TRISTAN DA CUNHA. 109 



"Cruize of H.M.S. < Galatea/ " p. 28 (London, Allen and Co., 1869). 



In this account reference is made to the various mentions of the 



place in books of travel. The visit of the Dutch brig " Dourga " in 



about 1827 is omitted * Before the time of the second exile 



of Napoleon, the island had been settled by some American 



agriculturists ; but their adventure failed, and the place was but 



scantily inhabited until the date at which Napoleon was sent 



to St. Helena. 



A corps of Artillery was then sent to Tristan, and batteries 



were begun to be constructed. A corporal named Glass received 



permission to stay on the island when the men were withdrawn, 



and a small colony sprang up which has lasted till the present 



time, Glass having been for many years regarded as a sort of 



governor. The numbers were at one time over 200, but were at 



the time of our visit about 90 ; the younger members of the 



settlement constantly migrate to the Cape. 



We anchored at early morning on the north-west side of the 

 island of Tristan da Cunha, nearly opposite to the settlement. 

 The island here rises in a long black cliff range; above this 

 stretches a plateau about 2,000 feet above sea level, on which 

 can be discerned from below two or three small secondary 

 craters ; above the plateau rises the Peak, a conical mountain with 

 rounded summit, which at the time of our visit and throughout 

 the year, excepting in the middle of summer, is covered over with 

 a smooth shining cap of snow, its lower slopes being dotted over 

 with irregular patches of snow, between which the dark rocks 

 showed out in relief. The whole island has a peculiar cold 

 barren uninhabitable appearance, which seems to be character- 

 istic of the islands of the Southern Ocean. 



The cliffs show a very regular stratification, and are com- 

 posed throughout of a series of beds lying nearly horizontally, but 

 dipping slightly towards the shores, at least they appear to do 

 so east and west of the anchorage. The beds, which are con- 

 spicuously marked, are alternately of hard basalt and looser 

 scoriaceous lava, with occasional beds of a red tuff. The whole 

 section is traversed by numerous dykes, mostly vertical and 



* " Voyage of the Dutch Brig of War, ' Dourga,' " p. 2. Trans, by W. 

 Earle, London, John Madden and Co., 1840. 



