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Memoir Descriptive of the Vurragherry 



III. — Memoir Descriptive of the Vurragherry and Kunnundaven 

 Mountains, — By the late Captain B. S. Ward, of the Surveyor Ge- 

 neral's Department, 



Situation and extent.— These lofty regions lie to the west of Din- 

 digul, south of the famous temple of Pulney, and north of Perrea- 

 kolum in the valley ; their length from east to west is fifty-four miles, 

 and their medium breadth fifteen miles, and their superficial area 

 798§ square miles (a- very small portion of which, estimated at 

 ■fifteen square miles, is under cultivation) ; the whole forming a con- 

 fused mass of lofty ridges, intersected by deep valleys and ravines. 

 The central parts, almost divested of wood, are plains, covered with 

 a short stunted grass, the exterior ridges sloping down towards the 

 Jow country, and the valleys they form are covered with high forest, 

 more luxuriant and affording a greater variety of timber the nearer 

 they approach the open country. These aerial regions are designated 

 by the natives who reside on them, Keel and Mail-mullay (this may 

 signify high and low), but more properly is a distinction of eastern and 

 western mountains ; those to the west rise to a very great elevation, 

 some of the most conspicuous eminences being between six and seven 

 thousand feet above the level of the surrounding plain, and fall exces- 

 sively steep on the south, presenting at their summit a perfect wall of 

 granite ; to the north and east sloping down in extensive broken 

 ridges, towards the open country ; to the west falling gently and form- 

 ing* the valley of Unjeenad ; and from it again to the south and 

 west they rise abruptly into lofty mountains towards Travancore and 

 Coimbatore. The cites of the villages on them are pretty nearly on the 

 same elevation, and may be about 4000 feet above the open country. 

 The inhabitants of these regions, are chiefly composed of the Kunnu- 

 ver and Karakat Velldler castes, and the population amounts to near 

 4000 individuals of both sexes. 



Towns and Villages. —On that portion of the mountains to the east, 

 denominated Keelmullay, and seen from the rock of Dindigul, the vil- 

 lages of note are Poolatoor,Tondy goody, Munnalur,PunnymulIay,Pat- 

 chelur,Perryur andKowinjee ; these have ail a number of hamlets, lying 

 promiscuously on the slopes of the valleys, amidst dry grain cultiva- 

 tion and plantain groves. On the sides of the streams, are narrow 

 tracts formed in terraced beds, on which paddy is cultivated, irrigated 

 by artificial canals; they also rear some wheat and garlic in the 

 vicinity of the western villages of this tract. This division of the hills 

 lias si very fair proportion of forest, with groves scattered in the neigh- 



