62 ST. HELENA 



Artillery, who almost to a man escaped the contagion that spread 

 around them, deserves the highest praise. The late occasion is the 

 first that has occurred by which judgment could be formed of the 

 St. Helena volunteers. Their loyalty in the supp>ort of public 

 authority, their alacrity in reinforcing the Governor, their determined 

 spirit to stand by liim to the last extremity, their eagerness to do 

 their duty, and to guard his person and family for several nights 

 after he considered the danger was past, will ever be remembered 

 by him with sentiments of the warmest gratitude. He requests 

 therefore that these his sentiments and his best thanks may be con- 

 veyed to all the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of 

 the St. Helena volunteers by their worthy commandant and leader, 

 Major Doveton. 



That Beatson gained his point with regard to excessive 

 spirit-drinking may be seen, for the houses for retaihng 

 spirits were abohshed on May 15, 1809. The garrison 

 at that time consisted of about 1,250 men, of whom 130 

 were ill and in hospital. In four months, imdcr his abolition 

 of spirits, the patients were reduced to forty-eight. 



\Vith regard to his extermination of the goats he was not 

 so successful, for he could not get his orders carried out 

 regularly, and so in a few years they increased in such 

 numbers that not only indigenous plants and young trees 

 were devoured, but all vegetation suffered. 



In 1810 attempts were made to again find gold, and 

 Governor Beatson, remarking on the letter written by 

 Governor Pike in 17 10, says : — 



I employed three men under the direction of Capt. Henry 

 Pritchard, a very intelligent otlicer, to examine the hills in the 

 vicinity of Turk's Cap, and to dig where was a likelihood of ore. 

 Pritchard's report says: " I would propose, after having penetrated 

 50 or 60 feet, and carefully examining each strata, to commence 

 cutting directly down the ravine, as our pit is on the top of a hill 

 250 feet high, by which means we shall be able to explore better 

 the properties of the interior. 



It seems very probable that tiie researches of these times 

 would have been of much more value, had the pits or shafts 

 been made nearer the base of the hill instead of 250 feet 

 above the sea level. 



Beatson will always be remembered for his untiring energy 

 in planting the islands, and importing good trees. We 

 read in his book that " the gardens produced excellent 

 grapes, peaches, apples, guavas, oranges, plantains and 



