92 



THE NULL AMU LLAYS. 



pidly drying up and there must be scarcely any left a month 

 later for the numerous wood and hay-cutters frequenting 

 this part of the mountains. 



There is a very large quantity of coarse dry grass carried 

 out by this road in huge bandy-loads to be used for thatching, 

 but it seems not unlikely that the finer grass may eventu- 

 ally be carried out for fodder. Our horses had no other grass 

 on these hills, and they appeared to eat it with avidity. It 

 would also seem to be splendid food for cattle ; perhaps, too, 

 it is owing to the fact of their being let out to run over a 

 hay of this kind, that the mountain-fed cattle of this and 

 the western parts of the Nell ore and Guntoor districts are 

 so well conditioned as they are reported to be, Further 

 north, on the western side of theseNullamallays, about Atma- 

 coor, &c, there is an immense tract of jungle-grass-covered 

 country, farmed, some years ago, by the late Captain 

 Nelson, upon which great herds of cattle are allowed 

 to feed. The future canal boats would be a good means of 

 transport for this resource of the mountains, if it were ever 

 used for fodder. 



The open ground on the west side of Nimuljeery ridge 

 is extensively covered with fine yellow hay, and is thus 

 very dry and bare-looking. Even the generality of trees 

 are quite leafless now, the Yippa being the only one in a 

 flourishing state of verdure. The yellow and red flowering 

 cotton trees, quite leafless, though in full flower, are also 

 common over this bare jungle. 



Here also we saw frequent evidences of the presence of 

 the Neelgai ; but, with our great band of coolies marching 

 along with us> we were not likely to see much game. 



We now began to rise suddenly up the flank of the Ni- 

 muljeery Conda, and here found a most welcome stream of 



running water, reported to from all the year round, 



