Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-08-14

4
ever touches en-, md never without havin:
been asked some question concerning them
have heard from persons who have beer
as often in his company, when with them
as most people in the island, and have had
opportunities of hearing him converse fo,
hours, that they never heard him touch up
on that string. In Fact, it is OF a piece with
the Munchauscn historian of his breakfast,
F, who modestly states, that he drinks pot
ofpUrter and two bottles of claret at that
meal, when the fact is, that there are few
men more temperate than him in use of
wine. | understand from uneuestionable
authority that he never exceeds, during the
day, from patio perhaps two thirds of a
bottle ofiisht wine, and never has been
known tn taste malt liquor. The stories, a.
bout his yoracitY OF appetite, are entitled
to a similar share OF credit. tls certain
y nngeneroUs to Witty fallen enemy in
such a manner, particularly whenin your
power.
With respect to the external appearance
|of the rock destined for his future residence
imagination the most cxuberant in the ter
rible, could not picture to itself an abode
so dreary and frightful. Stupendous and
perpendicular volcanic rocks, without
morsel Of vegetation, elevated $500 feeta-
boye the . surface OF the ocean, have their
summit crowned with rugged and enor-
nous rocks, eternally menacing destruc!i-
on to the passenger crawling up the Ziszag
paths, which the hands of slaves have la
boured in the steep sides of these bdeous
masses. off rock diversified, certainly, by
AZ
iiava c0soured sides impart to the terrified
beholder good idea of as many gaping
chasms bursting forth from the Internal re-
sions. AS you advance irto the country,
the eye, fatigued with view of such
complication of all that is frielpful, con-
templates with satisfaction the less horrible
scenes which present themselves, and
which, in comparison with the first, even
gives transitory idea of beautiful scenery.
Such, in fact, is st. Helena, that the al
lseRce ui that which is horrible constitutes
ileauty If the Devil was ever allowed to
emerge from the internal regions, and was
obliged to choose an abode similar TO the
one he had just quilted, he would certain
| ly fix his paw upon ST. Helena, which car
RES upon its red sides undouhted proofs of
having derived its origin from that element
with whichhis Satanic Majesty is supposed
| to be externally surrounded and excepting
the absence of that, | do not know that he
would gain much by the change.
The salubrity of the climate has been as
much exaggerated by fancitul writers (some
ofwhom have been only two DAYS on the
island, and have afterwards glyeaa dcscrip-
! tion of beauties which never existed but in
their own brain) as the topography. In
comparison with such climates as Batavia,
and some others in the East Indies, destruc
tive to life, it is certainly considerably sa-
lubrious and in consequence of having
been principally resorted to by persons on
their passage from tie above mentioned
baneful climates, and afflicted with sour
Ivy which readily yielGed to tie water
Icresses with which the sides of the scanty
brooks dignifed with the name of rivers "a
bound, it has acquired an undeserved repu-
ltation. However il cannot lat least in the
mountains) be termed very healthy CHI
innate, tho is certainly very disagreea-
lble one, IS it is extremely humid, and for
la great part of the year YOU are Ell
Their enveloped in dense fogs, or if you
bulge out, encountered by heavy showers,
which penetrate in moment good fear
thought. If you wish to ride out, without
ia certainty of being wet TO the skin, you
fought to have men stationed with relays
I Gf may use the wor,l) of great Coats eve
Try mile. Bonaparte, it is said, has chris
: tened it &c The1sle of Mists amid Desola-
tion.''
Previous to Bonaparte's arrival here,
: such WIS the scarcity Of fresh meat, that
nf4 e., Il .IaI,
ed little fresh beef. not then being per-
: ntted to kill even their own cattle without
, leave from the governor, (Which was not
, always to be obtained) it was well known
to be customary with them to precipitate
some unfortunate bullock, while lnsuspect-
ingIy grazing on the side IF some ofthe ra-
, vines in the interior, down into the gulf
1 below. in order to break some OF his bones,
and thereby obtain pretext to cut his
throat and Dartake of his flesh! Since, how
} ever, Sir G. Cockburn has arrived, men of
war have been appointed by him for the
, purpose of bringing cattle from the Cape.
This cruel method of obtaining fresh meat
! is no longer prevalent, as the restrictions
t upon staying bullOcks have been taken off.
I Nevertheless, the desired object OF supply
! ing the island with a sufficient quantity OF
: fresh beef cannot be obtained as great mum
: bers of the Cape cattle die soon after tIleir
0 arrival. Longwood, where he resides al
I present, is the only plain in tie island
n upon it grow numbers of melancholy look
: ing, useless trees, called by the natives
: gum wood, which being all of nearly the
$ same height and shape give the whole q
e sombre appearance. This. when connect
# ed with the secluded state of the person in
/; Ihabiting it, separated, as it were, from bis
e life, impressed with an idea of being in az