ancola. I could ride in one 

 direction across my charge for forty 

 miles in shade, except where village 

 clearings intervened at distant intervals. 



It will be clear to the reader that I 

 am describing an exceptional region, 

 and I will here mention some further 

 features of the Soopah tableland, One 

 of these was a profound ravine which 

 crossed it diagonally from east to 

 north-west, and completely cut it 

 asunder, rendering all ordinary traffic 

 impossible. 



At the bottom of this ravine, and 



