xviii. 
in 1824, they then appeared to have had a superior breed of black 
cattle; the disthictive color has disappeared, but the hill cattle are 
still superior to the ordinary run of cattle on the plains ; sheep are 
said not to thrive on the Shervaroys and are therefore seMom met 
with. 
Yercaud, the principal settlement, is situated on the southern 
portion of the hills, or that nearest Salem, its average elevation is 
about 4,500 feet above the sea ; the houses are scattered over irregular 
undulating hills. There are several good roads traversing the Settle- 
ment forming pleasant rides and drives /' 
" Until lately there were only two ghauts leading to the high 
ranges^ viz,^ the ghaut from Salem on the southern, and the Mallapo- 
ram ghaut on the northern side. The former is six miles in length; 
some portions of it are very steep, it might be much improved and 
shortened, but a road for wheeled carriages could not be made except 
at a great expense ; by this ghaut all supplies, &c,, are brought from 
Salem. The northern ghaut leading from the Railway Station at 
Mallaporam (eight miles from the foot of the hills) to Yercaud, viA 
NagalorCj is at present an unmade bridle-path, but the gradients arc 
easy, and it might be made into a carriage ghaut " 
" A bridle-path has recently been opened down the valley lead- 
ing to Athoor, a few miles to the west of Mallaporam. The Railway 
at this place (Athoor) approaches to within two and a half miles of 
the foot of the pass, the pass itself being only five and a quarter miles 
to the Green Hills and eight miles to Yercaud ; the gradients are easy 
with the exception of one small portion, and a good bridle-road could 
be constructed at a moderate expense. The only difficulty I noticed 
to its being made a carriage road was the ascent of a steep spur about 
two and a half miles from its summit ; could this be surmounted, a 
carriage road vtd Nagalore and Mallaporam would not be required. 
By ascending the Athoor ghaut, the summit of the Shervaroys can be 
reached from Madras with the greatest ease in twelve hours, an im- 
mense saving of time compared with the hitherto used route, vid 
Salem, where the traveller had to remain one night on the plains, or if 
he attempted to make the ascent, seldom reached his destination 
