INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Ixix 



free blacks, they contrive, by extorting high wages, to provide 

 their maintenance by two or three days labour in the week, 

 which enables them to purchase from the public stores, at a 

 cheap rate, a sufficiency of imported provisions for themselves and 

 families. 



Such was the state of St. Helena, in the year 1808. It is there- 

 fore by no means surprising that clamours arose, and that repre- 

 sentations were made, concenring the very inadecjuate refreshment 

 which the island afforded. 



But, since that time considerable changes have taken place; 

 the Company's farms have been established ; Chinese labourers 

 have been introduced ; and a much larger quantity of land brought 

 into cultivation, both by the government and individuals. The 

 objects 1 had in view by establishing those farms were to place, 

 beyond all contradiction, the capabilities of the soil and climate ; 

 to set good examples of English husbandry ; to defeat the com- 

 binations already mentioned ; and to regulate, or keep within 

 reasonable bounds, the market prices. All these intentions had 

 been fultilled in 1812. Potatoes had fallen in price, from 12*. to 

 4s. a bushel delivered at the farms, and to 6s. in James's Town. 

 Some of the planters, having superabundant crops, publicly 

 advertised to sell at 3s. .6d. ; but this was rather discouraged until 

 cultivation shall have been more extended, particularly as the 

 commanders of the Company's ships declared they were perfectly 

 satisfied with the reduced prices. 



Many of those commanders, as well as captains of H. M. ships, 

 very handsomely acknowledged the great benefits their crews had 

 derived from the ample supplies of vegetable produce ;* and it 



* Wlien H. M. ship Illustrious arrived at St. Helena on the 19th July, 1813, Captain 

 Skene represented the deplorable state of his crew ; being worn out by long residence in 

 India, and many of them severely tainted with scurvy. One hundred and fifty-four men 



