98 THE VOYAGE : PASSING IMPEESSIONS 



At that particular elevation (about 700 feet, 1000 feet 

 being the average elevation of the interior of the island) 

 there is hardly a trace of the original plants in the soil, they 

 having been completely destroyed by tne introduction of 

 pigs and goats into the Island, which eat up all the young 

 trees, leaving the old ones, which are invariably succulent 

 Compositae, to perish, or else tearing off their bark which 

 is soft and loose. In addition, the soil and climate is so well 

 adapted to the growth of forest trees, which when once they 

 have formed a shelter sow themselves, that there remains 

 no opportunity for the native trees to recover the soil, which 

 is now dry and not adapted to their habits, the rich vegetable 

 mould which they formed being swept by torrents into the 

 valleys subsequent to their destruction. On the northern 

 slope of Diana's Peak I have seen a broad belting of trees 

 put a stop to the descent of the Cabbage trees (a name given 

 to the six or eight species of native arborescent compositae) 

 which cannot exist along with any other vegetation that 

 overtops them, nor can they grow singly. Another tree 

 is said to be completely extirpated — ^the Ebony. Large 

 masses of the wood are stiU found in some of the valleys, 

 though I was unable to procure any specimens. 



Though the introduced trees have adapted themselves 

 to this soil and climate, the Animal Kingdom and other 

 indigenous vegetation are not to be found under their shelter. 

 The insects and birds which I observed among the native 

 trees were not to be found in these plantations ; of the 

 birds in particular I observed this. It is also the case with 

 the Lichens and Insects, two species of Usnea and another 

 Lichen being found on the firs and oaks only, whilst only 

 one species of plant, Buhus finnatus (an indigenous species), 

 grows indifferently on open banks and in the wood — never 

 in native wood. 



Longwood, with its associations of fallen grandeur, was 

 less to him than the wonders of nature ; nevertheless, he 

 writes in his Journal on February 6 : 



So very much is talked about Napoleon's tomb, that 



though I felt very little interest in seeing it, I was deter- 



l mined to be no more called a Goth, which name I had 



earned from my previous indifference, and to go to this 



