304 NILGIRI HILLS. of the Nilgiri mountains rests upon the elevated land of Wainád and Mysore. These last-named tracts stand between 2000 and 3000 feet above the level of the sea, and thus form, as it were, a step by which the main descent towards the sea is broken. From the Wainád and Mysore plateaux, the Nilgiris are separated by a broad extensive valley through which the Movár river flows after descending from the hills by a fall at Neddiwattam in the north - west angle of the plateau. The isolation of this mountain territory would be complete, but for a singular sharp and precipitous ridge of granite peaks, which projects from the base of a remarkable cone called Yerramalki on the western crest of the range, and, taking a west by north course towards the coast, unites itself with the range popularly called the Western Gháts' (Ochterlony). In the south-west angle of the Nilgiris are the Kúnda hills; and spurs from this range run southward to a considerable distance. The Ochterlony valley and the recently added amsams of South-east Wainád lie 3000 feet lower, and consist of a series of broken valleys, once forest-clad throughout, but now studded with coffee-gardens. The highest peaks are-Dodabetta, 8760 feet; Kudiakod, 8502 feet; Bevoibetta, 8488 feet; Makurti, 8402 feet; Dávarsolabett, 8380 feet; Kunda, 8353 feet; Kúndamoge, 7816 feet; Utakamand, 7361 feet; Támbrabetta, 7292 feet; Hokabbetta, 7267 feet; Urbetta, 6915 feet; Kodanád, 6815 feet; Devabetta, 6571 feet; Kotagiri, 6571 feet; Kundabetta, 6555 feet; Dimhatti, 6315 feet; Coonoor (Kúnúr), 5882 feet; Rangaswami Peak, opposite the Gazzalhatti Pass, 5937 feet above sea-level There are six well-known passcs or ghats by which the District communicates with the neighbouring Provinces, viz. the Coonoor, Segúr, Gúdalúr, Sispárá, Kotagiri, and Sundapatti. The first three and the fifth are practicable for wheeled traffic. The Coonoor chát is the principal approach; and the road is of easy gradient and well made. The Kotagiri giát has been much improved as to gradient, and ranks next to Coonoor and Guidalúr in point of importance. The Segúr and Gúdalúr ghấts give access to Mysore and Wainád. The Sispárá or Kúnúr ghat is now abandoned, owing to the opening of a new road from Utakamand to Neddiwattam, and thence a new ghat which joins the Government imperial roads at Gúdalúr running down the Karkúr ghát at Nelambúr and Mámbat' (Ochterlony). The only rivers in these hills are the Morar, which rises at the foot of the Nilgiri peak and flows into the Bhavání river near Danayakankotta in Coimbatore; the PAIKARA, which, after taking a northerly course, discharges itself into the Moyár (distance from Makurti peak to the falls, about 10 miles); and the BEYPUR. Near the travellers'
