MAD URA DISTRICT 387`
for a distance of 40 miles, and between them and the Palnis lies the
upper portion of the valley of the Vaigai, known as the Kambam
Valley. This is kept well wooded and green by the perennial streams
' which flow down into it from the slopes of the adjoining hills, and,
except in the feverish season, it is one of the pleasantest parts of the
District. Farther east, and altogether separate from the ranges already
described, is a confused series of smaller lines'of hills; known respec-
tively as the Sirumalais, the Karandamalais, the Nattarn, and- the
Alagar ills. The highest peak among these attains an elevation of
nearly 4,400 feet. On the Sirumalais fruit is largely grown and there
are several coffee estates, but the range is almost uninhabited on
account of the malignant fever which lurks in its slopes. Among
isolated hills may be mentioned the ancient rock fortress of Dindigul,
the Anaimalai (` elephant hill'), the Pasumalai (` cow hill'), and the Skan-
damalai, sacred to the god Subrahmanya. The last three are in the
neighbourhood of Madura city, the head-quarters of the District.
The river system of the District is of a simple character, The
- principal stream is the Vaigai already mentioned, which has its origin
in the Varushanad hills. Near the village of Sholavandân this bends
to the south-east, and thence flows right across the centre of the
District and empties itself into the sea at Attankarai, east of Ramnàd.
Next in importance are the Gundar and the- Varshalei. The former
rises in the Varushanad and Andipatti hills, and flows in a direction
nearly parallel to the Vaigai. At Kamudi it is crossed by a' massive
earthen dam, and a channel is taken off which irrigates part of the
Mudukulattùr tahsil. The Varshalei drains the eastern slope of the
Nattam hills, flows past Tiruppattùr, and enters the sea by several
mouths between Uriyfir and ' Tondi. The northern slopes of th;e<
Palnis are drained by a lesser system of rivers, which flow northwards,:
in almost parallel courses. The' principal of these are the Amaràvati,
the Shanmukhanadi, the Nanganji, and the Kodavanfir. All of them
are drainage channels rather than perennial rivers. In the rainy
season they come down in headlong torrents, but for most of the
year they dwindle into trickling streams.
The rocks of Madura District consist chiefly of foliated biotite
gneiss, probably in reality a gneissose granite, in which are masses
of granular quartz rock, also probably of igneous origin. At certain
localities, such as Pandalugudi and Tirumâl, bands of coarsely crys
talline limestone occur in the gneiss. Charnockite is found in the
western part of the District, the Paini hills being entirely composed
of that rock. In the Varushanad Hills are hornblende schists and
granulites, penetrated by veins of mica-bearing pegmatite. Sub-recent
calcine grits of marine origin form a fringe along the coast from
Crape Comorin to' the channel' between the mainland and the island
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