He agreed with the saying attributed to the people of St Helena that "We know we live on a rock, but the poor people at Ascension live on a cinder", and noted the care taken to sustain "houses, gardens & fields placed near the summit of the central mountain".
Estaba de acordo co dito atribuído ao pobo de Santa Helena que "Sabemos que vivimos nunha rocha, pero o pobre pobo de Ascension vive sobre cinzas", e anotou o coidado que tiñan para manter as "casas, xardíns e campos situados preto do cumio da montaña central".