1& ST. HELENA. 
Valley, for nearly three miles ; and at length ends in a large 
elevated plane, or rather gentle ascent, on the summit of which 
is a flag-staff, from which it takes its name. The scenery is more 
like England than any thing I have seen in the island, and is much 
admired by the natives for a reason that had no weight with us ; 
it is more level, and was once covered with the gum-wood-tree, 
but avenues were opened in it, which gave the S. E. wind a free 
entrance: the consequence was its gradual destruction. Young 
trees have been planted in abundance, which thrive well in defianc^ 
of the wind ; though from the elevation of the ground, and the 
situation to windward, it has here full force to act. I regret that a 
more profitable tree has not been substituted for the gum wood, 
which only grows to the height of about thirty feet, and is of no 
other use than as fire-wood. Colonel Patton is anxious to introduce 
the larch, which I have no doubt will thrive well, if it can be pre- 
served from the goats. These are permitted to live all over the 
island, although the mischief they do is incalculable, and totally 
precludes planting, without the previous expense of enclosing. They 
indeed supply fresh meat for the hospital ; but this surely might 
be better arranged, by permitting a conditional destruction, the 
farmers being bound, in that case, to supply a substitute for the 
sick, which they would willingly do. At Longwood, as in every 
other high part of the island, the soil is excellent; it suffers, how- 
ever, under a peculiar inconvenience, want of water. There is great 
reason to hope that this evil may be obviated ; in which case 
fifteen hundred acres of pieadow land, that are now nearly useless, 
will be rendered capable of supporting cattle, sufficient to supply the 
island and the ships, touching here, with fresh provisions. 
