366 THE ISLE OF ST. HELENA. 



CHAPTER XIY. 



At daylight, February 1st, we hove in sight of the 

 Isle of St. Helena, the world-renowned prison-rock 

 of Napoleon Bonaparte, the conqneror of Europe. 

 At a distance, this isle looked not unlike other isles, 

 despite its notoriety. As we approached nearer, we 

 found it distinctive in all its features : high, frown- 

 ing, and almost barren. A strange thing, this, for 

 so low a latitude, within the tropics, where Nature 

 dons her greenest garment, and smiles her sunniest 

 smile : spreading rich and plentiful productions over 

 the earth's surface. On approaching still nearer, we 

 found fortifications erected, which, as far as I am 

 able to judge, make the island impregnable; though 

 what enemy would care to take the trouble and 

 expense of an expedition against so worthless an 

 object, I cannot imagine. After passing this chain 

 of fortifications, Rupert's Valley gradually developed 

 itself to our sight, and ensconced on its narrow bosom 

 we saw the city of Jamestown. From the water this 

 town presents quite a creditable appearance. The 

 buildings being of stone, and many of them of goodly 

 size, give an air of solidity and respectability to it, 

 which I for one did not expect to find. On the right 

 of the town, viewed from the sea, is the far-famed 

 Jacob's Ladder, consisting of I do not know how 

 many steps, hewn out of the solid rock, which aftbrds 



