may. tire determined with fome precifion, they offer levetill curious
fadfs. In England and France the number of male
children exceeds that of females; but in Sweden it is the
reverfe. The number of inhabitants on St. Helena does-
not exceed two thoufand perfons, including near five hundred
foldiers, and fix hundred Haves. The great ell extent of
their ifland is nearly eight miles, and the circuit about
twenty. By the arrival of the India fliips, which they fup-
ply with refrefhments, they are in return provided with all
forts of manufactures and other neceffaries ; and the Company
annually orders one or two of their fliips to touch
there in their way to India, in order to fend them a fuffi-
cient quantity of European goods and provifions, which;
they ftand in need of. Many of their Haves are employed;
in catching fifli, which are very plentiful; and by the help-
of thefe, together with their cattle, poultry, roots, and fait
provifions, they fubfifi: throughout the year. Their life*
feems to pafs along very happily ; free from the multitude-
of cares which difirefles their countrymen- in England, and)
bleffed with quiet and content.
The fame company which had pa fled the evening at the-
Sunday. . . ball appeared at church the next morning; The Rev. Mr;
Carr, a young clergyman of great merit, and of very liberal'
fentiments, pronounced a fenfible difeourfe; well fuited to-
his audience, and convinced us that he has all the qualities
of an excellent fpiritnal paflor. After the fermon we dined.
with.
with the governor ; and taking leave of all our friends, may.
whofe amiable chara&er had endeared them to us in fo
fhort a time as that of our Hay, returned on board, captain
Cook’s departure being honoured once more by a falute
from the caftle. Towards night we got under way, in
company with the Dutton Indiaman, and proceeded to the
northward. The Company had fent an order to St. Helena
a few months before our arrival, importing that none of
their fliips fhould touch at the Ifle of Afcenfion, which they
formerly ufed to frequent for the fake of taking fome
turtles. Captain Cook, however, being defirous of vifiting
this ifland, parted company with the Dutton on the 24th
in the evening, after we had all dined on board that fliip,
and experienced many civilities from captain Rice and all
his paffengers. We came in fight of the land early on the
28th in the morning, and having run all day towards it,
came to an anchor in Crofs Bay about five o’clock in the
evening. This ifland was firft difeovered in 1501, by Joao Sunday
da Nova Galego, a Portuguefe navigator, who named it
llha de Noffa Senhora de Coneeijao. The fame admiral,
on his return to Portugal in 1502, difeovered the Ifland of
St. Helena, which obtained that name from the day of the
difeovery I Afcenfion was feen a fecond time by Alfonfo
i l l
* Thefe particulars are mentioned in a Portuguefe MS. obligingly communicated
to me by George Perry, Efq. lately returned from India, and intitled, Gonquijia da
4 D 2 India.