APRIL — JUNE, 1857.] over the Amiamullay Mountams. 97 
I had no means of ascertaining the height to which I ascended 
in crossing these hills, but my impression is that I was never more 
than 1,200 feet above the sea. 
The smugglers at the AnnamuUays are more dreaded by the peo- 
ple of the neighbouring country than either the fever, or the wild 
beasts, which are usuall|f the great cause of alarm to those who 
pass through the jungles of Malabar. In number they are formi- 
dable no doubt. I fell in with 60 in two gangs, and I believe that 
I did not see more than the average of a day at this season. On the 
second day I leftitheir principal track, but I heard of their having 
passed in considerable numbers. They carry no arms, but slings, and 
the bamboo on which they occasionally rest their loads ; and have evi- 
dently, from the reputation for ferocity they keep up on policy, and the 
nature of the country they traverse, little or no use for weapons of 
any kind. Nairs, Teers and Moplahs are all concerned in this trade, 
and it appears that a certain number of the latter are engaged with 
each gang, as a protection against the parties of that race which 
may be met with on the road. My Teer guide informed me that 
without them, a gang of his caste might very probably be attack- 
ed by one of Moplahs. My guide was a Teer, but the Nairs 
seem to be more generally the leaders of parties, and many of each 
gang are men hired for the occasion, who receive five per cent, of 
the tobacco as their hire. It is evident that men of capital in the 
open country are the leaders in the trade, and men of superior in- 
telligence and daring do business with them as the heads of gangs, 
each having with him a certain number of men in whom he can 
trust. From the statements given to me by the smugglers, their 
profit is about cent per cent, on a trip which occupies eight days. 
They buy of course at a higher rate than the Sircar and sell it at a 
very much lower price. A cooly earns from 2 to 3 Rupees in a 
trip, according to the load he carries, and the luck he has in sell- 
ing the bundles he receives as his hire. » 
The only inhabitants of the hills are, I believe, a quiet harmless 
race of people, who live without houses, but assemble in consider- 
able numbers in the spot which suits them as a residence for the 
day or month. I was led to hope that I should see two or three 
