HELENA, or St Helena, an island in the Atlantic Ocean, belonging to the English East India company, and situated in W. Long. 6° 30'. S. Lat. 16°. The greatest length of the island is about eight miles, and its circumference about 20. It hath some high mountains, particularly one called Diana's peak, which is covered with woods to the very top. Other hills there are which bear evident marks of a volcanic origin; and some have huge rocks of lava, and a kind of half-vitrified flags. The country, according to Mr Forster, has a fine appearance; the soil is in many places a rich mould, from six to ten inches deep, and a variety of plants thrive in it luxuriantly. He found many plants here which he had not observed in other parts of the world. Among these were some called by the natives cabbage-trees, gum-trees, and red wood. The former thrive in moist places; but the latter are always. ways found on the ridges of hills, where the soil is dry. The cabbage-tree has rather large leaves; but after many inquiries Mr Forster could not find that it was used for any other purpose than that of fuel, and no reason could be assigned why it had obtained that name. It must not be confounded with the cabbage-tree of America, India, and the South Seas, which is a species of palm.

The island is laid out entirely in gardens and pasturage. Peaches are the only European fruits that thrive here. Cabbages and other greens, which thrive extremely well, are devoured by caterpillars; and every species of corn is destroyed by rats. All the pastures were over-run with surfe; which, though in our country a very useless and even pernicious plant, was of singular advantage to the inhabitants of St Helena. Before the introduction of that plant, the ground was parched by the intense heat, and all kinds of grass and herbage were shrivelled up. But the furze-bushes, which throve as it were in despite of the sun, preserved a degree of moisture in the ground; by which means the grass sprang up vigorously, and the country became covered with a rich and beautiful sod. The surfe is now no longer wanted, and the people affluently root it out for fuel. The number of people on St Helena does not exceed 2000 persons, including 500 soldiers and 600 slaves; and it is said that the number of females born on the island considerably exceeds that of the males. By the arrival of the India ships, which they supply with refreshments, they are in return provided with all sorts of manufactures and other necessaries; and the Company annually order one or two of their ships to touch there in their way to India, in order to send them a sufficient quantity of European goods and provisions. Many of their slaves are employed in catching fish, which are very plentiful; and, by the help of these, together with their poultry, cattle, roots, and salt provisions, they subsist through the year. Their life (says Mr Forster) seems to pass along very happily; free from the multitude of cares which distress their countrymen in England, and blessed with quiet and content.

St Helena was first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, on St Helen's day; whence its name. They stocked it with different kinds of useful animals; but whether they ever settled a colony on it or not, is uncertain. The Portuguese having either abandoned or never taken possession of it, the Dutch became its masters; and kept possession of it till the year 1600, when they were driven out by the English. In 1673, the Dutch took it by surprise; but a short time after it was recovered by the brave captain Munden, who also took three Dutch East Indiamen then lying in the harbour. On this occasion the Hollanders had fortified the landing-place, of which there is only one on the island; and erected batteries of great guns to prevent a descent; but the English having knowledge of a small creek, where only two men abreast could creep up, climbed to the top of the rock in the night; and appearing the next morning behind the batteries, the Dutch were so terrified, that they threw down their arms, and surrendered at discretion. This creek has been since fortified, and a battery of large cannon placed at the entrance of it; so that now the island is rendered perfectly secure against all regular approaches or sudden attacks.