44 ST. HELENA 



more sufficient witness to be then and there present : but always 

 the unlicensed person to have two present as witness of their actions, 

 upon the penalty aforesaid. And we do further declare that the 

 informer or prosecutor shall have over and above the half of the 

 beasts forfeited and clandestinely made away with, as aforesaid, 

 half the fourfold, being part of the penaJtys inflicted on felons. 



In 1 7 10 a stream of water was laid from the springs at 

 Plantation to New Ground, for the purpose of establishing a 

 yam plantation, and we read that the drones were sent off 

 the island, their lands being allotted to better workers. 



Very, very unfortunate was it that Roberts' successor, 

 Captain Bouchicr (1711), proved so unlit for his post ; he 

 allowed the beautiful gardens of plantations to lay waste, and 

 threw a great deal into pasture for his asses, of which he kept 

 a numerous stud. His favourite occupation, that of riding 

 them in all weathers, caused him to erect a shed 400 feet long 

 at the Company's expense. When leaving it is said that " he 

 stripped Government House of all that was portable, even 

 the locks and the keys from many of the doors, as well as 

 everything that might be serviceable to him on his voyage 

 home. The population w;is then 832, wliites and blacks 

 being about equal, increasing at the rate of forty-five to 

 fifty each year. 



Witchcraft in these days was punished severely. Quakers 

 were not allowed to remain on the island, neither were 

 lawyers, lest the people should occupy their minds with 

 litigation. 



After Governor Bouchier came Captain Matthew Bazett 

 (acting), 1714, and Captain Isacke Pike, also 1714. Gover- 

 nor Pike was a great agriculturist, and strove to rectify all 

 the harm committed by Governor Bouchier. In General 

 Roberts' time the red wood and ebony were specially cared 

 for, and Governor Pike continued to devote much attention 

 to it. Concerning forests the records contain the following : 



Forasmuch as the red wood, and ebony wood whose barks are 

 fit for tanning feather, are most of 'em destroyed by the tanners, 

 that for laziness never look the paines to bark the whole trees, but 

 only the bodies, leaving the rest of the bark on the branches, which 

 means has destroyed all those trees, at least three for one ; and 

 therefore to prevent the like for the future, and to preserve and 

 recover so useful and necessary a thing for the island use : Ordered 



