292 ASCENSION. 



it appears like a respectable gentleman's country- 

 seat. In front there are a few cultivated fields, 

 and beyond them the smooth hill of coloured rocks 

 called the Flagstafi', and the rugged, squai'e black 

 mass of the Barn. On the whole, the view was 

 rather bleak and uninteresting. The only incon- 

 venience I suffered during my walks was from the 

 impetuous winds. One day I noticed a curious 

 circumstance : standing on the edge of a plain, ter- 

 minated by a gi-eat clifl" of about a thousand feet in 

 depth, I saw, at the distance of a few yards right 

 to windward, some tern, struggling against a very 

 strong breeze, whilst where 1 stood the air was 

 quite calm. Approaching close to the brink, where 

 the current seemed to be deflected upwards from 

 the face of the cliff, 1 stretched out my arai, and 

 immediately felt the full force of the wind : an in- 

 visible barrier, two yards in width, separated per- 

 fectly calm air from a strong blast. 



I so much enjoyed my rambles among the rocks 

 and mountains of St. Helena, that I felt almost 

 sorry, on the morning of the 14th, to descend to 

 the town. Before noon I was on board, and the 

 Beagle made sail. 



On the 19th of July we reached Ascension. 

 Those who have beheld a volcanic island situated 

 under an arid climate will at once be able to pic- 

 ture to themselves the appearance of Ascension. 

 They will imagine smooth conical hills of a bright 

 red colour, with their summits generally truncated, 

 rising separately out of a level sixrface of black, 

 rugged lava. A principal mound in the centre of 

 the island seems the father of the lesser cones. It 

 is called Green Hill ; its name being taken from 

 the faintest tinge of that colour, which at this time 

 of the year is barely perceptible from the anchor- 



