Ascension Island is just a dot on the globe: a tiny chunk of
cinder, 90 kilometers square, almost half way between South
America and Africa. Geologically speaking, the island is fairly
young. It was created just one million years ago from the hot
magma of an underwater volcano along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and
up until 1850, Ascension was a barren wasteland of lava fields.
It is thought that the island was first discovered in 1501 by
the Spanish explorer João da Nova. A dry climate and lack of
fresh water made Ascension inhospitable, but it served as a
stopping point for sailors searching for food in the form of
seabirds and green turtles. The harsh conditions made Ascension
an ideal open prison. In 1725, Dutch officer Leendert Hasenbosch
was exiled on the island as punishment for sodomy. Nearly a year
later, British mariners discovered his tent, diary, and
belongings. Most likely, the man died of thirst. It wasn't until
1815 that the island became permanently inhabited. That year,
the British Royal Navy garr