articular, than people in
England imagine, for there is a moderate supply of cattle and sheep, for
general consumption, while most individuals have their own private stock
of domestic poultry. Turkeys arid fowls thrive well here; but geese and
ducks, very indifferently, from the want of fresh streams and pools, so
necessary to their nature, in consequence of which they lay their eggs,
but do not produce young. They have also a few goats, and abundance of
guinea fowls,[42] in a wild state, which, in flavour, greatly surpass
those that have been domesticated; and some of the domestic poultry of
the gallinaceous tribe, that have returned to their aboriginal state.
These three species of Ascension game, with the hunting of wild cats,
occasionally afford no little amusement to the officers of the
establishment. A number of cats were originally introduced; in their
tame state, to destroy the rats, which, at one period, overran the
island; but, after routing the rats, the cats, like the Saxons of old,
finding themselves masters of the soil, became greater usurpers than the
foes whom they had been called in to vanquish. These treacherous
animals, and most unworthy allies, discovering that they could sustain
themselves in freedom, without the aid of the biped population, fled
into the least inhabited parts of the island, where they lived most
royally upon young guinea fowl, and other wild poultry; regaling
themselves occasionally upon eggs, or such other dainties as fell in the
way of their most destructive claws. So numerous had this band of
quadruped freebooters become, at the time of our visit, that the
inhabitants had been compelled to call in the assistance of a number of
dogs,[43] for the purpose of putting them to flight; and the gentlemen
sportsmen of the island declare, that a battle between these belligerent
powers and natural enemies presents a scene of unusual excitement and
interest to the lovers of animal gladiatorship.

The sale of spirits is prohibited on the island, but each man may
purchase one pint of brown stout per diem. Butter, cheese, and other
little comforts, were to be procured from a stock that had been sent out
by dealers in England; having, it is said, ten per cent. profit on their
exportation, and two per cent. to the corporal who took charge of its
disposal. It had no freightage to pay, as the owners were allowed the
privilege of sending it out in a transport, which annually brings stores
to the is