ISLAND OF ASCENSION. 259 



The beach, at first tliought to be composed of 

 sand, was found to consist of very small frag- 

 ments of shells : in some places they had become 

 (from some cause not readily accounted for) 

 firmly compacted together. These slabs were 

 formed of several layers, of which the size of the 

 fragments differs in each layer : they are used 

 for tomb-stones, steps of doors, and are broken 

 and burned for lime. Of the vegetable kingdom, 

 a species of Euphorbia only was growing, distri- 

 buted in small tufts, but not very abundantly, 

 about the rugged lava; it was at thistime in flower : 

 this simple plant was, indeed, a beautiful object 

 amidst such barren scenes. There are three species 

 of butterflies on the island, of handsome colours. 



A great acquisition to the island has been a 

 good supply of water : a shaft had just been 

 sunk upon one of the mountains; and several 

 tons of water had been raised daily. The only 

 inconvenience is their being obliged to bring the 

 water down by casks in carts ; but iron pipes, 

 from England, are now being laid down, to 

 convey the water to the wharf, and the shipping 

 will be supplied by means of hoses. Moorings are 

 laid down in the roadstead. The turtle-ponds 

 were well stocked with turtles of large size, 

 varying from two to eight hundred weight each : 

 the price fixed, was fifty shillings each. We were 



s 2 



