ISLAND OF ASCENSION. 257 



Fair," where these birds congregate in great 

 numbers, he struck some of them with a cane on 

 the back of the head, and the disgorgement of 

 the fish they had swallowed immediately took 

 place. 



By three p.m. we w^ere off the settlement, in the 

 roadstead of which an American ship, and several 

 British men-of-war, were lying at anchor. We 

 did not enter the roadstead, but, hoisting our en- 

 sign and number, proceeded on our voyage, and 

 by the evening left the island far in the distance. 



Having on a former voyage, in 1831, visited 

 and landed upon this island, I perhaps may be 

 excused for introducing the following account, 

 from observations made at that period : — 



About noon (of the 10th of February, 1831) 

 we were off the settlement situated on the north- 

 west side of the island, and several neatly-con- 

 structed houses appeared enlivening a little the 

 barren scene around. A transport (St. Croix) 

 w^as at anchor in the roads, having just arrived 

 with stores ; a boat came off from the settlement, 

 with a book, in which the ship's name, Sec. was 

 inserted. I accompanied the commander on a 

 visit to the shore : the landing is sometimes 

 dangerous, on account of the surf; at this time 

 it was very easily effected. The landing-place 

 was on a flight of steps, at the extremity of a 



VOL. II. s 



