as has been said; for, exclusive of the islands in the Pacific Ocean, St. Paul's, Kerguelens, Tristan de Acunha, and others, are more distant from the continents than St. Helena. Before the use of chronometers and lunar observations, navigators were directed, in running for St. Helena, to fall into its parallel 50 or 60 leagues eastward of it, to lie by in the night, and steer west in the day till they made the land. This practice is no longer requisite, for most of the East India ships, homeward bound, steer now a direct course from the Cape to St. Helena, and make the island day or night: as they generally know the longitude within a few miles of the truth, there can be little danger of missing it, although this is barely possible, the body and leeward part of the island being frequently in fog clouds, particularly in the night. Should a ship, in such case, fall a little to leeward, she will seldom find any difficulty in working up to the anchorage, unless she sail indifferently upon a wind, for the current seldom runs strong to leeward near this island; this, however, may happen, when the wind blows strong with squalls for a few days, which is sometimes experienced about the full and change of the moon; but this lee current is generally of short continuance. In times of war, when any of the enemy's cruizers visit St. Helena, they keep to the eastward and southeastward of it, at the distance of 15, 20, and 25 leagues; single ships, which sail well, would avoid these cruizers, were they to make the island bearing from N. N. E. to E. or S. E. and afterwards make short tacks under the lee of it, till they reach the anchorage. I have seen store ships from England, make the island bearing E. S. E. directly to windward of them, at the distance of 15 or 18 leagues; they sailed indifferently, but reached the anchorage the third day after making the island. There are sometimes calms near it; the Mead was becalmed from the 17th to the 22d May, 1710, within 6 and 8 leagues of the east part of the island, the current setting to the eastward, prevented her from being driven near it by the swell, and she did not get into the anchorage till the 24th of May.

This island is about 3 leagues in length, nearly N. E. and S. W., of a circular form, about 26 or 27 miles round. The steep rocky cliffs facing the sea, present a sterile and unfavourable appearance to an observer in sailing round the east part of the island, but the chasms or vallies in the interior, and likewise the hills, are fruitful and clothed with continual verdure, except in very dry seasons, when it is sometimes burnt np for want of moisture. The principal ridge of mountains in the centre of the island is called Diana's Peak, and is about 2200 feet high. Nearer the S. W. part there is a hill of a conical form, called the High Peak, about 50 feet less elevated than the former. On these hills, and on the high grounds, the air is always cool and

pleasant; fog clouds frequently cover the Peaked Hills, or, being driven from the sea by the trade-wind, strike against them, producing gentle showers, which quicken the vegetation and cool the atmosphere on the high grounds, although in the vallies on the leeward side of the island, the sun is often very powerful. There is very little level ground on this island, for it evidently appears to have been forced upwards from the the ocean by subterraneous fire; the abrupt ridges and chasms into which it is split, seem to prove this origin, and the effects of amalgamation by fire are visible from the summits of the hills to the cavities formed by the abrasion of the surge of the sea at the water's edge.

Thunder is seldom heard at St. Helena; lightning has been at times observed in cloudy weather, accompanied by a sultry atmosphere; showers of rain are experienced in all seasons, but in some months more than others. A few years back a a heavy condensed cloud broke on the mountain over Rupert's Valley, deluged it with a torrent of water, and carried a great part of the breast-work and some of the guns into the sea, although this valley is generally dry, there being no run of water in it, except in heavy rains.*

At the northeast extremity of the island, there is a pyramidal hill close to the sea, called the Sugar Loaf, with a signal post on it. At the base of this hill there are three batteries, at a small distance from each other, called Buttermilk, and Bank's upper and lower batteries; a little to the southwest of these, Rupert's battery appears at the bottom of the valley of this name, which is a strong stone wall and battery, mounted with heavy cannon, and Munden's Point divides this valley from James's, or Chapel Valley, where James's town, the only one on the island, is situated. On Munden's Point there is a fort of the same name, and several guns placed on the heights over it, which command that side of James's Valley. This valley has on the southwest side, a hill elevated nearly 800 feet perpendicular from the sea, called Ladder Hill, with a heavy battery of guns upon it, that commands the southwest entrance to the valley and anchorage. James's Valley is also protected by a wall, and strong line of cannon at its entrance close to the sea. There is also a battery at Sandy Bay, on the south side of the island, where boats might land when the surf is not great; but this and every other part, where there is a possibility of landing, are well secured by batteries or guns placed on the heights over them, and on the summits of the

* Hitherto the inhabitants of this island have escaped that dreadful scourge the small-pox, but the meazles were transported by some ship to this place in 1806, which have swept away nearly one third of the natives.

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hills there are convenient signal posts all over the island, which communicate by telegraph with each other and with the castle, which add greatly to the natural strength of the island. When a ship is descried, a gun is fired at the signal post where she is first seen, and this is repeated by the other posts to the castle, which is called an alarm; if more ships appear, a gun is fired for each, till five in number, then the signal is made for a fleet; but if more than two sail appear to be steering together for the island, a general alarm is beat, and every person immediately takes the station assigned him, and remains under arms till the governor is informed by the boats what ships they are.

All ships coming in from the eastward, heave to, before they pass Sugar Loaf Point, and send a boat with an officer to report them. The boat is generally hailed from the battery at Sugar Loaf Point, but she must proceed to James's Town, to give the governor information, before the ship is permitted to pass the first battery at the Sugar Loaf. Ships of war, and all others, must observe this precaution, or the batteries will open upon them and shut them out from the anchorage, which is well defended by the forts and batteries around.

When the boat is perceived returning, a ship may make sail, and pass within a cable's length, or less, of Sugar Loaf Point; she should afterwards keep the shore close aboard in passing Rupert's Valley, with the head-sails braced well forward, as the gusts of wind from the high land veer several points, and may take the sails aback, if precaution is not taken to prevent it. When past Rupert's Valley, Munden's Point ought also to be kept pretty close to; but care must be taken to avoid the sunken rock lying off the fort, about 30 or 40 yards from the pointon which, by borrowing close to the shore, the Lascelles, Fox, and other ships have struck, and were nearly lost: several years past, there has been a small buoy with a red flag placed over this rock. When Munden's Point is passed, James's Valley and Town appears, off which is the proper anchorage. There are no soundings to the eastward of Sugar Loaf Point, till close to the steep cliffs: the bank of soundings begins off Rupert's Valley, and extends along the northwest side of the island to the southwest extremity, called Horse Pasture Point. Lemon Valley is about 2 miles to the southwest of James's Valley, and has a run of good water in it; but it is difficult to water at this place, on account of the surf and rocky shore. Ships do not anchor off this valley, it being distant from the town. Abreast of Rupert's Valley they sometimes anchor, but the ground is not so good as abreast of James's Valley and Ladder Hill; here the bank extends about a mile from the shore, shelving with a steep declivity, when the depth is more than 40 fathoms. It is not prudent to anchor in deep water near the edge of the

bank, for the gusts of wind from the Valley are liable to start the anchor when a ship lies far out; should this happen, it would avail nothing to let go another anchor, for the steep declivity of the bank would prevent it from taking hold of the ground. This I have seen several ships experience, and drive off the bank with two anchors down, and all the cables veered out, which occasioned great exertion and fatigue to recover them, and afterwards to work up to the anchorage.

Should a ship anchor in 35 or 40 fathoms water, and the anchor not hold, all the cable may be veered out, to make her ride if possible, till a convenient opportunity offer to warp farther in; but a second anchor should never be resorted to, for if she will not ride fast with one, it ought to be hove up, then sail set, to work her in by short tacks, under lee of the island, till she gain proper anchorage.

Abreast of James's Valley, the anchor may be dropped in from 8 to 15 fathoms, with the flag-staff on the castle in James's Town S. S. E. or S. E. by S. The anchorage is equally good off the east corner of Ladder Hill, or abreast of it, with the flagstaff about E. S. E. If a ship anchor in less than 14 fathoms off Ladder Hill, she should be kept at a short scope of cable, till a kedge or stream anchor is laid out in the offing to moor by, for light eddy winds and calms prevail under the hill; she may therefore be liable to swing with her stern in shore and tail on the rocks, if there is much cable out and the anchor under 14 fathoms. In weighing from under the hill, the inner anchor must be first taken up, to prevent tailing on the rocks, which happened to the Melville Castle, and other ships. Ships generally moor with a stream or kedge anchor to the offing, and sometimes with a bower anchor; those in the stream of the valley, seldom swing with their sterns towards it, for a continued breeze, and frequent gusts of wind blow from it to seaward.

When the wind is light, the ships swing with their heads to the eastward and westward alternately at times, this being the effect of a current or sort of tide; but this tide is very weak, and the rise and fall on the shore at full and change of the moon, is not more than two or three feet perpendicular.

James's Town, is situated in the entrance of the Valley, almost obscured by the impending rocky mountains enclosing it; a row of trees behind the ramparts, and another behind the gov. ernor's house, give it a pleasing appearance; the houses are neatly built on each side the principal street, which lies in a direct line up the Valley; higher up, there is a long walk between two rows of trees, having an enclosed square on the left side, and terminated by a garden belonging to the company. There is a run of water in James's Valley, proceeding from a small run on the left-hand side, and from a water-fall, which pours

over a concave precipice, about 200 feet perpendicular, into an ancient volcanic crater at the head of the valley. Water cresses are often plentiful about the edges of this run of water, and are very serviceable to ships with scorbutic crews.

On the right side of the valley, a zigzag road has been cut out with great labour, for ascending Ladder Hill; persons on horseback, and carts, can pass up and down it with safety. This road leads to the governor's country house, and to the southwest parts of the island.

On the left side of the valley, there is a good carriage road, called Side Path, which leads to the interior, and to the eastern parts of the island; other cross roads join these two, and lead to the various plantations. The interior forms a beautiful contrast to the rugged steep cliffs which surround the island; for here, in every valley, small houses and gardens are seen with excellent pasture, and sheep or cattle feeding in different places.

Near the east side of the island, the plantation called Long Wood, contains the greatest quantity of level ground; there is a considerable space planted with trees here, but a scarcity of water prevailed, until General Beatson, the late. governor, brought a supply by artificial means.

The water that supplies the garrison and shipping, is conveyed by leaden pipes from a spring in the valley, distant more than a mile from the sea. These pipes lead the water to the jetty, where there are two cranes for boats to load with goods or water casks, or receive stores from the shipping. Fire-wood cannot be had in sufficient quantity, furze being the principal fuel of the islanders, and is brought from a great distance by their slaves. Cabbages, potatoes, carrots, turnips, and other vegetables and fruits thrive well, but are sold dear, and not in sufficient quantity to supply half of the shipping, which at times anchor here, to procure water and refreshments. All the vegetables are cultivated by the slaves, who are indolently inclined. Were a few industrious farmers or gardeners to use a small plough or two, for planting a few acres with cabbages, turnips, carrots, and potatoes, in some of the valleys where the soil is good, the supply of these useful vegetables would then be sufficient, for all the scorbutic crews of ships which annually visit the island, and produce most beneficial effects; and these articles might be easily conveyed from the interior, in light open carts; whereas at present, what is cultivated is carried by the slaves. The quantity of ground requisite for this purpose would be so small, that it could not be considered as diminishing the pasturage for the cattle, which every where abounds.

Cattle are reared for the use of the company's ships, and supplied to them very sparingly when a fleet arrives, the quantity reared not being adequate to the demand; a greater num