HIGHER RANGES OF THE ANAMALAT HILLS, COIMBATORE. 585 
mile of the summit; thence the mountain is covered with almost impenetrable 
brushwood 6 to 10 feet in height, consisting chiefly of Rhodomyrtus, Dodonea, 
Rubus, Litsea, and Atylosia. The mountain has a great many rocky caverns 
and crags towards the summit.” 
Again, under date 25th February 1859, Lieutenant Beppome writes, “that he 
and Mr Bryce went to that high land beyond Michael’s Valley where there is a 
good extent of undulating table-land. The highest peak of the Anamalais, 
below which there appears to be table-land, is at least twenty-five miles beyond 
the valley, and seems to be very difficult of access. We had white frost in the 
valley.” 
I now append Dr Macruerson’s views on the eligibility of this range for a 
sanatarium, and for future colonization:—‘“ The general appearance and cha- 
racter of these high lands resemble the Nilghiris. Here are the same rounded 
eminences and dense sholas, extending continuously for miles, their edges fringed 
with Strobilanthes, and ceasing abruptly; the hills are conical, and the slopes 
are covered with short rich grass, abounding with medicinal plants, as Hxacum 
bicolor and Ophelia elegans (Gentians); the woods contain Hymenodyction ex- 
celsum, and other species of the Cinchona family. Heavy rains, evidently the 
breaking up of the south-west monsoon, fell continuously during the period 
of our stay in these upper regions. The want of shelter, and the difficulty 
of procuring supplies, prevented us from proceeding to the highest parts 
of the range, which appeared to be about twelve miles in a south-east direction 
from the extreme point the party reached. We therefore reluctantly returned 
to the low country without fully attaining our object, having been absent eight 
days. Three distinct tribes inhabit the Anamalai Hills; they are denominated 
Kaders, Paliars, and Malsars. The Kaders perform no menial labour; as 
their name implies, they are the lords of the hills; they carry a gun, and 
loads also as a favour, and are expert at stalking game, but are deeply offended 
if called coolies. They are a truthful, trustworthy, and obliging tribe, and exer- 
cise some influence over the Paliars and Malsars. Small in stature, their 
features resemble the African; they have curly hair, tied in a knot behind, and 
file the four front teeth of the upper jaw to a point as a marriage ceremony. The 
Paliars are chiefly herdsmen and merchants, while the Malsars are cultivators of 
the soil. None of these tribes reside at a higher elevation than 4000 to 5000 
feet above the sea. All deal in the rich produce of these hills, and barter with 
the people in the plains their cardamoms, turmeric, ginger, honey, wax, resins, 
millets, soap-nuts, gall-nuts, &c., for rice, tobacco, &c. They are very expert in 
climbing trees and the precipitous face of rocks in search of honey. To accom- 
plish the former, where there are no boughs, they drive short bamboo spikes into 
the tree, and thus form a ladder by means of which they ascend the highest forest 
trees; and they reach the latter by means of chains formed by rings made with 
