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ASCENSION , an See also: island in the See also: Atlantic Ocean, between 70 531 and 8° S., and 14° 18' and 14°26' W., Boo m
.
N.W. of St See also: Helena, about 71 M. in length and 6 in breadth, with an See also: area of 38 sq. m. and a circumference of about 22 M
.
The island lies within the immediate influence of the See also: south-See also: east See also: trade-See also: wind
.
The See also: lee
See also: side of the island is subject to the visitation of " rollers," which break on the See also: shore with very See also: great violence
.
Ascension is a volcanic mass erected on a submarine platform
.
Numerous cones exist
.
See also: Green See also: Mountain, the See also: principal See also: elevation, is a huge elliptical See also: crater, rising 2820 ft. above the See also: sea, while the plains or table-lands surrounding it vary in height from 1200 to 2000 ft
.
On the See also: north side they sweep gradually down towards the shore, but on the south they terminate in bold and lofty precipices
.
Steep and rugged ravines intersect the plains, opening into small bays or coves on the shore, fenced with masses of compact and cellular See also: lava; and all over the island are found products of volcanic See also: action
.
Ascension was originally destitute of vegetation save on the See also: summit of Green Mountain, which owes its verdure to the mists which frequently enshroud it, but the See also: lower hills have been planted with See also: grasses and shrubs
.
The air is clear and See also: light, and the See also: climate remarkably healthy, notwithstanding the high temperature—the See also: average See also: day temperature on the shore being 85° F., on Green Mountain 75° F
.
The average rainfall is about 20 in., See also: March and
See also: April being the See also: rainy months
.
Ascension is noted for the number of turtles and turtle eggs found on its shores, the season lasting fromSee also: December to May or See also: June
.
The turtles are caught and kept in large ponds
.
The coasts abound with a variety of See also: fish of excellent quality, of which the most important are the See also: rock-See also: cod, the See also: cavalli, the conger-See also: eel and the " soldier." Numbers of See also: sheep are bred on the island, and there are a few cattle and See also: deer, besides goats and See also: wild See also: cats
.
Feathered See also: game is abundant
.
Like St Helena, the island does not possess any indigenous vertebrate See also: land See also: fauna
.
The "wideawake" birds frequent the island in large numbers, and their eggs are collected and eaten
.
Beetles and land-shells are well represented
.
Flies, ants, mosquitoes, scorpions, centipedes and crickets abound
.
The See also: flora includes See also: purslane, rock See also: roses and several See also: species of ferns and mosses
.
The island was discovered by the Portuguese navigator, Joao da Nova, on Ascension Day 15o1, and was occasionally visited thereafter by See also: ships
.
In 1701 See also: William
See also: Dampier was wrecked on its See also: coast, and during his detention discovered the only spring of fresh See also: water the island contains
.
Ascension remained uninhabited till after the arrival of See also: Napoleon at St Helena (1815), when it w'as taken possession of by the See also: British See also: government, who sent a small garrison thither
.
A See also: settlement, named See also: George See also: Town (locally known as Garrison), was made on the north-west coast, water being obtained from " Dampier's " springs in the Green Mountain, 6 m. distant
.
The island is under the See also: rule of the See also: admiralty, and was likened by Darwin to " a huge See also: ship kept in first-See also: rate See also: order." It is governed by a See also: naval captain See also: borne on the books of the See also: flagship of the See also: admiral See also: superintendent at See also: Gibraltar
.
A depot of stores for the See also: navy is maintained, but the island is used chiefly as a sanatorium
.
Ascension is connected by See also: cable with See also: Europe and See also: Africa, and is visited once a See also: month by See also: mail steamers from the Cape
.
Formerly letters were See also: left by passing ships in a crevice in one of the rocks
.
The population, about 300, consists of See also: seamen, See also: marines, and Krumen from See also: Liberia
.
See Africa See also: Pilot, See also: part ii., 5th ed
.
(See also: London, 1901) ; C
.
Darwin, See also: Geological Observations on the Volcanic Islands visited during the Voyage of H.M.S."Beagle" (London, 1844) ; Report of the Scientific Results of the Voyage of the " Challenger," vol. i. part 2 (London, 1885) ; and Six Months in Ascension, by Mrs Gill (London, 1878), an excellent sketch of the island and its inhabitants
.
It was at Ascension that Mr, afterwards See also: Sir, See also: David Gill determined, in 1877, the solar See also: parallax
.
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