APRIL — JUNE, 1857.] over the Annamullay Mountains, 101 
exiled lords of the ancient land, when we see that rather than 
serve those who usurped the country they chose to live where the 
food was beyond their natural powers, and could be eaten only by 
such a preparation of their teeth. It is possible that in the ab- 
sence of better arms they reckoned upon these pointed teeth as 
weapons in case their^conquerors should follow them to their 
mountain home. 
I must say a few words as to the consequences of this short ex- 
cursion in the AnnamuUays. As it so happened that in 1847 the 
Coimbatore dii#trict was taken within the limits of my range as 
Civil Engineer of the 7th Division, the Government offered to place 
means at my disposal for working the forests on the public account. 
This I did on being allowed to select Lieut. Michael of the 39th Regt. 
as the Executive Officer. Mr. Michael undertook the work, and 
carried it out with great energy. The saving in the cost of teak 
timber has been very considerable ; and although it has not been 
found practicable to substitute the saw for the axe in the prepa- 
ration of the planks used in ship building ; there has not been that 
reckless waste which characterized the working of the forest for- 
merly. 
One good effect of Lieut. Michael's labors in the hills has been 
the emancipation of the hill people from those who rented the 
wild products of the jungles, and had the monopoly of all that 
was brought out of them for barter. This monopoly led to the 
Kaders being in a state of dependence upon any low country 
shopkeeper who offered the highest rent for the year. And it may 
be supposed that under such circumstances they had but an indif* 
ferent market for the produce of their labor, while cultivation on 
their own account was strictly forbidden by the renters. 
Mr. Thomas, the Collector of Coimbatore, availing himself of the 
presence of Mr. Michael in the hills, obtained the sanction of Go- 
vernment for his being invested with the powers of a Magistrate 
and the discontinuance of the renting system ; and thus gave the 
Kaders freedom either to cultivate or trade, and to dispose of their 
products to those w^ho offered them the best price. 
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