Thehistoryofthechanges，whichtheelevatedplainsofLongwoodandDeadwoodhaveundergone，asgiveninGeneralBeatson’saccountoftheisland，isextremelycurious。Bothplains，itissaidinformertimeswerecoveredwithwood，andwerethereforecalledtheGreatWood。Solateastheyear1716thereweremanytrees，butin1724theoldtreeshadmostlyfallen；
　　andasgoatsandhogshadbeensufferedtorangeabout，alltheyoungtreeshadbeenkilled。Itappearsalsofromtheofficialrecords，thatthetreeswereunexpectedly，someyearsafterwards，succeededbyawiregrasswhichspreadoverthewholesurface。[3]GeneralBeatsonaddsthatnowthisplain“iscoveredwithfinesward，andisbecomethefinestpieceofpastureontheisland。”Theextentofsurface，probablycoveredbywoodataformerperiod，isestimatedatnolessthantwothousandacres；atthepresentdayscarcelyasingletreecanbefoundthere。Itisalsosaidthatin1709therewerequantitiesofdeadtreesinSandyBay；thisplaceisnowsoutterlydesert，thatnothingbutsowellattestedanaccountcouldhavemademebelievethattheycouldeverhavegrownthere。
　　Thefact，thatthegoatsandhogsdestroyedalltheyoungtreesastheysprangup，andthatinthecourseoftimetheoldones，whichweresafefromtheirattacks，perishedfromage，seemsclearlymadeout。Goatswereintroducedintheyear1502；eighty-sixyearsafterwards，inthetimeofCavendish，itisknownthattheywereexceedinglynumerous。Morethanacenturyafterwards，in1731，whentheevilwascompleteandirretrievable，anorderwasissuedthatallstrayanimalsshouldbedestroyed。Itisveryinterestingthustofind，thatthearrivalofanimalsatSt。Helenain1501，didnotchangethewholeaspectoftheisland，untilaperiodoftwohundredandtwentyyearshadelapsed：forthegoatswereintroducedin1502，andin1724itissaid“theoldtreeshadmostlyfallen。”Therecanbelittledoubtthatthisgreatchangeinthevegetationaffectednotonlytheland-shells，causingeightspeciestobecomeextinct，butlikewiseamultitudeofinsects。
　　St。Helena，situatedsoremotefromanycontinent，inthemidstofagreatocean，andpossessingauniqueFlora，excitesourcuriosity。Theeightland-shells，thoughnowextinct，andonelivingSuccinea，arepeculiarspeciesfoundnowhereelse。Mr。Cuming，however，informsmethatanEnglishHelixiscommonhere，itseggsnodoubthavingbeenimportedinsomeofthemanyintroducedplants。Mr。Cumingcollectedonthecoastsixteenspeciesofsea-shells，ofwhichseven，asfarasheknows，areconfinedtothisisland。Birdsandinsects，[4]asmighthavebeenexpected，areveryfewinnumber；indeedIbelieveallthebirdshavebeenintroducedwithinlateyears。Partridgesandpheasantsaretolerablyabundant；
　　theislandismuchtooEnglishnottobesubjecttostrictgame-laws。I
　　wastoldofamoreunjustsacrificetosuchordinancesthanIeverheardofeveninEngland。Thepoorpeopleformerlyusedtoburnaplant，whichgrowsonthecoast-rocks，andexportthesodafromitsashes；butaperemptoryordercameoutprohibitingthispractice，andgivingasareasonthatthepartridgeswouldhavenowheretobuild。
　　InmywalksIpassedmorethanonceoverthegrassyplainboundedbydeepvalleys，onwhichLongwoodstands。Viewedfromashortdistance，itappearslikearespectablegentleman’scountry-seat。Infrontthereareafewcultivatedfields，andbeyondthemthesmoothhillofcolouredrockscalledtheFlagstaff，andtheruggedsquareblackmassoftheBarn。Onthewholetheviewwasratherbleakanduninteresting。TheonlyinconvenienceIsufferedduringmywalkswasfromtheimpetuouswinds。OnedayInoticedacuriouscircumstance；standingontheedgeofaplain，terminatedbyagreatcliffofaboutathousandfeetindepth，Isawatthedistanceofafewyardsrighttowindward，sometern，strugglingagainstaverystrongbreeze，whilst，whereIstood，theairwasquitecalm。Approachingclosetothebrink，wherethecurrentseemedtobedeflectedupwardsfromthefaceofthecliff，Istretchedoutmyarm，andimmediatelyfeltthefullforceofthewind：aninvisiblebarrier，twoyardsinwidth，separatedperfectlycalmairfromastrongblast。
　　IsomuchenjoyedmyramblesamongtherocksandmountainsofSt。Helena，thatIfeltalmostsorryonthemorningofthe14thtodescendtothetown。
　　BeforenoonIwasonboard，andtheBeaglemadesail。
　　Onthe19thofJulywereachedAscension。Thosewhohavebeheldavolcanicisland，situatedunderanaridclimate，willatoncebeabletopicturetothemselvestheappearanceofAscension。Theywillimaginesmoothconicalhillsofabrightredcolour，withtheirsummitsgenerallytruncated，risingseparatelyoutofalevelsurfaceofblackruggedlava。Aprincipalmoundinthecentreoftheisland，seemsthefatherofthelessercones。ItiscalledGreenHill：itsnamebeingtakenfromthefaintesttingeofthatcolour，whichatthistimeoftheyearisbarelyperceptiblefromtheanchorage。
　　Tocompletethedesolatescene，theblackrocksonthecoastarelashedbyawildandturbulentsea。
　　Thesettlementisnearthebeach；itconsistsofseveralhousesandbarracksplacedirregularly，butwellbuiltofwhitefreestone。Theonlyinhabitantsaremarines，andsomenegroesliberatedfromslave-ships，whoarepaidandvictualledbygovernment。Thereisnotaprivatepersonontheisland。Manyofthemarinesappearedwellcontentedwiththeirsituation；
　　theythinkitbettertoservetheirone-and-twentyyearsonshore，letitbewhatitmay，thaninaship；inthischoice，ifIwereamarine，Ishouldmostheartilyagree。
　　ThenextmorningIascendedGreenHill，2840feethigh，andthencewalkedacrosstheislandtothewindwardpoint。Agoodcart-roadleadsfromthecoast-settlementtothehouses，gardens，andfields，placednearthesummitofthecentralmountain。Ontheroadsidetherearemilestones，andlikewisecisterns，whereeachthirstypasser-bycandrinksomegoodwater。Similarcareisdisplayedineachpartoftheestablishment，andespeciallyinthemanagementofthesprings，sothatasingledropofwatermaynotbelost：indeedthewholeislandmaybecomparedtoahugeshipkeptinfirst-rateorder。Icouldnothelp，whenadmiringtheactiveindustry，whichhadcreatedsucheffectsoutofsuchmeans，atthesametimeregrettingthatithadbeenwastedonsopoorandtriflinganend。M。Lessonhasremarkedwithjustice，thattheEnglishnationwouldhavethoughtofmakingtheislandofAscensionaproductivespot，anyotherpeoplewouldhavehelditasamerefortressintheocean。
　　Nearthiscoastnothinggrows；furtherinland，anoccasionalgreencastor-oilplant，andafewgrasshoppers，truefriendsofthedesert，maybemetwith。
　　Somegrassisscatteredoverthesurfaceofthecentralelevatedregion，andthewholemuchresemblestheworsepartsoftheWelshmountains。Butscantyasthepastureappears，aboutsixhundredsheep，manygoats，afewcowsandhorses，allthrivewellonit。Ofnativeanimals，land-crabsandratsswarminnumbers。Whethertheratisreallyindigenous，maywellbedoubted；therearetwovarietiesasdescribedbyMr。Waterhouse；oneisofablackcolour，withfineglossyfur，andlivesonthegrassysummit，theotherisbrown-colouredandlessglossy，withlongerhairs，andlivesnearthesettlementonthecoast。Boththesevarietiesareone-thirdsmallerthanthecommonblackratM。rattus；andtheydifferfromitbothinthecolourandcharacteroftheirfur，butinnootheressentialrespect。
　　Icanhardlydoubtthattheseratslikethecommonmouse，whichhasalsorunwildhavebeenimported，and，asattheGalapagos，havevariedfromtheeffectofthenewconditionstowhichtheyhavebeenexposed：hencethevarietyonthesummitoftheislanddiffersfromthatonthecoast。
　　Ofnativebirdstherearenone；buttheguinea-fowl，importedfromtheCapedeVerdIslands，isabundant，andthecommonfowlhaslikewiserunwild。Somecats，whichwereoriginallyturnedouttodestroytheratsandmice，haveincreased，soastobecomeagreatplague。Theislandisentirelywithouttrees，inwhich，andineveryotherrespect，itisveryfarinferiortoSt。Helena。
　　OneofmyexcursionstookmetowardstheS。W。extremityoftheisland。
　　Thedaywasclearandhot，andIsawtheisland，notsmilingwithbeauty，butstaringwithnakedhideousness。Thelavastreamsarecoveredwithhummocks，andareruggedtoadegreewhich，geologicallyspeaking，isnotofeasyexplanation。Theinterveningspacesareconcealedwithlayersofpumice，ashesandvolcanictuff。Whilstpassingthisendoftheislandatsea，Icouldnotimaginewhatthewhitepatcheswerewithwhichthewholeplainwasmottled；Inowfoundthattheywereseafowl，sleepinginsuchfullconfidence，thateveninmiddayamancouldwalkupandseizeholdofthem。
　　ThesebirdsweretheonlylivingcreaturesIsawduringthewholeday。
　　Onthebeachagreatsurf，althoughthebreezewaslight，cametumblingoverthebrokenlavarocks。
　　Thegeologyofthisislandisinmanyrespectsinteresting。InseveralplacesInoticedvolcanicbombs，thatis，massesoflavawhichhavebeenshotthroughtheairwhilstfluid，andhaveconsequentlyassumedasphericalorpear-shape。Notonlytheirexternalform，but，inseveralcases，theirinternalstructureshowsinaverycuriousmannerthattheyhaverevolvedintheiraerialcourse。Theinternalstructureofoneofthesebombs，whenbroken，isrepresentedveryaccuratelyinthewoodcut。Thecentralpartiscoarselycellular，thecellsdecreasinginsizetowardstheexterior；
　　wherethereisashell-likecaseaboutthethirdofaninchinthickness，ofcompactstone，whichagainisoverlaidbytheoutsidecrustoffinelycellularlava。Ithinktherecanbelittledoubt，firstthattheexternalcrustcooledrapidlyinthestateinwhichwenowseeit；secondly，thatthestillfluidlavawithin，waspackedbythecentrifugalforce，generatedby[picture]
　　therevolvingofthebomb，againsttheexternalcooledcrust，andsoproducedthesolidshellofstone；andlastly，thatthecentrifugalforce，byrelievingthepressureinthemorecentralpartsofthebomb，allowedtheheatedvapourstoexpandtheircells，thusformingthecoarsecellularmassofthecentre。
　　Ahill，formedoftheolderseriesofvolcanicrocks，andwhichhasbeenincorrectlyconsideredasthecraterofavolcano，isremarkablefromitsbroad，slightlyhollowed，andcircularsummithavingbeenfilledupwithmanysuccessivelayersofashesandfinescoriae。Thesesaucer-shapedlayerscropoutonthemargin，formingperfectringsofmanydifferentcolours，givingtothesummitamostfantasticappearance；oneoftheseringsiswhiteandbroad，andresemblesacourseroundwhichhorseshavebeenexercised；hencethehillhasbeencalledtheDevil’sRidingSchool。
　　Ibroughtawayspecimensofoneofthetufaceouslayersofapinkishcolouranditisamostextraordinaryfact，thatProfessorEhrenberg[5]findsitalmostwhollycomposedofmatterwhichhasbeenorganized：hedetectsinitsomesiliceous-shieldedfresh-waterinfusoria，andnolessthantwenty-fivedifferentkindsofthesiliceoustissueofplants，chieflyofgrasses。Fromtheabsenceofallcarbonaceousmatter，ProfessorEhrenbergbelievesthattheseorganicbodieshavepassedthroughthevolcanicfire，andhavebeeneruptedinthestateinwhichwenowseethem。Theappearanceofthelayersinducedmetobelievethattheyhadbeendepositedunderwater，thoughfromtheextremedrynessoftheclimateIwasforcedtoimagine，thattorrentsofrainhadprobablyfallenduringsomegreateruption，andthatthusatemporarylakehadbeenformedintowhichtheashesfell。Butitmaynowbesuspectedthatthelakewasnotatemporaryone。Anyhow，wemayfeelsure，thatatsomeformerepochtheclimateandproductionsofAscensionwereverydifferentfromwhattheynoware。Whereonthefaceoftheearthcanwefindaspot，onwhichcloseinvestigationwillnotdiscoversignsofthatendlesscycleofchange，towhichthisearthhasbeen，is，andwillbesubjected？
　　OnleavingAscension，wesailedforBahia，onthecoastofBrazil，inordertocompletethechronometricalmeasurementoftheworld。WearrivedthereonAugust1st，andstayedfourdays，duringwhichItookseverallongwalks。Iwasgladtofindmyenjoymentintropicalsceneryhadnotdecreasedfromthewantofnovelty，evenintheslightestdegree。Theelementsofthesceneryaresosimple，thattheyareworthmentioning，asaproofonwhattriflingcircumstancesexquisitenaturalbeautydepends。
　　Thecountrymaybedescribedasalevelplainofaboutthreehundredfeetinelevation，whichinallpartshasbeenwornintoflat-bottomedvalleys。Thisstructureisremarkableinagraniticland，butisnearlyuniversalinallthosesofterformationsofwhichplainsareusuallycomposed。
　　Thewholesurfaceiscoveredbyvariouskindsofstatelytrees，interspersedwithpatchesofcultivatedground，outofwhichhouses，convents，andchapelsarise。Itmustberememberedthatwithinthetropics，thewildluxurianceofnatureisnotlosteveninthevicinityoflargecities：forthenaturalvegetationofthehedgesandhill-sidesoverpowersinpicturesqueeffecttheartificiallabourofman。Hence，thereareonlyafewspotswherethebrightredsoilaffordsastrongcontrastwiththeuniversalclothingofgreen。Fromtheedgesoftheplaintherearedistantviewseitheroftheocean，orofthegreatBaywithitslow-woodedshores，andonwhichnumerousboatsandcanoesshowtheirwhitesails。Exceptingfromthesepoints，thesceneisextremelylimited；followingthelevelpathways，oneachhand，onlyglimpsesintothewoodedvalleysbelowcanbeobtained。ThehousesImayadd，andespeciallythesacrededifices，arebuiltinapeculiarandratherfantasticstyleofarchitecture。Theyareallwhitewashed；sothatwhenilluminedbythebrilliantsunofmidday，andasseenagainstthepaleblueskyofthehorizon，theystandoutmorelikeshadowsthanrealbuildings。