ST. HELENA 55 



on parole had recaptured her from the Dutch in Table Bay. 

 Governor Patton highly disapproved of this act, and seized 

 the vessel, sending information to Governor Jansen that he 

 had done so. 



Patton much improved the water of the island by puddling 

 them with a mixture of lime, gravel and clay, which he 

 named puzzolana ; he attended also to the state of the 

 fortifications, and one battery, the site of which can only 

 now be seen, was called Patton's Battery. 



Three hundred men were sent in 1805 to assist in the 

 attack on Buenos Ayres under General Beresford. 



The Government schooner Jolly Tar was stolen from her 

 anchorage in the harbour, on October 11, by three Spanish 

 officers (prisoners on parole), together with ten foreigners 

 who were serving in the garrison. They murdered Mr. 

 Swete, the commander, and took the schooner to Rio de 

 Janeiro. 



Governor Patton instituted a system of telegraphy invented 

 by himself. 



The rapid spread of the blackberry plant caused much 

 trouble, and we read that the grand jury at quarter sessions 

 represented the devastation caused by the spread of these 

 plants to be such as required the immediate attention of 

 Government ; but the blackberry trouble was soon swallowed 

 up in the measles outbreak. Almost the whole population 

 were stricken at one time, and this naturally caused great 

 distress. The epidemic was also very fatal to life. 



Just above the Government garden a walk, which still 

 exists, was cut out of the hillside by Patton, who wished to 

 provide a retired promenade for his two daughters ; this has 

 always borne the name of Sisters' Walk. 



Much more attention was now given to trade with ship- 

 ping, and agriculture began to be neglected. Labour was 

 dearer and scarce, and the price of a good slave increased 

 from about £40 to £150. 



Governor Patton fell into ill-health, and went home. His 

 duties were undertaken by Lieutenant-Colonel Lane until 

 the arrival, on July 4, 1808, of Governor Beatson. He was 

 a very energetic man, of high intellect, who did his utmost for 

 the welfare of the people and island. He it was who greatly 

 developed agriculture. First he imported farm labourers 



