m Dampier's Spring we continued to ascend
about two miles further, when we arrived at the Colonel's dwelling
(which consisted merely of a ground floor), from whence all sterility
ceases, the space between it and the top of the mountain being covered
with a fine rich mould, partly cultivated with sweet potatoes, and
partly covered with wild herbage, amongst which the Cape gooseberry is
very abundant; this is an agreeable subacid fruit, pleasant to eat when
ripe, and useful in a green state for tarts, &c.

Before dinner I took an opportunity of walking to the top of the hill,
which is the highest on the island, being 800 feet above the Colonel's
house, and 2,849 feet above the level of the sea.

After dinner Lieutenant Badgeley, Dr. Burn, and Lieutenant Carrington of
the Marines, left us to return by way of Regent Square, to the Eden.
These three gentlemen have all, since that time, paid the debt of nature
on board that ship. I accompanied Mr. Butter round the side of the
Mountain to the Black Rock, beneath which stretched a wide and deep
valley. In this walk we passed various spots set apart for the
cultivation of vegetables, to which the soil is exceedingly favourable,
while the deposition of night dews, with light showers, and a genial
climate, all combine to render vegetation here peculiarly luxuriant, so
that the inhabitants are not only enabled to reserve an ample supply for
themselves, but to spare a small quantity for most of the ships that
call at the island. Colonel Nichols informed us that he had 1000 lbs.
weight of vegetables, principally the sweet potatoe, ready to dispose of
at this period. We had at dinner green peas, and French beans, besides
the more common vegetables, likewise turnip-radishes with our cheese. In
fact all European vegetables may be, and most of them are, produced
here. The greatest range of the thermometer on the mountain in the
winter months, which are August, September, October, and November, is
from 58 deg. to 70 deg., and in the summer from 70 deg. to 82 deg.,
consequently the greatest range of the whole year is only 24 deg. being
from 58 deg. to 82 deg. F. The sweet potatoe, (of which there are a great
many and very large[47]) was first brought here from Africa; the best
method of cultivating them is found to be from shoots.

The following are the names and number of domestic animals now on the
island, which is about 30 miles in circumference.

70 head of oxen.
60 sheep. (pri