18 
ST. HELENA 
The seed of a species of Convolvulus ds^^^^ on shore here 
which must come from the coa^t of Africa ; as is also that of a smaller 
species, and the large; bean of the Mimosa gigantea. The view of 
Sm<^y Bay, taken from the sea shore, will give an excellent idea 
of this singular and picturesque valley ; on one side of which the 
conical pile of rocks, called by the inhabitants Lot, Lot's Wife, and 
Lot's Daughter, forms a conspicuous object. How they acquired 
these titles it would now be difficult to ascertain. 
September ^3.— Capt. Sweet being perfectly ready for sea, after 
having detained us here a fortnight, Capt. Weltden gave us notice 
that he should sail in the evening. The Governor invited us to an 
early dinner ; after which, accompanied by his aid-de-camp, he 
attended me to the water side. As I embarked, the fort on Ladder 
Hill saluted me with 15 guns, a compliment which Capt. Weltden 
also paid me on my arrival on board the Minerva. 
The East India Company, when they first became possessed of 
the island of St. Helenaj by the grant of Charles II. offered to every 
man who would settle there, ten acres of land, and a cow, on pay- 
ing a quit-rent of U. per acr^. By this means above 5300 acres 
are become free, of which only a small part remains in the hands 
of the descendants of the original colonists ; the rest having been 
purchased by the richer inhabitants, and thrown into larger farms. 
The present price of land as about twenty-five years purchase. 
Four thousand acres have at: different times been leased out by the 
Company at a very low rent) the highest not exceeding 1 6s. per 
acrfi.i JF'orriierly they gtaritid land sTor lives, or a term of 99 years, 
but these leases are mostly eipiring, and at present none are made 
ior a longer period thai! ^iv years. ' About fifteen hundred acres 
I 
