202 THE SEA. 



CHAPTER XII. 

 BOUND THE WORLD ON A MAN-OF-WAR (continued}. 



THE AFRICAN STATION. 



Its Extent Ascension Turtle at a Discount Sierra Leone An Unhealthy Station The Cape of Good Hope-Cape Town- 

 Visit of the Sailor Prince Grand Festivities Enthusiasm of the Natives Loyal Demonstrations An African 

 " Derby "Grand Dock Inaugurated Elephant Hunting The Parting Ball The Life of a Boer Circular Farms The 

 Diamond Discoveries A 12,000 Gem A Sailor First President of the Fields Precarious Nature of the Search - 

 Natal Inducements held out to Settlers St. Helena and Napoleon Discourteous Treatment of a Fallen Foe The 

 Home of the Caged Lion. 



AND now we are off to the last of the British naval stations under consideration that 

 of the African coast. It is called, in naval phraseology, " The West Coast of Africa 

 and Cape of Good Hope Station," and embraces not merely all that the words imply, but 

 a part of the east coast, including the important colony of Natal. Commencing at lati- 

 tude 20 N. above the Cape Verd Islands, it includes the islands of Ascension, St. Helena, 

 Tristan d'Acunha, and others already described. 



Ascension, which is a British station, with dockyard, and fort garrisoned by artillery 

 and marines, is a barren island, about eight miles long by six broad. Its fort is in lat. 

 70 26' N. : long., 140 24' W. It is of volcanic formation, and one of its hills rises to 

 the considerable elevation of 2,870 feet. Until the imprisonment of Napoleon at St. 

 Helena, it was utterly uninhabited. At that period it was garrisoned with a small British 

 force ; and so good use was made of their time that it has been partly cultivated and 

 very greatly improved. Irrigation was found, as elsewhere, to work wonders, and as 

 there are magnificent springs, this was rendered easy. Vast numbers of turtle are taken 

 on its shores ; and, in consequence, the soldiers prefer the soup of pea, and affect to despise 

 turtle steaks worth half a guinea apiece in London, and fit to rejoice the heart of an 

 alderman ! The writer saw the same thing in Vancouver Island, where at the boarding- 

 house of a very large steam saw-mill, the hands struck against the salmon, so abundant 

 on those coasts. They insisted upon not having it more than twice a week for dinner, 

 and that it should be replaced by salt pork. The climate of Ascension is remarkably 

 healthy. The object in occupying it is very similar to the reason for holding the Falk- 

 land Islands to serve as a depot for stores, coal, and for watering ships cruising in the 

 South Atlantic. 



Sierra Leone is, perhaps, of all places in the world, the last to which the sailor would 

 wish to go, albeit its unhealthiness has been, as is the case with Panama, grossly 

 exaggerated. Thus we were told that when a clergyman with some little influence was 

 pestering the Prime Minister for the time being for promotion, the latter would appoint 

 him to the Bishopric of Sierra Leone, knowing well that in a year or so the said bishopric 

 would be vacant and ready for another gentleman ! 



Sierra Leone is a British colony, and the capital is Free Town, situated on a peninsula 

 lying between the broad estuary of the Sherboro and the Sierra Leone rivers, connected 

 with the mainland by an isthmus not more than one mile and a half broad. The colony 



