92 



Journal of an Expedition [no. Z 3 new series, 



ago, and three years passed without any appearance of the fresh 

 plants. This year I have not examined the ground, but from this 

 man's account, and the size of the plants in this locality, I am in- 

 clined to think, that the seed does not germinate for several years. 



About miles north of the Yeddapara we came upon the 

 first glade we had seen since leaving Malliatoor. This break in the 

 jungle is covered with waving grass, and scattered trees, it is about 

 J of a mile in the broadest part, and extends nearly a mile. The 

 soil is moist, and it is trampled by elephants and bison in every 

 direction ; a sounder of hogs crossed our path in this glade, the 

 only game of any sort we had met with, except the solitary elephant 

 at the Oracumbum river. As a general thing, the deep forests of 

 the western coast give shelter to very few animals, and this the 

 broadest belt of forest I have crossed, appears to have less than 

 any ; elephants seem to have almost sole possession of the^Anna- 

 mullays. Their tracks are to be seen every where, and though 

 we saw so little of their recent traces, it is to be accounted for, by 

 our path leading us along low ridges too dry for them, at this 

 season, and not to their scarcity in the hills, for every single tree 

 by the way side, which was of sufficient strength to bear the pres- 

 sure, was covered with the mud that had been rubbed from their 

 backs during the monsoon when they can find water every where 

 and wander where they will. 



The teak as we advanced, became the principal tree of the 

 forest, and the growth is superb, far exceeding any thing now 

 left in the district of Malabar. At half past 10 we came upon a 

 strong party of men working for Mr. Gardiner and Gooroobucksing, 

 two Palghat timber merchants, who, as I understand their workmen, 

 are now cutting up and carrying away by permission of Govern- 

 ment some teak which was felled here several years ago, when the 

 jungle was supposed to belong to the Colungode Rajah, but which 

 has since been claimed as British property. The facts of this case I 

 am not acquainted with, and if I were, it is no concern of mine; I 

 cannot however, on the plea of its being out of my own division 

 allow to pass unnoticed, the wasteful manner in which this most 

 Taluable forest is worked ; but I must preface what I have to say 



