476 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 



of the island, at the time of its discovery, having been covered with 

 wood, is erroneous ; and that the story of the destruction of this forest 

 try goats, is equally so. The barrenness of this island is well illus- 

 trated by the difficulty with which young trees are preserved from 

 the ravages of sheep or goats. Pasture is so scarce, that but few 

 cattle are kept, and these are chiefly importations from the Cape of 

 Good Hope. Their scarcity may be judged of from the price of beef, 

 which sells for twenty-five cents a pound ; and it may be as well to 

 state, that to strangers the prices of all other eatables are equally 

 exorbitant. 



From the road near Plantation House, we had a good view of the 

 gully in which Jamestown is situated, together with the ravines ex- 

 tending into it from the interior of the island. Descending, we passed 

 over a portion of the island, which is little better than a barren rock. 

 Yet in some places comfortable-looking houses were seen, and here 

 and there a beer-house, or tap-room, quite in the English style, and, 

 from all accounts, as great nuisances as low taverns are in any coun- 

 try. We finally reached the fortification on Ladder Hill, and made 

 the descent of the zigzag road on the side of the cliff, passing a place 

 called Colonel Pearce's Revenge, where the road is completely over- 

 hung by large masses of rock, which seem ready to fall. The rapid 

 pace of the horses, the frequent sharp turns, and the overhanging 

 cliff, excite some alarm in those not accustomed to them; and I must 

 confess that I was quite satisfied when we passed the last turn, and 

 were safely landed at the consulate. 



On our return to Jamestown, the consul and myself called to 

 pay our respects to Colonel Trelawny, whom we found at his office ; 

 he is a tall well-formed man, with a pleasant expression of coun- 

 tenance, and a frank soldierlike air. He is much respected by the 

 inhabitants, has made himself acquainted with their wants, and is 

 doing his best to satisfy them. They call him the "good man," 

 in contradistinction to his predecessor. He received us with great 

 kindness, and asked me to. visit and spend some days at Plantation 

 House. 



Several hundreds of recaptured slaves are at present inhabiting 

 the gullies to the eastward and westward of Jamestown. The 

 most convenient way of visiting them is by sea; some of our offi- 

 cers expressed a desire to do so, but the inhabitants seemed much 

 shocked at the mere mention of such a wish. The males and 



