1862 - Marjouram, W. Memorials of Sergeant William Marjouram - CHAPTER IV. St. Helena, p 37-46

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CHAPTER IV.

St Helena.

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CHAPTER IV.

"WE had the day before us as we clambered up the beach. The scene was sufficiently picturesque; and, to the mere spectator, probably amusing. The St Helena band was in attendance to play us to our barracks, and a more dirty, woe-be-gone detachment, it never certainly headed before. The usual services in the church were set aside, and all who could quitted their homes to witness the shipwrecked party. There we saw faces of every shade, from jet-black to ivory-white, all radiant alike with sympathy and compassion, while the tears that now moistened the bloom on the cheek of the young, or trickled down the furrows of age, bore witness to the brother's interest that our sufferings and deliverance had awakened. They seemed to feel more for us than we felt for ourselves.

"The following extract from the St Helena Herald may prove interesting:-- 'The troops were landed about nine o'clock in the morning, and they indeed seemed to have lost their all. Some were without shoes, some without caps, and others without jackets. Some were dressed in clothes which had evidently not been made for them, and all, in their soiled and worn-out attire, presented a most melancholy spectacle. Their wives and children too, were

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distressingly ill provided for; nor were the intermediate passengers any better off. They had to leave all behind them, and were only too thankful to escape with their lives.'

"As regards my wife and myself, we had lost everything we possessed. We had but one shilling in the world, which had been given us since we left the Polar Star. So it is easy to believe that richer folk than ourselves had visited the island. After marching up the face of the rock by means of a zig-zag road for about a mile, we arrived at Ladder-hill barracks. Here I was received by an old friend, Corporal O-----, and his wife, who kindly welcomed us to their house. Thus far goodness and mercy had followed us. The Lord had preserved us from the raging storm, and delivered us from the burning ship. He had supplied our every-day wants, and made known unto us His redeeming love. The sympathy of the inhabitants was manifested not only by tears, but by a subscription which was immediately started for our relief. One gentleman, who had formerly been a gunner in the Royal Artillery, came to our barracks witb twenty-nine shirts (one for each man,) thirty pair of socks, and a plentiful store of pipes and tobacco. His name was Galbraith. The colonel shewed his approval of this generous act by presenting him with a silver cup. The Roman Catholic priest who resided here, having obtained permission to visit us in barracks, came and distributed to each man a small sum of money, which had been collected by his congregation. A noble act this of Christian love.

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Nor do I doubt but that the heart of our benefactor was open enough to yield us all that he possessed. A few days after our arrival I received an invitation to visit Mrs G-----, the wife of the gentleman who supplied us with the shirts, &c. She was indeed a mother in Israel. Her efforts in seeking out clothing for our women and children were unremitting, but her kindness to my wife and myself I shall never forget. She often remarked to me, 'We must do good unto all, but especially to them who are of the household of faith.' 1 They both requested us to make their house our home whenever we chose. I soon found that my exile in St Helena was not intended to be quite so gloomy as that of the great Napoleon, who lived and died on this rock of the ocean. I ascertained that religion was in a very low condition, but I had the comfort of meeting with a few devoted Christians who were earnestly praying to the Lord to send them a missionary. These supplications were heard, and shortly afterwards answered by the arrival of Mr B----- from the Cape of Good Hope. This good man had left England as a private missionary, being unrecognised by any society, and was eminently useful on the island.

"In addition to Mr and Mrs G-----, there are many others here to whom I am indebted for much kindness. I would specially mention Mr D-----, Mr E-----, and Sergeant T-----. The Lord repay them seven-fold into their bosoms.

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"St Helena lies about 15 deg. south latitude; and the inhabitants suffer much from heat all the year round. The windward side, however, is much cooler than that on which the town is built; and the ride from the town to Sandy Bay is as pleasant and attractive as could easily be imagined. The island is composed of ridges and valleys, the latter running from the centre seaward. Some of these ridges are perpendicular, and rise from the bottom of the valleys to the height of two thousand feet. Narrow roads are cut out of the solid rock, some in a zig-zag form, and others from one end of the ridge to the other. The traveller may well shrink with fear as he ventures to the edge of these roads, and beholds the yawning chasm beneath him, reaching down, in many instances, to a depth of eight hundred or one thousand feet. In travelling along these dangerous roads the diversity and beauty of the scenery exceed description, especially as you go from James' Town, by way of the Military Hospital, to the tomb of Napoleon. The highest point is called Diana's Peak; it attains the height of two thousand five hundred feet, and is clothed with the richest verdure to the very top. The principal portion of the inhabitants are exceedingly poor; their diet consisting only of rice and fish, as few of them are able to purchase either vegetables or bread. Fish is abundant off James' Town. Their rice they import from India, and sometimes they suffer severely from a scarcity of this useful article of food. The population is estimated at five thousand, including the soldiers, who number about five or six hun-

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dred. Four thousand are men and women of colour, about one thousand of these being liberated slaves. Every article, whether foreign or indigenous, is very expensive. The flats at the bottoms of the valleys--the only places suitable for cultivation--produce hardly anything but vegetables; and as vessels call at the island every day, a good price is paid for them; by this means they become expensive luxuries, which none but the higher classes are able to afford. The English apple and pear grow here; they are very juicy, but have a very disagreeable taste of the bark, nor will they keep many days after they have been gathered. I have actually seen green and ripe pears upon a tree, while the other branches were at the same time covered with blossom. Peaches and tropical fruits are to be had, although the cocoa-nut and orange do not thrive so well as in other islands. There is no great variety of birds, --the dove, Java sparrow, and canary are among the most common.

"Lonely as this rock of the ocean is, it still possesses many objects of interest. Here was the prison of that would-be conqueror of the world, the great Napoleon, whose name is still mentioned by the inhabitants with respect and veneration. I visited the house--a barn now --in which the imperial soldier lived and died, and then descended the tomb in which his mortal remains were laid. Were a visitor unacquainted with the history and traditions of the spot, --he would pass without the slightest suspicion or interest, this roughest and most ordinary and common-place of all graves I ever saw.

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And yet, notwithstanding, how many tears have been shed over this sacred spot. For my own part, I must confess, that a deep emotion was heaving my breast as I gazed upon the tomb. After entering my name in the visitor's book, I left by the road that fallen majesty delighted once to traverse, and returned to James' Town by way of the Government House.

"Thus cheerfully and happily passed the time. Our evening prayer-meetings and services were well attended, and our hearts were united in a bond of brotherly love. But from the circumstances under which I visited the island, I knew my stay must be short, though, had it not been for the thought of seeing New Zealand, I would willingly have spent the rest of my life in this quiet island home. After waiting four months in expectation of a vessel from England, we were one day suddenly surprised by the arrival of a Russian prize from Valparaiso, the Setka, in charge of a British man-of-war's crew. This crew had been engaged in exploring the Arctic regions, but their vessel had become unfit for sea, and was broken up. She was sold at San Francisco about the same time that the English and French fleets attacked the forts and fleet of the Russian port of Petrovolousky, in Russian America, when Admiral Price shot himself in consequence of both fleets having to retire with great loss. On leaving the harbour, they met a large Russian vessel laden with stores and provisions for the Russian army. Her capture would be some compensation for their failure, so the Russian was compelled to lie to, and an English crew was

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put on board. Although a merchantman, she mounted ten large guns, and, as I afterwards discovered, was certainly the best vessel I ever sailed in. At the time she discovered the British fleet, the captain wanted to shew fight, but was opposed by the men. One of them told me that he was ordered to assist in getting the guns out; and that the captain, on his refusal, threatened to shoot him, but that, pointing to the English man-of-war, he said, 'If you shoot me, they will shoot you.'

"On the vessel's arrival at Valparaiso, the wounded were taken on board, and she was put in charge of Captain M----- and ordered to England. She was chased by an American frigate, but soon distanced the Yankee, and came by way of St Helena to avoid any others. The captain, upon hearing of our being on the island, applied to the governor to have us put on board as a guard, and also to assist in working the Vessel. The necessary permission was granted, and on Saturday, February 24 1855, we bade farewell to our kind friends. I never left a place with more sorrowful reluctance, for I felt that I was biding adieu to some of the kindest of earthly friends. On Sunday morning, this lovely spot was hidden from my eyes, and it was some time before I could regain my usual cheerfulness. In a few days we passed the island of Ascension. We had scarcely a man on board that was not bound for Europe through misfortune of one kind or another. Some were going to an English or French prison, and some had possibly a lingering death before them. Yet I can venture to say that a happier ship's

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company never sailed upon the ocean. We were favoured, with fair weather, and after a run of six weeks, we sighted Land's End. On Sunday the 8th April, we anchored off Deal, where we lay till Wednesday in a heavy gale of wind, the Goodwin Sands being on our lee. But the same Providence that had watched over us before preserved us now. We were taken in tow by a man-of-war steamer, and, on the following day, anchored off Purfleet, where we discharged five tons of Russian powder. We then proceeded up the river to Woolwich, and landed at two P. M., our friends rejoicing with us in our safe but unexpected arrival. God's ways and purposes, however, are often, and most wisely, contrary to the will of man. Deal with me, then, 0 Lord, as seemeth Thee good; only let me ever enjoy a sense of Thy love in my heart, and Thy presence at my side!"