288 



Memoir Descriptive of the Vurragherry 



[Oct. 



Woods and Jungle. — It has already been noticed that the summits 

 of these regions are bare of wood, with the exception of a few stunted 

 groves in sequestered situations. In the hollows and cavities alow 

 brushwood of various plants entwined, mostly thorny and almost 

 impenetrable, affords a close shelter to the wild hog. From the 

 summit of the mountains, sloping down to the plains, the ridges, and 

 the valleys formed by them, are crowned, the former with an open 

 forest of various trees, among which some species of the Myrobolan 

 are not unfrequently seen, also stunted teak. In the higher valleys, 

 on the sides of the streams at their bottom, the forest is closely en- 

 twined with creepers, and in those at their bases, and bordering the 

 plains, as also on some of the lower table-lands, teak, bamboos, 

 and various timber trees thrive in quantities, especially on the north- 

 em and eastern sides ; to the south there is some timber of an in- 

 ferior size and quality. 



Mines and Minerals.'- None of any kind were observed : but the 

 granite, which here forms immense precipices, also ridges of black 



they can scarcely be rendered interesting, even to a reader about to visit the hills, and be- 

 cause they could not serve to direct him in his excursions without the aid of a guide. The 

 above extract from this division of the manuscript is introduced, therefore.not in the hope 

 that it -would enable the traveller to find his way from Coimbatore to Travancore, but to 

 show the general character of the roads by which the intercourse over these hills is car- 

 lied on. From it we leaxn the very bad quality of the roads generally, since the best, 

 said to be the only one both practicable and easy, is attended with so many obstacles and 

 difficulties that it requires nearly a month to travel about thirty-two miles with lightly 

 laden beasts of burthen. This example shows, in a striking point of view, the necessity 

 that exists for some extra expenditure towards facilitating the intercourse, by improving 

 the roads, between the plains and the hills, as well as between the numerous small villages 

 scattered over them, since it is next to impossible, that any considerable advance can 

 take place in the condition of the inhabitants, while they continue in their present 

 almost impassable state. 



The necessity for such expenditure will be rendered still more obvious, when I add 

 that, such is the value of the products of the hills to the inhabitants of the plains, these 

 roads, bad and almost impassable as they are, during a great part of £fe year, are tra- 

 versed by numerous droves of laden cattle, carrying on an extensive traffic, not only be- 

 tween the inhabitants of the hills and plains, but between those of the plains on the 

 opposite sides of the mountains. I would urge this measure the more strongly, because 

 Mr. Blackburne, the very zealous Collector of Madura, has already ascertained that very 

 much may be done to lessen the difiiculties of these roads, at present in many places 

 little better than sheep tracks, and greatly facilitate travelling, at a very moderate cost 

 and which if judiciously expended, would, there is every reason to believe, be produc- 

 tive of the greatest benefit to the inhabitants. On this subject I beg leave to refer to my 

 paper in the 15th Number, where the subject is more fully treated of. 



R. W. 



