A Voyage to the East Indies: Page 110

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A Voyage to the East Indies: Page 110

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The Affairs of the Island are conducted by a Council compos’d of five viz. the Governor Lt Governor & the three senior civil officers, who meet every Monday. The Governor is Commander in Chief of the Forces which are 500, tho’ upon an alarm every Man is on Duty. The Civil Servants & Planters at that Time form Two parties call’d Scouting Parties station’d upon the Hills to roll down stones upon the invaders Heads, by which Means they would certainly be able to do great Execution. An Alarm House is station’d upon the Weathermost Point of the Island & when a Ship is in sight they communicate to the valley by signals. If four sail are seen a general alarm is beat, and should they be in sight at sunset the Garrison is obliged to remain under arms all Night. This the Dutch, Danes, & Swedes, often oblige them to, as they always make the Island, but seldom come in. St. Helena is by nature, peculiarly defended against an Enemy. The __ Trade Wind blows constantly over it, and St James’s Valley is in the leewardmost part of the Island, where the only Anchoring Ground that is to leeward, runs out scarcely three Quarters of a Mile. If an Enemy lands to windward, there is a Strong Battery to receive them at Sandy Bay, from whence their ships will not be able to get out, but be in Danger of going on shore. If they attempt to attack to leeward, they must [end page 110]
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