TRISTAN DA CUNHA, an island in the s. Atlantic ocean, lies midway between the coast. of South America and the cape of Good. Hope, in 37' 6' s. lat. It is about 20 m. in circumference. In 1816 a company of British artillery was stationed on the island for the purpose of keeping a watch on Napoleon, at that time a prisoner in St. Helena, from which Tristan da Cunha is distant about 1300 miles. On the death of Napoleon in 1821, the-soldiers were withdrawn, with the exception of a corporal named Glass, and one or two companions, who were left in charge of the small fort that had been erected. These men finding the soil very fertile, proceeded to cultivate the island, and their efforts were attended with marked success; insomuch that they were enabled to carry on a brisk trade in the produce with any passing ships that might stand in need of fresh provisions. The colony flourished, and in 1829 numbered 27 souls. When visited by H.M.S. Challenger in Oct.,. 1873, the place was found to be still thriving; the inhabitants num bered 80, and the cattle had increased to 600, with an equal number of sheep. In the vicin
ity of Tristan da Cunha are two other islands—one of them, Inaccessible Island, 20 m. distant, possessing a special interest from the circumstance of its having harbored two Germans of the name of Stoltenhoff, who underwent a kind of Robinson Crusoe expe rience there. They were landed on this desolate island Nov. 27, 1871, when making their way to the larger island of Tristan da Cunha, and determining to settle there, ex perienced many privations,_ being sometimes reduced to great extremities; though, un like Robinson Crusoe, they had more than one opportunity of quitting the island hi the course of their two years' sojourn. They were at length, however, fain to take advan tage of the opportunity afforded them by the Challenger of leaving the island,which they accordingly did on Oct. 16, 1873.