MAY 1771 ARRIVE AT ST. HELENA 443 
The island, which is named after the seals (in Dutch 
Robben) that formerly frequented it, is low and sandy, 
situate in the mouth of Table Bay. Here are confined such 
criminals as are judged not worthy of death for terms of 
years proportioned to the heinousness of their crimes. They 
are employed as slaves in the Company’s service, chiefly in 
digging for lime-stone, which, though very scarce upon the 
continent, is plentiful here. Their reason for not letting 
foreigners land is said to be that formerly a Danish ship, 
which by sickness had lost the greater part of her crew, 
came into the Cape and asked for assistance. When this was 
refused she came down to this island, and sending her boats 
ashore, secured the guard, and took on board as many of 
the criminals as she thought proper to navigate the ship 
home. 
28th. This day we crossed our first meridian and com- 
pleted the circumnavigation of the globe, in doing which we, 
as usual, lost a day, which I should upon this occasion have 
expended properly had not I lost it a second time, I know 
not how, in my irregular journal at the Cape. 
1st May. In the morning at daybreak saw the island of 
St. Helena about six leagues ahead, and consequently before 
noon arrived in the road where were found His Majesty’s 
ship Portland, Captain Elliot, sent out to convey home the 
Indiamen on the account of the likelihood of a breach with 
Spain, also His Majesty’s ship Swadlow, which had the day 
before brought word of the pacific measures adopted by that 
Court, and twelve sail of Indiamen. 
2nd. As the fleet was to sail immediately and our ship 
to accompany it, it became necessary to make as much of a 
short time as possible, so this whole day was employed in 
riding about this island, in the course of which we very 
nearly made the complete circuit of it, visiting all the most 
remarkable places that we had been told of. 
3rd. Spent this day in botanising on the ridge where 
the cabbage-trees grow, visiting Cucold’s Point and Diana's 
Peak, the highest in the island, as settled by the observations 
1 This was not the consort of the Dolphin in 1766. 
