70 ST. HELENA 



quake were felt, which lasted ten seconds. They were 

 strong enough to set the church bell ringing. The rumbling 

 sound which accompanied tliem was described as the noise 

 which accompanies an e.xtended blaze of fire. It awakened 

 Napoleon Bonaparte, who at first thought H.M.S. Con- 

 queror had blown up. The shock was also felt by those on 

 board ship, but it occasioned no injury. 



The 66tii Regiment were here at this time, and at Turk's 

 Cap a heavy sea swept away two of tiie officers. In i8i8 

 Barry O'Meara, surgeon to Napoleon, was dismissed by the 

 Governor, and on his return home published his journal 

 A Voice from St. Helena. 



Pipes were laid down for the carriage of water to Long- 

 wood, and in the same year a quarrel arose between the 

 Chinese natives of Macao and those of Canton, in the employ 

 of the East India Company. Turtle is caught still near the 

 shores of the island, but the number has fallen off consider- 

 ably even in the last ten years. Those caught are of average 

 size, but in 1819 one was caught which weighed 800 lb. 

 It made the staple dinner for the messes of two regiments 

 for three days, and the shell afterwards formed the roof of a 

 hut in which lived a soldier and his wife. The foundation 

 of Long\vood New House was laid for the occupation of 

 Napoleon, who however died before it was finished. In 

 1822 the lower wharf was greatly enlarged and improved, 

 and the foundation-stone of the head school was laid. At 

 this time tlie island was most valuable for purposes of trade 

 with India, as it made a halfway house for the shipping. 



The next Governor was Brigadier-General Walker, a 

 distinguished Indian oftker. He brought with him all the 

 methods which had produced such a good result in the 

 Bombay Presidency ; and his efforts to improve the slaves 

 morally and religiously, as well as the agricultural fairs, 

 ploughing matches, etc., which he instituted, made the 

 inhabitants once more rely on the produce of the soil, and 

 did much to prevent poverty being felt for lack of work and 

 of money, caused by the death of Napoleon and by the 

 withdrawal of his suite. 



In 1828 the building of the military parade was com- 

 menced, and Mr. Brooke again took the reins of Government 

 until Brigadier-General Dallas arrived. He was an officer of 



