The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-03
PESTS OF ST. HELENA.
Among Them Are Enumerated Rash
Drivers and RanaciOus Rails

Perhaps not since Napoleon was an in
voluntary resident at St Helena has the
island risen into so much prominence as
II may now claim to enjoy. For this
reason, says the London Express the
report of Gov. Sterndale. dated August:
1850; will be found of unusual interest.
The imports have jumped from e34 $685.
in 1897. TO &9l 699, in 1899 and for 1903 q
much larger increase is anticipated. La
bor is IL good demand at good wages
shere IS no want among the Industrious
and 1t is pleasure to record that al
though money has been more plentiful
and the temptations of the public houses
greater, serious crime has been absent
and petty crimes less than in the previ-
GUS year.
The cost of living has, however,
greatly increased, and during the present
year the prices of food have doubled
and quadrupled, so that what used to be
considered neceSSarles of life such as
mix, butter, eggs and meat, are now
luXuries, and the principal food of the
poor, l. e., fish, is both scarce and ex-
pensive.
with the increased garrison and the
great number of prisoners of war
large quantity of fish, which is plentiful
enough In the sea, could profitably be
disposed of daily were the people ener-
getic enough to catch them.
L have always advocated a fishery
company. here, worked by English capt.
started as projected in 1S96-1S97 it would
have been reaping a golden harvest just
now, both in sailed and fresh fish.
Inc aspect of the place Che continuesl
mas been greatly changed; instead of the
quiet monotony of past Years. James
town is scene of noisy activity, and
the perils OF our roads are considerably
increased bV four-in-hand mule wagons
driven by reckless IIaffir boys.
In an excellent account of st. Helena,
In !I5. by Capt. Daniel Beeckman, he
quantity observes: The island is so high,
hilly and of such difficult ascent that it
is common saying that a man may
choose whether he will break his heart
in going up or his neck in coming down.,
and now we may add to the perils Of
old an occasional avalanche of mule
wagons.
81 have strongly advocated the sub
stltution of pack mules for the wagons.
and these have been applied for
1t would be we'll If London's suDer-
fuous cats, who disturb the midnight
hours, might be shipped to st. Helena,
where they would be priced. for 1t Is
ovorrun with rats.
The report says: "The rats have been
exceptionally destructive. In a patch Of
Indian corn I inspected not one cob was
saved. Having no enemies they increase
without check save from their own ON
nlVorous propensities. which lead them to
deXour their own young.
The old records of ST. Helena are
full of complaints of the damage done
by these pests, who in 1715 devoured the
soldiers pouches even while the men
who wore them We're asleep
In 1853 rewards were offered for their
destruction. a halfpenny each rat and a
farthing for a mouse; again in 1909 six
pence dozen was paid for rats heads
to encourage eXtirpation
There is also a quaint entry in :732
after some remarks on the damage done
% the trees in plantation grounds:
- We have also heard that in the wear
100 the rats were grown so exceedingly
numerous that after they had destroyed
everything else, they at last fell upon one
another and devoured themselves md
the island at that time was quite clear
OF them! a contamination most devoutIv
to be desired at this time ~''
THAT the rabbits do not inoreosa T.,
the same degree I attribute to the rats
Killing and devouring the young ones