The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1922-03-16
P,Dar.d BY N. National ososr.Dhio So.

prepared by the National Geographic So
eiety. washinEton. d. CT
The Moplahs. whose revolt In India
Is one of the NEST serious the British
have had to contend with In recent
times, are operating In the portion OF
Indla--the Malabar coast--whlch was
the first TO be sighted by Europeans
and the first with which trading was
carried on. Yet II has been less known
than any other part OF the great penln-
sula empire. To the casual observer
Of maps this seems the front door TO
india, and the region which should be
best known and most Influenced by
Europeans. For II Is the coast facing
toward Europe and lies Just opposite
the main water gateway to and from
the west--the mouth OF the Red nea.
But although IL was natural enough
THAI Vasc0 da Cana, after he had
rounded Africa. should have his first
Indian land-fall In Malabar. II IL equal.
ly natural, when geographic conditions
are taken into account, that most OF
the present-day argosies OF trade shun
this lower western const OF India and
turn instead northward TO Bombay or,
doubling the point OF the peninsula.
anchor at midas black DOORS" Mad
ras and Calcutta. For the Malabar
region Is only narrow strip 20 10 90
miles wide with rugged mountains, the
Western Chats, cutting II or from the
rest OF India almost as completely as
would many miles ~ water.
Then. too, Mslabar has no good
ports. Callcut and Cochin did well
enough for the llght-draft caravels OF
the early explorers. but cannot well ac-
c0mmodate larger modern Ocenn-going
craft. In the east India has no such
continuous barrier as the Western
Chats, and so the wide portion OF the
peninsula to the east OF those rugged
mountains has become familiar land
to travellers and has to a degree be.
come Europeanlzed. while the Malabar
coast has been little known and has
remained the best mirror OF ancient
India.
What the Region 10 Like.
In few other places will the West
erner have his dreams OF the East and
Of India come 30 nearly true as Ia
Malabar. The climate Is hot and the
annual rainfall amounts to nearly ten
feet. The coasts are fringed with mil
lions OF coconut palms. Just inland In
many parts OF the region are quiet la
goons and backwaters, connected by
canals, on which picturesque Eastern
'gond0las' ply. Along these inland
shores are still more coconut and other
palms, and IN the waters are croco-
dies. Everywhere brown natives
swartn-mostly bare above the waist
little different In appearance and Gus
toms from the first Indians which the
Portuguese found on those shores la
i40S.
Back OF the coastal lagOOns are fiat
rice fields and In many sections these
extend up the lower hlllsldes ON ter
races, irrigated from the countless
mOnsoOn.born streams that trickle
down from the Chats. Elsewhere the
hill slopes are given up TO gardens
which even In the Fifteenth century
were models OF careful cultivation. In
them are grown characteristic Eastern
products, plantnins, mangoes, pepper
cinnamon. giRger, coffee, tea and many
vegetables.
Farther from the coast In the higher
hills, are the luXurlant forests with
their underground OF tree ferns, rho
dOdendrons and reeds and their deli
cate and colorful orchids. And TO COM
plete the Westerner's dream-plctnre OF
the East. In the forests are tigers and
leOpards and Wild elephants. This re-
gioD Ia In fact the elephant country.
par excellence. OF India. Ia Its small
forest reserves In the Western Chats
the British Indian government makes
a respectable amount OF "pin money
by selling the elephants which II traps.
Large herds, too, roam over the prl-
yately owned forest lands Of the region
and Of Travancore, Immediately to the
south. These wooded mountains form
a region Of great neutrality-suspicious.
peaks with dark-green ravines In which
silver streams descend In numerous
waterfalls end cascades.
Most Of tAe People Are Hlndus.
Though the Malabar coast is blessed
with rich soli and luxuriant vegetation
II Is not as dependent on agriculture
as most other portions Of India Fish
abound IN the sea and are caught In
great quantities and eaten. The tim.
Der industry, too. is important and
many natives are employed In IT,,
Famlnes are practically unknown In
rhis favored corner OF India.
With nature 30 bountiful II might be