This charming spot, now that the roads are planted with tall trees, and the hedges filled with all the familiar flowers introduced from old England, while curling smoke ascends through the foliage, and suggests the idea of chimneys and warm firesides, is as unlike India, and as like an English watering-place, as can be imagined. The tower of the church, seen from many points of view, increases the resemblance, which is certainly not lessened by the rosy cheeks and healthy looks of the children, and the fresh invigorating mountain air. But when a few miles from the station, and out of sight of all English associations, there was much that reminded me of the _pajonales_ in the chinchona region of Caravaya at a first glance: and I felt sanguine that all the _pajonal_ chinchona-trees would thrive in most of the _sholas_ on the Neilgherry hills, while suitable sites for those species which require a warmer climate would be found in the forest slopes which overlook the plains. A closer inspection confirmed me in this opinion. CHAPTER XXII. NEILGHERRY HILLS. Extent--Formation--Soil--Climate--Flora--Hill tribes--Todars--Antiquities--Badagas--Koters--Kurumbers--Irulas --English stations--Kotergherry--Ootacamund--Coonoor--Jakatalla --Government gardens at Ootacamund and Kalhutty--Mr. McIvor--Coffee cultivation--Rules for sale of waste lands--Forest conservancy. THE Neilgherry[399] hills, between latitude 11° 10' and 11° 32' N., and longitude 76° 59' and 77° 31' E., form the most elevated mountain mass in India, south of the Himalayas; the highest peak, that of Dodabetta, being 8610 feet above the level of the sea. They are isolated on three sides, and rise up abruptly from the plains of Coimbatore on the south, and from the table-lands of Wynaad and Mysore on the north and east, to a height of 6000 feet above the former, and 2000 to 3000 above the latter; from which they are divided by the broad ravine of the river Moyaar. On the west they are united with the Koondah range, which is a continuation of the western ghauts. The area of the Neilgherries contains 268,494 acres, of which 24,000 are under cultivation.