THE CAPTAIN. 233 



Ocean for two years, with poor success, so I 

 decided to head the bark homeward. We had 

 fine weather round the Cape of Good Hope and 

 steered straight for the Island of St. Helena, 

 where we stayed two weeks, so I had a chance to 

 see all there was in that noted place." 



St. Helena lies in the track of all vessels bound 

 from Cape of Good Hope to the United States. 



" You know, perhaps, that the island is twenty- 

 eight miles in circumference, and is in latitude 

 15° 55" South, longitude 5° 42" West. It rises 

 up out of the sea like a great tower on the 

 horizon. You can see it forty miles away, a 

 great blur in the distance, on a clear day. As 

 the vessel approaches it, Dana's peak, 2,700 feet 

 high, is first seen above the clouds. 



" The island has good anchorage on the north 

 side abreast of Jamestown. 



"I took my family on shore and we visited 

 many parts of the island and all the places that 

 are of world-wide interest on account of their 

 connection with the great Napoleon. The Briars, 

 where he lived while Longwood Old House was 

 being prepared for him, was occupied by my 

 esteemed friend, George Moss, Esq. It is situ- 

 ated on a plateau at the foot of the hills and 

 has a fine garden. It is surrounded by wild and 



