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MONSOON. TEMPERATURE.

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quantity of water descends upon Coorg in one week of these two months, than upon many countries of Europe during a whole year. A flat country would be deluged. But the Coorg Hills after being throughly bathed from head to foot, send the ministering floods, controlled by the steep banks of the rivers, to the East and West, and stand forth in their ancient strength and beauty, when the curtain of the monsoon is withdrawn. The yearly fall of rain in Coorg often exceeds 160 inches. In September the sun breaks through the dense atmosphere. In October the North East wind, strong and cold, gains the ascendancy and clears the sky; in November however it often carries heavy clouds from the eastern coasts, which discharge themselves in showers upon Coorg. The greater part of December is foggy, but towards the end of the month the weather becomes delightful, clear and fresh, in the mornings and evenings often too cold to be pleasant.

As may be expected from the preceding account, the temperature of Coorg is moderate and equable. The daily variation of the thermometer within doors does not exceed 6° or 8°, often not more than 2°. It seldom rises higher than 74° or falls below 60°, in the open air. During the dry season the range is a little higher; the daily extremes are from 62° or 63° to 68° or 70°. The annual extremes are probably 52° and 82°. The maximum height of the barometer occurs during the dry weather, when the mercury stands at 26.220 and the lowest in July, when it falls to 25.912 The mean daily range is .050. The diurnal maximum occurs at 10 A. M. the minimum at 5 P. M. The climate of Coorg. accordingly, especially in the more elevated and open situations, is pleasant and salubrious, not much inferior, some think, to that of the Neilgherries. The average temperature is about 60°, the most favourable to health. The nights are cool throughout the year. You are

able to take exercise in the open air at all hours almost all the year round, European children in particular enjoy excellent health, and their rosy cheeks contrast most favourably with the pale faces of those of the low country. Though the atmosphere is for a great part of the year loaded with moisture, yet on account of the equability of temperature rheumatic affections, coughs, colds, etc., are comparatively rare. With asthmatic affections, chronic disorders of the liver, and dysenteric complaints, the rarified, often cold and damp air of Mercara, the European head-quartera, does not, of course, agree; but Fraserpett, on the eastern frontier of Coorg, situated at a distance of only twenty miles, and 1,300 feet lower than Mercara, affords a consider able and salutary change.

The climate of the valleys, however, particularly du ring the hot months preceding the monsoon, when, as the natives say, the old and the new waters are mixed, is far from healthy. Fevers, agues and bowel complaints are then very frequent. For the rest of the year, the natives of the country pronounce the climate to be excellent. (It is worthy of note, that the time succeedicg the rains, which in many parts of India is the most unhealthy season of the year, has no danger to health in Coorg.) The account which natives of Mysore or from the Western Coast give of the climate of Coorg is much more unfavourable. They have experience on their side. Of the large numbers ef people, whom Tippu sent from Mysore to replace the ancient inhabitants, or who, during the various wars, were forcibly carried off by the Coorg Rajahs from Mysore, tó cultivate their lands in Coorg, not many survived the change. Nor do the natives of the Western Coast, who immigrate into Coorg, ever become completely inured to the climate of their new home.

The entire country consists of a succession of lofty

GEOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

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narrow ridges having valleys of various extent between them. The ridges lie parallel to each other, commencing in general with a steep abutment to the westward, and running in the general direction of the western ghatts and of the North-western monsoon, i. e. from North-west to South-east, until they terminate in the plains of Mysore and Wynád. Of these numerous ridges the following are the most remarkable :—

The first to the Northward rises above the Bisli ghatt, and terminates at the Kávéri, near Rámaswámy Kanawe, and is of no great elevation. It separates the districts of Yélusávira* Shímé to the North from the rest of Coorg.

Next to this, with the table-land of Sómavárapett+ intervening, is a ridge, the western extremity of which commences by a remarkably bluff peak of great elevation, called Pushpagiri or Subrahmanya, well known as a landmark, and which is considered a most holy place, the abode of Gods and Rishis, too holy indeed for a common mortal to set his foot upon it. The Hindus are consequently afraid of ascending the peak. The scenery round its base is bold, rocky and grand, and towards Sómavarapett, it becomes exceedingly picturesque, forming a succession of beautiful grassy downs, open glades, and clumps of forest-trees, resem❤ bling the finest park-scenery in Europe.

The next ridge in succession has three rather marked rocky peaks, the sides of which slope abruptly to the North and South, into two deep valleys, through which run the branches of the Svarnávati, or Háringi river. The scenery here also is very pleasing.

After this comes the table-land of Mercara, which is terminated on the South, by a sharp declivity of 500

• i. e. a district which used to pay 7,000 pagodas a year to Hyder and Tippu.

The village having Monday for a general market-day.

or 600 feet, forming the northern boundary of the great valley between Mercara and Nálkanádu. The valley is about 18 miles in length by 13 miles in breadth, and consists of a succession of low narrow ridges, with fertile valleys interposed. The lowest and central valley forms the bed of the river Kávéri. At the northwest angle of this valley there is a break in the line of ghatts, forming, what is called, the Sampáji valley, which leads by a gradual slope into the low country. An excellent road has been constructed on this line, by whieh Mercara and Mangalore are connected. The southern termination of the valley, however, becomes, abrupt, a ridge in this direction rising suddenly to the height of about 1,000 feet; and on the west it plunges still more suddenly into Malabar, by a fall of between 4,000 and 5,000 feet. It is crowned by several peaks, the most remarkable of which is the Tadianda Mól, the highest point in Coorg. (Mól means hill, mountain.); A continuation of the valley to the South-east leads into the talook of Kiggattnádu, which is of considerable extent, but much overgrown with jungle. Further to the south-east rise the Brahmagiri mountains, which form the boundary of the country in this direction. They are of great height, covered with forest trees, and abound with game. Like the other mountains of Coorg, their ridge on the top is very narrow.

The aspect of Coorg presents an entire forest. The long and narrow cultivated valleys enchased in it, serve but to render the vast woods more striking. The whole of the eastern boundary exhibits an almost uninterrupted and impervious forest form the Brahmagiri Hills to the banks of the Kávéri. This tract is wholly uninhabited. Advancing westward, the woods decrease in density as the country improves in cultivation, and become gradually thinner, till they reach the western ridges, the summits of which are partially bare of wood,

GEOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

and clothed with a luxuriant herbage. South of Vírarájéndrapett the jungles become less impenetrable, and the whole of Kigattnádu, with the exception of the Eastern parts, including the Brahmagiri mountains, is comparatively open, at least when contrasted with the deep forests of the contiguous districts. Approaching to the North, the thick umbrageous woods of the central parts give way to the date, sandal and other trees, and shrubs of a more meagre soil, leaving Yélusávirashímé an almost perfectly champaign country.

But a small portion of the summits of the ghatts is free from jungle. Their western face is covered with a continued forest of immense stature, partially subsiding at some distance from their base. Still wood is the unvaried feature of these regions. The general aspect of the country varies considerably in the different districts. In the vicinity of Sómavarapett the hills are gently rounded, alternating with sloping glades, interspersed with clumps of forest trees. Near Mercara the hills are closer together, and more abrupt, the ravines deeper and wilder, and the jungle in the hollows much thicker. South of Mercara the country, seen from a distance, appears covered with wood, the only naked spots being the rice fields of the valleys; on descending into it, however, it is found to contain numerous open spaces, the woods being neither very dense nor very lofty. The scenery along the ridge of the ghatts to the westward is very beautiful, and may well compete with the Nílagiri; it is bold and varied in a high degree, the vegetation of the richest description and the forest trees of magnificent growth. The valleys, though varying in extent and depth, having the same general direction, i. e. from North-west to South-east, with the prevailing winds, the temperature of the country is thereby considerably moderated and rendered equable.

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