32 
COL. H. W. FEILDEN ON THE DESERTED DOMICILE 
the ascent of Horne Diablotin, or Horne au Diable, in that quarter 
of the island. I naturally placed myself unreservedly in his hands. 
Commodore Markham being acquainted with Dr. Borne, F.R.G.S., 
the resident magistrate and colonial surgeon at Prince Rupert’s 
Bay, wrote to that gentleman requesting him to make arrangements 
for our ascent of Horne Diablotin, on the arrival of the squadron, 
which might be expected about the 13th of February. 
On the 11th of February the squadron was lying at anchor in 
Gros Islet Bay, in the island of St. Lucia, and I went on board the 
‘Active,’ carrying the broad pennant of Commodore Markham. 
On the morning of the 12th, the squadron, consisting of ‘Active,’ 
‘ Rover,’ ‘ Volage,’ and ‘ Calypso,’ got under way and left under 
sail for Dominica. It was a lovely day, with a fair breeze ; and we 
passed sufficiently near the leeward side of Martinique to see the 
houses and shipping in Port of France and St. Pierre. Early in 
the morning of the 13tli, the squadron hove-to off Dominica; 
at day-break proceeded, and by mid-day came to anchor in 
Prince Rupert’s Bay. Squalls of rain came down every now and 
again, but we were fortunate enough to obtain many excellent 
views of the summit of Morne Diablotin, which rises, clothed to its 
very apex in the greenest of tropical foliage, to a height of 4747 feet. 
The beautiful Island of Dominica, rising abruptly from an azure sea, 
with mountain behind mountain, culminates in its northern part in 
the double cone of Morne Diablotin. The mountains starting with 
their base from the very ocean, leave on the eye of the observer 
a more imposing impression of altitude than an elevation of five 
thousand feet would otherwise impart. The loveliness of the scene 
is enhanced by the glorious colouring of the forest, which clothes 
the mountains in exquisite green from base to summit. Shortly 
after anchoring, Dr. Borne came on board, and informed us of the 
steps he had taken. First of all, he had despatched a party to cut 
a road through the forest to the summit of Morne Diablotin, which 
had been partially accomplished, so that a track by which we might 
scramble had been prepared up to the last 2000 feet of the ascent. 
The men, however, stated that though they had been engaged for 
three days on the mountain, and had searched carefully in the old 
haunts of the Diablotin, they could not discover any trace of the 
birds beyond their ancient and deserted burrows ; that there was 
not the slightest sign of any recent occupation ; and they had come 
