NORTHERN CIRCARS. 115 



APPENDIX (G). 



NORTHERN CIRCARS. 



Extract from Conservator's Diary. 



Eshapilly. — On 31st Jan. 1859 I took advantage of the de- 

 parture of Her Majesty's steamer, Dalhousie, to visit the N. 

 Circars. On the following day, the vessel touched at Eskapilly 

 in Nellore, to take in treasure. The shore is barren of wood ; pal- 

 myrahs are seen among the sand hills ; but, except the extensive 

 salt-pans, there is nothing of any interest. 



On 2d Feb. I landed at Masulipatam, which used to be con- 

 sidered a bleak station, but it has been much improved since the 

 year 1838. There are now avenues of Casuarina muricata, Pon- 

 gamia glabra, Inga dulcis, and Dalbergia Sissoo. The trees have 

 not yet grown large, but they afford shade and shelter, and relieve 

 the former dreary aspect of the station ; the best of the sissoos 

 have a bole of 15 or 16 feet high, with one foot diameter. 



My attention was directed to a Mangrove* belt on the edge of 

 the backwater, which was formerly barren waste. In the year 

 1839, two cart loads of seeds of species of Bhizophora (Uppa 

 ponna), Avicennia tomentosa (Mada chettu), and Sonneratia acida, 

 had been procured by Mr Eohde (at that time Judge), at a cost 

 of 25 rupees ; the seeds were dropped into the mud of the estuary 

 by convicts. The belt sprung up quickly, and has been annually 

 cut, yielding a trivial revenue as firewood and for feeding cattle. 

 It is also useful in preventing the channel from being clogged 

 with drift-sand. In the canal basin, I saw a dozen firewood boats 

 which had come in during the night from the Godavari, and con- 

 cealed below the heaped up billets I recognised house beams of 

 Yepi (JSardwickia oinata), and Siriman (Conocarpus latifolid). 



Vwagapatam, 6th — This is a picturesque station, but the red 

 soil does not seem suited for tree culture ; and the only places 



* This affords a main supply of fuel to the station, and is conserved 

 under the orders of the collector. 



