196 



governor's table was kept at the Company's expence, but his 

 salary and emoluments did not then exceed seven hundred pounds 

 a year, the lieutenant governor was allowed five hundred, and the 

 other servants proportionally less. 



The island at that time contained about two thousand head of 

 cattle, which were not deemed sufficient to supply the ships, ami 

 keep up a stock. The mutton is good, but not abundant; geese, 

 turkeys, and smaller poultry were dear; pheasants, partridges, and 

 Guinea-fowls, scarce, though often seen wild upon the hills. The 

 gardens and plantations produced a variety of fruit; the plantain 

 Avas most attended to, from forming; with the vara the chief food 

 of the slaves. Apples, peaches, mulberries, figs and melons were 

 good; the peaches large, coloured like an apricot, and highly 

 flavoured, but grapes were scarce. In some of the best gardens 

 were pine-apples, mango and tamarind trees, several oriental 

 shrubs and flowers lately introduced; they had also begun to 

 cultivate the tuar, or doll, of Hindostan, which if it succeeds will 

 be a valuable acquisition. 



The apple-trees are deservedly esteemed at St. Helena, for 

 when the summer fruit is ripe the winter crop on the same tree 

 begins to blossom; but this valuable fruit only succeeds in parti- 

 cular sitiralions: oranges, limes and citrons grow well; the cus- 

 tard-apple, papah, and pompelmoos had been lately introduced 

 from India; all seemed to flourish; and it must afford delight to 

 every voyager, to contribute to the improvement of this interest- 

 ing spot; where the British oak and banian-tree of Hindostan 

 unite their fiiendly shade with the indigenous ebony and Caledo- 

 nian fir-tree; where the African aloe and prickly pear, the Indian 



