room only for a single house. This space, however, which is about a mile and a half in length, affords space for gardens, groves, and walks; the houses are handsomely built in the same style as in England; the inhabitants, language, manners, are all English. This vale is overhung on each side by the same stupendous cliffs which encircle the rest of the island; and which, to the eye of the stranger, seem to threaten the town with perpetual destruction. Sometimes even goats, browzing among the cliffs, have loosened fragments, which leaving others unsupported, have caused whole torrents of them to descend into the valley. For this reason the rearing of goats upon the island is prohibited. The ascent up these ridges is by a zigzag path, blown by gunpowder. For some time, nothing presents itself to the eye of the traveller, but rocks rising over rocks, till, on reaching an eminence called High Knoll, about 2000 feet above the sea, a plain bursts upon his view, covered with verdure and cultivation, and rich in every species of natural beauty. It consists of a series of beautiful valleys, groves, lawns, interspersed with small plantations, and handsome little country houses, the picturesque effect of which is heightened by the lofty hills and precipices by which they are inclosed. Here doubtless will be the residence of Napoleon; and it might afford happiness to a mind otherwise constituted; but cannot be supposed congenial to one so full of restless activity and boundless ambition. On passing another ridge we arrive at Sandy Bay,

which successive visitors describe as surpassing in romantic beauty all that they had ever seen in any other portion of the globe. The following description is given in an analytical description of St Helena, published about ten years ago.

There is a singular group of detached masses on the south side of the island, to which the inhabitants have

given the name of " Lot, Lot's Wife, and Children." They rise to an astonishing height above the tops of the hills; and though they seem, at first sight, detached and unconnected masses, they are found, on examination, to form a part of the vertical strata, and have a most striking appearance, surrounded by deep chasms and tremendous precipices, and with clusters of argillaceous hills, the most pictu resque and romantic, whose summits are all regularly fashioned, and exhibit every tint of colour, except that of vegetable green. Over all this part of the island which borders on Sandy Bay, there is a wildness in the sur rounding scenery, surpassing every thing which the writer of this has ever seen. One feels here, as if transported into a new planet, where every object strikes by its novelty, and is altogether unlike any thing which he had ever before seen. All the surrounding hills, cliffs, rocks, and precipices, are strangely fashioned, and so fantastically mixed and blended, that they resemble more the aerial shapes which we see among the clouds, than any thing composed of denser materials.'

The highest point of St Helena is 2800 feet above the level of the sea. Here, and on all the loftier hills, the air is as cool as in England during the months of April or May. The more elevated parts, which catch the passing moisture, are clothed with verdure, while, as we descend, steri lity more and more prevails. The air is remarkably salubrious. Vegetables of every description abound; but no grain is sown in any part o the island.

Our main concern, however, with regard to St Helena, now, is the security which it affords against the escape of the ci-devant Emperor of France. This subject seems to have been very attentively considered by Mr Johnson, who, having minutely surveyed the island, was better qua

lified to judge than any one else. We shall therefore give, in his own words,

the discussion into which he has entered upon this question.

The possibility of escape may be branched into-1st, Internal bribery or connivance.-2d, External force. —3d, External stratagem,—and 4th, The first and third combined.

Against domestic treachery, no part of the globe offers infallible security, British honour and British sense of duty must form the surest palladium; and there must necessarily be less ex posed to trial and temptation, on an insulated rock like St Helena, than in almost any other spot which could be selected.

There is one important consideration under this head, which should not be overlooked. The inhabitants of St Helena owe all their luxuries, and many of the necessaries of life, to their frequent intercourse with European shipping, and particularly with the East India fleets returning from our Asiatic possessions. This intercourse must now be broken off at once, or else the chances of communication and escape will multiply to a dangerous amount; and Napoleon will be to St Helena, what profound peace is to a Naval and Non-commercial Seaport-RUIN!

That the Inhabitants of St Helena will ever most devoutly pray for a speedy deliverance from the presence of their august prisoner, is as certain as it is natural; and how far this feeling may, on some future occasion, operate in favour of Napoleon's designs, is a question that should not pass unagitated or unregarded by Government. It is difficult, indeed, to determine which is the less hazardous expedient-that of shutting up the port, and increasing the discontent of the inhabitants, or of permitting the intercourse with passing ships, and multiplying the opportunities for

escape.

Fish constitutes a great and neces

sary article of food on this Island, and consequently the fishing-boats round the coast must be well watched. Some deserters, a few years ago, put off, one night, from the Island, in a boat left by a vessel on purpose for them, and steered for Ascension (400 miles distant) where they were to be picked up. Being bad navigators they missed the Island and the ship, and had no other resource than that of crossing the Atlantic Ocean to the coast of Brazil, in an open boat, without water or provisions! This they effected, though some of them died with hunger and thirst on the way. Such an occurrence shews what may be accomplished. Indeed the run from St Helena to Ascension might be taken with little or no hazard, in the smallest boat, since the water is smooth and the wind fair. Ascension also affords food and places of concealment for a few individuals, for some time, while waiting there to be picked up by their friends. If ever a plan be laid for Napoleon's escape, Ascension, or the track to it, will, in all probability, be the appointed rendezvous for both parties. The clearness of the horizon by night. and by day will always prevent any vessel from approaching, for the purpose of taking a deserter from the Island itself. He must escape by corruption or stratagem from the Island in a boat, and take the chance of being picked up afterwards. Admitting domestic treachery, a fishingboat might cross the Atlantic to the Brazil coast, without any imminent risk, as was instanced above in a common whale boat. But Ascension is the most probable way, and should be watched by a small vessel.

External Force.

This pre-supposes another revolu tion in favour of the exile, and an armament sent against the place of his confinement. St. Helena, however,

cannot,

cannot, for reasons before explained, be taken by surprise, and it is difficult to conceive how a regular open attack could be made upon the Island, because the accessible points are guarded by batteries, which are completely out of the reach (from their elevation) of annoyance from ships, and a landing cannot possibly be effected till these batteries are silenced. Besides, owing to the winds and tides, a hostile force must anchor close under Ladder Hill, or else be drifted away; and the guns from this battery alone, would sink every thing that attempt ed to bring to an anchor on the bank which runs but a few hundred yards from the rocks. Granting, however, that a landing could be effected at the watering place, Ladder and Rupert's Hill would play on them from both sides, while the sea-line would carry inevitable destruction through their ranks in front! In short, an attack on the northern side of the Island would be absolute insanity.

The approach to Sandy Bay is so guarded by rocks, reefs, shoals, and breakers, that boats only could attempt it; and it is very improbable that one in five would ever reach the

shore. Here too, after having escaped the water, they would be exposed to a dreadful fire from the cliffs and eminences around, while the ships from which they disembarked would be forced to abandon them to their fate, as they could not keep to windward of the Island to receive them in

southward of Munden's battery, near the watering place. But the surf there is so great, and the place so well defended by batteries now, that no attempt will ever be made again in that point.

External Stratagem.

It does not appear possible that any stratagem from without could have a chance of success, without a previous plan being fixed with the prisoner within the Island. The small number that might possibly land from a boat in the night, and scramble up some precipice, would never be able to penetrate through the guards over Napoleon's person, nor effect his delivery before daylight. Neither, without a previous knowledge of the local topography of the Island, could they possibly find their way through its intricate and dangerous paths.The great danger, therefore, of continuing the intercourse with European shipping, is the chances such intercourse may afford of secret communications between the exile and his adherents; since no external stratagem can succeed without antecedent arrangement within.

It is scarcely necessary to remark, that American vessels should never be permitted to anchor at St Helena, or hover round the coast, for reasons which it would be useless to explain. Neither would it be politic ever to permit, during Napoleon's life, any of his suite to leave the Island, and thereby convey, orally, any plans or information.

High Knoll, on which is built a small but very strong citadel, from whence signals could be made to all parts of the Island, by day or by night, appears a situation remarkably eligible for Napoleon's abode, as it precludes the possibility of escape or surprise, without the most culpable neglect or rather treachery of his guards.

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