INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. xxxiii 



perusal an analytical description of St. Helena, which was pub- 

 lished, by an anonymous writer, about ten years ago. 



The soil of this island is uncommonly fertile : producing, with- 

 out manure, a succession of crops of potatoes, at the rate of more 

 than two in the year for twelve or fourteen years together. It 

 varies, in all the shades of colour, from a black mould to a pale 

 brown. The former is the most productive, abounding more with 

 mould and clay. The latter yields also exceeding fine crops of 

 every kind of European esculent and corn. Even the driest and 

 most barren looking spots of the paler sort, have been found to be 

 well adapted to the growth of pineaster trees. Some of the blackest 

 soil is similar to that which is usually appropriated to the culture 

 of cotton in India. It dissolves entirely in water; cracks and 

 blisters when dried by the sun-heat ; and is easily melted (if I 

 may use the expression) and carried off with the gentlest currents 

 during the rainy seasons. This species of soil is, however, very 

 rare ; the others are more predominant, and are not disturbed by 

 the heaviest rains. 



No analysis has been made of those soils : but so far as I could 

 observe they are wholly destitute of sand. This circumstance, 

 together with a want of tenacity in the clays, I take to be the 

 causes that all attempts to manufacture bricks, or pottery, have 

 completely failed. 



The climate of St. Helena is perhaps the mildest and the most 

 salubrious in the world ; and is remarkably congenial to the 

 human feelings. Neither too hot nor cold, it preserves through- 

 out the year that medium temperature which is always agree- 

 able. This temperature, however, varies considerably according 

 to the elevation of the land. At Plantation-house, the range of 

 the thermometer during the year, when kept in the same place, 

 was only from 61° to 73°. At Long Wood, although at the same 

 height above the sea, it was generally 5° lower : proceeding no 



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