HISTORICAL. 
7 
there being no mail steamers or cablegrams in those days, intelli- 
gence ot it had not reached Holland before a governor had been sent 
out to succeed the Hutch officer (supposed to be named Dyke) who 
had been temporarily placed in charge of the Island. Captain 
Mundcn had therefore the satisfaction of taking him prisoner on his 
arrival at St. Helena, as well as making prizes of several richly-laden 
Hutch ships, which, in total ignorance of what had taken place, put 
into the roadstead on the homeward-bound voyage. He then left 
the Island in charge of Captain Kedgwin. King Charles the Second 
again granted, by Charter dated 16 th December, 1673 , the rights 
and powers of sovereignty to the East India Company, as lords pro- 
prietors of vhe Island,' who constituted a local government and raised 
an Eui opean garrison for its defence. Captain Kedgwin w r as, by his own 
wish, soon after succeeded by a new governor, Captain G. Field, and 
t eie is leason to believe that his valuable services, as well as Slave 
Oliver’s, were remembered by the East India Company. Governor 
ield s membeis of council were not appointed by competitive exami- 
nation ; three of them being unable to sign their names, were well 
satisfied to assent to the Board s proceedings by affixing a hierogly- 
p lical mark instead; nevertheless they managed very well the affairs 
of the countiy. Amongst other efforts to improve it they induced 
ur opean s to settle there, obliging each owner of ten acres to main- 
tain one Euiopean capable of bearing arms; landowners themselves 
a so being required to do so, and to join the militia corps whenever 
t anger tin eatened. They built batteries and mounted guns in 
various parts, and were no less strict in their moral code of 
laws than they were cruel in the punishments inflicted. Obser- 
vance of Sunday was most strictly enjoined by proclamation as 
follows : — 
“ The Lord’s Day be religiously observed through the said Island, 
and all persons hereby enjoyned to abstaine from all Bodily labour, 
unnecessary travell, or any secular employment (except workes of 
necessity and charity), and noe person presume to spend any part of 
that day in unlawfull sports, but all (who are able) are required to 
resort every Lord’s day unto Publique place or places, where the 
worsinpp of Almighty God is celebrated, and there joyne together in 
g j. c °py °t this charter as well as a copy of tha 
1661 is printed in Brooke’s Hist, of 
