Of the original settlers, only Glass was married. The others obtained wives through the good offices of the captain of a whaling vessel, who brought five women from St. Helena. It was a funny way of choosing their mates, and the islanders of to-day speak of the incident as a great joke, guessing at the feelings of their great grandsires when they went to meet their brides and speculating upon the methods adopted in the selection. Occasionally the settlement has been temporarily augmented by other shipwrecked sailors, who seized an early opportunity to get away in some passing ship. There is evidence to show that they introduced a certain amount of new blood amongst the islanders, for some of them had children which were born after their departure. No new names were introduced, however, for the children adopted the names of the mothers. This factor must be taken into account when considering the effects upon the present generation of intermarriage and consanguinity. The original garrison brought to the island a considerable quantity of live stock in the shape of cattle, sheep, pigs, geese, poultry, donkeys and goats, and were responsible for the laying down of the “potato patches,” small walled-in potato gardens situated about two miles to the west of the settlement under the lee of some high mounds. The live stock throve, and there are representatives to-day of every species except the goats, which took to the hills, but were destroyed by the heavy torrents which rapidly form and sweep down the gullies whenever there is heavy rain. From time to time attempts have been made to introduce corn, maize and vegetables of different sorts, but owing to the violent winds which prevail they have never been a success. Practically the only vegetable grown in useful quantity to-day is the pumpkin, and this is in no great abundance. In the sheltered gullies at the back of the island there are some very stunted apple trees which produce small crops of apples. The herds, from which they derive their supply of meat, milk and butter, and the potatoes have met the chief food requirements of the islanders, but for everything else they have relied upon trade with passing merchant ships and whalers. [Illustration: JOHN GLASS AND FAMILY _Photo: Dr. Macklin_] [Illustration: THE MISSION HOUSE ON TRISTAN DA CUNHA _Photo: Dr. Macklin_] [Illustration: THE “POTATO PATCHES” ON TRISTAN DA CUNHA _Photo: Wilkins_]