no longer, they gave a dreadful whoop,
which was answered by others stationed on the hills; they immediately
seized hold of us and rifled our pockets.

On March 25th we sailed down to Macao, and on the following day we
took our departure, and on the 24th of April arrived at Anjier point,
and is a settlement belonging to the Dutch; it lies to the east of
Batavia. The houses are generally built of bamboo; the inhabitants are
of various casts, Pagans, Mahometans, and Chinese. The barbarism of
the Batta Tribes is horrible, for they kill and eat their criminals or
prisoners of war, or even sacrifice their own relations when aged and
infirm, not so much with a view to gratify their appetites, as to
perform a pious ceremony. Thus, when a man becomes infirm and weary of
the world, he is said to invite his own children to eat him when salt
and limes are cheapest. He then ascends a tree, round which his
friends and offspring assemble, and as they shake the tree they join
in a funeral dirge, the import of which is, the season is come, the
fruit is ripe, and it must descend. The victim descends, and those
that are nearest deprive him of life, and devour his remains in a
solemn banquet.

In a few days we made sail. We arrived at St. Helena, on the 10th of
July, 1821. This island is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, its
circumference is about twenty miles, and at a distance it has the
appearance of a large rock rising out of the sea. On rounding the
island it has a very romantic appearance; the town lying in a valley
presents to the eye a beautiful chain of scenery. It has some very
high mountains, particularly one called Diana's Peak, which is covered
with wood to the very summit. There are other hills also, which bear a
volcanic appearance, and some have huge rocks of lava, and a kind of
half-vitrified flags. James Town is erected in a valley at the bottom
of a bay, between two steep dreary mountains, and has from the
shipping a noble appearance.

Accommodations are tolerably good, and the inhabitants, generally
speaking, are very hospitable. Their villas are pleasantly situated,
and have a fine view of the sea; the whole face of the country is
really romantic; the hills are immensely high, and the valleys very
narrow; and in many of them there are a few houses, which give the
whole island a very picturesque appearance.

After obtaining a passport from the Adjutant-General, I went over a
long succession of hills to see the