We procured a carriage, drawn by two small but sturdy horses, and set off for the “Plantations” at the summit of the island where the Governor’s house is situated. The climb was a stiff one, and to ease the horses we walked up most of the way. At first the road was bare and dry, cut from rocks of obviously volcanic origin, the only vegetation an occasional dusty cactus growing here and there. As we mounted, however, we entered a greener area, with vegetation which increased in luxuriance till, at the top, we saw that the inner parts of the island were really very fertile. The air also was purer and more fresh. I was struck by the appearance of the “mina” birds, which have a pretty dark brown and white colouring, and at first sight resemble magpies. They were introduced to the island for the purpose of killing insects.
We had a most pleasant lunch with H.E. the Governor (Colonel Peel) and his wife. The house has a very fine outlook down a valley to the sea, and is situated in very beautiful grounds which contain a number of interesting trees: oaks, Scotch firs, spruces and Norfolk pines, and a tree with dark foliage and brilliant scarlet blossom. Numerous white arum-like lilies grow in profusion, and many other flowers, including a beautiful small blue flower with a pleasant fresh scent. It was a very happy change from our sea life. We were introduced to a huge tortoise, reputed to be two hundred years old, which sometimes leaves the grounds for the road and causes all the horses which encounter it to shy. When this happens a cart is sent out to fetch it home. It takes six men to lift it off the road.
After lunch we paid a visit to the tomb of Napoleon and the house at Longwood where he lived whilst on the island. The tomb is in a deep hollow, and for so great a man is very unimposing. It is covered with a large marble slab, blank, with no inscription of any sort. Some time after his death his body was exhumed and taken to Paris, when it was laid finally in Les Invalides, where a magnificent and more fitting tomb has been erected to his memory. The house at Longwood also is unimposing. One can imagine how his restless spirit must have chafed at its confinement. The rooms are kept spotlessly clean, but are bare except that in the small chamber where he died there is a bust set on a long pedestal hung with a few bedraggled pieces of tricolour ribbon. It contained also, when we were there, a baby’s perambulator, but was otherwise empty. The sight of this house caused me to feel a great pity for its prisoner.
I learned from the Governor that whilst alive he had been well treated, having had an allowance from the English Government of £12,000 per annum.
The island inland from the sea is very hilly and divided into numerous ridges and valleys. There is not a really good piece of flat land anywhere. The valleys are very fertile. Owing to the steepness of the roads we proceeded most of the way on foot, leaving the paths, which zigzagged, and making straight traverses across the fields. Brambles grow profusely, and at this time a number of blackberries were ripe. Gorse and broom covered the hillsides with yellow. The chief industry of the island seems to be the growing of New Zealand flax and the making of it into fibre. During the war they obtained the most phenomenal prices, which, however, have since dropped to normal. The flora generally of St. Helena is very interesting, for there are over sixty native species of plants, nearly all of them peculiar to the island. Every now and then we caught glimpses of pretty little residences situated in gardens of their own. We met numerous people, including a number of British folk, driving in their carriages—it seems to be the custom here to greet everyone one meets.
The natives we met showed unmistakable signs of a very mixed origin. In the days of the East India Company labour was imported from India and from China, and on frequent occasions natives of different parts of Africa have been introduced. The African type predominates.
We next visited the station of the Eastern Telegraph Company, where we met the manager and his wife. They have a very nice place, situated in beautiful grounds containing masses of bougainvillæa, geranium, scarlet hibiscus and many other kinds of blossom. They have bananas and guavas in abundance, but oranges do not grow well.
They told me that the natives of the island, of which there are about 3,000, are very badly off, for there is practically no work for them to do. Some of them look half starved. A lace industry was started about twenty years ago by an Englishwoman. The lace is said to be of good quality, but I did not have the opportunity of seeing any.
We returned to the ship about 6.30 p.m., and immediately set off for Ascension Island.
In the meantime Douglas had made a brief geological examination of the main features of the island. There was not time to do more.