Australia,
which thrives in these hills amazingly well —this establishment seems
to achieve all that is desirable in a place of the kind. Some nine
miles more bring us to Ootacamund, the end of our day's journey.
The
first thing to strike one on arrival, was the extraordinary contrast
with the climate we had left behind us in the morning. Here we were
7500 to 8000 feet above the sea, in a fresh and exhilarating
atmosphere. I ought, in truth, to have looked for a change of the kind;
for I had been duly warned that before the day closed, I should want
wraps and rugs. But the advice seemed absurd in the sultry heat of the
plains; yet an overcoat would not have been unpleasant during the last
hour of our drive.
Ootacamund
is the summer residence of the Government of Madras. It is therefore an
important station, and covers a considerable area. There are shops at
which almost anything can be procured. It also has a very good hotel,
an excellent clubhouse, library, churches, and other public buildings.
The main feature of the place, however, is its lake. It is seven miles
in circumference, enclosed on all sides by lofty hills with rounded
summits, extensively planted with various Australian trees. The general
aspect of the place is, however, much marred by squalid native huts and
a dirty bazaar. There is a considerable native population, with all the
usual
