76 



The Ncilghcrrij Mountains, [No. 34, 



Sispara pass as one to which attention should be particularly drawn. 

 Since however the survey of the " Koondahs" has not yet been exe- 

 cuted, it will be proper to defer a description of it and of the public 

 buildings and bridges which have been lately erected along the line 

 of road by which Ootacamund is approached from its summit, until 

 it can be introduced into the " Memoir" prepared to accompany the 

 map of that part of the Hill district, together with a table of roads 

 and distances from the nearest halting places in the plains at the foot 

 of the respective ghauts. 



Communication by ^one, internal, or, naturally, with any other 

 district. 



h^pedimentsandthcir Impediments very rarely occur on any of the 

 duiatioa. lines of communication to the Hills. Sometimes 



in seasons of long continued rain masses of overhanging rock, getting 

 loosened by the washing away of the soil beneath, fall upon the road 

 and cause some inconvenience, but never to the extent of suspending 

 the traffic upon any of the ghauts. The most serious impediments 

 have been occasioned by the washing away of the bridges near the 

 foot of the passes, as at Tippacadoo near Seegoor, and Matepolliem, 

 during the past year. But a temporary remedy being at hand, only 

 a brief suspension took place in the transit of goods along those 

 lines of road. Along the lines of road on the plateau diverging from 

 Ootacamund to the summits of the various passes, impediments more 

 frequently occur, owing to the perishable nature of the timber with 

 which small bridges are constructed to carry the road over channels, 

 and to the sinking of the rough stone causeways laid across swamps. 

 By degrees however a better system is being introduced, and more 

 permanent works are now taking the place of these temporary and 

 inefficient structures. It is unwise, and I think bad economy, to 

 construct any road bridges on these Hills of jungle wood, unless it 

 has been cut long before it is required for use, and thoroughly season- 

 ed, as the alternations of heat and cold are so very extreme, and the 

 changes of weather from dryness to moisture so continuous, that the 

 fibres of unseasoned wood soon yield to their influence. Only teak 

 beams should be used, unless jungle wood can be cut and kept to 

 season for use in convenient situations, or unless a brick arch is not 

 considered expedient. 



Fords are numerous on the Hills, but are all 

 insignificant, as being merely the crossings of 



