>775. Whoever views St. Helena in its prefent Rate, and can but
. MT i conceive what it muft have been originally, will not haftily
Tucfday >0. t jlarge t)ie inhabitants with want of induftry *. Though
perhaps, they might apply it to more advantage, were more
land appropriated to planting of corn, vegetables, roots, &c.
inftead of being laid out in pafture, which is the prefent
mode.' But this is not likely to happen, fo long as the
greateft part of it remains in the hands of the Company and
their fervants. Without induftrious planters, this ifland can
never flourifli, and be in a condition to fupply the flopping
with the neceflary refrefhments.
Within thefe three years a new church has been built;
fome other new buildings were in hand; a commodious
landing-place for boats has been made; and feveral other
improvements, which add both ftrength and beauty to the
place.
During our flay here, we fmifhed fome neceflary repairs
•of the fhip, which we had not time to do at the Cape. We
alfo filled all our empty water-cafks; and the crew were
ferved with frefh beef, purchafed at five-pence per pound.
Their beef is exceedingly good, and is the only refrefhment
,to be had worth mentioning.
By a feries of obfervations made at the Cape Town, and at
James Fort in St. Helena, at the former by Mefirs. Mafon and
Dixon, and at the latter by Mr. Mafkelyne, the prefent aftro-
nomer royal, the difference of longitude between thefe two
places is 240 12' 15", only two miles more than Mr. Kendall’s
watch made: The lunar obfervations made by Mr. Wales,
* .fn the aecGurt given of St. Helena, in the narrative of my former voyage, I. find fome
miftakes. Its inhabitants aie far from exercifing a wanton cruelty over their flaves-; and they
have had whtel carnages and porters knots, for many'years.'
before
before we arrived at the ifland, and after we left it, and reduced
to it by the watch, gave 50 51' for the longitude of
James Fort; which is only five miles more Weft than it is
placed by Mr. Mafkelyne. In like manner the longitude
of the Cape Town was found within 5' of the truth. I mention
this to fhew how near the longitude of places may
be found by the lunar method, even at fea, with the affift-
ance of a good watch.
Tuefday 16.
CHA P .