246 cook's second voyage may, 



Governor Skettovve, and the principal gentlemen 

 of the island, received and treated me, during my 

 stay, with the greatest politeness, by showing me 

 every kind of civility in their power. 



Whoever views St. Helena, in its present state, and 

 can but conceive what it must have been originally, 

 will not hastily charge the inhabitants with want of 

 industry. Though, perhaps, they might apply it to 

 more advantage, were more land appropriated to 

 planting of corn, vegetables, roots, &c. instead of 

 being laid out in pasture, which is the present mode. 

 But this is not likely to happen, so long as the great- 

 est part of it remains in the hands of the Company 

 and their servants. Without industrious planters 

 this island can never flourish, and be in a condition 

 to supply the shipping with the necessary refresh- 

 ments. 



Within these three years a new church has been 

 built ; some other new buildings were in hand ; 

 a commodious landing-place for- boats has been 

 made; and several other improvements, which add 

 both strength and beauty to the place. 



During our stay here we finished some necessary 

 repairs of the ship, which we had not time to do at 

 the Cape. We also filled all our empty water casks ; 

 and the crew were served with fresh beef, purchased 

 at fivepence per pound. Their beef is exceedingly 

 good, and is the only refreshment to be had worth 

 mentioning. 



By a series of observations made at the Cape Town, 

 and at James Fort, in St. Helena ; at the former by 

 Messrs. Mason and Dixon, and at the latter by 

 Mr. Maskelyne, the present astronomer royal, the 

 difference of longitude between these two places is 

 24° 12' 15", only two miles more than Mr. Kendall's 

 watch made. The lunar observations made by Mr. 

 Wales, before we arrived at the island, and after we 

 left it, and reduced to it by the watch, gave 5° 51' 



