None of the churches can lay much claim to architectural beauty, the most imposing is that of St. James', which it is generally considered should be the Cathedral, seeing that it is situated where the greater number of people are compelled to live, and also that it is in all probability the site, or very near the site, on which the first chapel was built by the Portuguese.

St. Paul's is utterly devoid of architectural beauty outside or in, but it is commandingly situated on a hill above and at the back of Government House, and is surrounded by the cemetery.

St. Matthew's is a small iron church at Hutt's Gate, on the road to Longwood.

There are two hospitals, military and civil, the latter presided over by trained nurses.

St. Helenians are fond of music, and generally possess good voices; they are also very loyal.

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Canaries are wild and numerous, and are charming songsters, and there is a beautiful little finch, called the cardinal." "Avadavats" and Java sparrows abound, as well as small doves. Other imported birds are fowls, peacocks, guinea-fowls, turkeys, ducks, geese, pheasants, partridges, minors and pigeons. A beautiful white gull also makes its home on the island, the feathers of which are used for boas, capes, etc., and make very pretty trimmings. There are no snakes, nor any noxious reptiles, reptilia being represented by some harmless little lizards, two enormous tortoises of fabulous age (which live in plantation grounds, and are said to be over 150 years of age); and a small species of frog, which is quite a recent introduction, but which has spread wonderfully all over the island. In some of the valleys a few scorpions and centipedes are found, but their sting, although painful, is not dangerous.

Bees are kept, and the honey is of very good flavour. With so favourable a climate and a never-failing supply of honey-producing flowers, St. Helena might rival Jamaica, which annually exports over £8,000 worth of honey and wax, the bee farmers there being chiefly negroes. It is a cottage industry, and would therefore be well suited to the St. Helenians. The breed of cattle and sheep on the island was originally English. It is still kept up by importation

from England, and the beef is of good quality. Sheep are numerous, and provide sweet and tender mutton. Pigs are kept in the country and their flesh when well fed is good. Goat-meat is often procurable, and of good flavour. Fowls are reared in numbers, but ducks, geese, and turkeys are not so plentiful. Eggs are as a rule plentiful, but poultry and eggs have been more scarce during the increased population of military and of Boer prisoners. Vegetables also were quickly bought up by them. Prices given during this time were 6d. to Is. for cabbages, 40s. per bag for potatoes, 2s. 8d. per lb. for fresh butter.

The language spoken is English (and with a purity not often found in the rural districts of England); the islanders however find a difficulty with the letter "v" and "w," calling a veil a wale, a person said to be vain is described as wain, while a child named Willie will become Villie; in this respect they are no worse than uneducated Londoners. The letters "th" also are a stumbling block, the native children using the expressions de, dis and dat for the, this and that.

DESCRIPTIVE

THE town of Jamestown-that tiny city which enjoys the unique position of being at once the capital and only town of St. Helena-is situate on the north and leeward side of the island, where there is good anchorage of from eight to twenty-five fathoms. It lies between two formidable, frowning rocks, Mundens on the east and Ladder Hill on the west, both fortified with cannon. From the fort of Ladder Hill, which contains commodious barracks and is connected with the town by a ladder of seven hundred steps as well as by a good carriage road, floats the Union Jack.

That "St. Helena has only one entrance and no exit is said by many, who have grown so to love the old rock that they retain no wish to leave it. Viewed from the sea, the town resembles that of St. Peter's Port, the capital of the island of Guernsey in the English Channel; and very conspicuous stands the white church spire with, at the summit, a fish in place of the usual weathercock. The white houses, which are seen stretching away up the narrow valley, seem to nestle comfortably in the mighty cleft, and present from sea board a most picturesque appearance; but on closer acquaintance, although there are some good and substantial buildings, there are others merely whited sepulchres-houses which at different times have been burnt out and never rebuilt.

The sea front is protected by a well built wall, which has, during the residence on the island of the Transvaal prisoners of war, been added to very considerably on both sides, east and west. A road from the landing steps of the wharf, bordered on the land side by a deep moat, leads over a moated drawbridge, through an arched portcullised gateway (where is still stationed a military guard) on to a spacious square called the lower parade. Here the troops assemble on such holidays as the King's birthday, the

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