Late in the afternoon, the ship appeared at the entrance. After dropping anchor, my husband called a survey, opened her hatches, and found her to be so badly on fire, they decided to run her ashore, and scuttle her. He selected a spot which happened to be opposite the little grave-yard. Slowly and majestically was she wafted to her place of rest. Never more would she gallantly breast old ocean’s wave. With tearful eyes I watched her motions. She had been my home so long, I loved her as such. They cut holes in her side, and sank her in depth of water sufficient to cover the fire. For two days she was enveloped in steam, which precluded all possibility of gaining the deck. After the fire was extinguished, they stopped the holes, and worked the pumps incessantly, without dimin{32}ishing in the least the depth of water in the ship. She had bilged; her beams and stancheons were burnt off; and her lower deck had fallen in. She was condemned and sold at auction. It was our intention to go directly home, as soon as an opportunity presented. The isolated situation of the island prevented its being visited often, especially by ships homeward-bound; therefore, our stay there might be indefinitely protracted. There were about four hundred inhabitants in this remote colony, consisting of English, Spanish, and French. The people were under the immediate jurisdiction of a governor, who ruled with despotic power. The governor, clergyman, doctor, governor’s secretary, surveyor-general, and lawyer, are appointed by the queen, and receive a salary of four hundred pounds sterling per year, with the exception of the governor, who has eight hundred. These, with their families, also Lloyd’s agent, and the merchant, constitute the gentry, as they style themselves. The governor lives in princely style. To be seated in his reception-room, one would imagine himself in some English palace. Everything has been transported from England—both house and furniture. All the frame-buildings on the island were brought either from England or the main-land. Those of{33} the poorer class were mere huts, constructed of peat and stone. Peat is also used by them for fuel. Those only who receive a salary can indulge in the luxury of a coal fire. There is not a tree on the island, with the exception of a few apologies for the same in the governor’s garden. They, upon being transplanted into such ungenial soil, had assumed a stinted, sickly appearance.