ours, ranging between fifty-five and fifty-six degrees | made a regular settlement. In 1651, it was relinquish

ed to the East-India Company; and Charles II. subsequently granted a charter, by which the sovereignty was vested in that company. They were allowed to erect forts, and supply garrisons and plantations on the island with "provisions, clothing, ammunition, and necessary implements, without paying any custom or duty." Of these privileges the Company immediately

of Fahrenheit's scale;-a temperature in which the vegetation of leaves proceeds with more equability, perhaps, than any other." The neighbourhood of the sea always furnishes a refreshing breeze to the island, nor are we to suppose the characteristic mildness and shelter of its harbour render its visitants likely to be becalmed here. One instance only has occurred of any ship being weather-bound: the wind was at north-availed themselves. They offered liberal encourage north-west, for about twenty days, early in the last century, and, being accompanied with great drought, produced much disease amongst the inhabitants, particularly the negroes. Small quantities of the ore of various metal have occasionally been discovered at St. Helena; but none have yet been wrought with any

success.

About seventy different species of fish are taken on the coast. Lobsters, mackarel, oysters, and a fish called the coal-fish, nearly resembling the salmon in flavour, are found in different quantities. The last, however, is very scarce. Sea-fowl deposit immense quantities of eggs around the island, which are collected in the fall of the year, and form an agreeable article of food.

James's Valley, in which the town is situated, lies on the north-west side of the island. The stranger, on landing, is naturally struck with the military appearance of the place; being conducted between a line of heavy guns, and through an arched way into the town; the rampart or terrace of which is edged by a double row of evergreens; and the whole forms a fine parade. A handsome residence for the governor and officers, called the Castle, next meets the eye, and is surrounded with a strong wall. The church is in front; and three streets, consisting of commodious decent houses, form

the town.

Salt provisions from England are constantly supplied to the island, and constitute, with Indian rice, the principal support of the garrison; the fresh productions of the island, though judiciously managed, being by no means equal to the consumption. The population of the island, for the last ten years, has been about two thousand, exclusive of the new establishment, civil and military. Of this population eleven hundred are slaves, about three hundred free blacks, and the rest settlers, principally from England.

In 1593, St. Helena afforded a welcome shelter to Captain Lancaster, in the Bonaventure; who, sailing with two other adventurers in those seas, were driven back, after leaving the Cape of Good-Hope, to this place, where he remained about three weeks. It does not seem to have been regularly inhabited by the Portuguese after the departure of Lopez. Nor was it colonized by any other nation until 1640, when the Dutch

ment to settlers from England. The single men that first arrived were granted ten acres of land and one cow: those with families had twenty acres and two cows. Seeds, plants, and breeding stock, were liberally furnished: and salt-provisions were issued gratuitously in 1763, for a period of nine months. Soldiers were also permitted to become free settlers. That these advantages might not be thrown away, it was ordered that, at the expiration of one year, those persons who had wholly neglected their lands, or did not support one cow, at least, on every ten acres, should quit the island, and the property return to the Company.

The possessor of every ten acres of land was no ordered to furnish one man bearing arms; and by this mean a militia was gradually formed, upon whom reliance might safely be placed, from the circumstance of their having an interest in the soil. Shortly after the establishment of the colony, this militia was so greatly augmented by the influx of settlers, that the regular soldiers were reduced to fifty men, and the rest allowed either to settle, or return home. A commutation of the militia service of the planters was introduced in 1693, of two shillings per acre. The civil and military offices established by the Company were, in the infancy of the colony, frequently mixed and vested in the same hands. From the first settlement, however, the executive authority of the whole island has been vested in the governor. A council, sometimes consisting of the deputy-governor and the Company's senior civil servant only,-sometimes of another member or two, specially added by the court of directors, assisting him and deriving all the authority immediately from the East-India Company, with a chaplain and surgeon, completed the first establishment. The salaries of the governor, deputy-governor, store-keeper, and chaplain, were at first but 50%. each, and that of the surgeon but 257. per annum. The governor, however, received an additional 507. as captain in the service of the Company, and a gratuity of another 50%. The chaplain and surgeon were allowed land and cattle as settlers, and their maintenance daily at the governor's table. The inhabitants, for the first twenty years, seem to have been averaged at about five hundred.

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Scarcely had the East-India Company obtained com- | entered the harbour without suspicion, but four of them plete possession of the island, and introduced the ne- were alarmed in time for their escape. The vice and cessary regulations, when the Dutch, by the treachery rear-admiral, however, with a considerable treasure, of one of the inhabitants, regained possession of it for a were secured. The island was now left under the gofew months. Towards the close of the year 1672, they vernment of Captain Kedgwin, and the garrison inappeared off the island, and attempted, for a whole creased to nearly two hundred men, exclusive of the day, to effect a landing by open force. Detached por- militia. To the slave who had been the means of the tions of the rocks, however, were rolled upon them so success of the whole enterprise, the East-India Comsuccessfully, as to oblige them to abandon their first at-pany granted his liberty, with a portion of land and tempt at Lemon Valley. From the kind of defence cattle as a free settler. adopted, it seems that, at this time, there was but one The island having thus lapsed by conquest to the fort erected, which was situated on Ladder Hill. This crown, the East-India Company obtained a new grant was called Fort James: it gave the name to the adjoin- of it from Charles II. This charter is dated the 16th of ing valley, and is supposed to have been erected in December, 1673, and constitutes the governor and 1665. The next night five hundred of the invaders company "the true and absolute lords and proprietors landed at Bennett's Point, and coming round by Swan- of the island, with full legislative power to the extent ley Valley and the High Peak, to Fort James, though of life and limb." The directors of the Company now they were repeatedly repulsed, they eventually over-equipped two ships, for the purpose of carrying out powered the garrison. The governor and other offi- stores of every kind; and a new commission was made cers secured their most valuable effects on board out, in which Captain Field succeeded Kedgwin as some vessels in the road before they abandoned the governor. In 1678, the former resigned, and Major fort; and sailed immediately for the Brazils. Here Blackmore succeeded. Under his government, courts they found the brave Captain Munden, with three of of justice were erected in the island, and trial by jury the king's ships, who were on their way to St. Helena, introduced in all cases, affecting life, limb, or landed as convoy to the expected East-India fleet. He quickly property. repaired for the island, and, arriving unseen by the Dutch, a party was landed at the opening of a small creek where two men only could go abreast. This was pointed out to them by a slave who had been in the service of the governor, and was sold on his arrival at the coast of Brazil, but fortunately redeemed by Munden. Two hundred men were silently disembarked under Captain Kedgwin, of the Assistance. They had now to encounter a precipice above the landing-place, to which a single individual was first obliged to ascend, and by a rope, drawing up his companions, the whole gained the rock. So imminent was their danger at this time, however, that twenty men might have repulsed them with facility. The night was occupied in a march through an extensive wood; and at break of day they arrived at the east side of James's Valley, and gained the summit of Rupert's Hill before they were observed. At this juncture Sir Richard Munden entered the harbour, and the Dutch surrendered without firing a shot. The mouth of this creek has since been well fortified, together with every spot where it is at all possible to effect a landing.

Shortly after this event, a governor and suite arrived from Holland, to take possession of St. Helena; and being deceived by a display of the Dutch flag, they fell into the hands of Sir Richard Munden. Two of the most valuable Dutch Indiamen, out of a fleet of six homeward-bound, were also decoyed. The whole fleet

The colony now began to assume so flourishing an aspect, that, in 1721, the Company no longer found it needful directly to supply provisions at their invoice prices; but only laying a duty of nineteen per cent. on all stores imported from England, the inhabitants at this time were able to supply themselves by purchase.

The earliest account of St. Helena rocognises the detestable traffic called the slave-trade, and the import and export of human beings were regulated like all other articles of commerce. Sometimes, indeed, the excessive numbers of the slaves produced restrictions on the further importation of them for a few years, as in 1679. Shortly after, a duty of ten shillings per head to the East-India Company was imposed, and then some of the ships refreshing here were obliged to leave one negro, male or female, as their agents should select, for the Company's lands. "The laws of this period against slaves," says a modern historian, "were written in characters of blood. A male slave, aged sixteen years, and upwards, striking a white person with his hand, underwent emasculation; a female, for the same offence, had both her ears cut off, and was branded in the forehead and both cheeks. A slave, male or female, offering to strike a person with any instrument or weapon, suffered death!"

In 1684, a serious tumult was excited by the levying of some new taxes, under Governor Blackmore. The deputy-governor was openly insulted in the discharge

required by the plaintiff, which was agreed to, with some modification. Under this government, barracks were erected to keep the military as separate as possible from the inhabitants; the fortifications were much

was diffused throughout the colony, to a far greater extent than it had ever previously enjoyed. Some discontented persons, however, made such a representation of affairs in England, that Captain Roberts was super

of his duty by a common soldier, the flame spread on [ trial by jury was requested to be extended whenever the apprehension of the offender, and some of the planters were implicated. About sixty mutineers, military and others, attacked the fort; martial law was proclaimed, and three of the insurgents killed, and fourteen wounded in this attack. Several were after-improved; and a general spirit of order and decision wards seized and tried; two of the ringleaders were hung; and four others were banished. Of the severity of these sentences, some of the settlers complained by petition to the House of Commons; but no substantial case appears to have been made out. Fresh ex-seded, in 1711, by Governor Boucher. In 1714, this amples were soon found needful, and sanctioned by an express commission from James II.; the tenure of the island having now become very precarious. Under this commission, fourteen persons were tried by a courtmartial, and five executed. The property of the convicted was forfeited to the Company, several others were sent to Bombay, and no inhabitant was in future to keep arms without license from the lords proprietors. The garrison was also augmented, and the militia was partly disbanded.

In 1666, St. Helena afforded an asylum to many of the sufferers by the fire of London, and to the Hugonots, who escaped from France, in the reign of Louis XIV. In 1690, Captain Johnson was appointed to the government of this island, with an increased salary of 2001. per annum ; but, in 1693, he fell a victim to a mutiny of the soldiery, who also plundered the treasury, and sowed the seeds of disaffection through the whole island. A serjeant on guard, of the name of Jackson, contrived to introduce his accomplices into the garrison, before he delivered the keys to the governor. In the dead of the night, they separately intimidated all within the fortress, seized the governor, and shot him through the head. In the morning, various persons were sent for, in the governor's name, who were secured as they arrived. The guns were spiked or removed, the deputy-governor and four other gentlemen were carried on board a ship the mutineers had seized in the harbour, while the treasure and provisions were embarked. In fact, they were made hostages for the supplies the mutineers exacted of the people, under the guns of the batteries. In two days they accomplished their plans, and effected their escape, on the 22d of April, 1693.

Under Governor Roberts, the present square fort in James's Valley, and a new government-house, were begun in 1708. The laws of the island were also republished about this time, which produced a series of remonstrances and rejoinders between the inhabitants and the government. The former desired to possess fire-arms, which were granted; and to meet more frequently in social parties, which was also allowed: the

gentleman resigned, having given great dissatisfaction to the Company and people. Governor Pyke succeeded, and directed his chief attention to the agricultural concerns of the island. In the second year of his government, a flood, bursting from Sandy Bay Ridge, devastated several plantations, stripped some of the hills entirely of their soil, and ruined many families. This, however, is the only accident of the kind which seems to have occurred on the island.

During the five years of his administration, Governor Pyke had to encounter several serious obstacles to his plans. In 1718, a severe drought took place, accompanied by a north-west wind, which continued unchanged for three weeks. These circumstances together produced a mortality of the inhabitants, who now amounted to upwards of eight hundred. Nearly one hundred died in two months, two-thirds of whom were slaves. In 1719, this drought again visited the island, and a state of famine for a while ensued. One accusation preferred against the governor at this time must be mentioned to his honour. He had granted a petition of the planters to allow them to punish the slaves at discretion; yet was accused to the East-India Company of being "too mild in his conduct" to that oppressed race, and of having gravely called them "his children!"

In 1728, a law was enforced for the better protection of the wood on the island. Not only had the fertility of several spots been injured, but in some places the rains were found to wash away the whole of the soil which had been entirely cleared from the brittle nature of the mould. The moisture and shade afforded by the trees, being found essential to the preservation of its adhesive qualities, Governor Roberts had issued an order to compel every planter to apportion one-tenth of his grounds to the cultivation of trees; and this order was now revived. Part of Long Wood, comprising about one hundred and fifty acres, was fenced in for this purpose, and a nursery-ground established. Potatoes were also planted, for the first time, on the island. For the last eighty years, the woods in St. Helena have considerably increased.

Under the government of Colonel Dunbar, in 1749, | anticipated by Major Grame, who fortunately reached an attempt was made to introduce the cultivation of it before them. With the assistance of the six men on wheat, barley, and oats; but the crops proved very deficient, in consequence of the occasional drought and changeability of the soil.

In 1759, the civil and military establishments of the island were augmented and made more distinct. The British code of civil law was also introduced; and sessions of oyer and terminer, of which the governor and council were appointed judges, were regularly held; though we find the court of directors admonished the settlers to avoid all litigious proceedings; and refused to send out any person in the profession of the law. The salary of the governor, in 1762, was increased to 5007. per annum; and the prices of provisions, from the Company's stores, were considerably reduced,

In 1760, two of the Company's ships were cut out of the roads of St. Helena, by the French, through the carelessness or inattention of the governor. These vessels had been taken under the Dutch flag by the French, who regularly saluted the garrison, and passed into the harbour. In consequence of this circumstance, no ship was afterwards suffered to pass Banks's battery, without previously sending a boat to the shore.

the station, he opened a fire of grape-shot on the insurgents for a time, but was, at last, compelled to abandon it. The governor, in the interim, had despatched about eighty men, under Major Bazett, to his assistance; they surrounded the mutineers, after several exchanges of fire in the Alarm-house, killed three, and took up wards of a hundred prisoners. Many escaped in the night; but ninety-nine were tried by a court-martial, and condemned to death. Only the serjeant, however, who headed the mutiny, and nine others, were executed.

Governor Brooke arrived at St. Helena, in 1788, and introduced a variety of useful military measures, by which the order of the garrison was effectually secured, its numbers increased, and the island made a nursery of effective troops for the service of the East-India Company. An accurate survey of the various positions was now taken; and the heights, which had been hitherto neglected, were strongly fortified. A strong corps of artillery, and a battalion of infantry, were stationed here in 1796; Major Rennell, Sir Archibald Campbell, and the Marquis Cornwallis, successively inspected the In 1761, a temporary observatory was erected on this fortifications of the island: a chain of signal-posts was island, in expectation of a transit of the planet Venus established round the coast for the first time, and every over the sun's disk. The late Dr. Maskelyne, astro-pass and defile on the island properly defended. nomer royal, from Greenwich, and Mr. Waddington, After reforming the habits of the troops, Governor spent six months in preparing the edifice; but a pass-Brooke introduced a new code of regulations respecting cloud, at the moment of the transit, unfortunately rendered all their preparations useless.

In 1777, a tract of land, comprising one thousand five hundred acres, was strongly fenced in, for the further encouragement of wood upon the island. Waterworks, to extend the streams of the various springs, were also attempted, with different degrees of success: one pipe, of nearly six thousand feet long, was laid down from Chub's Spring to the wharf, and has proved very serviceable to the island.

On the 24th of December, 1783, a serious mutiny again broke out in the garrison: some punch-houses, which the soldiers were accustomed to frequent, were suppressed, and the men refused their allowances in evident resentment. A body of them, under arms, appeared before the governor on the 26th; and, on the 27th, about two hundred men marched out with drums and fixed bayonets, to gain the fort on Ladder Hill. The governor, with great presence of mind, went into the midst of them, and, by persuasions, induced them to abandon their violent measures for the present. Five days afterwards, however, finding forbearance no longer availing, he secured their ringleader. The mutineers now attempted to seize the Alarm-House, but were

ing the slaves. The power, formerly lodged with the master, was now transferred to the magistrate. No correction exceeding twelve lashes was allowed to be given them by their owners; and crimes of a serious nature were to be referred to the governor or justice of the peace. Excessive violence to them was to be punished as an assault; and Sunday was to be expressly reserved to them as a day of rest. Marriage was also encouraged among them; their evidence upon oath in all judicial proceedings was admitted; and their property, lawfully acquired, was fully protected by law. Since the 24th of February, 1792, the further importation of this persecuted race into the island has been prohibited.

The next object of attention was the augmentation of the live-stock on this island, under the management of the governor. In 1790, it amounted to two thousand five hundred head of black cattle, two thousand three hundred and ninety sheep, and the sales to ships calling. here, of cattle and fruits, to 6,6007. in the year. The potatoe-plantations were also extended, and the whole island began to assume a flourishing appearance. The salary of the governor was now increased to 1,000%, per annum; to which were added the commission and

On the third day, he passed much of his time on deck, and seemed to have paid greater attention than usual to his dress. In the evening, he played at whist, but apparently in a different manner from the English practice: at the conclusion of the game, he proved to be a loser; but that circumstance did not appear to ruffle his temper: at least, whatever chagrin he might

The next morning he remained secluded in his cabin, being evidently affected with sea-sickness: this, however, he would by no means acknowledge; and his suite, who still paid him all the devotions that the most absolute despot could require, were too refined courtiers to question the veracity or discernment of their imperial master, when he ascribed his illness to a different cause.

Between three and four o'clock in the afternoon, the Corsican was sufficiently recovered to go on deck, and this he did, though the wind blew strong, and the motion of the vessel was so great, that he who had once marched so triumphantly over the various nations of the continent, could now with difficulty keep his feet, and was repeatedly obliged to catch hold of the persons around him, to save himself from falling.

pay of a colonel. After the most useful administration | meat and claret, succeeded by coffee. At dinner, he of the affairs of the island, during a period of fifteen was observed to help himself to a mutton-cutlet, which years, Colonel Brooke retired, on account of his health, he devoured without the assistance of either knife or to England, in 1800, and was succeeded by Colonel fork. Patten. This gentleman established telegraphs, of his own invention, on the island; the artillery service continued to receive the greatest encouragement; and the heights were rendered still more effective in defence. "In making a voyage to St. Helena," says a contemporary writer, " it is generally necessary, on account of the trade-winds, to stretch along the Brazil coast, quite out of the tropics, and then round to the east-have felt, he thought proper to conceal it. ward, with variable winds, till the island can be gained by the south-east winds. On approaching it in this direction, it appears like a lofty irregular ridge of rocks, the northern extremity of which is very abrupt, and the southern more shelving. At a small distance from the latter there are two rocks, called the Needles, one of which resembles a large ship under full sail. Barn's Point, the next promontory, is passed by ships at a cable's length: it is nearly perpendicular, and about sixteen hundred feet high. From hence vessels steer close along the shore for Sugar-loaf Hill and Point; on the peak of the former there is a telegraph, and, on a jutting crag of the latter, about fifty or sixty feet above the level of the sea, there is a small battery of three or four guns, to compel vessels to heave-to, and send their boats on shore. If this be not attended to, the batteries open in succession upon the vessel. On rounding Rupert's Hill, James's Town and Valley present themselves, abreast of which vessels cast anchor, about half a mile from the shore. While the ship and fort are saluting, the reverberations of sound among the rocks and mountains resemble the loudest peals of thunder; and, joined to the novelty of the surrounding prospects, form a striking contrast with the monotonous scenery, to which the eye is accustomed during a long voyage from Europe to Asia." But to return to Buonaparte.-The first day of his arrival on board the Northumberland, he ate a very hearty dinner, with which he drank claret. In the evening he amused himself, on the quarter-deck, by listening to the band of the fifty-third regiment; and the national airs of "God save the King," and "Rule Britannia," were played at his request. He occasionally conversed familiarly with such of the officers as spoke the French language; and, on these occasions, he invariably maintained the commanding attitude which it is well known he learned from Talma, the tragedian, and which he used to exhibit with such self-importance, when giving audience to his marshals or officers of state in the Thuilleries.

He asked a number of questions with his usual rapidity; such as, whether the gale were likely to subside?-how many leagues the vessel went in an hour? what strange sail appeared on the bow of the Northumberland? &c. He also asked one of the midshipmen how long he had been in his majesty's service, and, on being answered nine years, he observed it was a long time. "Yes," said the officer, "it is so; but part of it was passed in imprisonment in France; and I happened to be at Verdun when you, sir, set out on your expedition to Moscow." At this remark, "the disturber of the world" shrugged up his shoulders, and immediately dropped the conversation.

Among the baggage belonging to Buonaparte, which was removed from the Bellerophon, were two campbeds, which had accompanied him in several of his campaigns. They are represented, by an eye-witness, as being about two yards long, and one yard wide, with furniture of green silk: the frames are of steel, and are so extremely light that they can be moved with the utmost facility. One of these was placed in Napoleon's cabin, for his personal accommodation; the other was set apart for the convenience of Madame Bertrand. On one occasion, the attention of the exile seemed The next day he breakfasted at eleven o'clock, upon particularly excited by two long-boats, which happened

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