80 WHALING ANT) FISHINtt 



this coat very large flat buttons, each the siise of a 

 Spanish Doubloon, and made of pure gold. 



Tristan, as the island is familiarly called by sea 

 men, presents to view an immense peak, rising 

 from the ocean to the hight of over eight thousand 

 feet. At the base of this mountain there is a liar 

 row belt of arable land, upon which is settled the 

 little aolony which makes this dreary spot remark- 

 able. Next to the settlement of Pitcairn's island, 

 there is probably no more interesting or romantic 

 instance of colonization on record, than is con 

 tained in the story of old Governor Glass, as he 

 styles himself, and his subjects and children. 



During the imprisonment of the Emperor Napo- 

 leon on the island of St. Helena, the British sta 

 tioned garrisons on all the out-of-the-way rocks. 

 within a circuit of hundreds, and even thousands 

 of miles. Among others Tristan d' Acunha wa* 

 chosen as the location of a troop of English sol- 

 diers. Upon the death of Napoleon, these pro 

 cautionary measures were no longer necessary 

 and as the barren rock of Tristan does not lie in the 

 path of vessels bound round the Cape, the garrison 

 was taken off. Among the soldiers was one Glass, 

 who had conceived the romantic idea of settling 

 on this desolate island, after the manner of a 

 Robinson Crusoe. 



Escaping tc the mountains \\ hen the ship whicl. 

 was to bear his fellows to the Cape was ready t. 

 sail, he was left. He remained for three yc< r .rs in 



