There appears to be a fire on the steam powered barque as a longboat pulls away with rescued crew and passengers. Discovered by the Spanish in 1502, the existence of St.Helena was kept secret until 1588 when the English Navigator Thomas Cavendish put into harbor on a voyage around the world. The island soon became a welcome port of call of on the long voyage home from the West Indies, a port where rest, fresh water and food were available. Although claimed by the Dutch, the English seized St. Helena in 1659. Captured by the Dutch in January 1673, an English naval forces retook the island in May of the same year. In 1673 nearly half the island's population were slaves but by 1836 all had been freed. The remoteness of St. Helena made it the ideal place on which to imprison Napoleon who spent the last years of his life there, 1815-1821. The East India Company withdrew and the island became a British Crown Colony in 1834. St. Helena remained an important port of call until the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Jamestown is the capital and the only good shipping harbor on St. Helena. For further details about the history of this famous island see Discovery, History and Decline of St. Helena and Early History of St Helena

<

Resolution is 1596 x 1133, 266 dpi for the digital file available for commercial license. This presentation digital image derived from a fine 19th century print has been slightly enhanced.

Single Use, Single Project License for St. Helena - Jamestown harbor is $USD450.00.

Unlimited Reproduction with Assignment of Copyright License for St. Helena - Jamestown harbor is $USD1600.00.

Each image file will be sent in TIFF format unless another format is requested.