80 ST. HELENA 



the Government for the time being, with his Aide-de-Camp and 

 Town Major went on board the Boyne to wait on his Excellency. 

 On his Excellency landing he was received by a guard of honour 

 consisting of 100 rank and file of the St. Helena regiment, under 

 the command of Capt. Keating, which was drawn up on the landing 

 place. His Excellency with his family, after a short stay at the Castle, 

 went direct to Plantation House, the official residence of the 

 Governor. The following day he was sworn in, and his commission 

 read in the town Square adjoining the Castle, the St. Helena Regi- 

 ment under the command of Capt. Woollard forming three sides of 

 a square, the fourth composed of civil and military officers of the 

 colony (not under arms), and a numerous body of the inhabitants 

 of the island ; after which his Excellency retired to the reception 

 rooms at the Castle, where he received the civil authorities, the 

 military, and such of the respectable inhabitants as presented 

 themselves. Sir Patrick took great interest in island affairs, and 

 agriculture was encouraged by the holding of agricultural and 

 horticultural exhibitions. One of the reports says : 



" Prize for labourers' neat cottages. We do not think any of the 

 four candidates reach the standard which would justify a recom- 

 mendation to the high reward offered. 



" Mr. Chas. Smith's cottage would come nearest the mark if it 

 belonged to a labouring man. Richards deserves much praise for 

 making a profitable garden well worth seeing among the heaps of 

 rocks. 



" Peggy Bagley's cottage indicates in the interior habits of neat- 

 ness fitly characterizing a good old domestic servant. 



" On the whole, Benjamin of Fisher's Valley seems to us to direct 

 his labour in a manner best calculated to combine eventually the 

 requisites of a neat cottage, and, without recommending the Society's 

 handsome reward, we think a gratuity of i would be well deserved, 

 with a view to stimulate his further exertions. 



" Signed, RICHARD KEMPTHORNE, 

 " THOS. C. LUXMORE." 



Governor Ross also caused to be constructed the road 

 from the lower waterfall up over Cat's Hole, around Peak 

 Hill to Francis Plain. This road was made by liberated 

 Africans and prisoners under the direction of Major Barnes, 

 whose name the road still bears. The St. Helena militia 

 were in 1847 presented with new colours. The ground 

 selected for the occasion was Francis Plain, the headquar- 

 ters of the corps. On the arrival of the new colours in 

 front of the regiment, two field pieces were placed muzzle 

 to muzzle and the colours laid on them, a temporary altar 

 of drums being placed near. Immediately after the con- 

 secration by R. M. Kempthorne, M.A., Colonial chaplain, 



