There are few subjects of more general interest to the inhabitants of
this country than agriculture, in one form or another. To those who
earn their bread by tilling the soil, it is of the first importance;
to those who do not, it is of importance as indirectly affecting
their material prosperity. But apart from the question of pecuniary
interest, there is an inborn love of agricultural pursuits, which is
a national characteristic. In some few privileged persons the taste
shows itself so strongly as to lead them to indulge in farming for
pleasure. Others, whose time and means will not allow of this, it leads
to employ much of their leisure time in gardening. Many are obliged to
confine its indulgence to tending a few flowers in pots. They are very
few indeed who feel no interest whatever in the subject. The trait has
shown itself more or less in all the greatest races that have swayed
the destiny of the world. The haughty Roman dictator who yesterday
was omnipotent, is content to-day to return humbly to his farm, and
exercise his authority not over a nation, but over a team of oxen.
A peculiarly interesting example of the splendid results which have
been brought about by this national taste is presented by the island
of Ascension, which has been transformed from a comparatively barren
rock, exposed to the most terrific and damaging winds, producing scarce
enough of the coarsest vegetation to afford a meagre sustenance to a
few wild goats, into a pleasant and fertile island, amply supporting in
comfort and luxury a very considerable population. This change it took
some time and considerable trouble to effect; but before indicating how
it was brought about, a short history and description of the island
itself may not be out of place.
The island owes its name to having been discovered on Ascension Day in
the year 1501, by the Portuguese navigator Juan de Nova Gallego. Two
years later it was visited by Alfonzo d’Albuquerque; and from time to
time other navigators landed, among them Captain Cook. Such was its
dreary aspect, however, that no one was induced to settle on it. But
‘Jack’ has always been famous for his ingenuity, and even here it did
not fail him. In the north-west part of the island, which affords the
best anchorage for ships, there is a small inlet called Sandy Bay. One
of the rocks near the landing-place contains a very curious crevice.
This was soon christened ‘The Sailors’ Post-office;’ and it became an
established custom to leave letters there, well corked up in a bottle,
which were always taken to their respective destinations by the first
ship bound thither which happened to call. This seems to have been
the sole use made of the island till the year 1815, when it was taken
possession of by the English, who erected a fort and placed a garrison
on it soon after the banishment of Napoleon to St Helena.
Ascension is situated far out in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of
Africa, and eight hundred miles north-west of St Helena. It is of a
triangular shape, eight miles long, and six broad at its widest part,
with an area of thirty-four square miles. It is one of the peaks of the
submarine ridge which separates the northern and southern basins of the
Atlantic. Its volcanic origin is clearly shown by the numerous crevices
and ravines into which its surface is broken, and which are filled
with scoria, pumice-stone, and other igneous products. The highest
peak, called the Green Mountain, rises to a height of two thousand
eight hundred and seventy feet. From this the land, on the north, sinks
gradually towards the shore; but on the south it terminates in bold
lofty precipices. Communication with the shore is frequently rendered
dangerous by the setting in of heavy seas or rollers, which rise
suddenly in the most perfect calm, and break with tremendous force on
the beach. The cause of this phenomenon is unknown. Only such plants
as required very little water were to be found. Of these, the tomato,
castor-oil plant, pepper, and Cape gooseberry were the chief. It was
always famed for its turtles, which abound to such an extent that as
many as two thousand five hundred have been captured in one year.
They are now usually collected into two ponds or crawls, the water of
which is occasionally changed. They can be obtained only by purchase,
any one taking them on the beach or near the island being liable to a
heavy penalty. Fish abound, of which the conger-eel is the most prized.
Another indigenous delicacy is the egg of the tropical swallow, or
‘wide-awake’ as it is called on the island. They are largely used as
an article of food, ten thousand dozen being frequently gathered in a
week. In addition to the goats referred to above, the only other useful
product was the wild guinea-fowl, which were found in considerable
numbers.
Napoleon’s presence, even as a prisoner, in the island of St Helena
determined the English government to place a garrison on Ascension.
This was in 1815; and for years that garrison was entirely supported on
food and water brought there at great expense by ships. The death of
the illustrious prisoner in 1821 did away with the immediate necessity
for keeping a garrison there; but the Admiralty were anxious if
possible to turn the island into a victualling station for the African
squadron. To ascertain the practicability of this plan, they appointed
Captain Brandreth, in 1829, to make a thorough survey, and use every
effort to discover water. We can imagine him diligently examining every
portion of the barren and uninviting rock, long discouraged by want of
success. With indefatigable zeal, he and his willing workers sank shaft
after shaft in the hope of discovering a spring, however far down. His
strong belief that one did exist was at length justified. In the Green
Mountain, at a great level from the sea, he found one at a depth of
twenty-five feet which proved to be capable of supplying all the wants
of the island. Large tanks were at once made and piping laid to the
garrison.
Having now an abundance of water, the most vigorous efforts were put
forth to bring some of the land under cultivation. The most promising
parts of the Green Mountain were first planted; and sheltered spots
in other parts of the island were chosen, and the ground broken up
and irrigated. Recourse was even had to excavating in the side of the
mountain, in order to gain the desired shelter. The government did
all in their power to insure the success of these attempts. They sent
out a trained head-gardener from the Kew Gardens, who took the utmost
interest in his work. Great progress was made with the planting of
young trees, shrubs, furze, grasses, and hardy plants. The Australian
wattle was perhaps the most successful. Holes four feet wide and three
deep were prepared, in which it was planted in layers. The hardiness
and rapid growth of these may be seen from the fact, that in twelve
months they reached an average of between six and seven feet in
height. Among the grasses early tried was one kind known by the name
of ‘Para,’ a case of which was sent out by Sir William Hooker, of the
Royal Gardens, Kew, who always took great interest in the cultivation
of Ascension. This grass succeeded admirably, increasing in the most
astounding manner, and growing down all weeds and inferior grasses.
In 1861, Captain Bernard was appointed governor of the island, and by
that time the most thankless part of the task of bringing Ascension
into cultivation had been accomplished. He displayed, however, the full
zeal of his predecessors; and with the able assistance of Mr Bell, the
head-gardener, accomplished wonders in the next few years. A scarcity
of manure was one great drawback. This was supplied by using the guano
which was found in large quantities on Boatswain Bird Island, a small
rock that lies off the west coast of Ascension. This is now largely
supplemented by the manure supplied by the cattle, the island being
able to support a large number without any imported food. The rapidity
with which sheep fatten on the grass is very satisfactory, nearly
doubling their weight in three months after importation.
The island is by no means free from vermin. The horses and cattle
suffer greatly from a fly, in appearance like the house-fly, but
which bites venomously, and causes intense irritation. The ‘black
grub,’ as it is called there, effects great devastation at times among
the plants, and as yet no practical remedy has been found for its
ravages. The next destructive enemy is the field-rat, which attacks
the root-crops, and feeds principally on the sweet-potato. Land-crabs,
too, exist in very large numbers, and add to the destruction. Another
animal, the wild-cat, proves itself an enemy, as it lives on the
rabbits, and is useless as a vermin destroyer. A determined war is
being waged against all these tormentors, a regular system of trapping
having been set on foot. In one year, fifty-three cats, seven thousand
four hundred rats, and eighty-five thousand one hundred and fifty
land-crabs, were destroyed. The thorough cultivation of the ground is
also being furthered by the introduction of rooks, minhas, and other
birds that help the farmer. With all these drawbacks, the island has
been brought step by step from its original barrenness to such a
pleasing condition, that we now have over thirty-one acres under actual
cultivation, producing among other things, sweet and English potatoes,
cabbage, carrots, pumpkins, and turnips; pine-apples, bananas, endive,
French beans, leeks, herbs, seedling date-palm, and coffee; sugar-cane,
guavas, oranges, shaddocks, fig bushes, mulberries, and cuttings of
shrubs. There is good pasturage one thousand acres in extent for
cattle, and five thousand acres for sheep, supporting easily over forty
head of cattle and between seven and eight hundred sheep. Parts of
the island are now well wooded, and about forty acres are laid out in
fruit-trees and shrubbery. Few brighter monuments could be pointed out
of the success sure to attend the enterprise and unyielding zeal of a
nation when well and wisely directed.