April — june 1857. over the Annamullay Mountains. S3 



statement of distances, and says that there is no open space after 

 Toonacadavoo is passed. (From Malliatoor the river turns to the 

 southward of east, and is no further navigable for boat3, at this sea- 

 son.) To Attripully 20 miles north, Amakimtodoo 20 miles N. E., 

 Oracumbum river 6 miles N., Yeddapally 20 miles N., Toonacada- 

 voo 20 miles N. E., Annamullay 12 miles N. E. Total 98 miles. 

 I know however that Attripully is not further than 12 miles ; and 

 the printed map gives me so much confidence in the rest being still 

 more over-rated, that I shall dismiss all the people I can spare, and 

 make the attempt ; particularly since it is possible that the Tobac- 

 co monopoly may shortly end its days, when this path will close 

 for want of use. If it was not for this man's statement, I should 

 reckon upon one night only in the jungle, and the second I should 

 hope to be at Annamullay. 



The guide who has come forward to take me through the hills 

 is a sturdy little smuggler with legs that look up to a mountain 

 scramble ; and with eyes that betoken more than the ordinary in- 

 telligence of southern Natives. When he was brought to give me 

 what information he could, (or rather would,) I heard his voice 

 at some distance round a corner, but could not eee what sort of 

 man I had to trust to; and twice I begged that he would show 

 himself, without my wish being gratified. On inquiry into the 

 cause of this, I found that one cf the party round me was 

 a Brahmin within 20 yards of whom it was not lawful for a 

 Teer to stand. This little matter of etiquette being disposed of, 

 I requested my Brahmin friend to take his leave that I might talk 

 with more freedom amongst my equals. This Brahmin however, 

 soft and effeminate as he appeared, was evidently on the same sub- 

 ject a man of information too ; and unless he had a wonderfully 

 retentive memory for tales of travel, had more than once crossed 

 the hills by the smuggler's path. It would not however have been 

 altogether right in me to suggest the possibility of his acting on 

 free-trade principles, which in this little state rendered a man lia- 

 ble to hard labor on the roads in irons ; and after being indebted 

 to his civility for the knowledge of my little smuggler chief's resi- 

 dence, it would have been gross ingratitude to hint that his sacred 



