290 FOREST LIFE AND SPORT IN INDIA 
dangers of pure plantations are already exemplified 
in the attacks of a moth that defoliates the stems 
sometimes twice in one year, so that they can pay 
little attention to increasing their growth, because 
always occupied in the struggle to replace their 
leaves. It is improbable that plantation work of 
this description will be extended, for the Forest 
Officer has enough to do in looking after the natural 
forests in his charge. At Nilambur one looks over 
a wide stretch of wooded hills, restful to the eye and 
giving promise of good sport; and, indeed, bison 
and elephant are frequent in these parts, but we had 
arrived at the wrong season of the year, and, more- 
over, could not stay in our hurried march, where so 
much of interest was to be seen. 
From Calicut, a place of mosquitoes and Arab 
traders, we visited the Nallamallai Hills, where the 
interesting work of teaching the jungle tribes to aid 
in forestry was in progress under the guidance of 
Mr. Wood, the Forest Officer. The Nallamallai 
forests extend over an area of about 2,000 square 
miles, forming an undulating plateau at an elevation 
of from 1,000 to 3,000 feet above the sea. The 
forest has been yearly burnt over by the Chenchus, 
who number about 4,000 souls, and, though the 
average rainfall is over 40 inches, few of the streams 
are perennial—a fact indicating the devastation that 
may be wrought on so large an area by so small 
a population. The Chenchus possess to a more 
marked extent than most others some of the worst 
characteristics of a forest tribe when surrounded 
by comparative civilization ; they are drunkards and 
thieves, and do not always abstain from murder. 
