1775. ROUND THE WOULD. 249 



of the 31st; and, notwithstanding we had several par- 

 ties out every night, we got but twenty-four turtle, 

 it being rather too late in the season ; however, as 

 they weighed between four or rive hundred pounds 

 each, we thought ourselves not ill off. We might 

 have had a plentiful supply offish in general ; espe- 

 cially of that sort called old wives, I have no where 

 seen such abundance ; there were also cavalies, con- 

 gor eels, and various other sorts ; but the catching of 

 any of these was not attended to, the object being 

 turtle. There are abundance of goats, and aquatic 

 birds, such as men-of-war and tropic birds, boobies, 

 &c. 



The island of Ascension is about ten miles in 

 length, in the direction of N. W. and S. E. and about 

 five or six in breadth. It shews a surface composed 

 of barren hills and valleys, on the most of which not 

 a shrub or plant is to be seen for several miles, and 

 where we found nothing but stones and sand, or ra- 

 ther slags and ashes ; an indubitable sign that the isle, 

 at some remote time, has been destroyed by a vol- 

 cano, which has thrown up vast heaps of stones, and 

 even hills. Between these heaps of stones we found 

 a smooth even surface, composed of ashes and sand, 

 and very good travelling upon it ; but one may as 

 easily walk over broken glass bottles as over the 

 stones. If the foot deceives you, you are sure to be 

 cut or lamed, which happened to some of our people. 

 A high mountain, at the S. E. end of the isle, seems 

 to be left in its original state, and to have escaped 

 the general destruction. Its soil is a kind of white 

 marl, which yet retains its vegetative qualities, and 

 produceth a kind of purslain, spurg, and one or two 

 grasses. On these the goats subsist ; and it is at this 

 part of the isle where they are to be found, as also 

 land-crabs, which are said to be very good. 



I was told, that about this part of the isle is some 

 very good land, on which might be raised many ne- 

 cessary articles ; and some have been at the trouble 



