exceedingly. When they increased
beyond the capacity of the islands to entertain them, a portion migrated
to the Cape, while many of the men took service in the whale-ships, for
which they were eminently suited.

They are, as might be expected, a hybrid lot, the women all mulattoes,
but intensely English in their views and loyalty. Since the visit of
H.M.S. GALATEA, in August, 1867, with the Duke of Edinburgh on board,
this sentiment had been intensified, and the little collection of
thatched cottages, nameless till then, was called Edinburgh, in honour
of the illustrious voyager. They breed cattle, a few sheep, and pigs,
although the sheep thrive but indifferently for some reason or another.
Poultry they have in large numbers, so that, could they commend a
market, they would do very well.

The steep cliffs, rising from the sea for nearly a thousand feet, often
keep their vicinity in absolute calm, although a heavy gale may be
raging on the other side of the island, and it would be highly dangerous
for any navigator not accustomed to such a neighbourhood to get too
near them. The immense rollers setting inshore, and the absence of wind
combined, would soon carry a vessel up against the beetling crags,
and letting go an anchor would not be of the slightest use, since the
bottom, being of massive boulders, affords no holding ground at all. All
round the island the kelp grows thickly, so thickly indeed as to make a
boat's progress through it difficult. This, however, is very useful in
one way here, as we found. Wanting more supplies, which were to be had
cheap, we lowered a couple of boats, and went ashore after them. On
approaching the black, pebbly beach which formed the only landing-place,
it appeared as if getting ashore would be a task of no ordinary danger
and difficulty. The swell seemed to culminate as we neared the beach,
lifting the boats at one moment high in air, and at the next lowering
them into a green valley, from whence nothing could be seen but the
surrounding watery summits. Suddenly we entered the belt of kelp,
which extended for perhaps a quarter of a mile seaward, and, lo! a
transformation indeed. Those loose, waving fronds of flexible weed,
though swayed hither and thither by every ripple, were able to arrest
the devastating rush of the gigantic swell, so that the task of landing,
which had looked so terrible, was one of the easiest. Once in among the
kelp, although we could hardly use the oars, th