DIARY OF A PLANTER OF THE 1930s

摘要

Kadamane was a large property of several thousand acres lying at around 3,000" level on the edge of the Western Ghats overlooking North Malabar. Murakangudde was the highest point in the neighbourhood and she rose to some 4,600' just outside the estate (the name means 'The Nose Mountain'). Mangalore on the coast lay some 50 miles due West and Madras about 350 miles due East. The inlet road from the main road down to the coast was about six miles long. From Hassan, the main town, the road ran some 35miles through Saklespur to Maranhulli (where the inlet road Northwards to the estate joined) and thence down the ghat to Oopanangate ('Salt Market' in English) and so on the Mangalore. The main estate valley ran upwards from West to East. This encompassed the two divisions of Kadamane and Malegadde totaling about 600 acres of tea, and quite a lot of cardamom and pepper areas as well as undeveloped jungle. From Kadamane northwards and over a low saddle and down a new road to the very grand bridge then in course of construction lay Kappini Talaar with more tea, pepper and cardomoms. To the South lay Manjanhulla, which was very much in course of being opened up: it was a nice quiet secluded valley.