30 
Records of ike. Geological Survey of India. 
[VOL. VIII. 
Forest covering, cultivation. 
Along the edge of the ghats, occasionally for short disatnces inside of these, and down 
the great ribs and intermediate trenches to the low country, all the 
ground is covered by dense and lofty black forest. Inland, there 
are rounded grassy hills enclosing valleys, interspersed with good belts of forest, most of 
which is, however, of poorer tree jungle than that of the ghats. Nearly all the valleys 
contain swampy flats, which are largely cultivated as paddy or rice-fields. The coffee 
gardens, which are the European speciality of Wynad, have, as a general rule, been made in 
clearings near the edge of the ghats in the black forest, or in the denser parts of the inland 
jungle. 
A good deal of misconception appears to exist as to the healthiness of Wynad. As far 
Climate as own P el ' sona ^ experience goes, the climate from the end of 
September to the middle of January is tolerably well adapted for 
Europeans. I am informed by the planters that it is even healthier from May to September; 
so that there are only three months in the year when the country is not healthy. Many 
planters leave during these months for the coast, or the Nilgiris; but others are known to 
have remained with their wives and children for two and three years continuously. 
On the other hand, the climate is not suitable to the natives, except such as belong to 
the country, as the Chetties, Mopahs, Korumbars, Pannirs, &c.; but much of this unsuitabi¬ 
lity, mav, however, bo due to carelessness of the men brought into the country, and the fact of 
their being away from their homes. 
Next to the tremendous rains of this region and the two or three unhealthy months, 
the land-wind is perhaps one of the worst evils to be encountered. Bungalows are built 
so as to present a sheltering side to it; it is dangerous to sleep in; and it is about as 
disagreeable to bo felt or heard as the bleakest east wind in England. Fortunately, it seldom 
lasts all day except for a short time in the year ; and in its place comes the oppositely mild 
and soothing wind from the western sea. 
History of the gold ques 
tion. 
The Malabar District has been famous for gold from time immemorial. Gold is still 
washed for in the low country and in Wynad; and it used to be 
got in old days from quartz ‘leaders’ in the hill country around 
Dayvallah, Nellialum, &c. Two tribes of people obtain the gold. The Pannirs wash for it 
in the alluvium, surface soils, and river sands. The Konmibars dug down to and excavated 
f he quartz leaders. Tradition says that large finds of gold have been made at odd times by 
the lvorumbars. The Panuirs rarely find more than four annas’ worth of gold in a day each 
man. The latter only wash for gold now (in the Wynad) in the off season, -when they 
cannot get work in the coffee gardens at five annas a day. 
In 1793 the gold mines of Malabar apppar to have been noticed by the then Governor 
of Bombay, who tried to got information on the subject ; and they were farmed by the 
Madras Government in 1803. 
In 1831 Mr. IV. Sheffield, Principal Collector of Malabar, wrote an interesting report on 
these gold mines, upon which Lieutenant Woodly Nicholson, 49th Regiment, Madras Native 
Infantry, was deputed to explore the country with a view to the development of this industry. 
The latter officer visited the Namlmlicode Amsbam, examined all the old workings of the 
Korumbars on the Chulaynrullay near Dayvallah, and obtained gold from the surface wash¬ 
ings in the same neighbourhood. He also visited all the known gold localities in the low 
country of Malabar. He does not seem to have thought much of Dayvallah, and the gold 
obtained was not so pure as that from the plains. His acquaintance with the practical 
business of the matter and his knowledge of the geological structure of the country were 
