DESCRIPTIVE 



The town of Jamestown — that tiny city which enjoys 

 the unique position of being at once the capital and only 

 town of St. Helena — is situate on the north and leeward side 

 of the island, where there is good anchorage of from eight 

 to twenty-five fathoms. It lies between two formidable, 

 frowning rocks, Mundens on the east and Ladder Hill on 

 the west, both fortified with cannon. From the fort of 

 Ladder Hill, which contains commodious barracks and is 

 connected with the town by a ladder of seven hundred 

 steps as well as by a good carriage road, floats the Union 

 Jack. 



That " St. Helena has only one entrance and no exit " 

 is said by many, who have grown so to love the old rock 

 that they retain no wish to leave it. Viewed from the 

 sea, the town resembles that of St. Peter's Port, the capital 

 of the island of Guernsey in the English Channel ; and very 

 conspicuous stands the white church spire with, at the 

 summit, a fish in place of the usual weathercock. The 

 white houses, which are seen stretching away up the nar- 

 row valley, seem to nestle comfortably in the mighty cleft, 

 and present from sea board a most picturesque appear- 

 ance ; but on closer acquaintance, although there are some 

 good and substantial buildings, there are others merely 

 whited sepulchres — houses which at different times have 

 been burnt out and never rebuilt. 



The sea front is protected by a well built wall, which has, 

 during the residence on the island of the Transvaaljprisoners 

 of war, been added to very considerably on both sides, east 

 and west. A road from the landing steps of the wharf, 

 bordered on the land side by a deep moat, leads over a 

 moated drawbridge, through an arched portcullised gate- 

 way (where is still stationed a military guard) on to a 

 spacious square called the lower parade. Here the troops 

 assemble on such holidays as the King's birthday, the 



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