A 58210 1

ARTES
1817
SCIENTIA
VERITAS
LIBRARY
OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
FLUS
ཧཱུྃ པ ཤ101; པཏ,སུ། པུ
TUEBOK
M-AMCENAM
SI QUERIS PENINSULAM:
CIRCUMSPICE
1
1


Drawn ts
יין זו
TRU
THE
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY
AND THEIR
DESCENDANTS IN
PITCAIRN AND NORFOLK ISLANDS.
Diana
BY LADY BELCHER.
!
i
Л
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
1870.
The right of Translation is reserved.
PREFACE.
A PERIOD of thirty-nine years has elapsed since the
appearance of a little volume entitled 'The Mutiny of
the Bounty,' which formed one of the series of the
'Family Library.' The work was favourably received;
bút did not contain all the information which might
have been afforded. It was written by the late Sir
John Barrow, then Secretary at the Admiralty, prin-
cipally from papers which a mutual friend requested
might be placed at his disposal by the late Mrs.
Heywood, widow of Captain Peter Heywood, R.N.,
who had been one of the midshipmen in the 'Bounty.'
An accidental circumstance, and the possession of
a variety of private documents on the subject, have
induced the writer to lay before the public what she
ventures to believe will be found to be a more con-
nected and impartial narrative. Many details have
come to her knowledge from personal sources, and
from family manuscripts to which she has had access,
in consequence of being the step-daughter of Captain
Heywood. Among the documents which she is thus
enabled to publish is the diary of James Morrison,
vi
PREFACE.
one of the petty officers of the 'Bounty,' and some
additional correspondence between Peter Heywood and
his relatives.
The principal materials for the history of the
descendants of the mutineers during the later years
of their residence in Pitcairn Island have been fur-
nished through the kindness of Admiral Sir Fairfax
Moresby, K.C.B. From these, and from letters com-
municated by other friends, the writer is also enabled
to give an account of the position and welfare of
the Pitcairn colony since its removal to Norfolk Island,
and to continue the history down to the present year.
Among the letters will be found several of much
interest from their worthy pastor, the Rev. G. H.
Nobbs, from Captain Wood, R.N., contributed by his
brother, the Rev. J. G. Wood, and a variety of others
hitherto unpublished.
Many acknowledgments are due to friends for the
use of photographs and drawings, and for their
valuable suggestions during the progress of this work.
LONDON,
October 21st, 1870.
CONTENTS.
PART I.
CHAPTER I.
GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCHES IN THE SOUTH SEAS -DISCOVERY OF
ОTAHEITE OBJECT OF THE COMMISSION OF THE 'BOUNTY'
INTRODUCTORY NOTICES OF HER OFFICERS: LIEUTENANT
BLIGH FLETCHER CHRISTIAN GEORGE STEWART PETER
HEYWOOD..
Page 1
CHAPTER II.
DEPARTURE OF THE 'BOUNTY' — VOYAGE-ARRIVAL AT TAHITI,
AND SAILING FROM THENCE TO THE WEST INDIES
13
CHAPTER III,
M
THE MUTINY DISMISSAL OF LIEUTENANT BLIGH FLETCHER
CHRISTIAN IN COMMAND THE BOUNTY' SAILS FOR THE
ISLAND OF TOUBOVAI-DISSENSIONS - RETURN TO TAHITI-
DEPARTURE OF FLETCHER CHRISTIAN WITH EIGHT ENGLISH-
MEN AND SOME TAHITIAN MEN AND WOMEN
32
CHAPTER IV.
LIEUTENANT BLIGH'S BOAT VOYAGE ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND
CORRESPONDENCE
TAHITI
. H.M.S.
..
' PANDORA'
DESPATCHED
ΤΟ
52
viii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
·
PROCEEDINGS OF THE OFFICERS AND CREW WIIO SEPARATED FROM
FLETCHER CHRISTIAN-THE SCHOONER RESOLUTION' BUILT
- ARRIVAL OF THE PANDORA' — SUFFERINGS OF THE PRI-
SONERS SHIPWRECK PRIVATIONS ON THE BOAT VOYAGE
REACH BATAVIA RETURN TO ENGLAND..
CHAPTER VI.
68
CONSEQUENCES OF THE MUTINY
THE COURT-MARTIAL ..
CORRESPONDENCE PREVIOUS TO
100
CHAPTER VII.
COURT-MARTIAL- CORRESPONDENCE OF MEMBERS OF PETER
HEYWOOD'S FAMILY ACQUITTAL OF SOME OF THE CREW
PARDON OF PETER HEYWOOD AND JAMES MORRISON EXECU-
TION OF TWO PRISONERS SUBSEQUENT CAREER OF CAPTAIN
BLIGH AND OTHER OFFICERS OF THE BOUNTY'— DEATH OF
MISS NESSY HEYWOOD
120
PART II.
CHAPTER I.
POSITION OF THE MUTINEERS ARRIVAL AT PITCAIRN ISLAND
- DESTRUCTION OF THE BOUNTY' - DEATH OF FLETCHER
CHRISTIAN, EDWARD YOUNG, AND OTHERS
SMITH (JOHN ADAMS) SOLE SURVIVOR
ALEXANDER
159
CHAPTER II.
DISCOVERY OF THE RETREAT OF THE MUTINEERS
·
VISITS OF
CAPTAIN FOLGER AND OTHERS - ARRIVAL OF JOHN BUFFETT
-JOHN EVANS-G. H. NOBBS-DEATH OF JOHN ADAMS 169
CONTENTS.
ix
CHAPTER III.
GEORGE HUNN NOBBS SUCCEEDS JOHN ADAMS AS PASTOR OF
PITCAIRN ISLAND EMIGRATION ΤΟ ΤΑΠΙΤΙ RETURN
ARRIVAL OF JOSHUA HILL - ARBITRARY
J
J. HILL REMOVED FROM PITCAIRN
PROCEEDINGS
189
CHAPTER IV.
SHIPS OF WAR VISIT PITCAIRN LETTER OF CAPTAIN WOOD, R.N.
ARRIVAL OF BARON THIERRY AND OTHERS - ABORIGINAL
INHABITANTS OF PITCAIRN ISLAND
208
CHAPTER V.
-
ARRIVAL OF REAR-ADMIRAL FAIRFAX MORESBY H.M.S.' PORT-
LAND' AT PITCAIRN ISLAND-MR. NOBBS PROCEEDS TO ENGLAND
- HIS ORDINATION AS CHAPLAIN RETURN TO PITCAIRN
DEATH OF REUBEN NOBBS ..
231
CHAPTER VI.
REMOVAL OF THE PITCAIRN ISLANDERS TO NORFOLK ISLAND
DIRECTIONS OF HIS EXCELLENCY SIR WILLIAM DENISON, K.C.B.,
RESPECTING ALLOTMENTS OF LAND CORRESPONDENCE
VOYAGE — ARRIVAL AT NORFOLK ISLAND — RECEPTION
CAPTAIN DENHAM, H.M.S HERALD '-VISIT OF BISHOP AND
MRS. SELWYN, AND OF THE REV. G. N. PATTESON
CHAPTER VII.
BY
270
CORRESPONDENCE OF REV. G. H. NOBBS WITH ADMIRAL SIR
FAIRFAX MORESBY, K.C.B., RELATIVE TO NORFOLK ISLANDʻ
AND THE WHALE FISHERY - VISIT OF HIS EXCELLENCY SIR
W. DENISON HIS OPINION OF THE PITCAIRN PEOPLE DIREC-
TIONS RELATIVE TO LIVE STOCK, AND THE CULTIVATION OF
LAND LETTER FROM JANE NOBBS - VISIT OF SIR J. YOUNG
BISHOP PATTESON ATTACKED BY THE NATIVES OF SANTA
CRUZ MASSACRE OF FISHER YOUNG AND EDWIN NOBBS 309
پیست
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VIII.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MELANESIAN MISSION COLLEGE ON NOR-
FOLK ISLAND — LETTERS FROM THE BISHOP OF NEW ZEALAND,
SIR W. DENISON, SIR JOHN YOUNG, &c. &c...
CHAPTER IX.
335
PRIVATIONS OF THE PITCAIRN COLONY-REMARKABLE WHALING
ADVENTURE PROGRESS OF THE MELANESIAN MISSION AND
COLLEGE IN NORFOLK ISLAND ACCOUNT OF THE FAMILIES
WHO RETURNED TO PITCAIRN ISLAND, BY CAPTAIN MONTRESOR,
R.N., AND SIR WENTWORTH DILKE..
363
APPENDIX A.
APPENDIX B. ..
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
404
415
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PART I.
Bounty Bay, Pitcairn Island, drawn by Captain Beechey, R.N... Frontispiece.
General Chart (Southern Ocean), Captain Becher, R.N.
Destruction of H.M.S. 'Pandora,'
Daybreak, August 29, 1791.
On a Sandy Islet, Noon, August 29,
1791, drawn by P. Heywood.
To face p. 13
112
""
PART II.
Rev. G. H. Nobbs, photographed by Glen Wilson ..
Maria Christian, Ellen Quintal, and Sarah McCoy, photo-
graphed by Glen Wilson ..
Naomi Nobbs and Jane Nobbs, photographed by Fortescue
Moresby
}
Landing Place (Sydney Bay), Norfolk Island, by Glen Wilson
Pitcairn Settlement (Sydney Bay), Norfolk Island, by
Glen Wilson
•
Interior of Norfolk Island, by Glen Wilson
•
}
189
>>
244
""
B
A
255
287
299
313
THE MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY,'
AND THEIR DESCENDANTS IN PITCAIRN AND
NORFOLK ISLANDS.
PART FIRST.
CHAPTER I.
GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCHES IN THE SOUTH SEAS
DISCOVERY OF
OTAHEITE OBJECT OF THE COMMISSION OF THE 'BOUNTY'
INTRODUCTORY NOTICES OF HER OFFICERS: LIEUTENANT
BLIGH FLETCHER CHRISTIAN · GEORGE STEWART PETER
HEYWOOD.
commerce.
THE termination of a long French war by the Treaty of
Paris in 1763 was hailed with universal satisfaction.
Weary of the toils and burdens of warlike enterprise,
men were anxious to turn their minds to the arts of
peace, and England was foremost among the nations
in a desire to promote the interests of science and
The prosecution of maritime discovery
was especially adapted to the genius of her people,
and the King, George III., who had just succeeded
to the throne, encouraged the equipment of expeditions
which had for their object the advancement of geo-
graphy. He had himself acquired considerable pro-
ficiency in this his favourite study, and possessed a
large and valuable collection of maps and charts-
the best that existed 100 years ago. They would,
however, have formed a singular contrast to those
B
2
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
of the present day; not only were the Polar regions
left in blank space, but also the vast and as yet un-
explored Southern Ocean.
Some progress had nevertheless been made by Fer-
dinand Magelhaens (the Portuguese navigator, com-
monly known as Magellan) who had in 1520 shown the
road into the great Southern Ocean, by the strait which
bears his name. He had also bestowed upon it its
present appellation of the Pacific, not so much from its
general character, as from his own favourable impres-
sions while sailing calmly over it with the wind abaft
the beam. But no further advance was made in this
direction until, in the early part of the 17th century,
Quiros, the Spanish navigator, promulgated the opinion
(which seems to have been generally adopted) that there
must be more land in that ocean than appeared marked
upon the charts. A desire of proving the truth of such
surmises, and the hope of making some valuable com-
mercial discovery, led to a series of expeditions being
sent out from Europe, in which England, under the
auspices of the then young monarch, took a promi-
nent part.
The first of these was commanded by Commodore
Byron, who circumnavigated the globe. Then Wallis,
seconded by Carteret, left England in the summer of
1762, and touching at various points on the South
American coast, cleared the Strait of Magellan in April
of the following year, but was then separated from his
companion Carteret. Pursuing his course in a north-
westerly direction, he discovered several small islands;
assigned names to them; and unexpectedly arrived at
СНАР. І.
3
INTRODUCTORY NOTICES.
Otaheite, unknown until that period, but which was
destined to form an important scene in the history
about to be narrated. Some little delay, arising mostly
from foggy weather, prevented Wallis from finding an
anchorage at this island until the day after his arrival,
when our navigator was surprised at the number and
large size of the canoes by which his ship, the 'Dolphin'
was surrounded. Her arrival at Otaheite occasioned
much astonishment among the islanders, from the
simple circumstance that she was the realisation of the
prophecy of one of their sages. This person had fore-
told that in some future age
66 a canoe without out-
riggers would come to their shores." These appendages,
it is well known, are essential to keeping the canoes
upright when pressed over by the sail. Here, then,
was a fulfilment of this prophecy before them;
still it was not until after the hostility of these
natives had been checked by the ship's artillery that
overtures of peace were exchanged, and traffic was
happily established between them and the Dolphin.'
Matters being arranged, Captain Wallis then landed,
and with great state and ceremony took possession of
the island for his sovereign, changing its name to
'King George's Island," while for "Maatavaye Bay,"
in which the ship was lying, he substituted "Port
Royal." These names, however, were soon to be re-
placed by those originally given by the natives. After
discovering some few other small islands, the 'Dolphin,'
with Captain Wallis, returned to the Downs in May,
1768.
(
Meanwhile, Captain Carteret, in the 'Swallow,' which
B 2
1
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
had been separated from the 'Dolphin' by stress of
weather at the western entrance of Magellan Strait, had
pursued his course to the northward. The 'Swallow'
thus discovered the little island of Mas-a-fuera, where
she obtained water. From thence Captain Cartaret
looked unsuccessfully for Easter Island, far away in
the west, but soon afterwards unexpectedly observed
what appeared to him as a great rock rising out of the
sea. To this rock he gave the name of Pitcairn, little
dreaming how interesting it was to become in subse-
quent maritime history. We need not follow Cartaret.
further, observing only that he arrived at Spithead in
March, 1769.
Captain Cook, on his three voyages of discovery,
visited Otaheite¹ on four different occasions, and he
confirmed, on his return to England, all that Wallis
had stated concerning the beauty and fertility of the
island, as also the gentle and amiable character of
its inhabitants. The bread-fruit tree had also espe-
cially attracted his attention as a staple article of food,
inasmuch as it was very productive and continued in
bearing for eight months in the year.
Little notice was then taken of his observations on
the subject of the bread-fruit, but seventeen years
afterwards, the idea occurred to some of our West
1 It may here be observed that the name he gave it origi-
nated in a misconception, for it has been shown that the letter
"O" in the native dialect is equivalent to the English word "Of.”
Thus, when any of the islanders was asked to what place he bc-
longed, he would reply, "O'Tahiti," i. e. "Of Tahiti." This was
explained in the vocabularly of the Tahitian language written by
Peter Heywood, and presented by him to the Missionary Society
in 1792.
CHAF. I.
5
LIEUTENANT BLIGH.
Indian merchants that it might prove a valuable ad-
dition to the food of the negroes on their plantations.'
The desirability of attempting to introduce these trees
into the West Indies was suggested to the Government,
and the enterprise received from the King the patronage
and encouragement it deserved.
Instructions were accordingly issued to Mr. (after
wards Sir Joseph) Banks,2-who, having sailed with
Captain Cook on his first voyage, knew Tahiti,—to pur-
chase a small vessel adapted for the purpose. He
selected one of 215 tons burden, and appropriately
named her The Bounty.' Her complement of officers
and men consisted of forty-five persons.
Lieutenant William Bligh, R.N., who was appointed
to the command of this expedition, belonged to a
Cornish family resident at Tinten (a duchy estate in
the parish of St. Tudy, near Bodmin), and was born in
1753. He married the daughter of William Betham,
Esq., first collector of customs in the Isle of Man,
after the Duke of Athole had sold his manorial rights
4
1 The bread-fruit tree is a native of the tropics, and although we
have a few specimens of it, it is with difficulty kept alive by artifi-
cial heat in England. The tree grows to the height of 30 or 40 ft.,
and its leaves are so large that the natives of the Molucca Islands
use them as table-cloths. The fruit is of the size of a small melon,
and constantly in season. Its flavour is said to be like that of the
potato, but Captain Cook said it was "insipid, with a slight sweet-
ness, something resembling crumb of bread mixed with Jerusalem
artichoke." The tree is valuable for many other purposes, and good
cloth is manufactured from the inner bark. For further informa-
tion, see Sir W. Hooker's account, Botanical Magazine,' with
three plates, vol. lv. pp. 2869-70-71.
2 The well-known President of the Royal Society, and a munifi-
cent patron of men of learning and science.
6
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY,'
to the British Government. Possessing considerable
nautical ability, Lieutenant Bligh served for four years
with Captain Cook, as sailing master of the 'Resolution,'
and in that capacity visited Tahiti and the adjacent
islands. The knowledge he had thus acquired led to
his being recommended by Sir Joseph Banks to the
command of the 'Bounty,' and his wife's connection
with the Isle of Man, probably influenced him in
the selection of Fletcher Christian as mate, and Peter
Heywood as midshipman of that vessel; Christian he
had previously known as a good navigator and active
officer. There were four other midshipmen appointed,
Edward Young, nephew of Sir George Young, Bart.,
George Stewart, Thomas Heyward, and John Hallett.
Fletcher Christian, mate of the 'Bounty,' was born
in 1763, and was fourth son of Charles Christian, Esq.,
of Mairlandclere, in Cumberland.¹ His family were
the descendants of a William McChristian, who in
1422 was enrolled as a member of the Manx Parliament
(or House of Keys), and several relatives of that name
have since held the same honourable appointment, as
well as that of Deemster, or Chief Justice. On his
appointment to the 'Bounty' he was not more than
twenty-four years of age, and he had twice sailed with
Lieutenant Bligh. His brother Edward became pro-
fessor of law at Cambridge, Chief Justice of Ely, and
well known as the editor of Blackstone's Commen-
taries.' The family was nearly connected with the
Christian Curwens of Cumberland, and one of them
¹ Some part of the family subsequently removed to Douglas, Isle
of Man.
CHAP. I. FLETCHER CHRISTIAN-GEORGE STEWART. 7
was for many years member of Parliament for the
county.
The parents of George Stewart (another of the
midshipmen) were descended from two different
branches of the family of that name. His father's
family dates back to 1400, and his mother's ancestors
claimed their descent from the half-brother of Queen
Mary Stuart, to whom she gave possession of the Orkney
and Shetland Islands, and whose successors were created
earls by James VI. of Scotland. The following extract
is from an interesting letter, dated 1st April, 1869,
addressed to the authoress of this volume by Mrs.
Barry, the aged sister of George Stewart, then in her
ninety-second year. She was the widow of a clergyman,
and resided in Edinburgh.'
દ
My father, living on his property in the Island of
Ronaldsay, Orkneys (where he was born, and where he
was married), finding that his family could not enjoy
the benefit of being sent to school, moved thence to
the town of Stromness, where he built a house. The
port was much frequented by shipping, having a very
commodious harbour, where homeward and outward
1 She died since, on the 20th May, 1870, aged 92, and was one
of the last contemporaries of the history of the Bounty.' The
following notice appeared in the United Service Gazette,' June
18th, 1870-
"There died recently in Edinburgh, at a very advanced age,
Mrs. Barry, widow of the late Rev. J. Barry, formerly minister of
Shapinshay, Orkney. This venerable lady was the sister of Mid-
shipman Stewart, of the 'Bounty,' who perished eighty years ago
in the Pandora,' when she was wrecked off the north-east coast of
New Holland, on her way to England. To those who have read
The Island' of Lord Byron, the character of the bold and daring
young Arcadian (Midshipman Stewart) will be familiar.”
8
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
6
bound vessels frequently ran in for shelter. Captain
Cook, who was on a voyage of discovery, put into
that harbour. My father became acquainted with him
and some of his officers; among others with Bligh, who
consequently knew my eldest brother. Bligh may
possibly have understood that George was inclined to
go to sea, and may have said that if he could be
of any use in furthering his views he would do so;
but whether or not the Bounty' was the first ship
George sailed in I do not know, but, poor fellow,
it was his last.' His two brothers, who were
fine handsome youths, went to the West Indies,
where they managed estates, and after being several
years there one died of fever. The youngest came
home for a few months, but returned to lay his bones.
in Trinidad, where he had had the management of
the estates of Lord Cochrane. My father did not
live to see any of them again; he died in 1790.
My mother only saw her youngest son before she
died."
Peter Heywood, the youngest midshipman in the
'Bounty,' belonged to one of those families whose an-
cestors came to England in the retinues of the great
1 Mrs. Barry, being the youngest child of a numerous family, had
little recollection of her eldest brother, George Stewart, who went
to sea at sixteen years of age, and joined the 'Bounty' when twenty-
one. In his narrative, Lieutenant Bligh speaks of Stewart as
follows:-" Stewart was a young man of creditable parents in the
Orkneys, at which place, on the return of the 'Resolution' from
the South Seas in 1780, we received so many civilities, that on that
account only I would gladly have taken him with me, but inde-
pendent of this recommendation, he was a seaman, and had always
borne a good character."
CHAP. I.
9
PETER HEYWOOD.
Norman barons. Piers Eywode, or Aiwode, obtained a
grant of land in Lancashire, near the present town of
Heywood. This grant was made by Adelm Fitzadelm,
son-in-law of the Conqueror, and the Eywodes appear
to have remained in uninterrupted succession on this
estate until the sixteenth century. A branch of the
family then followed the Earl of Derby to the Isle of
Man, where an Eywode became governor of the island,
and several of his descendants held important offices.
They came into possession of the Nunnery Estate
through their connection with the old family of the
Caldecotes. A Captain Caldecote married Margaret
Goodman, last prioress of the nunnery near Douglas,
who considered herself released from her vows by the
dissolution of religious houses at the Reformation.
She obtained a grant of the convent and estate of the
nunnery, and the last descendant of that union being a
female and the heiress, married Hugh Connell, Attorney-
General, whose only daughter married the great-grand-
father of the subject of this notice, and the nunnery
thus passed into the Heywood family.
Notwithstanding a connection with the famous regi-
cide, Colonel Fleetwood, the politics of the Heywoods
seem to have been strictly loyal, and a brother of
Mr. Heywood of Heywood Hall, took an active part in
the arrest of Guy Fawkes, and secured the conspirator's
lantern. He presented it as a trophy to the Bodleian
Library, at Oxford, where it is still to be seen, with a
Latin inscription recording the event. The fate of
this relative is described in an epitaph on a monu-
ment in the church of St. Anne and St. Agnes,
10
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
in Aldersgate Street, beneath which are deposited
the remains of a descendant, and probably his own :-
“EPITAPH.¹
"Peter Heiwood, that deceased Nov. 22, 1701,
youngest son of Peter Heiwood, one of the chancellors.
of Jamaica, by Grace, daughter of John Muddeford,
Kt. and Bart., great-grandson of Peter Heiwood, County
Palatine of Lancashire, who apprehended Guy Fawkes,
with his dark lantern, and for his zealous prosecution
of the papists, as Justice of the Peace, was stabbed in
Westminster Hall, by John James, a Dominican friar,
Anno Dom. 1640.
ઃઃ
Reader, if not a papist bred,
Upon these ashes lightly tread."
Peter John Heywood, a Deemster of the Isle of Man,
married Elizabeth, only child by a first marriage of
Mr. Spedding, of Summer Grove, near Whitehaven,
Cumberland, and among the younger children of her
numerous family was Peter, born at the Nunnery, June
6th, 1773. As the boy grew up his intelligence and
gentle disposition made him the idol of all the members
of his family, especially of his sister Nessy, who was six
years his senior, and became his early favourite and
preceptress. He passed his first and happiest years at
the Nunnery and at Douglas, and there first imbibed
his predilection for maritime pursuits and studies. In
his eleventh year Peter was sent to school at Nant-
wich, in Cheshire, and always spoke gratefully of
the instruction he received from the Rev. Mr. Hunter,
1 Houghton's 'London,' vol. iii. p. 93.
CHAP. I.
11
PETER HEYWOOD.
to whose care he was confided. When sufficiently
advanced he was removed to St. Bees, where his
career of study was very brief, in consequence of
what was considered a favourable opportunity occur-
ring to gratify the boy's ardent aspiration for the
naval service. Lieutenant Bligh when in the Isle of
Man visited at the Nunnery, and on being appointed
to the command of the Bounty' wrote to Deemster
Heywood, offering to take his son. The appointment
was secured at the Admiralty through the influence
of a relative, Mr. Heywood, of Maristow, in Devon-
shire.
In the summer of the year 1787, just as he had
completed his fourteenth year, Peter Heywood left the
Isle of Man to join Lieutenant Bligh at Deptford. To
his mother and sisters a voyage to the South Seas
appeared most formidable; but the prospect of placing
him under the care of a friend softened the pain of
parting, as a proposal had been accepted to the effect
that he should reside with Lieutenant and Mrs. Bligh
until the ‘Bounty' sailed. His mother's last adieux
and blessings were accompanied by the gift of a Bible
and Prayer-Book; the latter being the only solace
destined to remain in his possession during many
months of trial and adversity. Peter's father accom-
panied him from Douglas to Liverpool, where an
arrangement was made that he should travel post
with two friends of Mr. Heywood, who were going
up to London; and as an illustration of the dangers
the road eighty-three years since, it may be observed,
that these gentlemen were provided each with a pair
12
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
of pistols duly primed and placed in the pocket of
the chaise. The father and son then took what was
to be a final leave of one another, as Mr. Heywood
died before any intelligence of the 'Bounty' reached
England. His parting gift was his own watch, con-
taining a portrait-in enamel set with brilliants-of
Peter's mother, which (as Captain Heywood used in
after years to say) was taken from him on his arrival
at Deptford by "a very gentlemanly young man."

10°
+30°
20
པོ
1-10
160°
GENERAL CHART
180
360°
Low Islands
Torres Str.
Parutora list
Solomon Islands
New Hebrides
New
Caledonia
Navigator Is
Friendly Islands
Ferjee Is
Tonya I.
Taliti
Society Islands
Tubuai
307
AUSTRALIA
140° East
NORFOLK ISLAND
Two Miles
IM Pitt
20397
Casca
Longridge
160
PªRoss
Sydney B
to Phillip I
274 miles
Nepean I.
54 Capt "B shor: k¥
. Norfolk I.
180°
KINGSTON (Norfolk I.)
Half a Mile
3000 f.
Boat H
Stair
C
Coral Reer
ལ་་
تیاریه اما به بهانه ای
Sydney Bay
140″ West
Pitcaim⚫
160
140
PITCAIRN ISLAND
Two Miles
Bounty B.
Adams R
360 ft.
Young Rh
to Potts Farm
Christian Pt
9.
Maupas
Rtcain I bearing NNW4W Yag""'½ miles
CHAP. II.
13
PREPARATIONS FOR THE VOYAGE.
CHAPTER II.
-
DEPARTURE OF THE 'BOUNTY' VOYAGE ARRIVAL AT TAHITI,
AND SAILING FROM THENCE TO THE WEST INDIES.
THE 'Bounty' was commissioned and fitted out at
Deptford. She was ship-rigged, and in these days
would have appeared a quaint, unwieldy vessel, having
been built for the merchant service, in which, capacity
for stowage is generally considered of more importance
than sailing qualities. Her size, 215 tons, was by no
means large for so distant a voyage, and as her internal
fittings were prepared for the reception of young bread-
fruit trees, there remained but indifferent accommo-
dation for the officers and crew. This was, however,
a minor consideration to young and buoyant spirits,
full of ardour for the expedition, and eager to visit
the beautiful islands recently discovered by Wallis,
and enthusiastically described by Cook.
But high-wrought expectations are seldom realized.
Even before the 'Bounty' was ready for sea, symptoms.
of discontent began to manifest themselves among the
crew. Lieutenant Bligh was charged with the duties of
purser, as well as those of Commander of the ship; an
arrangement which, although the rule of the Naval
Service at that time, was attended with many disad-
1 The Society Islands were first discovered by Captain Wallis, in
1767.
14
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
vantages. Such a combination was especially unfor-
tunate in the case of Lieutenant Bligh, who, besides
being of an irritable and passionate disposition, was of
a most suspicious turn of mind. The language he in-
dulged in, both to officers and men, was so harsh and
offensive as to be exceptional, even at a period when it
was deemed that discipline could not be maintained
without the use of opprobrious and profane epithets.
During the fitting out, he often accused the men
of purloining the ship's stores, thus occasioning re-
sentful feelings in the minds of many, and rendering
himself generally unpopular.
On a dull, cold morning, (the 9th of October, 1787,)
the fitting out of the 'Bounty' was completed, and,
leaving the Dock at Deptford, she dropped down our
great water highway to Long Reach. She departed,
as thousands of ships had before, and thousands have
since, accompanied by the hearty English cheer of
God speed," which gladdens the heart of the mariner ;
and followed, no doubt, by many a prayer for the safety
and success of the outward bound. Who, among the
assembled spectators, could have dreamed of the strange
fate which awaited her, or of the perils and singular
adventures even of those of her officers and crew who
were destined to return to the shores of England!
At Long Reach, the vessel remained a few days, and
then left for Spithead, where she anchored on the 4th
November. Before proceeding further, it may be well.
to mention that among the papers relative to the
'Bounty' which are in the possession of the authoress
of this little volume, there is a journal kept by James
CHAP. II.
15
ARRIVAL AT TENERIFFE.
C
Morrison, one of the petty officers of the Bounty.'
It appears from this diary that Morrison possessed
literary attainments far beyond the generality of sea-
men of his time. As being the production of an eye-
witness on board the vessel, and giving a fair general
view of the proceedings, with some important remarks
touching the relative positions of her officers and men,
it is here adopted in the absence of all other informa-
tion concerning her outward voyage to Tahiti. James
Morrison thus commences his diary:
"1787. After several ineffectual attempts to put to
sea, in one of which some of our sails were carried
away, we sailed on the 23rd December, with a strong
easterly gale, which by the 27th soon increased to a
heavy one, in which we sustained some damage; the
vessel also shipped a sea which injured the boat, and
tore all the planks from the large cutter's stern.
Another sea stove in a part of the 'Bounty's' stern
between the dead-lights, but did little other damage,
except breaking an azimuth compass, and wetting a
few bags of bread in the cabin. The breach in the
stern was soon secured, and the ship hove to the wind,
as it had become dangerous to scud.
"When the weather moderated, we made sail. The
carpenter repaired the boat and other damages. We met
with no other accident, or anything material, till the 5th
January, 1788, when we made the Island of Teneriffe,
and anchored in the roads of Santa Cruz on the 6th.
Here we completed our water, and took on board
some wine for the ship's use, and several casks for gen-
tlemen in England and the West Indies, four quarters
16
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
of miserable beef, a few pumpkins, and a goat and kid
(which died soon after); these being all the supplies
we received. As to the beef, it was for the most part
thrown overboard by the men, who had not yet suffi-
cient appetite to eat what they supposed to be the
flesh of a donkey or mule.'
C
"On the 14th of January we left Santa Cruz, and stood
to the S.W. with a fine breeze and pleasant weather.
The ship's company were now distributed in three
watches, and Mr. F. Christian appointed to act as lieu-
tenant, by order of Lieutenant Bligh, which order was
read to the ship's company. Mr. Bligh then informed
them, that, as the length of the voyage was uncertain,
and, as it was doubtful whether we should be able to
get round Cape Horn (the season being so far advanced),
it became necessary to be careful of the provisions
(particularly bread), that they might hold out. He
therefore ordered the allowance of bread to be reduced
to two-thirds, which was cheerfully received, and the
stock of bread being thus reserved, grog was served
out instead.
"The weather still continuing fine, a few days after-
wards the cheeses were brought up to air, when, on
opening the casks, two were missed by Mr. Bligh,
who declared that they had been stolen. The cooper
stated that the cask had been opened while the ship
was in the river, and the cheeses ordered to be taken
on shore. Mr. Bligh, without making any further
inquiry into the matter, ordered the allowance of
cheese to be stopped from officers and men till the
deficiency should be made good, and told the cooper
CHAP. II.
17
PUMPKINS IN PLACE OF BREAD.
he would give him a good flogging if he said any
more about it. These orders were strictly obeyed by
Mr. Samuel, who was both clerk and steward, and on
the next banyan' day butter only was issued. This the
seamen refused, alleging that their acceptance of the
butter without cheese would be tacitly acknowledging
the supposed theft; and John Williams declared that
he had carried the cheeses to Mr. Bligh's house, with
a cask of vinegar, and some other things which went
up in the boat from Long Reach.
As the ship approached the equator, the pumpkins
began to spoil, and, being generally too large for the
cabin use, they were issued to the ship's company in
lieu of bread. The crew, being desirous of knowing at
what rate the exchange was to be, inquired of Mr.
Samuel the steward, who informed them that they were
to have one pound of pumpkins instead of two pounds
of bread. This was refused by the men, and, on Mr.
Bligh being informed of it, he came on deck in a vio-
lent passion, and called all hands, telling Mr. Samuel to
summon the first man of every mess, and let him see who
would dare to refuse it, or anything else that he should
order to be served; adding 'I'll make you eat grass, or
anything you can catch, before I have done with you.'
The order being thus enforced, every one took the
pumpkins, officers not excepted; yet, having a good
private stock of potatoes laid in at Spithead, they did
not immediately feel the effects of such a reduction of
their bread. As the pumpkins were always served at
one pound per man, it was frequently thrown together
1 An Indian term for a fast-day.
C
18
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
by the seamen, and the cooks of the different messes
drew lots for the whole. The pumpkins were issued
every other day, till expended. In all probability the
grievance would have ended there, but private stock
began to decrease also, and the beef and pork to appear
very light; and as these had never yet been weighed
when opened, it was supposed that the casks were
short of their weight; for which reason, the people
applied to the master, and begged that he would examine
into the affair and procure them redress.
"The master making this complaint known to Mr.
Bligh, he ordered all hands aft, and informed them
that everything relative to the provisions was trans-
acted by his orders. It was, therefore, needless for
them to make any complaint; they would obtain no
redress, as he was the fittest judge of what was
right or wrong. He added that he would flog the
first man severely who should dare to make any com-
plaint in future, and dismissed them with severe
threats.
"The seamen, seeing that no redress could be had
before the end of the voyage, determined to bear it
with patience, and neither murmured nor complained
afterwards. However, the officers were not so easily
satisfied; they frequently murmured among themselves
about the smallness of their allowance, and could not
be reconciled to such unfair proceedings. But they
made no open complaint, perceiving that the men were
silent on the subject. Whenever a cask was broached,
they saw with regret all the prime pieces taken out for
the cabin table, while they were forced to take their
CHAP. II.
19
RESTRICTED ALLOWANCES.
chance of what remained in common with the men;
without the satisfaction of knowing whether they had
their weight or not, being obliged to take it as marked.
This circumstance, while it increased their distress, and
excited angry feelings towards the author of it in
private, helped to reconcile the men, as they saw that
all shared alike. Nor were they, as the sea-phrase
expresses it, able or calculated to 'stand the wrangle
in the gale,' about their peas and oatmeal, which were
served to them in very sparing quantities-so sparing,
that there was never any of either left for the pigs,
which must have been starved, but for bread, and
Indian corn purchased for the poultry.
"The usual allowance of peas was seven quarts for
the whole complement, of which none failed to partake;
and of oatmeal, nine quarts each banyan day. With
the peas were frequently boiled four cakes of portable
beef broth; and some sour krout (salted cabbage).
The butter and cheese being expended, oil and sugar
were served instead, in the proportion of half a gill of
oil and one ounce of sugar per man each banyan day.
"Near the line we had heavy rain, and filled several
casks of water, both for ourselves and stock; and car-
ried a fair wind and fair weather (except at intervals)
with us till we made Terra del Fuego on the 23rd of
March. The weather being fine, we were all in high
spirits, and hoped soon to get round the Cape.
"1788. March 23rd.-One of the sheep dying this
morning, Lieutenant Bligh ordered it to be issued in
lieu of the day's allowance of pork and peas, declaring
that it would make a delicious meal, and that it weighed
c 2
20
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
upwards of fifty pounds. It was divided, but most, part
of it thrown overboard, and some dried shark supplied
its place for a Sunday's dinner, for it was nothing but
skin and bone.
66
The day continued fine, and we stood along the
land, crossing the Strait of Le Maire. As soon as we
were clear of Staten Land, it set in bad weather. We
got the top-gallant masts down, and made everything
ready for it. The appearance of the country is rugged
and barren. We saw here vast numbers of seals, pen-
guins, shags, and white and black albatrosses—some
of the white we caught, which made an excellent meal.
Some of them measured upwards of eight feet from tip
to tip of their wings. The black ones we called padres,
but never caught any of them. We tried for fish, but
without success.
"The weather becoming very sharp as we stood to
the southward, the people requested that they might
have their rum without water. This was readily agreed
to, as the water was saved by it, and the allowance of
water was now reduced to three pints per day. This
allowance, in such weather as we had, was more than
sufficient, for we had no method of using it otherwise
than as drink, and this indulgence was not lost on the
seamen, whose spirits seemed to have an additional
flow from it. They thought nothing of hardship, and
notwithstanding fatigue and increasing bad weather,
they carried on the duty with alacrity and cheerfulness,
anticipating the pleasure and profit they hoped to reap
by the success of the voyage.
"Wheat and barley were now boiled every morning
CHAP. II.
21
DISSENSIONS IN THE GALLEY.
for breakfast instead of burgoo, but the quantity was
so small that it was no uncommon thing for four
men in a mess to draw lots for the breakfast, and to
divide their bread by the well-known method of Who
shall have this?'
6
"The quantity of wheat boiled was one gallon for 44
men, of which they all partook, and of barley two
pounds for the like number. The division of this
scanty allowance caused frequent broils in the galley,
and in the present bad weather they were sometimes
attended with serious consequences. In one of these
disputes the cook, Thomas Hall, got two of his ribs
broken; and at another time Charles Churchill's hand
was scalded; and it became at last necessary to have
the master's mate of the watch to superintend the
division of the food. The weather continued to grow
worse daily; hail, rain, sleet, and snow, or rather
large flakes of half-formed ice,-alternately following
each other in heavy squalls, which often reduced us to
bare poles and battened hatches, as the sea made fair
breaches over us. The surgeon and three men were
very much injured by being thrown into the cockpit, as
the vessel rolled so terribly. Yet, notwithstanding the
severity and inclemency of the season, the continued
gales and repeated squalls, such was the alacrity and
carefulness of officers and men that we never lost a spar
or a yard of canvas, though frequently forced to take
the sails in after loosing them, before the tacks could be
hauled on board or the sheets aft.
"Sweetwort was now made from malt, and a pint a
man served hot every day, which was very acceptable
22
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
But the
and nourishing in our present condition.
intense cold, and being continually wet, the hard duty
and continual fatigue, the rigorous season, together
with the uncomfortable condition of the men between
decks (always filled with smoke), and the hatches bat-
tened down, soon began to attack our constitutions
and several fell sick. The straining of the ship (though
perfectly sound), and the hammocks being always wet,
made it very uncomfortable not only for the sick but
also for those in health.
"As the people began to fall sick the duty became
heavier on those who were well, but was still carried on
with alacrity and spirit; and the behaviour of the sea-
men in this trying situation was such as merited the
entire approbation of the officers, and Mr. Bligh's public
thanks.
"After å fatiguing and ineffectual trial, it was found
that the passage round Cape Horn was not practicable
at this season of the year. Though we had reached the
62nd degree of S. latitude and 79th of W. longitude,
yet we found that we lost ground, although the ship
was an excellent sea-boat.
"On the 18th of April Mr. Bligh ordered the hands
aft, and after returning them his thanks for their
unremitting attention to their duty, informed them of
his intention to bear away for the Cape of Good Hope,
as it appeared to him an impossibility to get round
Cape Horn. This was received with great joy, and the
ship was instantly put before the wind.
"In the evening the wind veered to the north-west,
which induced Lieutenant Bligh to haul up on the
CHAP. II.
23
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
starboard tack and try again to get round Cape Horn,
although we had run nearly 120 miles to the eastward.
But these flattering appearances soon vanished, for the
wind shifted again to the west and blew with redoubled
fury, and we again bore away on the 22nd for the Cape
of Good Hope.
“After we bore away, the hatches were opened, which
till now had almost constantly been battened down.
By airing and drying the ship between decks the sick
recovered fast, and the more so as we got into a more
temperate climate. We could not find the Isles of
Tristan d'Acunha according to their situation on the
chart, though we hove-to part of a night for that pur-
pose.
66
May.-We made the Cape on the 23rd of May, and
anchored in Table Bay on the 25th. Here we found
several Dutch and French ships, and soon after the
Hon. East India Company's ship 'Dublin' arrived and
watered here.
"Fresh provisions were now procured, with soft bread
and wine for present use.
"The seine was hauled with various success, and we
caught several fine fish with hook and line, called
Romans and Hottentots, and a few seals on Seal Island,
where these animals resort in great numbers and bask
in the sun.
As the island is an entire rock it affords
shelter for no animals but the seals and sea-fowl, with
which it abounds.
"While we remained in Simon's Bay the ship was
refitted, the rigging overhauled, and the sails repaired.
The armourer set to work to make new hinges for the
21
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
I
1
The
weather-boards, which had been washed away.
carpenter and his mates, with two Dutch caulkers,
caulked the sides. We painted the ship and refitted
the weather-boards.
CC
Everything being completed as regarded supplies
and all damages repaired by the 1st July, we sailed,
and stood to the eastward with a fine breeze. As we
edged to the southward the wind increased to a fresh
gale, which continued with little alteration. We passed
close by St. Paul, a high and barren island, with but
very few trees and shrubs; but this was the middle of
winter, and a heavy gale coming on prevented any
further examination. We arrived at Adventure Bay,
in New Holland, without any material accident, on the
2nd or 3rd of September, where we wooded and watered,
and sailed about the middle of the same month for
Tahiti.
"While we were at Adventure Bay bread was served
out at full allowance, and water-gruel boiled for break-
fast; but, as we put to sea, we returned to the former
short allowance, and here also were sown the seeds of
eternal discord between Lieutenant Bligh and some
of his officers, whom he accused of inattention to their
duties, which was a cause of great annoyance.
He
also put the carpenter in confinement.
"Soon after we sailed a group of small islands to the
eastward of New Zealand were discovered, which were
called the Bounty Islands.
"October. Some symptoms of scurvy made their
appearance, and weakness and debility began to be
observed throughout the ship's company; but essence.
CHAP. II.
25
ARRIVAL AT TAHITI.
of malt was given to those who appeared worst, salt
provisions were stopped, and flour substituted.
CC
During the passage Mr. Bligh and his messmates,
the master and the surgeon, fell out and separated, each
taking his part of the stock and retiring to live in his
own cabin. Afterwards they had several disputes, and
seldom spoke to each other except on duty, and even
then with much apparent reserve. Previous to making
Tahiti, a dispute happened between Mr. Bligh and Mr.
Fryer, the master, relative to signing some books, which
the master had refused to sign for reasons best known
to himself. Upon this, all hands were called on deck,
the Articles of War read and some part of the printed
instructions, after which the books and papers were
produced, with a pen and ink, and Mr. Bligh said,
'Now, sir, sign these books.' The master took the pen
saying, 'I sign in obedience to your orders, but this
may be cancelled hereafter.' The books were signed,
and the people dismissed to their duties.
"On the 21st October we made the Island of Maytea
(or Osnaburgh Island), and stood close in with it, when
several of the natives came down on the rocks waving
large pieces of white cloth, but none attempted to come
off. In the afternoon we bore away for Tahiti; made
it about 5 P.M.; bearing N.W., at 8 o'clock hove-to;
and at 4 in the morning of the 25th October, 1788,
made sail and anchored at 10 A.M. in Port Royal (or
Maatavaye) Bay.
"As soon as the ship was anchored, a tent pitched
on shore, and the necessary arrangements made for
supplies of provisions, the natives brought off plenty
26
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
of cocoa-nuts, the milk of which contributed to the
recovery of the sick. Ample supplies of fresh provisions
and vegetables strengthened the whole of the ship's
company, who had suffered much from the hardships
of the voyage.
At the beginning of November the
botanist and his assistant went on shore to reside,
and to commence collecting and potting young bread-
fruit trees. During this period the crew were busily
employed curing and salting provisions for the voyage
to the West Indies.
"For a time provisions were plentiful, but, as the
supplies fell off, Lieutenant Bligh seized everything
that came on board, taking all for his own property,
and serving them to the men as the ship's allowance
at the rate of one pound per man per day. He also
seized the pigs belonging to the master, although he
had more than forty of his own on board. When the
master spoke to him, telling him the pigs were his
property, Lieutenant Bligh answered that everything
was his as soon as it came on board; that he would
take nine-tenths of any man's property, and let them
beware of saying anything to the contrary. The
natives, observing that the Commander seized every-
thing as it came on board, began to fear that he
might take the provisions from the crew without pay-
ment. They took every opportunity, therefore, when he
was on shore, of bringing off supplies to their friends on
board. Lieutenant Bligh observing these proceedings,
ordered a book to be kept in the binacle, in which the
mate of the watch was to insert the number of all
articles of provision that came on board; also the
CHAP. II.
27
DESERTION AND PUNISIIMENT.
weight. His vigilance, however, was evaded by the
natives, who resorted to all sorts of artifices so success-
fully that the sailors had ample supplies.
"The cabin was now fitted to receive the young
plants, which were being rapidly collected and all in a
very healthy state, when an incident occurred which
might have cost Lieutenant Bligh his life. Three
of the sailors went on shore in the cutter without
leave, and unobserved by Mr. Thomas Hayward, the
mate of the morning watch, who was supposed to
be asleep. Three weeks elapsed before the men
were discovered and brought back to the ship, and
certainly they merited punishment. They were put in
irons for a month, and then were punished; Churchill
receiving two dozen lashes, the others four dozen each.
Mr. Thomas Hayward, who had also been in irons for
a month, was not flogged as Bligh had intended, but,
deservedly, severely reprimanded, and then returned to
duty.
"A short time after, two strands of the small bower
cable were observed to have been cut at the water's
edge; which, as the cable hung under the bottom, was
not observed till a squall from the westward brought it
to bear ahead, when we hove it in and spliced it before
the wind became sufficiently strong to part it. As the
buoy had also been cut away and sunk, it was supposed
the natives were the authors of the mischief, in order
that they might be paid for diving after it. For the
time being the secret was kept strictly, but afterwards
one of the chiefs, the friend of Mr. Thomas Hayward,
said that the bower cable had been cut and the buoy
28
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY,'
sunk by his order, that the ship might go on shore and
Mr. Bligh fall into his hands; and had Hayward re-
ceived a single lash he would at once have shot
Bligh, having secreted a pistol and standing close to
him on deck when the prisoners were brought up for
punishment.
"Another man, a native, had committed a robbery
on board, and among other things carried off a com-
pass. The man was caught, ordered 100 lashes, and
put into irons; but with wonderful ingenuity he con-
trived to make his escape, when Lieutenant Bligh went
on shore and accused Christian-who was on guard
with the party at the tent of not keeping a good
look-out, but he said that the weather had been so
stormy and the night so dark that it was impossible
to see any one who might land. The sentry on deck
had heard a plunge overboard, but could see nothing,
owing to the tempestuous state of the weather.
"Towards the end of March, 1789, the botanist and
his assistants had collected upwards of 1000 bread-
fruit plants, besides other trees which he considered
valuable.
"On the 1st of August they were all safely stowed
away on board, together with numbers of pigs, vege-
tables, fowls, &c., besides a quantity of fresh plantains
for sea stock. All, however, were ordered aft-the
cocoa-nuts and what live-stock the Lieutenant chose
to select; and on the 4th April we bade farewell to the
Society Islands. The plantains were ordered to be
served out, one pound weight to each man in lieu of
bread; and when they were expended, a similar quan-
CHAP. II.
20
THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS.
tity of yams or taro-root until we reached Annamooka,
one of the eastern range of the Friendly Islands, where
we arrived on the 23rd April. Here we remained some
days to lay in wood and water. The natives were very
troublesome, attempting to steal the casks or any article
they could appropriate. In vain muskets were fired at
them with the view of intimidation; they only pointed
their spears in turn, and raised their clubs in a for-
midable manner; but, according to Lieutenant Bligh's
order, they were not to be interfered with or offended.
Mr. Christian, finding it impossible to carry on the
duty, informed Mr. Bligh of the circumstances, who,
making use of some very strong language, called him
a cowardly rascal,' and added, 'Are you afraid of a set
of savages while you have arms?' To this speech Mr.
Christian quietly replied, 'The arms are of no avail, sir,
while you prohibit their use.' With some difficulty,
and after making presents to the chiefs, who would
give nothing without an equivalent, the necessary
amount of wood and water was collected; also a number
of yams and cocoa-nuts, both of which, in that island,
are the largest in the world.
"On the 26th," continues the journal, "we set sail,
the wind being light. We made but little way during
the night, and next morning, the 27th, the wind con-
tinuing in the same quarter, we altered our position
very little, being within seven or eight leagues of the
island of Tofoa all day. In the afternoon Mr. Bligh
came up on the quarter-deck, and missing some of the
cocoa-nuts which were piled up between the guns, said
they had been stolen, and that it must have been with
30
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
the knowledge and connivance of the officers. They
were all called up, and declared they had not seen any
man touch them; to which Lieutenant Bligh replied,
Then you have taken them yourselves,' and ordered
Elphinstone, the master's mate, to go down and bring
up every cocoa-nut in the ship, which he did. They were
very numerous, as the sailors had made large purchases
on their own account. He then questioned each officer
as to the number he had bought, and going up to
Christian, asked him to state the number in his posses-
sion. I really do not know, sir,' Mr. Christian replied,
'but I hope you do not think me so mean as to be
'Yes,' said Bligh, 'you
C
guilty of stealing yours.'
hound, I do think so. You must have stolen them from
me, or you could have given a better account of them.
You rascals, you are all thieves alike, and combine
with the men to rob me. You will steal my yams next.
I will flog you, and make you jump overboard before we
reach Endeavour Straits.'
"He then called Mr. Samuel, his clerk, ordered him
to stop the grog, and only give half-a-pound of yams to
each person the next day, or a quarter of a pound only
if any were missed. All the cocoa-nuts were then
carried aft, and the Lieutenant went below.
"Some of the officers were heard to murmur and
complain of such treatment; but Mr. Christian said
nothing, and went to his cabin. In the evening
Lieutenant Bligh sent him an invitation to sup with
him, which he declined, alleging in excuse that he was
not well."
Thus ended this miserable day, with its mean and
CHAP. II.
31
UNWARRANTABLE ACCUSATIONS.
trivial occurrences. Had they not been preceded by a
long series of irritating proceedings, they would not
have been deemed worthy of remark, and could
only have been considered as painful exhibitions of
a suspicious and jealous temper. But on this occasion
Lieutenant Bligh had made the most unwarrantable
accusations of falsehood and theft; serious imputa-
tions on the character of a gentleman; and especially
galling and humiliating to an officer who stood next
in command of the vessel. Occurrences such as these
contributed their evil consequences in producing that
grave and deplorable event which forms the principal
subject of the following chapter.
32
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
CHAPTER III.
C
FLETCHER
THE MUTINY DISMISSAL OF LIEUTENANT BLIGH
CHRISTIAN IN COMMAND THE BOUNTY' SAILS FOR THE
ISLAND OF TOUBOVAI-DISSENSIONS - RETURN TO TAHITI
DEPARTURE OF FLETCHER CHRISTIAN WITH EIGHT ENGLISH-
MEN AND SOME TAHITIAN MEN AND WOMEN.
THE golden hue of sunset had faded from the western
sky, and as night drew on, the light breeze which
had prevailed, died away. Not a zephyr disturbed
the serenity of the scene; the heavens were gemmed
with brilliant constellations unknown in our hemi-
sphere, and among them shone conspicuously the
Southern Cross, meet emblem of that faith which
teaches goodwill to all men. A flood of moonlight
illumined the sails of the 'Bounty,' as they flapped
idly against the mast, and her dark hull stood out
in strong relief on the gleaming waters. So silent,
so peaceful was the vast expanse, that it seemed as
if the war of the elements was for ever hushed in
repose.
What a contrast was there, between the stillness of
nature and the terrible conflict raging in the breast
of Fletcher Christian, as he paced the deck, brooding
over his wrongs, and goaded as it were to madness by the
coarse, unfounded accusations of the preceding morn-
ing. For many months such indignities as these had
been borne with patience and forbearance; but now it
CHAP. III.
33
THE MUTINY.
seemed as if endurance had passed its utmost limits.
The tyranny to which Christian had been subjected
appeared more insupportable on considering how diffi-
cult, how almost impossible, it would be for him, as a
junior officer, to bring his oppressor to a court-martial
with any hope of success. There was but one mode of
escape and as he had observed many proofs of the
irritated feelings and disaffection of the crew, he felt
certain that a word from him would place his com-
mander at his mercy. True, he should be answerable
to the laws of his country-but the ocean was wide and
the power of the British Government far away. In his
present state of mind Christian had no inclination to
consider ultimate consequences; but still he did not
form any definite plan until an accidental circumstance
determined his course of action.
The morning of the 28th April, 1789, dawned on a
scene of confusion and dismay on board the ill-fated
Bounty.' Stewart and Peter Heywood were asleep
in their hammocks until, awakened by an unusual
noise on deck, they beheld Thompson, one of the
seamen, with a drawn cutlass in his hand, standing at
the door of the cabin. On demanding the reason, he
said, "Mr. Christian has taken the vessel, and is going
to carry Lieutenant Bligh as a prisoner to England."
Peter Heywood hastily dressed himself, and going
on deck, unhappily found the information but too
true.
On the port side of the quarter-deck, a little before
the binacle, stood Lieutenant Bligh, without his coat,
and with his hands tied behind his back, guarded by
D
34
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
Christian, who was holding an unsheathed bayonet in
one hand and a pistol in the other. To Bligh's expos-
tulations he replied, "Ma-moo, Ma-moo!¹ or death will
be your portion, sir." Christian then ordered the
boatswain and carpenter to hoist out the large cutter,
and beckoning to T. Hayward and Hallett, who had
both been neglectful of their duty in the morning
watch, ordered the former into the boat.
"What
harm have I ever done to you, Mr. Christian,” asked
Hayward, "that you should bear so hard upon me? I
trust you will relent." Christian was inexorable, and
gave the same order to Hallett, who was in tears, and
entreated, but in vain, that it might not be enforced.
The master, Mr. Fryer, and the clerk, were then ordered
out of the ship. The carpenter and others then inter-
ceded with Christian for the launch to be got ready, as
even the large cutter could not contain the number of
persons who were to go in her, together with the stores
necessary for their subsistence. After a short parley
this was conceded, and all hands were called to assist
in getting her out. Among them was Morrison, the
petty officer, who says in his journal "that the master
(Mr. Fryer), after speaking to Lieutenant Bligh, came
up to him, and asked if he had been concerned in the
mutiny." He replied that he had not, as he had been
awakened by the unusual noise on deck, and that the
boatswain had come down to tell him the terrible state
of affairs. The master then proposed to him that a
party should be raised to attempt to retake the ship.
Millward, Muspratt, Birkett, and other seamen readily
1 Tahitian for Silence.
CHAP. III.
35
DISMISSAL OF LIEUTENANT BLIGH.
assented, but Churchill and another mutineer, armed
with pistols and cutlasses, observing them shake hands
together, called to their own party to stand to their
arms. Resistance was evidently useless, and Morrison
records that he felt "it was as well to assist in getting
out the launch, as others unconnected with the mutiny
were doing." She was soon in the water, and every
man threw into her what supplies he could, while the
officers were hurried over the side of the vessel.
Mr. Fryer, the master, entreated that he might
remain, but Christian ordered him into the launch, and
forbade any fire-arms being given to Bligh's party.
The carpenter, Purcell, was allowed to take his chest.
of tools. Masts, sails, spare canvas, saws, nails, &c.,
four gangway casks of water, some bags of biscuit,
twenty-six pieces of pork, two gourds of water, and
Lieutenant Bligh's spirit case, besides some bottles
of wine were then put into the launch. By this
time it was so deeply laden as to be scarcely seven
inches above the water's edge, and Bligh implored
Christian to relent, saying, "I'll pawn my honour,
Mr. Christian,-I'll give my word-never to think of
this if you will desist. Consider my wife and family!"
To this appeal Christian replied peremptorily, "No,
Captain Bligh, if you had any honour, things would
not have come to this extremity, and if you had any
regard for your wife and family you should have
thought of them before, and not behaved so like a
villain as you have done." The boatswain then at-
tempted to soften Christian, who only said, "No, it
is too late, Mr. Cole; I have been in h- this fort-
D 2
36
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
night past, and am determined to bear it no longer.
You know that during the whole voyage I have been
treated like a dog." Bligh then urged upon Christian
that the master might be allowed to remain, and also
some of the men who had been ordered into the launch,
"The men may remain,
as she was so low in the water.
sir," was Christian's answer, "but the master must
go with you." Bligh then addressed them, and said,
"Never mind, my boys; you can't all go with me, but
I will do you justice if ever I reach England." The
boatswain, on leaving the vessel, was reminded by
Morrison, his relative, of Bligh's promise, as he had
intended to take his chance on board the vessel, and
the reply was, "God bless you, my boy; but for my
wife and children I would remain also."
All being ready, Lieutenant Bligh's hands were
released, and he was ordered into the boat. He had
been allowed to take his clothes, his commission, private
journal, and pocket-book. Christian then handed over
the side, and placed in Bligh's hands a book of nautical
tables and his own sextant, saying, "That book, sir,
is sufficient for every purpose, and you know my
sextant to be a good one." The launch was then veered
astern and cast adrift, and her crew took to their oars.
There was little wind, and the sea was calm and wave-
less. It was then 8 A.M., and the nearest land about
eight or ten leagues distant. Bligh's vows of ven-
geance as he left the ship reached the ears of many
on board, and many were his indiscriminate accusations
involving the innocent and the guilty. He was heard
to be especially severe with regard to his young charge,
CHAP. III.
37
THE LAUNCH CAST ADRIFT.
Peter Heywood, who, he said, "ought to have raised
a party in his favour, and retaken the vessel." In
the first instance, however, neither Bligh nor any of
his people ever made the least resistance, or attempted
to seize the arms, and the mutiny was so sudden and
so soon over that it was not possible for any one, much
less a young boy, to make any attempt at rescue.
As soon as the launch was gone, orders were given
for all those who were detained in the ship to be re-
leased, among whom were Stewart and Peter Heywood.
The latter had gone below with Stewart, to collect some
clothes by his friend's advice, and to accompany him in
the launch. "Do not think of remaining," said Stewart;
"if you do, you will bear an equal amount of guilt with
the mutineers, although you have had no hand in the
mutiny." When they attempted to return on deck
Thompson, by Churchill's orders, presented a pistol
at Stewart's breast, ordering him to remain below.
Stewart then hailed Churchill, and said, "If you will
not let us go, I desire you will inform the Captain
that we are detained by force." The reply was,
'Aye, aye, sir," but the message was not delivered.
Upon returning on deck, Stewart demanded of Chris-
tian the reason for his detention, who denied having
given any orders to that effect; but Churchill said
he "had kept Mr. Stewart and Mr. Heywood below,
to prevent their going with Lieutenant Bligh in the
launch;" and added, "If anything should happen to
you, Mr. Christian, there would be no one else to
depend upon for navigating the ship."
66
Christian afterwards gave these two young officers
38
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
the following account of this strange outbreak. He
said he had borne much from Bligh, but the late
accusations of theft had wounded his feelings so much
that in desperation he determined to leave the ship,
and with this view constructed a small raft of some
pieces of wood tied together to a stout plank. Two or
three persons were aware of this intention, among
whom were the steward and Thomas Hayward. He
finally put some food, nails, beads, and other things
into a bag given him by Thomas Hayward for that
purpose (which Morrison observed, as he had made the
bag for Hayward); and thus provided he intended to
leave during either the first or the middle watch, in
the hope of reaching some of the islands not far distant;
but the ship was making no way through the water, and
people were moving about the deck, so that no oppor-
tunity for escape offered. He had lain down to rest
about half-past three in the morning, feeling very
unwell, when Stewart called him to take the morning
watch, and at the same time strongly recommended
him to desist from all further attempts to leave the
ship. Soon afterwards he went on deck, and finding
Hayward asleep between the guns, and Hallett not
having made his appearance, the idea presented itself
that he should take possession of the vessel. He
rushed down, communicated with some of the seamen
who had been flogged by Bligh—who at once joined
him with two or three others, seven in all-and by
an artifice they obtained from Churchill the keys of
the arm-chest. At this juncture they found Hallett
asleep on the main hatchway, and sent him on
CHAP. III. FLETCHER CHRISTIAN IN COMMAND.
39
deck, where Norman, one of the seamen, was watching
the motions of a shark round the vessel, and had
awakened T. Hayward, the midshipman of the watch,
to observe it. Christian and his confederates now
appeared on deck armed, after having placed arms in
the hands of several men below, who were quite un-
aware of their design. Lieutenant Bligh was then
brought up from his cabin, and a guard placed over
the cabin of the master, the gunner and botanist being
also under the charge of two sentinels. Thus, in the
course of a few hours, the whole state of affairs was
changed on board the 'Bounty.'
Lieutenant Bligh having been dismissed so sum-
marily, the command naturally devolved upon Christian
as next in rank.
But Christian himself was a changed man.
A reac-
tion had taken place; passion and resentment had
cooled. He stood with his arms folded in moody thought,
and with his eyes riveted on the departing boat. Nor
was it matter for surprise that such should have been
the case.
What would be the result of the mutiny to
himself? Degradation; and, should he ever fall into
the hands of his countrymen, the death of a felon.
This rash act had reduced him to a level with the
worst and the lowest of his companions, and doomed
him to a life of exile from all civilized society. Alas
for him, that there had not been some friend at hand
to have pointed out to him the fatal consequences of
such a crime: the wide-spread anguish it would occasion
to so many families; the misery and disgrace to his
own; and who also could have urged upon him the
40
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
solemn warning, that it is not for man to avenge hist
own wrongs! Thus might this unfortunate young
man have been saved from the abyss of ruin into which
he had so recklessly plunged, and in which all, more or
less, were hopelessly involved.
CC
The men raised the cry Hurrah for Tahiti!"
the ship wore round and Christian roused himself
from his painful reflections. The die was cast; all
that had been done was irrevocable, and it was essential
for his own and the common weal that he should
assume command and maintain discipline.
Instead of Tahiti he ordered the vessel to be steered
for the small island of Toubouai; where they arrived on
the 28th May. It appeared a very fertile island,
wooded almost to the water's edge, and surrounded by
coral reefs. Among these there was but one opening-
that described by Captain Cook-through which a
vessel might be warped and moored close to the shore.
The natives were assembled in great numbers as the
vessel approached, armed with clubs and spears, and
vehemently blowing their conch shells. Their aspect
was so savage, and they seemed so determined to oppose
a landing, that Christian thought it as well for the
time being to give up the attempt to form a settlement
there, and he gave orders to change the course of the
vessel for Tahiti. He also directed that the ship could
be cleared of all the young bread-fruit trees, which
were accordingly thrown overboard, and he appro-
priated to himself the captain's cabin, which was filled
with all the curiosities collected during the voyage,
and which he intended to use as articles of barter.
CHAP. III.
41
DISSENSIONS-RETURN TO TAHITI.
The mutineers had no sooner freed themselves from
the odious tyranny of one man than they became
tyrants to one another, and those who had taken no
part in the mutiny were oppressed and regarded with
especial dislike and suspicion. Some had endeavoured
to form a plot to retake the ship, but their arrange-
ments having been overheard, the arm-chest was
removed from the care of Colman into the great cabin,
and the key given to Churchill, whose bedding was
placed on the chest itself for security. But though
Christian might be considered strict in the mainten-
ance of discipline, he never lost the respect of any one
on board, and was invariably addressed and spoken of
as Mr. Christian.”
CC
All the clothes left by the officers and crew who accom-
panied Lieutenant Bligh, and the different curiosities
and articles of barter, Christian ordered to be divided by
lot among all hands on board, to make what use of them
they pleased, as he intended returning to Toubouai after
collecting live-stock at Tahiti.
They landed in Matavaye Bay the 6th of June, 1789,
the thirty-ninth day from that of the mutiny, and the
natives of Tahiti soon flocked on board the 'Bounty,'
delighted to see their old friends, particularly Christian
to whom they were as partial as to Captain Cook, while
Lieutenant Bligh was held by them in contempt and
detestation. The speedy return of the ship was a
matter of great surprise; they were acute enough to
know she could not have returned from England, as
they had frequently heard of its great distance. By
way of ingratiating himself with the islanders, and
42
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
inducing them to barter freely, Bligh had represented
himself as the son of Captain Cook, whom they re-
garded with great affection, and of this artifice Christian
availed himself in answering their numerous inquires.
as to the absence of the rest of the officers and men.
He replied that they had met Captain Cook, who took
those people on board, and despatched him back in the
'Bounty' to collect live-stock and other provisions.
The unsuspicious islanders gave full credence to the
story, and were willing to barter to any extent, as
Christian had always treated them with great kindness,
and given the full value for whatever was required.
The armourer was incessantly employed, polishing and
improving the stock of iron articles on board as they
were greatly in request among the natives.
By the 16th of June, 1789, hogs, goats, and fowls.
had been collected in great numbers, some dogs and
cats; and even for a few red feathers, the bull and cow
which Captain Cook had left, and upon which they set
no value, were placed at Christian's disposal. With
these, and a quantity of provisions for present use, he
prepared to put to sea. There were on board after sail-
ing, nine Tahitian men, twelve women, and eight boys.
Most of them had secreted themselves about the ship,
and only made their appearance when she was out at
sea. They were urgent to remain on board, and Chris-
tian, unwilling to return, being a considerable distance
from Tahiti, was induced to yield to their entreaties.
On the 23rd of June, after a very rough passage,
which killed several of their live-stock, and among
them the fine bull, they arrived at Toubouai.
CHAP. III.
43
LANDING AT TOUBOUAI.
The natives on this occasion evinced a more friendly
spirit, although the sudden change seemed unaccount-
able; and they even assisted in the long and laborious
task of warping the ship through the narrow opening
in the reef (which has been mentioned), to a kind of
natural quay. Landing the animals and the stores oc-
cupied several days, and the Tahitian people, speaking a
similar dialect to that of Toubouai, were of great assist-
ance, as they soon understood the language, and for a
time promoted a good understanding among all parties.
Christian, however, had much difficulty in coming to
terms with any of the chiefs for the purchase of land
suitable for the fort he proposed to erect. One was very
friendly, and offered any portion of his land Christian
would wish to possess. He accordingly chose a spot
four miles to the eastward of the entrance between the
reefs. In spite of the shoal water and of the rocks, he
determined to haul the ship up there,-a truly Her-
culean task, as the water was very shallow, and there
were no means of carrying any warps and anchors,
the largest boat left belonging to the 'Bounty' being
only a light cutter twenty feet long. By lightening
the ship, landing every article that it was possible to
remove, and emptying the water casks, they at last
succeeded in bringing her up to the desired position.
Parties of men were soon formed to fell timber, and
an armed guard accompanied them. Christian again
made a fair division among the Englishmen of all the
cloth and red feathers they had brought from Tahiti for
barter, together with the much coveted ironwork. As
soon as the size of the fort was marked out, and the walls
44
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
commenced, a ditch twenty feet deep was dug around it
-a task of immense labour-in which Christian took his
part as continuously as any of the rest. He proposed
to place on the parapet the armament of the 'Bounty,'
consisting of four 4-pounders and ten swivels; but all
this was not accomplished without determined opposi-
tion on the part of the islanders. There were frequent
battles, in one of which Christian and another man were
severely wounded, and a number of the natives slain.
C
A new obstacle now arose to thwart Christian's plans.
Those of the Bounty's' people who felt innocent of
complicity in the mutiny declared their intention not to
pass their lives in the island. In fact, Christian had
been privately informed of a plot, in which Morrison,
Stewart, and Peter Heywood were concerned, to lay in
water and provision by night, and escape in the cutter.
It was well for them that they were unable to carry out
their perilous enterprise, and that their release was
brought about without danger to themselves or others.
On all sides there were discontents and murmurings,
arising principally from difficulties in the way of in-
tercourse with the natives, and Christian would not
countenance any violence towards them.' He had,
unfortunately, to deal with a number of ignorant,
reckless seamen, who considered then-and even in
this enlightened age the same idea is too prevalent—
that people of colour have no rights of any kind,
¹ Misunderstandings, no doubt, arose from the live-stock having
been turned adrift on landing: and the goats, finding their way to
the yam and taro plantations, would necessarily do much injury
to these important articles of food, of which the Toubouainans were
careful and laborious cultivators.
*
CHAP. III.
45
MORE DISSENSIONS.
and that what they possess may be taken by force,
without any scruple or recompense. Finding at length
that it would be impossible to maintain the settle-
ment in the disorganised state of affairs then exist-
ing, Christian assembled the whole party on the 10th
September, to ascertain their feelings as to future
proceedings. The general expression was a desire to
return to Tahiti, and there separate; but this proposal
was overruled, after much discussion. The next day,
however, the subject was renewed, and a show of hands
called for, when sixteen declared for the return to
Tahiti.
We will here again recur to Mr. Morrison's journal,
in which he says:-
"It was agreed that those who went on shore at
Tahiti should have arms, ammunition, and part of
everything on board. The ship to be left in charge of
Mr. Christian, in a proper condition to go to sea, with
the sails, tackle, and furniture. Everything being
settled, we began to get ready for sea, filling the water-
casks, and bending the sails.
"A party was now sent to collect stock and search
for the cow, which had not been seen since they landed.
But the natives set upon them, beat them severely,
and sent them back to the fort.
"On the 13th, as the party had returned without
their errand, Mr. Christian ordered twenty men to be
armed to go in quest of stock, and to chastise the
offenders, taking with them the nine Tahiti men and
the boys, one of whom always carried the Union
Jack. About a mile from the landing-place they were.
46
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
surrounded by about 700 of the natives, who had
formed an ambush, into which they fell. The natives
were all armed with clubs, spears, and stones, and
fought with more fury than judgment, otherwise our
whole party must have fallen into their hands. After
many obstinate and furious efforts they gave ground,
retired with great loss, and the stock was collected
without further trouble.
"On the 14th we killed the cow, which proved
excellent eating, and this evening came on board the
young chief of Tarōa-meina, and two of his friends,
who informed us that sixty men had been killed in the
fight, and six women who had been supplying them
with stones. Among the men several of note, one the
brother of a chief, had been shot by Mr. Christian
himself. Our visitor said he had been so much Mr.
Christian's friend, that if he stayed on shore he should
be killed. Christian told him he was going to Tahiti,
at which he seemed rejoiced, and asked if he would let
him and his two friends go with him. Christian
agreed, and they expressed much satisfaction.
"Having filled sufficient fresh water, we weighed
our anchors on the 17th September, and dropped down
to the opening without much trouble, the ship being
much lighter than before. When clear of the reef we
lay by, and filled salt water to keep her on her legs,
and at noon made sail, leaving Toubouai well stocked
with hogs, goats, fowls, dogs, and cats.
"When we first met the natives we judged from
their savage appearance that they were cannibals; but
we found that although they had no animals on the
*
47
CHAP. III.
AT ANCHOR IN MATAVIA BAY.
island, and lived only on fruit, vegetables, and fish,
that they detested the idea of eating human flesh.
'We stood to the N.N.E. with a fine breeze and fine
weather. During the passage Colman was employed
in making ironwork for barter.
"On the 20th we made the island Mytea, under
which we hove to and divided the trade, ammunition,
arms, wine, slops, &c., &c., in lots, which were put
into the cabin for safety till the ship should come to
anchor. On the 21st we bore away, and anchored on
the 22nd September, 1789, in Matavia Bay, where,
everything being settled, the following persons prepared
to go on shore:
George Stewart .. Midshipman.
Peter Heywood
Joseph Colman
Midshipman.
Armourer.
Charles Churchill Master-at-Arms.
James Morrison.. Boatswain's Mate.
John Sumner
Michael Byrne
Thomas Ellison ..
R. Skinner ..
M. Thompson
Charles Norman
Carpenter's Mate.
W. Muspratt
Henry Heildbrandt Cooper.
T. M'Intosh
Thomas Birkett
A. B.
T. Millward
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
A. B.
A. B.
A. B.
A. B.
A. B.
A. B.
A. B.
A. B.
"Those who remained on board were:-
Fletcher Christian
Acting Lieut.
William M'Kay..
A. B.
John Mills
Gunner's Mate.
John Williams
A. B.
Isaac Martin..
William Brown
Edward Young1
A. B.
Gardener.
Midshipman.
Matthew Quintal
A. B.
Alexander Smith,
John Adams ..
alias}
A. B.
¹ It is singular that Edward Young should have preferred to
accompany Christian. He had remained passive during the Mutiny,
and even when the uproar on deck took so many by surprise
who had been asleep in their hammocks, and who naturally went
up to ascertain the cause, Edward Young was not seen by any one;
nor did he make his appearance until the ship was turned about
and was steering for Toubouai.
48
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
and with them the young Toubouaian chief and his
two friends, who had become so fond of Christian, they
would not leave him. Three Tahitian men, with their
wives, also joined the party, and one of the women took
with her her infant daughter' ten months' old; in all
twenty-eight persons determined to follow the fortunes
of Christian.
"As soon as the ship came to an anchor, those for
the shore began to land their chests, hammocks, &c.,
but having only one boat that would swim, and a
tolerable high surf going, it was night before we
all got off, being afraid to venture many at a time in
the canoes of the natives, though they made a much
better hand of landing in the surf than we could do in
the boat. As we were fearful of the canoes, we were
forced to wait for the boat returning to carry the am-
munition, which was not landed until everything else.
was on shore, and then only two men's stores at a time.
Having landed our baggage, &c., we found the
Tahitians ready to receive us with every mark of hos-
pitality; the whole of them striving to outdo each other
in civility and kindness towards us, and all were glad
when we said that we had come to stay with them.
66
(C
Among the things we carried on shore were car-
penter's tools, and part of those belonging to the
armourer, a pig of iron for an anvil, a grindstone, some
bar iron, a suit of clothes, some iron pots, a copper
kettle, and about three gallons of wine per man. Each
man, except Byrne (who was blind) had a musket,
This little girl will be mentioned again in the course of the
narrative.
CHAP. III.
49
SEPARATION OF THE CREW.
pistol, cutlass, bayonet, cartridge-box, seventeen charges
of powder, a quantity of lead whereof to make bullets,
and some spare belts. Having a musquetoon and
two muskets to spare, the former was kept under my
care, and the muskets fell by lot to Charles Norman
and Thomas Birkett. We asked foe saws, of which
there were a "whip" and "cross" in the ship, but as
Mr. Christian wanted them himself he gave some trade
in lieu, also two spy-glasses and an old azimuth com-
pass. He also told us to take the swivels on shore, but
we declined, as they could be of no use. The canvas
and sails, which he said we should not want, were
however divided among us, and two Toubouaian images
which we had brought from the island were put into
my hands as a present for the young king.
"Mr. Christian told us he would stay a day or two,
and hoped we would assist him to fill some water, as
he intended cruising about in search of some unin-
habited island, where he would land his stock (of which
a large number were on board, together with the plants
common to all these islands), and where he hoped to
live the remainder of his days, without seeing the face
of any European, except those who accompanied him.
"Having made Poeno (one of the chiefs of Maatavaye
Bay) my friend, and Millward also having done the
same, we went to live with him, and were treated as
members of his family; but with more attention and
respect. The others also went to the houses of their
friends, where they were treated in like manner.
"At daylight on the 23rd of September, we found
the ship under weigh, and standing out of the bay;
E
50
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
but it proving calm she was not out of sight until noon,
at which time she stood out to the northward on a
wind. We were surprised to see the ship gone, as
Mr. Christian had said he intended staying a day or
two; but we thought that perhaps he was afraid of
remaining at Tahiti, in case of detection, and also lest
some of the people might desert him if he did so."
Christian, however, had landed, and spent some
hours with Stewart and Peter Heywood at the house of
the worthy chief who had been their friend on the two
former visits to Tahiti, and whose property was situated
on the bay near the landing-place. As the day began
to dawn, he prepared for departure, and Stewart and
his young friend accompanied him to the beach; when
a conversation took place to the following effect.
Christian said, that in the event of Bligh reaching
England in safety, and making known to the authori-
ties what had happened, a ship of war would certainly
be sent out in search of the 'Bounty,' and the re-
mainder of the ship's company. In any case search
would be made, if no intelligence of the expedition was
received in England within a reasonable period. He
earnestly advised the young men to go off at once to
any ship of war that might appear, and give themselves
up to the commander. You are both innocent,' he
said, 'no harm can come to you, for you took no part
in the mutiny.' Then turning to young Heywood, he
recapitulated all the events connected with that un-
fortunate disaster,' as he termed it; and again declared
that when Stewart came to call him to relieve the
watch on the fatal morning of the mutiny, and he went
C
CHAP. III. CHRISTIAN'S ACCOUNT OF THE MUTINY.
51
on deck, his brain seemed on fire, and finding Thomas
Hayward asleep, and Hallett not yet up on duty, the
idea of taking the ship then first entered his mind."
He added emphatically that he alone was responsible
for the act, and exonerated all, even his adherents, from
so much as suggesting it. Christian also related other
circumstances in connection with the mutiny, which
young Heywood was to communicate to his (Christian's)
family, when he returned to England; circumstances, he
thought, which might extenuate, though they could not
justify, the crime he had committed against the laws of
his country.¹
At the conclusion of this last conversation, Christian
stepped into the boat, and took a final leave of his
young friends. Mingled feelings of regret and pity
towards their misguided shipmate caused them to linger
long on the beach as they watched the departing vessel,
until standing in a northerly direction, she disappeared
on the distant horizon."
1 Many years after the date of these events, the substance of this
conversation was related in a letter from Captain Heywood to Captain
Beechy, who had submitted to him that portion of the voyage of
the 'Blossom' which related to Pitcairn; and Captain Heywood
pointed out the inaccuracies in the statement of John Adams
(Alexander Smith) relative to the Mutiny-no doubt uninten
tional.
€
2
E 2
52
PART 1.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
CHAPTER IV.
LIEUTENANT BLIGH'S BOAT VOYAGE ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND
CORRESPONDENCE-H.M.S. PANDORA' DESPATCHED TO TAHITI.
C
On his dismissal from the Bounty,' Lieutenant Bligh
was compelled to make his way as best he could to the
mainland. He kept a journal, in which he described
the perils and hardships endured by himself and his
eighteen companions on their voyage in the launch.
Some extracts from it may be interesting, as showing
his skill and courage as a navigator; his care in
recording the daily events of this remarkable feat in
navigation; and also the way in which towards its ter-
mination he enforced his commands on men who had
accompanied him at the imminent risk of their lives.
The
"My first determination," he says, "after leaving
the ship, was to seek a supply of bread-fruit and water
at Tofoa, and afterwards to sail for Tongataboo, and
there risk a solicitation to Poulaho the king, to equip
our boat, and grant us a supply of water and provi-
sions, so as to enable us to reach the East Indies.
quantity of provisions I found in the boat was 150
pounds of bread, sixteen pieces of pork-each piece
weighing two pounds-six quarts of rum, six bottles of
wine, with twenty-eight gallons of water, and four
empty barricos.¹
"We reached Tofoa when it was dark, but found the
Small barrels.
CHAP. IV.
53
ARRIVAL AT TOFOA.
shore so steep and rocky, that we could not land. We
were obliged, therefore, to remain all night in the boat,
keeping it on the lee side of the island with two oars.
Next day (Wednesday, April 29th) we found a cove,
where we landed. I observed the latitude of this cove
to be 19 degrees 41 minutes south. This is the
north-west part of Tofoa, the north-westernmost of the
Friendly Islands. As I was resolved to spare the small
stock of provisions we had in the boat, we endeavoured
to procure something towards our support on the
island itself. For two days we ranged through the
island in parties, seeking for water, and anything in
the shape of provisions, subsisting in the meanwhile
on morsels of what we had brought with us. The
island seemed at first uninhabited, but on Friday, May
first, one of our exploring parties met with two men, a
woman, and a child: the men came with them to the
cove, and brought two cocoa-nut shells of water.
"I endeavoured to make friends of these people, and
sent them away for bread-fruit, plaintains, and water.
Soon after, other natives came to us, and by noon there
were thirty about us, from whom we obtained a small
supply. I was much puzzled in what manner to account
to the natives for the loss of my ship. I knew they
had too much sense to be amused with a story that the
ship was to join me, when she was not in sight from the
hills. I was at first doubtful whether I should tell the
real fact, or say that the ship had overset and sunk, and
that we only were saved: the latter appeared to be the
most proper and advantageous for us, and I accordingly
instructed my people, that we might all agree in the
54
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
story. As I expected, inquiries were made about the
ship, and they seemed readily satisfied with our account;
but there did not appear the least symptom of joy or
sorrow in their faces, although I fancied I discovered
some marks of surprise.
CC
Towards evening I had the satisfaction to find our
stock of provisions somewhat increased, but the natives.
did not appear to have much to spare. What they
brought was in such small quantities, that I had no
reason to hope we should be able to procure from them
sufficient to stock us for our voyage. At night, I
served a quarter of a bread-fruit, and a cocoa-nut to
each person for supper, and a good fire being made, all
went to sleep but the watch.
"Saturday, May 2nd.-As there was no certainty of
our being supplied with water by the natives, I sent a
party among the gullies in the mountains, with empty
shells, to see what could be found. In their absence
the natives came about us as I expected, and in great
numbers; two canoes also came in from round the
north side of the island. Soon after, some of the forag-
ing party returned, and with them came a good-looking
chief called Eefow.
Their affability was of short duration, for the
natives began to increase in numbers, and I observed
some symptoms of a design against us. Soon after
they attempted to haul the boat on shore, on which I
brandished my cutlass in a threatening manner, and
spoke to Eefow to desire them to desist, which they
did, and everything became quiet again. My people
who had been in the mountains, now returned with
E
1
CHAP. IV.
55
ATTACK BY THE NATIVES.
about three gallons of water. I kept buying up the
little bread-fruit that was brought to us, and likewise
some spears to arm my men with; having only four
cutlasses, two of which were in the boat. As we had
no means of improving our situation, I told our people
I would wait till sunset, by which time, perhaps, some-
thing might happen in our favour; for if we attempted
to go at present we might have to fight our way through,
and we could do so more advantageously at night; that,
in the mean time, we would endeavour to get off to the
boat what we had bought. The beach was lined with
the natives, and we heard nothing but the knocking of
stones together, which they had in each hand. I knew
very well this was the sign of an attack.
"After dinner, we began by little and little to get
our things into the boat, which was a troublesome
business on account of the surf. I carefully watched
the motions of the natives, who continued to increase.
in number; and found that, instead of their intention
being to leave us, fires were made and places fixed on
for their stay during the night. Consultations were
also held among them, and everything assured me we
should be attacked. I sent orders to the master, that
when he saw us coming down he should keep the boat
close to the shore, that we might the more readily
embark.
"The onset was now preparing; every one, as I have
described before, kept knocking stones together, and
Eefow quitted me. All but two or three things were
in the boat, when we walked down to the beach, every-
one in a kind of silent horror. We all got into the
56
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
boat except one man, who, while I was getting on
board, quitted it, and ran up the beach to cast the
sternfast off, notwithstanding the master and others
called to him to return, while they were hauling me
out of the water.
“I was no sooner in the boat than the attack began
by about 200 men; the unfortunate poor man who had
run up the beach was knocked down, and the stones
flew like a shower of shot. Many Indians got hold of
the stern-rope, and were near hauling the boat on
shore; which they would certainly have effected, if I
had not had a knife in my pocket, with which I cut the
We then hauled off to the grapnel, every one.
being more or less hurt. At this time I saw five of
the natives about the poor man they had killed, and
two of them were beating him about the head with
stones in their hands.
rope.
"We had not time to reflect, for, to my surprise
they filled their canoes with stones, and twelve men
came off after us to renew the attack; which they did
so effectually as nearly to disable us all. We were
obliged to sustain the attack without being able to
return it, except with such stones as lodged in our
boat. I adopted the expedient of throwing overboard
some clothes, which, as I expected, they stopped to pick
up; and, as it was by this time almost dark, they gave
over the attack and returned towards the shore, leaving
us to reflect on our unhappy situation.
"We now set our sails, and steered along shore by the
west side of the Island of Tofoa, the wind blowing fresh
from the eastward. My mind was employed in con-
1
CHAP. IV.
57
SUFFERINGS IN MID-OCEAN.
sidering what was best to be done, when I was solicited
by all hands to take them towards home; and on my
telling them that no hopes of relief for us remained,
except what might be found at New Holland, till I came
to Timor-a distance of full 1200 leagues, where there
was a Dutch settlement, but in what part of the island
I knew not—they all agreed to live on one ounce of
bread and a quarter of a pint of water per day. There-
fore, after examining our stock of provisions, and
recommending to them in the most solemn manner not
to depart from their promise, we bore away across the
sea, where the navigation is but little known, in a
small boat, twenty-three feet long from stem to stern,
deep laden with eighteen men. I was happy, however,
to see that every one seemed better satisfied than my-
self with our situation.
Our stock of provisions consisted of about 150 pounds
of bread, twenty-eight gallons of water, twenty pounds
of pork, three bottles of wine, and five quarts of rum.
The difference between this and the quantity we had on
leaving the ship, was principally owing to our loss in
the bustle and confusion of the attack. A few cocoa-
nuts were in the boat, and some bread-fruit, but the
latter was trampled to pieces.
66
Sunday, 3rd.—At daybreak the gale increased; the
sun rose very fiery red,—a sure indication of a severe
gale of wind. At eight it blew a violent storm, and
the sea ran very high, so that between the seas the
sail was becalmed, and when on the top of the sea, it
was too much to have set; but we could not venture to
take in the sail, for we were in very imminent danger
58
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
and distress, the sea curling over the stern of the boat,
which obliged us to bale with all our might. A situa-
tion more distressing has perhaps seldom been ex-
perienced.
"I served a teaspoonful of rum to each person (for
we were very wet and cold), with a quarter of a bread-
fruit, which was scarcely eatable, for dinner. Our
engagement was now strictly to be carried into execu-
tion, and I was fully determined to make our provisions
last eight weeks, let the daily proportion be ever so
small.
66
Monday, 4th.-At midnight our limbs were so
benumbed, that we could scarcely find the use of them.
At this time I served a teaspoonful of rum to each
person, from which we all felt great benefit. Just
before noon we discovered a small, flat island, of a
moderate height, bearing w.s.w. four or five leagues.
"Wednesday, 6th.-We still kept our course in the
direction of the north of New Holland, passing nume-
rous islands of various sizes, at none of which I ven-
tured to land. Our allowance for the day was a quarter
of a pint of cocoa-nut milk, and the meat, which did
not exceed two ounces to each person. It was received
very contentedly, but we suffered great drought. To
our great joy we hooked a fish, but we were miserably
disappointed by its being lost in trying to get it into
the boat.
(C
Thursday, 7th.-Being very wet and cold, I served
a spoonful of rum and a morsel of bread for breakfast.
We still kept sailing among islands, from one of which
two large canoes put out in chase of us; but we left
f
Î
CHAP. IV.
59
SUFFERINGS IN MID-OCEAN.
them behind. Whether these canoes had any hostile
intention against us must remain a doubt; perhaps we
might have been benefited by an intercourse with them,
but, in our defenceless situation, to have made the ex-
periment would have been risking too much.
"Saturday, 9th.-About nine in the evening the
clouds began to gather, and we had a prodigious fall of
rain, with severe thunder and lightning. By midnight
we caught about twenty gallons of water. Being miser-
ably wet and cold, I served to the people a teaspoonful
of rum each, to enable them to bear with their dis-
tressed situation.
"All Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurs-
day, and Friday, the wet weather continued with heavy
seas and squalls. As there was no prospect of getting
our clothes dried, my plan was to make every one strip,
and wring them through the salt water, by which means
they received a warmth that, while wet with rain, they
could not have had. We were constantly shipping seas
and baling, and were very wet and cold during the night.
The sight of the islands, which we were always passing,
served only to increase the misery of our situation.
We were very little better than starving, with plenty
in view; yet to attempt procuring any relief was
attended with so much danger, that prolonging of
life, even in the midst of misery, was thought pre-
ferable, while there remained hopes of being able to
surmount our hardships. For my own part, I considered
the general run of cloudy and wet weather to be
a blessing of Providence. Hot weather would have
caused us to have died of thirst; and probably being
60
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
so constantly covered with rain or sea, protected us
from that dreadful calamity.
CC
Saturday, 16th.-The sun breaking out through
the clouds gave us hopes of drying our wet clothes;
but the sunshine was of short duration. We had strong
breezes at south-east by south, and dark, gloomy
weather, with storms of thunder, lightning, and rain.
The night was truly horrible, and not a star to be seen,
so that our steerage was uncertain.
CC
Sunday, 17th.-At dawn of day I found every
person complaining, and some of them solicited extra
allowance, which I positively refused. Our situation
was miserable; always wet, and suffering extreme cold
during the night, without the least shelter from the
weather. Being constantly obliged to bale to keep
the boat from filling was perhaps not to be reckoned
an evil, as it gave us exercise.
"Sunday, 24th.—A fine morning I had the pleasure
to see produce some cheerful countenances; and the
first time for fifteen days past we experienced comfort
from the warmth of the sun. We stripped, and hung
our clothes up to dry, which were by this time so thread-
bare that they would not keep out either wet or cold.
"Sailing on, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I
at length became satisfied that we were approaching
New Holland. This was actually the case; and after
passing the reefs which bound that part of the coast we
found ourselves in smooth water. Two islands lay
about four miles to the west by north, and appeared
eligible for a resting-place, if for nothing more; but
on our approach to the nearest island it proved to be
CHAP. IV.
61
ARRIVAL AT NEW HOLLAND.
We
only a heap of stones, and its size too inconsiderable to
shelter the boat. We therefore proceeded to the next,
which was close to it and towards the main.
landed to examine if there were any signs of the natives
being near us; we saw some old fire-places, but nothing
to make me apprehend that this would be an unsafe
situation for the night. Every one was anxious to find
something to eat, and it was soon discovered that there
were oysters on the rocks, for the tide was out; but it
was nearly dark, and only a few could be gathered. I
determined, therefore, to wait till the morning, when
I should know better how to proceed.
"Friday, 29th.-As there was no appearance to make
me imagine that any of the natives were near us, I sent
out parties in search of supplies, while others of the
people were putting the boat in order. The parties
returned highly rejoiced at having found plenty of
oysters and fresh water. I had also made a fire by the
help of a small magnifying glass; what was still more
fortunate, we found among the few things which had
been thrown into the boat and saved, a piece of brim-
stone and a tinder-box, so that I secured fire for the
future.
"Sunday, 31st.-Many small islands were in sight to
the north-east. We landed at one of a good height,
bearing north one-half west. The shore was rocky, but
the water was smooth, and we landed without difficulty.
I sent two parties out, one to the northward and the
other to the southward, to seek for supplies, and others
I ordered to stay by the boat. On this occasion fatigue
and weakness so far got the better of their sense of
¿
62
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
duty that some of the people expressed their discontent
at having worked harder than their companions, and
declared that they would rather be without their dinner
than go in search of it. One person in particular went
so far as to tell me with a mutinous look that he was as
good a man as myself. It was not possible for me to
judge where this might have an end if not stopped in
time; therefore, to prevent such disputes in future, I
determined either to preserve my command or die in
the attempt, and seizing a cutlass I ordered him to take
hold of another and defend himself, on which he called
out that I was going to kill him, and immediately made
concessions. I did not allow this to interfere further
with the harmony of the boat's crew, and everything
soon became quiet. We here procured some oysters
and clams, also some dog-fish caught in the holes of the
rocks, and a supply of water.
66
'Leaving this island, which I named Sunday Island,
we continued our course towards Endeavour Straits.
During our voyage Nelson became very ill, but gradually
recovered. Next day we landed at another island, to
see what we could get. There were proofs that the
island was occasionally visited by natives from New
Holland. Encamping on the shore, I sent out one
party to watch for turtle, and another to try to catch
birds. About midnight the bird-party returned with
only twelve noddies, birds about the size of pigeons;
but if it had not been for the folly and obstinacy of
one of the party, who separated from the other two
and disturbed the birds, they might have caught a
great number. I was so much provoked at my plans
CHAP. IV. MODE OF ENFORCING DISCIPLINE.
63
being thus defeated that I gave this offender a good
beating. This man afterwards confessed that wander-
ing from his companions he had eaten nine birds raw.
Our turtling party had no success.
66
Tuesday and Wednesday we still kept our course
north-west, touching at an island or two for oysters.
and clams. We had now been six days on the coast of
New Holland, and but for the refreshment which our
visits to its shores afforded us it is all but certain that
we must have perished. Now, however, it became clear
that we were leaving it behind, and were commencing
our adventurous voyage through the open sea to Timor.
"For six days our voyage continued; a dreary repe-
tition of those sufferings which we had experienced
before reaching New Holland. In the course of the
night we were constantly wet with the sea, and ex-
posed to cold and shiverings; and in the daytime we
had no addition to our scanty allowance, except a
'booby' and a small dolphin that we caught, the
former on Friday, 5th, and the latter on Monday, 8th.
Many of us were ill, and the men complained heavily.
On Wednesday, 10th, after a very comfortless night,
there was a visible alteration for the worse in many of
the people, which gave me great apprehensions. An ex-
treme weakness, swelled legs, hollow and ghastly coun-
tenances, a more than common inclination to sleep, with
an apparent debility of understanding, seemed to me the
melancholy presages of an approaching dissolution.
(C
Thursday, 11th.-Every one received the customary
allowance of bread and water, and an extra allowance.
of water was given to those who were most in need.
64
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
At noon I observed in latitude 9° 41' south, course
south 77° west, distance 109 miles; longitude made
13° 49' west. I had little doubt of having now passed
the meridian of the eastern part of Timor, which is laid
down in 128° east. This diffused universal joy and
satisfaction.
"Friday, 12th.-At three in the morning, with an
excess of joy, we discovered Timor, bearing from w.s.w.
to w.N.w., and I hauled on a wind to the N.N.E. till day-
light, when the land bore from s.w. by s. to N.E. by N.
our distance from the shore being two leagues. It is not
possible for me to describe the pleasure which the
sight of this land diffused among us. It appeared
scarcely credible to ourselves that, in an open boat and
so poorly provided, we should have been able to reach
the coast of Timor in forty-one days after leaving Tofoa,
having in that time run, by our log, a distance of 3618
miles; and that, notwithstanding our extreme distress,
no one should have perished on the voyage.
r
Sunday, 14th.—At one o'clock in the morning, after
the most happy and sweet sleep that ever man enjoyed,
we weighed, and continued to keep the east coast on
board, in very smooth water. The report of two cannon
that were fired gave new life to every one, and soon
after we discovered two square-rigged vessels and a
cutter at anchor to the eastward. After hard rowing
we came to a grapnel near daylight off a small fort or
town, which the pilot told me was Coupang.
"We remained at Coupang two months, during which
time we experienced every possible kindness. Having
purchased a small schooner, which I named H.M.
1
CHAP. IV.
65
RECEPTION IN ENGLAND.
C
schooner Resource,' I and the crew set off for Batavia.
We reached that settlement on the 1st October, where
I sold the schooner, and endeavoured to procure a
passage for us to England. We were obliged to sepa-
rate and go in different ships. I embarked on board a
Dutch packet bound to Middleburgh, my clerk and
a seaman' with me. The Governor promised the others
should follow as soon as possible in another ship. On
the 13th of March, 1790, we sighted the Bill of Port-
land, and the next day, Sunday, 14th, I left the packet
and was landed at Portsmouth by an Isle of Wight boat."
We here terminate Lieutenant Bligh's journal, whose
return to England under such singular circumstances,
and the tale of his sufferings, with those of his boat's
crew, excited universal sympathy at home. He was
immediately promoted to the rank of Commander, and
soon after to that of Post-Captain, the three years'
usual period of service having been dispensed with in
his case; and his own account of the mutiny made him
appear as a martyr, whose kindness and forbearance.
had met with a base return from a worthless ship's
company. For the time being he was a hero, and little
cared for the anguish endured by the families of the
absent officers and men, who (as he knew) had taken
no part in the mutiny. What communications Lieu-
tenant Bligh received from the different relatives, and
what replies he made, do not appear on record, except
in the case of Peter Heywood, whose uncle, Colonel
Holwell,' wrote to Bligh immediately he arrived in
¹ Colonel Holwell was son of W. Holwell, Esq., Governor of the
infant English settlement at Calcutta, one of the twenty-three sur-
F
66
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
England; and although a copy of this letter is not
forthcoming, the following reply from the lieutenant
is preserved among the family papers:-
"London, 28th March, 1780.
"SIR,
"I have just this instant received your letter.
With much concern I inform you that your nephew,
Peter Heywood, is among the mutineers; his ingratitude
to me is of the deepest dye, for I was a father to him in
every respect, and he never once had an angry word
from me during the whole course of the voyage, as his
conduct always gave me much pleasure and satisfaction.
I very much regret that so much baseness formed the
character of a young man I had a real regard for, and
it will give me much pleasure to hear that his friends
can bear the loss of him without much concern.
'I am, Sir,
66
Your obedient servant,
WM. BLIGH."
In consequence of various reports which had reached
the Isle of Man, to the effect that young Peter had been
a ringleader in the mutiny, and had gone armed into
the captain's cabin, Mrs. Heywood, in a state of mind
almost bordering on distraction, addressed a letter to
Lieutenant Bligh on the subject, and his reply has been
preserved. It is as follows:-
46
MADAM,
"London, April 2nd, 1790.
I received your letter this day, and feel for you
very much, being perfectly sensible of the extreme
vivors out of 146 persons put into the Black Hole, and kept there
during many hours without ventilation. This officer, by his union
with one of the sisters of the Deemster Heywood, was uncle by
marriage to Peter.
CHAP. IV. FITTING OUT OF THE PANDORA,'
67
distress you must suffer from the conduct of your son
Peter. His baseness is beyond all description; but I
hope you will endeavour to prevent the loss of him,
heavy as the misfortune is, from affecting you too
severely. I imagine he is, with the rest of the mutineers,
returned to O'Tahiti.
"I am, Madam,
"Your most obedient, very humble servant,
"WM. BLIGH."
The overwhelming effect of this unfeeling letter on
the minds of an affectionate mother and her family, and
the grief it occasioned, may be readily imagined. Later,
however, came a gleam of comfort from the hope that
Peter was innocent. A kind friend had written to them,
saying that Lieutenant Bligh had declared that the
report of Peter Heywood having gone armed into his
(Bligh's) cabin was a complete fabrication!
As soon after Lieutenant Bligh's arrival as the ser-
vice permitted, the 'Pandora' frigate, of 24 guns and
160 men, was ordered to be fitted out with all possible.
despatch to search for the 'Bounty' and those of her
officers and crew who had remained on board after
the departure of Lieutenant Bligh. Some months,
however, elapsed before she was fairly under weigh for
the South Seas.
F 2
GS
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
CHAPTER V.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE OFFICERS AND CREW WHO SEPARATED FROM
FLETCHER CHRISTIAN — THE SCHOONER RESOLUTION' BUILT
- ARRIVAL OF THE PANDORA'- SUFFERINGS OF THE PRI-
SONERS SHIPWRECK
PRIVATIONS ON THE BOAT VOYAGE-
REACH BATAVIA RETURN TO ENGLAND.
WHILE the events related in the foregoing pages were
occurring, and the 'Pandora' was on her voyage from
England to Tahiti, those of the 'Bounty's' people, who
had determined not to accompany Christian, separated
into parties, and resided in different districts of the
island. Stewart and Peter Heywood remained with
their old friend Tippaoo, whose land bordered on
Maatavaye Bay, and whose daughter Stewart married.
1
Morrison and Millward became the guests of another
chief-their old friend Poeno-also possessing land on
the shores of the Bay, and others were dispersed among
their various friends or acquaintances in different
parts of the island. Morrison, however, was by not
means inclined to wait until a ship should be sent
from England to search for the crew of the 'Bounty.'
The idea occurred to him that it might be possible
to build a small vessel in which to proceed to Batavia,
and from thence find a passage to England. His
friend Millward at once entered into the scheme with
¹ They had become intimate with him when the Bounty first
arrived at Tahiti.
CHAP. V.
69
BUILDING OF THE 'RESOLUTION.'
eight others, including the armourer, cooper, carpenter's
mate, and one of his crew, who all resided at Maatavaye
Bay. The latter four being skilled workmen, the others
agreed to do the rough work, such as cutting down
trees, and clearing a place to lay the blocks preparatory
to the undertaking. When it is considered that all
the tools they possessed were the few belonging to
the carpenter's mate, a small handsaw, small adzes,
&c., and that they had to make all others they might
require in the best manner they could, the under-
taking must appear most enterprizing. Stewart and
Peter Heywood declined taking any part, preferring to
wait the arrival of a ship of war from England, ac-
cording to Christian's advice.
On the 12th November, 1789, the keel of the vessel
was laid down, the length being 30 feet, breadth of beam
9 feet 6 inches, and depth of hold 5 feet. The wood of the
Pooroo tree was considered the best for timbering, and
that of the bread-fruit tree for planks. Before pro-
ceeding further, however, Morrison was obliged to
explain to his friend, the chief Poeno, that they were
going to build a vessel for the purpose of making pleasure
trips round the island, or else every obstacle would
have been thrown in the way, so unwilling were the
natives to part with their guests. On this under-
standing, and with the expectation of future enjoyment
when the vessel should be completed, every assistance
was afforded them by the chief and his people. During
three months the vessel progressed rapidly, numbers of
natives surrounding the place, and their amazement
daily increasing at the mode in which the timbers were
70
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
fitted into one another by rule. Morrison, our jour-
nalist, writes thus of it:-
(C
February 1st, 1790.-The work was interrupted by
a ' Heira' (a ceremony) which according to custom was
annually performed before the chief of the district, and
the greater number of the inhabitants assembled to
witness it. When all was prepared, the picture of
Captain Cook' was brought out with great ceremony,
and exhibited to the assembled multitude, who paid
homage to it. A national dance was then performed,
and a person of importance pronounced a long oration,
at the conclusion of which the portrait was restored.
to the care of an old man specially appointed for
that purpose.
The Queen Eddea was present, and
after the ceremonial visited the little vessel, which
had become an object of so much interest to the
natives, that numbers of persons from all parts of the
island flocked to see her, and brought supplies of pro-
visions to the ship-building party, as a compensation.
for being permitted to watch the progress of the work.
The perseverance and skill of the Englishmen excited
their astonishment; but they could not understand how
they could labour so hard, and for so long a period."
All went smoothly until an event occurred which
seemed likely to raise a serious obstacle in the way of
Captain Cox, commanding a merchant ship, the Mercury,' had
left them a picture of the circumnavigator, and also informed them
of his death; but though they expressed great indignation against
Lieutenant Bligh for having practised such a deception as to say
Cook was alive, and that he was his son, yet they were not dis-
pleased with Christian for having in a measure availed himself of
the subterfuge. (See page 42.)
CHAP. V.
71
OUTRAGE ON NATIVES.
completing the vessel. Thompson, who resided with
Coleman, had insulted a member of one of the principal
families of the district in which he resided, and for
this offence he was knocked down, but not otherwise.
injured, by an incensed relative. He left that district,
vowing vengeance for the affront, and returned to hist
former home near Point Venus, the usual resting-place
for canoes when they were going round the island.
This point had become a still more favourite resort
on account of the facility it afforded for seeing the
ship in progress of building. One day a canoe from
a distant district touched at the Point, and the party
landed. The owner was taking his wife and family.
on a pleasure excursion, and proceeding up the beach
with a young child in his arms, the rest of his family
following, when Thompson angrily ordered him to quit
the place, speaking in English, which they did not
understand. The party therefore did not attend to
his injunction, on which he seized a musket, and shot
the unfortunate man and his child, who both fell life-
less on the spot.
The English residents, and numbers of natives,
rushed to the aid of the victims, and also to console
the bereaved widow and her family. Young Heywood,
expressing much sympathy and regret, gave her some
trifling presents, and this small act of kindness proved
afterwards the means of preserving his life. All the
English felt considerable alarm lest the crime com-
mitted by Thompson should be visited upon them;
but all the spectators accused Thompson of being the
sole perpetrator of the crime, and he was shunned
72
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
by his countrymen (with the exception of Churchill),
and by the inhabitants of that district. The two
friends then determined to remove into the interior,
and they were accompanied by a sailor who had
deserted from a vessel which had touched at the
island previous to the arrival of the 'Bounty.'
Some months after this event Peter Heywood was
travelling with his friend the chief Poeno, and arrived
at the district where the family and relatives of the
murdered man resided. Seeing an English person,
they imagined it might be Thompson, and a number
of people rushed upon Heywood, seized him, and
dragged him along the ground by the hair of his
head; while others took up stones to kill him. Poeno
attempted to rescue his young friend, but his exer-
tions and entreaties would have proved unavailing had
not the murdered man's brother recognized Peter
Heywood, and explained how he had befriended the
widow. Upon hearing this, the anger of the in-
furiated multitude was appeased, and they uttered
the most frank expressions of sorrow for the violence
they had offered him. They made every reparation
in their power by protecting him and his friend on
their journey through the different districts they had
to pass until they reached their home.
Thompson and his associates were as much objects.
of dread as of dislike among the inhabitants of the
interior; but no friendship or kindly feeling could
exist between such desperadoes. At length their feuds
led to deadly conflicts, which ended in Thompson
shooting Churchill, for which, and for his former mis-
CHAP. V.
73
DEATH OF TWO DESPERADOES.
deeds, he himself met with just retribution at the
hands of the natives. Thus ended the career of two
of the most violent of the mutineers, and their removal
relieved the residents at Maatavaye from all anxiety
as to personal safety. But other impediments came
in the way of the completion of the vessel. Several of
the shipbuilding party, who had at first entered zealously
into the scheme, withdrew from work, and left the
district.
Easter came, which was religiously observed by all
the Englishmen, as Sunday had been from the period
of their return to Tahiti. By the 30th April, however,
the workmen had completed the planking, as well as
the ceiling of the cabin, and they were ready to begin
caulking. For this purpose, parties of men were sent
out to collect the gum of the breadfruit tree as a sub-
stitute for pitch. This proved a long and troublesome
task, as the largest quantity a man could collect
during the day by scraping the bark of the trees with
shells, was only a quarter of a pound. But perseverance
and industry overcame this, as well as other diffi-
culties, and a sufficient quantity was obtained and boiled,
so that with what rope they possessed very tolerable
oakum was prepared, with which to caulk the vessel
throughout. She was to be schooner rigged, and the
next task was to make masts, booms, gaffs, and a bow-
sprit. On the 30th July, 1790, all these were com-
pleted, and her rudder being fitted, she was declared
ready to be launched. Morrison thus describes the
proceeding:
"With what rope we could muster, we slung the
71
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY,'
masts on the sides, making a kind of cradle under
her; and not requiring most of the auger shanks, we
made use of them as bolts, and clenched them through
the keel and kelson, to strengthen that part. Being
all ready on the 5th August, we applied to Poeno for
assistance to launch her, but he refused until the
priests should have uttered certain prayers, and gone
through the ceremony of throwing the boughs of
plantain trees over her, which occupied several hours.
A number of men were then permitted to assist us,
who the priest exhorted to do their duty. They all
joined in a chorus, and pushed the vessel so vigor-
ously that she soon began to move. In half an hour
she reached the beach, when she was launched, and
we christened her the 'Resolution' with some cider we
had prepared for the purpose from a kind of apple
which grows luxuriantly in the island. She received
no other damage (except breaking the masts), in a
passage of about three quarters of a mile to the sea.
(6
Having got the ropes from under her, and a canoe
afloat with her, we towed her round Point Venus into
a small bay to the eastward of the point, and moored
her with the killick, and a warp on shore in a good
berth, and under the shelter of a point within the reef.
"We then prepared a log reel and line, and by
cutting a glass phial in halves with a flint, and fixing
a leaden centre, cast on purpose, made a tolerably
good half minute glass, counting the seconds by a
musket ball slung to a thread, between which and
the watch, we made it tolerably correct.
"Everything seemed to be had without trouble or
CHAP. V.
75
TRIAL TRIP OF THE 'RESOLUTION.'
difficulty, except sails, and how to procure them we
could not tell, matting being scarce and at the best
very unserviceable; and, though we had cut up our
clothes, we had not sufficient canvas amongst us to
make her one sail which would be fit to set at sea.
However, we continued at work, preparing such things
as were in our power, and trusting to Providence for
the rest. At length, some matting was procured, and
Coleman, having contrived to make some sail needles,
accomplished the work with tolerable success.'
""
The first trial trip of the 'Resolution' answered
well in all respects except as regarded the sails; and,
owing to this failure, Morrison and his friends felt that
they must abandon the proposed voyage to Batavia and
the hope of proceeding thence to England-a great
disappointment-as this hope had stimulated them to
exertion, and cheered their hours of labour.
C
During these months Stewart and Peter Heywood
had been fully employed: the former in the formation
and cultivation of a garden; the latter in studying the
Tahitian language, and writing a vocabulary, which
afterwards proved of great value to the missionaries.
Eighteen months had elapsed since their return to
Tahiti in the Bounty,' and during this period no
tidings of home, or of relatives and friends, had reached
the exiles. They began to weary of their imprison-
ment, and naturally became anxious about their pro-
motion in the service, which was being retarded by
their involuntary absence. Young Peter was keenly
sensitive on this point, and anxious to rejoin his family
and friends. He would frequently wander for hours
76
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
among the forests of bread-fruit and cocoa-nut palms
in the vicinity of his dwelling, indulging in sad
thoughts concerning his actual position and future
prospects. One evening, when more than usually
desponding, he strayed far from home, allured by the
bright moon which had risen late, and lighted up
the forest glades. Sitting down at length at the
foot of a lofty bread-fruit tree, he fell asleep, and
had the following remarkable dream :-He fancied him-
self walking through a fertile valley by the side of a
sparkling river. Precipices enclosed the scene on every
side;
the plants and shrubs were of a different character
to any he had ever seen, and the sunlight was of sur-
passing brilliancy. Suddenly he came to a spot where
further progress was impeded by the rocks; the sky
became obscure and gloomy, and a voice from overhead
addressed him in an impressive tone as follows:-
CC
Young man! cease thy murmurings, and rebel not
against the decree of God! Remember that man is
born to adversity, and that patience and resignation
to all that may occur is thy bounden duty, and will
enable thee to bear with serenity all the evils thou
wilt have to endure. God watches over all His crea-
tures, the evil as well as the good. Confide in His
mercy and love, act uprightly, keep thy conscience
clear, and trusting in Almighty Providence, thou needest
not under any circumstances despair." The voice
then ceased, and Peter awoke to find that the sun had
[
1 It may be mentioned, as a singular coincidence, that this dream
occurred on the 6th of February, 1790, the night young Heywood's
father died in the Isle of Man; of which event he only heard when
he arrived at Portsmouth in June, 1792.
}
CHAP. V.
77
ARRIVAL OF THE PANDORA.'
risen, and that his limbs were stiffened by the damp
of the copious dew which had fallen during the night.
This dream produced a profound impression on his
mind; he regarded it as a merciful, though mysterious,
communication, and became more cheerful and resigned
to circumstances over which he had had no control.
This period of probation lasted a year longer, and
its unexpected termination took place on the morning
of March 23rd, 1791. At an early hour, a vessel was
observed rounding the point, and standing in to Maata-
vaye Bay. She proved to be H.M.S. 'Pandora,' com-
manded by Captain Edward Edwards, R.N. Before
she had anchored, Coleman was the first to present
himself on board, and was nearly drowned in the
attempt, the canoe having been upset, and he with
difficulty rescued. Stewart and Peter Heywood followed
in a large double canoe, and gave themselves up to
Captain Edwards, informing him who they were; but,
without further enquiry, he ordered them to be taken
below, and placed in irons, together with three others,
who had successively arrived, and were all manacled.
Meanwhile, Morrison, Ellison, and Norman, were in
the schooner proceeding round the island, and the
hapless prisoners could only indicate the direction
there companions had taken. The launch was then
manned and armed, with orders to search for these.
men, and for the others resident in the interior of the
island. The pilot, being a friend of Morrison, sent
people forward to warn him of the arrival of the
'Pandora,' and that the launch was despatched in
pursuit of him and his companions, and to secure
78
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY."
6
1
the schooner. When the messenger reached the party,
the 'Resolution' was lying at anchor in a small bay.
Without delay or hesitation, the three left her, took
a canoe which conveyed them a considerable distance,
and to expedite their movements, landed and walked
fourteen miles across the country to the harbour where
the launch was anchored, which they reached at four
o'clock in the morning. They found Lieutenant Corner,
the second Lieutenant of the Pandora,' in command,
and gave themselves up to him. He received them
courteously, but placed them under guard; at the
same time ordering refreshments, which they much
needed. In a few hours the pinnace of the 'Pandora,'
also armed, joined the launch, and Lieutenant Corner ¹
placed the three prisoners in charge of the third
Lieutenant to convey them on board, while he in the
launch proceeded to seize the schooner and the re-
mainder of the people, who were at the other side
of the island. The prisoners found themselves in
charge of their former shipmate Hayward, one of
the midshipmen of the 'Bounty,' who had been pro-
moted to the rank of third Lieutenant of the 'Pan-
dora.' He took little notice of them, beyond enquiring
about the Bounty,' and who had remained in her;
informing them how Stewart, Heywood and their com-
panions had been received on board, and the treat-
ment they also might expect. As a preparation, he
1 This officer was always kind to the prisoners, and through life
Captain Heywood continued on friendly terms with him. In after
years, Mr. Corner became superintendent of Marine Police at
Malta.
CHAP. V. HARSH TREATMENT OF THE PRISONERS. 79
ordered fetters to be put on their ankles in order
to prevent escape.
It was with difficulty that, with such obstacles, they
mounted the side of the ship, and on gaining the deck
Captain Edwards ordered them instantly below, to
be heavily chained, like their unfortunate shipmates.
Sentinels were placed over them, with orders to shoot
the first man who should speak, especially should
they address each other in the Tahitian language, or
speak to the natives who crowded on board. They had
plenty of provisions, and as their friends on shore were
allowed to supply them daily with fresh cocoa-nuts,
they did not care for the forbidden luxury of grog. The
unfortunate prisoners remained between decks several
days, and some dirty hammocks were supplied to them
to lie upon, but these being full of vermin, they requested
they might be removed, as they preferred the bare deck.
"They were also unable to make use of the changes of
linen ordered for them by the captain, their irons being
clinched so tight that it was impossible for them to rise
or use their arms. Although the heat between decks
was excessive, yet that situation was preferable to the
kind of poop or round-house which they had heard was
preparing on the quarter-deck for their reception.
The boards of this prison were so roughly put together
as scarcely to shelter them from the heat of the sun, or
from the rain, which frequently fell in torrents.
C
On the 9th April the schooner Resolution' reached
the ship, and brought on board the remaining six pri-
soners, transferring them to the dreaded "Pandora's'
box," through the scuttle at the top, about 18 inches
80
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
square. This "box" was fastened by bolts through
the combings of a hatchway. There were two scuttles
of 9 inches square in the bulk-head of the box, to admit
air to the prisoners. The scuttles or apertures were
also secured against escape by iron gratings, and even
the stern-ports of the ship were barred inside and out.
The length of this "box" was 11 feet at the deck, and
the width 18 feet at the bulk-head. In this contracted
space fourteen prisoners were confined; two sentries.
were placed on the top of it, and a midshipman paced
up and down across the bulk-head. No one was allowed
to hold any communication with the prisoners, except
the master-at-arms, and he only on the subject of
their provisions. Their condition in this dreadful con-
finement became daily more pitiable, owing to the
extreme heat, and Morrison quaintly records "that
their prison-house was only washed out once a week,
they were washed with it; and this was the only
ablution allowed them!" Such was a picture of the
treatment of prisoners by the British Royal Navy,
1" Peter Heywood,while there a prisoner, and suffering the most
cruel hardships from his treatment on board H.M.S. 'Pandora,'
composed the following lines-the results of experience : "
"Lest I should bend beneath this weighty load,
And ne'er enjoy thy promised blest abode,
Attend, thou Hope, on me, and be my guide,
Thro' all my sorrows, walking by my side:
Keep in my eyes that distant happy spot
Where sweet content shall be my future lot,
Free from ambition or desire of gain,
Living in peace, exempt from mental pain;
My food, the fruits with my own culture grown,
The world forgetting, by the world unknown :
There tasting pleasure void of care's alloy,
Crowning afflictions past with present joy!"
March, 1791.
PETER HEYWOOD.
CHAP. V. HARSH TREATMENT OF THE PRISONERS. 81
in the year 1791! Each officer of the ship, as he was
relieved from his watch of this prison, examined the
state of the shackles, and McIntosh's limbs being slight,
he contrived to liberate one leg at night, which was
a great relief. This circumstance being reported to
Captain Edwards, the First Lieutenant, Mr. Larkin,
was instructed to make a general inspection of the
irons. The leg-irons were immediately reduced in size
to fit close, and, writes Morrison, "Mr. Larkin, in
trying the handcuffs, placed his foot against our breasts,
and hauling them over our hands with all his strength,
in several cases took off the skin with them. All that
could be hauled off in this manner were reduced, and
fitted so close there was no possibility of turning the
hand in them. When our wrists began to swell, he told
us the handcuffs were not intended to fit like gloves."
Sickness soon appeared among the prisoners, and
their limbs became galled from the tightness of their
irons. One or two of the greatest sufferers were re-
leased from their handcuffs, but their legs were still
kept fastened to the two iron bars which ran across
the deck.
During the whole period of their stay at Tahiti, the
ship was daily surrounded by canoes, not only with
supplies, but with the numerous friends of the prisoners,
full of sorrow and lamentations for their misfortunes.
Few were allowed to come on board to see them, but
among the few was the young girl Stewart had married,
and named Peggy. She came with her infant in her
arms, and, seeing her husband lying on the deck among
the others heavily ironed, her grief knew no bounds;
G
82
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
even the hard-hearted Captain and his Lieutenant were
touched by her sorrow, and she was admitted into the
prison-house. With reiterated cries, she clung to
Stewart, and the scene becoming too painful, it was
necessary to remove her by force. Stewart was so com-
pletely unnerved by this interview, that he entreated she
might not be allowed to see him again. Poor Peggy,
however, was not to be deterred from remaining on
the beach, where she could at all events see the vessel,
from the earliest dawn to midnight. Her father and
friends were seen endeavouring to persuade her to take
food and rest, but in vain; she was daily at her post,
and within a few weeks after the departure of the
'Pandora,' the broken-hearted girl sank into an early
grave, leaving her infant to the care of her sister, who
took a mother's interest in the welfare of the little
orphan.¹
The necessary supply of water and provisions being
completed, and the 'Resolution' fitted with sails, Cap-
tain Edwards ordered a midshipman and four men on
board to navigate her, with instructions to keep the 'Pan-
dora' in sight. On the 19th May, 1791, they sailed from
Tahiti, and stood to the north-west, with the intention.
of prosecuting a strict search among the islands for the
remainder of the 'Bounty's' crew, in which service the
little schooner proved most useful, as her small draught
of water enabled her to lie close to the extensive reefs.
As they approached Chatham Island, the schooner
was missed, and, although the 'Pandora' cruised about
1 In after years this account was brought to England by the
Missionaries; by whom the little girl had been educated.
CHAP. V.
$3
DEPARTURE OF THE 'PANDORA.'
for several days in search of her, she could nowhere
be seen, and was given up for lost. (This seemed a
second disaster, as previously the jolly-boat had been
blown from the land when going off to her, and a mid-
shipman and four men on board never heard of again.)
The Pandora,' having cruised about the different
groups of islands for three months, seeking the 'Bounty'
and her people, Captain Edwards was obliged to re-
linquish the search, and sailed from the Friendly
Islands in the middle of August for the Island of Timor.
The sufferings of the prisoners during this cruise
had been intolerable. They had no means of steadying
themselves when the ship lurched, and being thrown
together, unavoidably wounded themselves and each
other with their irons. At the request of Lieutenant
Corner, who always evinced much kindness and con-
sideration towards them, Captain Edwards allowed
short pieces of plank to be secured to the deck, to
remedy these frequent collisions, and consequent suffer-
ing. We shall now recur again to Morrison's journal:
“On the 22nd of August, 1791, we approached En-
deavour Strait, and narrowly escaped running on a reef
in it, 'obliging us to be working to windward for some
days without finding any opening. On Sunday, the
28th, the Second Lieutenant was sent with the yawl to
make a closer examination, while the ship was hove to.
At 7 P.M. on Sunday, the 28th August, the current
running strongly on the reef, the ship was forced on it
in the midst of a heavy surf, at the moment the re-
turning yawl had come within hail, and was warning
the people of the danger, but in vain. The ship was
G 2
84
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
forced farther on the reef with violent and repeated
shocks, and we expected every surge that the masts
would go by the board. Seeing her in this situation,
we judged she would not hold long together. As we
were in danger at every shock of killing each other
with our irons, we broke them, that we might be ready
to assist ourselves, and informed the officers of what we
had done. When Mr. Corner was acquainted with it
he came aft, and we told him we should attempt nothing
further, as we only wanted a chance for our lives,
which he promised we should have, telling us not to
fear.
"In the mean time, the ship lost her rudder, and
with it part of the stern-post, and having beat over
the reef between 11 and 12 P.M., she was brought up in
15 fathom water with both anchors, and the first news
was, nine feet of water in the hold!' Coleman,
Norman, and McIntosh were ordered out of the box to
the pumps, and the boats were got out. As soon as
Captain Edwards was informed that we had broken our
irons, he ordered us to be handcuffed and leg-ironed
again with all the irons that could be mustered, though
we begged for mercy, and desired leave to go to the
pumps, but to no purpose. His orders were put into
execution, though the water in the hold had increased
to 11 feet, and one of the chain-pumps was broken.
The master-at-arms and corporal were now armed with
a brace of pistols each, and placed as additional sen-
tinels over us, with orders to fire among us if we made
any motion. The master-at-arms told us that the
Captain had said he would either shoot or hang to the
CHAP. V.
85
WRECK OF THE PANDORA.'
yard-arm those who should make any further attempt
to break the irons. There was no remedy but prayer,
as we expected never to see daylight, and having re-
commended ourselves to Almighty protection, we lay
down, and seemed for a while to forget our miserable
situation. We could hear the officers busy getting
their things into the boats, which were hauled under
the stern for that purpose, and heard some of the men
on deck say, 'They shall not go without us.' This
made some of us start, and, moving the irons, the
master-at-arms said, 'Fire upon the rascals.' As he
was just then over the scuttle I spoke to him, and said,
'For God's sake don't fire; what is the matter? there
is no one here moving.' In a few minutes after, one
of the boats broke adrift, and having but two men in
her, she could not reach the ship again till another
was sent with hands to bring her back. And now we
began to think they would set off together, as it was
but natural to suppose that every one would first think
of saving his own life. However, they returned, and
were secured with better warps.
"We learnt that the boom, being cut loose for the pur-
pose of making a raft, one of the top-masts fell into the
waist, and killed a man, who was busy heaving the guns
overboard; and everything seemed to be in great con-
fusion. At daylight, August 29th, the boats were hauled
up, and most of the officers being aft on the top of the
'box,' we observed that they were armed, and preparing
to go into the boats by the stern ladders. We begged
that we might not be forgotten, when, by Captain
Edwards' order, Joseph Hodges, the armourer's mate,
86
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
6
was sent down to take the irons off Muspratt and
Skinner, and send them and Byrne (who was then
out of irons) up; but Skinner, being too eager to get
out, was hauled up with his handcuffs on, and the
other two following him close, the scuttle was shut
and barred before Hodges could get to it, and he in
the mean time knocked off my hand-irons and Stewart's.
I begged of the master-at-arms to leave the scuttle
open, when he answered, 'Never fear, my boys, we will
all go down together.' The words were scarcely out of
his mouth when the ship took a sally, and a general
cry of There she goes' was heard. The master-at-
arms and corporal, with the sentinels rolled overboard,
and at the same instant we saw through the stern-port
Captain Edwards swimming to the pinnace, which was
some distance astern, as were all the boats which had
pushed off on the first appearance of a motion in the
ship. Birkett and Heildbrandt were yet handcuffed,
and the ship under water as far as the mainmast. It
was now beginning to flow in upon us, when Divine
Providence directed James Moulter (boatswain's mate)
to the place. He was scrambling up on the 'box,' and,
hearing our cries, said, 'he would either set us free, or
go to the bottom with us,' and took out the bolts,
throwing them and the scuttle overboard, such was his
presence of mind, though he was forced to follow in-
stantly, as he was nearly drowning.
"So we all got out except Heildbrandt, and were
rejoiced even in this trying scene to think that we had
escaped from our prison, though it was full as much
as I could do to clear myself of the driver-boom before
CHAP. V.
87
WRECK OF THE PANDORA.'
the ship sank. The boats were now so far off that we
could not distinguish one from the other; however,
observing one of the gangways come up, I swam to
it, and had scarcely reached it, before I perceived
Muspratt on the other end, whom it had brought up;
but it having fallen on the heads of several others,
sent them to the bottom. Here I began to get ready
for swimming, and the top of our prison having floated, I
observed on it Mr. P. Heywood (who had been the last
but three to jump overboard), Birkett, Coleman, and
the first lieutenant of the ship; and, seeing Mr. Hey-
wood take a short plank and set off to one of the boats,'
I resolved to follow him, which I did by means of
another short plank. After having been about an hour
and a half in the water, I reached the blue yawl, and
was taken up by Mr. Bowling, master's mate, who had
also taken up Mr. Heywood. After rescuing several
others, we were landed on a small sandy quay on the
reef, about two and a half or three miles from the ship.
Here we soon found that four of our fellow prisoners
were drowned, Skinner and Heildbrandt, who had their
handcuffs on, and Stewart and Sumner, who were struck
by the gangway. Birkett being landed with his hand-
cuffs on, the captain ordered them to be taken off.
We also heard that thirty-one of the 'Pandora's' ship's
company were lost, among whom were the master-at-
arms and ship's corporal, but all the officers were
saved.
2
1 The only thing he preserved on this occasion was his prayer-
book, the last gift of his mother, which he carried between his teeth.
2 See Illustrations, Chapter VI.
88
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY."
"A tent was now erected for the officers, and another
for the men, but we were not suffered to come near
either. The captain had told us that we should be
treated as well as the ship's company; but on our
requesting him to give us a spare boat's sail to shelter
us from the sun, as we had but scanty clothing, it was
refused, though no use was made of it; and we were
ordered to keep on a part of the islet by ourselves, to
windward of the tents, not being suffered to speak to
any person but each other. The provision saved being
very small, this day's allowance was only two musket-
balls' weight of bread, and a glass of wine, the water
being but a small quantity, none could be afforded us.
We stayed here till Wednesday morning, the 31st of
August, 1791, fitting the boats, during which time the
sun took such an effect on us-as we had been cooped
up for five months-that we had our skin flayed off
from head to foot. We kept ourselves covered in the
sand during the heat of the day, this being all the
shelter that the island afforded, for it was only a small
bank washed up on the reef, scarcely 150 yards in
circuit, and not more than six feet above the level at
high water. During the night, as we found the air
very chilly, and having no covering, we threw up a bank
of sand to sleep under the lee of, which proved but an
indifferent barrier, as we had frequent showers of rain,
sufficient to make our lodging very miserable, though
not sufficient to save any to allay our thirst, which was
very great. We tried for water, but found none, and
Mr. Corner, making a fire, got a copper kettle, which
he filled with salt water, made it boil, and attended to
CHAP. V.
89
ON A SAND ISLAND.
it all night, saving the drops of steam condensed in
the cover, which he put into a cup, till a spoonful was
mustered.
"One of the Pandora's' people (named Connell)
went out of his senses from drinking salt water.
"On the 30th the master went with a boat to the
wreck, to see if anything had come up, the topmast
heads being out of water, the top-gallant-masts struck.
He returned with part of the top-gallant-masts, which
he sawed off to get clear of the cap, and with a cat
which he found sitting on the cross-trees. One of the
ship's buoys drifted past, but it was not thought worth
going after, though we had no vessel to contain water
when we should find it.
"The boats being ready on the 31st, at 10 A.M.,
we embarked in the following manner :-McIntosh,
Ellison, and myself in the pinnace, with Captain
Edwards, Lieutenant Hayward, and nineteen officers
and men, making her complement twenty-four. In the
launch Peter Heywood, Joseph Coleman, and Michael
Byrne, with Lieutenant Corner and twenty-seven officers
and men,-her complement, 31. And in the blue
yawl, Norman and Muspratt, with the master and
nineteen officers and men; making ninety-nine souls in
all. In this situation we had a passage of between
four and five hundred leagues to run before we could
reach the Dutch settlement on Timor; with the scanty
allowance of two musket-balls' weight of bread, and
hardly a gill of water and wine together for twenty-
four hours under a scorching sun. This slender allow-
ance of food and water was always served out at noon.”
90
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.
One of the men in the launch with Peter Heywood
had tied round his waist when he left the 'Pandora,' a
bag of dollars-his small savings. He suffered from
intense thirst more than the rest, and offered the
dollars to the companion seated next to him on condi-
tion that he would give up the wine-glassful of wine
and water about to be served out to him. The man
looked at the dollars, then at the glass which the
owner of the dollars was ready to seize, and throwing
the bag back to him, exclaimed, 'They are not worth
to me this draught of water.' Peter Heywood was
wont to say that this incident taught him a valuable
lesson as to the just value of things in this world.
On account of their intense thirst they all felt in-
capable of partaking of the small portion of biscuit
served out daily to each person. At various places on
the coast of New Holland they tried in vain to find
water, and where small supplies might have been
obtained, the natives opposed their landing so fiercely
that they were obliged to keep off the coast, as they
were too weak to contend with them. At a small
uninhabited island in the vicinity an ample quantity of
water was obtained by digging, but they had nothing
to carry it in except their boots and some tarpaulin
bags. These contained but 200 gallons to supply
ninety-nine people for fourteen days,—the earliest date
at which they could reach the island of Timor. To
recur to the journal :·
"On the 9th September," writes Morrison, "as I was
laying on the oars talking to McIntosh, Captain Edwards
ordered me aft, and without assigning any cause
CHAP. V.
91
VOYAGE IN BOATS TO TIMOR.
ordered me to be pinioned with a cord, and lashed down
in the bottom of the boat, and Ellison, who was
asleep there, was ordered the same punishment. I
attempted to reason, and inquired what I had now
done to be thus cruelly treated, urging the distressed
condition of all, but received for answer, 'Silence, you
villain, are you not a prisoner? You piratical
dog, what do you expect?' I then told him that it
was a disgrace to the captain of a man-of-war to treat
a prisoner in such an inhuman manner, upon which he
started up in a violent rage, and snatching a pistol
which lay in the stern-sheets, threatened to shoot me.
I still attempted to speak, upon which he swore, ‘If
you speak another word I'll heave the log at you,' and
finding that he would hear no reason, and my mouth
being parched so that I could scarcely move my tongue,
I was forced to be silent and submit, and was tied down
so that I could not move.
"In this miserable situation Ellison and I remained
for the rest of the passage, nor was McIntosh suffered
to come near or speak to either of us. However,
we made ourselves as easy as we could, and on the
15th we made the island of Timor, where the boats
separated, and stood in for the land; having had a fine
breeze and fair weather all the way.
"We tried for water at several places, but could find
none till the 16th September in the morning, when we
discovered it near the beach. Here the launch joined
us again, and we proceeded in company. We reached
Coupang at midnight, and came to a grapnel off the
fort till morning. We found a ship in the roads, and
92
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
a number of small craft, and at six in the morning the
captain went on shore to the Governor. About ten we
were landed, and conducted by a guard to the Governor's
house, and from thence to the castle, where, notwith-
standing our weak condition, we were put in the stocks.
in the guard-room.
"On the 19th the yawls arrived, and we were joined
by our fellow prisoners, whose treatment had been
better, but their fare the same.
وو
They remained a week in this dirty cell, at the end
of which the Dutch military surgeon paid them a visit,
but he was unable to enter until the slaves had washed
it, a luxury which was fully appreciated. He also gave
an order that the irons should be taken off, and their
legs only linked together.
"We remained here till the 5th October," says
the journalist, "when we were removed on board the
'Rembang,' a Dutch ship, then in the roads, and Mr.
Larkin being the officer on this duty, coming to the
prison with a guard, with cords for the purpose,
pinioned us with his own hands, setting his foot against
our backs, and bracing our arms together so as almost
to haul them out of the sockets. We were tied two
and two by the elbows, and having our irons knocked
off, were conducted to the beach and put on board a
long-boat, to proceed to the ship. Before we reached
her some of us fainted, owing to the circulation being
stopped by the lashings. When we got on board we were
put both legs in irons, and our lashings taken off."
The old Rembang' was terribly leaky, and only
kept from foundering by the pumps going night and
<
CHAP. V.
93
FROM TIMOR TO BATAVIA.
day. At first, this work was performed by the prisoners
in turn, but in their weakly condition it was found
necessary to remit this hard labour, and they were
again put in irons.
After a tedious and dangerous voyage the ship
arrived at Samarang, in the island of Java, on the 30th
of October. Here they found the missing schooner,
the 'Resolution,' which had arrived six weeks pre-
viously, her crew having suffered similar privations
to those who were shipwrecked in the 'Pandora.' It
was a joyful meeting with their former shipmates, as
they had been given up for lost. Captain Edwards
ordered her to be refitted, and provisioned, to accom-
pany him and the same unseaworthy ship to Batavia.
The weather proving very tempestuous, he was obliged
to take the command for the general safety, the Dutch
captain not appearing equal to the task.
On the 7th November, after a passage of thirty-three
days, they reached Batavia. The prisoners were trans-
ferred on board an old hulk in the harbour, and were per-
mitted to come up on deck one at a time to perform their
short toilette of shaving and washing, an indulgence
which they had been denied during so many months.
Here Captain Edwards, wishing to make some acknow-
ledgment to the Dutch Governor, sold the Resolution'
for that purpose, and presented him with a sum of
money, distributing the remainder among the Pan-
dora's' people. This money enabled them to purchase
(
1 She was afterwards employed in the sea-otter trade, and made
the speediest voyage on record between China and the Sandwich
Islands. Subsequently she was purchased by Captain Broughton
91
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
Nankeen cloth, and they employed some of the prisoners
to make up suits of clothes, paying them for this work.
The prisoners were thus enabled to purchase clothes
for themselves. Peter Heywood was an expert straw
plaiter, and manufactured hats very neatly, for which
he was paid half-a-crown each; but Captain Edwards
at last forbade these occupations-which were also of
use in relieving the tedium of imprisonment-and again
ordered on the dreaded manacles.
The prisoners all bore grateful testimony to the kind
treatment of the Dutch Governor, in whose custody
they did not endure the severities or the privations
which they had suffered while under the charge of
Captain Edwards, a British commander.
From Batavia Peter Heywood wrote to his mother
as follows:-
Batavia, November 20th, 1791.
'MY EVER HONOURED AND DEAREST MOTHER,
“At length the time has arrived when you are
once more to hear from your ill-fated son, whose conduct
at the capture of that ship, in which it was my fortune
to embark, has, I fear, from what has since happened to
me, been grossly misrepresented to you by Lieutenant
Bligh, who, from not knowing the real cause of my remain-
ing on board, naturally suspected me-unhappily for me—
to be an accomplice in the mutiny. I never, to my
knowledge, whilst under his command, behaved myself
in a manner unbecoming the station I occupied, nor so
much as entertained a thought derogatory to his honour,
so as to give him the least grounds for entertaining an
at Canton, for the purpose of surveying the coast of Tartary, and
was the means of preserving the crew of H.M.S. Providence,' 112
in number, when wrecked in 1797 off the Island of Formosa.
CHAP. V.
95
LETTER FROM PETER IIEYWOOD.
opinion of me so ungenerous and undeserved; and I
flatter myself he cannot give a character of my conduct
whilst I was under his tuition that could not bear the
strictest scrutiny. Oh! my dearest Mother, I hope you
have not so easily credited such an account of me; do
but let me vindicate my conduct, and declare to you the
true cause of my remaining in the ship, and you will
then see how little I deserve censure, and how I have
been injured by so gross an aspersion. I shall then give
you a short and cursory account of what has happened
to me since; though I am afraid to say a hundredth part of
what I have got in store, for I am not allowed the use
of writing materials if known, so that this is done by
stealth; but if it should ever come to your hands, it
will, I hope, have the desired effect of removing your
uneasiness on my account, when I assure you, before the
face of God, of my innocence of what is laid to my charge.
"All, my dearest Mother, was owing to my youth and
unadvised inexperience, but has been interpreted into
villainy and disregard of my country's laws, the ill
effects of which I at present suffer, and am to, labour
under for some months longer. And now, after what I
have asserted, I may still once more retrieve my injured
reputation, be again reinstated in the affection and
favour of the most tender of mothers, and be still con-
sidered as her dutiful son.
"My sufferings I have not power to describe; but
though they are great, yet I thank God for enabling me
to bear them without repining. I endeavour to qualify
my affliction with these three considerations: first, my
innocence not deserving them; secondly, that they cannot
last long; and thirdly, that the change may be for the
better. The first improves my hopes, the second my
patience, and the third my courage. I am young in
years, but old in what the world calls adversity; and it
96
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
has had such an effect, as to make me consider it the
most beneficial incident that could have occurred at my
age. It has made me acquainted with three things
which are little known, and as little believed by any but
those who have felt their effects: first, the villainy and
censoriousness of mankind; secondly, the futility of all
human hopes; and thirdly, the happiness of being content
in whatever station it may please Providence to place me.
In short, it has made me more of a philosopher than
many years of a life spent in ease and pleasure would
have done.
As they will, no doubt, proceed to the greatest
lengths against me, I being the only surviving officer,
and they most inclined to believe a prior story, all that
can be said to confute it will probably be looked upon
as mere falsity and invention. Should that be my
unhappy case, and they resolved upon my destruction as
an example to futurity, may God enable me to bear my
fate with the fortitude of a man, conscious that mis-
fortune, not any misconduct, is the cause, and that the
Almighty can attest my innocence. Yet, why should I
despond? I have, I hope, still a friend in that Provi-
dence, which hath preserved me amidst many greater
dangers, and upon whom alone I now depend for safety.
God will always protect those who deserve it. These
are the sole considerations which have enabled me to
make myself easy and content under my past misfortunes.
Your most dutiful and ever obedient son,
66
PETER HEYWOOD.'
>>
Three Dutch ships were hired to convey the 'Pan-
dora's' ship's company and the prisoners to the Cape
of Good Hope. The latter were confined between
decks, and were again compelled to sleep on bare
planks; and the Dutch purser, contriving that rations
CHAP. V.
97
TREATMENT OF THE PRISONERS.
even insufficient for fourteen days should last sixteen,
they were half starved. The deck being very leaky,
they were alternately drenched with rain or salt water,
as the vessel rolled terribly.
On the 15th January, 1792, they reached the Cape
of Good Hope, and the prisoners were transferred to
H.M.S. Gorgon.' In the absence of Captain Parker,
who commanded her, the first lieutenant, Mr. Gardner,
received them with much kindness. They were only
chained by one leg, and Morrison remarks, "Mr.
Gardner very humanely gave us a sail to lie upon, a
luxury we had not enjoyed for twelve months." They
were also allowed to sit on deck for six or eight hours
a-day, to enjoy the fresh air.
They continued at the Cape until the 5th April,
when the 'Gorgon' was ordered to England, and
Captain Edwards took his passage in her, with a few of
the 'Pandora's' crew and the prisoners. On this voyage
they were received with due consideration, as persons
who were awaiting their trial. Captain Edwards, on
the contrary, neglecting the rules prescribed by law,
had treated them as condemned criminals; and, even
granting they were so, his conduct was not only a
disgrace to the service, but to common humanity.
On the 19th June, 1792, the 'Gorgon' anchored at
Spithead. A few days afterwards an order was sent
down to transfer the prisoners on board the 'Hector,'
commanded by Captain (afterwards Sir George) Mon-
tague, who was a gallant officer and gentleman. By
himself and his officers they were treated in the most.
courteous and considerate manner; every indulgence
H
Uor M'
98
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
being allowed them compatible with their position and
safe custody.
Four years and four months had thus elapsed since
these people left England in the 'Bounty,' with happy
prospects and expectations. Fifteen months of that
time they had been principally in irons, and enduring
many privations and much needless suffering; yet the
health of several continued good throughout, and none
died from sickness, while of the Pandora's' people
many suffered from fever, and several died.
'
In a letter from Peter Heywood to his mother he
says, "During nearly eighteen months of my imprison-
ment, my health has been excellent, thank God! not-
withstanding my anxieties and sufferings, and I have
grown two inches." At this period he was barely
nineteen. In another letter he mentions that the suit
of clothes in which he appeared on board the 'Hector
was made by his companions in misfortune, and paid
for with the money he received for manufacturing
straw hats.
There was a very general feeling that Captain
Edwards had treated the prisoners with unnecessary
severity. When he was appointed to the 'Pandora
his orders were to go to the South Seas, in search of
the 'Bounty,' and the remainder of her officers and
crew, and to bring them in safe custody to England,
but he was not commanded to treat them with cruelty
and ignominy. Captain Edwards, like Lieutenant Bligh,
was of a harsh unfeeling nature, but it is one of the
happy marks of progress in this latter half of the nine-
teenth century, that the service of the Royal Navy
Maou
1
CHAP. V.
99
DISCIPLINE IN THE NAVY.
cannot now be carried on as it was seventy years since.
No captain of a ship of war can place a seaman in
irons, or punish him from mere caprice or ill-humour.
A warrant must be drawn up previous to punishment;
twenty-four hours must elapse between the committal
of an offence and the infliction of punishment, and
all the particulars, with the amount of punishment,
must be stated in writing, signed by the captain, and
transmitted with other returns to the Admiralty.
Scenes which were disgraceful to common humanity,
and in which our seamen were subjected to the most
cruel sufferings, are now happily unknown, and placed
beyond the possibility of recurrence. Barbarity and
ill-usage have thus given place to kindliness and good-
will, and service in the Royal Navy is sought for in
these days, instead of being shunned and detested as in
former times. But there is no doubt that the further
we look back into the practices of former years, the
greater are the cruelties we find sanctioned by severe
and barbarous laws.
Uor M 2
100
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
CHAPTER VI.
CONSEQUENCES OF THE MUTINY - CORRESPONDENCE PREVIOUS TO
THE COURT-MARTIAL.
THE consequences of the mutiny were as unhappy as
its design was criminal. The sufferings of Lieutenant
Bligh and his companions on the boat voyage, have
been already narrated. The accomplishment of such
an unprecedented passage of 3000 miles across an open
sea, must have been both severe and perilous.
6
Then followed the search for the officers and crew of
the Bounty,' who had remained in her, the miseries
of those incarcerated on board the Pandora,' and
finally the total wreck of that ship, in which thirty of
her crew and four of the prisoners perished. Sad as
were these events in themselves, they appear more so
when we reflect on the amount of affliction which they
must have caused in the homes of bereaved relatives
and friends. How many a wife and mother was destined
to regard the 'Bounty' as a source of sorrow too deep
for utterance. But still the Nemesis of this daring
crime was not yet appeased, and perhaps one of the
saddest results was that it confounded the innocent
with the guilty, and caused those who were powerless
to resist to be viewed as sympathising with its per-
petrators.
Peter Heywood was among those who suffered from
this false suspicion, and we shall commence this painful.
CHAP. VI.
101
LETTERS OF THE HEYWOODS.
subject with a letter from Mr. Hallett (who had been
midshipman on board the 'Bounty'), in reply to one
from Miss Nessy Heywood,' sister of Peter.
(6
MADAM,
'Savage, Lochryan, 29th March, 1792.
"Your affecting letter, dated February 12th, did
not come to hand till the 15th of this month, which I
take the earliest opportunity of answering, and assure
you that I sympathise strongly in your grief, and will,
as far as in me lies, answer your different interrogations.
I shall begin with saying that before the unfortunate
period, at which the mutiny in the 'Bounty' took place,
the conduct of your brother was such as to have procured
him an universal esteem; but what were the unpropi-
tious motives by which he was actuated to side with the
criminal party I am totally ignorant of, nor can I (as
you may readily conceive it was a time of great confusion
among us) declare positively the part he acted in it.
Should I ever be called upon to give my evidence—which
you must be sensible will be a distressing thing for a
person of any feeling to give, against those with whom
he has formerly lived in habits of intimacy—notwith-
standing the friendship I had for your brother, I shall
be strictly bound by oath to adhere to truth, though I
hope, if ever a trial should take place, that the considera-
tion of his youth at the time he committed the rash act
will plead with the jury in his favour.
2
“I am, Madam,
"Your most obedient humble servant,
66
JOHN HALLET."
Captain Pasley 2 to his niece, Miss N. Heywood (who
1 See p. 10, chap. i.
Captain Pasley had been lieutenant on board one of the English
frigates under the command of Admiral Elliott, when an engage-
102
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
had written to him in great anxiety as to her brother's
position).
"Sheerness, June 8th, 1792.
"Would to God, my dearest Nessy, that I could
rejoice with you on the early prospect of your brother's
arrival in England! One division of the 'Pandora's'
people is arrived, and are now on board the 'Vengeance'
(my ship). Captain Edwards, with the remainder, and
all the prisoners late of the 'Bounty,' in number ten
(four having been drowned on the loss of that ship), are
daily expected. They have been most rigorously and
closely confined since taken, and will continue so, I have
no doubt, till Bligh's arrival. You have no chance of
seeing him, for no bail can be offered. Your intelligence
of his swimming off, on the 'Pandora's' arrival, is un-
founded-a man of the name of Coleman came off as she
anchored; your brother and Mr. Stewart next day. This
ment took place in Ramsay Bay, Isle of Man, in which the French,
under Admiral Thurot were defeated. A mound on a promontory
which stretches into the bay covers the remains of the French
sailors who were interred there, and is a trophy of English valour
and prowess. It may be imagined how much the officers and crews
of the victorious ships were fêted throughout the island. On one of
these occasions, Lieutenant Pasley met Mr. Heywood of the Nun-
nery, with one of his beautiful sisters, a lady whom he greatly ad-
mired, and soon afterwards married. This excellent officer, being in
constant employment, speedily attained the rank of post-captain,
and commanded the 'Bellerophon' in the action of June 1st under
Earl Howe. She suffered in the engagement, lost many men, and
her gallant commander had his leg shot off. On the return of the
victorious fleet to Spithead, the king and royal family went down to
Portsmouth to inspect the victorious ships. Honours on this occa-
sion were conferred on the most distinguished officers, and among
them Captain Pasley was created a baronet. He had only two
daughters, and on account of his services, as well as the importance
of the event, the king was pleased to grant his request that the
title should descend in the female line. He was grandfather of
Admiral Sir Thomas Sabine Pasley, Bart., late commander-in-chicf
at Portsmouth.
CHAP. VI.
103
LETTERS OF THE HEYWOODS.
last youth, when the 'Pandora' was lost, refused to allow
his irons to be taken off to save his life. I cannot
conceal it from you, my dearest Nessy, neither is it
proper I should, that your brother appears by all accounts
to be the greatest culprit of all, Christian alone excepted.
Every exertion, you may rest assured, I shall use to save
his life; but on trial I have no hope of his not being
condemned. Three of the ten who are expected are
mentioned in Bligh's narrative as men detained against
their inclination; would to God your brother had been of
that number!
I will not distress you more by enlarging on this
subject; as intelligence arises on their arrival you shall
be made acquainted. Adieu! my dearest Nessy; present
my affectionate remembrance to your mother and sisters,
and believe me always with the warmest affection.
"Your uncle,
THOS. PASLEY.”
Immediately on his arrival Peter Heywood wrote to
his mother and sisters; and in a letter to Richard
Betham, Esq.¹ (a friend of the family,) he expresses
himself as follows:
"HONOURED SIR,
66
Gorgon,' Spithead, June 20th, 1792.
Impressed with a high sense of gratitude for
your former kindness to me, I think it is a duty in-
cumbent on me to make you acquainted with my arrival
here on the 19th instant, a prisoner on board H.M.S.
Gorgon' from the Cape of Good Hope. Alas! dear sir,
how unfortunate hath that voyage been to me, the
prospects of which appeared so promising when your
goodness was the means of placing me under the care and
protection of Mr. Bligh. I fear he, upon his arrival in
1 A relative of Mrs. Bligh's.
101
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
England, put a misconstruction on my conduct when
that unhappy mutiny happened; to which misrepresen-
tation I must attribute my severe and undeserved con-
finement. I have already, in a letter to my widowed
mother from Batavia, fully explained my conduct on that
day, and my reasons for it, which I hope she has com-
municated to you; but lest she may have omitted that
point, or that the letter may by any means have mis-
carried, I shall again, sir, give you a short sketch of it,
and sincerely hope it may be the means of eradicating
from the minds of all my friends, any undeserved ill-
opinion they may have conceived of me, and of reinstating
me in their wonted favour and esteem, the loss of which
would equal death. (He then proceeds with an account
similar to that already given in his letter from Batavia,
down to the time of Bligh's leaving the ship.)
66
Thus, my dear sir, you may suppose my conduct
must have appeared unaccountable to Mr. Bligh, who
naturally imagined me to be a coadjutor in the mutiny;
but alas! God, who knows the integrity of my heart,
can judge how little I have deserved that aspersion,
and how undeservedly I am now suffering this close con-
finement.
"I have only to add that I got ashore at Tahiti as
soon as it was in my power, and when I had permission,
and after being about nineteen months there, on the
26th March, 1791, on the arrival of H.M.S. Pandora,' I
immediately went on board, and made my case known to
Captain Edwards, who made me a prisoner, and such I
have continued to the present hour.
66
On the loss of the 'Pandora' on the 29th August I
narrowly escaped shipwreck; and again in a Dutch India-
man. My sufferings have been great; but that Providence,
which hath ever protected me, and on whom alone I rely
for succour, will to the innocent still continue his pro-
tection.
CHAP. VI.
105
LETTERS OF THE HEYWOODS.
"Believe me, sir, this is the true cause of my remain-
ing on board the 'Bounty,' and my thoughts that Captain
Bligh hath misrepresented me, arise only from my being
kept so close a prisoner, and not from any consciousness
that I ever deserved even to be suspected of so heinous a
crime; but I still flatter myself that he can have said
none other of me than that I was always dutiful to
him and all my superior officers, and ever delighted
and obedient in executing any duty imposed on me.
Therefore, may I hope, dear sir, that this may serve to
turn your censure of me (if any has yet taken place), into
pity for my youth, inexperience, and misfortunes; and
once more be assured I have done my duty, both to my
Maker and mankind.
"With the most profound respect,
"Believe me, my dear and honoured Sir,
"Your ever dutiful and most obliged, but unhappy servant,
"PETER HEYWOOD.
"P.S. May I beg of you, sir, to favour my dear
unhappy mother with a sight of this letter; and if you
will honour me with a line of comfort, let it be conveyed
to me through ber hands, as I have given her precautions
relative to my present situation."
The first letters he received after his arrival at
Portsmouth were from his mother and sisters, dated as
follows:
"Mrs. Heywood to Mr. P. Heywood.
"Isle of Man, June 29th, 1792.
Oh, my ever dearly beloved and long lost son, with
what anxiety have I waited for this period! I have
counted the days, hours, and even minutes, since I first
heard of the horrid and unfortunate mutiny, which has
so long deprived me of my dearest boy; but now the
1 His letters had to be read by an officer before he received them.
106
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
happy time is come-and I cannot have the unspeakable
pleasure of seeing and embracing you, yet I hope we may
be allowed to correspond. Surely there can be nothing
improper in a liberty of this sort between an affectionate
mother and her dutiful and beloved son, who, I am
perfectly convinced, was never guilty of the crime he
has been suspected of by those who did not know his
worth and truth; and I have not the least doubt but
that Divine and All-gracious God, who of his providence
has protected you so long, and brought you safe through
so many dangers and difficulties, will still protect you,
and make your innocence appear at your trial as clear as
the light.
All your letters have come safe to me and my very
dear good Nessy. Ah, Peter, with what real joy did we
all receive them, and how happy are we that you are
now safe in England! I will endeavour, my dearest lad,
to make your present situation as comfortable as possible,
for so affectionate and good a son deserves my utmost
attention. Nessy has written to our faithful and kind
friend Mr. Heywood, of Plymouth, for his advice, whether
it would be proper for her to come up to you. Your
uncle Pasley approves of it, provided he does; and I
hope we shall have his answer by the next packet. If he
consents to her doing so, not a moment shall be lost; and
how happy shall I be when she is with you-such a
sister as she is. Oh, Peter, she is an invaluable girl!
What comfort will she give you, and how will she lessen
the many tedious hours you must, I fear, pass in your con-
finement; but keep up your spirits, my charming boy,
take care of your health, which is so dear to me, and put
your full trust in that Supreme Being, who never has,
nor ever will forsake you.
"I will not tell you the grief and anguish I and all
your brothers and sisters felt when we first heard of the
horrid mutiny, and that you were not returned. It was
CHAP. VI.
107
LETTERS OF THE HEYWOODS.
a sorrowful time, indeed; but we had a full confidence in
your innocence, knowing so well the perfect goodness
of your heart, morals, and disposition. Every interest
possible we have made. I have desired Mr. Heywood to
remit you money for whatever you want, and I shall, by
the first opportunity from this, send you the various
articles you require.
،،
'My good Birkett¹ is very well, and says your safe
return has made her more happy than she has been for
the two and forty years passed in our family. Oh, happy,
happy day when you shall arrive home! With what
pleasure do I look forward to it, after all your sufferings!
66
As Nessy writes I will leave her to tell you all that I
have omitted; but let me not forget to say how grateful
I am to those young men who on your voyage home so
kindly supplied you with the little necessaries they could.
spare.
"May the Almighty still protect and bless my dearest
boy, is the continual prayer of
"Your most affectionate mother,
"ELIZABETH HEYWOOD."
"MY DEAREST AND MOST BELOVED BROTHER,
"Thanks to that Almighty Providence, which has
so miraculously preserved you, your fond, anxious, and
till now miserable Nessy, is at last permitted to address
the object of her tenderest affection, in England! Oh,
my admirable, my honest boy, what have we felt on your
account, yet how small, how infinitely trifling seems the
misery of our situation when compared with the horrors
of yours! Let me now, however, with confidence, hope
Betty Birkett had been when a girl, received into Mr. Sped-
ding's family as the personal attendant of his daughter Elizabeth;
and upon her marriage with Mr. Heywood, Betty accompanied her
young mistress to the Isle of Man, became the nurse of her children,
and the faithful and devoted friend of Mrs. Heywood's declining years.
108
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
p
that the God of all mercies has not so long protected you
in vain, but will at length crown your fortitude and
pious resignation to his will, with that peace and happiness.
which you so richly merit. How blest did your delightful
(and yet, I will add), dreadful letter from Batavia make
us all! yet, believe me, it was in some degree fortunate
that it arrived by the packet before last, for the
apprehensions we then felt for your health and safety
were almost insupportable. Alas! I think I could scarcely
have borne them another week. Providentially, however,
your two other letters (mentioning your arrival in
England) came by the last packet to relieve our fears,
and render you, if that were possible, more dear to us
than ever. So well did we know your amiable steady
principles that we were assured your reasons for staying
behind would be exactly what you represent them; and
I firmly trust that Providence will at length restore you
to those dear and affectionate friends, who can know no
happiness till they are blest with your loved society.
Take care of your precious health. Alas! you say you
are weakly, and I fear it is but too true; but I shall, I
hope, soon be with you. I have written to Mr. Heywood
(your and our excellent friend and protector) for his
permission to go to you immediately, which my uncle.
Heywood, without first obtaining it, would not allow,
fearing any precipitate step should injure you at present.
I only wait the moment I may fly to you.
66
"Your most affectionate and admiring sister,
"NESSY HEYWOOD.
P.S. Mr. Bligh is gone to the South Seas; but we
must hope the best. Dr. Scott, my dearest brother, is on
this and every other occasion respecting you, a second
father; his attention is beyond anything, and his anxiety
greater than I can express; but Mary is impatient to
scribble a little."
CHAP. VI.
109
LETTERS OF THE HEYWOODS.
"Commodore Pasley to Mr. P. Heywood.
"MY DEAR PETER,
66
"Sheerness, July 6th, 1792.
Captain Montague writes me that he has delivered
a memorial from you to the Lords of the Admiralty.
Mr. Delafons, my particular friend, who has been with
you, is a very sensible, judicious man. Consult him on
every step you take, as no person can be a better judge of
the proper mode of defence. I have seen Mr. Fryer, the
master, and Cole, the boatswain-both favourable evi-
dences. To-day I set off for Woolwich and Deptford
to endeavour to see the gunner and carpenter; and
shall try as I return to see Hayward and Hallet.
I have tried to get the rigour of your confinement
mitigated, but find that at present nothing can be done
as to enlargement. The Admiralty, I find, have laid.
your cases before the Crown lawyers for their opinion,
whether you shall be tried by a Naval court-martial or
Admiralty Court; but as yet no answer is received.
Rest assured of my utmost exertions. Whenever you are
tried I shall attend; at present you are surrounded by
my friends. Kind compliments to Mr. Delafons. Let
him constantly write me how I can serve your cause.
"I am, believe me, with great truth,
Your affectionate uncle,
"THOMAS PASLEY.”
"Miss N. Heywood to Mr. P. Heywood.
"MY EVER DEAREST BROTHER,
"I have a piece of intelligence for you, my dearest ;
Mrs. Bertie (Mr. Heywood's daughter) is now at Ports-
mouth on board the Edgar,' which Captain Bertie
commands. How I envy her situation in thus being
¹ Mr. Heywood of Maristow, near Plymouth, had three daughters,
celebrated for their beauty. One became the wife of the Hon.
Captain Bertie, R.N., another married Mr. Musters, and the third
Mr. Orby Hunter.
110
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
J
near you.
Ah, my dearest Peter, she is an angel of a
woman! It is by her kind care and attention that you
are furnished with everything you may have occasion
for; and in a most charming letter which my mamma
received yesterday, she tells us that she had sent a friend
of her own (Mr. Larkham, I suppose), to see you, and
assures us that he gave the most favourable account of
your looks and health. How exquisitely happy did this
account of you make us, and how anxiously shall we
wish for a continuance of those blessings to our dear boy.
I have not yet had an answer from Mr. Heywood to the
letter, in which I requested his permission to go to you;
but expect it by the next packet.
"If you have received the letters we have already
written to you, they will inform you of the situation of
our family. Mamma writes next, and we shall, as you
desire, forbear to tell you anything it would be desirable
to conceal from the world; though, with respect to
yourself, my dear excellent brother, as we are all per-
suaded of your worth and innocence, we have no secret
to hide.
66
Farewell, my best brother, may all good angels guard
thee! May that beneficent Being, who has hitherto pre-
served my brother, watch over him still, is the prayer of
'His ever fondly affectionate sister,
NESSY HEYWOOD."
“Mr P. Heywood to Mrs. Heywood.
"H.M.S.' Hector,' July 12th, 1792.
“MY DEAR AND HONOURED Mother,
"I have this day, with unspeakable joy, perused
your letter and my sister Nessy's of the 29th, for which
I had long waited with the most anxious impatience. I
am happy to find you have received all my letters, in
which I endeavoured to relieve my dear mother's mind as
much as possible on my account-thanks be to God they
CHAP. VI.
111
LETTERS OF THE HEYWOODS.
have had that effect! I have written two or three from
hence, in which you will find the many marks of kindness
and friendship which I have received from Mr. Heywood
and my uncle Pasley. I there expressed my desire that
none of my relations might come here to see me, as they
certainly will not be allowed that privilege, and hope it
may have prevented my dearest sister Nessy from pro-
ceeding on so long a journey, which I am sure must end
in chagrin and disappointment. 'Tis impossible for her
to wish more for such an interview than I do, but it
cannot be; and how disagreeable would she feel her
situation on her arrival, unable to see me, the sole object
of a long and tedious journey. Patience, therefore, is re-
quisite for a time.
"I have not as yet received the box you were so good
as to send me, but it will most likely be here in a day or
two. I am sorry, very sorry, to hear that poor little
Henry has gone to sea-God help him. He, like me,
knew not the troubles he was so soon to encounter-I
wish he were safe at home again. I cannot tell you how
soon my trial may come on; but we must wait with
patience and resignation for the time when I shall be
freed from the load of infamy I now bear. I have many
questions to ask you, but shall be content with my
present knowledge till a more favourable opportunity.
My best respects to Dr. Scott and all my other friends;
and praying that God may preserve the health of my
dearest mother,
"I remain,
"Your most obedient and dutiful son,
PETER HEYWOOD."
He wrote at the same time a most affectionate letter
to his sister, in which he said :-
66
'Notwithstanding my anxiety to embrace you, nothing,
my beloved Nessy, could give me more pain than your
112
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
arrival here. It is for your own dear sake only, as the
disappointment would occasion you a sorrow greater than
at present you have any idea of, for you have not ex-
perienced the pain of such a restriction. To me, alas! it
is quite familiar. I send you two little sketches¹ of the
manner in which H.M.S. 'Pandora' went down on
the 29th August, and the appearance we, who survived,
made on the small sandy quay within the reef (about
90 yards long and 60 athwart), in all 99 souls.
we remained three days, subsisting upon two ounces of
bread and a single wine-glass of wine-and-water a day,
and no shelter from the meridian (and then vertical) sun.
Captain Edwards had tents erected for himself and his
people; and we prisoners petitioned him for an old sail
which was lying useless, part of the wreck, but, although
in the latitude of 11° S., he refused it, and all the shelter
we had was to bury ourselves up to the neck in the
burning sand, which scorched the skin (we being without
clothes) entirely off our bodies, as if we had been dipped in
large cauldrons of boiling-water. We were nineteen days in
the same miserable situation before we landed at Coupany.
From this you may have some faint idea of our wretched
condition. I was in the ship in irons, hands and feet, much
longer than till the position you now see her in—the poop
alone being above water (and that knee-deep),—when
Providence assisted me to get out of irons and from her.
With sincere love and duty to my dearest mother,
Ever your most affectionate brother,
PETER HEYWOOD."
Miss N. Heywood to Mr. P. Heywood-(Extract.)
66
"Isle of Man, July 22nd, 1792.
'I think I have not yet, in any of my letters, my
dearest Peter, mentioned one single article of news;
indeed I was, and am still, too much interested in one
¹ Drawn by himself, and now engraved for this volume.

DESTRUCTION OF UM.S. PANDORA
Daybreak, Aug 29th, 1791

Diawu by Peter Fleywood
ON A SANDY ISLET
Noon, Aug. 29th, 1791,
CHAP. VI.
113
LETTERS OF THE HEYWOODS.
subject to think with pleasure on any other; but it is
selfish not to consult your gratification as well as my
own, and 'tis natural to suppose you must wish to know
something of our transactions during your long absence.
I shall be sufficiently happy in affording you some amuse-
ment, be it ever so trifling.
*
*
*
*
*
*
"We do not live in the same house as when you left
us, but in one Mr. Bacon had on the parade, where we
have a fine prospect of the sea, and shall one day, I hope,
look with longing eyes towards it for the vessel which
will bring our adored Peter. Do you recollect the draw-
ing-room? My organ (upon which I practise with
unceasing assiduity, that I may entertain my loved
Peter, and which, while sorrowing for his mournful and
tedious absence, was my chief amusement and consola-
tion), forms no inconsiderable part of its ornamental
furniture; over the mantelpiece hangs your drawing of
Nadir Shah, and round the room Mary's and my drawings.
How often have I sat for hours in this very room (where
I now write) to contemplate that picture, the performance
of my dear brother.
"Adieu! my best ever-loved Peter; take
take care of
yourself, and may the God of Mercies bless and preserve
you from all dangers; may He protect your injured
innocence, and soon, very soon restore you to those who
love you better than any other earthly being. Mamma,
brothers, sisters, and all friends desire to say everything
that love and tenderness can address to you. Keep up
your spirits, dear, dear Peter, for the sake of your most
fond and faithful sister,
'NESSY HEYWOOD."
Extract from a letter of Mr. P. Heywood to Miss N. Heywood.
"MY BELOVED SISTER,
"Hector,' July 22nd, 1792.
"I am sorry to find that the supposition I had
I
114
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
mentioned to my mother in my letter from Batavia, of
Captain Bligh's suspecting me to be one of the mutineers,
was not groundless. Was my conduct at any time such as to
give him the smallest reason to distrust my behaviour, or
even my thoughts? The Omnipotent Searcher of hearts
alone can prove it never was! Did he then write to
you to that effect? Alas! and had he so mean an opinion
of my disposition and morals? But I forgive his cruelty,
and may God do the same; yet I think he might have
known me better. Oh, Nessy! how I wish this letter
had not come to my hand! That he, the first commander
I ever was with, deemed me a mutineer. Oh, heavens! the
thought is almost insupportable! This letter has given
me more anxiety than all the numerous and complicated
scenes of horror and misery with which I have been
familiar, since I was first a prey to misfortune."
In a letter to her brother dated July 31st, 1792,
Nessy Heywood remarks:-
Mr. Bligh has most certainly branded my amiable
brother with the vile appellation of mutineer, but he has
not dared to charge you with any crime that could have
authorized such an epithet; on the contrary, he has
declared, under his own hand, that he had the highest
esteem for you till the fatal moment of the mutiny, and
that your conduct during the whole course of the voyage
was such as gave him the greatest pleasure and satisfac-
tion. So high, indeed, was the opinion he had of your
character and attachment to him, that he told Mr. Wilson,
in conversation, his greatest hopes of assistance in sup-
pressing the mutiny were from his dependence on your
forming a party in his favour; and here I must observe,
that his confidence in his other officers must have been very
small when (without making any effort himself, except by
words, even when he was in the boat and his hands at
liberty) he depended on a boy of seventeen' to be his
CHAP. VI.
115
LETTERS OF THE HEYWOODS.
defender. His cruelty in loading you with so opprobrious.
an epithet is therefore the more unpardonable, and will,
so far from injuring you, my dearest Peter, recoil upon
himself; and if he has any feeling, it must distress him
much."
Mr. P. Heywood to Mrs. Heywood.
"MY DEAREST MOTHER,
"Hector,' August 9th, 1792.
I have just received yours of the 31st, and yester-
day the parcel, for the contents of which accept my best.
thanks.
"I hear the fleet is now on its passage from Torbay, so
that the time appointed for the trial will not, I hope, be
much longer protracted. I have, by Mrs. Bertie's direc-
tion, ordered a suit of uniform for that occasion, which I
shall wear with a crape round my arm, as a respect due
to the memory of the best of parents,' whose death I have
lamented with the most poignant grief, and whose loss
I shall ever remember with the truest sentiments of
duty and filial affection.
2
"Oh! my dearest mother, with what pleasure did I
yesterday peruse the poetry, written by my dear Nessy,
dictated by a heart so generous and sympathetic.
1 His father, whose death has been mentioned.
2 "On the tedious and mournful absence of a most beloved brother
who was in the 'Bounty' with Captain Bligh at the time of the
fatal mutiny, which happened April 28th, 1789, in the South Seas,
and who, instead of returning with the boat when she left the ship,
remained behind."
"Tell me, thou busy fluttering telltale why,
Why flow these tears, why heaves this deep-felt sigh?
Why is all joy from my sad bosom flown?
Why lost that cheerfulness I thought my own?
When every hour in joy and gladness passed,
And each new day shone brighter than the rest;
When in society I loved to join,
When to enjoy, and give delight was mine.
Now
I 2
116
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
I have little more to add, than to entreat you to
maintain serenity of mind by the assurance that I am as
content as can be expected, and am ever my dearest
mother's most dutiful and
CC
Affectionate son,
"PETER HEYWOOD."
"Hector,' August 9th, 1792.
MY DEAREST NESSY,
I have sent you some of the sublime. Don't exert
your risible faculties at my expense; 'tis but an endeavour
at an art I have scarcely any notion of, and upon a subject
I could not describe as it deserved. It happened (which
is rather remarkable) on that unfortunate day, which
deprived us of our most regretted parent. The dream,'
which occasioned this poetical attempt, I shall never forget;
so powerful was its effect upon my mind. I owe to it all
my present serenity, and it was this alone which enabled
me to support the many troubles I have had to encounter.
Now, sad reverse! in sorrow wakes each day,
And grief's sad tones inspire each plaintive lay.
Thou best of brothers--friend, companion, guide,
Joy of my youth, my honour, and my pride;
Lost is all peace, all happiness to me,
And fled all comfort, since deprived of thee.
Indulgent Heaven! in pity to our tears
Vouchsafe to bless a parent's sinking years.
Again shall I behold thy much-loved face,
By manhood formed with every ripen'd grace;
Again shall press thee to my anxious breast,
And every sorrow shall be hush'd to rest.
Thy presence only can each comfort give,
Come then, my Lycidas, and let me live:
Life without thee is but a wretched load,
Thy love alone can smooth the thorny road.
But, blest with thee, how light were every woe,
How would my soul with love and rapture glow,
Kind Heaven! Thou hast one happiness in store,
Bestow him Innocent-I ask no more."
1 This letter contained a poetical version of the dream which is
related in p. 82, Chap. V.
CHAP. VI.
117
LETTERS OF THE HEYWOODS.
I hammered at it while at Tahiti, and after writing it, I
learnt it by heart, and now you have it from recollection.
"Adieu! my dear girl. I hope you keep up my
mother's spirits, for I know you are well qualified to do
so. My tenderest love and duty to her, and my beloved
brothers and sisters.
"Your faithfully affectionate brother,
PETER HEYWOOD.
*
*
Mr. P. Heywood to Mrs. Heywood.
* * *
(
'Hector,' August 15th, 1792.
The question, my dear mother, in
one of your letters, concerning my swimming off to the
'Pandora,' is one falsity among the too many of which I
have often thought of undeceiving you, and as frequently
forgot. The story was this: On the morning she
arrived, I (accompanied by two of my friends, natives),
was going up to the mountains, when, having got about a
hundred yards from my own house, another of my friends
(for I was, I may say, a great favourite amongst those
Tahitians, and perfectly conversant with their language)
came running after me, and informed me that there was
a ship coming. I immediately went up on a rising
ground and saw with the utmost joy a ship coming
into the bay off Hapiano (a district two or three miles
to windward of Maatavaye, where I lived). It was
just after daylight, and thinking Coleman might not
be awake, and therefore be ignorant of such pleasing news
(living a mile and a half from me), and wishing to
give any one such satisfaction as that, I sent one of my
servants to inform him of it, upon which he immediately
went off in a single canoe. There was a fresh breeze, and
the ship working into the bay, he no sooner got alongside
than the rippling capsized the canoe; and he being
obliged to let go the tow rope to get her righted, went
118
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
astern, and was picked up in the canoe next tack, and
taken on board the Pandora,' he being the first person.
I, along with Stewart, was then standing upon the beach,
with a double canoe, manned with twelve paddles, ready for
launching; therefore, just as she made her last tack into
her berth (for we did not think it requisite to go off
sooner) we put off, and got alongside just as they streamed
the buoy; and being dressed in the country manner,
tanned as brown as the natives, and tattoed like them in
the most curious manner, I do not in the least wonder at
their taking us for natives. I was tattoed, not to gratify
my own desire, but theirs; for it was my constant
endeavour to acquiesce in any little custom which I
thought would be agreeable to them (though painful in
the process) provided I gained by it their friendship and
esteem, which you may suppose is no inconsiderable
object in an island where the natives are so numerous.
The more a man or woman there is tattoed, the more they
are respected, and a person who has none of these marks
is looked upon as bearing a most repulsive badge of
disgrace, and considered as a mere outcast from society.
You may suppose, then, that my disposition would not.
suffer me to be long out of fashion. I always made it a
maxim "when I was in Rome, to act as Rome did,"
provided it did not interfere with my morals or religion;
and by this means I was a great favourite on shore, and
treated with respect by every person on the island, in
whose mouths my name ever was an object of their love
and esteem. Perhaps you may think I flatter myself,' but
I really do not. Adieu! my dearest mother.
Believe me your truly dutiful and most obedient son,
"P. HEYWOOD."
Colonel Holwell to Mr. P. Heywood.
South Bro, Sept. 12th, 1792.
“Your last informs me, my dear Peter, that this is
to be the awful day, which we have no doubt will restore
CHAP. VI.
119
LETTERS OF THE HEYWOODS.
you innocent to society, and to the arms of your discon-
solate relations and friends. Nevertheless, your aunt, as
well as myself, cannot help feeling somewhat triste on the
approach of this interesting day, not a moment of which
shall we cease to implore that Power who has so miracu-
lously preserved you hitherto, to continue His goodness,
and support you through the hour of trial. When you
are at liberty, I hope you will let us embrace you in your
way to the island. Had my health permitted, I should
surely have been now with you, and would have brought
you to our little cottage. When you have made up your
mind, your road lies in this direction.
Adieu, my dear nephew, in the hope of seeing you soon.
well and acquitted.
I remain, with our united loves,
Your affectionate uncle and sincere friend,
"J. HOLWELL.”
1 That he did not flatter himself, Captain Bligh's second voyage to
Tahiti proves, from the many inquiries the natives made about him
of the ship's company, and the great esteem and respect they pro-
fessed for his character, young as he then was.
120
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
COURT-MARTIAL
CHAPTER VII.
CORRESPONDENCE
OF MEMBERS OF
PETER
HEYWOOD'S FAMILY-ACQUITTAL OF SOME OF THE CREW
PARDON OF PETER HEYWOOD AND JAMES MORRISON - EXECU-
TION OF TWO PRISONERS SUBSEQUENT CAREER OF CAPTAIN
BLIGH AND OTHER OFFICERS OF THE 'BOUNTY' DEATH OF
MISS NESSY HEYWOOD.
THE court-martial assembled on board H. M. ship
'Duke,' under the presidency of Vice-Admiral Lord
Hood, and continued from the 12th to the 18th Sep-
tember, Sunday excepted.
C
The charges set forth were that Fletcher Christian,
who was mate of the Bounty,' assisted by others of
the inferior officers and crew, armed with muskets and
bayonets, had violently and forcibly taken that ship
from Lieutenant Bligh, and that he, together with the
master, boatswain, gunner, and other persons (being
nineteen in number) were forced into the launch and
cast adrift. It was further set forth that Captain
Edwards, in the 'Pandora,' was directed to proceed
to Otaheite, and other islands in the South Seas, and
to use his best endeavours to recover the said vessel,
and to bring in confinement to England the said
Fletcher Christian and his associates, or as many of
them as he might be able to apprehend, in order that
they might be brought to condign punishment, &c.;
and that Peter Heywood, James Morrison, Charles
Norman, Joseph Coleman, Thomas Ellison, Thomas
CHAP. VII.
121
COURT-MARTIAL.
McIntosh, Thomas Burkett, John Millward, William
Muspratt, and Michael Byrne, had been brought to
England, &c., and were now put on their trial.
Mr. Fryer, the master of the 'Bounty,' being first
sworn, deposed:
That he had the first watch; that between ten and
eleven o'clock Mr. Bligh came on deck, according to
custom, and after a short conversation, and having
given his orders for the night, left the deck; that at
twelve he was relieved by the gunner, and retired,
leaving all quiet; that at dawn of day he was greatly
alarmed by an unusual noise; and that on attempting
to jump up, John Sumner and Matthew Quintal laid
their hands upon his breast and desired him to lie
still, saying he was their prisoner; that on expostu-
lating with them he was told, "Hold your tongue, or
you are a dead man, but if you remain quiet there is
none on board will hurt a hair of your head." He
further deposed, that on raising himself on the locker
he saw Mr. Bligh, in his shirt, going on deck by the
ladder, with his hands tied behind him, and Christian
holding him by the cord; that the master-at-arms,
Churchill, then came to his cabin and took a brace of
pistols and a hanger, saying, "I will take care of these,
Mr. Fryer;" that he asked, on seeing Mr. Bligh bound,
what they were going to do with the captain; that
Sumner replied, "Put him into the boat, and let him
see if he can live on three-fourths of a pound of yams a
day;" that he remonstrated with such conduct, but in
vain. They said he must go in the small cutter.
"The small cutter!" Mr. Fryer exclaimed, "why, her
122
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
C
bottom is almost out, and very much eaten by the
worms!" to which Sumner and Quintal both said,
"The boat is too good for him." After much en-
treaty, he prevailed on them to ask Christian if he
might be allowed to go on deck, which, after some
hesitation, was granted. "When I came on deck,"
says Mr. Fryer, "Mr. Bligh was standing by the mizen-
mast with his hands tied behind him, and Christian
holding the cord in one hand and a bayonet in the
other. I said, 'Christian, consider what you are about.'
'Hold your tongue, sir,' he said; I have been in hell
for weeks past; Captain Bligh has brought all this on
himself.' I told him that Mr. Bligh and he not agree-
ing was no reason for taking the ship. Hold your
tongue, sir,' he said. I said, 'Mr. Christian, you and
I have been on friendly terms during the voyage, there-
fore give me leave to speak. Let Mr. Bligh go down
to his cabin, and I make no doubt we shall all be
friends again.' He then repeated, 'Hold your tongue,
sir, it is too late,' threatening me if I said any-
thing more." Mr. Fryer then asked him to give a
better boat than the cutter; he said, "No, that boat
is good enough." Bligh now said to the master that
the man behind the hen-coops (Isaac Martin) was his
friend, and desired him (the master) to knock Christian
down, which Christian must have heard, but took no
notice; Fryer then attempted to get past Christian to
speak to Martin, but he put his bayonet to his breast,
saying, "Sir, if you advance an inch further I will run
you through," and ordered two armed men to take him
down to his cabin. Shortly afterwards he was desired
СПАР. VII.
123
COURT-MARTIAL.
to go on deck, when Christian ordered him into the
boat. He said, "I will stay if you will give me leave.”
"No, sir," he replied, "go directly into the boat."
Bligh, then on the gangway, said, "Mr. Fryer, stay
in the ship. "No," Christian said, "go into the boat,
or I will run you through."
Fryer stated that during this time very opprobrious
language was used by the people towards Mr. Bligh ;
that with great difficulty they prevailed on Christian
to suffer a few articles to be put into the boat; that,
after the persons were put into the boat to the number
of nineteen, much violent language continued to be
used, several of the men calling out, "Shoot him;" that
Cole, the boatswain, advised they should cast off and
take their chance, as the mutineers would certainly do
them some mischief if they remained much longer.
Mr. Fryer then stated the names of those who
were under arms; and that Joseph Coleman, Thomas
McIntosh, Charles Norman, and Michael Byrne (pri-
soners) wished to come into the boat, declaring they
had nothing to do in the business; and that he did not
perceive Mr. Peter Heywood on deck at the seizure of
the ship.
وو
On being asked to what he supposed Christian alluded
when he said, "he had been in hell for a fortnight,'
he replied, "To the frequent quarrels they had, and
the abuse he received from Mr. Bligh, and that the day
before the mutiny Mr. Bligh had challenged all the
young gentlemen and people with stealing his cocoa-
nuts."
Mr. Cole, the boatswain, deposes-that he had the
124
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY,'
middle watch; was awakened out of his sleep in
the morning, and heard a man calling out to the car-
penter that they had mutinied and taken the ship,
that Christian had the command, and the captain
was a prisoner on the quarter-deck; that he went up
the hatchway, having seen Mr. Heywood and Mr.
Young in the opposite berth; that, coming on deck,
he saw the captain with his hands tied behind him,
and four sentinels standing over him, two of whom
were Ellison and Burkett, the prisoners. He asked
Mr. Christian what he meant do do, and was answered
by his ordering him to hoist the boat out; that he
saw Peter Heywood, one of the prisoners, lending a
hand to get the fore-stayfall along, and, when the boat
was hooked on, spoke something to him, but what it
was does not know, as Christian was threatening him
at the time; that Heywood then went below, and does
not remember seeing him afterwards.
The Court asked if he had any reason to believe that
any other of the prisoners than those named were
detained contrary to their inclinations.
Answer. "I believe Mr. Heywood was. I thought
all along he was intending to come away; he had no
arms, and he assisted to get the boat out, and then
went below. I heard Churchill call out, 'Keep them
below.'
ووو
The Court.-"Do you think he meant Heywood?"
66 I have no reason to think any other."
Mr. Peckover, the gunner's evidence is similar to
that of Mr. Cole's, and need not be detailed.
T
↓
CHAP. VII.
125
COURT-MARTIAL.
Mr. Purcell, the carpenter, corroborated generally
the testimony of the three who had been examined.
The Court." In what light did you look upon Mr.
Heywood?"
Witness." I looked upon him as a person confused,
and that he went below as on his own account, in order
to collect some of his things to go in the boat."
The Court." In the time that Mr. Heywood was
assisting you in getting things into the boat, did he
in any degree whatever manifest a disposition to assist
in the mutiny?"
Witness.—“
"No."
The Court."Was he during that time deliberate or
frightened, and in what manner did he behave himself?"
Witness." I had not an opportunity of observing his
every action, being at that time engaged in getting
several things into the boat, so that I cannot tell.”
The Court." Putting every circumstance together,
declare to this court, upon the oath you have taken,
how you considered his behaviour; whether as a per-
son joined in the mutiny, or as a person wishing well
to Captain Bligh?"
Witness." I by no means considered him a person
concerned in the mutiny or conspiracy."
Lieutenant Thomas Hayward, late third lieutenant
of the 'Bounty,' deposed that he had the morning
watch; and at four o'clock Fletcher Christian relieved
the watch as usual; that at five o'clock he ordered
him (as master's mate of the watch) to look-out while
he went down to lash his hammock up, and that he
speedily returned, accompanied by a number of armed
126
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.
men. Christian, with his party, then went below to
Lieutenant Bligh's cabin, and they had not been down
long before he heard the cry of "Murder!" and that
soon after Lieutenant Bligh was brought upon the
quarter-deck with his hands bound behind him, sur-
rounded by a crowd of armed men who then thronged
the deck.
On this witness stating that when he went below to
collect some clothes, he saw Peter Heywood in his
berth, and told him to go into the boat; he was asked
by the court if Heywood was prevented by any force
from going upon deck, he answered, "No."
The Court." Did you, from his behaviour, consider
him as a person attached to his duty, or to the party
of the mutineers ?
Witness."I should rather suppose, after my having
told him to go into the boat, and he not joining us, to
be on the side of the mutineers; but that must be
understood only as an opinion, as he did not in the
least take an active part."
The Court."Did you observe any marks of joy or
sorrow in his countenance or behaviour?'
Witness." Sorrow."
22
Lieutenant Hallett, late midshipman of the 'Bounty,
on being asked "Whether he saw Peter Heywood on
the day of the mutiny?" said, "He saw him once on the
platform, standing still and looking attentively towards
Captain Bligh; never saw him under arms, nor spoke
to him; does not know if he offered to go in the
boat; that, when standing on the platform, Captain
Bligh said something to him, but what he did not hear,
1
CHAP. VII.
127
COURT-MARTIAL.
on which Heywood laughed,' turned round and walked
away.'
>>
Captain Edwards stated in evidence, that Stewart,
Heywood, Coleman, Morrison, Norman, and McIntosh,
voluntarily surrendered themselves on the arrival of
the Pandora at Tahiti.
The prisoners being called on for their defence, the
witnesses were again called and examined on the part
of the prisoners.
Mr. Fryer, the master, called in and examined by
Mr. Heywood." If you had been permitted, would
you have stayed in the ship in preference to going in
the boat?"
Witness."Yes."
Prisoner.—“ Had you stayed in the ship in expecta-
tion of retaking her, was my conduct such (from the
first moment you knew me, to this), as would have
induced you to entrust me with your design; and do
you believe I would have favoured it, and given you
all the assistance in my power?"
Witness."I believe he would; I should not have
hesitated a moment in asking him, when I had an
opportunity of opening my mind to him."
The same question being put to Mr. Cole, the boat-
swain, Mr. Peckover, the gunner, and Mr. Purcell,
carpenter, they all answered in the affirmative.
1 Lieutenant Bligh's language on this occasion was sufficient to
have raised a smile. He told Fryer, the master, to knock Christian
down, who was armed with a pistol and bayonet. He also said that
Heywood (a boy of seventeen) ought to have raised a party in his
favour. Hallett, however (as will afterwards appear), retracted on
his death-bed his unfavourable evidence against Heywood.
128
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
Mr. Heywood asked, "What was my general conduct,
temper, and disposition, on board the ship?
Witness.-"Beloved by everybody, to the best of my
recollection." To the same question Mr. Cole answered,
"Always a very good character." Mr. Peckover." The
most amiable, and deserving of every one's esteem." Mr.
Purcell." In every respect becoming the character of
a gentleman, and such as merited the esteem of every-
body."
Mr. Cole being examined, gave his testimony.—“That
he never saw Mr. Heywood armed; he did not con-
sider him of the mutineers' party; and saw nothing
of levity or apparent merriment in his conduct. That
when he was below with Stewart, he heard Churchill
call out, "Keep them below," and believes that Hey-
wood was one of the persons meant has no doubt of
it at all. That Bligh could not have spoken to him
when on the booms loud enough to be heard; that
Heywood was alarmed, also Hallett; and he by no
means considered Heywood or Morrison mutineers.
6
Captain Edwards, being asked by Heywood.“ Did
I surrender myself to you upon the arrival of the
Pandora' at Tahiti?"
Witness." Not to me, to the lieutenant; I appre-
hend he put himself in my power. I always understood
he came voluntarily; our boats were not in the water."
Prisoner." Did I give you such information respect-
ing myself and the 'Bounty,' as afterwards proved
true?"
Witness.—“ He gave me some information respecting
the people on the island that corroborated Coleman's.
་
CHAP. VII.
129
COURT-MARTIAL.
I do not recollect the particular conversation, but in
general it agreed with the account given by Cole-
man."
Prisoner." When I told you that I went away the
first time from Tahiti with the mutineers, did I not, at
the same time, inform you that it was impossible for
me to separate myself from Christian, who would not
permit any of the party to leave him at that time,
lest, by giving intelligence, they might have been dis-
covered whenever a ship should arrive?"
Witness."Yes, but I do not recollect the latter part
of it respecting giving intelligence."
Mr. Fryer, again called in and examined by James
Morrison.
"He did not see Morrison armed; he was in his
watch, and he considered him a steady, sober, atten-
tive man. He acknowledged that if he had remained
in the ship with the view of retaking her, Morrison
would have been one of the first he should have called
to his assistance."
Mr. Cole gave testimony to his being a man of good
character, attentive to his duty, and he never knew any
harm of him.
Mr. Purcell bore witness to his good character, being
always diligent and attentive; did not see him under
arms on the taffrail; never heard him make use of any
unbecoming language.
Respecting the prisoner Muspratt, Mr. Cole's evi-
dence proved that he had a musket in his hands, but
not till the latter part of the business. It is also
proved that he assisted in getting things into the
K
130
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
香
​launch. Mr. Peckover saw him standing on the fore-
castle doing nothing; he was not armed.
Mr. Cole, the boatswain, stated that he ordered Mor-
rison to go and help them with the cutter; that he
told them the boat was overloaded; that Captain Bligh
had begged that no more people should go in her;
that he shook Morrison by the hand and said he would
do him justice in England; as he had no reason to
suppose him concerned in the mutiny.
Peter Heywood being then called upon by the Court,
made his defence, in which he stated generally, that
he had never imagined that by remaining in the ship,
he would lay himself open to a charge of complicity in
the mutiny, which from first to last he condemned.
Lieutenant Bligh had always treated him with kind-
ness; but it was quite out of the power of a young boy,
surrounded by armed men, to make any diversion in his
favour, and he could hardly have been blamed had he
hesitated about entering a boat which was already
within eight inches of the water's edge, and bound on
a perilous voyage among islands inhabited by ferocious
savages. He had nevertheless determined to risk his
life with those who accompanied his commander, and
had gone below with Stewart to collect some little
necessaries, but was prevented by some of the crew
from returning on deck.¹ He thought Hayward and
Hallett had been mistaken in some of the facts,
which was very possible, as they were much con-
¹ Stewart and Peter Heywood were kept below by the mutineers
(which has been mentioned in a former chapter), who thought that
if they left there would be no one capable of navigating the ship in
the event of anything happening to Christian.
CHAP. VII.
131
THE VERDICT.
fused at the time, and nearly four years had since
elapsed. No doubt also, the hardships to which they
were exposed in the boat voyage, tended naturally to
embitter their feelings against those who remained
behind. He finally observed that he had taken the
earliest opportunity of su rrendering himself on the ar-
rival of the 'Pandora,' and alluded to the sufferings he
had endured on the home voyage, attributing them, how-
ever, not so much to any animosity on the part of Captain
Edwards, as to the imperative exigencies of the service.
James Morrison's defence was very similar to that
of Heywood, except that he stated he had agreed to
join with Mr. Fryer and Millward in an attempt to
re-take the ship from the mutineers, but that they
were detected and prevented by Churchill and
Alexander Smith (John Adams). "Mr. Hayward,"
he added, "dropped a hint to me that he intended to
knock Churchill down. I told him I would second
him, pointing to some of the Friendly Island clubs
which were sticking in the booms, and saying 'There
were tools enough,' but I was suddenly checked by
finding that he went into the boat without making the
attempt he proposed."
On the 18th September the trial was concluded, and
the Court agreed that the charges had been proved
against Peter Heywood, James Morrison, Thomas
Ellison, John Milward, Thomas Burkett, and William
Muspratt; but the two first were strongly recommended
to mercy, as, if not opposing the mutiny, it was clear
that they were not actively concerned. Joseph Cole-
man, McIntosh, and Byrne, were acquitted, as they
K 2
132
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
had the means of proving that they were detained on
board against their will.
The following letter was addressed to Dr. Scott of
the Isle of Man, the esteemed friend of Mrs. Heywood
and her family. It was written by Peter Heywood
after hearing the sentence passed by the court-martial.
เ
HONOURED AND DEAR SIR,
666
'Hector,' September 20th, 1792.
"On Wednesday the 10th the awful trial commenced,
on that day, when in Court, I had the pleasure of receiving
your most kind and parental letter, in answer to which I
now communicate to you the melancholy issue of it, which
I desired my friend Mr. Graham to inform you of imme-
diately.
I have not been found guilty of the slightest act of the
detestable crime of mutiny, and am doomed for not being
active in my endeavours to suppress it. Could the
evidences who appeared on the court-martial be tried,
they would also suffer for the same and only crime of
which I have been guilty. My inexperience, and no
depravity of will, is the sole cause to which I can
attribute my misfortunes. Although the very strong
recommendation I had to His Majesty's mercy, by all the
members of the Court, may meet with his approbation,
yet that is but the balance of a straw, a mere uncertainty,
upon which no hopes can be built; the other is a certainty
that must one day happen to every mortal; therefore,
my time and thoughts must be devoted to my eternal
salvation.
As this is too tender a subject to inform my unhappy
mother and sisters of, you will either show them this
letter or make known to them the truly dreadful intelli-
gence in such a manner as (assisted by your wholesome
and paternal advice) may enable them to bear it with
CHAP. VII.
133
THE VERDICT.
Christian fortitude. The only worldly feelings I am now
possessed of are for their happiness and welfare; but even
these, in my present situation, I must endeavour, with
God's assistance, to eradicate from my heart, how hard
soever the task. I must strive against cherishing any
temporal affections. But, dear sir, endeavour to mitigate
my distressed mother's sorrow; give my everlasting duty
to her, and unabated love to my disconsolate brothers and
sisters, and all my other relatives. Encourage them by
my example, to bear up with fortitude and resignation.
to the divine will under their load of misfortunes, almost
too great for female nature to support, and teach them to
be fully persuaded that all hopes of happiness on earth
are vain.
On my own account, I still enjoy the utmost serenity
of mind, and am, dearest sir, for ever
Your greatly indebted and most dutiful, but ill-fated
"PETER HEYWOOD."
Mr. P. Heywood to Miss N. Heywood.
"Hector,' September 22nd, 1792.
"Had I not a strong idea that ere this mournful
epistle from your ill-fated brother can reach the trembling
hand of my ever dear and much afflicted sister Nessy, she
must have been informed by my honoured friend Dr. Scott
of the final issue of my trial on Wednesday morning, I
would not now add trouble to the afflicted by a confirma-
tion of it. Though I have indeed fallen an early victim
to the rigid rules of the service, and though the jaws of
death are once more opened upon me, yet do I not now,
nor ever will, bow to the tyranny of base-born fear,
and conscious of having done my duty, I feel not one
moment's anxiety on my own account, but cherish a full
and sanguine hope that perhaps a few days more will free.
me from the load of misfortune which has ever been my
131
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
portion in this transient period of existence, and that I
shall find an everlasting asylum in those blessed regions
of eternal bliss, where the galling yoke of tyranny and
oppression is felt no more, through the merits and inter-
cession of Our blessed Saviour. If earthly majesty (to
whose mercy I have been recommended by the Court)
should refuse to put forth its lenient hand, and rescue me
from what is called an ignominous death, there is a
heavenly King and Redeemer ready to receive the
righteous penitent, on whose gracious mercy alone I (as
should we all) depend, with that pious resignation which
is the duty of every Christian; well convinced that
without his express permission, not even a hair of our
head can fall to the ground.
Oh, my sister! my heart yearns when I picture to
myself the indescribable affliction which this melancholy
news must have caused in the mind of my much-honoured
mother. But let it be your peculiar endeavour to watch
over her grief and mitigate her pain. I hope this little
advice from me will be unnecessary, for I know the holy
precepts of that inspired religion which, thank Heaven,
hath been implanted in the bosoms of us all, will point
out to you, and all my dear relatives, that fortitude and
resignation which is required of us in the conflicts of
human nature, and prevent you from arraigning the
wisdom of that Omniscient Providence, of which we ought
all to have the fullest sense.
"I have just had a most affecting letter from my uncle
Holwell, to whom I communicated what had happened
during the former part of this week. Mr. Graham,
whose kind friendship to me has been unparalleled, is this
day gone up to town to my uncle Pasley, whose endea-
vours towards my enlargement have been unremitting, but
these I cannot trust to. I have now more serious business
in hand, the care and salvation of my soul.
I have had all my dear Nessy's letters, the one of the
CHAP. VII.
135
THE VERDICT.
17th this morning; but, alas! what do they now avail?
The contents of them only serve to prove the instability
of all human hopes and expectations! But, my sister, I
begin to feel the pangs which you must suffer from the
perusal of this melancholy paper, and therefore will desist.
I know it is more than your nature can support. The
contrast between last week's correspondence and this is
great indeed! But why? we had only hope then, and
have we not the same now? Certainly!
"Endeavour then, my love, to cherish that hope, and
with faith rely upon the mercy of that God who does as
to Him seems best, and most conducive to the general
good of His creatures.
"Bear it then with Christian patience, and instil into
the minds of my dear and now sorrowful sisters, by your
advice, the same disposition; and, for Heaven's sake, let
not despair touch the soul of my dear mother, for then all
would be over. Let James also employ all his efforts to
cheer her spirits under her weight of woe. My sincere
love wherever due.
"I will write no more. I feel too much my sister's
state of mind.
"Adieu! my dearest love; write but little to me, and
pray for your affectionate but ill-fated brother,
"PETER HEYWOOD.
"P. S.-I am in perfect spirits, therefore let not your
sympathizing feelings for my sufferings hurt your own
precious health, which is dearer to me than life itself.”
In accordance with Mr. Peter Heywood's request,
Dr. Scott conveyed the information of the painful result
of the Court-martial to the anxious family, and their
state of mind may well be imagined.
On Monday, 1st October, while seated at breakfast,
a messenger came to inform them that a small fishing
136
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
boat would sail for Liverpool in the course of half-an-
hour, and that the captain would take charge of any
letters or parcels they might wish to send. Nessy
Heywood accordingly wrote the following letter to her
brother James, at that time in Liverpool.
"MY DEAREST JAMES,
"Isle of Man, October 1st, 1792.
"There is a vessel going to Liverpool this instant,
and I have but a moment to tell you that I received yours
on Thursday night, till when, we had heard nothing, but
by report. The packet is not yet arrived, and our friends.
will not let me go from hence till she brings some certain
news.
We are in an agony of suspense, and I can hardly
support my own misery, much less keep up my poor
mamma's dejected spirits. If there is the least appre-
hension entertained by the people of Liverpool for his life,
or if you think there is the smallest necessity for your
going to Portsmouth, go, for heaven's sake, without wait-
ing for me. 'Tis true your being there can do him no
essential service, nor will his friends leave anything
undone for him, but 'tis natural to suppose he must wish
to see some of his unhappy family. It is, however, some
comfort that I am able to assure you that every person
here to whom we have spoken on the subject, agrees in the
opinion that there is not the smallest danger, that his
being found guilty is not because anything has been
proved against him (for had that been the case, it would
have been morally impossible to save him) but because he,
poor fellow, was not able to bring evidence sufficiently
strong to prove his innocence; that a recommendation from
a court-martial to mercy is exactly the same as an acquittal
any other Court; for the martial law is so strict and
severe, that there is no medium between absolute acquittal
and death; that there is no instance in which a pardon
in
፡
:
.
1
CHAP. VII.
RECOMMENDED TO MERCY.
137
upon that recommendation has been refused by the
Executive Power, which is the only possible way of
mitigating too severe a law. This is the only opinion
here, in which I do not find one dissenting voice, except
our own; but we have hoped too long, and have too much
at stake to be satisfied with conjectures however well
founded; nor can anything but a certainty from his own
letters still our apprehensions.
if
This is a calm day, and I hope the packet will at length
make her appearance. If she brings not a certainty of
his safety I shall set off for Liverpool immediately; but
you have a doubt of that, I again repeat it, do not wait
for me. I can go alone, fear and even despair will in that
case support me through the journey. Yet, if I could
listen to reason (which is at present indeed difficult) it
is not likely that anything serious has taken place or will
do so, as we should then certainly have had an express.
But, my dear James, act as your affection and judgment
shall dictate, and think only of our poor unfortunate and
adored boy.
me.
"Love from all. Adieu! bestow not one thought on
Take care of our dear Henry; I hope he will not
sail until we are free from this dreadful distress. The
vessel waits.
(6
My dear brother, your most affectionate sister,
NESSY HEYWOOD."
Nessy, however, crossed in the same boat which
conveyed this letter, for Mrs. Heywood's distress of
mind rendering her almost incapable of thinking, her
friends judged it advisable that Nessy should not lose
this opportunity of going to England. Her own im-
patience also to be near her beloved and unfortunate
brother, led her to fly to him, notwithstanding a con-
trary wind and bad weather. With hasty preparation,
138
PART. I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY,'
therefore, she was placed with an attendant on board
the rough little fishing-boat:
Miss N. Heywood to Mrs. Heywood and her friends.
MY BELOVED FRIENDS,
Liverpool, October 3rd, 1792.
"We did not arrive here till noon this day, after a
most tempestous passage of forty-nine hours, with the
wind directly contrary the whole way. Yet (notwith-
standing that vexatious circumstance, hard boards—for I
could not prevail myself to enter one of their dirty, close
beds - and aching bones in consequence, together with
passing two nights almost without closing my eyes) let
me be but blessed with the cheering influence of Hope,
and I have spirit to undertake anything. The plaid was
a most comfortable thing to me. I wrapped it round my
head and it kept out a compound of horrid odours, with
which I should otherwise have been annoyed.
"At the mouth of the river this morning we met a
small open fishing-boat, into which I got (as I was told I
should by that means arrive two hours sooner than I
could otherwise have done), and as the sea was very high,
every wave washed over me, and I had a complete wetting.
On my arrival I found poor Henry had sailed two
days ago. I sent for James, who is still here; he was
prevented from going to town last night by a violent
cold, but will now accompany me. I dined with him at
Mrs. Nicholson's, who, as well as everybody else, seemed
charmed with Henry. My poor boy! how much do I
regret I did not come in time to see him; but I rejoice to
find he went off in good spirits, and his last words men-
tioned Peter. I have been myself to secure a place in the
mail coach, and hope to be by 10 o'clock to-night on my
road to (may I not hope?) the completion of all my
worldly happiness.
"Mr. Southcote (whom I passed at sea) will inform you
CHAP. VII.
139
RECOMMENDED TO MERCY.
that the pardon went down to the king at Weymouth
some days ago. May we not encourage a hope that I
shall find all our miseries at an end? Oh, heavens! dare
I flatter myself it is so; and shall we yet be happy? The
thought is ecstacy!
"I am just going to write to the worthy Mr. Graham ;
you know I told you I should do at sea, but I might as
well have attempted to build a temple there—such tossing,
tumbling, and odour-oh, lack! 'twas as well my mind
was bent on something else. When I was tempted to repine
at the winds, I remembered that they were favourable for
Henry. I reflected on Peter's sufferings, and was content.
"Adieu! my dearest mamma and sisters. God bless you
all; in your prayers for our beloved and exemplary
sufferer, add a word or two for your most dutiful and
affectionate
"NESSY HEYWOOD."
:
Miss N. Heywood to Mrs. Heywood.
MY DEAR MAMMA,
"London. Gt. Russell Street.
66
"Noon, October 5th, 1792.
"At length I have arrived at my destined place of
residence for some days at least, but, with a deep sigh,
must add I have not yet seen my loved Peter. Mr
Graham¹ has, however, personally assured me we need
entertain no fears. At six this morning I reached
London. I first dressed, breakfasted, and then sent a card
by my brother James to Mr. Graham.
In an hour they returned together, and I am as much
charmed with his appearance as we before were with his
letters. He has a most prepossessing countenance, with
eyes in which are strongly pictured the sympathetic
worth and goodness of his heart.
1
¹ A police magistrate, and a friend of Captain Pasley, who had
invited Miss Heywood to stay at his house.
140
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
"He would not suffer me to express my gratitude for
favours, which are invaluable, but when I attempted to
do so, told me he was most effectually repaid by my not
saying one word about them.
“I felt the tears ready to start into my eyes. My first
enquiry was after my angel brother, and I found the
matter not yet settled. But, sir, may I be sure it will
be settled to our satisfaction?' You may indeed, ma'am,
depend upon it.' Was not this charming? Well, after a
thousand polite apologies for being engaged on some
particular business, he requested I would step into the
coach with him immediately, and make his house my
home, I, of course, insisted on his suffering me to go
alone, as his hour of appointment was then past, and said
that I would take the liberty of introducing myself to Miss
Graham, who is the only one of his family at present in
town.
"On my arrival here, I found Miss Graham, a beautiful
girl, about my own size, and, I think, about fifteen or
sixteen. She is fair, and rather pale than otherwise,-fine
features, a most interesting countenance, with soft-speak-
ing hazel eyes, and a most bewitching gentleness of
manner. She was at work, and there was a pianoforte
in the room, so that I suppose her musical, which, to me,
gives her an additional charm. On her asking if I would
not like to lie down after my fatigue, I preferred writing
to you. Now, mamma, was not that very dutiful, con-
sidering the weight which must, of course, at this moment
press down my eyelids?
"4 o'clock.-Well, my dear mamma, I have had a long
conversation with Mr. Graham, and, to my utmost satis-
faction. He says, 'I look upon him,' speaking of Peter,
'to be the most amiable young man that could possibly
exist. I do not scruple to say I should not entirely
believe you, as you may be partial, but I speak from my
own observation. He conducts himself in such a manner as
CHAP. VII.
141
RECOMMENDED TO MERCY.
will reflect the highest and most lasting honour on himself,
and produce the greatest pleasure and satisfaction to his
friends.'
He assures me that there is not a doubt existing in
the mind of any person who has seen the minutes of the
court-martial respecting Peter's innocence. It was Hallet,
that vilest of wretches, who condemned him, as well as
the other poor man who is condemned.
66
'How kind and benevolent has Mr. Graham been ;
in short, I could tell you a thousand things that would
give you pleasure, but dinner waits, and I must finish. I
shall write Peter to-morrow, in such a way as to keep up
all his serenity of mind, which renders him so admirable.
Adieu, my dearest mamma; believe me, I have every
reason to desire you will keep up your spirits; and assure
yourself I shall labour unceasingly for my beloved Peter's
sake, with my utmost abilities and efforts. Tell Dr.
Scott so, with my kindest remembrances. Adieu, again,
my dearest friends; all accept my love, and do not forget
your most faithfully affectionate,
"NESSY HEYWOOD."
Mr. P. Heywood to Miss N. Heywood.
"Hector,' October 7th, 1792.
"The date of my dearest Nessy's of yesterday
surprised me very much indeed; yet I must own I had
some idea that either you or James would take a trip to
town on receipt of Mr. Graham's letters. Pray, my dear,
did you come alone, or is James with you? I see your
little bravery of spirit, as you called it, can surmount the
greatest difficulties, and all for a poor son of misfortune;
but, my sweet girl, it is not in my power to reward you ;
that Being, who permits us to enjoy life, will do it some
day or other.
What obligations, my dear Nessy, are we under to the
142
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
inestimable Mr. Graham, and a hundred other friends!
You may say you must hope. Alas! my love, it is nothing,
but a broken staff which I have leaned upon, and it has
pierced my soul in such a manner that I will never more
trust to it, but wait with a contented mind and patience
for the final accomplishment of the Divine will.
"You wish to know how I am in health, and to tell you
the exact state of my mind at present. I never was in
better health or spirits in my life; but recollect that
Mrs. Hope is a faithless and ungrateful acquaintance,
with whom I have now broken off all connections, and
in her stead have endeavoured to cultivate a more sure
friendship with resignation, in full trust of finding her
more constant. Your mentioning that
Your mentioning that you left my dear
mother in better spirits than could be expected has
exhilarated mine.
66
My reason, my dear sister, for desiring you not to
write much was lest you might hurt yourself by it, and
from an idea that your exalted sentiments upon so tender
a subject ought not to be known to an enquiring world;
but do just as you like best. I am conscious that your
good sense will prompt you to nothing inconsistent with
our present circumstances.
"I have not heard from my uncle Pasley since the trial
ended; if you see or write to him, give my most sincere
duty, and endeavour when you write home to raise my
dear mother's spirits, and tell her I am in perfect health,
and have never yet felt the least depressed, except on her
account, and that of my dear sisters, &c.
"For God's sake let nothing prompt you to come here,
but remain content under the care of our benevolent
friend Mr. Graham. I need say no more, but only recom-
mend to you, my dear Nessy, to keep up your spirits, and
trust to Him whose will only can be done towards
"Your ever affectionate and most faithful brother,
"PETER HEYWOOD.”
CHAP. VII.
143
FREE PARDON.
}
Miss N. Heywood and Mr. Graham to Mrs. Heywood.
(C
Friday, October 26th, 1792. 4 o'clock.
"Great Russell Street.
Oh, blessed hour! little did I think, my beloved
friends, when I closed my letter this morning that before
night I should be out of my senses with joy. This
moment, this ecstatic moment, brought the enclosed.' I
cannot speak my happiness; let it be sufficient to say that
in a very few hours our angel Peter will be free! Mr.
Graham goes this night to Portsmouth, and to-morrow (or
next day at farthest) I shall be-oh, heavens! what shall
I be? I am already transported, even to pain, then how
shall I bear to clasp him to the bosom of your happy-oh,
how happy!-and affectionate
NESSY HEYWOOD.
“I am too mad to write, but 'tis a pleasure I would not
forego to be the most reasonable being on earth. I asked
Mr. Graham, who is at my elbow, if he would say any-
thing to you. Lord,' said he, I can't say anything.' He
is almost as mad as myself."
Mr. Graham, however, writes:-
"I have my senses sufficiently about me not to
suffer this to go without begging leave to congratu-
late you upon, and to assure you that I most sincerely
sympathize and participate in, the happiness which I
am sure the enclosed will convey to the mother and
sisters of my charming and beloved Nessy. If it be
necessary, I can safely add that I am, and ever shall
remain, with the greatest regard, my dear madam,
Your most faithful humble servant,
“A. GRAHAM."
About the same period, Mr. Graham wrote to a friend
of the Heywood's as follows:
1 Information that the pardon had been sent down to Portsmouth.
144
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
"It will be a great satisfaction to Mr. Heywood's
family to learn that the declarations of some of the other
prisoners since the trial, have put it past all doubt that the
evidence upon which he was convicted must have been
(to say nothing worse of it) an unfortunate belief on the
part of the witness,' of circumstances which either never
had existence, or were applicable to one of the other
gentlemen who remained in the ship, and not to Mr. Peter
Heywood."
After more than five weeks of suspense and anxiety
on the morning of the 27th October, 1792, His
Majesty's free and unconditional pardon for Mr. Hey-
wood and James Morrison, was received by Captain
Montague on board the 'Hector.'
He immediately sent for the two prisoners, and
shaking hands with them, read the important docu-
ment which restored them to liberty with unimpeached
characters. At the conclusion, Mr. Heywood, with
considerable emotion, addressed Captain Montague in
the following terms:-
"Sir, When the sentence of the law was passed
upon me, I received it I trust, as became a man, and if
it had been carried into execution, I should have met
my fate I hope in a manner becoming a Christian.
2
"Your admonition cannot fail to make a lasting im-
pression on my mind. I receive with gratitude my
sovereign's mercy, for which, my future life shall be
faithfully devoted to his service."
¹ Alluding to the evidence given by Lieutenant Hallett.
2
Captain Montague advised him to re-enter the navy without
delay.
CHAP. VII.
145
FREE PARDON.
:
Miss N. Heywood, &c., to Mrs. Heywood.
((
"Great Russell Street,
Monday Morning, 29th October, half-past 10 o'clock.
"The brightest moment of my existence.
"MY DEAR MAMMA,
"I have seen him-clasped him to my bosom-and
my felicity is beyond conception. In person he is almost,
even now, as I could wish; in mind, you know him, an
angel. I can write no more, but to tell you that the
three happiest beings at this moment on earth are your
most dutiful and affectionate children,
"Love to and from all,
ten thousand times."
"NESSY HEYWOOD,
PETER HEYWOOD,
JAMES HEYWOOD."
"I cannot help taking up the pen, my dear madam,
to congratulate you on your beloved Peter's arrival once
more in London. That he may long enjoy that first of
blessings, liberty, and the company of his amiable family,
is the wish, dear madam, of
"Your most obedient humble servant,
"MARIA GRAHAM."
"
1
On the same day that the pardon for Mr. Heywood,
and Morrison arrived at Portsmouth, Lord Hood, who
had been the President of the Court-martial, wrote to
Captain Pasley, offering to take young Heywood · as
midshipman on board the Victory. This gratifying
proposal, however, was declined for him, as his uncle
preferred taking him on board his own ship, the
Bellerophon, thinking he would learn more of his
profession in a smaller vessel, than on board the flag
ship.
1 She died a few months afterwards of a short illness.
L
146
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
His health had begun to suffer from confinement
and anxiety, and, consequently, he obtained from the
Admiralty leave of absence for several months, to visit
his family and to recruit his strength prior to joining
his ship.
To James Morrison, whose shattered health equally
needed repose, the same period of leave was granted,
and he was promoted to the rank of "gunner" on his
appointment to a ship.
Although the sentence of the Court-martial left no
hope of pardon for the four remaining prisoners, the
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty did not deem
the evidence given by Lieutenant T. Hayward satis-
factory, and as it was upon his testimony alone, un-
supported by any other, that Muspratt had been con-
demned, they sent down at the last moment a respite
for him during His Majesty's pleasure.
With regard to Millward and Birkett, it had been
asserted that they had had arms in their hands, and
were on deck during the mutiny; but Ellison, on the
evidence of all the witnesses, had been proved guilty
as an active partizan in the mutiny, and had said "he
would stand sentry over Lieutenant Bligh." Upon
these three the extreme penalty of the law was carried
out. They suffered with much fortitude and resigna-
tion; Ellison was truly penitent, acknowledged the
justice of his sentence, and trusted that his fate might
prove a warning to others, never to be led into acts of
insubordination and violence against constituted autho-
rity.
A sad, although an indirect result of the proceedings
we have related, occurred the following year, in the
CHAP. VII. DEATH OF MISS NESSY HEYWOOD.
147
death of Miss N. Heywood, whose name has been so
much associated with this portion of the narrative.
The few months she passed in her brother's society
in the Isle of Man, were (to use her own expression)
"months of unalloyed happiness," nor was the pain of
parting with him for an indefinite period so severely
felt by her, as she looked forward with pride and plea-
sure to his future and successful career. But the
parting was to be for ever! Protracted anxiety had
worn out a naturally delicate constitution, and the
beloved Nessy was removed to that happier world
where care and sorrow are unknown. She had never
recovered the effects of the tempestuous voyage to
Liverpool, during which she was for so many hours
drenched by the waves in the little fishing boat;
and on her arrival, her anxiety to reach London
was too great to allow of the repose and refreshment
necessary after so much exposure. Her health visibly
declined at the conclusion of the court-martial; it
seemed as if the transition from sorrow to happiness
had been more than her enfeebled frame could bear;
but her family and friends apprehended no danger,
until she paid a visit to Major Yorke at Bishop's Grove,
near Tunbridge Wells. While there, she accompanied
her friends to a ball in the neighbourhood, and imme-
diately afterwards was seized with a violent cold,
accompanied with inflammation of the lungs. For a
few days, the attack appeared to have yielded to
medical treatment, and Mrs. Yorke was recommended
to remove her to Hastings, which she did on the 5th
September, but all was in vain, and Nessy succumbed
Uor M
2
148
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
to the fatal malady on the 25th of the same month,
1793, at the age of twenty-six.
Her mother, in a touching notice of this sad event,
writes, "Alas! it was too late for Nessy to receive the
wished-for benefit from sea-air, and she has left her
only surviving parent, a disconsolate mother, to lament
as long as she lives, the irreparable loss of her invalu-
able, affectionate, and darling daughter."
The charm of Nessy Heywood's character, and the
fascination which she appeared to have exerted over
her relatives and friends, arose principally from her
unselfishness and warmth of heart. Her brother Peter
has described her personal appearance as follows:-
"Nessy was below the middle height, but well-
formed, and graceful in her movements. Her features.
were by no means regular, but her eyes redeemed the
whole face, they were shaded with long, drooping, eye-
lashes, and either sparkled with intelligence and viva-
city, or melted with the tenderest sympathy. Her
mind had been well cultivated, and she inherited from
her father her talent for music, which was also pos-
sessed by several of his other children; but Nessy's
fine voice, and power of execution, both on the organ
and piano, rendered the family concerts peculiarly
attractive, and on some occasions she would accompany
her father on the violin, both being skilful performers.
on that instrument. With such accomplishments, it
may be readily imagined that among her friends and
acquaintances, no party was complete without Nessy's
presence, and her impromptu songs, composed for these
friendly meetings, were long remembered in her native
island."
Mao⠀
CHAP. VII. CAPTAIN BLIGH'S SECOND EXPEDITION.
149
We have already given specimens of her poetry; the
following lines were written during her last illness:
"Silence then-
The whispers of complaint low in the dust,
Dissatisfaction's demon-growl unheard—
All, all is good, all excellent below.
Pain is a blessing-sorrow leads to joy—
Joy permanent and solid! Ev'ry ill,
Grim death itself, in all its horrors clad,
Is man's supremest privilege! It frees
The soul from prison, from foul sin, from woe,
And gives it back to glory, rest, and God!
Cheerly, my friends, oh! cheerly-look not thus
With Pity's melting softness; that alone
Can shake my fortitude-all is not lost,
Lo! I have gained on this important day
A victory consummate o'er myself;
And o'er this life a victory-on this day,
My birthday to eternity, I've gained
Dismission from a world, where for awhile,
Like you, like all, a pilgrim passing poor;
A traveller, a stranger, I have met
Still stranger treatment rude and harsh-so much
The dearer, more desired the Home I seek
Eternal of my Father and my God!
Then pious resignation, meek-eyed power
Sustain me still! Composure still be mine!"
This chapter may now be appropriately terminated
with sketches of the subsequent services of those of
the officers of the 'Bounty' who returned to England,
and with whose names we have become familiar.
In consequence of the solicitations of the West In-
dian merchants, the Government decided to send out
another expedition to the South Seas, with the same
object as the first, which had terminated so disastrously.
A vessel was purchased named the 'Providence,' also a
small tender to accompany her, and Captain Bligh,
being again appointed to the command, sailed from
150
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
England in the summer of 1791. In the spring of
1792, they reached Tahiti, occupied three months only
in collecting 1200 young bread-fruit trees, the greater
number of which were successfully carried to the West
Indian Islands,' and Captain Bligh returned to England
in 1793, when he received the gold medal from the
Society of Arts as a reward for his exertions.
The court-martial was over long before his arrival;
but Edward Christian, the distinguished brother of
the chief mutineer, had published minutes of its pro-
ceedings with a copious appendix, and, although it
was impossible to palliate the illegal proceedings of
Fletcher Christian and his associates, yet, here and on
the trial, so much was disclosed of oppression and
unjustifiable treatment of both officers and men on
the part of the commander, that the tide of public
opinion and favour greatly changed regarding his con-
duct. To reply to these allegations occupied Captain
Bligh several months; and he was greatly irritated at
the necessity he felt of making what he termed "his
defence."
He was afterwards employed in active service, and,
on the occasion of the remarkable mutiny at the Nore,
was ordered to negotiate among the seamen, with the
view of bringing them to a sense of their duty; on
which occasion he acted with great intrepidity. In
the two famous actions of Cape St. Vincent and
Camperdown, Captain Bligh commanded the 'Glatton,
1 As regarded providing a desirable article of food for the negroes,
the expedition proved a failure. They disliked the insipid flavour
of the bread-fruit, and it did not yield so quick a return for the
labour of cultivation as the plautain.
CHAP. VII.
151
A MILITARY MUTINY.
and also at the battle of Copenhagen; on the latter
occasion Lord Nelson sent for him, and thanked him
for his admirable support during the action.
In 1805, he was appointed Governor of New South
Wales, and there his oppressive arbitrary conduct
raised against him a host of enemies. He had been
instructed by the Home Government to restrain within
certain limits the importation of spirits into the
colony; and many men might have introduced this
unpalatable reform without creating such hostile and
dangerous opposition. Bligh, however, had no tact, no
spirit of conciliation, and, in consequence, he was the
cause of a military mutiny. In January, 1808, the New
South Wales Corps, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel G.
Johnstone, deposed Governor Bligh, and placed him on
board a ship proceeding to England. On his arrival, the
public were not surprised to hear he had been sent
away in so summary a manner; but the Government
were, of course, compelled to order a court-martial
on Colonel Johnstone, who came to England with
several officers for his trial. It was held in Chelsea
Hospital, and lasted thirteen days. Colonel Johnstone
was convicted of mutiny, and cashiered, but allowed to
return to the colony, and no executions took place.
1 Wentworth's New South Wales,' and 'Curious Facts of
Old Colonial Days,' by James Bonwick, F.R.G.S. London,
1870.
The following paragraph appeared in a number of the Sydney
Morning Herald' of 1869 :-" There is a man living (in the health-
ful district of Kurragong) 113 years of age. His name is Michael
Norton. He states that he was the sergeant who was in charge of
the party, under an officer named Ross, who marched to Govern-
ment House to arrest Governor Bligh, as recorded in colonial
annals."
152
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
Captain Bligh then retired into private life, where he
appears to have displayed more amiability of character
than in any public capacity, as he was beloved by his
family and friends. He attained the rank of Vice-
Admiral of the Blue, and died in London at the age
of sixty-five.
C.
The petty officer, James Morrison (whose journal has
been so frequently quoted in the foregoing pages), had
employed the three months of his captivity on board
the Hector' in writing out from notes which he
had kept of daily occurrences from the period of the
departure of the 'Bounty' from England to his return
as a prisoner.
This note-book he preserved in the wreck of the
'Pandora,' and to these notices added minute descrip-
tions of the places at which the 'Bounty' had touched,
especially the Society Islands; his long residence at
Tahiti enabling him to describe minutely the manners
and customs of the inhabitants, as well as the general
productions of the islands. The manuscript of this
journal, consisting of 300 pages folio, he presented to
Peter Heywood when they parted.'
6
After his release, Morrison served in various ships;
but when Admiral Sir Thomas Troubridge was sent
out in the Blenheim,' as Commander-in-Chief on the
Indian Station, Morrison was appointed gunner on
board the Flag-ship-as prior to joining the 'Bounty'
he had served under the Admiral (then Captain Trou-
bridge), who thought highly of his abilities and of his
good conduct.
1 This manuscript, and other papers, are in the possession of the
writer.
CHAP. VII.
153
JAMES MORRISON.
On the appointment of Sir Edward Pellew (Viscount
Exmouth) to succeed Sir T. Troubridge in the com-
mand of the East Indian Station, the 'Blenheim' pro-
ceeded from Pulo Penang to Madras to meet the new
Commander-in-Chief. On her arrival she was pro-
nounced unfit for sea, being (according to the sur-
veyor's report) "much hogged," and her beams, &c.,
showing she was in danger of falling to pieces. In
this state the incessant labour of the crew hardly
sufficed to keep the water from gaining on them,
even while the ship lay at anchor. In vain the
Flag-Captain and officers represented that she would
be the coffin of all on board; in vain it was urged.
upon the intrepid Admiral to return to England in
another ship, he insisted on taking her, at all events
to the Cape, saying "I will not leave my good old
ship, I will go to the Cape in her, or not go at all."
She sailed from Madras in company with the 'Juno'
frigate early in 1807; and as neither of them were
again heard of, it is supposed they were both lost in
a gale off the Isle of Bourbon: and thus perished
James Morrison, with the gallant officers and crew
of the 'Blenheim.'
The careers of Mr. Thomas Hayward, and Mr. Hallett,
the two midshipmen of the 'Bounty,' who gave evidence
on the court-martial, were short and uneventful.
Hayward, who became third Lieutenant of the 'Pan-
dora,' was in due course of service appointed to the
command of the 'Swift' sloop of war, and ordered to
proceed to the East Indies. From thence she was sent
to China, and as there were no tidings of her safe.
arrival, the conclusion was that she had foundered
154
PART I
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
with all on board in a typhoon in the China
Seas.
Mr. Hallett was appointed as lieutenant in the
'Penelope' frigate, on board of which vessel he died.
In his last moments he expressed his contrition for
the unfavourable evidence he had given against his
friend Peter Heywood; and said that he had since felt
convinced he had spoken too positively of facts con-
cerning which he could not be certain, for that in the
confusion on the fatal morning of the mutiny he was
quite bewildered. He added also, that on the voyage
to England with Lieutenant Bligh he had been too
much influenced by that officer, who had taken a
prejudice against Peter Heywood; and he earnestly
entreated his Captain that this information might be
communicated to his former shipmate and his family
as the only reparation in his power to make for the
injury he had inflicted on them.'
The future career of Peter Heywood, was in no
way prejudiced by the misfortunes of his early life.
At the conclusion of the court-martial, Lord Hood,
who had been President, recommended him, on re-
ceiving His Majesty's pardon, to embark again as mid-
shipman in His Majesty's service, without any needless
delay after the recovery of his health; and offered to
take him on board his own ship, the 'Victory.' This
proposal was declined for him by Commodore Pasley,
who thought he would learn more of his profession
in a frigate than in a line-of-battle ship. Immediately
on his release, however, Heywood was allowed leave of
1 Sir John Barrow has corroborated this fact, and taken some
trouble to ascertain its truth.
CHAP. VII.
155
PETER HEYWOOD'S CAREER.
a bsence to visit his family in the Isle of Man, and some
repose was necessary for the recovery of his health,
which had become impaired from the anxiety and
suspense he had suffered during the three months prior
to his trial.
On the 17th May, he joined his uncle's ship, the
'Bellerophon,' and soon afterwards was transferred to
the 'Niger,' Hon. Captain Legge, where he served as
Master's-mate. Subsequently he joined the 'Queen
Charlotte'—the Flag-ship of Earl Howe, Commander-
in-Chief of the Channel Squadron, where he served
as Signal Midshipman and Master's-mate; and in the
actions of May 28th-29th, and the 1st of June, 1794,
acted on the quarter-deck of that ship as Aide-de-
Camp to Sir Andrew Snape Douglas. When the
victorious fleet returned to Spithead, he was selected
as one of the two midshipmen to attend the side
when His Majesty visited the Queen Charlotte,
making use of her barge. In August, 1794, he was
appointed Lieutenant to 'La Nymphe,' Captain G.
Murray, and was actively employed in Lord Bridport's
action off L'Orient, when three French ships were
taken. He afterwards served in the North Sea, and in
India under the flag of Vice-Admiral Rainier, and
obtained successively the ranks of Commander and
Post-Captain.
C
In command of the 'Leopard,' Captain Heywood was
ordered to make extensive surveys on the North-east
and East coast of Ceylon, continuing these surveys
along the coasts of India and the Eastern Islands.
This service enabled him to give material assistance
to his friend James Horsburgh, the Hydrographer to
156
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
the East India Company, in his important 'Directions
and Charts for Sailing to the East Indies, and in the
Indian Ocean;' but his large collection of notes and
charts were sent to the Admiralty in 1805, when he
was compelled from impaired health to invalid from
the 'Leopard,' and return to England.
In 1806, he became Flag-Captain to Admiral Sir G.
Murray, who in 1808 was sent to the Rio de la Plata
on important diplomatic service, as well as to protect
the interests of the English merchants. A civil war
was then raging; the South American Provinces had
determined to throw off the yoke of the mother country,
and in an attempt to retake Buenos Ayres the British
forces, under Lieut.-General Whitelock, sustained un-
fortunate reverses.
In 1809, Captain Heywood returned to England, and
in command of the 'Nereus' was ordered to join the
Channel Squadron, which in an engagement destroyed
the French ships that had anchored in the Sable-
d'Olonne. The 'Nereus' was afterwards sent to the
Mediterranean, and in 1810 her Captain had the honour
of bringing to England the remains of that great
Commander and truly good man, Lord Collingwood.
Captain Heywood was again sent to South America
in the 'Nereus' on a diplomatic mission, as he was
well acquainted with the chiefs of the Revolution.
Having concluded the negotiations to the satisfaction
of his own Government, and that of Buenos Ayres,
he returned, and was appointed to the 'Montague,'
74, to join the North Sea Fleet under the command
of H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence and Admiral Young.
The 'Montague' was ordered again to form one of
CHAP. VII. RETIREMENT OF CAPTAIN HEYWOOD.
157
>
the Channel Squadron, and, finally, the Mediterranean
Fleet under Viscount Exmouth; and at the conclusion
of the war, when our naval armaments were reduced,
Captain Heywood retired into private life.
He married the widow of Captain George Jolliffe, of
the East Indian maritime service, and, happy in his
domestic relations, and surrounded by a large circle
of literary and scientific friends, whose pursuits were
most congenial to his tastes, he had no desire beyond
but to promote benevolent and philanthropic enterprises.
In 1818, the command on the Lakes of Canada
becoming vacant, Lord Melville offered it to Captain
Heywood, considerately making acceptance optional.
Possessing an independence, and not feeling it a duty
to serve in time of peace, he addressed a letter to
his Lordship stating these reasons for declining the
honour, but adding, that in the event of war he would
be most anxious to place his services at the disposal
of their Lordships.
He afterwards devoted much of his time to further
the interests of his profession, and was in constant com-
munication with the Hydrographical Department of
the Admiralty, at the head of which at that period
was Captain Hurd, R.N. A considerable time after
the death of this officer, and in the year 1829, it
was deemed important to fill the appointment per-
manently, as Sir E. Parry's services were directed to
the steam department, and he could only hold it
temporarily. Lord Melville then sent for Captain
Heywood, and proposed that he should accept the
office. In addition to other reasons for declining
public employment, his health, which for several
158
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF TIE BOUNTY."'
months had been failing, was then visibly declining,
and he urged on his lordship that the appointment
should be offered to his esteemed friend Captain Beau-
fort, who, from his abilities and acquirements was
peculiarly fitted for the office. There were no feelings
of rivalry between these two officers, whose apprecia-
tion of each other's character and talents, and long
steady friendship, continued to the close of life.
During his latter years Captain Heywood laboured
under a fatal heart disease, which he bore with
Christian calmness, and thankfulness for the many
blessings he had enjoyed; averring that, notwithstand-
ing the sufferings and anxieties which had attended his
early career, he would willingly pass through his life
again, with all its trials and vicissitudes. He died the
10th of February, 1831.
The following stanzas are from an address presented
to him by the ship's company on the paying off of the
'Montagu':-
"Farewell to thee, Montagu, yet ere we quit thee,
We'll give thee the tribute so justly thy due;
For many a seaman will fondly regret thee,
And wish to rejoin thee, thou gem of True Blue.
For stout were thy timbers, and stoutly commanded,
In the records of glory untarnished thy name,
Still ready for battle when glory demanded,
All ready to conquer or die in thy fame.
Farewell to thee, Heywood, a truer one never
Hath exercised rule o'er the sons of the wave,
The seamen who served thee, would serve thee for ever,
Who swayed, but ne'er fettered, the hearts of the brave."
CHAP. I.
159
REMNANT OF THE MUTINEERS.
PART SECOND.
CHAPTER I.
POSITION OF THE MUTINEERS ARRIVAL AT PITCAIRN ISLAND
DESTRUCTION OF THE
THE 'BOUNTY'- DEATH OF FLETCHER
CHRISTIAN, EDWARD YOUNG, AND OTHERS ALEXANDER
SMITH (JOHN ADAMS) SOLE SURVIVOR.
In a foregoing chapter, we have recorded the legal
proceedings which took place on the return of those
officers and men to England, who, having had the
misfortune of being connected with the 'Bounty,' were
brought home prisoners, and tried by court-martial.
Our narrative now requires that the reader should
transfer his thoughts to that part of the globe where
those events took place which are recorded in the early
part of this volume, for they led to the settlement of
the principal mutineers on a small island in the South
Pacific Ocean. These nine men (whose names have
already been given), were bound together by no prin-
ciple, but only by the fact that they were brethren in
crime, all of them having participated more or less in a
deed of violence, which amounted to piracy on the high
seas. They had revolted from lawful authority, and
were amenable to those Articles of War which regulate
the service to which they belonged, and by that code,
their lives were forfeited. With reference to their
leader, Fletcher Christian, it is remarkable that a feel-
ing of respect for him was predominant among them,
160
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
and this feeling, partly arising, it is probable, from
habitual deference to a superior officer, and partly from
his superior intellect and intelligence, no act of his
appears to have lessened, even to the close of his life.
The drama in which they played so considerable a part
had been commenced by tyranny, continued by violence,
and (as will be seen) ended in bloodshed and death.
Sad indeed are the events now to be related, and yet
they seem but a natural sequence to those which have
preceded them in this tale of misery and distress.
Passion and strife are as terrible in their results as the
war of the elements, and in this narrative oppressors
and oppressed seem to have alike suffered; some, from
the proximity of death in the most appalling forms,
either by famine or shipwreck; and others again from
violence at the hands of their friends and associates. It
is, however, consoling to reflect, in reading these and
the preceding details, that the causes which led to so
singular a chain of circumstances, are not likely to
occur again in the improved state of naval discipline.
Neither is it probable, that a small band of outlaws (as
the mutineers may be termed) would be able to remain
long undiscovered in the South Pacific Ocean, now so
well known and traversed by vessels of every descrip-
tion; but that period, the conclusion of the last, and
the commencement of the present century, was marked
by such stirring events, involving interests so im-
portant, that the attention of the public was almost
entirely absorbed by the naval and military under-
takings in which England was engaged. All Europe
crouched beneath the foot of one individual, whose
I
161
CHAP. I.
ACTS OF THE MUTINEERS.
insatiable ambition made the name of Napoleon Bona-
parte, a word of terror in every city and country home-
stead.
Under these circumstances, it was not surprising
that public curiosity should have subsided concerning
the 'Bounty,' and the fate of a few sailors who had
outraged the laws of their country, and had disappeared
among the islands of the Southern Ocean. Whether they
were alive or not, no one cared, perhaps not even their
own relatives, upon whom their illegal act had inflicted
so much sorrow and disgrace. It was otherwise, how-
ever, with regard to the relatives of Fletcher Christian.
In his case, a mother and sister, to whom he had been
devotedly attached, long survived to deplore his fate-
whether by untimely death, or a blighted existence in
some obscure retreat-and they doubted whether his
criminality had not been in some measure due to
the harsh treatment of a superior officer. But by the
rest of his relatives, his very name was to be buried in
oblivion, for, in addition to the mutinous outbreak,
Lieutenant Bligh had painted his character in such
dark colours, that even the able defence written by his
distinguished brother,' could not remove the stain from
his reputation.
We shall now take up the subsequent history of the
mutineers, from the point where Christian, having
landed those officers and men from the 'Bounty,' who
preferred remaining at Tahiti, sailed from Maatavaye
Bay, standing in a northerly direction." It has been
ascertained that a copy of Captain Cartaret's Voyage
6
¹ Edward Christian, editor of Blackstone's Commentaries.'
M
162
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
}
to the South Seas" (to which allusion has been made)
was among the books left on board the 'Bounty,' which,
as it described the loneliness of Pitcairn Island, pro-
bably determined Christian to search for it, as a safe.
retreat for himself and his followers. From the want
of correctness in the latitude and the longitude, as laid
down by Captain Carteret in the charts, the cruise
occupied several weeks, and when it began to appear
hopeless, a rock was descried far distant, rising high in
the midst of the ocean. In the anxiety Christian, no
doubt, endured throughout the voyage from Tahiti,
security from discovery being his leading object, he
must have observed with satisfaction the lofty precipices
which bounded the isle on every side-precipices forbid-
ding all facility of landing; and an extraordinary depth
of water to its very shores, precluding the possibility
of ships anchoring.
"What a little speck it appears
in the vast Pacific (wrote one who many years after-
wards visited it), "a mere rock, apparently incapable of
resisting the mighty waves of so vast an ocean. Easily,
indeed, would a ship, not knowing its exact position,
miss it. The mutineers might well deem themselves
secure on so small an island, so remotely situated. At
that time, also, these seas were but little frequented.
Even now, to form an idea of their vast extent, notwith-
standing the thousands of vessels that are trading on
it, we have only seen one ship at sea, and our track
measures 4500 miles.":
دو
Here, then, was the asylum sought for by Christian,
¹ Extract from a letter written by the Secretary of Admiral Sir
Fairfax Moresby, K.C.B,, dated H.M.S. 'Portland,' 1852.
CHAP. I.
163
PITCAIRN ISLAND.
far from the haunts of ships and of men-a rock not
two leagues in its greatest extent. Little, however,
could he have imagined the beauty of the interior,
the forests of palms clothing the mountain sides, or the
lovely valleys concealed by those precipices. Round
them he directed the course of the 'Bounty,' to a
bend in the shore, destined to be her last resting
place, and which has ever since borne the name of
"Bounty Bay."
After making a survey of the island, Christian divided
it into nine portions, retaining one for himself, and dis-
tributing the remaining eight among his companions.
Every available article was then removed from the
vessel, even to the planks from her sides, the copper
nails, bolts, &c., masts and sails; and in order to leave
no trace which might lead to discovery, they set fire
to her hull, and then sunk the remains in 25 fathoms
water. This event took place January 23rd, 1790.
It appears that the demeanour of Christian became
more changed after his arrival at Pitcairn than even
after the mutiny. He seemed uneasy, and would spend
whole days in a cave, situated on a high ridge of
almost inaccessible rocks at the furthest extremity of
the island. Here he placed a stock of water and
provisions, and here possibly intended to make his
retreat in the event of discovery, to await his pursuers,
and to defend his life to the last. But it is more
probable that he frequently retired to this secluded
spot to indulge in sad and bitter reflections. As he
looked across that wide expanse of ocean which the
height of his position commanded, a sail appearing
M 2
161
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
could be to him no welcome sight. In the wide world
there was no being to whom he could give a friendly
greeting, or of whom he could inquire for tidings of
home and of distant friends. Like Cain, he was an
outcast, amid the great wilderness of water, but while
we pity his misfortunes, it is impossible either to
forget or to excuse his acts. But changed, morose,
and moody as he may have been, Alexander Smith
(J. Adams) many years afterwards confirmed Morrison's
account of Christian's conduct, "that he never lost the
respect of his companions," not even, it appears, in
the seclusion of Pitcairn Island.
For three years all went well with the fugitives, but
that inherent propensity in the white man to treat
coloured people with oppression and cruelty, mani-
fested itself, and led eventually to deplorable conse-
quences. An act of Williams' against all law of right
and justice, in taking the wife of one of the Tahitians
(his own wife having been killed by a fall from the cliffs),
was the immediate cause of a plot to murder all the
Englishmen. In vain did his companions remonstrate
with him as to the injustice of his conduct; he
threatened to leave the island if they interfered, and
as he was the armourer and a skilful workman, they
felt that his services were so indispensable, that they
could not afford to part with him. The plot, however,
was discovered in time by the wives of the white men,
who informed their husbands of it by means of a song,
to which they added the words, "Why does black man
sharpen axe?" "To kill white man." This plot was
soon succeeded by another, on which fatal occasion
СПАР. І.
165
FATE OF THE MUTINEERS.
Christian was shot dead while cultivating his garden,
and also four of the other Englishmen the remaining
four, including Smith and Young, narrowly escaping
with their lives. Smith, indeed, was severely wounded
in the neck, and as he rose up, was again felled to the
ground by a club, but he succeeded in his endeavour
to escape down the rocks to the sea. The Tahitian
men, 'however, called to him that his life should be
spared if he would return. He did so, and they kept.
their promise.
Edward Young owed his preservation to the kind-
ness of the women, who placed him in concealment
until the fury of the Tahitian men should have sub-
sided. Quintal and M'Coy had escaped to the moun-
tains, and did not return until summoned by Smith and
Young when peace had been apparently restored
among all parties.
The Englishmen. thus reduced in numbers, could
henceforth feel little security or exemption from such
murderous attacks, and, from motives of self defence,
came to the terrible determination of destroying all
the Tahitian men. One of them was killed by the
wife of Edward Young, who dealt the deadly blow
with an axe, and, that the last survivor might not
escape, she made a sign to her husband to fire at him,
which he did with fatal precision. The other Tahitian
women were so horror-stricken and grieved at the
execution of this design, and at the various deeds of
violence they had witnessed, that although they were
treated with additional kindness by the surviving
Englishmen; the greater number of them formed a
186
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
plan to leave the island in one of the 'Bounty's' boats.
Fortunately for them the boat was leaky, and their
intention thus frustrated. Their next wild project was
to massacre the Englishmen, who discovered the plot,
but did not take severe measures to punish these poor
demented creatures.
After this, for a brief period, the islanders seemed
to be more settled, but again evil principles prevailed,
and the consequences were violent and sanguinary.
McCoy and Quintal, the most ignorant and depraved of
the party, fell into habits of intoxication. M'Coy, who
in early life had been employed in a distillery in Scot-
land, made some experiments with the Ti-root (Dra-
cæna-terminalis) by turning an iron kettle into a still,
and unfortunately succeeded in extracting from the
root an ardent spirit. From the time of this discovery,
they were both in a continual state of inebriety.
M'Coy threw himself from the rocks in a fit of
delirium tremens, and was killed, while Quintal
became a morose and even alarming companion to his
two surviving countrymen. There were no limits to
his exactions, and he was constantly threatening to
take their lives should they not comply with his
demands. He thus became so dangerous, that Smith
and Young were compelled to destroy him to preserve
their own lives; and thus terminated the last scene of
this tragic drama at Pitcairn.
These two men were now the sole survivors of the
nine English (and of all the coloured men) who, nine
years previously, had sought concealment and safety
in the island. Happily, their minds had not been
irremediably seared by crime. They desired to change
CHAP. I.
167
FATE OF THE MUTINEERS.
the tenour of their evil lives, and to turn to those
paths of virtue which lead to tranquillity and peace.
A Bible and Prayer-Book, which Christian had con-
stantly studied, but which had not been used since
his death, were diligently sought for. The observance
of daily morning and evening prayer was established,
as well as a system of regular instruction for the
children and young people, Smith zealously assisting
Young, and improving his own slender acquirements
by associating with a man of superior education.
Edward Young, however, did not long survive this
improved state of mind and feeling. An asthmatic
complaint, with which he had been afflicted for several
years, proved fatal to him at the age of thirty-six, and
consequently, in the early part of the year 1800,
Alexander Smith (John Adams) found himself the
sole surviving man on the island; and the only
guardian and teacher of a community of helpless women
and young children.¹
"Where are they now, the infuriated band
Whose outraged feelings urged them on to crime?
Proscrib'd, they wandered on from land to land,
To Pitcairn came, and perished in their prime.
What need I tell their hapless leader's fate
(Slain by the hand of one he deemed his slave),
Save to the rash, I would this fact relate-
Nor stone, nor marble, marks his unknown grave.”:
1 So desirous was Adams to act according to the ordinances of
the Old Testament, as well as those prescribed by the New Testa-
ment, and by the Liturgy of the Church of England, that he at
first taught the observance of all the Jewish fasts and festivals, but
was afterwards persuaded, to discontinue them, as unnecessary
under the Christian dispensation.
The above lines on the death of Fletcher Christian and his
168
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
But a brighter prospect was to dawn on the future
condition of the island-one which would consign to
the fading memories of the past, the recollection of
those dark deeds which had sullied the early annals
of this little colony.
followers are from the pen of a friend, and pastor of the Pitcairn
colony, whose valuable services will be prominent in the future
pages of this volume.
CHAP. II.
169
DISCOVERY OF THE MUTINEERS.
CHAPTER II.
DISCOVERY OF THE RETREAT OF THE MUTINEERS VISITS OF
CAPTAIN FOLGER AND OTHERS - ARRIVAL OF JOHN BUFFETT
JOHN EVANS G. H. NOBBS DEATH OF JOHN ADAMS.
TWENTY years had elapsed before the mystery which
had hung over the fate of the 'Bounty' and the
mutineers became gradually revealed. The first gleam
of light on this subject appeared in the log-book of
Mayhew Folger, the master of an American ship,
named the 'Topaze,' and dated September, 1808.¹
6
The Topaze' was short of water, and approaching a
rocky island laid down in her chart as lat. 25° 4' s.,
long. 130° 25′ w., the attention of the master was
attracted by seeing smoke rising from it, besides other
signs of habitation. The shore, on which a tremendous
surf was breaking, appeared inaccessible, but a canoe
was presently to be seen approaching from it, and
soon to the great astonishment of all on board they
were hailed by the occupants in good English, with
offers of assistance if any of her people desired to
land. The captain declined doing so, but one of the
sailors, an Englishman, volunteered to go in the canoe,
provided the ship stood in sufficiently near to the
land, that he might swim back to her in case of being
attacked.
1 Forwarded to the Admiaalty by Sir Sydney Smith on the
authority of Lieutenant Fitzmaurice, then at Valparaiso.
170
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
This adventure was followed by another strange
discovery. The first person by whom he was accosted
on landing was a man who called himself Alexander
Smith, telling him that he was one of the crew of the
'Bounty,' and the only survivor of the party of nine
Englishmen who had left Tahiti in her; that some of
the children of the mutineers were now grown men
and women, and that, including himself, the population.
of Pitcairn Island amounted to thirty-five persons, of
whom he had been for many years the sole guardian and
instructor. With this unexpected piece of intelligence
the sailor returned to his ship, and Captain Folger
landed immediately. Smith gave him a short account
of the feuds among his companions and the Tahitian
men and women they had brought with them, ending
in the violent deaths of so many, that only Edward
Young (the midshipman) had died a natural death.
Smith, in return, eagerly inquired as to the course
of events during the twenty years of his seclusion from
the world. Captain Folger gave him a rapid sketch of
the breaking out of the French Revolution, of the
progress of the war, and of the glorious series of naval
victories achieved by England which had ensued,-the
Nile, Trafalgar, &c., on hearing which Smith was
unable to restrain his enthusiasm, and throwing up his
cap, gave a loud "hurrah!" exclaiming, "Old England
for ever!"
Captain Folger reports this extraordinary discovery
in a letter, concluding with many encomiums on Smith
for his excellent moral and religious training of the
little community; and it was accompanied by the
CHAP. II.
171
PITCAIRN ISLAND.
chronometer¹ and azimuth compass of the 'Bounty,'
presented to him by Smith. The arrival of this unex-
pected intelligence in England re-awakened public
curiosity, and the newspapers and periodicals teemed
with the story, forming, as it does, an interesting
episode in English naval history. Again, however,
public interest in it subsided. No further steps were
taken to communicate with the newly-discovered colony,
as our ships of war were fully occupied in cruising, in
convoying fleets of merchant-men, and in blockading
the enemy's ports.
At length, and again by mere accident, Pitcairn was
visited by two frigates, the 'Briton,' commanded by
Captain Sir F. Staines, and the 'Tagus,' by Captain
Pipon, who were in search of an American ship, the
'Essex,' which had been seizing some English whalers.
They were on their way to Valparaiso, from the Mar-
quesas Islands, when they suddenly came in sight of
an island which was not laid down in their charts; for
Pitcairn was nearly two hundred miles distant according
1 This chronometer had been twice carried out by Captain Cook
on his voyages of discovery. It was supplied to Lieutenant Bligh
when fitting out the 'Bounty,' and the mutineers carried it with
them to Pitcairn Island. Captain Folger stated that it was taken
from him by the Governor of Juan Fernandez in 1808, then sold in
Chili to A. Caldeleugh, Esq., of Valparaiso, and purchased by
Captain (afterwards Admiral) Sir T. Herbert, for fifty guineas.
That officer took it to China with him in the 'Caliope,' and in 1843
brought it to England. He transmitted it to the Admiralty, who
presented it to the United Service Museum in Great Scotland Yard,
London. It was known to have belonged to the Bounty' by the
name of Kendall the maker being on it, and in further proof of the
authenticity of Folger's statement, the name of Alexander Smith
was found on the list at the Admiralty of the ship's company of the
"Bounty.'
k
172
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
PART II.
to their reckoning. It was evening when the island
was first seen, and they deferred a nearer inspection
until daylight, as it seemed to them in all probability
a new discovery.
Those on the island had observed the approaching
strangers, and when at daybreak the order was given
to stand in for the land, the sailors perceived a number
of inhabitants who had assembled on the rocks to
watch their proceedings. Very soon two men were
seen rapidly descending to the shore, with canoes
on their shoulders. One of these canoes was boldly
launched among the breakers, and then dextrously
paddled through the surf alongside of the Briton."
"Won't you heave us a rope now?" was the request
from the canoe, and a rope being thrown out imme-
diately, a fine young man sprang actively on the deck.
His athletic figure was quaintly attired in a vest with-
out sleeves, and trousers to the knee; and he wore a
hat jauntily decked with black-cocks' feathers. He
answered the question, "Who are you?" with an
ingenuous frankness: "I am Thursday October Chris-
tian, son of Fletcher Christian, the mutineer, by a
Tahitian mother, and the first born on this island."
The handsome youth who accompanied him was
Edward Christian, son of the midshipman of that name
in the 'Bounty,' and was eighteen years of age. Thurs-
day October Christian was, of course, so named from
the day and month of his birth. He had attained the
age of twenty-four, and was married to Susannah,'
¹ She died in 1850, and was then the sole survivor of the original
party.
L
CHAP. II.
173
PITCAIRN ISLAND.
widow of Edward Young, and one of the few survivors
of the Tahitian women who had sailed in the 'Bounty'
to Pitcairn. Here, then, at length was Pitcairn Island,
the asylum of the mutineers! They as well as Folger
had approached it unexpectedly; for Captain Carteret,
who, as we have said, discovered the island in 1767,¹
had placed it on the chart three degrees out of its true
longitude.
The robust appearance and height of the two young
men, especially that of Thursday October Christian,2
was very striking. His jet-black hair flowed down his
shoulders, and although his complexion was dark, and
much tanned from exposure, in neither Young nor
himself was there the red tinge of skin so common
among the Pacific Islanders. The deportment of the
young men, their whole bearing, and their natural
easy manners, which were as much removed from undue
familiarity as from all conventional shyness and re-
straint, interested every one on board. Sir Thomas
Staines himself conducted them over the ship, where
every object was new and wonderful in their esti-
mation.
The sight of a cow seemed not only to astonish
but to alarm them--they seemed to think it a
1 He named it "Pitcairn" after the young midshipman who
descried it from the mast-head of his ship at a distance of fifteen
miles. This youth, the son of Major Pitcairn of the Marines (killed
at the battle of Bunker's Hill) was himself lost in the Aurora'
frigate.
2 In this he must now have closely resembled his father, Fletcher
Christian, who, according to Peter Heywood's description, had a
bright pleasing countenance and tall commanding figure, well
adapted to those feats of strength and agility which he so frequently
exhibited on the passage out to Tahiti.
174
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
large goat-while a little black terrier excited their
warm admiration. "I know that is a dog," exclaimed
Edward Young, naïvely. "I have read of such things."
Although strangers to mechanical contrivances, and to
most of the useful arts of civilised life, they displayed
an intelligent appreciation of everything they saw, and
were eager for information on all subjects connected
with the ship. At the close of this singular and in-
teresting visit, Sir T. Staines ordered refreshments to
be prepared in his own cabin; but before sitting down,
they devoutly folded their hands and repeated the
usual short grace, a blessing upon the food of which
they were about to partake, and at the conclusion of
the repast repeated another, which they said had been
taught them by their revered pastor, John Adams.'
Strange, indeed, it must have been to witness the
simple earnest piety of these young Christians, living
so far from all civilised lands, and in the vicinity of
islands whose people were sunk in heathen barbarism
and ignorance, and some of them even addicted to
cannibalism.
As Christian and Young entreated their hosts to
accompany them on shore, to see their pastor and
teacher, Adams; Sir T. Staines and Captain Pipon
placed themselves under the guidance of the young
islanders, whose skill carried them safely through the
surf and past the rocks to the landing-place.
It
required no small exertion to get on shore and up the
steep ascent to the village, where Adams, his blind
1 After the visit of Captain Folger, Alexander Smith had changed
his name to John Adams, to avoid recognition.
CHAP. II.
175
PITCAIRN ISLAND.
wife, and the whole community stood ready to receive
them. Having ascertained that the strangers intended
no harm to their beloved father as the islanders
termed Adams—they willingly assented to his conduct-
ing the captains to his house.
The old man (Adams) stood with his hat in his hand
while conversing with them, and smoothed his scanty
locks, according to the fashion of sailors of the olden
time. Although little more than fifty, and very healthy
and robust in appearance, his countenance was aged
and worn, betraying marks of anxious thought. If
the sight of the well-known naval uniform, and the
consciousness that the two officers must view him as a
man amenable to the laws of his country, awakened
any painful feelings in the sailor's mind, in neither his
manner nor his conversation did he evince any. Many
years had passed away, and he felt perhaps how sincere
had been his repentance; perhaps also he took courage
in believing that the fruits of it, as shewn in his after
life, might be accepted at a higher tribunal than that
of man.
He frankly disclosed all the terrible circum-
stances which had occurred, although he denied being
accessory to, or having had previous knowledge of the
mutiny. But he expressed great disapprobation of the
conduct of Captain Bligh, not only towards the men,
but also towards the officers.
"I asked him," writes Captain Pipon, "if he had any
desire to return to England, and I must confess his
replying in the affirmative caused me great surprise.
He told me he was perfectly aware how deeply he was
involved; that by following the fortunes of Christian
176
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
he had not only sacrificed every claim to his country,
but that his life was a necessary forfeit for such an
act, which he supposed would be exacted from him
were he ever to return. Notwithstanding all these
circumstances, "nothing," he said, "would give him
so much gratification as to see once more before he
died that country which gave him birth, and from
which he had been so long estranged."
"There was
a sincerity in his speech," continues Captain Pipon,
"which I can hardly describe, but it had a powerful
influence in persuading me these were his real senti-
ments. My interest was excited to so great a
degree that I offered him a passage for himself, with
any of his family who chose to accompany him. He
appeared pleased at the proposal, and as no one was
then present, he sent for his wife and children, while
the rest of the community surrounded the door. He
communicated his desire to them, and requested their
acquiescence. Appalled at such a proposal, no less
sudden than in opposition to their wishes, they were
all at a loss for a reply. His charming daughter,
although overwhelmed with tears, first broke the silence.
"Oh! do not, sirs," said she, "take from me my father;
do not take away my best, my dearest friend." Her
voice failed her; she was unable to proceed. She
leaned her head on her hand, and gave full vent to her
grief. His wife also (a Tahitian woman) expressed the
most lively sorrow."
The wishes of Adams soon became known among the
others, who joined in pathetic solicitations for his
stay in the island. Not an eye was dry; tears even
CHAP. II.
177
PITCAIRN ISLAND.
stood in those of the men, and the women wept
bitterly.
"I never witnessed a scene so truly affecting, or
more replete with interest," wrote Captain Pipon. "To
have taken him from a circle of such friends, would
have ill become a feeling heart. To have forced him
away in opposition to their joint and earnest entreaties,
would have been an outrage on humanity." An assur-
ance that no such design was meditated soon restored
tranquillity to the community,—a community pledged
to each other by the tenderest connections, consan-
guinity and reciprocal affection.
C
When Adams was questioned as to the mutiny, and
the events which took place on board the Bounty'
after the mutineers had separated from the rest of
the officers and crew, and had left Tahiti, he seemed
averse to say more than his guests already knew con-
cerning the tragical events which occurred soon after
the first settlement at Pitcairn. As the recollection
seemed to give him much pain, they forbore to press
him on the subject, especially finding themselves sur-
rounded by so many young people, who were probably
ignorant of the extent of the crimes and sufferings of
their forefathers.
Impressed as the officers were with the moral aspect
of the community, they were not less struck with the
natural beauty of their island home, which was truly
"garden of Eden." Its lofty mountains towered
to a height of 1008 feet above the level of the ocean,
and around their craggy pinnacles myriads of sea-
birds wheeled in mazy circles. Groves of palm and
a
N
178
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
cocoa-nut trees-and especially the beautiful bread-
fruit tree, the staff of life to the islanders-clothed
the bare rocks down to the water's edge. In the deep
valleys flourished in profusion most of the tropical
fruits, amongst which were the Taro-root, from which
bread could be made, the Ti-plant (Dracaena terminalis)
and other valuable edible productions. The climate,
also, would admit with care of the cultivation of
European fruits and vegetables, as the range of the
temperature was from 76 to 80° in summer, and
seldom fell below 59 in winter.
No feathered songsters, however, enlivened these
forests, with the exception of one small species of fly-
catcher; but in after years this want was supplied by
an importation of little warblers taken there by
Captain Prevost, in the 'Virago,' from Valparaiso. He
introduced also a variety of roses and myrtles.
In the midst of this beautiful scenery, and beneath
the banana, the plantain, and the wide-spreading
banyan, stood the pretty village of Pitcairn, on an
elevated platform of rock. The several houses sur-
rounded a large grassy square, securely guarded by
palisades, to preserve it from the depredations of the
poultry, hogs, and goats, which were allowed to roam
at liberty about the island. On one side of the square
stood the house of Smith (alias Adams), on another,
that of Thursday October Christian. These, and all
the little dwellings which clustered around them, were
formed of wood, had generally two stories, and were
substantially constructed. Their internal arrange-
ments bespoke great cleanliness and comfort, and the
CHAP. II.
179
PITCAIRN ISLAND.
*
beds and bedding were remarkably neat. European
habits were visible in the farming arrangements, as
each dwelling had a pen for fattening hogs, another
for fowls, a bakery, and a building for the manufacture
of cloth. The linen was made of the bark of the paper
mulberry tree, macerated in water, and then beaten out
to the desired thickness by large pieces of wood. This
manufacture formed the employment of the elder women,
the younger working with their fathers and brothers in
the plantations, cultivating yams and sweet potatoes.
Adams on this account discouraged very early mar-
riages, as the girls would then necessarily be occupied
with the care of their children, and he inculcated
among the young men the necessity of having made
some previous provision for a family before entering
into a matrimonial engagement.
•
"If," says Captain Pipon, "we remarked with much
admiration the fine athletic young men around us, the
appearance of the women was equally pleasing, some
really handsome, and one and all, well-grown and
finely formed, much owing, probably, to the moun-
tainous nature of the island, and the habit from infancy
of ascending and descending the rocks with great
weights on their shoulders." Both sexes were also
expert swimmers. The women's dress was composed of
a loose bodice, with a drapery reaching to the ankles,
1 "There were three varieties of cloth obtained respectively from
the paper-mulberry (which was the best), the bread-fruit tree, and
a kind of fig; this last, though less ornamental, was more useful
than the others because it resisted water, which they did not. All
three kinds were made in the same way."-ELLIS's Polynesian
Researches.
+
N 2
180
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
and so disposed as to show the symmetry of their
persons, not unlike (it has been said) the robes of the
Hindostanee women, and worn as gracefully. Teeth
like ivory characterised both men and women, and the
latter wore their long black hair neatly braided into a
knot at the back of the head, without pin or fastening
of any kind; and a wreath ingeniously worked of the
sweet-scented nono-tree (Morinda Cilrifolia), sometimes
intertwined with others of a brighter hue, completed
their toilet.
— Far, however, beyond their personal grace was their
modesty and gentle behaviour, and Adams assured Sir
T. Staines of their excellent conduct. Each person.
considered whatever he possessed was for the general
good, so that there was no difficulty in settling
disputes; and if hasty words were ever uttered the
offender was but too ready to make ample amends to
the injured party.
تا
•
Adams mentioned that since the visit of Captain
Folger no other ship had touched at the island, with
the knowledge of the inhabitants, previous to the present
visit. Once, however, they had been greatly alarmed
by the sight of two vessels, apparently standing in for
the island, and a party from one must have landed un-
observed in search of cocoa-nuts; for as young Matthew
Quintal was descending the rocks he perceived a large
clasp knife lying among a number of broken cocoa-nut
shells. The visitors were probably quite unaware of
1 The author has for many years preserved some of these wreaths,
which, by the exclusion of the air have, in a great measure, retained
their colour.
СПАР. ІІ.
181
PITCAIRN ISLAND.
the existence of any inhabitants. Quintal rushed back
to the village in great alarm, and said he felt like
Robinsoe Crusoe, when he saw the print of a human.
foot on the sand; but happily the cause of alarm was
quickly removed, as they saw the two ships in the
offing fast receding from sight.'
At length it was necessary to bid these interesting
people farewell, and the commanders of the frigates
assured them that they would represent to the Govern-
ment the admirable state of the community, and that
the authorities would certainly not feel justified in
attempting to remove their honoured pastor and in-
structor, Adams. Under the skilful guidance of Chris-
tian and Young, who had brought them on shore, the
visitors returned to their ships. There a liberal supply
of articles necessary for the comfort of the islanders,
which they were otherwise unable to obtain, was placed
in the canoe, and with warm adieux on all sides, the
young men returned to their expectant friends, and the
ships continued their voyage to Valparaiso.
The letters which Sir T. Staines and Captain Pipon
addressed to the Admiralty produced no results, that
Board finding more important occupation in vigorously
prosecuting the war. And thus again, for some years,
Pitcairn Island fell out of public notice.
At length a whale ship, in want of water and pro-
visions, happened to touch at Pitcairn, and one of her
crew named John Buffett, a man of an earnest turn of
¹ Adams, wishing his flock to remain as long as possible in ignor-
ance of the outer world, allowed them to imagine that the objects
they had seen on the water had come through a hole in the horizon
where the sun rose.
182
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
mind, and some amount of education, was so impressed
with the admirable character of the little community
that he requested permission to remain and assist
Adams in his onerous duties, and at all events relieve
him from those of schoolmaster. This proposition was
gladly accepted by the pastor and his flock, and Buffett
was duly installed as their preceptor, his captain
willingly giving him his discharge for that purpose.
Up to that period John Buffett's life had been full of
adventure. He was born in 1797, at a village near
Bristol, and was apprenticed at an early age to a
cabinet-maker, but preferring a seafaring life he joined
a small Newfoundland trader. While still a youth, he
entered the American merchant service, and was
wrecked in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Most of the
crew perished, but with incredible difficulty he and
a few others saved themselves in the pinnace of the
vessel, and after much privation were picked up by
some Canadian fishermen. Buffett still continued in
the American service, was again shipwrecked, and again.
with much difficulty rescued from a watery grave.
In 1821 he returned to London, went on board an
English vessel bound for China; 'from whence he pro-
ceeded to Manilla, and afterwards to California, where
he remained some months, and then joining an English
whaler on a successful homeward voyage, he was left
by her at Pitcairn, where, after so many vicissitudes,
the young wanderer found at last a congenial occupa-
tion and a peaceful home.
Not many years elapsed before another seafaring
man, John Evans, a sailor on board of some unknown
CHAP. II.
183
PITCAIRN ISLAND.
vessel, and the son of a coach-maker in Long Acre,
requested permission to remain as a member of the
community, and being like Buffett, a worthy and an edu-
cated man, Adams gladly accepted his services. Each
eventually married a Pitcairn girl, and thus two other
names were included in the roll of the inhabitants.
In the year 1825, the Blossom,' Captain Beechy,
which had been fitted out for a voyage of discovery,
touched at the island, and the unusual sight of a man-
of-war occasioned some uneasiness there, especially in
the mind of Buffett, who had first observed her pennant.
However, Adams, and some of the young islanders put
off in a boat to welcome another of His Majesty's
ships, and Captain Beechy, with two of his boats,
accompanied them on shore, where they were cordially
received. Their residence of three weeks confirmed
the statements of former visitors, and as Captain
Beechy and his party were entertained in turn at the
different houses, he had ample opportunity for gain-
ing information and noticing the proceedings of the
islanders. Sunday was observed with remarkable strict-
ness, and there were altogether five services in the day.
All preparation for their meals was made the day
before, that there might be no undue work on the
Sabbath. Their fare was simple and wholesome, con-
sisting of pork or fowl-baked between stones, accord-
ing to the Tahitian fashion-vegetables, and bread or
pudding made of the Taro root, and abundance of
bread-fruit. Their drink was water, or an infusion
of Ti-root flavoured with ginger, and sweetened with
sugar-cane. After the fatal experiment made by
181
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
Quintal and McCoy of extracting an ardent spirit from
this root, Adams determined never to taste spirituous
liquors himself, and strictly enjoined the observance
of the same rule on the islanders, prohibiting all
attempts at distillation.
The worthy pastor spent a few days on board the
'Blossom,' a guest in the captain's cabin, who writes
"that the old man never failed to rise early in the
morning to perform his devotions in some retired corner,
nor did he neglect the same duty before retiring to
rest at night."
At this period there seemed no scarcity of water on
the island, the mutineers on their first arrival having
cut large tanks in the rocks, and the number having
subsequently been increased. The only natural supply
was a small stream which fell from the precipitous
rocks at one end of the island. Captain Beechy, how-
ever, foresaw the results to which this state of things
would lead, and memorialized the Admiralty to the
effect, that, as the population increased, there would be
a scarcity of water and food, as the island was only four
miles and a half in circumference, and therefore much
restricted in ground for cultivation.
In the course of conversation with Adams, and
before taking a final leave, Captain Beechy pressed
him on the subject of the mutiny. He denied all
complicity in it; it seemed, indeed, to have passed
from his memory that he was actually the third
man on deck when the seizure of the ship took place.
On another point, he was also singularly inaccurate;
that of accusing young Stewart of advising Christian,
CHAP. II.
185
PITCAIRN ISLAND.
his superior officer, to take the vessel. In the confu-
sion which must have ensued on such an event, he could
not have known what passed between Christian and
Stewart when the latter went down to summon Chris-
tian to take the watch, and must either have forgotten.
or never heard, that Christian had taken upon himself
the blame of originating the mutiny,' although, after
the fatal step, so many had entered actively into the
plan. Up to this period of time Adams had invariably
evaded all inquiries as to the burial place of Fletcher
Christian, alleging his utter ignorance of the spot; a
statement which had given rise to many rumours and
conjectures. However, the question being put direct
2
¹ See Chap. III., foot note, p. 51.
2 About the year 1809, a report prevailed in Cumberland, in the
neighbourhood of his native place, and was current for several years,
that Christian had returned home, and that he had lived and died
in concealment in England; an assumption so utterly inconsistent
with facts related in the last chapter, as to be considered impossible.
In the same year, however, a singular incident occurred. Captain
Heywood, who was fitting out at Plymouth, happened one day
to pass down Fore Street, when a man of unusual stature, very much
muffled, and with his hat drawn close over his eyes, emerged sud-
denly from a small side street, and walked quickly past him.
The height, athletic figure, and gait so impressed him as being
that of Fletcher Christian, that, quickening his pace till he came
up with the stranger, he said in a tone of voice only loud enough to
be heard by him, "Fletcher Christian!" The man turned quickly
round and faced his interrogator, but little of his countenance was
visible, and darting up one of the small streets, he vanished from
his sight. Captain Heywood hesitated for a moment, but decided
on giving up the pursuit, and on not instituting any inquiries.
Any recognition would have been painful as well as dangerous
to Christian, and it also seemed scarcely within the bounds of pro-
bability that he should be in England. Remarkable as was this
occurrence, Captain Heywood attached no importance to it, simply
considering it a singular coincidence.
է
186
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
by Captain Beechy, he answered that "Christian had
been buried in his own garden."
The year 1828 was marked in the annals of the island
by the arrival of a third seafaring man, George Hunn
Nobbs. Glad to escape all the toils, sufferings, and
dangers to which he had been exposed for many years
of his life, he wished, with the permission of the
islanders, to seek a sphere of quiet usefulness among
them. For some years he had formed a desire to settle
at Pitcairn Island, but found many difficulties in the way
of obtaining funds for the voyage thither. He entered
himself as mate on board a vessel bound to Sierra
Leone and back, then went to Calcutta, where he left
his vessel, and proceeded in another to the Cape,
hoping to procure a passage to Pitcairn by one of
the numerous whale ships which were in the habit of
calling there for supplies; but he was taken ill, and
unable to move for some time.
As no opportunity offered, he crossed to Valparaiso,
and finding no prospect there of recruiting his ex-
hausted finances, he went as mate of a vessel to Callao.
There he became acquainted with a man named Bunker,
who had been master of a merchant barque, and was
then proprietor of a launch of eighteen tons burden.
The health of Bunker was so impaired, and his circum-
stances so reduced, that he could not fit her out. Mr.
Nobbs therefore undertook the task, on the understand-
ing that he was to become part proprietor, and that
Bunker should accompany him on the voyage to Pit-
cairn. He spent the little money he possessed in fitting
out the vessel, and the two men embarked alone on
1
CHAP. II.
187
DEATH OF JOHN ADAMS.
this voyage of 3500 miles. Fortunately, they had a
fine weather passage, and accomplished it in six weeks.
From fatigue and want of sleep during that period,
Bunker became so ill that he died a few weeks after
his arrival at Pitcairn; and the launch having been
hauled up on the rocky shore of the island, her timbers
and wood-work served for the construction of a house
for Mr. Nobbs,' who became, like Evans and Buffett, a
permanent settler in the colony.
The year 1829 was one of deep mourning to our
islanders. On March 29th, aged 65, died John Adams,
their venerated pastor and teacher. His was a life, the
commencement of which had been marked by terrible
and unusual events, but one that ended most peace-
fully. He passed away in the presence of his family
and of his affectionate flock, all of whom loved and
revered him as a parent.
The son of a lighterman and brother of a waterman
of London, John Adams had picked up his little stock
of knowledge from printed papers collected in London
streets and elsewhere, by the help of which he had
taught himself reading and writing. Such was his
slender amount of acquirements, when at the age of
twenty-two he joined the 'Bounty' as an A.B. seaman,
and at twenty-four found himself on Pitcairn Island,
the only protector of so many helpless human beings.
Well did he acquit himself of his mission! By the
¹ He married Sarah Christian, granddaughter of Fletcher Chris-
tian, the mutineer, whose son Charles, father of Sarab, married the
little Tahitian girl brought by her mother to Pitcairn when she was
only ten months old (see chap. iii. p. 48), and who thus became
the mother of Mrs. Nobbs.
}
188
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
mercy of God, and by the aid of his Bible and Prayer-
Book, which he had so earnestly studied, John Adams
succeeded in establishing such a community as has
been the dream of poets, and the aspiration of philo-
sophers! and the result of his humble endeavours was
shown by the exercise "of all that is lovely and of
good report" in the isolated Pitcairn colony, far away
in the vast Pacific Ocean,

།།
THE REV. G. E. NOBES.
By Glen Wilson. Esq
CHAP. III.
189
GEORGE HUNN NOBBS.
CHAPTER III.
GEORGE HUNN NOBBS SUCCEEDS JOHN ADAMS AS PASTOR OF
PITCAIRN ISLAND EMIGRATION ΤΟ TAHITI RETURN
ARRIVAL OF JOSHUA HILL ARBITRARY PROCEEDINGS
J. HILL REMOVED FROM PITCAIRN.
THE death of John Adams was a serious blow to the
islanders; but he had appointed George Hunn Nobbs,
who had a vocation for the ministry, to succeed him
in the pastoral office. In addition to a fair amount
of education, Mr. Nobbs possessed some knowledge of
medicine and surgery, and exercised his skill with much
benefit to the community. He was often sorely tried
by the want of necessary remedies, the arrival of
supplies being very precarious; but his unwearying
watchfulness and care greatly tended to alleviate the
sufferings of his patients.¹
In 1830, the colony consisted of eighty-seven persons,
when a long drought, together with a bad season for
their plantations, gave rise to fears that they might
be overtaken by famine. It had long been a matter
of grave consideration, that as their numbers increased,
the want of water would be severely felt; and in con-
sequence, a proposal was made to the islanders by the
1 Mr. Nobbs' remuneration (for in course of time this new
arrangement was established) consisted, as pastor, in his house being
kept in repair, while as surgeon he received three acres of land for
cultivation, and as schoolmaster the value of a shilling a month each
from twenty-five to thirty scholars. But to the children of large
families whose parents could not afford to pay, he gave instruction
gratis.
190
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
Government to remove them to Tahiti. This proposal
in due course was submitted to Queen Pomaré, who
seconded it with great zeal, and agreed to receive them
into her dominions. There was, however, great differ-
ence of opinion among the Pitcairners as to the
desirability of the change. Some were willing to leave
the island; others (and among them Mr. Nobbs) were
much opposed to the measure. But the strong ties
of relationship and affection which bound together
all the members of the little colony finally prevailed;
and they determined not to separate. Early in March,
1831, they all embarked in a Government vessel, the
'Sarah Anne,' and arrived at Tahiti on the 21st of
the same month. A tract of rich land was assigned
to them by the Queen, and the Tahitians assisted in
collecting wood, and also in constructing houses for
their new friends, whom they looked upon as rela-
tions. One old woman came from a distance to recog-
nize a long lost sister in one of the surviving women
who had left Tahiti in the Bounty.' To the Pit-
cairners, however, the climate was peculiarly unfavour-
able, for sickness soon broke out among them, and
Thursday October Christian, the first born on Pitcairn
Island, fell a victim to this prevailing malady.
6
Their simple austere mode of life, and their rectitude
of conduct, rendered the licentious and lax morality of
the Tahitians most repugnant to the Pitcairn people;
and, notwithstanding the kind hospitality shown them
-especially by the Queen-they determined, if even
at their own expense, to return to their beloved island
home. Some months before the general removal, the
CHAP. III.
191
GEORGE HUNN NOBBS.
Buffett family, and some other, returned to Pitcairn;
but they found it a wilderness, and the plantations de-
stroyed by the live stock which had run wild during
their absence. In September, 1831, an American brig
brought away all the remaining families from Tahiti,
and the Queen, who had adopted Reuben Nobbs,
and wished to bring him up with her own children,
allowed him to accompany his parents, notwithstand-
ing her own disinclination to part with the boy. The
first care of the Pitcairners, after their return, was
to restore the ravaged plantations, and repair the
houses; and thus by industry and labour, the settle-
ment soon resumed its wonted aspect of cleanliness
and comfort.
The year 1832 was marked by a series of events—
sad proofs of the instability of all human arrange-
ments, and also of the facility with which, through
their best and most generous feelings, the minds of
this simple and unsophisticated community might be
warped, and their judgment distorted by the designs
of artful impostors. Their passionate feeling of loyalty
to the Government, and to the country of their fore-
fathers was proverbial among all who had ever visited
the island. To belong to England, to be looked upon
as subjects of the Queen, was the height of their ambi-
tion. Hence their anxiety to act under authority
betrayed them into a snare laid for them by an elderly
man, one Joshua Hill, who said he had left England
by order of the Government to live at Pitcairn for the
benefit of the inhabitants. He boasted of the great
powers with which he had been invested by the
192
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
authorities at home, and that he could at any time
summon a ship of war to uphold his dignity. John
Buffett received this gentleman into his house with
great delight, and all the inhabitants treated him
with more than their usual kindness and hospitality.
By promises and by presents, he succeeded in detach-
ing them from their allegiance to their pastor, and
said he would undertake that office himself. A reign.
of terror soon became fully established, and this imper-
sonation of despotism declared his intention of rid-
ding himself of Mr. Nobbs and the other Englishmen.
on the island by "starvation, flogging, or hanging."
Mr. Nobbs was in continual fear of his life from
the conduct of this man, and when he was over-
taken by severe illness arising from anxiety, his friends
were forbidden to visit him, and he was also debarred
the use of the necessary remedies to which he was
entitled out of the general medicine chest of the
island.
Hill's next proceedings were directed against Buffet,
whose guest he had been, and who had shown him
so much kindness. The treatment experienced by
him is related in the following letter addressed either
to the Right Hon. Lord James Townshend, Senior
Captain on the West Coast of South America, or to
Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, Commander-in-
Chief-to which of these officers does not appear; but
it will be seen how arbitrary had been the conduct of
Hill in the verdict pronounced on the mock trial to
which Buffett had been subjected:
CHAP. III.
cr
HONOURED SIR,
AN IMPOSTOR.
Pitcairn Island, 1834.
193
"I hope you will excuse the liberty I take in
writing to you, which I doubt not you will, when you
are informed in what critical circumstances I am placed.
In December, 1823, on our return to England,' we
touched at Pitcairn Island, and by desire of the natives
and consent of our captain, I went on shore to teach
their children to read, &c., which I did to their satis-
faction. Mr. Nobbs arriving soon after, became their
teacher; since then I have lived as a private individual,
on good terms with the natives. After going to Tahiti
with them, and remaining there about three weeks, I
procured a passage for myself, my wife, and family,
and arrived at Pitcairn Island about three months
before the rest of the natives. After they all arrived,
we all lived together upon friendly terms, until the
arrival of Mr. Joshua Hill from Tahiti, in October,
1832, who stated that he had been sent out by the
British Government, and whatever he was in want of
he would procure from England, New South Wales, or
Valparaiso.
By means of such promises, and by his making
them believe that whatever heretofore had been sent
out, was by his influence, he has gained the favour of
a few natives, and appointed three elders and two
privy councillors. He has framed laws and built a
prison; and should any of the natives refuse to obey
him, let his proposals be ever so unjust, he tells them
he will send to England for a Governor, and a regiment
¹ It will be remembered that Buffett was a sailor, and wished to
remain at Pitcairn.
1
191
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
of soldiers. By such means, he has persuaded the
islanders to sign a petition to Government to deprive
us Englishmen and our children of their lands; and I
am ordered, with my wife and children to leave the
island. His plea (J. H.'s) is, that there is not land
sufficient. At the same time, he has proposed to send
to England for English ladies, for wives for the youths of
the island; and because I made known his plan of send-
ing my wife and family off the island, I had a mock trial,
on which Mr. Hill was judge, jury, and executioner.
"After Mr. Hill's beating me over the head, breaking
it in two places, and likewise my finger, I was sus-
pended by my hands in the church, and flogged until
I was not able to walk home. I have been from this
treatment confined to my bed for two weeks, and it was
several weeks before I was able to work, or have the
use of my hand; my wife at the same time was ill and
not able to work, and Mr. J. Hill would not allow the
natives to visit me or my wife, not even her own sister,
but literally tried to starve us. Charles Christian, the
oldest man on the island, was brutally treated, and
burned out of his house, for trying to prevent my being
flogged; and because the women assembled crying
shame on his (Mr. H.'s) proceedings, he, Mr. Hill, on
the Sunday following read the Riot Act, and told them,
should they do so again, the authorities would be jus-
tified in shooting them. He then sent his colleagues—
as he is pleased to call them-to take possession of our
firearms, which they loaded with ball, and Mr. J. Hill
has since kept them in his possession. Since this, Sir,
not only the lives of the English residents, but some of
CHAP. III.
195
AN IMPOSTOR.
C
the natives, have been in danger from the malicious
temper of Mr. J. Hill. He has been the means of
depriving one of my children of the land left her by
her grandfather, and he proposes to deprive the others
also, and as they grow up, to send them to sea as cabin
boys, &c. He wished Captain Freemantle, of H.M.S.
Challenger,' who touched at Pitcairn Island in Feb-
ruary, 1832, to remove me from the island; but he
(Capt. F.) would not. Since that, he has been trying
all in his power to prejudice the natives against me.
Captain T. Stavers has been so kind as to give me a
passage to Tahiti, when I shall endeavour to get a pas-
sage for my family, either to Lord Howe's Island or
Kappa. In the meantime, I humbly hope, Sir, you will
use your influence to get Mr. Hill removed from Pit-
cairn Island; it is the desire of most of the inhabitants.
The land that Mr. Hill wishes to deprive my children
of, is their mother's portion, left by her father (Edward
Young of the Bounty').
"If, Sir, you would condescend to write me a few
lines, informing me how to act, to the care of Mr.
Pritchard, British Consul, Tahiti, you will greatly
oblige your most humble servant.
(C
(Signed)
J. BUFFETT.
The following extract from the sentence pronounced
upon John Buffett will show the lengths to which the
arrogance of this Joshua Hill induced him to proceed
with the unfortunate islanders. In fact, it is almost
difficult to say which is most contemptible in the
whole proceeding, the act itself, or the absurd doen-
ments by which it was carried out.
0 2
96
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
(COPY).
"Pitcairn Island, 5th August, 1833.
"It only remains with us to declare the sentence
of the law, which is:-And this Court doth accord-
ingly adjudge, that you receive forthwith three dozen
lashes with a cat upon the bare back and breech,
together with a fine of three barrels of yams or
potatoes, to be paid within one month, or in default
thereof, an extra barrel will be required for this re-
iterated contempt of Court.
66
66
(Signed, &c., by the whole Court)."
Moreover, John Buffett, the sentence of the Court
is, that whether with or without your family, you
are to leave this island by the first vessel that may
present herself; for if you do not, punishment and
imprisonment will be the consequence.
(C
(Signed by the whole Court).”
"N.B. And, moreover, it is resolved by the Court
that in case you, John Buffett, shall presume to deviate
from the reiterated promises which you made to the
said Court, on the 5th instant, touching your future
rule of action (i. e., good conduct, and the assurances
which you then made, duly to respect the public
functionaries of this island whilst thus you remain
upon it) that the residuum of your said punishment
(twenty-four from thirty-six) shall be inflicted. But
on the contrary it may be observed, in limine, that
the executive wish always peace and tranquillity,
and good order, which, with the help of the blessed
Lord, it is determined to maintain and enforce. In
CHAP. III.
197
AN IMPOSTOR.
the event, therefore, of a manifest reformation of your
rule of action, and erroneous actions and principles,
the executive is ever ready and willing to take into
due consideration, so far as circumstances may permit,
and may prove compatible with the general interest
and welfare of the commonwealth, touching the pre-
mises, and in relation to the said rule of action which
you may hereafter think just to pursue, and the good
behaviour which, circumstances render it expedient
that you should adopt; otherwise, in due course, the
said balance of a dozen or fourteen' which still remain
due to, you must be settled accordingly.
"(Signed, &c., aforesaid by the Court)."
"I hereby certify that the foregoing are true ex-
tracts and copies from the originals deposited in the
archives, Pitcairn Island, 5th August, 1833.
(Signed)
"To John Buffett, Pitcairn Island.”
"J. HILL.
"I hereby certify that this is a true copy.
(Signed) "F. D. BENNETT.”2
The following letter-like that written by J. Buffett
-is addressed either to Lord James Townshend, or to
Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour :-
"The humble petition of JOHN EVANS, two years resident
on Pitcairn Island,
"Sheweth,--That your petitioner landed on Pitcairn
in the year 1833, and, after a residence of twelve
1 Probably hinting that Buffett had not received the prescribed
number of lashes.
2 The surgeon of the Tuscan,' and who had humanely attended
the sufferers.
198
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
months, was united in marriage with the second
daughter of the late John Adams (by his consent).
From that period your petitioner continued to live
in peace and harmony with the natives, and main-
tained himself and family in a comfortable manner.
Your petitioner accompanied the Pitcairn people to
Tahiti, and, while there, assisted them as much as
lay in his power. At their return, the natives were
perfectly agreeable that your petitioner should return
with them, and resume possession of his wife's land,
&c. Things went on in their usual train for twelve
months after our return, when a Mr. Joshua Hill
arrived at Pitcairn, who informed your petitioner he
was come by authority of the British Government
to adjust the internal affairs of the island, and that
he had sent orders to Valparaiso for H.M.S. 'Dublin '
to come and take him on board, and convey him to
the Marquesas Islands in a diplomatic capacity. Your
Petitioner gave credit to Mr. Hill's assertions, and
treated him with all possible respect, also cheerfully
contributing to his support; but scarcely had Mr. Hill
been on shore three weeks when he attempted to
persuade your petitioner's wife to leave him, saying
he would take her under his protection, and supply
her with everything she wanted; adding, 'I will cause
the first captain of a man-of-war who arrives to remove
these lousy foreigners from the island.' My wife
refused to do as he wished, and from that time he
became her declared enemy. Shortly afterwards a ship-
of-war arrived, the captain of which declared he knew
nothing of Mr. Hill, neither had he (Mr. Hill) any
CHAP. III.
199
AN IMPOSTOR.
authority from the British Government.
Mr. Hill
used every means in his power, by misrepresentations
and gross falsehood, to induce Captain Freemantle to
remove me from the island. This Captain Freemantle
refused, saying he had a good opinion of me, and
should not separate me from my family. Captain
Freemantle severely reprimanded Mr. Hill for his
conduct towards the English residents, and desired
him to alter his conduct towards them; this Mr. Hill
promised to do, but malice and falsehood are prominent
traits in the character of Joshua Hill. No sooner was
Captain Freemantle gone, than Mr. Hill (vexed that
he had not gained his point) became more outrageous
than ever; he still asserted he was sent out by the
British Government, that Captain Freemantle was no
gentleman, and denounced vengeance on every native
who did not join with him in oppressing the lousy
foreigners. Whenever a ship appeared in sight, two
confidential men were despatched on board to forbid
the captains and officers holding any communication
with foreigners on shore, and we were prohibited under
pains and penalties from going on board. In May last,
a prison was built for the avowed purpose of confining
the Englishmen and their friends by force, and in July
a law was enacted relative to high treason. Your peti-
tioner requested a copy of this as a guide for his future
conduct; Mr. Hill refused to give him one, flew into
a violent rage; and, shortly after, your petitioner was
dragged to the church, underwent a mock trial-no
witnesses being allowed-and received one dozen lashes
with a cat-o'-nine-tails; each tail being the size of a
200
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY,'
man's little finger. Your petitioner was so much hurt
about the head, eyes, and ribs, as to be confined to his
bed for ten days. From this time, the state of things
became desperate, and your petitioner was under con-
tinual alarm for the lives of himself and family. Mr.
Hill and his colleagues were continually threatening
the life of some one or other, and your petitioner firmly
believes, had it not been for the opportune arrival of
the ship 'Tuscan,' Captain R. T. Stavers, murder would
have been shortly committed. Captain Stavers, seeing
the untoward state of affairs, humanely consented to
give your petitioner a passage to Tahiti. And now,
Honoured Sir, will you permit your petitioner to hope
you will commiserate my unhappy condition? Neither
the natives nor Mr. Hill can bring any serious charge
against me, as Captain Stavers and Dr. Bennett can
certify, and yet your petitioner is banished from family
and home, merely to gratify the malevolence of Mr.
Hill. Your petitioner humbly begs that your Honour
will restore your petitioner again to his wife and
family, that he may support them by his labour.
"And your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever
pray," &c., &c.
Finally, the three Englishmen were compelled to
leave the island with their families. Mr. Nobbs and
John Evans proceeded to the Gambier Islands, situated
300 miles from Pitcairn. Buffett preferred returning
to Tahiti; but soon after left it, and rejoined his two
friends. And thus Joshua Hill's authority became
absolute in the island.
The letter which we now insert was written by
CHAP. III.
201
AN IMPOSTOR.
Joshua Hill during the height of his power and fancied
security, and serves to show the character of the man
who had so completely deluded the poor Pitcairners.
Considering their simplicity, and their utter ignorance
of the world, we must not blame them when we look
at home, and observe, even at the present day, the
marvellous influence designing impostors gain over
the minds of educated and intelligent people.
"Pitcairn, June, 1834.
“I am aware that pedantry and egotism become no
one, and myself, perhaps, less than any.' (Prov. xxvii.
2). But, for certain reasons, the following credentials,
as a memorandum, I hope will be pardoned on the pre-
sent occasion—they are truths.
"I observe, in limine, that I have visited the four
quarters of the globe, and that it has ever been my
desire to maintain, as far as lay in my power, the
standing of an English gentleman. I have lived a
considerable while in a palace, and had my dinner
parties, with a princess on my right and a general's lady
on my left. I have had a French cook, and a box at
the opera. I have drove my dress-carriage (thought the
neatest then in Paris, where I spent five or six years;
as well, I have known Calcutta) with the handsomest
lady (said), Madame Recamier, to grace my carriage. I
have drove a curricle with two outriders and two saddle-
horses, besides a travelling-carriage, a valet, coachman,
footman, groom, and, upon extraordinary occasions, my
maître d'hotel. I have (at her request) visited Madame
Bonaparte at the Tuileries, St. Cloud, and Malmaison.
1 Brodie, p. 211.
202
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
I might thus mention many others of note abroad. I
have frequently dined with that remarkable woman,
Madame Carbanas, afterwards the Princess de C-
I have had the honour of being in company, i.e. at the
same parties, with both his late Majesty George IV.,
then Prince-Regent, and his present Majesty William
IV., then H.R.H. Duke of Clarence; as well as with
their royal brothers. I have ridden in a royal duke's
carriage, with four horses and three footmen, more
than once; and have dined at his table, and drunk the
old hock of his late father George III. I have visited
the falls of Niagara and Montmorency, the natural
bridge in Virginia, the great Reciprocating Fountain
in East Tennessee, the great Temple of Elephanta at
Bombay. I have dined with a prince, as well as with
a princess; and with a count, a baron, an ambassador, a
minister (ordinary and extraordinary), and have tra-
velled with one for some weeks. I have dined with a
Chargé d'Affairs, and lived with consuls, &c. I have
visited and conversed with 'Red Jacket,' the great
Indian warrior. I have visited and been visited by a
bishop. I have frequently partook of the delicious
Hungarian wine (tokay), Prince Easterhazy's; as also
of Prince Swartzenburgh's old hock, said to have been
seventy-three years old; and I am intimate with the
brother-in-law of this last German nobleman. I have
dined with a principal Hong-Kong merchant at Canton.
I have sat next to the beautiful Madame Recamier and
Madame Carbanas, at the great dinner parties. I have
written to the Prime Minister of England, and have
received the answer (late Earl of Liverpool's) with his
CHAP. III.
203
AN IMPOSTOR.
thanks, &c. I have made a common silk net for a
certain fashionable marchioness, which she actually
wore at her next great party of five or six hundred
persons. I have danced with the Countess Bertand,
i.e. Mademoiselle Fanny Dillon, before she married the
Marshal. I was at Napoleon's coronation. I have
been invited to the Lord Mayor's, and to a dinner of
an Alderman of London; to those also of the first
merchants and bankers, as the late Mr. Thelusson
(afterwards Lord Rendlesham), the formerly rich Mrs.
A. and B. Goldsmiths, &c. And at Paris I have had a
credit of 400,000 francs at one time, on the house of
Perregan, Lafitte, &c., and other bankers at Paris for
considerable sums; Delepent & Co. for 40,000 francs;
and Recamiers at one time for upwards of 100,000
francs. I have had at a time nearly 50007. sterling at
the Bank of England. I wrote and published in the
London Morning Post' (7th March, 1811) on naval
power. I have seen the Vestrises, father, son, and
grandson, at once (the only time), dance on a stage at
the opera at Paris. I have given a passage to many
on board my ship, but never in my life received a
farthing as passage-money from any person.
I am
decidedly against the use of ardent spirit (malt liquor
may do for those who like it), tobacco, &c. And as for
wine, that only at dinner; it even then ought to be
good, if not the very best as the gourmet would have it,
when speaking of Clos-Vaugeaut and Romance, &c. I
have had a fine band of music on board my ship, and
my four kinds of wine on my table. (I am not sleep-
ing on a bed of roses' now, but in an humble hut or
.
204
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
C
cabin). After all, what does the foregoing amount to?
Vanity of vanities. I will merely add that I have had
a year in the church of Christ, and that I am a life
member in the Bible Society. That I am looking, with
the blessed Lord's help, to something of far more.
intrinsic worth and consideration, the prize of our
high calling'-the life to come. I am now in my
sixty-second year of age, and, of course, it is high
time that I should look upon this world as nearly to
close on me. I might perhaps say much more, but
must stop.¹ I am now an humble teacher upon Pit-
cairn Isle for the time being.
(Signed)
"J. HILL"
The letters of Mr. Nobbs, Mr. Buffett, and John
Evans, and other documents relative to the self-con-
stituted authority of Mr. Hill, having been sent home
to the Admiralty, was the occasion of a correspondence
with Lord James Townshend, who had forwarded
copies of it to Captain Mason, and his reply is as
follows:-
"SIR,
(COPY.)
"H.M.S. Blonde,' Callao, June 2nd, 1836.
"I had the honour to receive, on the 28th May,
your letter of the 3rd October, 1835, enclosing copies
of letters from the Secretary of the Admiralty and Mr.
1 I have had a member of Parliament, an East Indian director,
call on me to ask a favour, which indeed no one else could grant.
I have his note thus still. And I have had a beautiful Egyptian
lady write to me (I have her note also still) the wife of one of
Bonaparte's generals.
7
}
CHAP. III.
205
MR. NOBBS RESTORED.
Hay, with other documents relative to the Pitcairn
Islanders, and desiring me to go or send a vessel there
to investigate the conduct of Mr. Hill, and to undeceive
the people as to his authority, &c. In reply, I beg to
inform you that I have always felt a strong interest in
that most exemplary and Christian society, and that
nothing but the revolutionary state of Peru since
February last, and a foreign war since June, which
has placed the persons and property of His Majesty's
subjects, in common with other foreign merchants, in
great hazard, together with the loss of the 'Challenger,'
has prevented my going or sending; but in consequence
of various letters which I received as far back as
December, 1834, I wrote at various times to the vic-
tims of Mr. Hill's tyranny and oppression, and to Mr.
Pritchard at Tahiti, informing them of my firm con-
viction that he had no right to assume any authority
on the island, much less to use corporal punishment,
or to send any of the inhabitants away. I will, how-
ever, take the earliest opportunity of going or sending
a vessel there, and hope to hear that the letters I wrote
produced the desired effect, of releasing the inhabitants
from Mr. Hill's tyranny and oppression, and of restoring
to the island those whom he had driven away.
c
"I have the honour to be, Sir,
"Lord James Townshend,
"Your obedient servant,
(Signed)
Commander-in-Chief, &c.
West Coast, South America."
"FRANCIS MASON.
206
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
Captain Mason, in another letter, says, "I regret
that that once interesting and exemplary colony should.
be under the influence of such a man."
Happily, this reign of terror on Pitcairn Island was
drawing to a close, and in a manner calculated to
undeceive the credulous islanders as to the unfounded
pretensions of Joshua Hill. He had asserted, in addi-
tion to other absurd declarations, that he was a near
relative of the Duke of Bedford; and it was a remark-
able circumstance that the next ship of war which
touched at Pitcairn after the visit of Captain Seymour
in the Challenger' was the 'Acteon,' commanded by
Lord Edward Russell, in 1837. No one was
astonished than Hill himself at this unexpected arrival
of a member of the Bedford family; and had Lord
Edward's orders authorised such a proceeding, he would
have removed Hill from the island, feeling justly indig-
nant at his tyrannical conduct and his falsehoods.
"
In the following year, 1838, this measure was carried.
out by the Hon. Captain H. W. Bruce, commanding
H.M.S. 'Imogene,' who was ordered to proceed to Pit-
cairn to remove Joshua Hill, and land him at Valparaiso.
From this period no further account has been received
of this aged impostor, who, no doubt, has sunk into the
contempt and oblivion he merited by his disgraceful
conduct. No one, singular to say, seemed to know who
he was, or what were his occupations previous to his
making this raid upon the poor Pitcairn Islanders.
Immediately on his removal, the islanders sent to
Mr. Nobbs and his companions in exile to return,
and also offered to pay all the expenses of their
CHAP. III.
207
MR. NOBBS RESTORED.
voyage from the Gambier Islands. On their arrival
at Pitcairn their reception was so enthusiastic and
affectionate that it proved it was not by the wish of
the community generally that the three families had
been dismissed. The following document, which had been
written some years previously, was then forwarded to
the Admiralty, and testifies to the good feeling which
had existed between Mr. Nobbs and his flock until the
arrival of Hill.
tr
"Pitcairn Island, December, 1832.
We, the undersigned heads of families at Pitcairn's
Island, do hereby certify that Mr. George Nobbs has
conducted himself to our satisfaction ever since he
has been on this island; also, we have no fault to
find with his manner of keeping school for the space
of four years; and the reason why Mr. Nobbs is dis-
missed from teaching and school-keeping is in conse-
quence of a disagreement between Mr. Nobbs and Mr.
Joshua Hill, who has lately come to reside on this
island among us.'
>>
(Signed)
GEORGE ADAMS.
'EDWARD QUINTAL.
"ARTHUR QUINTAL.
“FLETCHER CHRISTIAN.
"WILLIAM YOUNG.
" WILLIAM McCoy."
208
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
CHAPTER IV.
SHIPS OF WAR VISIT PITCAIRN LETTER OF CAPTAIN WOOD R.N.
- ARRIVAL OF BARON THIERRY AND OTHERS- ABORIGINAL
INHABITANTS OF PITCAIRN ISLAND.
DURING the next few years Pitcairn Island was visited
by a ship of war, by a missionary vessel, having on
on board the Rev. Mr. Heath of London, and several
traders and American whalers in want of water and
vegetables. Many of these had previously touched at
the island for the same purpose, and so strictly honest
were the islanders in their dealings, that their word
was a sufficient guarantee for the correctness of the
settled amount of supplies bartered, such as soap, oil,
and other commodities. Even in times of privation and
scarcity after a bad season, there was no diminution in
amount or increased payment demanded by the islanders
for the supplies sent to the ships. The respect which
these rough merchantmen and whalers felt for the
Pitcairners was such that one sailor declared, "That
if any insult were to be offered to any of them, and
especially to the female part of the community, a
man would not be long alive after he came on board."
H.M.'s ship Curaçoa,' Captain Jenkin Jones, arrived
most opportunely in August, 1841, when influenza
prevailed among the inhabitants of so severe a character
as almost to decimate their numbers. Their stock of
medicine was expended, and Mr. Nobbs' efforts to arrest
CHAP. IV.
209
RELICS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
the course of the malady seemed unavailing. The sur-
geon of the ship was sent on shore immediately with
all necessary supplies and remedies for the sick, and in
the course of a few days many of the sufferers were
pronounced convalescent.
6
Captain Jones having ascertained the spot where the
Bounty' had been sunk, succeeded, with some diffi-
culty, in raising the charred hull, and found that such
had been the solidity of her timbers, that her "heart
of oak" had survived the power of fire and water, and
the effects of submersion for half a century.
Various ornamental articles were manufactured out
of the remains of the old ship, which the islanders sent
as presents to several of their friends in England; and
Isabella Christian, widow of the mutineer, although at
a very advanced age, confided to the care of Captain
Jones several yards of beautifully manufactured tappa
cloth as a present to "Peter's wife." She had a per-
fect recollection of Peter Heywood, the young midship-
man, and also of Captain Cook when he visited Tahiti.
She died a month after the 'Curaçoa' left the island
in August, 1841.
In the course of the year 1845, fever again broke out
among the islanders, and, at the same time, consumption
and rheumatism were rife among them. The recurrence
of these maladies simultaneously, was traced to circum-
stances which invariably produced the same results; a
long drought, succeeded by two or three weeks of rain,
and the wind prevailing from the N.W.
April 16th, 1845, is marked in the island register by
1 The widow of Captain Peter Heywood, R.N.
P
210
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
the occurrence of a fearful hurricane, which did infinite
damage to both trees and plantations, and is thus
described by an eye-witness :-" For several days past
the weather has been cloudy, with occasional showers.
with the wind s.s.w., it began to rain in good earnest.
As the sun declined the wind increased. At sunset it
blew a gale; all hands employed in securing the roofs of
their houses, and making all snug before dark. A dirty
night was anticipated, and all our fears were realised.
At 10 P.M. the wind shifted four or five points to the
westward, and the sheet-lightning began to break
the monotony of the lucid atmosphere. By midnight
a perfect typhoon raged above and around us; the
whole course of the heavens was in a continual blaze,
and the thunder, although not so very loud, with the
exception of one burst, was incessant. From the posi-
tion of the wind, which veered and hauled four or five
points, the houses were a good deal sheltered from its
violence, or they most assuredly would have been pros-
trated; therefore the most of us, who passed a sleepless
night, were, in mercy, permitted to remain quiet in our
houses. Very frequently during the night loud crashes
were heard, which we supposed were the trees in the
higher parts of the island yielding to the fury of
the storm. The noise did not proceed from the fall-
ing and crashing of trees, but from a cause of which
at the time we were happily ignorant. At daylight a
man, much alarmed, came to my house, saying a part
of the island had given way and was falling into the
sea. From the door of my house I observed imperfectly
a spot from which a portion of earth had been detached,
CHAP. JV.
211
FEARFUL LANDSLIP.
and felt certain that it was an avalanche, occasioned
it.
by the wind acting upon the trees, and the torrents of
rain which fell detaching the earth from the part above
So great was the consternation and amazement of
the natives, that although they had seen the spot from
which the earth had slipped every day of their lives,
yet they could not so far collect their ideas as to
remember the original appearance of the place; whose
property it had been; nor the locality near it. As to
the cause of the disruption, various opinions prevailed,
and what may be easily referred to natural causes, and
those not recondite either, would to persons so unex-
perienced as our community appear both mysterious
and awful. I will endeavour to describe in a few
words what presented itself to our view at daylight.
The place in question was situated at the head of the
ravine, and immense pieces of rock were borne along
slowly but unresistingly, and about 300 cocoa-nut trees
were torn up by the roots and carried into the sea. So
tenacious was the heterogeneous stream, that some,
being displaced from their original situation, remained
in an upright position for some time, and when they
fell it was many yards from the spot where they had
come to maturity. A considerable portion of this
aquatic lava (for indeed its appearance had a distant
resemblance to the molten streams of an active volcano)
had reached the sea at daylight; and when some of our
people ventured to the edge of the precipice they found
to their dismay the boat-houses and boats left there
had disappeared. Two families, whose houses were
adjacent to the ravine, removed their household goods,
P 2
212
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
fearing that the foundations of their dwellings might
become undermined and bury them underneath; but
in a few hours the stream had ceased to flow, and con-
fidence was in a measure restored. We had now time
to turn our attention to other parts of the island. At
Bounty Bay a great quantity of earth had been washed
away; a yam ground, containing 1000 yams, had dis-
appeared entirely; several fishing-boats destroyed; the
'Bounty's' guns washed to the edge of the surf; and
large pieces of rock so obstructed the harbour that,
if a ship should come, it is doubtful whether a passage
could be found for her boat to pass through. In the
interior all the plaintains were destroyed, one-half in
full bearing, and the other half designed for the year
1846, so that this very valuable article of food we shall
be without for a long time. The fact is, from this date,
April 16th, until August, we shall be perished for want
of food. But "God tempers the wind to the shorn
lamb;" and we humbly trust that the late monitions of
Providence, viz., drought, sickness, and storm, which
severally have been inflicted on us this year may be
sanctified to us all, as bringing us into closer com-
munion with God. Unfortunately the island is subject
to such visitations; on one occasion, some years pre-
viously, the bread-fruit trees and orange gardens were
ravaged by the gale."
A painful incident is recorded in February, 1847;
an accident which occurred to Reuben Nobbs when out
shooting goats among the mountains. His foot slipped
and he fell on his loaded musket, which occasioned its
discharge, the ball passing through his hip-joint and
СПАР. IV.
213
ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS.
coming out near the knee. Fortunately, there were
persons at hand, who tore up their shirts and staunched
the blood, and the sad news being conveyed to the
village, all the inhabitants who heard of it hastened
to the spot to afford him assistance. They carried him
tenderly to his home stretched in a canoe, and the
greater part of the men sat up during the night in
case they should be required. For many days he
remained in a precarious state from the depth of the
wound, and his father experienced great difficulty in
ascertaining if any wadding had passed through with
the ball. In the midst of their anxiety the intelligence
arrived that a ship had been descried in the offing.
"Thank God," was the general exclamation; and as
she anchored, canoes instantly put off to obtain neces-
saries for their suffering friend. This ship proved to
be the 'Spy,' Captain Woolridge, who landed with the
surgeon, and, to the relief of all, he pronounced the state
of the patient less dangerous than had been imagined,
but said that the youth had a narrow escape from death,
and would be lame for life.
In March, 1848, the 'Calypso,' Captain Worth
visited Pitcairn, and the surgeon, Dr. Domet, a man of
science and an antiquary, having heard of heiroglyphics
existing on the face of some rocks at the east end of
the island, determined to visit the spot, to see if they
confirmed the reported traces of aboriginal inhabitants;
and although the access was both difficult and dan-
gerous, he was not to be deterred from his purpose.
One of the islanders accompanied him, and was as-
tonished that he would not be assisted by a rope, but
211
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY."
unaided, he descended the almost perpendicular face of
the rock like his attendant, to a narrow ledge only a
few inches wide. A fall from the height of 600 feet,
upon the rocks and the foaming breakers beneath,
would have been certain destruction. Dr. Domet made
some drawings of the figures, which represented princi-
pally the sun and moon, and various birds; there were
also some very rude delineations of human beings. On
his return to the village, the islanders showed him some
ancient stone spear and arrow-heads, and adzes, which
they had discovered in various parts of the island.
The finding of these stone implements on the lonely
rock of Pitcairn Island, is a curious addition to our
knowledge, as specimens in every way similar to
these have been discovered, not only in the countries
of Europe, in Great Britain, but also in America, and
indeed in almost every part of the known world. In
most of these localities they are of great antiquity, but
the forms found at Pitcairn resemble those which were
in use in Tahiti and New Zealand when first discovered
by us in the middle of the last century, and are
identical with those used by the Esquimaux tribes at
the present day. Whatever varieties may exist in the
great human family, one race at least seems to have
carried with it, as its members spread over the surface
of the globe, this universal custom, the use of stone
implements to supply the wants of daily life. The
type is the same, wherever found, in the long buried
drift of past ages. It is probable that the aboriginal
inhabitants, whose presence in Pitcairn is indicated
by these implements, migrated thither from some of
CHAP. IV.
215
ABORIGINAL INIIABITANTS.
the adjacent islands of the Pacific, but found them-
selves unable to remain on account of the scarcity of
food and water for the support of any considerable
number of persons. They doubtless drifted off as
they came, on some species of raft, to be conveyed to
any island to which the winds and currents should
waft them.¹
How soon intercourse with a superior race, and the
introduction of iron among these uncivilized people will
supersede the use of these primitive implements, is
mentioned by Captain Cook in his last voyage to the
Pacific in 1777. At that date, in speaking of the Tahi-
tians, he says, "A stone hatchet is at present as rare
a thing among them as an iron one was eight years
ago, and a chisel of bone or stone is not to be
seen.'
""
The departure of Captain Worth and his officers was
a matter of great regret to the islanders; for these
necessarily short visits (dependent on the wind being in
a favourable quarter, as no vessel could anchor) were to
them a kind of jubilee, which varied the monotony of
their daily life, and often formed a topic of conversation
for months, and even for years.
The arrival of the Pandora,' Captain James Wood,
R.N., on the 10th July, 1849, was the occasion of more
than usual rejoicing. She brought with her Mr. Buffett,
who had been absent for a year at the Sandwich Islands,
where he had gone on some commercial enterprise.
The following narrative by Captain Wood, in the
¹ See further information on the subject at the end of this
chapter.
216
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
form of a letter, gives an interesting and full account
of the island and the inhabitants at that period:-
"H.M.S. 'Pandora,' July, 1849.
"I ran on till very close to the island (which ap-
peared in the moonlight like a high rock, with its
summit in the clouds), and then hove to. At daybreak
I bore up, and at seven A.M. was near enough to see the
houses, and perceive there was a heavy swell breaking
on the rocks. We fired a gun, which soon drew atten-
tion; at first a red ensign and then a white flag was
displayed from the flag-staff in front of the school-
house.
"The village is on the northern face of the island,
and appeared buried in trees, but the cleared field, also
showed out well.
"At first some doubts were expressed by Mr. Buffett
of the possibility of boats getting through the surf, but
the white flag which is a signal that landing is prac-
ticable eased my mind on that score, and, soon after
eight, two whale boats were seen coming off. They
were quite laden with men, a fine, hardy, athletic set
of fellows as ever I saw, but little tinged with their
mother's blood; indeed those of the third generation.
are nearly as white as Europeans. They soon dis-
persed themselves all over the ship, as eager to see
their countrymen as ever, indeed they seemed quite
beside themselves. Buffett's meeting with his son, a
fine and rather handsome young man, was most affect-
ing, as was indeed his greeting from them all. It is
never old Buffett come back,' was passed from one to
C
CHAP. IV.
217
CAPTAIN WOOD'S NARRATIVE.
the other, with every appearance of affection for him.
Arthur Quintal, the son of the mutineer, a fine, strong-
made man, upwards of fifty, with an honest, open
countenance, was the senior of the party; but a strap-
ping stout fellow, John Adams, was pilot for the
time; this berth they take in rotation, each family
according to their seniority, and that family has the
privilege of entertaining the Captain when on shore.
When asked down to breakfast, in the midst of their
laughter and glee, before they touched anything they
joined their hands, and in a devout and unaffected way
prayed for a blessing on their food.
variable custom, and, like much we
lesson to us all which we shall not easily forget.
This is their in-
saw there, read a
"Arrangements having been made for landing
Buffett's traps (not very easily accomplished owing to
the high surf, and the difficulty of getting a boat's crew
together to take them) I at last saw most of them off,
and accompanied by Buffett and some of my officers,
pulled in towards the landing place, which is in a small
cove called 'Bounty Bay.' The wind was fresh and
the swell high, so that it seemed to me when I got to
the spot that I was more likely to go on shore out of
the boat, than in it, but as both the whale boats had
just passed in safely I determined to try it, and in two
trips we were all safely deposited on the beach. The
way they effect a landing is this-one whose experience
can be trusted, mounts a rock that commands a view of
the sea, and watches for the proper moment, when at a
signal from him, the boat which has been lying as close
to the breakers as possible, makes a rush, and by taking
218
PART II.
}
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
one of the less heavy breakers, goes flying in before it,
frequently without a stroke of the oars being necessary,
except to steer her, till they get within the rocks when
all danger is over; but as this turn is very narrow and
sharp, it requires skill and experience to get a boat in
safely, for a trifling deviation on either side would
dash the boat to pieces on the rocks.
"The beach and the heights above were lined with
inhabitants (mostly females), with Mr. Nobbs, pastor
and teacher, at their head. I cannot describe the scene
which took place so as to do it justice. After shaking
hands with Mr. Nobbs, a pretty-looking girl came up
to me, and almost shaking my hand off said, 'Thank
you, Sir, for bringing my father home,' her counten-
ance beaming with joy. All now crowded round me,
and as I could not shake all their hands at once, I
thought it better to kiss them, and they appeared to
like this as well; their warm and simple hearts were
strangers to concealment, and they gave themselves up
with the most complete and childish joy to seeing a
man-of-war off their island. I soon found my cap
ornamented with a garland of flowers, and amidst
laughter and jokes we began to ascend the cliffs. This
is no easy task, even to a strong man, and to me would
have been quite impracticable had not Mr. Nobbs called
to one of the young ladies to come and help me,-
two or three volunteered, but my prop and support was
Jemima Young, a stout, good-natured girl, who seized
my arm and almost carried me up without the aid of
my feet, and this without any apparent effort on her
part. All my officers were similarly treated, and
CHAP. IV.
219
CAPTAIN WOOD'S NARRATIVE.
decorated with garlands, not only round their hats but
their necks; in this array, and almost as excited as
themselves, we were marched to the top of the hill or
cliff, and there met with the remainder of the com-
munity, consisting principally of the elder females, and
those with young children in their arms.
"Here another scene of introduction was gone
through, and amongst others I was introduced to the
only remaining female of the original Tahitians. She
is very old, and has lost an eye, but still continues to
walk about. From this we went to the school-room, the
path leading at first through a grove of cocoa-nut trees,
and then across some nicely cultivated potato fields.
Here I sat for some time and gave the letters I had
brought, as well as explained the object of my visit,
but I do not think much attention was paid to either
myself or Mr. Nobbs, who read one of the letters ad-
dressed to them,-they were all too much excited to be
serious.
"The school-room or house is a long-room, furnished
with cross benches, fitted with ink-stands, &c.; and
at the upper end a square compartment is formed by
the benches with a table and seat for the master, and
against the end is the pulpit or reading desk, for the
school-room is the church on Sundays. Their form of
worship is the Church of England ritual, and now
whilst on the subject I cannot but add my testimony
to those who have gone before me, as to the excellent
moral and religious character of these people. Evil
and crime seem unknown amongst them; their very
simplicity and open-hearted kindness towards us
220
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
showed such a consciousness of innocence, or rather
ignorance of evil, that familiarities such as pass between
brothers and sisters were soon established, and all the
freshness and warmth of their hearts had free scope
without a thought of prudery to check it.
"The young people are generally good-looking, some
of them very pretty; all of them have good eyes and
teeth, and the most engaging expression of countenance
I ever saw; their figures are good, inclining to em-
bonpoint, but their carriage excellent, and a most
charming modesty characterizes all their actions. Their
dress is as varied as their methods of obtaining it, but
the most useful is a kind of long white jacket or short
skirt with a dark-coloured wrapper; which is fastened
round the waist and hangs down to the ankles. They
wear no shoes nor stockings, and from their working so
hard in the fields and the mountainous nature of the
country, their feet are large and broad, and their legs
very stout. Their heads are uncovered, but the hair,
which is very long (a dark brown or black) is kept
clean, neat, and very glossy by the aid of cocoa-nut-oil,
which they contrive to scent very agreeably with the
orange blossom. It is turned up behind in an ingenious
manner, which needs no comb or other aid to keep it in
its place. This, they say is necessary when at work in
the fields, or going through the woods; combs also
would be sadly in their way when conveying a load of
yams, and they pride themselves on the weight they
are able to carry from the landing-place to the top of
the cliff,—a girl of sixteen or seventeen will carry over
one hundredweight. They had once two donkeys to do
CHAP. IV.
221
CAPTAIN WOOD'S NARRATIVE.
this work, but they did not answer, and now the only
conveyance they possess is a kind of wheelbarrow.
"After I left the school-room, I paid visits with Mr.
Nobbs to all the families in their houses. They are all
lodged alike; the houses are built of wood and show
progressive improvement in the mechanical part of them
which would not disgrace an European tradesman.
They consist of one long room, divided by two or more
partitions, and are raised upon huge sleepers placed upon
large stones to clear them some two or two and a-half
feet from the ground. They all lie nearly east and west,
with the door fronting the north, and the same front
contains windows, forming nearly the whole side of
the house, and closed by sliding shutters; their roofs.
have a moderately high pitch, and are formed of the
Paudanis leaf, which being bent over a long light stick
forms a kind of board. Several of these laid nearly
close form an excellent thatch, lasting from five to
seven years. The side opposite the windows is occu-
pied by bed-places, which are similar to the sleeping
berths in the old packets. These have again a smaller
window, or scuttle, as a sailor would call it, which
admits air when they are shut out from the common
room or hall by drawing the curtains. Their bed-
clothes are without exception, formed of the tappa
cloth both white and tanned. This they manufacture
themselves from the bark of the paper mulberry tree,
and till lately has formed the staple article of their
clothes. Most of the houses are now ornamented with
prints and looking-glasses. One had an American
222
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY."
clock, which however would not go, nor did its owner
seem to care whether it went or not, the sun,' he
said, 'was the best time-piece.'
(C
They rise before the sun, eat when they are hungry,
sleep when they are tired, and, in fact, are barred by
no rules as to the disposal of their time, except on
Sundays, when they attend church twice at stated
times, and on that day alone Mr. Nobbs winds up his
watch, and sets it, so as to ensure punctuality; but he
prefers the sun as a guide, and for this purpose has a
meridian at ten A.M. and two P.M. marked on the floor
of his house.
"I went to visit the grave of old John Adams. He
is buried close to his house, with a daughter and grand-
daughter lying by his side. A stone with his name
and the date of his death is placed at the head. From
thence I visited the 'Bounty's' forge, which is still in
being, with the exception of the bellows, which have
long since gone to pieces: the anvil had lost its nose.
This with a large copper fish-kettle are the only con-
siderable remains of the Bounty' that I saw, but I
got pieces of her copper, wood, &c., of which they all
possessed a portion.
6
"I dined with the pilot John Adams, and his family;
a boiled fowl, some pig and yams, and sweet potatoes,
with roasted bread-fruit, and a cake made of yams and
plaintains beaten up and baked in leaves, formed our
repast. Knives and forks were, as well as spoons and
tumblers, not wanting at the table, which was covered
with a clean cloth, and dishes and plates seemed by no
means scarce. This was a great improvement since
CHAP. III.
223
CAPTAIN WOOD'S NARRATIVE.
Captain Beechy's visit, when but three of the latter
conveniences were to be found. The women do not eat
with the men when strangers are present, so my kind
hostess and cook and her pretty daughter had only the
cold remains of our dinner. The mode of cooking is
well worth notice, and answers admirably. A hole in the
ground forms an oven, the bottom of which is covered.
with fresh plantain leaves; heated stones are then
spread over and covered with leaves, on these are laid
the articles which are to be cooked, wrapped in leaves,
but potatoes and yams without any covering. Some
more hot stones are then placed among the meat, &c.,
and the whole covered with another large layer of
leaves; and when the top has been duly covered with
green leaves in bunches, a mass of dirty-looking rub-
bish is piled upon it so as to keep in all heat. This,
they confessed, was a very dirty plan, but it answered
the purpose admirably, and from the quantity of clean
leaves all over, no dust can get to the food. Twenty
minutes to half-an-hour suffices to cook a fowl or small
piece of meat, and it is only necessary in opening the
oven to be careful not to let the dust pass the outer
covering of green leaves, and all is clean and wholesome
as if cooked in our way.
"In the evening we had a general meeting to con-
sider the offers we made them, this being the only time
they could all attend; field labour, cooking, and other
necessary work keeping them employed during the day.
They all expressed themselves pleased and thankful for
the interest our Government evinced in their welfare,
but it was evident that none of them had as yet made
224
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
up their minds to the necessary evil of a removal.
They wished for time to consider the matter. How-
ever, they promised to give some kind of answer next
day, but even that they found impossible, so they pro-
mised to send an answer by the next vessel, which
called at the island. I myself think there is no neces-
sity for any of them leaving the island at present.
They allow that there is much land uncultivated, and a
more equal distribution of it would make what they
have go much farther.
"The plan they go on, and which could not now be
disturbed without some injustice, is this. The original
settlers, the mutineers, marked out and divided the
land into nine equal parts; these parts were again
equally subdivided among their children, and again the
children of the third generation have also a portion
of their sub-divisions. This, though apparently fair
enough at first, has led to evils they did not anticipate;
for instance, one of the original settlers had a family
of eleven, his ninth was therefore divided into eleven
parts. Again, one of his daughters married and has a
family of eleven, so that her children will have but the
eleventh of her eleventh portion; whereas, another of
the first lot, who has only one son and daughter (the
latter of whom survives unmarried) left, by the same
rule, the whole of his ninth to her, so that she now has
as much land as twenty-two of the first-named family.
This system cannot last long, unless the landlords
emigrate, which they seem very unwilling to do, though
this want of sufficient ground is a bar to many of them
marrying.
t
CHAP. IV.
225
CAPTAIN WOOD'S NARRATIVE.
“The children generally run alone at a twelvemonth,
and are not swaddled or tormented as they are in
England, in consequence of which they are strong,
independent-looking imps; not an ill-formed or de-
formed child was to be seen, the only cripple being
Mr. Nobb's eldest son, who had become so from a gun-
shot wound in his hip. They go into the water when
very young, and this habit, of which they are very
fond, as well as the scanty allowance of garments, tans
their skin, and renders them some shades darker than
their original colour. The women are said to be as
expert as the men in making their way through the
surf; some of them are able to swim entirely round
the island.
"I walked up the hill some little way next morning
to a pool they call Brown's water. This supplies them
with drinking water, which is brought to the village
by the women and girls. The path was rather steep
and slippery from the over-night's rain. The pool is
situated in a small natural hollow, and is fed from a
spring. It never increases or decreases.
'The trees we saw on the road were the pandanus,
banyans, cocoa, breadfruit (a very large tree), a fern,
the mountain plaintain, some species of acacia, orange
and lime trees, &c. Besides these, they have the Vhe
tree, but it is now very scarce, as are also the two most
valuable trees on the island, of which they build their
houses, the Tafano or flower wood, and the Aruni or
Mero. The former is a yellow wood, very hard and
durable, when not exposed to wet-of this most of
the joiner's work is done. The latter wood is in
Q
226
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
principal use; it is very dark, like rose-wood, very
durable, standing exposure to sun, wind, and rain for
many years without showing any symptoms of decay.
The first settlers' houses were made entirely of it,
and are as sound now as the day they were erected,
though without paint or covering of any kind indeed,
Mr. Nobbs' house and the school are the only two that
have been painted or whitewashed even in part.
"The soil is very rich and prolific. I was shown a
field that for ten years had yielded two crops per annum,
without suffering any deterioration, and yet no manure
was needed. The soil appears a mixture of mould and
volcanic matter; it has a considerable portion of iron
in it, as its red colour abundantly testifies. The rocks
are composed of basalt or green stone, and I should say
there was lava on the island, as they told me of a stone
which rings like metal when struck.
"There is but one kind of bird, a sort of sparrow.
I tried to get a specimen of it, but there was not time
to catch one. Sea birds come there to breed, but there
are so many looking out for them that they seldom
show themselves. I took them some sheep, which I
hope will thrive. Lizards are plentiful. They are
plagued by a caterpillar which destroys their peas and
beans, so as to render it almost useless to cultivate them,
but a bean was introduced some little time back which
has spread wonderfully, and now grows wild all over the
place, supplying them with a wholesome agreeable addi-
tion to their food seven months in the year. Flies are
very troublesome, and they have also had mosquitoes
since their return from Tahiti, of which they much
CHAP. IV.
227
CAPTAIN WOOD'S NARRATIVE.
complain. Cockroaches are also plentiful and destruc-
tive.
"After having had as many young ladies to see the
ship as the boats could conveniently carry, and made
them all very sea-sick, received my letters, and supplied
my men with a good stock of yams, I took leave of
these kind and simple-hearted people with many regrets
and good wishes. Amongst the younger portion, many
had contrived to establish flirtations, which though
short enough, brought long faces and wet eyes at
parting, and many were the locks of hair, &c., which
changed owners, and the promises of writing by the
first opportunity. In this I believe them sincere, as I
received whole heaps of letters from them, entrusted
to the care of the officers of almost every man-of-war
that had been at Pitcairn for some time back. They,
in fact, look upon us as their fellow-countrymen, and a
few hours acquaintance with them establishes a friend-
ship which, though not likely to be renewed personally
in this world, I feel convinced will last with their lives,
for the questions they asked about those who had
visited them, and the interest they took in all that
concerned them clearly showed, that however brief their
stay, they had not been forgotten.
.
"As it was dark when I made sail, I gave them at
their request a gun, burnt two blue lights, and sent up
a rocket, as a farewell signal; and I must say, in com-
mon with all on board, I felt more regret in parting
with the Pitcairn Islanders than I had in parting with
any one since leaving England."
In the following month, August 11th, the 'Daphne,'
Q 2
228
PART. II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
Captain Fanshawe, arrived, and brought them, as a
present from their friends in Valparaiso, some rabbits,
and a fine bull and cow. The younger islanders, who had
never seen animals of such large size, were much alarmed
at the latter, and no one seemed to appreciate the pre-
sent. Pitcairn from its confined limits, and mountainous
character, was not suited for the maintenance of oxen
or any large quadruped, and one of them soon fell over
the rocks and was killed. This accident caused no
regret among the people, as they would make no use
of the milk, preferring that of the cocoa-nut. So much
did they value these palms, that they planted a con-
siderable number on the west side of the island, where
they continue to flourish luxuriantly.
In September of this year an instance of gallant
conduct in one of the islanders occurred, which ought
not to be omitted, as it also evinces an unusual amount
of disinterestedness. An Australian ship, bound for
California with some emigrants on board, touched at
the island. Many of the passengers were desirous of
landing, and in their eagerness to do so, crowded. the
boat so that some persons fell over into the water.
They were soon saved, but one little child was unob-
served, and fast sinking, when George Adams, who
had gone on board with fruit and vegetables to sell,
noticing the accident, and the danger the child was
in, plunged overboard, and brought the little creature
up safely. The delighted parents could not sufficiently
express their gratitude to the young man, and the
father, running down to his cabin, returned on deck
with a bag of dollars, which he entreated him to
CHAP. IV.
229
A JUBILEE DAY.
accept. Surprised at the offer, as he considered he
had only done his duty in saving the life of a fellow
creature, Adams refused it or any other compensation,
but was perfectly willing to sell the produce of his
garden at a fair price.
This same year, 1849, Reuben Nobbs embarked in a
Californian vessel bound for Valparaiso, with the laud-
able intention of endeavouring to procure mercantile
employment, as his lameness incapacitated him for
laborious occupation in Pitcairn. He was engaged
as a clerk by a Mr. Miller, to whom his good conduct
and assiduity gave great satisfaction. Unfortunately,
his delicate health was a cause of great anxiety to his
family and friends at Pitcairn, particularly to his
mother, who was unceasing in her entreaties that he
should return home.
January 23rd, 1850, was a jubilee day, being the
60th anniversary of the arrival of the mutineers at
Pitcairn, and was celebrated with great ceremony and
rejoicing. Well might the existing generation be
proud of the occasion and of the happy state of the
community-descendants of men whose illegal acts
had compelled them to seek concealment from the
outer world. Of that generation all had passed away,
oppressors and oppressed, the white men, and their
coloured associates. Violence had ceased, and was
succeeded by those Christian feelings resulting from
a pious education; and this anniversary was celebrated
in as fair a land, and by a people as free from guile as
any on the face of the earth.
At daybreak the rejoicings began. They consisted,
230
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
first, in firing the one remaining available gun¹ belong-
ing to the 'Bounty,' which, five years before, had been
brought up with great labour from the watery bed in
which it had lain for fifty-five years. Although honey-
combed and rusty from the action of the water, it
was, nevertheless, mounted, to be fired on all grand
occasions. All work was suspended for that day;
there were prayers; the union-jack was hoisted; the
whole community were in great excitement; and a
public dinner was prepared, to which all the grown
men sat down; but not the women-for they still
retained the Tahitian custom of eating separately.
At the conclusion of the banquet, three cheers were
given for the Queen, three for the British Govern-
ment, three for the ladies and absent friends, and a
vote was passed that the ceremony should be observed
annually. The joyful day ended as it had begun with
prayer and thanksgiving, the firing of muskets, and of
the 'Bounty's' gun.
In the following March, a circumstance occurred
which proved of much benefit to the Pitcairn people-
although very annoying to a party of gentlemen, con-
sisting of Baron Thierry, Mr. Carlton, Mr. Brodie, and
two others, who had landed from the barque 'Noble,'
with the intention of passing a few hours in explor-
1 "Guiltless of blood (during the time so many thousands of
mankind in Europe had become 'food for powder,') one only
of these guns had resumed its original use, at least the innoxious
portion of it, belching forth fire and smoke, and making the island
reverberate with its bellowing; the other is condemned to silence,
having been spiked by some of the 'Bounty's' crew."-Remark
of Arthur Quintal, Chief Magistrate, inserted in the Island
Register of the date 23rd January, 1850.
6
CHAP. IV.
231
PITCAIRN CHORISTERS.
ing the island. Their vessel sailed during their absence,
and they were left behind. She had arrived, short
of water, on Sunday, a day on which nothing will
induce the islanders to barter, and hardly to convey
provisions to any ships. But as the people on board
were suffering, they agreed to supply them with suffi-
cient for their present urgent need, and promised an
ample supply of water, yams, potatoes, and other vege-
tables on the morrow.
To the consternation of the visitors, who in any case
only expected to pass the night on shore, the wind
had changed before morning, which compelled the
captain to get clear of the island, and the ship was
seen fifteen miles off, as they supposed, beating up;
they therefore employed the day in exploring the
island, visiting 'The Rope,' &c., the vessel being still
in sight. For two days she appeared to stand off and
on, but the weather being very unsettled, the captain
probably thought it dangerous to approach the rocks,
or even to remain in the vicinity, and accordingly
pursued his voyage.
The kind-hearted islanders would willingly have
taken out their boats to try and overtake her; but the
wind was rising and the surf so strong, that it would
have been impossible to pass through it. The hospitality
with which the strangers were treated, in some mea-
sure compensated for their unexpected detention, and
they soon employed themselves in various ways to pass.
the time agreeably. Mr. Carleton, who sang well, and
was a good musician, undertook to train a choir, with
a view of improving their singing in church. In the
232.
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
course of a fortnight so successful was his instruction,
and so apt were his pupils, that not only was the part
singing in the service well performed, but quartetts,
glees, and catches, which they were constantly prac-
tising, would often float upon the evening breeze.
The fine voices and pleasing singing of the islanders
have been constantly mentioned, with many encomiums
by succeeding visitors.
Mr. Brodie, who employed his time in making obser-
vations on the productions and antiquities of the island,
gives some interesting information concerning it, and
says, "There is no doubt but that this island was
formerly inhabited, although the native race must have
been extinct many years prior to the arrival of the
'Bounty.' Burial places are still to be seen, and large
flat hewn stones remain in different parts of the island,
which must have been for pavement in front of their
houses, such as are still in use among other tribes in the
South Seas. These stones, when observed by the men
in the 'Bounty,' had some very large trees growing up
among them, by which, in many places, they were dis-
placed. Stone images were likewise found, supposed to
have been objects of worship; they were made of a
hardish coarse stone. Stone spear heads and small
axes are very common in the island, and round stone
balls of about two pounds in weight are not unfrequently
found when working up new ground.
The aborigines most probably drifted here upon a
raft, it having been the custom many years ago, espe-
cially at the Gambier Islands, which are to the W.N.W.
น
1 Brodie's 'Pitcairn Island and the Islanders.'
CHAP. IV.
233
ABORIGINES.
about 300 miles from Pitcairn Island, and of many of
the Low Islands, to put those vanquished in war on a
raft, when the wind was off the island, and send them
adrift to whatever place they could reach. Two actual
instances of this practice were mentioned to me by Mr.
Nobbs himself; one came under his cognizance when
he was at the Gambier Islands."¹
1 For an account of Mr. Nobbs's stay at the Gambier Islands see
Appendix B.
231
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
CHAPTER V.
A
ARRIVAL OF REAR-ADMIRAL FAIRFAX MORESBY H.M.S. 'PORT-
LAND' AT PITCAIRN ISLAND MR. NOBBS PROCEEDS TO ENGLAND
- HIS ORDINATION AS CHAPLAIN RETURN TO PITCAIRN
DEATH OF REUBEN NOBBS.
ALTHOUGH, as we have seen, several ships of war had
by this time (1851) touched at the island, no British
admiral had as yet paid it a visit. Rear-Admiral
Fairfax Moresby, now on the Pacific Station, had
evinced unusual interest in the Pitcairn people, and,
thus encouraged, the women of the island made a
formal request that he would "give them the honour
of welcoming to their little island" so important a
representative of her Majesty. Fourteen of the female
inhabitants on their own behalf, and that of the other
women on the island, signed the following letter to the
admiral:
66
(Copy).
“HONOURABLE SIR,
"Pitcairn, July 28th, 1851.
"From the kind interest you have evinced for
our little community, in the letter which you have
sent to our excellent and worthy pastor Mr. Nobbs,
we are emboldened to send you the following request,
which is, that you will visit us before you leave this
station, or if it is impossible for you to do so, certainly
we, as loyal subjects of our Queen, ought to be visited
CHAP. V.
235
REAR-ADMIRAL MORESBY.
annually, if not oftener, by one of her Majesty's ships of
war. We have never had the pleasure of welcoming
an English admiral to our little island, and we there-
fore earnestly solicit a visit from you. How inexpres-
sibly happy shall we be if you should think fit to grant
this our warmest wish. We trust that our very
secluded and isolated position, and the very few visits
we have of late had from British ships of war, will be
sufficient apology for our addressing the above request
to you. With fervent prayers for your present and
future happiness, and for that of our Queen and nation,
"We remain, Honoured Sir,
"Your sincere and affectionate well-wishers,
"CAROLINE ADAMS.
HANNAH YOUNG.
DORCAS YOUNG.
NANCY QUINTAL.
SARAH McCoy.
SUSAN QUINTAL.
SARAH ADAMS.
LOUISA QUINTAL.
PHOEBE ADAMS.
RUTH QUINTAL.
JEMIMA YOUNG.
RACHEL EVANS.
SARAH NOBBS."
REBECCA CHRISTIAN.
This invitation, so frankly given, was cordially
accepted by their constant and kind friend the Admiral,
and this visit had an important influence on the
prospects and well-being of the islanders and their
pastor. The following graphic account of so unusual
an occurrence, as the arrival of a British admiral, is
written by Mr. Nobbs, the admirable chronicler of all
remarkable events in the annals of the island:-
"On the 7th of August, 1852 (at noon), a vessel
was reported, which at sunset was strongly suspected
236
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
of being a ship of war. The hours of the night passed
tediously away, and before sunrise next morning,
several of our people were seated on the precipice in
front of the town, anxiously awaiting the report of a
gun from the ship, which would give positive confirma-
tion to the overnight suspicion of her being a ship of
war. Nor were they kept long in suspense the
booming of a cannon electrified the town, and the
whole community were thrown into a state of intense
excitement, more especially as it was quickly observed
that this ship wore an admiral's flag. Our boat
repaired on board, and, after a short time, another
from the ship was seen approaching the shore. The
teacher and some others went to the landing-place, and
had the honour and pleasure of welcoming to Pitcairn
Rear-Admiral Moresby, commander-in-chief, the first
officer of that rank that ever visited Pitcairn. The
admiral received our greetings of welcome in a most
urbane manner, and both himself and his secretary,
Mr. Fortescue Moresby, the admiral's son, were pleased
to express themselves much gratified with all they
saw and heard. The admiral attended Divine service,
and was evidently surprised at the improvement the
people had made in singing by note, especially as their
friend Carleton had so very limited a time for instruct-
ing them.
"In the afternoon the Rev. Mr. Holman read
prayers, and preached a sermon most appropriate to
the occasion from 1 Cor. ch. xv. last verse.
>>
We shall now insert a letter written home by Mr.
Fortescue Moresby, describing the islanders at the
CHAP. V.
237
JOYFUL WELCOME.
time of the visit, and the impression their simplicity
and unaffected manners made on the minds of all on
board:
August, 1854.
"Mr. George Hunn Nobbs, the pastor, met us at the
landing-place, and we at once ascended the cliffs by a
steep winding path to a plantation of cocoa-nut trees,
called the Market Place, where the trade is carried on.
Several of the islanders met us and gave us a hearty
welcome. Generally all the inhabitants assemble here
to welcome the officers of a man-of-war, but as it was
Sunday, and early, they had not arrived, so we con-
tinued our way by a pretty path winding through the
trees to the town, meeting here and there small
detachments coming to greet us. These all followed
in our wake, and by the time we reached Mr. Nobbs's
cottage, which is situated at the opposite end of the
town, we had pretty well all the people with us.
Never were seen so many happy smiling faces, all
eager to look at the first admiral that ever came to
their happy island, but not one tried to push his way
or make any attempt to get before another: if we
said a kind word to any of them they looked happy
and pleased, and we did not neglect to do so.
"I showed them a picture of the Admiral, which
pleased them very much indeed, and was quite a little
treasure in their eyes, so I gave it to Mr. Nobbs to
keep, and let them see it when they wanted. Jemima
Young, a fine girl, very stout, not pretty, but with an
amiable face, made me her property, because before
coming here I had written her a note, and I was forth-
238
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
with introduced to all of the girls. There is not one.
in whose face good humour, virtue, amiability, and
kindness does not beam, and consequently not one whose
face is not pleasing. It was now church time, so away
we all went to church. Mr. Nobbs officiated and read
the prayers earnestly and impressively: the most
solemn attention was paid by all. They sang two
hymns in magnificent style, and really I have never
heard any Church singing in any part of the world
that could equal it, except at cathedrals, and the
whole of the credit is due to Mr. Carleton, who was
left behind by accident from a whaler. Mr. Nobbs
gave us a good sermon from St. John i. 40-42.
"After the sermon we all adjourned to the market
place, to see the other boats land with the first lot
of officers. The sea was now pretty high, and on one
trip the boat was turned over. As soon as they joined
us, we all returned to the town, and passed our time
quietly conversing until afternoon service. Mr.
Holman, our chaplain, officiated, and preached us an
excellent sermon from 1 Cor. xv. 58. He pointed out
that the good conduct of the islanders had made them.
respected, earnestly exhorted them to continue to fight
the good fight, warned them of the trials and tempta-
tions of the world compared with the comforts of their
little island, expressed his gratification at the oppor-
tunity afforded him, and then said farewell. That
evening I took a walk up the mountains, with Jemima
Young and Susan Quintal. We conversed on the ser-
mons and other subjects, and I was quite astonished
at their intelligence, and the answers they gave,
CHAP. V.
239
AFFECTION FOR THE ENGLISH.
making use of many expressions that I should have
thought them quite ignorant of, particularly Susan;
she is very clever, and can repeat a great deal of
Milton.
"Every family has a regular turn to entertain the
the captain of any ship that arrives. It is thought a
great privilege, and all are anxious to do so, but a
dispute on the subject is never known. If the ship
should be a man-of-war, then the fortunate individual
considers himself the luckiest of the lucky, and pre-
pares for a grand feast. The officers are all billeted.
off to different families, because it makes the cooking
and attendance easier, and they say the officers talk
more, consequently they obtain more information.
The most implicit confidence is placed in English
officers, no restraint is thought necessary, and the
girls walk about with them by day or night, alone or
together. I was generally accompanied by one or two
with their arms round me; almost as often by three
or four.
Captain Chads and one or two more who
remained on shore as long as I did, were similarly
attended. All the time the stream of fun and laughter
was uninterrupted, but their demeanour is so virtuous,
modest, and natural, while they show so much affection,
that I could not help feeling quite a love towards them
all; and I feel convinced that the most hard-hearted
villain, and the greatest reprobate must loathe him-
self and detest his own sins in contemplating the high
moral standard to which these simple islanders have
attained. The delight and pleasure our company
seemed to give them could hardly be believed. They
240
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
could not restrain such expressions as the following,
all the time clinging round us and looking up into our
faces :-'Ah, I do love the English so.' 'How good,
how kind you are to come and see us.' 'Oh, I do
love you so;' and it was evident to see the pleasure
that was in their good hearts by their faces. This
familiarity only exists with English officers, who have
by their right and steady conduct tried to deserve so
high a mark of esteem. Successful they have been,
for but one person rises above us in their estimation,
and that is her Majesty, who is more loved here than
in any other part of her wide dominions.
66
Monday. At daybreak, we, accompanied by a troop
of young girls, walked to the highest ridge on the
island, and obtained a splendid view of the settlement
and whole island. We also got a good idea of the risk
the men run while hunting the goats. It is wonderful
how they can cling on, for, to our weak heads it appeared
a feat to stand on the edge and look down. I said to
one, You cannot go down there;' he immediately
clung to the side, and in a moment was six or eight
feet down,-proof that he could accomplish the re-
maining 300 feet. We had great fun coming back,
running with the girls down the steep hills, &c.; but
we were quite amused to see with what care those
appointed to take care of the Admiral performed their
task, helping him up any difficult places, and they
were not weak young ladies. At last we got down, and
had a splendid breakfast of yams, done in two or three
different ways, bananas, oranges, cocoa-nuts, fowls, and
pork.
CHAP. V.
241
ON BOARD SHIP.
“After breakfast, all the girls that could be spared
we took on board to see the ship, and notwithstanding
they were all sick before they got on board, and con-
tinued so, they still maintained their cheerfulness, and
in the intervals ran about and looked at everything.
We made them dance a country dance; but the band
was their great treat, for it was the first ever seen, and
occupied a great share of their attention. They also
sang us several of their beautiful songs, and 'God save
the Queen,' and they sing it better than I can pretend
to describe. We got on shore about 4 P.M. and supped.
I had supper with Jemima Young, and we then went
to the singing school. They entertained us pleasantly
until 10 P.M. We then proposed blind man's buff, and
it was fun, I can tell you, to hear their laughing and
screams. This lasted until midnight, when we retired.
"Tuesday.-Up at daybreak, and until breakfast
walked about the village. All those that could not go
on board yesterday went to-day, and the band came on
shore to amuse the others. The intense excitement it
caused, and the curiosity with which they followed it
was very amusing. After the band had played some
time, the girls sang us some of their beautiful glees,
catches, songs, &c., then the band played again. This
lasted until 4 o'clock, when it was time to go on board,
much to the regret of the whole community.
"I went down to the seaside to meet the girls that
were coming on shore, as I knew they must have been
very sick indeed, and one poor thing half dead I took
home. She was so weak that twice she had to rest
coming up the hill, and she lay down and put her
R
242
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY."'
head in my lap. It was quite dark, and the poor thing
was so grateful; but I could not stay to supper, which
was a great disappointment to her, because I was
engaged to sup with Rebecca Christian. Rebecca had
asked the Admiral, Captain Chads, and Mr. Nobbs.
As soon as we were all seated, and grace was said, she
watched for our taking the first mouthful, and then
laughing with delight she said, 'Oh, you are too welcome
to this supper!' After supper, we all repaired to the
singing school, and were for the last time enchanted
with their beautiful singing. It is really wonderful
after only six or seven weeks' tuition.
"About 10 we repaired to John Adams's house, and
had a splendid game of Blind Man's Buff. The way
the active creatures elude you, running and dodging in
every direction, and if one of them gets blinded the
way they all rush about was most amusing. It was
1 o'clock before we got to bed, and I was to sleep at
Jemima Young's house. I was awakened in the morning
by Jemima, Martha Young, and Dinah Quintal standing
round me, as I had so completely got hid in the feather
bed they gave me to sleep in that I was almost lost.
We took a walk to a cave up the mountains, and came
down to breakfast. This was our last day, and it was
rather triste. When 2 P.M. came, and we all had
assembled at the landing-place (the whole village)
the scene was too affecting. Never in my life have I
ever seen anything to equal it. The whole of the kind
affectionate people crying, the girls clinging round us,
begging us to come back again soon. I tried for a few
moments to bear up, but it was a sad failure. I broke
CHAP. V.
243
DEPARTURE OF THE ADMIRAL.
down, and am not much ashamed to say (as I kissed
them all round) I cried as much as they did. One big
stout fellow came and said, 'God bless you, sir,' and
gave me a kiss. I thought his heart would break. I
could not have believed that a few days would have
made me feel such an affection for any single person,
much more for a great number, as I did for them; but
so it is their honest, pure, virtuous character, pro-
duces an impression that can never be effaced. Nearly
all the men came on board with us, and we stood close
to the island, hoisted the Royal Standard, and fired a
Royal Salute. We then gave three hearty cheers,
and the band played 'God save the Queen,' 'Rule
Britannia,' &c.
"It must to the islanders have been a beautiful sight,
for, we were so close in, that we could see them all
collected under the trees still crying, and we heard.
their feeble cheers in answer to ours. The parting
with the men was worse almost than with the girls; to
see big stout fellows crying, and hardly able to look
up, was too much. All the officers were deeply affected,
and I saw some of the men nearest me, old hardy
seamen and big marines, not only wipe away a tear,
but regularly crying.
(6
Away! away! we are off for the world again, truly
sorry to leave the island. Their happiness in this life
consists solely in virtue, and their virtue is their truest
pleasure. They think (and how really true is it) that
the more religious and virtuous you become the happier
you are, deeming every sin to take from your enjoy-
ment in this and the after life. Therefore, if we were
R 2
1
T
214
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
PART II.
to take away the credit due to them for living so good
a life from principle, they would still continue, as they
know that true pleasure is only to be obtained by obey-
ing the will of God. Their temperance and industry
give them health, food, and cheerfulness; gain for
them universal esteem, respect, and sympathy; and as
in this life they do not seek their pleasures in things
below, but in a higher power, and the image of the
Saviour is found in their hearts in this world, so we
may earnestly hope that they will belong peculiarly to
Him in the next. No profligate has ever been known
to practise his vicious courses in this island; for their
virtue, like a garment in cold weather, completely
disarms him and protects them. God protect and bless
them! Both sexes like to dress like English people, if
they can, on Sundays; and the women complain that
they cannot get shoes, but all the men can get them
from the whalers. During the week their dress consists
chiefly of a dark-blue petticoat, and a white kind of
1 Extract from the 'ARGUS' (a Sydney newspaper.)
“Recent visitors declare that drunkenness, the use of bad lan-
guage, and similar vices, are absolutely unknown among the Pit-
cairn people. The excellence of their lives, and the harmony in
which they dwell together, has surprised every one that has touched
at the island, and we have met rough sea-captains and hard-headed
merchants from California-the most unlikely people, in fact—who
declared the Utopian condition of the island to have been such that
they quite fell in love with virtue while they stayed there, and felt
strongly tempted to throw money to the dogs, and to remain and
become good, among the descendants of the 'Bounty' mutineers.
How so entirely novel a community as one composed of Christians
and destitute of rogues will get on upon a larger scale, we have as
yet no means of knowing."
2

LIARIA CHRISTEN, FLLEN QUINTAL AND SARAH MCOT.
I Lotegraphed by Glen Wilson, Esq
СПАР. У.
245
LIFE AT PITCAIRN.
long jacket for the women, a loose shirt and loose
trousers for the men.
"The houses are nice little storied structures, not so
neatly kept as one might be led to expect, nevertheless
they are far from being dirty. Their food consists
chiefly of yams, cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, plantains,
bananas, taro, oranges, &c., a few fish, and in the yam
season each family kills a large pig, that during the
hard work of digging yams they may have a little
animal food. Sometimes they get goats' flesh, and are
trying to rear a few cattle. They have three, and the
Admiral gave them three more. Both sexes work very
hard indeed. They usually rise at dawn, and have
family prayers, do the work that is necessary, and
about dusk have supper, then go to the singing school,
or Mr. Nobbs's, or meet to have a chat. About 9 or 10
they go to bed, previously having family worship.
Should one of the little ones go to bed or to sleep
before its mother comes home, she immediately wakes
it to say its prayers. Not a soul on the island would
dream of commencing a meal or finishing, without
asking a blessing or returning thanks.
CC
Boys and girls swim almost as soon as they can
walk; consequently they will swim through the largest
surf, and play about amongst the broken water on the
rocks, that we look on with terror, and to swim entirely
round the island is not an uncommon feat. One of
their greatest amusements is to have a slide, as they
term it; that is, to take a piece of wood about three.
feet long, shaped like a canoe with a small keel (called
a surf-board). They then (holding this before them)
246
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.
dive under the first heavy sea, and come up on the
other side. They then swim out a little way, and wait
until a rapid heavy sea is rolling in, the higher the
better. They rest their breast on the canoe or surf
board, and are carried along on the very apex of the
surf at a prodigious rate right upon the rocks, where
you think nothing can save them from being dashed to
pieces, the surf seems so powerful; but in a moment
they are on their legs, and prepare for another slide.
Such as would be death to Englishmen is fun to their
women and children. Their method of fishing is
equally dangerous. The women walk along the rocks
until they see a squid, then watching the retreating
sea, they run in and try to pick it up before the
advancing surf can wash them off; but frequently they
are washed off, and then they have to exert all their
skill to land, for they have no surf-board to help them.
"Christmas Day is a grand feast day, and they keep
it up in good style, but the Queen's birthday is their
grand day. It is observed with feasting, dancing (the
only day on which they are allowed to dance on the
island), and all sorts of merriment goes on. Amongst
the very first questions every one asks is, 'How is Her
Majesty the Queen?' Their number is about 170, and
they increase very fast. It is, therefore, quite time
that some provision were made for their future main-
tenance. The island would support about 800 souls on
vegetable diet; but their hogs must necessarily all be
killed, because they would eat too much; neither could
they afford to give the whalers any refreshments, who
would consequently soon abandon the island, and leave
HAP. V.
217
NATIONAL ANTHEM.
the islanders no employment beyond providing for
their own wants, which could be easily done in this
climate. They would be wholly dependent on charity
for clothes and other necessaries, unless our Govern-
ment undertook to supply them, or, as a last resource,
they would have to go back again to their tappa cloth.
If matters came to such a pass, they would soon make
a retrograde movement in civilisation, for we know
that civilisation must either go forwards or backwards,
--it can hardly stand still.
t
They have had one fearful landslip, besides several
small ones, which is another serious consideration.
Water also would not be too plentiful for 800 people.
Something must be done."
The following poem, which the Pitcairners have
adapted to the air of 'Rousseau's Dream,' they consider
their national anthem :-
NATIONAL ANTHEM.
(Words composed by Rev. G. H. NOBBS.)
"Mid the mighty Southern Ocean,
Stands an isolated rock,
Blanched by the surf's commotion,
Riven by the lightning's shock.
Hark those strains to heaven ascending,
From those slopes of vivid green,
Old and young their voices blending-
God preserve Britannia's Queen!
Who are these whose aspirations
With such ardour greet the ear?
Sons, whose sires wrought consternation,
Daughters of the Mutineer.
Yet those sires were ne'er disloyal,
Though they curbed a tyrant's sway;
Their children with affection loyal
Hail Victoria's natal day!
248
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
Ha! that flash yon grove illuming,
Long impervious to the sun,
How the quick report comes booming
From the ocean's rescued gun.
Now the bell is gaily ringing
Where yon white-robed train are seen,
Now they all unite in singing-
God preserve our gracious Queen!
The Admiral, in the course of several conversations,
had learned from the inhabitants that they had a great
desire for the ordination of their pastor, in order that
he might be qualified to administer the sacrament of
the Lord's Supper, and proposed with great kindness
to send Mr. Nobbs to England for that purpose, leaving
the Rev. Mr. Holman to officiate during his absence.
The islanders did not at first accede to this generous
offer, being unwilling to part with their pastor even
for a short time; but after some deliberation they took
a more sensible view of the case, and acquiesced in the
proposal. It was also arranged that Mr. Nobbs's
daughter should accompany them as far as Valparaiso,
where she might receive instruction for the benefit of
the female part of the community. Before leaving
Pitcairn the Admiral felt desirous of hearing some
particulars relative to the previous history of Mr.
Nobbs. One bright evening when sitting beneath the
cocoa-nut trees, near the picturesque Pitcairn village,
he alluded to the responsibility he had undertaken in
conveying Mr. Nobbs to England to obtain ordination,
and continued, "It is due to yourself, and to the
friends who will welcome you there with much cor-
diality, that you should give me some information as
to your previous history, and the reasons which induced
CHAP. V.
249
MR. NOBBS'S HISTORY.
you to reside at Pitcairn. I hope you will accede to
this request, either verbally or in writing, before we
separate." Next morning he received the following
letter:-
"MY HONOURABLE FRIEND,
August, 1852.
In compliance with your kind suggestion I
have written down a few items respecting myself, and
my position on Pitcairn Island. I am, unfortunately,
the unacknowledged son of the Marquis of —, and
my mother was the daughter of an Irish baronet, who,
becoming implicated in the Irish Rebellion, left his
country, it was supposed for France, and in all pro-
bability the boat in which he embarked foundered, as
neither himself nor the three or four who ventured
with him were ever heard of again. My beloved
mother died in the year 1822, and on her death-bed
exacted from me a solemn promise that I would never
1
cept of any favour at the hands of my father's family,
nor appropriate to my use a sum of money invested in
>
1 "His mother, and grandmother, Lady were much reduced
in circumstances. Through their friend Admiral Murray, command-
ing at North Yarmouth, the young boy (then under the care of a
family called Nobbs, whose name his mother made him assume)
was placed on board the 'Snipe' to wait the arrival of the Hero,'
commanded by an acquaintance of his mother, Captain Newman.
The Hero' was wrecked in the meantime. Admiral Murray
having informed his mother that inquiries had been made respecting
her son, and that he would be removed, she immediately withdrew
him from the service. Every action of her life bore with it the feel-
ing that her son should never be benefited by the person who had
blighted her name. Her son returned to school, and subsequently
went to India in the merchant service in 1819."-Letter from
Admiral Moresby, addressed to His Grace the Duke of Northumber-
land.
250
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
the public funds, placed there it seems for my support
as early as 1803 or 1804. I cheerfully complied with
her request at the time she made it, and I am deter-
mined to observe the same line of conduct to the end
of my life. Moreover, my mother was anxious that I
should quit England, and take up my abode in some
distant part of the world, where her wrongs and mine.
might be buried in oblivion. I mentioned Pitcairn's
Island to her, and as much of its history as had come.
to my knowledge. She was delighted with the idea of
my going there, and almost her last words were, 'Go
to Pitcairn's Island, my son, dwell there, and may the
blessing of God rest upon you.' Suffice it to say I left
England for this place at the commencement of 1826,
and after nearly two years of difficulties, dangers, and
a considerable expenditure of money, I arrived on the
28th of October, 1828. I was cordially received by
John Adams and the natives generally, and from that
time to the present, with the exception of a short
interval over which I had no control, have been success-
fully engaged in the moral and religious instruction of
the community.
"As to remuneration received by me for my services,
it simply amounts to this. For my clerical duties my
house is kept in repair; as surgeon, I have received
something like three acres of land; and for schooling,
one shilling per month for twenty-five out of fifty
scholars is the utmost of what I receive. To the rest
I give instruction gratis, as those who have large
families cannot afford to pay for the whole of their
children. Yet this trifling amount I do not receive in
CHAP. V.
251
MR. NOBBS'S ORDINATION.
cash, but in potatoes or yams, which are sold to ships
at a considerable discount. If I could obtain a salary
from some benevolent source I should be thankful, for
I am often driven to great straits.
"And now, honourable and much respected friend,
permit me to assure you that I gratefully appreciate
your benevolent designs in favour of myself and family,
and subscribe myself
"Your much obliged and humble servant,
"G. H. NOBBS.
"Rear-Admiral Fairfax Moresby."
On the 11th August, 1852, Mr. Nobbs and his
daughter Jane embarked, with Admiral Fairfax Moresby,
on board H.M.S. 'Portland,' amid the tears and blessings
of the islanders, to proceed to Valparaiso. The voyagers
reached Valparaiso on the 30th August, and Mr. Nobbs,
having travelled across the Isthmus of Panama, em-
barked in the steamer Arinoes,' and landed at Ports-
mouth October 16th, 1852. To his generous friend,
Admiral Moresby, he owed the means of obtaining a
passage to England, and also of meeting his expenses
while residing in this country.
પ
After being duly qualified Mr. Nobbs was ordained
a deacon, on October 24th, 1852, by Dr. Blomfield,
Bishop of London. In a letter from his Lordship,
dated December 1st, is found the following testimony,
"We have all been very much pleased with Mr.
Nobbs's good sense and right feeling, and genuine
simplicity. I earnestly pray that it may please God
to continue to him the blessing which has hitherto
252
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY."
been vouchsafed to his disinterested and self-denying
labours."
On the 20th November, St. Andrew's Day, the
Rev. G. H. Nobbs was ordained priest in Fulham
Church, by the Bishop of London, and was described
in the Letters of Orders as 66
Chaplain of Pitcairn
Island."
This letter was the first addressed to Admiral
Moresby after Mr. Nobbs arrived in England, and
gives an account of his prospects, and of the kindness
he met with:
"51, Gloucester Place, Queen's Square, London.
"November 12th, 1852.
HONOURABLE SIR AND FRIEND,
"I did not write by the first mail after my
arrival in England, because nothing conclusive had
been agreed on respecting the Island in general, and
myself in particular, although the Bishop gave me
ordination as deacon a few days after my arrival. I
have been most cordially received by Mr. Stafford,
Sir Robert Inglis, Lord Harrowby, Admiral Beaufort,
and a vast number of gentlemen of rank and influence.
Of the reception I received from your dear good lady,
and Sir T. Acland, I shall forbear saying anything till
I have the pleasure of relating it personally.
"The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel
have granted me 50l. per annum, and through and by
the means of the letters which you have sent, and the
untiring activity of Sir T. Acland, I have no doubt
that everything which can be of benefit to the com-
CHAP. V.
253
MR. NOBBS'S ORDINATION.
munity, whose welfare you are so generously anxious
to promote, will be accorded them. The Bishop of
London will ordain me priest in the commencement of
December, and I shall leave England on the 17th, and
I hope to behold the face of my best earthly friend by
the middle of February. I am happy to hear Jane is
doing well; please give my love to her and Reuben, to
Fortescue, and good Captain Prevost. I have no
doubt, my honoured friend, you will think this a very
trifling letter, but I want to narrate my adventures
personally, which I hope to do on our passage to
Pitcairn, if it pleases God. I am fearful the Govern-
ment will not provide me a passage by the way of
Panama, but Sir Thomas thinks funds can be raised for
that purpose.
"November 13th.-I have just returned from break-
fasting with the Duke of Northumberland and his good
little Duchess, who gave me a ticket for a seat at
Northumberland House, to witness the procession at
the obsequies of the Duke of Wellington. His Grace
requested me to inform Sir T. Acland that he would
co-operate with him most cordially in any private
measures that might be set on foot for the benefit of
Pitcairn Island, and that Sir Thomas might call or
write whenever he chose. I have not yet seen Sir
John Packington, but expect to do so next week. I
trust, honoured sir, you will excuse my concluding so
abruptly, but my cough keeps me in a continual shake.
I could not possibly exist much longer in England.
"With a grateful sense of the many kindnesses
254
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
received at your hands, permit me, honoured sir, to
subscribe myself,
"Your most obliged and humble servant,
“Admiral Fairfax Moresby, C.B."
"GEORGE H. NOBBS.
On the 28th of November Mr. Nobbs preached at St.
Dunstan's in the East, as Chaplain of Pitcairn Island.
"The hearers were deeply interested," writes the Rev.
T. B. Murray, late Rector of St. Dunstan's. "Both
the Bishop of London and Sir T. Acland have given.
him invitations to stay with them, which he will
accept with pleasure; but with his zeal for his fellow
islanders, and his plain and simple ways of life, I think
he will rejoice, as soon as his errand is accomplished,
to rejoin his friends at a distance. He is desirous of
returning as soon as he possibly can."
Before leaving England Mr. Nobbs was presented to
Her Majesty, who received him most graciously, and
gave him portraits of herself and the Royal family.
The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel placed
Mr. Nobbs on their Missionary List, at a salary of 507.
per annum, and on the 17th December, 1852, the
worthy chaplain embarked at Southampton on his
homeward voyage, and recrossed the Isthmus of Panama,
from whence to Valparaiso the Royal Mail Steam Navi-
gation Company gave him a free passage; but on his
arrival he found he had missed, by a few days, a vessel
going to Pitcairn. At Valparaiso, therefore, he waited
until the 'Portland' should arrive.
"On the 15th April, 1853," wrote Mr. Fortescue
Moresby, the son and secretary of the Admiral,
we

NAOMI NOELS
Chotograp
JANE NOBES
lid by fortesëne Moresby R`.
СПАР. V.
255
MR. NOBBS'S RETURN.
sailed from Valparaiso, having Mr. Nobbs and his
children Reuben and Jane on board, to return them
to their island home. On Saturday, 14th May, we
sighted Pitcairn about fifty miles distant; on Sunday,
at sunrise, it was looming large from the deck. Just
before we went to morning service we fired three guns,
to let them know we had three passengers on board.
After church we were close enough to see people on
the island, and we observed them all come out of
church and launch their whale-boat. Of course this
was a most anxious time for Mr. Nobbs. In about
half an hour they came alongside, followed by a canoe,
in which were old John Adams's son and grandson.
They manifested the same honest genuine feeling of
delight at Mr. Nobbs's return as they did of sorrow at
his departure; of course they were delighted to see us
also once more. We observed that all the men looked
ill and poor, which they told us was the effect of the
long drought having disappointed them in their crops.
This had caused not quite a famine, but so near it that
for months they were reduced to pumpkins, berries,
cocoa-nuts, and beans, for their existence. We stayed
from Monday until Thursday, passing our time much
as before, sketching, talking, singing, walking. Truly,
a more innocent or delightful race does not exist. The
Admiral was much pleased with the progress made by
Jane Nobbs. She has learnt to sew neatly, besides
other domestic accomplishments, without losing her
pretence to simplicity and modesty. I trust she will
prove a useful member of the community."
(In the Appendix will be found a most interesting
256
ᏢᎪᎡᎢ .
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
letter from Mr. Nobbs, written on board H.M.S. 'Port-
land,' when on her voyage from Valparaiso to Pitcairn,
and addressed to Admiral Moresby. It relates to the
sixteen years of his adventurous life previous to settling.
at Pitcairn, and therefore would be out of place in the
`narrative.)
The extract from a letter written by the Rev. W.
H. Holman to Admiral Moresby is inserted here, as
it contains his opinion of the excellent character of the
Islanders. He was the chaplain on board the Port-
land,' and was left at Pitcairn during the absence of
Mr. Nobbs.
(
"From my experience of the last month the Pitcairn
Islanders are fully deserving of the high moral and
religious character which they bear. I have seen no
instance whatever of disagreement or ill-temper, but
on the contrary, everything is done in peace and good-
will. They vie with one another in their attempts to
make me comfortable, and have so loaded me with
presents, which I dare not refuse without wounding
their feelings, that I have a large stake in the property
of the island. I must not omit to inform you that the
day after your departure a meeting was held to con-
sider in what way I was to be provided for, when it
was decided that each family should in their turn
provide my food. I am glad in having nothing unsatis-
factory to communicate.
"Pitcairn, December 21st, 1852."
The following letter from Mr. Nobbs to the Rev.
T. B. Murray, late rector of St. Dunstan's, and Secretary
CHAP. V.
257
STATE OF PITCAIRN.
to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, was
written after his return.
"DEAR MR. MURRAY,
"Pitcairn Island, July 21st, 1853.
"It has pleased our heavenly Father to permit
me to return in safety to my island-home; and to a
happy meeting with my family. We landed on the
Sabbath, and after the evening service, when Mr. Hol-
man preached his farewell sermon, I read from the
pulpit my ordination letters and licence as Chaplain
of Pitcairn Island, granted me by my honoured patron,
the Lord Bishop of London. The 'Portland' remained
off the island four days, and then left us for the
Gambier Islands. The next day after her departure,
the influenza made its appearance. Unfortunately the
wind was from the North-west, and the atmosphere
was very dense and heated, which acted as fuel to the
contagion; and so rapid was its progress, that in one
week there were not ten persons capable of attending
to their own wants. It was the most severe attack
since 1840 the date of its first appearance among us.
After an absence of nine days, the 'Portland' re-
turned. On their making known to the Admiral our
sad condition, he humanely lay by all night (it being
very late when our boat got on board), and in the
morning sent Captain Chads, and his Secretary, with
one of the ship's surgeons to our assistance; and as my
small stock of tea and sugar was almost exhausted
by distributing to those that had none, the Admiral
sent on shore a good supply, and the officers also
contributed biscuits and other necessaries. I attribute
S
258
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
the severity with which the disease was felt to the
debilitated state of the community, owing to the
scarcity of food which prevailed for some months
prior to my arrival. The want of rain had prevented
their planting their usual crop of sweet potatoes, and
consequently reduced them to great straits.
It was
for some weeks almost actual starvation, their only
resource being half-grown pumpkins. My dear wife,
while relating to me the history of their privations,
said the circumstance which used to affect her most
was, that the younger children would wake up about
midnight, and cry for hours from sheer hunger, so
unsubstantial was the fare they had partaken of pre-
vious to their going to bed. And I well know when
my children
cry from hunger, their good mother's suffer-
ings, mentally and bodily, must have been very great.
We
“I have administered the Holy Sacrament once since
my return, and intend (D.V.) to do so monthly.
have about 75 communicants. The number of in-
habitants amounts to 172; 85 males, 87 females. A
dreadful accident occurred during my absence. Her
Majesty's ship 'Virago,' Captain Prevost was just on
the point of quitting the island, most of the com-
munity were on board taking leave, and the few who
remained on shore had assembled round the 'Bounty's
gun, with the intention of firing a farewell salute.
As Matthew McCoy was employed ramming home the
cartridge, the gun accidentally exploded, and the poor
man was dreadfully injured, surviving but a few
hours, although he had the attendance of two sur-
geons from the 'Virago.' He left a family of nine
CHAP. V.
259
ISLAND FUNERAL.
Į
children to mourn his loss. Two other persons were
badly wounded, and it was doubtful for some time
if they would survive; one of them still suffers from
his wound."
The funeral of poor McCoy, related in the follow-
ing extract, was attended by Captain Prevost, with
the officers and petty officers of the ship, and the
scene was most impressive¹:—
"It was a beautiful sunset, the tall plume-like
cocoa-nut trees waved gently above our heads. Borne
upwards from the sea, mournfully but not discordantly,
came the sound of the breakers, as they burst against
the shore, while from orange, and from lime, and from
a thousand fragrant herbs, delicious scents filled the
air. All the islanders were present in their white
Tappa cloth dresses, the officers also in white attire.
The poor widow hung upon the arm of Captain Prevost,
and surrounded by her nine children led the mournful
procession to the grave, which was dug in a small
garden, where were interred the remains of the father,
mother, and brother of McCoy. Amid the tears and
sobs of the community, the Rev. W. H. Holman,
Chaplain of the 'Portland' (who had remained at
Pitcairn during the absence of Mr. Nobbs) read the
Burial Service most impressively, and at the conclu-
șion the islanders sang one of their beautiful hymns.
¹ Extract from a letter written by Mr Toup Nicholas, who had
accompanied Captain Prevost in the Virago' to visit Pitcairn
Island. He was Her Majesty's Consul-General at Raiatea, the
largest of the Society group of islands in the South Pacific. It is
situated 150 miles from Pitcairn, and is about 40 miles in circum-
ference, mountainous, with extensive and well-watered valleys.
s 2
260
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY."
The impression made by this touching and unusual
scene, could not be easily effaced from the minds of
the Captain and officers of the 'Virago,' whose stay
at the island had been prolonged by this sad occur-
rence."
H.M.'s ship' Dido' having touched at Pitcairn
in December, 1853, Reuben Nobbs returned to Val-
paraiso, accompanied by his brother Francis. The
delicate state of Reuben's health had induced his friends
to advise him to try the effect of his native air for a
few months, but soon after his arrival at Valparaiso it
became evident that his lungs were seriously affected,
and that he thought his case hopeless was shown in an
extract from his letter to Rear-Admiral Moresby, dated
Valparaiso :-
"April 27th, 1854.
"There are several reasons for which I desire to lose
neither time nor opportunity in returning home. Not
merely that I think the voyage (if at all a pleasant
one) with the balmy air of my native isle, will do
much to restore me, nor the natural desire to have
my bones laid beside those of my relatives and friends.
But one reason is, I cannot endure the thought of
what Francis will suffer, if I am taken away before
he will be able to reach home in safety. Another
reason is, the effect which I know the report of my
having died in a foreign land, will have on the anxious,
too tender heart of my dear mother. Still I most
fervently say, 'Thy will, oh Lord, be done, Thou
knowest best what to ordain concerning me.' Should
it please the Lord to restore me to my home, and
СПАР. У.
261
REUBEN NOBBS.
even to a comparatively sound state of health, I shall
endeavour by His help and blessing to improve the
little talent entrusted to my care in assisting to further
the intellectual and in some respects the moral im-
provement of my people.'
""
Extract from a letter to Rear-Admiral Fairfax
Moresby, C.B., in which Mr. Nobbs announces with
much feeling the death of his son Reuben :-
،،
Pitcairn, July 16th, 1855.
"I have received your most kind and acceptable
letters of the respective dates of the 15th June and
29th of July, 1854. I immediately convened the com-
munity, and read to them your letters.
"We are now on the eve of yam harvest, and though
the crop is quite a poor one, we have a good stock of
sweet potatoes to turn to, though few or none to spare.
for ships, however, humanly speaking, the pinch of
this year is over, and by perhaps next March, when
a sort of six upon four term commences, we may if it
pleases God, be en route for Norfolk Island. We are
going on very comfortably at present; both church
and school is well attended, and a very great degree
of unanimity exists.
"And now I have to record a dispensation it has
pleased Almighty God to visit on myself and family.
I do not call it an afflictive dispensation, for although
in the bereavement many of my earthly anticipations
were prostrated, still I am most graciously permitted
to sing of mercy and judgment. Last December my
two sons, Reuben and Francis, who had gone to Val-
262
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
paraiso in the 'Dido' returned hither, the eldest,
Reuben, far gone in pulmonary consumption, and the
other having betrayed incipient indications of the same
disease. Their many friends in Valparaiso advised
their return, as the only means (humanly speaking)
of restoring Francis to health, and arresting for a
short time the fatal malady, which was rapidly bearing
poor Reuben to the grave.
66
"They accordingly left Valparaiso in a French ship
bound to Tahiti, and remained there two months
without being able to obtain a passage home, but
they were efficiently cared for by some good Samaritans
residing there. Still Reuben kept declining, and fears
were entertained that he would never see Pitcairn
again. At length, when all hopes began to give way,
an opportunity unexpectedly offered. An American
ship from California, ostensibly bound on a pleasure
trip, arrived at Tahiti, when the owner of the vessel,
in conjunction with the gentleman who professed to
have chartered her, on hearing of the situation and
desires of my children, promptly offered to convey
them hither. They were accordingly received on
board, and, after a lengthened passage of twenty-two
days, arrived here. During the passage they were
treated with the greatest kindness and sympathy by
these gentlemen, and several other passengers, among
whom was a lady, the wife of the principal personage
on board, and she too was most indefatigable in her
motherly attentions to my poor boy. Before they
left us (after a sojourn of two days) they sent on
shore from their cabin-stores a very large quantity
CHAP. V.
263
DEATH OF REUBEN NOBBS.
of such things as would be serviceable to Reuben,
and, moreover, they refused payment in any shape
for the passage but thanks of gratitude, and these
were most heartily accorded them by the whole com-
munity.
"My poor boy sank rapidly after his return. I
saw from the first there was no probability of his
recovery, but this stroke of domestic affliction was
mercifully divested of much of its severity on finding
that he was perfectly aware of his situation, and not
only resigned to it, but anxiously desirous to depart;
and enter into the joy of his Lord. Sometimes his
dear mother, flattered by the specious appearance of
his insidious disease, would hint at the probability
of his being yet spared to us. But, with a gentle
shake of the head, he would reply, 'No, dear mother,
I feel I am rapidly approaching the grave; humanly
speaking, my recovery is impossible, and that my dear
father knows as well as I do; and, if it is not improper
to entertain such a wish, I would rather not return to
health again. My earnest desire and prayer is to de-
part, and be with Christ, which is far better.' Such
was the tenor of his discourse during the short time
he was spared us; and he died strong in faith, giving
glory to God.
An hour before his death he was seized
with a violent spasm, which we thought would have
carried him off; but he rallied again. Seeing his
mother weeping, he said, 'Do not weep, mother; one
more such stroke, and I shall be in the arms of my
Saviour.' Shortly after he had another attack, and
nothing remained but his attenuated form. The
261
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
happy spirit had returned to join the glorified throng.
He died on Friday afternoon, March 2nd, at six
o'clock.
"The Sunday before his death, I administered to
him the Holy Eucharist. There were eight of us
present, and it was a time of refreshing; so awfully
sublime did it appear to us all, that we felt as if
we were indeed where Jacob felt himself to be on
his awakening at Luz. Most grateful did I feel that
I was invested with full authority to dispense this
most precious rite, that I could stand by the bed of
my dying child, and offer him the symbols of a
dying Saviour's love, and declare the remission of
sins through faith in His all-sufficient atonement. I
repeat I felt most grateful to those who, under God,
were instrumental in conferring upon me clerical
ordination; and I am sure a full share of that grati-
tude was reflected towards yourself, my well-beloved
and respected friend.
"The remains of my beloved child were deposited
with their kindred dust, the first fruits of a family
of eleven children. And should it please my Heavenly
Father to call the survivors from time to eternity,
and they were graciously permitted to witness as
good a confession as their departed brother did, I
humbly believe I could bow with submission to the
righteous mandate, and say 'It is well.'
"To that phase of the consistent professor's life,
the chamber where the good man meets his fate, I
can revert with unmingled satisfaction. It has been
my privilege to attend the bed of sickness among
CHAP. V.
265
DEATH OF REUBEN NOBBS.
this community for twenty-seven years, and I have
frequently had the unspeakable happiness to listen
to the testimony of the dying believer; to see death
so robbed of its sting, that the soul before quitting
its frail tenement seemed invested with an antepast
of heaven. Such manifestations can by no means be
construed into mental hallucinations or transient feel-
ings of excited gratitude. For, not to recur to the
happy state of mind in which many of our immortals
have entered the 'dark valley,'-here (I refer to my
deceased child) was a young man prostrated in the
prime of his days, and for many weeks standing on
the brink of eternity, with a full and solemn view
of his state deeply impressed on his mind, both from
his own feelings, and the conversation of his sorrow-
ing, but happy friends. Yet he could, amidst the
ravages and exhaustion of pulmonary consumption,
so entirely resign himself to the providential dis-
pensation of his Heavenly Father, as to make the
exemplary words of his suffering and acquiescent
Saviour the frequent and earnest theme of his aspira-
tion-Not my will, but thine be done.' I have re-
peated the solemn words 'Earth to earth, ashes to
ashes, dust to dust,' and committed to the tomb the
first fruits of a family of eleven children; and should
it please my heavenly Father to call the survivors
from time into eternity, I still believe I could exclaim
with the prophet of old 'I will rejoice in the Lord, I
will joy in the God of my salvation.'
"Three weeks after the demise of my son, death made
another inroad among us. A little boy, ten years of
266
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
age, son of my wife's sister, Maria Quintal, pierced his
foot with a barbed arrow (used for taking fish from the
holes in the rocks), which induced tetanus, and in forty-
eight hours after the terrible disease had commenced,
his happy spirit flew to the realms of bliss. During
the period of the violent constrictions of the suffering
body, the dear child would speak of his blessed Saviour,
and ask Him to take him to be with those whom He
took in His arms when on earth. The patient sufferer
was aware that he could not recover; still he never
expressed the least fear of death. At the time of hist
departure I was praying with him, his parents and
several other persons kneeling around his bed, when
he gave a slight shudder, and exclaimed in a clear,
audible voice, 'Lord Jesus receive my spirit.'
"But one fortnight had elapsed from that period, when
another sad and awful bereavement fell upon the com-
munity. Daniel McCoy and his wife went to the
north-west side of the island in quest of fish. After
descending to the rocks, Daniel left his wife and re-
ascended, with the intention of passing the head of a
small inlet of the sea, and then going down to the
rocks on the other side. While doing so he fell, and
his wife saw him roll down the fall of the crag and lie
motionless on the rugged lava; but there was the
before - mentioned inlet between them, into which a
very heavy surf was running; to avoid which Daniel
had gone round the head of the bight, and it was in
the act of descending to the shore on the other side
that he fell. His wife, without hesitation, plunged
into the heavy surf (which she had unfortunately per-
CHAP. V.
267
LAMENTABLE OCCURRENCES.
suaded her husband to avoid), and landing on the
opposite side of the inlet, found him on the rugged
lava of the shore-a corpse. She had the presence of
mind, previous to her braving the foam-crested billows,
to call a lad at some distance fishing, and despatch
him to the village with the sad tidings that Daniel had
fallen, but she did not then know the extent of his
hurt. Less than half-an-hour previous he had left her
with a smile on his countenance, for Daniel was always
in a cheerful mood. What must have been the poor
creature's agony as she sat by her dead husband, with
his head resting in her lap for more than an hour ere
any one could come to her assistance. Her feelings I
will not attempt to describe, but I will tell you what
she did. On finding life extinct, she knelt down and
prayed that God would give her grace so to live that
she might rejoin her dear Daniel in heaven. For I
am sure,' said she, when speaking to me on the subject,
'that he was prepared for death, and that takes away
the pain of my great loss.'
•
"I was in bed at the time of the accident suffering
from bronchitis, when a long, low wail reached my ear,
accompanied by exclamations of grief. Jumping from
my bed I ran out of doors, forgetting that I was, or had
been sick, and on inquiring what was the matter,
learned that Daniel McCoy was badly hurt, if not
killed, by falling from the precipice. Most of the men
were out in their canoes fishing, it being Saturday;
the two or three that were at home hastened to the
spot, and several of the women followed, among whom
was my wife. Now, as they would have to go the
268
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
same route by which the deceased fell, I was in great
fear lest a similar accident might befall Mrs. Nobbs,
and a heavy load was removed when I saw her return
in safety. She had not got so far as the dangerous
part of the road, when she met one of the men return-
ing, who informed her that poor Daniel was dead. A
canoe was sent to summon home the fishermen, and the
whale-boat was manned and taken to the spot where
the corpse lay, when, with some difficulty and danger,
on account of the heavy surf, it was put into a boat
and brought round to Bounty Bay, then transferred to
a canoe for a bier, and borne on men's shoulders to the
village. I had been busy preparing bandages and such
other things as might be necessary, and placed them in
the house to which I supposed he would be brought,
but the sad tidings of his death rendered all my inten-
tions useless. However, busying myself about these
things kept me in a great measure from the painful im-
pressions induced by suspense, and from fretting myself
about the safety of my dear wife. But a chapter from
the Bible and a few words of prayer I found to be a
panacea. At length the women returned, with my wife
and eldest daughter (who I did not know had gone), and
I was truly thankful.
"A messenger now came from Bounty Bay, summon-
ing me thither, as the sister and brother of the deceased
were both attacked with spasmodic fits. Taking some
remedies, I started, but met them on their way home.
Poor Lydia McCoy came home in the whale-boat with
the corpse.
On examining the injuries, I found the
spine broken at the bend of the shoulders, and the oc-
CHAP. V.
269
LAMENTABLE OCCURRENCES.
ciput badly fractured, but there were no other bones
broken, that I could ascertain.
C
"Such, and so sudden, was the death of Daniel
McCoy, a young man beloved by all the community,
and most deservedly so. He is the third of the family
who has met an untimely end within a very few years.
William McCoy died from lockjaw, occasioned by a
splinter of wood running into the upper part of his
foot; Matthew McCoy from wounds received by the
accidental explosion of the Bounty's' gun; and now
the third brother, Daniel, by falling from a precipice
on the north-western side of the island. May the God
of the widow support poor Lydia under the awful
calamity. She has no children to rest her affections.
upon; but she has a mother, and brothers and sisters,
and receives the sympathy of the whole community.
On Him, who above all others well deserves the name
of Friend, may she place her unwavering trust; to
Him let her flee as a very present help in trouble; and
all will then be well both for time and eternity."
270
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
CHAPTER VI.
REMOVAL OF THE PITCAIRN ISLANDERS TO NORFOLK ISLAND
DIRECTIONS OF HIS EXCELLENCY SIR WILLIAM DENISON,
K C.B., RESPECTING ALLOTMENTS OF LAND CORRESPONDENCE
- VOYAGE ARRIVAL AT NORFOLK ISLAND RECEPTION BY
CAPTAIN DENHAM, H.M.S. 'HERALD'-VISIT OF BISHOP and
MRS. SELWYN, AND OF THE REV. G. N. PATTESON.
It will have been observed that during the later years.
of the period we have just concluded a change had
begun to manifest itself in the state of affairs at Pit-
cairn.
The colony, hitherto so prosperous, had now increased
to such an extent that the "small rock in the west
was no longer able to maintain the population. Their
difficulty appears to have been recognised by their
friends in England as early as the year 1853, and
Admiral Moresby, in a despatch to the Lords of the
Admiralty, observes: "Their rapidly increasing num-
bers render the produce of the island barely sufficient
to support them; and even with the liberal supplies
given by Her Majesty's Government, and the yet larger
contributions of private friends, allows but little to
exchange with the whalers for necessary articles.
Thus," he concludes, "the time has arrived when
measures should be taken for their future welfare."
While the attention of the Pitcairn Island Fund Com-
mittee was being anxiously turned in this direction,
CHAP. VI.
271
REPORTS ON NORFOLK ISLAND.
the Government had happily determined that Norfolk
Island should be abandoned as a convict station.
Before any steps were taken regarding the removal
of the islanders, the following reports were received
from the officers who had belonged to the com-
missariat department in Norfolk Island while it was a
convict station, and who, therefore, were well qualified
to speak of its climate and the productions.
Extract from John W. Smith's report on Norfolk
Island :-
"Commissariat, Ionian Islands, Corfu.
March, 19th, 1853.
"From November, 1841, to March, 1845, I had charge
of the commissariat duties at Norfolk Island, and having
been thus afforded peculiar opportunities for ascertain-
ing the agricultural and other resources of that very
beautiful spot, I have no hesitation in expressing a
decided opinion that it would prove most suitable for
both the present inhabitants of Pitcairn's Island and
their progeny for many years to come.
"Its size may be estimated at about four times that
of Pitcairn's Island, being twenty-seven miles in cir-
cumference and covering a surface of 12,000 acres, the
greater part of which is of a black vegetable soil,
remarkable for its richness and fertility. In fact,
there is very little inferior land, or, indeed, any that
does not answer for, at least, grazing purposes.
"The climate is healthy, and in this respect there
cannot be much dissimilarity between the two places,
considering their relative positions. At every season.
of the year there is an abundant supply of good water
272
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
in convenient situations; and although the resources
for fuel must be a good deal diminished, still with
economy and prudent management no apprehension
need be entertained on this head, as a great number
of young trees will be coming forward; and even if the
wood should have to be brought from distant localities,
this would be rendered comparatively easy by the ex-
cellent roads with which the island is intersected in
every direction. There is neither coal nor any other
mineral production, so far as can be ascertained from
researches hitherto made.
"The staple articles of agricultural produce are maize
and sweet potatoes. Crops of these may always be
reckoned upon, though from accidental causes they
sometimes fall rather short of an average. Yams,
pumpkins, and even the common potato, may be grown
to any extent, so that a superabundance of wholesome
food, such as they have been accustomed to, would
surely be available, not only for the primitive islanders
themselves but for all the live-stock they might require
to maintain.
66
Nearly all the varieties of English vegetables are
raised in profusion; and the soil and climate are so
peculiarly favourable to the growth of coffee, arrow-
root, and tobacco, that these articles, in addition to
poultry, eggs, &c., would afford the settlers a very
valuable means of barter for clothing and such other
extraneous supplies as they may require. Coffee in
particular may be mentioned, which is of the finest
quality, and can be propagated to almost any extent
from the present stock, which is by no means incon-
CHAP. VI.
273
REMOVAL FROM PITCAIRN.
siderable; while, from the light description of labour
required in its care and gathering, it would afford a
very suitable occupation to the women and children of
the community.
"Guavas and lemons grow wild to an unlimited
extent, and there are two crops of the former every
year; they come in well to assist in feeding pigs.
Oranges are scarce, but there are plenty of peaches,
grapes, melons, figs, and quinces, with even bananas
and pine-apples, which, growing as they do in the open.
air, will give a very good idea of the salubrity of the
climate."
Mr. Pace, Civil Commander, to the Comptroller-
General, &c.
(6
Cape Town, June 3rd, 1852.
"The soil of Norfolk Island is of excellent quality
(similar to that of Pitcairn Island). In favourable
seasons an acre of land of average quality would pro-
duce about fifty bushels of maize; from twenty to
twenty-five tons of sweet potatoes are obtained from
a similar space; about a ton of arrowroot is the aver-
age crop from the acre.
Wheat is of uncertain
growth; the barley and oats of the island are also
inferior, but rye of good quality is obtained to the
amount of about thirty bushels to the acre. All
English vegetables grow abundantly during the winter
and spring months. The lemon and guava are found
in abundance in all the gullies in the island.
grape, the fig, the orange, the shaddock, pine-apple,
mulberry, olive, loquat, custard apple, and other fruits
T
The
274
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
grow in the gardens; and the whole island is capable
of being placed under cultivation.
"About 600 acres have been under the plough, but,
I imagine, from my knowledge of the rapid growth of
the weeds in that climate, that the cleared land has
already become a wilderness; but, of course, it can be
easily recovered, having once been under cultivation.
Fish is abundant off the coast. The natural grasses
are capable of sustaining about 6000 sheep, and, I
should say, 1000 head of horned cattle, together with
a sufficiency of horses for agricultural purposes. The
main fences are new, and, I believe, will last for the
next nine years; the roads are in fair order; the jetty
is perfect, so far as it has been carried out; the stone-
ways for the boats were about being laid down when I
left the island. The buildings are in good repair; a
new barn and stable have been recently erected. The
siloes for the storage of grain have been put in perfect.
order; and several new and substantial quarters erected
for civilians. Limestone, sawing and splitting timber,
as likewise firewood, are in abundance; and there exists.
no doubt in my mind that Norfolk Island is fully
capable of maintaining from three to four thousand
free people.
"The cotton-tree would be the greatest difficulty they
would have to contend against at Norfolk Island. It
would also be necessary that they should take steps to
keep up the supply of firewood. Live stock, agricultural
implements, and other articles could be left on the
island for their use.'
A more fortunate opportunity could scarcely have
CHAP. VI.
ADVANTAGES OF REMOVAL.
275
presented itself for meeting the requirements of the
Pitcairn colony. An area of between ten and twelve
thousand acres of fertile land would afford space for the
new settlers for a century to come, while the remote posi-
tion and exposed coast-line of the island would enable
them to maintain that seclusion which had been pro-
ductive of such happy results. The Pitcairn Fund¹
Committee accordingly requested Admiral Moresby to
communicate with the inhabitants of Pitcairn, and to
learn whether they would be desirous of moving to Nor-
folk Island in case it were possible to obtain it for their
occupation. An answer was received in the affirmative,
and the Chief Magistrate and councillors observed in
their reply: "It is very evident that the time is not far
distant when Pitcairn Island will be altogether in-
adequate to the rapidly-increasing population, and the
inhabitants do unanimously agree in soliciting the aid
of the British Government in transferring them to
Norfolk Island, or some other appropriate place." They
at the same time expressed a hope that they might be
allowed to remain in the same seclusion which they
had hitherto enjoyed in Pitcairn. The assent of the
Government to these arrangements having been ob-
tained, the execution of them was committed to Sir
William Denison, K.C.B., Governor-General of New
South Wales, and Captain Freemantle, R.N., command-
ing the 'Juno.'
The latter accordingly paid a visit to Pitcairn in
1 Some of the most influential of their friends had formed a
committee to protect the interests of the islanders, and to manage
the funds collected for their benefit.
T 2
276
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
1855 when, to his surprise, he found the people by
no means unanimous in their desire for removal. The
lamentable results of the migration to Tahiti ap-
peared to be still fresh in the memory of the elder
part of the community. Captain Freemantle, con-
vinced that the change would be greatly for their
benefit, exerted himself to overcome their apprehen-
sions, and that natural clinging which all feel for
the place of their birth; and his representations were
attended with so much success that, finally, all but a
very small minority agreed to accept the offered grant.
He concludes his account of this visit with the follow-
ing testimony to the character and good-will of the
islanders:-
"I can only add my corroboration to their still
remaining the same cheerful, docile, and unsophisti-
cated community, they have so often been represented
to be. The enthusiasm displayed by the officers,
and especially by the ship's company, for their welfare,
was quite uncontrollable; they were ready to part
with anything, everything, to supply or gratify them,
and equally anxious to carry away some object or
token in remembrance of the island, even to the
stones on the beach, but the girls perceiving this
ran and collected a quantity of tapa, sufficient for
every man in the ship to receive a suitable memorial."
As a man-of-war could not be spared from the
station, an emigrant ship, the 'Morayshire,' was com-
missioned to transfer the islanders to their new home.
Lieutenant Gregorie of the 'Juno' was appointed to
superintend the removal; but on his arrival at Pitcairn
CHAP. VI. DIRECTIONS TO LIEUTENANT GREGORIE. 277
he found the work of persuasion had to be undertaken
over again, although Sir W. Denison had drawn up a
report of Norfolk Island, describing the advantages
offered.
The directions to Lieutenant Gregorie respecting
the distribution of land in Norfolk Island to the Pitcairn
colony, were as follows:-
"Sir W. Denison to Acting-Lieutenant Gregorie, R.N.,
Agent on board the ship Morayshire.'
"Feb. 1856.
"You will proceed to divide among the different
families the land, which, having been already cleared,
will probably be easier brought into cultivation than
the bush-land; and you will impress upon each and
all the absolute necessity of proceeding to clear
and cultivate it without delay. Maize has been sent
down for seed, and sweet potatoes will be found in
the island itself.
"You will mark off a portion of the cleared as
a reserve for church and school purposes; that is, as a
glebe for the clergyman, which will be sufficient for his
support and for that of a schoolmaster, say 150 or 200
acres.
"You will also mark off as a reserve for public pur-
poses a portion of land along the margin of the sea at
both landing-places, and it would probably be as well
that the land now occupied by the jail; and some.
other of the public buildings should be included in
this public reserve, unless they are absolutely re-
quired for private occupation.
278
E
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
PART II.
"Of the enclosed land a portion, say 500 acres
more or less, may be reserved for public purposes."
A few enterprising spirits seconded Lieutenant
Gregorie's efforts, but in general he encountered a
depressing amount of indifference which the Tahitian
connection seemed to have infused into the character of
the people. At length, however, his earnest repre-
sentations, assisted greatly by the prospect of an uncon-
ditional grant of such a valuable possession as Norfolk
Island, prevailed.
1
Mr. Robinson, who accompanied Lieutenant Gre-
gorie, gives the following account of these negotiations:-
"We had previously heard that there were some
who all along expressed a determination not to leave
their birth-place, and our object in this second meeting
was to hear the reasons they had to adduce, and on our
part to exert ourselves to the utmost to bring them
round to adopt a course which we considered would
be conferring upon them a lasting benefit. At the
hour appointed every man was at his post, and
the matter was argued with great spirit pro and con.'
Some of the older people began to recur to their
departure from the island many years previously, when
they were removed to Tahiti by the British Govern-
ment-from whence the survivors made their way
back after suffering great privations, and the loss
of many of those who had been their companions at
the outset and they could not remove from their
1 Mr. Robinson had taken a passage in the 'Morayshire' for the
benefit of his health, and to assist in the removal of the Pitcairn
islanders to Norfolk Island.
CHAP. VI.
279
PERSUASION EMPLOYED.
minds the idea that this was going to be a second
edition. Others could not bear the thought of leaving
the graves of their relatives, and the home in which
they had been born, brought up, and spent so many
happy days. We soon found that owing to their rela-
tionship being so interwoven by marriage, unless we
could bring all the old folks into our way of thinking,
many families must be left behind, as the younger part
were universally inclined to go, provided they were
accompanied by their parents. So we set about in
good earnest by the most persuasive arguments to
bring them to a belief that wiser heads than theirs
had concocted this plan with no other view than for
their benefit, and that if it were rejected after all
the trouble and expense incurred by the British
Government they must forfeit all further claim on,
and protection from, those who had hitherto been
their greatest benefactors, and who were now display-
ing it in so noble a manner as to place at their disposal
one of the most beautiful islands in the world. We
eventually succeeded, and brought away every soul."
Captain Denham¹ of H.M.S. 'Herald,' who had been
carrying on a survey for several years in the South
Pacific Ocean, in a Hydrographic notice addressed to
Captain Washington, R.N., Hydrographer to the Admi-
ralty, dated Norfolk Island, June 16th, 1856, observes:-
C
Looking to the date of the transport Moray-
shire,' Mr. John Mathers, belonging to Mr. Dunbar,
London, acting under the agency of Lieutenant G. W.
Gregorie of H.M.S. 'Juno,' having left Sydney under
1 Now Vicc-Admiral Sir Henry Denham, K.C.B.
I
280
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
!
instructions of His Excellency, the Governor-General,
and of Captain S. G. Freemantle, last February to
bring the Pitcairn Island community to this island,
I had reason to expect them every day. As the
presence of one of Her Majesty's ships at the new
home of that interesting people would doubtless cheer
them, as well as afford essential aid in landing and
organizing them, and of clearing the island as soon as
possible of its residue as a penal settlement-upon all
which points and general views I was cognisant of the
wishes of Government-I became solicitous of being on
the spot.
'
(6
Fortunately on Sunday, 8th June, although a
gloomy boisterous day, with considerable surf, the
Morayshire' not only closed with the island, but
being joined by the 'Herald,' and assisted by a tracing
of our survey, took up a favourable position for disem-
barkation, and by sunset the Pitcairn community,
numbering 194 persons, were comfortably housed as
well as landed. I was invited to their first evening
service in their new home, when a special thanksgiving
was rendered unto God for the preservation vouch-
safed to them.
"It was an exemplary manifestation of habitual
piety that would not allow fatigue, amounting with
many to almost exhaustion, nor excitement at the
extreme novelty of all around them, to interfere with
their wonted primary duty of life.
"To the manner in which Acting-Lieutenant Gre-
gorie managed their embarkation, so that every move-
able article, even to the 'gun' and 'anvil' of the
CHAP. VI.
281
REMOVAL FROM PITCAIRN.
Bounty,' has been transferred, and the accommodating
spirit in which the master of the transport carried out
his undertaking on a five weeks' passage-during which
the most tender treatment was necessary for alarming
cases of sea-sickness that ceased not from island to
island, including a birth which took place-may be attri-
buted the accomplishment of an event so vitally impor-
tant to this community, and in accordance with the deep
interest taken in them by Her Majesty and the Govern-
ment. The ensuing week has been successfully em-
ployed in landing all the seventy years' gathering of
chattels belonging to the Pitcairner's; notwithstanding
the precarious sea-board of this island, causing ships to
put to sea every night. They could therefore duly
observe yesterday's sabbath in the first fitted-up church
they had seen, when the sacrament was most impres-
sively administered to us all. Our artificers have com-
municated to these apt people the uses of a variety of
tools and implements, including that of the wind- and
water-mill on the island."
We shall now give some extracts from Mr. Nobbs's
diary of the embarkation at Pitcairn, the voyage, and
arrival of the community at Norfolk Island.
Pitcairn, Monday, April 21st, 1856.-This afternoon,
while busily engaged in the school, a piercing and
electrifying shout informed me that a ship was in sight;
but it was a long time before any one came down from
the hill to inform me what she looked like. About
three o'clock it was ascertained she was a large mer-
chant ship, standing in for the land. At four she
rounded St. Peter's rock, and then we perceived she
282
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
had a pennant flying. On this being made known,
some one exclaimed, 'That is the ship come to convey
us to Norfolk Island, and the pennant denotes she has
a naval officer on board.' Having heard from the
'Dido' but little more than a week since, that the ship
for removing us was not to be here before the latter
end of July, I could not believe this was the vessel,
although every one seemed to be sure it was her.
"As soon as she came within distance, a canoe with
two men went to the vessel (both our whale boats being
in pieces), and we were anxiously looking for the pre-
concerted signal, if, indeed, the general conjecture
should be correct. No signal, however, appeared; but
one of the men, who went on board in the canoe, stood
on the ship's taffrail and waved his cap to seaward, which
was interpreted by the most sanguine as an acknow-
ledgment that it was the Norfolk Island ship. Still I
continued in unbelief, until the ship's boat landed,
bringing the Commander and Lieutenant Gregorie of
the Juno,' appointed to superintend the embarkation
of all those who were disposed to accept Her Majesty's
most gracious offer: to wit, Norfolk Island and all that
appertains thereto, for themselves and families.¹ Such
an unqualified offer of so beautiful a spot, is easier to
imagine than to realize, but it is a bona fide reality to
1 This communication caused an unfortunate impression to rest
on their minds, which, as will be seen in the succeeding pages, was
a source of much pain and disappointment. There should have
been a distinct understanding, in fact a charter, defining the extent
of their rights and property in the island. It is, however, very
probable that on such an understanding they would not have left
Pitcairn.
CHAP. VI.
283
REMOVAL FROM PITCAIRN.
us. And yet there is more than one family, who demur
at going, and I regret to say too much coaxing and
persuading has been used by Lieutenant Gregorie and
the Commander of the ship; but they did it from pure
benevolence.
CC
However, all hands, except George Adams' family
(I do not include his eldest son) went steadily to work
packing and carrying; and here I give a few extracts
from my private journal :-
66
'24th.-A fresh breeze from the southward, and the
surf is rugged at Bounty Bay. At seven o'clock the ship
anchored, but at too great a distance from the shore.
A southerly squall, blowing across the island, caused the
ship to drag, and very soon the anchor could not touch
the bottom with fifty fathoms of chain out. Some of
our people went on board to assist in heaving up the
anchor, and heavy work it was. Several hours were
unavoidably lost. Five boats well loaded went on
board to day, but it is herculean labour to carry heavy
chests and casks down from the village to Bounty
Bay, and then pull them off four or five miles to the
ship.
“25th.-A very fresh breeze this morning. The bell
was rung at day-light to commence work, got off eight
loads during the day, without any accident. The ship
is well provided with excellent boats.
"26th.-Fair weather, wind somewhat more to east-
ward; ship very handy. Employed all the day in
getting chests, beds, &c., on board. Towards evening
it became squally, and rained heavily. George Adams
has at length concluded to go with the rest. Killed a
281
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY,'
young cow, and sent part of it on board the ship for
the use of the crew.
C6
27th, Sunday.—Divine service twice, weather fine,
baptized Priscilla Pitcairn Quintal, so named, as she
will in all probability, be the last born (of this com-
munity) on the island.
"28th. All hands busily employed embarking chat-
tels, sweet potatoes, and hogs.
“29th and 30th.-Cloudy weather, but moderate, the
ship a long way off. The sea as smooth as glass, but
the ship too far off to attempt going on board. There
is a strong current sweeping her to the eastward.
66
May 1st.-A moderate breeze from the southward,
the ship handy. This day assembled for the last time
(as we supposed) in our church for Divine service. It
was a solemn time, most of the congregation were
deeply affected. All the rest of the day employed in
getting things off to the ship. Went on board to exa-
that could be desired.
mine her, and found her all
Towards evening returned on shore, having had a most
kind reception from Captain Mathers. There is no
surgeon on board, so that the medical as well as the
clerical superintendence will devolve on me.
66
May 2nd.-Weather still fair, nearly all our move-
ables on board, so that it is probable with the permis-
sion of the Almighty, we shall embark our families
on the coming morrow. Although no demurrage is
allowed, the captain complains not of the long deten-
tion, but, on the contrary, is anxious we should leave
nothing behind that may possibly be of service to us in
our new home.
3
}
CHAP. VI.
CC
REMOVAL FROM PITCAIRN.
285
Saturday, May 3rd.-Fine weather, breakfast eaten
with heavy hearts. My family being among those
appointed to embark first, previous to doing so, Mrs.
Nobbs and myself went into the graveyard, where are de-
posited the remains of our first-born. Scarcely a word
was spoken by either of us, but tears fell freely. Why?
Not because we lamented the lot of a saint in Christ,
but because we were about to leave the grave and head-
stone, those frail memorials which had become unspeak-
ably dear to us, never to behold them again. These
reflections caused our tears, and not an ungrateful
repining that our son was with the Lord. Vale Reuben!
till this corruptible shall put on incorruption.
In the dusk of the evening Pitcairn Island receded
from view. There were very few of the late inhabitants
on deck to take a last lingering look at the much-loved
and ever-to-be-remembered island, but very many men,
women, and children wished themselves on shore again,
so intensely were they suffering from sea-sickness. This
state of things continued for several days; at length
some of the convalescents began to appear on deck,
which soon became studded over with smiling faces.
The messes were now properly arranged and regula-
tions similar to those on board well-conducted emigrant
ships observed. During the whole passage the com-
munity assembled at 7 A.M. on the berth deck at the
ringing of a bell, purposely suspended there, when the
Scriptures were read, and prayer offered to the Father
of Mercies to implore his protection for the coming
day.
At eight o'clock the mess tables were lowered and
286
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
breakfast commenced; immediately after breakfast all
the women and children who were able, went on deck,
while the men and lads gave the berth deck a thorough
cleansing.
At 1 P.м. dinner was served, and then such rattling
of the plates and spoons, such passing between the mess
tables with soup and beef, or salt pork and peas, or
something equally palatable, that it was a pleasant
thing to sit at one end of the deck and take a bird's-eye
view of the whole. Grace being said by the senior
person of each mess, proofs of good appetite were not
wanting, though in that respect there was a manifest
difference between a fair wind and a foul one, if the
latter was producing a head sea. At 3 P.M. the bell
rang, and Divine service was performed, Lieutenant
Gregorie always attending with the community. After
service all that were able went on deck, and generally
remained there till supper time, which was six o'clock.
At eight, the bell again rang, and all assembled for
prayers. The service commenced by singing a hymn,
then reading the Scriptures, prayers, and concluded by
all joining in the Evening Hymn, then whoever chose
went to bed; some went to sit on deck for a while, and
many of the younger people spent a couple of hours
singing under the instruction of Charles Christian.
nine o'clock the captain of the ship and myself went
round to see that all was right, and visit the sick in the
hospital (if any were there, as was generally the case),
and there my duties for the day ended. But frequently
I had to get up during the night to attend some one. I
also prescribed for those who were unwell among the
At

އ
By Glen Wilson, Esq
THE
LANDING FLACE (STDNET BAT), HORTOLE ISLAND
S W
Gale
CHAP. VI.
287
VOYAGE FROM PITCAIRN.
(C
ship's company. Westerly winds prevailing, we had a long
and tedious passage, though not an uncomfortable one.
Friday, June 6th.-Land ho!' I forgot to note
in the proper place, that shortly after leaving Pitcairn,
we changed the day of the week, that is we went for-
ward a day, this was done to make our hebdomadal
calendar coincide with that of New South Wales. During
the night a very heavy squall struck the ship, and
caused some consternation among the more timid; the
lightning was also vivid.
CC
Sunday, June 8th.-Cloudy weather, close in with
Norfolk Island; very much disappointed with its appear-
ance from the present point of view, which is directly
off the settlement, and presents a succession of hillocks
and shallow ravines covered with short brown grass,
but scarcely a tree to be seen. Every face wore an
expression of disappointment; having been accustomed
to hear the island so highly extolled. No doubt other
parts have a better appearance, but this side certainly
bears no comparison with our Rock in the West.
"At 10 A.M., left with my family and some others in
the ship's life-boat. It blew fresh, and we were nearly
two hours rowing to shore. The wind being off the
land during our passage, several squalls of rain oc-
curred, and the boat leaking badly, we were thoroughly
drenched, the women and children presenting a most
forlorn appearance. Being conducted by Mr. Stewart
to his residence, I deposited my wife there, and then
returned to the pier. On my way thither, I went into
the large building where our people were congregating,
and seeing they were beginning to feel comfortable, I
288
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
returned to the landing-place. One of the Government
prisoners doing duty as a constable to prevent any one
intruding into the precincts of the large building (for-
merly the soldiers' barracks) where our people were
assembling-seeing how thoroughly drenched I was,
gave me so pressing an invitation to go to his dwelling,
which was adjacent, and change my clothes that I did
not refuse his offer. He supplied me with a decent
suit, and moreover brought me a mug of hot tea and
some excellent bread and butter. All this was done so
respectfully, and with such good grace that I forgot
that this man was a twice convicted prisoner. He was
a man, as I afterwards learned, of good education, and
had formerly filled a very responsible situation in
H.M.'s Customs in Ireland, but was banished for for-
gery. Having partially gained his freedom, he again
committed some offence, for which he was exiled for life
to Norfolk Island, but his good conduct had obtained
him some indulgence, and he was now acting as chief
constable over the ten or twelve prisoners who re-
mained to take care of the place until our arrival.
(C
Monday 9th.-Moderate weather. Everything de-
notes that we are in a strange country-the size of the
houses the oxen yoked to the carts, bringing our goods
from the pier to the place where we reside—this same
building three stories high, and each room eighteen
feet in height; all and everything astonished our
people.
(6
Sunday 15th.-For some days little has been done
towards landing anything, the 'Morayshire' being
obliged from bad weather to get under way. Divine
CHAP. VI.
289
ARRIVAL AT NORFOLK ISLAND.
service twice in the church, which is much out of
repair about the roof. Administered the Holy Com-
munion to fifty-eight persons, but the only persons
not of our community were Captain Denham and Mr.
Gregorie.
"There are two things in which we feel disappointed,
to wit, the paucity of wood and water. There is scarcely
a tree in sight from the settlement, except some dozen
or two of pines planted near the Government house,
and with one exception, all the water has to be raised
from a few dangerous wells, sixty or seventy feet deep.
We expected from what we had heard to have found
many rivulets, and plenty of trees around the houses,
but all stand exposed to the bleak south wind. There
is wood about the vicinity of Mount Pitt and towards
the Cascades-which, by-the-bye, is a misnomer, for
there is very little water there-but the trees within
two miles of our dwelling are few and far between.
"Wednesday 25th.-Our boats went on board, and
with the assistance of the men-of-war's boats, got the
remainder of our things on shore, and in good condi-
tion. The 'Morayshire' is now ready for sea, Mr. and
Mrs. Stewart embarked, with the convict establishment
under his charge. The 'Herald' will also sail to-
morrow. Captain Freemantle came on shore and read
to me the articles respecting the cession of Norfolk
Island (with certain reserves) to the community, late of
Pitcairn Island. He then handed the paper over to
the magistrate (Frederick Young) to be reserved as a
memorial of the cession.
66
Thursday 26th.-Early this morning Capt. Mathers
U
290
PART I.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY,'
embarked, and with him our most respected and worthy
friend Augustus Robinson, Esq. From the time this
gentleman landed at Pitcairn to this day, he has been
held in the highest estimation by the whole com-
munity. His suavity of manner and intelligent con-
versation, with the kindly interest he took in the
welfare of every one, have obtained for him a remem-
brance that will long be gratefully cherished. The
'Morayshire' got under way, and proceeded to Van
Dieman's Land-God preserve those on board!
Mr. Robinson's impression of the character of the
islanders was equally favourable. He writes to a
friend :—“My sojourn amongst these interesting people
extended over a period of two months, during which I
had every opportunity of becoming acquainted with their
manners, habits, and general mode of life, and I can
easily imagine that they must have been superlatively
happy at Pitcairn; it is to be hoped that as soon as
they become settled in their new abode they will enjoy
themselves as fully there. Their modesty of demeanour,
urbanity of manner, affectionate disposition, and per-
sonal appearance, have won for them the esteem and
admiration of all who have visited them. Their extreme
absence of suspicion, renders them peculiarly liable to
fall a prey to designing individuals, and it is sincerely
to be hoped, now that they are to be brought into
contact with more of the evil existing in the world,
they may be preserved from its injurious effects. They
place implicit reliance in every word that is said, as
they have not the slightest idea of anything in the
shape of a joke, and if they do afterwards discover that
1
}
+
1
L
1
r

CHAP. VI.
291
CHARACTER OF THE PITCAIRNERS.
anything has been told them with this intent, it is set
down as a falsehood. The mode of salutation adopted
by the females, especially after the first introduction,
is by a kiss, which is given, on their part, with as great
a degree of modesty as exists during the exchange of
civilities amongst more enlightened communities. They
appear more like one large family, and the indiscri-
minate attention shown towards each others' offspring,
when any difficulty or danger exists, is very striking.
I never witnessed anything approaching to ill-feeling
or anger amongst them, and a passage of Scripture in-
culcated into their minds by old John Adams, 'Never
to allow the sun to go down upon their wrath,' appears
to have become so completely a part of their duty, that
I was informed by Mr. Nobbs they might often be seen.
in the evening issuing from one anothers' houses to
meet and make up any little recrimination that had
taken place during the day. In sickness the attention
paid towards each other is such, that they take it in
turn to remain up with the invalid during the night,
and arrange their watches without difficulty. This I
witnessed over and over again on board.
“As a proof of the affection displayed towards their
offspring, I will just mention one circumstance among
many, that came more particularly under my observa-
tion. On our arrival we found an infant about three
months old, very dangerously ill, suffering from con-
vulsions. This child was the grand-daughter of Mr.
George Adams, a man of about fifty-two years of age.
Mr. Nobbs, the pastor and surgeon, gave it as his
opinion that the child could not long survive. The
U 2
292
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
idea of taking it on board in this state, and having
probably to throw it into the sea, was so revolting to
the parents, and the old man especially, that he gave
vent to his feelings in the most immoderate manner,
and had it not been that a decided change for the better
took place before embarkation, I feel confident they
would have remained behind, and thus materially in-
terfered with our plans. They did, however, take the
precaution of bringing a coffin, but as this was entirely
at variance with nautical ideas, it was thrown into the
sea. During the passage the baby recovered, but only
to die a few days after landing, and it was the first of
their number that was consigned to the earth at Nor-
folk Island. I attended the funeral, conducted after
the form of the Church of England, with the exception
of the conclusion, which was by singing a hymn chosen
by the relatives of the departed. Tears flowed fast
from almost every eye; the agonized feelings of the
mother, and, indeed, the whole scene, made such an
impression on my mind as will not easily be effaced.
66
After remaining with them at their new abode
about a fortnight, we parted with mutual regret. They
had on several occasions asked me seriously to remain,
and, although I fancy I could have been very happy, at
any rate for some time, I was compelled to decline their
invitation, having business to attend to elsewhere."
June 26th, the same day the 'Morayshire' sailed,
Mr. Nobbs continues his diary by remarking:-
"At 4 P.M. Captain Denham embarked, and soon after
the 'Herald' sailed. The 'Juno' also got up her
anchor, but is not yet going to leave us.
CHAP. VI.
293
BISHOP SELWYN.
66
Sunday 29th.-Rainy weather. Divine service twice.
The roof of the church is leaky, and my surplice is no
protection. I fear we shall have to abandon the church,
and use one of the large rooms in the Barracks (which
is almost the only building in repair) in its stead.
66
Friday, July 4th.-This morning a sail was descried
at no great distance; by her rig we were at no great
loss to understand whom she had on board, for we had
learned that the Bishop of New Zealand' had touched
here a short time previous to our arrival, and that his
Lordship intended to go to Sydney and then return
hither. As soon as she approached near enough, our
whale-boat went on board, and soon returned, bringing
the Bishop's chaplain, the Rev. Mr. Patteson.
"The Bishop proposes landing to-morrow, and bring-
ing Mrs. Selwyn with him. Mr. Patteson took up his
abode with me, and after supper the community assem-
1 "In the year 1842, Bishop Selwyn was consecrated to the diocese
of New Zealand, together with the islands adjacent, but for seven
years his time was so much taken up on the mainland, that,
although the Islands of Melanesia were always in his mind, he had
no opportunity of personally visiting them and seeing their state
for himself. It was not until 1849 that he was able to sail in his
little Undine,' a tiny schooner of twenty-two tons, in which he
was wont to visit the shores of New Zealand and the northern
islands, and that he layed the foundation of the "Melanesian Mis-
sion." Norfolk Island is the most southern point of this mission,
although not originally comprehended in it.
"These islands are inhabited by a perfectly distinct race of people
from the olive-coloured, straight-haired Malay population of the ad-
joining tract of Polynesia. They lie between 150° and 170° east
long., and between the equator and the tropic of Capricorn and
together with Australia and New Guinea, on account of the dark
skin of the inhabitants received from the French the name of
Melanesia."-Island Mission, page 1, reprinted from Mission Life.
291
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
bled at my house, and remained some hours engaged in
edifying conversation and singing, which greatly pleased
the reverend gentleman.
cr
Saturday 5th.-Fine weather this morning, the Rev.
Mr. Patteson returned on board, and the Bishop and
Mrs. Selwyn came on shore. We, as it may be sup-
posed, gave them a hearty welcome, and Government
House being vacant, it was appropriated to their use
during their stay. In the evening the people assembled
at the Bishop's residence, and were much pleased to
find that a bishop could condescend to men of low
estate. Myself busied at home preparing a sermon for
the occasion, not polishing it, but endeavouring to set
forth the duties of pastor and people; I trust it
answered the intention, I am sure I earnestly prayed
that it might.
"Sunday 6th.-Divine service twice, with the sacra-
ment of the Lord's Supper. At the morning service I
read prayers, and the Bishop preached a most effective
sermon, it was almost extemporary. Afternoon, the
Bishop read prayers, and mine was the sermon. After
service the Sunday school was assembled for the first
time since our arrival. The Bishop took one class, Mrs.
Selwyn another, and Mr. Harper, who accompanied the
bishop, took a third, the other classes were attended by
their usual teachers. The classes gave entire satisfac-
tion. In the evening many of our people went to listen
to the Bishop's very instructive conversation.
66
Monday 7th.-Fine weather, the Bishop and myself
went through the prisons and other departments of the
Convict Establishment, but no sound was there of good
CHAP. VI.
295
MR. NOBBS'S DIARY.
or evil. They were merely dreadful mementoes of the
past. Still it was harrowing to pass through the bar-
riers of wood and stone, and to be continually stepping
on bolts and shackles, and using much strength to
swing on their hinges the ponderous doors of cells and
dungeons, which when closed were impervious to the
light of day. And it seemed to me that even the very
air was forbidden to enter, except in very insufficient
quantities. Oh! these were irrefragable proofs of the
depravity of the nature of man! that being whom God
made upright, but whose rebellious perverseness brought
upon himself tribulation and wrath to the uttermost.
In the evening the Bishop held a public meeting, in
which the interests of the community, temporal and
spiritual, were discussed; his Lordship also appealed
to our sympathies in regard to the heathen, especially
those among the islands he is now about to visit. A pro-
posal was also made by him, that we should receive a
few children from these islands into our families, and
teach them the principles of the Christian religion and
industrious habits, so that in a few years they might
return to their native land and instruct others. I see
no objection to our receiving a few children among us
to be civilized, as far as civilization has obtained here.
I have consented to have one child under my roof, and
will do all I can for its welfare, by God's help.
CC
Tuesday, 8th.-Weather very fine. By request the
Bishop performed divine service, and then prepared to
take his departure. Mrs. Selwyn, not enjoying good
health, is to remain with us until the Bishop's return,
and I am glad Mrs. Selwyn is going to stay among us
296
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
for a time; her instruction and example will be of
much use to our girls. Jemima Young and my daughter
Jane will reside with her. After dinner, went over to
the Cascades with the Bishop; the boat from the vessel
was in waiting. The Bishop told the two seamen to
come on shore and look about them for an hour, and he
himself and one of our people took the oars to pull on
board. Of course, the Bishop was not permitted to
retain his place at the oar, one of our lads relieving
him; but I am told that he frequently pulls an oar in
his boating expeditions among the islanders-swims
through a heavy surf-travels sometimes barefoot, and
without attendants, among the untamed natives--who
view with astonishment and respect his fearless but
conciliatory deportment. Towards evening the 'Southern
Cross' pursued her errand of mercy. May the apostolic
labours of the good Bishop be crowned with success!
"We find that fires in the dwelling-houses are quite
necessary, but firewood must be brought from a long
distance. At present, we use the decayed portions of
fences, but we shall soon have to go farther a-field.
Mrs. Selwyn and myself are much engaged in pre-
paring the people for the rite of confirmation, which
the Bishop intends to confer on his return. The
school is kept as it was on Pitcairn Island. Francis
Nobbs is the schoolmaster, and I attend four hours.
every day. Mrs. Selwyn also comes daily to instruct
the elder girls of the school in grammar, geography,
&c. She is most diligent and condescending. It will
be a public loss when she leaves us.
66
August 19th.—Cloudy weather. Killed a bull yester-
CHAP. VI.
297
MRS. NOBBS'S IMPRESSIONS.
day, which was served out to the families in proportion
to their size. The farmers are employed in breaking
up ground with the plough for planting maize; the
dairymen have received orders to keep all the milk-
except a small quantity for the use of the sick and
infants--for the purpose of making butter. This will
be a great privation, as the children will drink tea
without sugar, if they have milk to mix with the tea.
The biscuit being very inferior, and the allowance
small, we need some milk to make it spin out. It is
better to go without butter than without milk, and
I shall request the magistrate to rescind the order,—at
any rate, as far as my own family is concerned, and any
others who are of the same way of thinking. Many of
the community are looking back to their Pitcairn, I should
fear, with regret. My wife dreams of it every night."
The following extracts from a letter written by
Mrs. Nobbs gives her impressions of their new home:-
"Norfolk Island, September, 1856.
"After a passage of five weeks we arrived here, and
Janded on Sunday, June 8th, amid squalls of rain,
which thoroughly drenched us; but Captain Denham
who was here, had fires prepared and tea ready for us,
so that we soon got as comfortable as we could possibly
be, in to us such a bewildering place. Everything was
so strange; the immense houses, the herds of cattle
grazing, and in the distance the gigantic Norfolk pines,
filled us for the moment with amazement.
conducted by Mr. Steward to the Government House,
and seated by a good fire in the drawing-room (I have
learned that name since), which was the first fire I had
I was
298
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
ever seen in a dwelling-house, and an excellent addition
to my previous ideas of domestic comfort.
"The island is not to be compared for fertility with
the one we have left, but being much larger there is
more room for our children to branch out upon; but I
think there are few would not return (and I one of the
number) if an opportunity offered. My husband is
much annoyed at these expressions of our feelings, and
declares that he will never leave Norfolk Island. He
is positive that the land is a good land, and that before
twelve months we shall be of his opinion. Well, I
hope this may be the case, but bad or good, so long as
he makes it his home of course it will be mine, and
seeing him so contented and confident, has for certain
a good effect upon us all. . .
"The place is not nearly so well wooded and watered
as we thought to have found it, and to a community
like this, who although at Pitcairn they were some-
times straitened in the staple articles of food, had
generally something of an inferior kind to fall back
upon, the prospect that in two months from this they
will be without bread, flour, or any one thing that will
answer for a substitute, is not very encouraging. The
island, for spontaneous fertility, is not to be compared
with the spot we have left, but yet I am sure the land
is a good land, and will provide all we need when we
get the means of planting."
This next extract is from a letter written by the
Rev. Mr. Patteson, chaplain to the Bishop Selwyn, to
his sister, relating their arrival at the island:-

Sertched by Gløv
son
J
Settlement of the Pitcairn Islanders
SYDNEY BAY :
NORFOLK ISLAND
as seen riom (a) in the plan.
CHAP. VI.
299
LETTER FROM MR. PATTESON.
"Mr. Nubbs's House, Norfolk Island,
"July 5th, 1856.
"I know you will feel interested in receiving a note
written from among the Pitcairners in Norfolk Island.
Yesterday we sailed up to the island, saw no signs of
people being on it, and thought they were not yet
come; but at 4 P.M. a boat came off through the
swell, manned by six men. As they neared us we
saw they were not English,-too dark coloured. They
came up, jumped on deck, and we shook hands
heartily. Familiar names,-John Quintal, Frederick
Young, John Nobbs (son of the clergyman), &c.
"The Bishop and Mrs. Selwyn, intending to come
ashore to-day, sent me off with them. I landed at
4.30-the Pitcairners working their boat through the
surf admirably—met Mr. Nobbs and family, and plenty
of men and women, thirty families, sixty married
people, and 134 children and young men and women
in all. I had tea at Mr. Nobbs's house, and afterwards
asked to hear some of the young people sing, which
they did beautifully, in parts; about twenty-four came
to his house, and sang, for two hours and a half,
psalms, hymns, and ended with 'God save the Queen,'
admirably sung. The simple, modest, and manly
behaviour, the gentle look of all, men and women,
everything about them quite confirms all that I had
read. I enjoyed the evening exceedingly.
"The settlement at the s.E. corner of Norfolk Island
contains eighteen or twenty houses of brick, with
verandahs, nice gardens, and paddocks, and plenty of
good grass for cows and sheep; there is, besides, a large
300
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
building formerly the barracks. The men are darker
than Italians; as dark as some of the lighter coloured
Maories occasionally, but no shade of black,-it is
more of the bright copper colour. The women are
scarcely distinguishable from English women, and most
of the young women are nice looking. They seem to
marry early, about twenty years of age for the men,
and eighteen for the women—and there are but eight or
nine surnames in the island. They seem a fine healthy
race of people in all respects. The men wear shirts,
serge jerseys, and a sailor costume in general, many
without shoes or socks; the women are chiefly dressed
in loose kind of robes, all modest and quiet, but without
any appearance of fear, just the kind of simple easy
manners you would expect. The village is very pretty,
but they find it cold after Pitcairn's Isle. Norfolk
Island pines, geraniums, other flowers, and semi-
tropical plants grow around the houses, and behind
them the ground ascends sharply to a height of about
100 feet, the whole island undulating ground, and full
of valleys, gullies, &c. Mr. Nobbs gave me two nails
made by the Pitcairners out of an iron bolt from the
'Bounty.' I gave them an 80 lb. chest of tea, which
cost only 90s. in Sydney, and the best tea procurable
there.
They all have the dress of poor people, with the
feelings of those gentle-born and nurtured. Two of
John Adams's daughters, the oldest people on the
island, are really magnificent women, like queens; old
Hannah, with long black hair flowing almost to her
waist, though sixty-five years old. John Adams gave
.
CHAP. VI.
301
MRS. SELWYN'S REMARKS.
}
me a hymn for Good Friday, composed and written by
his grandfather, John Adams, the mutineer; an in-
teresting relic."
Mrs. Selwyn remained in the island while the
Bishop and his chaplain pursued their missionary
labours. She makes the following interesting obser-
vations with regard to the people among whom she
sojourned.
'It was settled the next day, upon the people
seconding the proposal, that I should remain, with a
warm invitation, that I was to be left while the
'Southern Cross' goes on to Melanesia into the hot
latitudes. A special object was the preparation of
the young people under Mr. Nobbs's direction for con-
firmation, besides the daily school, which was soon to
be recommenced. Other ways of usefulness were before
any one who should be competent to put the women
in the way of using all their novelties, and to bring
them on in orderly household ways, which tell so much
upon the character of a community. A methodical
housewife, learned in all matters of domestic economy,
would be invaluable to the women at this fresh start,
but I hardly felt equal to the occasion. However, so it
was to be, and the Southern Cross' was to sail
upon
the morrow. The Bishop walked over the island then,
with some others, but all in seven-leagued boots, which
prevented my joining them, and admiring with them
the pretty little island, with its wonderful vegetation.
There is no great variety of wood; the pine is universal
and rather wearisome when unmixed with other trees.
Lemons also are in abundance, and in the valleys.
C
302
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY,'
the tree-fern adds much to the beauty of the
scenery."
[ י,
"When the Pitcairners first came to Norfolk Island
they were received by a select body of the former staff,
who had been left in charge of the property, and partly
to instruct the new comers in the use of it. A flock of
sheep, a herd of cattle, ploughs, teams, and carts were
made over to them accordingly. Each selected his
pursuit. Some took to the sheep, some to butchering,
some to farming, some to the dairy. Gardening was
not included, and as they do not seem to have notions
themselves beyond a yam plantation or a potato ground
(how should they?), the gardens, formerly the glory
of this island, began to look most deplorable. As yet,
however, they hardly look at home in their new abodes,
and perhaps being an out-of-door generation, and not
very sensitive about appearances, they never will. The
houses are detached, nearly all of stone; the vestibule
opens into four dark and nearly empty rooms, whose
chief furniture is neat beds covered with tapa, and the
store of children who sleep in the same. Every one,
young and old, gives you a peculiarly pleasant greeting
if he meets you, and the heartiest welcome into the
house. Towards evening the preparation for the great
evening meal is going on,-a serious affair, for they
have but two in the day, and at this more beef is
consumed than a labouring man in Devonshire sees in
his house from year's end to year's end. Still, the
elderly people are to be pitied a little in the change
they have made-the women especially; they miss
1 'Island Mission,' p. 100. Extract from the 'Melanesian Mission.'
CHAP. VI.
303
MRS. SELWYN'S REMARKS.
their almost tropical sun, they long for yams, and do
not like beef; moreover, they cannot hear one another
in the lofty rooms, and they miss the concentration of
their society which they enjoyed at Pitcairn. There
are only eight surnames among them, five of the
Bounty' stock and three new comers. The whole of the
original set of course are dead, but eight of the second
generation remain, and more than 190 souls besides.
،
"There are about forty-four children at the school,
and a considerable fry at home, too young to come.
The nomenclature gradually increases in splendour
from the Dollys and Dinahs of early days up to the
Lorenzos and Alfonzos, Evangelines and Victorias of
the present time. But truly, while the Quintals and
Christians are so numerous it is well to have a dis-
tinguishing pendant in the first name, and from their
numerous intermarriages they all seem to be in a state
of relationship which it is beyond a stranger to dis-
entangle. The families are so large that they may
soon outgrow this island also, and if they continue to
carry on their former plan of subdividing property
among all, the portions will soon be no bigger than a
pinch of snuff a-piece."
Mrs. Selwyn continues, "It is observable that no one,
to prove perhaps their Tahitian descent, pronounces
the letter 's' at the end of a word if it can be avoided;
but this is balanced by a vigorous demonstration of
their English in their saying 'mischievious' and 'sub-
stract' as naturally and pleasantly as any children at a
national school. No children can be more pleasing
than these, in that they often have but one garment,
301
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY."'
and are barefoot, and sit upon their heels. They so
often remind me of the Maories that it is a continual
surprise to find them so ready to answer and so
respectful. But then they have advantages unknown
to our poor little natives; for they are trained to be
obedient, and are corrected when they do wrong, and
are kept in subjection to their elders. They are chiefly
pale, dark-eyed little mortals, though some have more
of the English type about them. The women wear
generally a dark-coloured petticoat, and on that a short
loose frock gathered into a band round the throat, and
usually white; their glossy hair is always neat, braided
in front, and made up into a peculiar knot of their own
invention behind. On Sundays several nice gowns are
to be seen, and a small sprinkling of bonnets. They
looked so much nicer without anything, or with the
white handkerchief they otherwise wear, that as the
fashionable world seems to be fast learning to do
without bonnets, it is a pity that the Pitcairners
should now take to them to their own disadvan-
tage."
Bishop Selwyn shortly afterwards returned to the
island, and held a confirmation. The following extracts
from the diary of Mr. Nobbs relate this important
event in the religious history of the Pitcairners.
"Thursday, September 4th, 1856.-At 3 P.M. a sail
was announced off the Cascades. Towards evening she
was ascertained to be a schooner. No doubt the vera
'Southern Cross.'
66
Friday, 5th.-The schooner off the settlement, with
the flag of peace flying at the main.
One of our
1
CHAP. VI.
305
FIRST CONFIRMATION.
5
canoes went on board. It being somewhat rough, the
schooner went round to the Cascades, where the Bishop
landed.
CC
Saturday, 6th.—Weather calm and clear. Arranged
the community in classes, preparatory to the Bishop's
examining them, which he is busily engaged upon.
Sunday, 7th.—This has been a red letter day, and
66
may, I think, be justly termed a high day, in which
the Christian Passover, and confirmatory admission into
the Christian Church, have been observed with a sin-
cerity of purpose and a degree of devotional feeling
similar to that of the Israelite of old when he came
before the Lord to perform the vital and significant
obligation which the God of his fathers had commanded
him. There was, however, the vast difference between
the divinely appointed and prospective ceremonies and
our equally divine and completed institution. Theirs
were the shadow of good things to come, ours are the
invigorating memories of Him to whom all the prophets
bore witness, the Lamb of God slain from the founda-
tion of the world.
"All yesterday and the previous evening the Bishop
had been engaged in the examination of the cate-
chumens, formed into nine classes, and finding them
competent to the wise and consistent requirements of
the church, his Lordship determined to perform the
scriptural rite of confirmation this afternoon. The
morning service commenced at the usual time, myself
officiating. At the conclusion of the second lesson the
Bishop administered the Sacrament of Baptism to the
infant child of John Adams the second. What would
X
306
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
have been the feelings of John Adams the first, could
he have seen this day!
'The sermon concluded, the holy eucharist (it being
the first Sunday in the month) was administered to
sixty communicants, the Bishop presenting the bread,
myself the wine. After the departure of the congrega-
tion the Bishop, Mr. Patteson, and myself, with old
Arthur Quintal, were for some time employed in placing
stools in front of the chancel, for the accommodation of
those about to be confirmed. At half-past three the
afternoon service commenced. The candidates were
first called by name, and arranged on the before-
mentioned stools, the women on the right hand range
or tier, the men on the left. It was, in truth, not only
an impressive but pleasing scene. The men were
arranged in good black or blue coats, with white panta-
loons, and shoes and stockings. The women wore
loose white frocks or tunics, and instead of bonnets,
which many do wear on a Sunday, was substituted a
snowy white handkerchief doubled triangularly, with-
out any attempt at adornment, simply placed on the
head, and tied with a half knot under the chin. The
costume associated well with the occasion, and the
subdued demeanour of the whole congregation was in
excellent keeping with the sober light from the church
windows that by a process of some sort had been for-
merly rendered semi-opaque, in order that certain
classes of the convict congregations might not, by signs
or otherwise, correspond with their partners in iniquity,
who were under solitary discipline in the adjoining prison
yard. Well, I repeat it was a most interesting sight,
1
CHAP. VI.
307
CONFIRMATION.
and one which I had often desired, but never expected,
to see fulfilled. The women arranged in rows in their
white habiliments looked like nuns, but I was well
aware that went no farther than the outward appear-
ance; they were also as barefooted as Carmelites,
not from any superstitious penchant, but merely because
they had no shoes. Everything being placed in order
by the good Bishop, the evening service was read by
the Rev. Mr. Patteson. After another excellent sermon
by his Lordship, illustrating the duties of Christian
professors, the confirmation began by ten persons
standing up in parallel rows of five each, without
stepping from the place where they had been seated,
when, having listened attentively to the preface and
questions put by the Bishop, they, with becoming
earnestness, severally answered, 'I do.' By a motion of
the Bishop's hand they resumed their seats, and ten
others rose, and so on in like order until all had been
questioned and responded. They then in similar order
came up to the front of the altar, and kneeling,
received the imposition of hands. I am sure it would
have gratified our many friends could they have been
present, and seen parents kneeling by the side of their
children. Many of these were also parents, and in one
instance a great-grandmother was accompanied by
grand-daughters, three of whom had families of their
own; the fourth was unmarried, it having pleased
God to summon hence the young man to whom she had
been affianced. Yes, I am sure our Christian friends
would have experienced unmitigated pleasure to have
seen the aged and the young renewing and ratifying
X 2
308
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
their Christian obligations in the name of the Lord,
from whom cometh our help. Before the conclusion it
became nearly dark in the church, and the Bishop was
obliged to repair to the outer door in order to dis-
tinguish the names of the persons on the certificates of
confirmation. The Bishop himself delivered them, first
taking each person by the hand, and using the Christian
name of each, asked God's blessing on them. And then
the members of the various families returned to their
respective homes well pleased and edified."
CHAP. VII.
309
REGRETS FOR PITCAIRN.
CHAPTER VII
CORRESPONDENCE OF REV. G. H. NOBBS WITH ADMIRAL SIR
FAIRFAX MORESBY, K.C.B., RELATIVE TO NORFOLK ISLAND
AND THE WHALE FISHERY VISIT OF HIS EXCELLENCY SIR
W. DENISON HIS OPINION OF THE PITCAIRN PEOPLE - DIREC-
TIONS RELATIVE TO LIVE STOCK, AND THE CULTIVATION OF
LAND LETTER FROM JANE NOBBS - VISIT OF SIR J. YOUNG
- BISHOP PATTESON ATTACKED BY THE NATIVES OF SANTA
CRUZ - MASSACRE OF FISHER YOUNG AND EDWIN NObbs.
WE must make some observations previous to inserting
a letter from Mr. Nobbs, at the date of which, the
Pitcairn Islanders had been located one year and a
half on Norfolk Island.
Although the pastor and his family appreciated on
the whole the advantages they enjoyed by the change,
others felt differently, and especially two families of
the name of Young. They were probably more delicate
in constitution than the rest of their friends and rela-
tives; the climate did not suit them, and the new
system of diet was prejudicial to their health. They
missed bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts, the milk of which
was essential for their children as well as themselves.
The unaccustomed labour of keeping roads and large
houses in order was to them intolerable. They drooped
in spirits and their strength declined; in fact, they
pined for their native island.
Though Mr. Nobbs and his family were determined
310
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE ·
BOUNTY.'
to be contented in their new state of life, he could
not prevail on the two families which we have men-
tioned to take the same view of their position, and
therefore commences the following letter with some
asperity :-
1
To Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby, K.C.B., and Lady
Moresby.
"Norfolk Island, January 1st, 1858.
"Some simpletons are meditating a return to Pit-
cairn. It must be admitted that Norfolk Island does
not, according to our experience, deserve the unqualified
encomiums so lavishly bestowed upon it by transient
visitors or unreflecting officials, who, surveying the
trim grass - plots before each house, occasionally by
permission taking a stroll in the two Government
gardens, and drawing their rations from an imported
commissariat, would be likely to overlook the immense
labour by which the lawns and gardens were kept in
existence during the summer months; and, moreover,
that three crops out of every five of Indian corn fail
from insects and drought, although attended by almost
as many men as there are acres planted. This, then,
is the true statement of the case. Norfolk Island is
most fertile when irrigated, but from the paucity of
running water and the infrequency of rain many pro-
mising crops become abortive. Nevertheless it is quite
possible to live here very comfortably, and I and my
married children have let go our best bowers with a
long scope, and having plenty of room to swing clear
1 Since created Admiral of the Fleet.
CHAP. VII.
311
PROSPECTS AND EVENTS.
of our neighbour's buoys, are busily employed making
ourselves at home. The prospect is vastly better than
at Pitcairn, but even were it not so a principle of
gratitude would retain me and mine. My son Francis
and some of the more intelligent of the community are
employed in laying out the lands into fifty-acre lots,
agreeably to the directions of Sir W. Denison, who is
very much interested in our welfare, and is, I believe,
going to send a surveyor to inspect the divisions and
confirm the allotments (one to each family) in fee
simple. The unappropriated portion of the island is
to be specially reserved for the rising generation; and
a rapidly rising one it is, for there is an increase of
fifteen during the past year."
Extract from another letter of Mr. Nobbs', dated
November 1st, 1858, giving an account of the whale
fishing, and also of the drought to which Norfolk Island
is subject:--
Some of the seeds you so kindly sent me I planted
during the winter season, and they are growing very
well; the savoys are superb, and the Brussels sprouts
are excellent. The sea kale and the asparagus have
not thriven so well. The other seeds I have reserved
for planting as soon as I obtain my allotment. I
want them to remain permanently where I place them
as I am not sure they will bear transplanting. When
I enter upon my possession I am going to take the
liberty of calling it Killerton, and by that name shall
have it inserted in the map of the island, and by that
name bequeath it to my children. Our people are now
busily engaged in killing hump-back whales, and have
312
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
succeeded in securing 120 barrels of oil; but it is
somewhat dangerous work. Whether it will be re-
munerative remains to be shown. If they can by some
such course of industry procure the means to purchase
flour or biscuits for half the year we shall do very well.
For though our agricultural pursuits are not all neg-
lected, the long continued droughts of summer are a
sad drawback upon our crops. At this present moment
the Indian corn, sweet potatoes, and whatever else we
have in the ground is suffering from drought, and if
rain does not fall soon we shall lose the whole crop;
even now we are on short allowance of vegetable food,
and were it not for some flour and biscuit the Bishop
of New Zealand purchased, with the proceeds of a
quantity of young pine-trees which he kindly took
thither for us, we should be in poor case as to the
result of our own exertions. But our covenant God,
who is ever a very present help in time of trouble, will
be our refuge and strength; therefore, we will not
fear."
November of the same year, 1858, two families of the
name of Young returned to Pitcairn in a trading vessel
which they hired for that purpose.
In a letter from Mr. Nobbs, dated March 25th, 1859,
he says:-
"At present there is no prospect of any others.
returning. But I believe if the next whaling season
be successful several families will engage some small
craft or other to convey them to Pitcairn. I and mine
will remain, if it pleases God, and do all I can to
induce others to follow my example. So well are my

By Glen Wilson, Esq.
INTERIOR OF NORFOLK ISLAND
CHAP. VII.
313
LETTER FROM SIR W. DENISON.
determinations known, that no one can speak to me
about going back, and I am glad to say a few families
are encouraged in their desire to remain from the
decided step I have taken.
"The land is a goodly land, and needs nothing but
a contented mind, a persevering spirit, and a grateful
heart, to render it productive and pleasant."
The next communication is from His Excellency Sir
W. Denison, Governor-General of New South Wales, in
which jurisdiction Norfolk Island is included. It was
written on his voyage back to Sydney, and in it he
relates the settlement on the island of a schoolmaster;
describes the profits of the whale fishery; and deems
it indispensable that the funds arising from this and
other sources should be placed in more competent
hands than those of the magistrate, who was too liable
to be imposed on by the traders who touched at the
island:
"MY DEAR ADMIRAL,
"H.M.S. 'Cordelia,' July 7th, 1859.
"I told you in my last letter what I was about to
do with the men sent out to me for Norfolk Island. I
must now give you some account of the state of the
island itself, from which I am now returning.
<
"I embarked on board the Cordelia' on the 16th
June, and had a rough passage of eight days to the
island. I had despatched a schooner with the new
settlers on the 13th, and found that they had arrived
but one day before me. They had been kindly wel-
comed by the people, most of whom were busily engaged
in shipping their oil on board the schooner which I had
314
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY,'
chartered. I found that the great proportion of the
people were well satisfied with their position and pros-
pects. Thirty-three of the men had associated them-
selves, and by clubbing their means had purchased two
boats and whaling gear from an American whaler. They
had then gone energetically into the business of bay
whaling, and had killed whales enough to furnish four-
teen tons of oil, which at present prices may be worth
nearly 5007. This success has given them a stimulus,
and they have now four boats and the necessary gear;
are looking anxiously for the approach of the whales ;
and expect to reap a good harvest from them this year.
I have warned them that they must not expect to be so
successful hereafter, for that the whales will, as is the
case on the coast of Australia and Van Diemen's Land,
desert a spot where they are constantly chased; but I
am very glad that they have been stimulated to active.
exertion, for the energy which takes them after the
whales will, when these are gone, find some field for its
exertion on the island itself. Some have already com-
menced to manufacture dripstones, which sell well in
the adjacent colonies; some have commenced the manu-
facture of soap; others are looking forward to a profit-
able trade with new Zealand in oranges and lemons; in
fact, as regards the men, I am satisfied with their
progress. I wish I could say the same with regard
to the women; they, with one or two exceptions, do
not appear to me nearly so civilised as the men. They
approach nearer the Tahitian type; and, as we must.
look to the women to give the first tone to the children,
I should wish to see a great improvement in manner,
CHAP. VII.
315
VISIT OF SIR W. DENISON.
appearance, and information.
I trust, however, that
Mr. Rossiter's presence will do a great deal for them.
Hitherto the school has been but a trifling advantage,
but now that Mr. Rossiter has taken it in hand I have
a right to expect a great change for the better. I
have arranged with him to take three pupil teachers,
to whom he is to give an extra hour's instruction daily.
He is to make the school to a certain extent industrial,
to give the children a garden as a reward for industry,
and to bestow prizes, not for the purpose of exciting
emulation but as a reward to all who do their work
well. The pupil-teachers at the end of four years will,
if they behave well, have some useful gift made to
them, such as a cow or calf. The girls will have
instruction in needle-work, &c., as I propose to pay
out of the school fees the salary of a schoolmistress,
who will attend in the afternoon for a couple of hours,
and who will be aided by Mrs. Rossiter and her sisters.
I found that two families had gone back to Pitcairn
Island, and I heard that three more were contemplating a
similar move. At a general meeting of the people I
spoke strongly to them, pointing out to them the folly,
nay the sin, which they were committing in throwing
aside for themselves as well as for their children the
means of living which had been provided for them, and
I warned them that I should not in any way counte-
nance or assist them in removing; that I should put a
condition of residence in the grant of land which I was
prepared to make to them, and should prohibit any
alienation of this land to any but inhabitants of the
island. I felt the more bound to do this as I found
316
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
that the magistrates and Mr. Nobbs had, in the case of
the people who had left, been weak enough to agree to
pay to the captain of a schooner a sum of 600l. as the
passage-money of sixty adults to Pitcairn, and had given
him bills for 3007. on their agent at Sydney, which he
claimed when only sixteen went down instead of sixty.
This money, I may observe, was the value of the wool
and hides sold, and was the property of the Government.
I have now taken the administration of the public funds
out of the hands of the magistrates, and given it to
the storekeeper, who is only to act as far as regards
drawing bills upon the wool, &c., by my directions.
"The island is now marked off in fifty-acre allot-
ments, and I propose to send down the deeds of grant
when I have settled the form and conditions, and
arranged a simple system of registration, and forms of
sale, mortgage, &c. I looked out for a place where it
might be possible to haul up a small schooner of say
50-70 tons, and I think we might manage this without
much difficulty in a bay to the east of the island, until
the inhabitants can secure some regular means of com-
munication with the adjacent colonies, their progress
will be but slow.
"I look forward to the time when Norfolk Island
will become the St. Michael's of New Zealand, Tas-
mania, and Melbourne. Lemons are indigenous, and
form the best stock upon which the orange can be
grafted. I have sent down several of the best descrip-
tions of orange, and shall supply them with shaddock
and other fruits of the same kind. Mr. Rossiter is, I
am glad to find, a good gardener.
CHAP. VII.
317
DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLANDERS.
"I am writing under the disadvantage of being just
above the screw, but I would not postpone my letter
till my return to Sydney, as I shall probably have
much to do, and to write before the departure of the
mail.
“Believe me, yours very truly,
"W. DENISON.
"I have given Mr. Nobbs 507. per annum out of the
revenue of the island, in addition to the 507. which he
receives from the Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel. He is fairly entitled to this, and I trust
the Secretary of State will sanction the payment."
In a former letter to Admiral Moresby, Sir William
observes:
"Your son has taken many photographic likenesses
of the people. When I saw them together at a public
meeting I was struck with their general appearance,
and gave them credit for being a fine race.
There are
not many instances of beauty, but many of good looks,
and the shape of the head is good in nearly all. He
has furnished me with some specimens of his work,
which I am going to send to England. He was in
great request at Norfolk Island.”
Extract of a letter from Mr. Nobbs, which gives an
interesting account of the occurrences at Norfolk Island
for the year 1859 :—
"Norfolk Island, October 10th, 1859.
"The affairs of last year, although my letters did
not arrive, will, I presume, have been communicated
to you by our beloved Fortescue, whom I have en-
deavoured to keep au fait in Norfolk Island matters.
318
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNRY.'
Our people succeeded in taking 120 barrels of oil last
year, 100 of which was sent to Sydney, and realized
2407. This money has just been sent down to us, but
will not much more than cover the expense of the
getting and fitting out of last season, and the cost of new
boats, lines, casks, &c., for the establishment on a larger
scale this year. We have now four boats well equipped,
and which require twenty-four men to work them.
The whaling season is just now commencing. Last
week they killed three large cow-whales, but they sank
immediately (a common case), and we feared they were
totally lost; however, we have had a sharp look-out on
the hill, and at this very moment the news has come
over from the Cascades, and now the boats are off, one
of them having risen to the surface. She will be towed
in, being some five miles distance from the land. I
suspect the sharks have been banquetting. We have
now some hope of recovering the others; a day or two
will decide. In the melée last week we had one boat
smashed, but the boat's crew would not cut from the
whale, although there was a hole in the fore-part of the
boat big enough for a man to go through. They all went
aft into the stern sheets, and, spite of the kicking and
fighting of the whale, held on till the other boats came
to their assistance, which was scarcely done when the
broken boat, being full of water, rolled over bottom
up. In that boat I had three sons and two sons-in-
law. I remonstrated with these for their rashness,
but they seemed to think there was no very great
danger.
"In the month of December last, two families num-
1
I
CHAP. VII.
319
OCCURRENCES IN 1858-9.
1
bering sixteen persons, four only of whom were over
fifteen years of age, returned to Pitcairn, and we have
not yet heard anything concerning them. Two or three
other families seemed determined to go if an oppor-
tunity offers; and since they show such dogged and
wilful ingratitude, I have left off dissuading them. I
and mine will remain, if it please God; most grateful
that we have so goodly an heritage.
heritage. The season has
been very favourable, and we have plenty of Indian
corn and sweet potatoes, with fish, milk, and butter.
Irish potatoes will not thrive; would they do so, whale
ships would supply us with almost everything we
needed. Flour we must also import.
"There has been very little sickness amongst the
community; the most are becoming contented, and,
consequently, comfortable. Mr. Rossiter is, I think,
just such a man as was needed, industrious in school
and out, and very unassuming. The miller and mason
are cultivating their allotments. They have not yet
commenced working at their respective callings, but I
presume they will soon.
"H.M.S.Niger' was here two weeks ago, bringing
a large quantity of articles purchased by Sir Wm.
Denison for opening a store under the direction of
Mr. Rossiter, who is to charge ten per cent. on the
prime cost of the articles to cover contingencies. Could
Lady Moresby have seen the opening day, she would
have been both amused and gratified. The only expen-
sive thing is flour, which at the present time is very
dear at Sydney. Sir William has taken the control of
the sheep into his own hands; the wool is to be sent
320
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
to Sydney for the benefit of the community, the pro-
ceeds therefrom being placed in the bank with the
consent of the Governor, whose signature must be
affixed to the drafts. This is to prevent Her Majesty's
Royal Bounty being perverted to uses for which it
never was designed, and right glad am I that Sir
William Denison has been pleased to use such a wise
precaution. From this fund His Excellency allows me
507. a year, which, though an unexpected, is a welcome
addition to my stipend from the S. P. G. I can, by
sailing close to the wind, make 50l. a year suffice-
with a trifle that comes to my share from trading
with whalers (which, of course, my sons transact for
me) for clothing and other articles of importation for my
family, which consists of fifteen persons actually re-
siding under my roof-and I have written to Mr.
Arthur Mills, who most kindly invited me to do so,
to know whether, should my health be spared for a
few years longer, my stipend from the S. P. G. would
suffice to purchase an annuity for the time when life
shall become a burden. My 60th year will be com-
pleted on the 16th of this month, and, of course, in a
few years, humanly speaking, I shall be laid up on the
shelf, and the last move I desire to make on life's
chequered board, is to obtain an annuity of 507. for the
days of helpless senility. As I suppose my stipend
from the society will cease with my services, and that
portion I am to receive from the wool will, of course,
go to my successor, I shall be without resources, and
I have an Englishman's horror of dependence.
*
*
*
CHAP. VII.
321
JANE NOBBS' SUITORS.
A certain Mr. King, the commander of a whale
ship out of Sydney, has proposed for Jane, and she,
with the consent of her mother and myself, is inclined
to accept him. I know nothing of the young man,
beyond his occasional visits of a few days when touch-
ing here for supplies. I wrote to Forty, requesting
him to make inquiries, which he promptly did. The
result of which was, that King, when second mate and
mate, had been a wild chap, but since he had become
master he had conducted himself very satisfactorily.
We expect him here next December, when, if he has
been successful, he will return to Sydney; and the
owners have promised to give him a better ship than
the one he now commands. He will probably return
in March or April next, when, I suppose, if nothing
transpires to the disadvantage of the young man, the
wedding will take place. Now, as Jane's dearest and
best of friends, you will anxiously inquire, why does
not the silly girl marry one of her own people. Well,
the reasons are not very reconcileable, and may be
answered very briefly. In the first place, there are
but two men near Jane's age unmarried. One of these
is of deficient intellect, and the other is of so taciturn a
disposition that he would scarcely speak for months, if
not spoken to; in fact, no girl ever expects Robert
Buffs to make them an offer. Jane is now 23
Jane is now 23 years of
age, and any of the lads four or five years younger than
herself would be rejected with contempt. I suppose if
she don't marry an Englishman or an American—and
she has had offers from both-she will remain single.
The matter is a source of anxiety both to my good
Y
322
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
wife and myself, and Forty seems quite averse to the
match. However, I will use all prudence, with a prayer-
ful attention to my duty as a parent, and will then leave
the result to Him who has graciously said, 'I will pour
my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine
offspring.""
Letter from his Excellency, Sir W. Denison to Rear-
Admiral Moresby, relating to the management of the
island resources:—
"Government House, December 28th, 1859.
"The step which I have taken of placing the sheep,
&c., which belong to the Government in the hands of
the storekeeper, and only allowing him to kill a certain
number, whose carcases he is to sell and account for,
will, by compelling the people to work, in order to get
money to purchase, stimulate their industry.
"You must not expect too much from these people,
they are uneducated, and though simple and kind-
hearted, have exactly the same passions and feelings as
other men.
66
Temptation has been kept from them, but should it
come upon them, their very ignorance will make it more
difficult for them to resist it. All that we can do is to
strengthen their intellects, while at the same time we
give them good and sound principles to guide them.
They will then be in a position to fight against the
temptations to which they must necessarily be exposed.
The question of a successor to Nobbs will be a difficult
one; the inducement which we can offer is but small—
a house, some land, 507. per annum from the Island Fund,
and perhaps 507. from the Society for the Propagation
CHAP. VII.
323
LETTERS OF SIR W. DENISON.
of the Gospel. I confess, however, that I should gladly
see a tithe imposed on the inhabitants, or rather such
a tax as would not press unfairly on the industrious,
the proceeds of which would be applied to the support
of the clergyman and schoolmaster. We must wait for
this, however.
"Believe me, yours very truly,
"W. DENISON."
1
Sir W. Denison speaks in another place of the
Pitcairn people in the following terms:-
“The opinion I formed at first of their kindness and
amiability I am, on further acquaintance, quite willing
to confirm, and to attribute it to something better than
a mere kindliness of disposition, in fact, to the opera-
tion of religion on their hearts. Then the apathy and
listlessness which I was disposed at first to impute to a
positive disinclination to work, I now believe to be the
result of ignorance, and of the absence of sufficient in-
ducement to labour. Their only object now is to obtain
a supply of food for themselves and their families, and
when their potatoes are hoed, they feel they have nothing
else to do. I asked myself, whether, if I had all that
I could wish for, without any effort on my part, I should
work for the mere love of work, and I was obliged to
reply that I should not; this has hitherto been the
case with these poor people.
"The gift of land in fee-simple, the obligation of
fencing it, the necessity of finding the means of pur-
chasing much which they hitherto have received gra-
1
Varieties of Vice-Regal Life," p. 414.
Y 2
321
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
tuitously, will give rise to new wants and offer nume-
rous motives for exertion."
One of Mr. Nobbs's younger sons having gone to
Sydney to study gardening, Sir W. Denison very
kindly placed him for instruction under the head gar-
dener at Government House, Sydney. In a letter to
Mr. Nobbs, Sir William gives the following excellent
advice:—
"When your boy comes back to you, I think he will
be qualified to take charge of your garden, and the
most profitable use you can make of some ten or twelve
acres of your land will be to plant oranges. You may
be sure that in the course of a few years the demand
for this fruit in New Zealand will increase very much,
and vessels will run up to you from Auckland and else-
where to take back a cargo of fruit. It will take some
ten years or so for the oranges to produce a full crop,
but at the end of that time you may reckon upon a
return of 30,000 dozen from ten acres of land. I should
recommend others to follow your example, as there will
be an ample demand in Victoria and Tasmania for as
many as you can grow. The ground must be carefully
prepared, must be trenched two feet deep, and should be
well manured with animal refuse every fourth or fifth
year. The stuff from the boiling down of your whale
blubber, will answer admirably. By-the-bye, I hope
that you will be wise enough to reserve not only the
refuse from the trypots, but the whole carcase of the
whales for manure."
Extract from a letter of the Rev. G. H. Nobbs to
Mr. Fortescue Moresby :-
CHAP. VII.
325
FATAL ACCIDENT.
"Norfolk Island, July, 1860.
. Poor Frederick is in great distress from
a dreadful accident by which he lost his eldest son on
the 2nd of May. A little before sunset on that day,
the lad (a boy of ten years) went to bring in his
father's horse, and took with him a stout line, some
five fathoms long, for tethering the animal during
the night, as Frederick needed the horse to go to
the Cascades on the following morning. At dusk the
lad was observed galloping by the slaughter-house,
and was never seen again alive. His parents becoming
anxious about their child, went from house to house
making inquiries, but could hear nothing of him; they
called also at the singing school, it being Wednesday
evening, but could obtain no further intelligence than
that mentioned above. Alarm being now created, most
of the community went in search. At length Frederick
and his wife, with two or three others discovered the
horse quietly grazing near Emily Bay.' One end of
the rope which the boy had taken with him, and pro-
bably coiled above his shoulders, and under his arm for
convenience, was attached to the horse's neck, and sad
to relate, the other end was twined round the body and
neck of their poor child. Life was extinct, and had
been so for some hours, it being ten o'clock when the
body was found. He no doubt died from strangulation,
though there were two fractures of the skull, either of
which would have caused death. It was a dreadful sight,
especially for poor Frederick, and his wife, who were the
first to make the awful discovery. The circumstance has
thrown a gloom over the whole of the community.
6
326
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
"I think I mentioned in my last the hasty and un-
expected departure of the stonemason; and I learn
from our people, the miller intends following him,
. though he will leave his wife and children here for the
present, as he has not the means of paying their pas-
sage hence. It is not probable any mechanic who can
do better will remain in so isolated a spot as this,
without any probability of rendering their labour re-
munerative beyond the acquirement of a bare subsis-
tence. There is no possibility of making money. The
community have none, what little they had, has been
laid out, and I think beneficially so, in Mr. Rossiter's
store; and the prospect of obtaining more is very
doubtful. We have plenty of sweet potatoes for sale,
but ships do not want them; we have beef also, but
whenever a whaler purchases any, he demurs about
paying in cash, and frequently declines it altogether,
if trade of some kind is not taken in exchange, and
even then the quantities of meat required are so small,
that the returns among the community amount to but
a trifle indeed. Believe me, I do not speak in a com-
plaining manner. I have no reason to do so, for we
are much better off than at Pitcairn, and neither I nor
mine would return on any account, but strangers cannot
assimilate with us, and of course express themselves
greatly disappointed in their expectations, and I dare
say they really are so.
"Mr. Rossiter is very attentive to the school, but I
do not yet see there is practically any improvement
upon the old régime-what may be hereafter is hard
to say. I presume I have been the most benefited by
CHAP. VII.
327
THE SCHOOLMASTER.
Mr. Rossiter's advent, in being relieved from the cares.
and responsibilities of teaching, which were ever a
source of intense anxiety to me, and told heavily on my
constitution. If Mr. Rossiter has as good a salary as
report says he has, of course he will remain as long as
his appointment lasts; to what length that may extend
I know not. He is very attentive, and regular in
attendance at the school, and sets a good example of
industry in his own affairs at other times, but there is
a brusqueness in his general deportment, which pre-
vents his being generally liked by the community. I
am not complaining of Mr. Rossiter; he is very respect-
ful to myself, and we are on the best of terms, as far
as our intercourse with each other extends, and will, I
have no doubt, continue so, but many of our people
think he is placed here for some latent purpose by the
Government or the Governor, and are therefore preju-
diced in their opinions. I sometimes fear, but I hope
better things, that several families will return to Pit-
cairn, if they can obtain a passage.
(C
Well, now my dear Forty, I must conclude this
digressive epistle, by asking you to offer my respects to
Commodore Loring, your worthy shipmates, and to any
one else, who may care to inquire after the welfare of
"Yours most sincerely and gratefully,
"GEORGE H. NOBBS."
Extract from a letter from Mr. Nobbs's daughter
Jane to Admiral Moresby, in which she alludes to her
mother's declining health:
"Norfolk Island, March 13th, 1861.
"Our beloved mother, who is now getting quite old,
328
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
is not at all well of late. She does not get very weak,
but is hardly able to do anything, without being very
ill. I have a good deal of work to do at all times, but
I always try to bear in mind what the holy Apostle says,
'In whatsoever state I am therewith to be content;
and that always cheers me in my daily labour. Some-
times I feel sorely anxious about her; if anything should
happen to her, I don't know what I should do, for I
often think I cannot live without her, but still a voice
would say, 'It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth
Him good.' Sometimes I have Dorcas Young to help
me. She has become such a good, kind-hearted woman
that she is every one's favourite.
"If strangers come to Norfolk Island, and at any
time want help, they would even send for her to assist
them before any one else. Mrs. Rossiter often sends
for her to help, if they have anything to do more
than they can do themselves. She lives in the next
house to ours with her sister Miriam Christian. She
is my best friend amongst the girls, and I would
not lose her friendship for anything the world can
offer me.
“We very, very often, talk of you, the old 'Portland,'
and Pitcairn. I am very much obliged to you, my
worthy friend, for the kind remembrance in father's
letter, but I humbly ask you not to think that any
uncertainty of getting married will prevent my writing
to you-one to whom I owe so much remembrance and
gratitude. As to that affair I leave it entirely to the
will of the All-wise Providence; if it should be his
will that we should get married, I trust he will bless
CHAP. VII.
329
GRATEFUL RECOLLECTIONS.
us, but if otherwise, then, 'His will be done' also, but,
I assure you, I love him sincerely."
In the following letter from Mr. Nobbs to his kind.
friends in England Mr. and Mrs. White, the daughter
and son-in-law of Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby, K.C.B.,
he mentions the recent arrival of His Excellency Sir
John Young, successor of Sir W. Denison as Governor-
General of New South Wales :—
"MY DEAR FRIENDS,
(C
"Norfolk Island, February 26th, 1862.
May the peace of God, which bringeth salvation be
to and upon yourselves, and all whom you love. It is
nearly a decade of years since I partook of the domestic
hospitalities of so many friends in England, and yours
beloved neither the last nor the least. The recollec-
tions of such unqualified kindness have not at all
faded from my memory; but very few of those who
accorded me the right hand of Christian sympathy and
benevolence are now in the flesh. With the exception
of Sir Fairfax, Sir Thomas Acland, Mrs. Prevost, and
yourselves, all, or nearly all have been summoned from
time into eternity. Well, in all probability, ere another
decade, the two first of these, my well beloved friends
and myself, will have passed the 'bourne,' and shall
know, even as we are known. Oh! that in passing the
stream we may be enabled to say with Hopeful, 'I feel
the bottom, and it is good.' May our token be the
arrow with a point sharpened with love.' Some of the
tokens manifested to Christian's friends are beginning
to display themselves on my bodily frame; may other
admonitions be as cheerfully attended to, and the pre-
•
330
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
paration made with corresponding alacrity; and may I
be enabled to exclaim 'Grace reigns.'
"I have not heard from you for a long time, but I
received some months since, very tangible evidence that
you remembered us, in deeds, if not in words. .
If it should please yourselves or your Christian friends
to contribute further to the comfort of other members
of the community and myself and families, please to put
inside the box a few lines, so that should a letter mis-
carry, we may not be at a loss to attribute the favour
to those who have a just claim to our gratitude.
"None of our elder people have died since our abode
here, and we have not nearly as much sickness here as
at Pitcairn. Nearly six years have elapsed, and there
have been but thirteen deaths (four of them accidental;
nearly all the others very young children) to eighty-six
births, so that you see, my dear friends, 'tis not at
Grantham only that population rapidly increases. Jane
was married a few months since to her cousin John
Quintal. I have now six children married, and, of
course, grand-children are rapidly increasing in number.
My dear wife suffers very much at times from what I
fear is a disease of the heart. She sends her Christian
regards to yourselves and your olive-branches. I should
like to meet them all around your hospitable board, but
as that may not be, I and mine will remember them
when we assemble round the footstool of grace and mercy.
"With fervent aspirations that you may be saved
with an everlasting salvation,
"I am, dear Robert and Mary White,
"Yours in Christian verity,
"GEORGE H. NOBBS."
CHAP. VII.
331
BISHOP PATTESON.
April Cth.-I open this to say Sir John Young
arrived yesterday, and will leave on Sunday. All in a
bustle, not the least myself, attending his Excellency
and preparing a sermon. I will write to the Admiral
soon."
We shall here digress a little from the history of the
Pitcairn colony to relate a sad misfortune which befel
two of their most promising young men.
In the year 1860, Bishop Selwyn considering that
the diocese of New Zealand was too extensive, and the
duties in consequence too onerous, represented to the
Government the advantage of separating the Melanesian
Islands and forming them into a bishopric. He also
recommended the Rev. Mr. Patteson, from his know-
ledge of the different languages, as the fittest person to
fill the office of bishop.
The Government assented to these representations,
and the Rev. T. E. Patteson was duly consecrated
"Bishop of the Western Isles," at Auckland, New
Zealand, in the presence of the Bishops of New Zealand,
Wellington, and Nelson.¹
In a few years he was to experience the sad reality
that the perils which in ancient times encompassed
preachers of Christianity, and conferred on so many the
bright crown of martyrdom, are not unknown at the
present day among those who devote themselves to the
missionary service.
In 1864, Bishop Patteson on his voyage to the dif-
ferent islands in his diocese, was accompanied in the
'Southern Cross' (the mission vessel) by Edwin Nobbs,
1 ' Island Mission,' p. 231.
332
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.
son of the Pitcairn chaplain, a fine handsome youth of
twenty-one years of age, who, it was hoped would suc-
ceed eventually to his father's office, and also by Fisher
Young,' who had been a great favourite with Mrs. Selwyn,
when in Norfolk Island.
Two years before, Bishop Patteson, during his annual
visitation, had landed at several places on the island.
of Santa Cruz, and had been received with kindliness
by the natives. The people had the name of being
some of the most treacherous of the Pacific Islanders,
but Bishop Patteson had seen no sign of the justice
of the accusation, and was inclined to believe that it
was a fabrication concocted by people who had pro-
voked them by injury or insult, and had then found
themselves attacked. He now, however, took his usual
precaution of landing alone, so that his life only should
be endangered, the boat containing Fisher Young,
Edwin Nobbs, and two Englishmen, Mr. Pearce and
Mr. Atkins remaining twenty yards from the coral reef.
Nothing occurred while the Bishop was on shore to
give him any suspicion of unfriendliness; he went up
to the village, and sat among the people, and then
returned to the boat, swimming out to it, as usual, 300
or 400 natives stood upon the coral reef, and some as
usual swam by the side, and there kept their hands, it
was observed, upon the boat, and refused to detach
them, so that the Bishop had some difficulty in getting
rid of them. Suddenly an arrow flew by, and another,
and another. The Bishop had not shipped the rudder,
and held it up, hoping to ward off any arrow that came
1
A descendant of Edward Young of the 'Bounty.'
CHAP. VII.
333
MISSIONARY MARTYRS.
|
straight, but on looking round, he saw Edwin Nobbs
with an arrow in his chest. Suddenly Fisher Young
who was rowing gave a faint scream as an arrow trans-
fixed his wrist, but the brave boy still pulled on, and
the Bishop and Mr. Atkins sustained no injury. As
soon as possible the sail was hoisted up, and with a
light breeze the 'Southern Cross' two miles off was
reached without further harm. The arrow wounds
were dressed, though it was a work of difficulty to
extract them, especially poor Fisher's, and then came
days of suspense and anxiety-were the arrows poisoned
or not? If so, it seemed impossible that the Norfolk
Island lads, who like all Pacific Islanders, were espe-
cially subject to lock-jaw, should escape. Five days
after, as Fisher was sitting with the Bishop in the
cabin, he said, "I can't think what makes my jaw so
stiff." From that time there was no hope, the poor
fellow grew worse and worse, his body rigid like a bar
of iron, with fearful convulsions and spasms from time
to time, but in his most terrible agony, he never lost
faith and patience. Simple-minded and humble as he
had always been, so he remained to the end, trusting
that all things were ordered by his Heavenly father for
his good, and that the blow which thus struck him
down in his early youth, while life was just opening
before him, was but opening the gate of the glorious
land beyond. Several times his mind seemed to revert
to the men who had killed him, and he said, "Poor
Santa Cruz people; poor people." His sufferings were
mercifully ended on the Monday morning, when he
passed away to his rest. Five days afterwards Edwin
334
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
Nobbs was attacked by symptoms of the same terrible
disease. His case appeared to take a less acute form,
and for some days it was hoped that he would recover,
but after lingering for some time, during which he
showed the same Christian faith and steadfast endu-
rance, he also died, and was buried at sea.
The Bishop's next meeting with Edwin's and Fisher's
parents was a very sad one, as may be imagined. But
they felt that the cause in which their children had
died was a noble one, and worth the sacrifice; and Mr.
Nobbs, together with others, offered to commit to the
Bishop's s care some more of their children to be trained
by him to follow in the same career.
CHAP. VIII.
335
MELANESIAN COLLEGE.
CHAPTER VIII.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MELANESIAN MISSION COLLEGE ON NOR-
FOLK ISLAND — LETTERS FROM THE BISHOP OF NEW ZEALAND,
ŞIR W. DENISON, SIR JOHN YOUNG, &c. &c.
THE period had now arrived when the minds of the
community were agitated by important questions con-
cerning the Melanesian mission. Bishop Selwyn's
indefatigable labours had made him familiar not only
with Pitcairn and Norfolk Islands, but also with nearly
all the inhabited islands¹ which stud the expanse of
the Southern Ocean. Norfolk Island had especially
attracted his attention, and he demonstrated its ad-
vantages as early as the year 1853, when first the
proposal was entertained of discontinuing the convict
station. It appeared to him to offer unusual advantages
for the establishment of an episcopal see, fulfilling
the necessary conditions by forming part of Her
Majesty's dominions, and at the same time occupying
a central position, from which supervision might be
exercised over fifty neighbouring islands.
His plan
included a training institution, where native mis-
sionaries might be instructed in the truths of the
Gospel, and whence in due time they might spread
abroad to evangelize their heathen brethren. These
views were explained to the Pitcairn Island Fund
1 For an account of the islands included in the Melanesian
Mission, sec note, chap. vi. p. 293.
336
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
Committee, in the year 1854, but did not obtain their
concurrence, inasmuch as it was known that they
were not favourably regarded by the Pitcairn (now
Norfolk Island) community. The motives of the
Bishop were explained in a letter to Sir William
Denison two years later, who, however, did not approve
of the project, and it fell into abeyance for several years.
Letter of the Bishop of New Zealand to
Sir William Denison.
"MY DEAR SIR WILLIAM,
"Sydney, 19th June, 1856.
Your Excellency's letter of June 16th has
entirely removed from my mind the fear which I had
entertained after our interview on Friday, that the
civil and ecclesiastical friends of the Pitcairn Islanders,
though all desiring the same end, might widely differ
on the question of the plans to be adopted for their
benefit. I am therefore encouraged to lay before you a
full statement of the views and wishes of a very
numerous and liberal body of friends to the Pitcairn
Islanders, who are desirous, in a thankful sense of the
merciful Providence which has caused this branch of
holiness to spring out of a root of sin, to enable them,
by the aid of the same overruling power, to make
Norfolk Island, once too truly called by Judge Burton
'a hell upon earth,' the fountain of Christian knowledge
to the islands of the Western Pacific.
"Your Excellency, I believe, agreed with me in
opinion that the present state of primitive simplicity
in which the Pitcairn Islanders are living cannot be
maintained in their new position in the midst of the
ļ
CHAP. VIII.
337
BISHOP SELWYN'S LETTER.
great and wealthy colonies of Australasia, and in the
track of the ships of all the great maritime nations.
We therefore believe that they will need some more
active salt to preserve them from corruption than the
presence of their own island pastor, and the discharge
of their own duties of religion. And we cannot consider
any work more likely to interest them than the evan-
gelization of the heathen isles of the Western Pacific,
of which it was proposed in England to make their
new island the centre, and some of them if possible the
instruments.
It has been found in the London Mission that no
other or higher prize is required to be held out to the
native students in the missionary college at Samoa
than the hope that they would be appointed to spend
or to lay down their lives in the Loyalty Isles, or the
New Hebrides. Your Excellency's knowledge of the
feelings of young officers in the army, though actuated
by a far lower motive, will enable you to conceive and
to accept the soundness of our reasons for believing
that the best way to maintain and exalt the character
of the Pitcairn Islanders would be to interest and
engage them from the first in some vigorous and
expansive work in the Church of Christ. With this
view Sir George Grey, the late Governor of New
Zealand, before his departure from his government,
recommended that a portion of the island should be
allotted to a central school, for the education of select
scholars from the Western Islands of the Pacific.
"To this letter, addressed to His Grace the Duke of
Newcastle, I am not aware that any answer has been
N
338
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
returned, but being fully convinced that a proposal so
reasonable in itself, and so full of promise of good to
the Pitcairn Islanders, and through them, under God,
to all the other island races, would be ultimately
approved by the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
I collected funds while I was in England to the amount
of 10,0007., of which 80007. is already invested in Ex-
chequer Bonds, for the endowment of a bishopric, the
see of which should be on Norfolk Island, as the
bishoprics intended to act over Borneo and China have
their sees respectively on the isles of Labuan and Hong
Kong. It would be understood, of course, as in the
case of China and Borneo, that the real work of the
Bishop of Norfolk Island would have a far wider range
than the limits of his island see.
"As I consider Norfolk Island to be included in my
spiritual charge, by my letters patent, by its vicinity
to New Zealand, and by my commission from the late
Archbishop of Canterbury, except as far as for special
civil reasons it may be annexed from time to time to
either Sydney or Tasmania, and only for the purposes
for which it is so annexed, such as the superintendence
of convict chaplains; I shall feel it to be my duty to
carry forward, in communication with and with the
consent of the Pitcairn colonists, whatever plans I
may believe to be necessary to promote their spiritual
welfare, and the extension of the kingdom of our blessed
Lord.
"But I can assure Your Excellency that I am so
well aware of the difficulty of the problem to be worked
out, and of the danger of failure, that I shall proceed
CHAP. VIII.
339
ORIGIN OF THE COLLEGE.
with the utmost caution, and shall take care above all
things that no chaplain, or other person acting under
me, shall hold communication with the islanders who
would be likely in the least degree to cause any such
dissatisfaction or dissension as has, I fear, already
begun. It would be to support Mr. Nobbs against any
upstart person who might set himself up as the pastor
of a section of his flock, that I might feel it necessary
to leave such an educated and Christian man as Mr.
Patteson to allay the first beginnings of party strife.
Such points as these, I respectfully submit to Your
Excellency, are scarcely within the competency of civil
intervention. But I am ready at once to give you the
assurance that I have no wish to take any such step,
but that I would very much prefer the course suggested
in your letter of awaiting the issue of the first year,
and then judging of the best course to be adopted for
the future.
"I have the honour to be, &c.,
"G. A. N., New Zealand."
From 1856, when the Pitcairn Islanders had removed
to Norfolk Island, Bishop Selwyn had wished to have
some more convenient point than Auckland as a central
school for the Melanesian children, but a variety of
reasons, besides the general desire for seclusion, caused
the islanders to oppose the Bishop's project to establish
a school or college on Norfolk Island. They considered
that the location in their midst of a body of semi-
converted idolaters would not, even under vigilant
supervision, be conducive to the public morality or
social progress. Although, in reply to a taunt in the
z 2
310
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.
{
'Sydney Herald,' John Adams observed, and perhaps
with justice, that he had more reason to be proud of
his mother than of his father; it is certain that the
Pitcairners generally felt more attachment to the white.
civilized race than towards their dark Tahitian cousins.
The barbarous inhabitants of the surrounding islands.
they regarded with decided aversion. Their appearance
does not seem, certainly, by the following description to
have been very prepossessing:-
"The Bishop was pulled on shore by a boat's crew
of Solomon Island natives. They had rings in their
noses, and the lobes of their ears had been perforated,
and the holes so widely extended that they hung down
like loops of India-rubber, into which your hand might
be inserted without difficulty." Mr. Nobbs observes
that they nevertheless seemed tractable and obedient,
but considered that their introduction might bring
"febrile and dysenteric contagion."
Another objection to the proposed scheme was that
the Pitcairners considered that they had an indefeasible
right and title to the whole of Norfolk Island, and
everything it contained, and they feared that to admit
a precedent for alienation might finally deprive their
posterity of the whole of their guaranteed inheritance.
They maintained that it was upon the condition of an
unqualified cession that they consented to leave Pitcairn.
That such a claim was not recognised would have been
evident to them had they duly considered that Sir W.
Denison provided, with regard to the distribution of
land, that it should be subject to be revised and amended
by the Governor-General of New South Wales, "to
1
CHAP. VIII.
341
POWERS OF SIR W. DENISON.
whom all the arrangements had been intrusted by Her
Majesty." This is shown in the following letter:
"SIR,
Government House, Sydney,
May 16th, 1856.
"With reference to that paragraph in your
instructions by which you were directed to divide the
land at Norfolk Island among the families of the
Pitcairn Islanders, reserving only certain portions as
specified for public purposes, I have now to direct you
to do this, with the distinct provision that the arrange-
ment of the land is subject to be revised and amended,
if necessary, by the Governor-general of New South
Wales, to whom all the arrangements connected with the
settlement of the island have been intrusted by Her
Majesty.
"I have, &c.,
(Signed)
"Lieut. Gregorie, Norfolk Island."
"W. DENISON.
In page 397 of Varieties of Vice-Regal Life,' by
Sir W. Denison, headed 'I become an Autocrat,' we
find that full powers were given to Sir W. Denison.
He says, "I received a copy of the orders in council
vesting the government of Norfolk Island in the
Governor of New South Wales for the time being, and
with this, instructions, giving to the Governor not
merely the usual power as head of the Executive, but
also those of the two Houses of Parliament in addition,
power to make the laws, as well as to see to their
execution."
The same Governor also directed that the chief
342
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
magistrate should keep him duly informed from time
to time of the state and progress of the community,
and on his second visit, disapproving the manner in
which the cattle held in common were managed, and
indignant at the extravagant terms made with the
captain of the merchant vessel for the return of the
families to Pitcairn, he resumed possession of all the
public or "Government" stock. Such acts were signi-
ficant, and should have been instructive, but although
it was evident that Sir William Denison did not con-
sider the gift of the Government unconditional and
irrevocable, he had so much consideration for the
feelings of the islanders, that during his term of office
he accepted their interpretation, and maintained the
state grant in its unquestionable integrity. Mr. Nobbs
writes, June, 1858, "It is most fortunate that Sir
William Denison visited us, and that he is determined
to prevent any aggressions from outsiders. His Ex-
cellency sent me a most kind letter, requesting me to
write frequently and freely. I will not neglect so
valuable permission." Further on he observes, "The
Bishop (Selwyn) has never yet asked or received one
penny of subscription from us. On the contrary, he is
most generous and affable, and Mrs. Selwyn also is very
attentive to instruct our girls, who seem to like her
very much."
On Sir John Young's succeeding to office the Bishop's
scheme was again brought forward, with better prospect
of success. Bishop Patteson, after the severe sickness
of his scholars in 1863 and 1864, felt how desirable it
would be to remove them to a climate less trying to
CHAP. VIII.
343
POLICY OF SIR J. YOUNG.
their delicate tropical constitutions than Auckland.
He could have had a settlement on Curtis Island, in
Queensland, Australia, the climate and situation of
which was desirable; but the character of the popula-
tion in Norfolk Island decided the point, and the new
Governor was not committed to the policy of his prede-
cessor, which, as he observed, "was no longer advan-
tageous, and had always been in its nature transitory."
Strangers had by this time become domesticated among
the original colonists, and the not unfrequent visits of
whaling vessels, with their disturbing accompaniments,
rendered absolute isolation impracticable. Moreover,
the Government had determined to withdraw the grant
of 3007. a-year hitherto allowed to the schoolmaster,
and it became therefore not only desirable to set before
the islanders the example of an energetic community,
but absolutely necessary to raise a fund for educational
and other general purposes. Proposals based on these
considerations were favourably received by the Colonial
Secretary, and the Pitcairners themselves concurred in
the scheme on receiving assurances that no further
alienation of land was contemplated, and that their
original seclusion and domesticity would not be in-
vaded. It appeared, however, that in according this
acquiescence, they merely understood that a grant
would be made of some 200 acres, and when it was
afterwards explained to them that such a space would
not be proportionate to the establishment and expendi-
ture proposed by the Bishop, their views on the subject
were considerably altered. They strongly objected to
a sale of 1000 acres of the land, even though the
344
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
دو
proceeds were to be invested for their benefit. They
asserted that the island was incontestably their own,
and had been formally made over to them in a paper of
cession, read and given to their magistrate on their
first arrival, by Captain Freemantle. There is much
doubt and mystery with regard to this document.
Were it not for the testimony of the chief magistrate
and councillors, we should be inclined to consider it
altogether mythical, as it cannot be produced, and no
copy of it is extant in the archives of the colonial
office. Sir W. Denison, in a letter to the author,
states that he has no recollection of it, and he cannot
believe that so "judicious. an officer as Captain
Freemantle would have made any unauthorised cession.
We may add to this that in a letter written by Captain
Freemantle at the time of the removal, he advises that
the Government should be "urged" to refuse the
admittance of other settlers. "Their lordships will
observe that the islanders express a hope that they
may be allowed to live on Norfolk Island in the same
seclusion from the rest of the world as they have
hitherto done at Pitcairn, and it is impossible for any
one who has been an eye-witness of the exemplary
conduct and the pious single-minded character of these
innocent people, not to urge a compliance with a
request so natural and so reasonable."
In addition to this, Mr. Toup Nicolas, Her Majesty's
consul at Raiatea, had made known, two years pre-
viously, to the Pitcairn Islanders that Norfolk Island
might not be ceded to them, and in a public letter he
observed:-
CHAP. VIII.
345
STATE GRANT.
Raiatea, July 5th, 1854.
While communicating this intelligence.
to you, I am at the same time to acquaint you that you
will be pleased to understand that Norfolk Island can-
not be ceded' to the Pitcairn Islanders, but that grants
will be made of allotments of land to the different
families, and I am desired further to make known to
you that it is not at present intended to allow any
other class of settlers to reside or occupy land on the
island."
The most probable conclusion seems to be that some
formal document was read to the immigrants on their
first arrival at Norfolk Island, but they did not look
narrowly into its contents, and rather viewed it as inter-
preted by those who, from misconception or amiable mo-
tives, desired to represent their prospects in the brightest
possible colours. The simple Pitcairners were not the
only people who had been deluded by a state grant,'
1 It is possible that many persons who, like the Pitcairners, did
not perfectly understand the character of State grants, would have
found it difficult to reconcile the tenor of the following despatch
with the directions given to Lieutenant Gregorie, to divide the
whole of the island among their families, with the exception of a
small definite reservation for public purposes:
"SIR W. DENISON TO THE RIGHT HON. LORD J. RUSSELL.
"Government House, Sydney,
September 3rd, 1855.
6.
"It would in my opinion be advisable, at all events for the pre-
sent, to prohibit all grants or sales of land to other than the race
now about to inhabit this small island, and to hold out as little
encouragement as possible to the domestication of other races, be
they white or coloured, among them, until the effect of the removal
of, and the altered circumstances in which they are about to be
placed, can be clearly seen."
346
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
an insecure kind of title liable to be rescinded or
modified at any moment, with very little consideration
for the real or sentimental grievances of the sufferers.
It was perhaps well for the little community that they
were not more inquisitive and suspicious; for had they
been so, they would probably never have consented to
leave their original home. They would have decidedly
refused to be made the subjects of what the Governor
now admitted was "only an experiment," and however
fatherly his intentions might have been, would have
objected to be treated as John Adams expresses it,
"like a lot of boys." Nothing, however, was now left
but to succumb. Many looked back with regret to their
independence at their own dear Pitcairn. Their views,
as contrasted with those of Sir John Young, will be best
understood by the perusal of the following letters:
Extract of a Letter from Mr. Nobbs to Admiral
Sir Fairfax Moresby, K.C.B.
"May 3rd, 1858.
"I trust yourself and our other influential friends
will countenance my opposing so very undesirable an
addition to our social circle as a hundred or two of
heathens, strong with the odour of unmitigated de-
pravity.¹
“I do not think, my honoured friend, you will at all
attribute this opposition to a want of sympathy for the
1 Mr: Nobbs' apprehensions of the results of such an introduction
were not wholly groundless, though happily not in this case realised.
“I have heard,” writes Sir William Denison, “enough about the
pupils brought from the South Sea Islands to New Zealand, to
make me in no way anxious to have them introduced among the
simple-minded Pitcairn islanders.”
CHAP. VIII.
347
SALE OF LAND.
dark places of the earth, which are full of cruelty. I
will contribute cheerfully of my substance, or in any
other feasible way assist in promoting the entrance of
the Word of Life into the regions of Moloch; but the
evils which will arise from the personal introduction of
an incarnate code of idolatry and degradation among
us, are so unmistakably palpable, that I may not yield
even to the eloquent arguments of the Bishop of New
Zealand. The Rev. Mr. Patteson, the Bishop's chaplain,
is, I believe, going to remain at one of the islands for a
few months; perhaps this will open an effectual door
for future operations, if it please God."
In a despatch, dated May 25th, 1866, from the
Right Hon. E. Cardwell, to his Excellency Sir John
Young, it appears that the Colonial Secretary did not
disapprove of strangers settling on Norfolk Island, and
was strongly of opinion that the establishment of a
college and mission would prevent undesirable persons
remaining, but desired that nothing should be done
that might seem unfair to the Pitcairn people.
Extract from the Rev. G. H. Nobbs's letter to
Admiral Moresby.
"Norfolk Island, June 27th, 1866.
"I have received a despatch from Sir John Young,
containing the startling intelligence that Bishop Patte-
son is to have 1000 acres of land (by purchase) for
the formation of a Melanesian college. We are all
astounded at this somewhat arbitrary proceeding, but
have concluded that it is better to succumb to this
innovation rather than have a dozen or two adven-
348
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
turers with their families inflicted upon us; shrewd,
grasping men and women, who will strive to get the
upper hand.
It seems Sir John Young is deter-
mined to raise a revenue, and for that purpose is dis-
posing of allotments (under the authority of the Home
Government, as his Excellency asserts), but to what
extent we are not informed; but this much we are
plainly told, 'That nothing whatever beyond our fifty-
acre allotments belong to us; neither the sheep nor
the ground on which the sheep feed,—all is Govern-
ment property, and may be sold or otherwise disposed
of as seemeth best to the Government or the Governor;
I know not at present which. Surely it was not with
this understanding we left Pitcairn.”
His Excellency Sir John Young to the Rev. G. H. Nobbs.
"MY DEAR MR. NOBBS,
"Government House, Sydney,
August 23d, 1866.
"I have before me your letter of June 14th,
which I received on the 8th instant. I am glad to hear
that so large a quantity as two tons of cheese was pro-
duced upon the island, and hope it met a good market.
Bishop Patteson told me some years ago that he would
endeavour to turn the attention of the islanders to the
production of cheese, as well suited to the locality and
likely to be remunerative.
It is satisfactory to find that the soil is being
cultivated, in view to the hoped-for visits of American
whalers seeking supplies. Their wants and those of
other vessels render the primitive isolation practicable
at Pitcairn, impracticable at Norfolk Island. What
CHAP. VIII.
349
EXPLANATION OF SIR J. YOUNG.
remains, then, is for the islanders to turn to the best
account the situation in which their lot is cast, and
derive advantage from the customers who present
themselves to remunerate industry by buying its pro-
duce.
"I am well content to hear from you, as well as from
the chief magistrate, so complete an approval of the
settlement which Bishop Patteson contemplates. As
regards the extent of land proposed for the occupation
of the Melanesian mission, it is obvious that the Bishop
could not involve himself in the expense of building
and laying out plans for a permanent head station and
centre of operations, unless he had a property large
enough to meet the proposed future requirements of
his benevolent and truly christian enterprise.
"On the other points you mentioned, viz., as to your
apprehensions as regards a promiscuous immigration,
or even the admission of a few selected settlers to teach
husbandry, &c., I can give you full satisfaction. The
former, a promiscuous immigration, the throwing the
island open; selling land to any comers that might
offer a good price for it was not a scheme contemplated
by me at any time, nor, so far as I know, entertained
in any quarter.
"As to the latter, the sending a few well-chosen
settlers to teach husbandry, &c., I received the sanction
of the Secretary of State to send a few selected settlers of
a class likely to live in harmony with the islanders, but
I do not mean to act upon the sanction; and I shall
leave it over till a future time, and for the consideration
of some successor of mine hereafter. Bishop Patteson
350
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
ཨ་
counselled delay in this respect in a spirit most friendly
to the islanders, and I readily concede so much to your
and his wishes and advice.
"The bishop is to pay a good round sum for the
land, and this sum will be carefully invested, and
the accruing interest applied annually, as far as it will
go, to the payment of your salary, that of the chief
magistrate, the cost of medicines, flags, and other
necessary matters.
*
*
"As regards the island becoming too thickly popu-
ated, I think you need entertain but little fear of that
for a long time to come. It is so fertile that, with due
cultivation, it would easily maintain 4000 inhabitants,
and this without reference to the occupations which
might be derived from commerce and the wealth of
your fisheries, which teem all around the coast.
“Believe me, faithfully yours,
"JOHN YOUNG."
Rev. G. H. Nobbs to his Excellency Sir John Young.
"Norfolk Island, October 5th, 1866.
"HONOURED SIR AND FRIEND,
"Your very kind letter, dated August 23rd, I
have just read, and its urbanity is assuredly a cause for
unqualified gratitude throughout this highly-favoured
community. As Captain Hope leaves in an hour or
two, I cannot now advert to any portion of your Excel-
lency's letter, but I hope to have the opportunity
ere long of assuring you, my honoured friend, what
a burden your valued assurances have removed from
the minds of the community generally, and myself in
CILAP. VIII.
351
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
especial. I trust it will be abundantly apparent to
your Excellency, ere you quit this hemisphere, that your
continued solicitude for our welfare is productive of
desirable results. Bishop Patteson left us on Tues-
day for Auckland; the Rev. Mr. Palmer and sixteen
Melanesians remain to commence operations in agri-
culture, &c."
Rev. G. H. Nobbs to Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby.
"Norfolk Island, October 16th, 1866.
"MY HONOURED AND EVER KIND FRIEND,
"Grace, mercy, and peace be to and upon your-
self, and all whom you love.
Your valued and valuable letters in triplicate have
been duly received at their several periods; that from
Malvern on the 13th instant, but they have been only
a few weeks apart. Last evening, at a public meeting
convened for the purpose, I read them, in conjunction
with a letter from Sir John Young, to the whole com-
munity; and such blessings and cheerings for the
' good old Admiral,' could you have heard them, would
have convinced a more sceptical cosmopolite than Sir
Fairfax Moresby, that genuine gratitude and unsophis-
ticated love and respect are still in full bearing among
the ci-devant Pitcairn Islanders. I need not say how
proudly I take my stand among commodores, captains,
and other excellent R. N. friends, and recapitulate the
unfailing and unprecedented sympathy expressed by
yourself, your family, and honoured Sir Thomas, for
this community in general, and myself in particular.
"Your representations to the Secretary of State have
352
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
been unmistakeably attended to, as you will see by the
enclosed letter from Sir John Young; but you must
not misunderstand what his Excellency says con-
cerning the approval of the magistrate and myself, in
respect of the 1100 acres of land obtained by Bishop
Patteson. The gist of the matter, as concerns myself,
the magistrate, and other members of the community, is
simply this. Soon after the death of my son Edwin, the
Bishop was remarking that he should be glad to find some
eligible place for establishing a branch institution, where
some of the best of his scholars might sojourn during
the winter months. After some consultation with those
whom I well knew had (in the words of Dibdin) ‘a
heart that can feel for another,' I advised the bishop
to apply for some two hundred acres of land, whereon
he might build the supplementary college. The bishop
accordingly did apply, and obtained a grant from Sir
John Young. At that period his Excellency was in an
angry mood with the community, by reason that a
second party of our people had returned to Pitcairn,
and actually meditated sending down a dozen or so
German families, or else selling a quantity of allotments
to any families (outsiders) that might be disposed to
purchase them, alleging at the same time that he was
authorised by the Home Government, and that it
was, moreover, necessary that sales should be made
in order to originate a revenue for the use of the
island. On hearing this, we wrote to yourself and Mr.
Mills on the subject, and Bishop Patteson informed us
subsequently that he had seen Sir John Young; and
he, Sir John, had consented to postpone sending immi-
CHAP. VIII.
353
SALE OF LAND.
Affairs went on as usual
grants hither for a season.
for some time, when a letter from the Governor was
received by the chief magistrate, desiring him to reserve
ten specified allotments (1000 acres) until he received
further instructions. Shortly afterwards the bishop
arrived, and informed us that he had purchased the
land in question at the rate of 31. an acre, and, more-
over, that the Home Government had sanctioned the
sale. You, my honest friend, can easily imagine our
astonishment at this proceeding of the Home authorities
in thus alienating from us nolens volens, so large a
part of what had been most graciously guaranteed to
ourselves and our families some ten years before. We
had several public meetings on the subject, but the
Bishop assured us on his arrival (and the Governor
corroborated the assurance in his letter) that the Home
Government had authorised, the concession.
And so,
after a good deal of wishing ourselves back at Pitcairn
again, &c., &c., we came to the conclusion that if the
land must be alienated, it is better for the Bishop to
оссиру
it than a dozen or two families, for whose good
conduct there could be no guarantee. And so, I sup-
pose, we had better say no more about it. Your
benevolent representations have been, in their result,
of essential service, and will assuredly act as a refresher
to whomsoever may fill the office of Secretary for the
Colonies; and, although the loss to us is a serious one,
still I have no doubt the worthy bishop's dwelling in
our midst will be of great benefit, and that all rivalry
(whether religious or secular) will be studiously
avoided.
2 A
354
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
1
CC
Although the community has rallied, in consequence
of a successful whaling season, and the sale of a good
quantity of cheese, from recent scarcity of apparel, &c.,
dear Mary's box will be looked for with anxiety, and
received with heartfelt gratitude; and by none more
than by my own family. . . . . You are supposed, as a
matter of course, to have danced at the Queen's ball,
for our young ones cannot imagine the possibility of
going to a ball and not dancing, and that, of a cer-
tainty, Lady Moresby would be your first partner.
"Ever gratefully yours,
"GEORGE H. NOBBS."
Letter from the Earl of Harrowby to Admiral Sir F.
Moresby.
"DEAR ADMIRAL MORESBY,
"London, April 6th, 1867.
"I have been much interested in the papers
which you have sent me on the subject of the Pit-
cairn Islanders. Their case is so peculiar, that I feel
fearful of interfering without a fuller knowledge of
all the circumstances, and of all the means of form-
ing an opinion as to what is really for their benefit.
I do not see that the fee simple of their island
was ever promised them, nor a permanent exclusion
of all other settlers. The measure was always as an
1
1 It seems to have been their own fault that they had not the fee
simple. Sir William Denison directed Lieutenant Gregorie to
divide among them all the land except 500 acres required for public
purposes, and 200 acres for church and school. They preferred to
keep the land in common, and to have only 50 acre grants made tʊ
them individually. On Sir William's visit to the island, he con-
firmed in fee simple these desired 50 acre allotments.
CHAP. VIII. LETTER FROM LORD HARROWBY.
355
experiment, and the work of carrying it out was clearly
to be adopted from time to time according to the results.
No doubt the whole process was to be made subordinate
to their benefit, but was left to experience to decide.
;
Now, here it is that I feel my incompetence. I do
not know what is best for them under present circum-
stances, and in this condition feel I must repose confi-
dence in those who have a better means of forming a
wise judgment than I have, and who seem to show
a deep interest in the welfare and full appreciation of
the peculiarities of their position and wants. I must
think the successive Governors, Denison and Young,
seem to have been really desirous to befriend them
and with full knowledge of their case. The only point
on which I might doubt myself, is whether it is de-
sirable to give to an extraneous element, however
respectable, so large a share in the authority of the
island, as the sale or grant of 1000 acres would convey.
To this specific point I will call such attention as I
can. I beg to return the papers, and to thank you for
having recalled my attention to a subject so interesting.
"Believe me, dear Admiral Moresby,
"Yours faithfully,
“HARROWBY."
In a letter from John Buffett (one of the oldest
members of the Pitcairn colony) to the Right Hon.
Lord Carnarvon, Secretary of State for the Colonies, he
observes:-
"I wish your lordship to notice that the chief cause
of our removing from Pitcairn Island was the scarcity
2 A 2
356
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
of land. The community have no objections to offer
against the establishment of the head-quarters of the
Melanesian mission in this island, with 300 or 400 acres
of land, but would wish respectfully to protest against
the sale of 1000 acres, or one-tenth of the island. I
would also solicit your lordship's attention to the fact,
that several of our newly-married people have applied
for grants at various times within the last three or four
years, and have not yet received them; while strangers
with money have stepped in and bought lands, and our
people still left in doubt whether they will get a grant
or not,"
John Adams wrote to Admiral Moresby somewhat to
the same effect. He says that they had found the
English immigrants "worshippers at the shrine of the
golden calf."
The Rev. G. H. Nobbs to Admiral Sir Fairfax
Moresby, K.C.B.
"Norfolk Island, May 24th, 1867.
"We have now two clergymen in charge of the
Melanesian establishment at the 'Long Ridge,' some
three miles from us. Of course, they do not at present
interfere with us, though one of them, a M.A. and.
fellow of his college, comes down occasionally on the
Sabbath day, and takes part of the duty as curate.
His name is Codrington, a near relative of the late
and present admirals of that name. He is a well-bred
gentlemanly person, and, as may be supposed, we sail
together in a shipshape manner. The Bishop is to
return (D.V.) early in September, and then I suppose
CHAP. VIII.
357
FINANCIAL POSITION.
we shall have an accession of priests and deacons, and
a multitude of neophytes. The visit of another bishop
was contemplated, but the Primate of New Zealand is
on the point of leaving for England, by invitation of
the Archbishop of Canterbury.
"I have just heard that Sir John Young is to be
relieved by the Marquis of Normanby; for personal
kindness and many favours, I owe Sir John a fund of
gratitude, but his Excellency's plans for the welfare of
the community in a general sense were sadly Utopian,
of which eleven hundred acres to the Melanesian mission
is the climax. I heartily wish Lord Normanby may be
as kindly disposed, but more conservative as respects.
the lot of our inheritance. I am again busily engaged
in the school, but I have my youngest son Sidney as
the principal. He receives 407. a year, myself 257.,
and a lad of sixteen, of good abilities, 127.; so that we
now have our college in full working order for 771. per
annum, but I doubt whether we should be able to
collect that regularly, as there is little or no demand
for our exports in the colonies, and ships rarely visit
us. If the whaling fails this season, our people will be
embarrassed, as most of the requisites for the occasion
are purchased on credit; but if successful, they will be
all right for a time.
"I am not complaining; we have enough to eat of
meat, potatoes, and maize, and comfortable houses to
live in, but beyond this the community generally
are in scanty plight. But times will mend, I doubt not.
"Believe me, my dear Admiral,
"Yours ever faithfully,
"G. NOBBS.
358
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
66
Sir John Young to the Duke of Buckingham.
"Government House, Sydney,
"23rd November, 1867.
Having reference to the request on the part of the
Norfolk Island community in Mr. Bates's favour, com-
municated to me by Mr. F. Nobbs, I have issued a
grant to Mr. Bates of an allotment, and received pay-
ment from him at the rate of 27. an acre, which sum
will be duly carried to the account of the principal now
about to be invested for the benefit of the islanders.
Mr. Bates is an American. He owned a small trading
schooner. The islanders adopted and pressed him to
remain with them, and trade on his and their joint
account from Norfolk Island to the different adjacent
ports. On the ground of their adoption, he applied to
me for a grant of land. This I refused, as free grants
of land were reserved for the Pitcairners, but I allowed
him to buy an allotment at the rate of 27. an acre.
The money has been added to the capital accumulated
to supply a public revenue, and for the benefit of the
people. Under present circumstances the money is
of more advantage to the community than the land.
From this statement of facts, your Grace will see
that Mr. Bates' residence in the island is not of my
causing, but of the deliberate choice of the islanders
more than once communicated to me. He is an active
man of good character, and I think well of him, as
stated in my despatch to Mr. Cardwell of 18th November,
1864. He is at the present time engaged in navi-
gating a small trading vessel on shares with a crew of
CHAP. VIII.
359
SIR J. YOUNG'S VIEWS.
#
the islanders, his own craft having been unfortunately
wrecked."
66
*
When, some years ago, the chief magistrate of
the day applied to me with the request that I would
look out for husbands for several young damsels, who
were growing up without a proper supply of the
article, I found it beyond my power to meet the
demand—I could not get a single eligible offer. Steady
industrious young men would not give up the certainty
of good wages, and the chances of rising in life in the
Australian colonies, for all the charms of 'some soft
savage and her island cave,' great though their charms
undoubtedly are in youth, and enhanced in this instance
not merely by a cave, but by a well-built cottage, and
an allotment of fifty acres of as fertile land as can
anywhere be found. I failed entirely in providing the
husbands wanted. No applicant that I could approve
presented himself. Several of a different stamp applied
from time to time for leave to proceed to the island,
but in no case did I accede to the application.
"And now to sum up. How does the case stand?
What are the conclusions to be stated after the
twelve years' trial? Excepting the schoolmaster,
Rossiter, whose location on the island was suggested
by the Duke of Newcastle, the tradesmen who were
sent by Sir William Denison to teach trades, and the
Melanesian mission, whose settlement appeared to me
a paramount advantage, not to say necessity, for the
good of the islanders, not a single immigrant has been
introduced by authority. The peculiar social polity,
300
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
on which so much stress is laid, has not been tampered
with or altered in the slightest degree. Bishop Patteson
has given ample assurances that he will not interfere
with it, nor assume any part whatever in the govern-
ment of the island. He will confine himself within
the wire fences that enclose the cultivation paddocks of
the Melanesian missionaries. Outside these fences
there is ample space left for carrying on the Pitcairn
polity, as well as for supporting the community, even
if increased tenfold, in abundance; inasmuch as out of
the eight thousand acres that remain, the members of
the community have never in any one year cultivated
so much as forty. Isolation, it is true, such as was
practicable at Pitcairn, does not and cannot exist at
Norfolk Island; neither do the people seem to desire
it. The contact with the world exposes them to
temptation, as Sir William Denison predicted. Against
temptation I have suggested such safeguards as I
deemed available, and, for some of the requirements of
the people, such provision as was within my reach. I
am persuaded that as time rolls on, and the results
develop themselves, the friends of the Pitcairners will
remember with gratitude that during my administration
every obligation on the part of her Majesty's Govern-
ment has been scrupulously observed. A fund, small in-
deed, but sufficient if judiciously administered, has been
provided for various public needs, and a good example
has been placed before the people's eyes, an example
which they cannot ignore, and which they have only to
follow in order to insure comfort and independence."
CHAP. VIII.
361
A LADY'S OPINION.
The following extract from a letter to Admiral Sir
F. Moresby gives a lady's view of the policy of isola-
tion:-
"You will not, I trust, my dearest papa, give yourself
any more blame respecting the islanders, as they have
intermarried with strangers, against what would have
been your consent. You cannot now expect to keep
them isolated, and if the husband of this young woman,
or women, chooses to have his friends come to visit him
for a month or months, who is to deny him, or prevent
other girls from marrying? One interloper allowed,
and the thin end of the wedge is driven home. This
they undoubtedly have permitted, and it will be vain
for you or any one else, even Mr. Nobbs himself, to try
and stop the small gap through which, ere long, the
full tide will presently find room to sweep. Besides, is
it not natural the young girls should be drawn towards
the white race and strangers? It seems almost a pity
to prevent it. They naturally think less of those
among whom they have spent their whole life, and they
yearn for novelty. Mr. Nobbs and Adams may think
it wiser and more prudent, but I doubt, if a show of
hands were taken on the island, that the majority would
be for isolation. And if there had been some lawyer
friend to inspect the Articles of Cession before they
went out, we should have known how they stood with
respect to unlimited possession.
"You are indeed dealing unjustly by yourself in self-
accusations. What we understood and what Govern-
ment really meant are two widely differing points.
And, as I before said, I shall never think the young
362
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY."
people will consider their views fairly represented by
the old ones. It is not natural, and time will make it
They are virtually prisoners, poor
marry except among their own
plain even to you.
girls, and may not
people, and that alone is enough to make them
rebel.
"Your loving daughter,
“M. W."
CHAP. IX,
363
FAILING SUPPLIES.
CHAPTER IX.
PRIVATIONS OF THE PITCAIRN COLONY - REMARKABLE WHALING
ADVENTURE PROGRESS OF THE MELANESIAN MISSION AND
COLLEGE ON NORFOLK ISLAND ACCOUNT OF THE FAMILIES
WHO RETURNED TO PITCAIRN ISLAND, BY CAPTAIN MONTRESOR,
R.N., AND SIR WENTWORTH DILKE.
COMMUNICATION with Norfolk Island had now been un-
certain for several years, causing the islanders to suffer
both privation and anxiety. The American war had
prevented many of the whalers from prosecuting the
fishery in the South Seas, and touching at Norfolk
for their usual supplies of vegetables; and in the year
1865 not more than thirty pounds' worth of produce
had been exported. Under these circumstances the
islanders were reduced to great difficulties, as will be
seen by the extract from a letter written by Mr. Nobbs,
and dated
"Norfolk Island, September 12th, 1865.
"Your box arrived most opportunely, and you may
thoroughly admit the assertion, for never during the
last thirty years have my own family, or the commu-
nity generally, been so badly off for wearing apparel.
I do not include myself, for thanks to the Admiral,
Sir Thomas Acland, and other friends, my rigging is
still pretty good; but for the rest of the community—
especially the women and children-a great want of
clothing has been experienced for more than two years.
361
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
}
Window curtains, and other vestiges of improving
civilisation, have been converted into wearing apparel
during the winter just gone by. Another reason why
such destitution prevails is, that the plant which pro-
duces the material for manufacturing the tappa, or
island cloth, will not thrive here, so that the women
cannot manufacture the comfortable bed-clothing so
necessary in such isolated places as this. I repeat, it
is not from indolence or want of care that these priva-
tions are at the present moment so general, but the
poverty of demand for the island produce."
Rev. Mr. Nobbs to Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby, K.C.B.
(Extract.)
"Norfolk Island, December 23rd, 1867.
"December 26th.-A tranquil Christmas, with some
of your loved ones beneath your roof-tree, is the wish.
of your humble and grateful friends in this our pleasant
home, and may you be gratified to know that we
cherish with unabated love and respect our memories.
of the 'good old Admiral.'
"We had a cheerful Christmas, very similar to those
of years gone by, but I was so fatigued by the services
of the day (three) that I was glad to go to bed at six
o'clock--an hour before sunset."
*
*
"I am fast drifting towards death's bay. You will
believe me, I am sure, when I say I will not quit my
post till body or mind gives way; but the fact cannot
be concealed from others, as well as myself, that I am
rapidly becoming a very old man. My good wife is
CHAP. IX.
365
DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES.
also frequently an invalid. She sends her Christian
greeting, and New Year's best wishes to Lady Moresby
and yourself, and earnestly assures you both that, while
life lasts, she will never cease to remember with grati-
tude your labour of love and Christian sympathy for
the Pitcairn people in general, and her own family in
particular.
"January 1st, 1868.-A happy new year to you, dear
Sir Fairfax and Lady Moresby.
"Ever gratefully yours,
"G. R. F. (NOBBS)."
Rev. G. H. Nobbs to the Rev. G. D. Glennie, Secretary to
the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
"Norfolk Island, January 29th, 1868.
"We are going on in our usual quiet way, increasing
in numbers, but not greatly improving our long-
sustained position in worldly matters; having at all
times a good supply of food, but not of other domestic
requirements, by reason that ships rarely visit us, and
the island produce is not demanded in the colonies of
New Zealand and Australia, they having in general
sufficient for their own consumption. Nevertheless, we
may not complain, being in better circumstances than
thousands even in dear old England. We at this
moment number exactly 300 persons, and, somewhat
singular, are 150 of either sex.
The births last year
were eighteen; deaths four, from whooping-cough. At
this time the community is in good health. I am just
and have been for the last twelve months, very
fully employed, having, besides the clerical and medical
now,
366
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
duties, to attend the school daily, the Government
grant being rescinded.
"There are ninety children being educated, and the
parents pay 17. a year for each child, which is divided
among the teachers, four in number, in this manner
-407. for the principal, who is a son of mine, 257. for
the next in rank, which is myself, until the arrival of
another son, whom I am daily expecting from Sydney,
and the two pupil teachers at 127. and 67. respectively.
The few surplus pounds are expended in paper, ink, &c.
These stipends are far too small. However, the school
may not, must not, be neglected, although I must be
school teacher until the arrival of my son to relieve me
of my somewhat onerous duties in this department; for
my threescore years and ten are beginning to weigh
heavily, my hearing being especially impaired, the
result of an attack of influenza last year.
66
'Bishop Patteson is making great progress in
building, fencing, cultivating, &c. His present esta-
blishment consists of two clergymen in full orders, two
deacons, and two students from St. Augustine's College
(England). His neophytes from the islands amount
to seventy, several of whom are females. I am free to
say the improvement of these hitherto unmitigated
savages is really surprising. St. Barnabas College
is about three miles from Kingston. The native boys'
seldom come among us, but the Bishop, Mr. Codrington
(his Lordship's chaplain), and others of the clerical
party, are frequently in our midst, and generally on
Sunday afternoon take a portion of the service in our
church, but not at all interfering with my arrange-
1
[
1
CHAP. IX.
367
CLERICAL HARMONY.
ments. Of course, we are not slow to proffer them our
hospitality, nor they backward in accepting it, and in
return invitations to St. Barnabas are frequently and
as promptly acceded to. I am most desirous this
kindly feeling should continue, and will do all I can to
promote it. An ordination took place on St. Thomas'
Day of one priest and two deacons-all English-
belonging to the Bishop's establishment; it was so-
lemnized in our church, and the first ever witnessed by
our people. I read prayers, Mr. Codrington preached,
and we then took our appointed stations on each side
of the Bishop, within the communion rails. Afterwards,
assisted by the newly ordained, the holy communion
was administered to 120 persons, several of whom were
Melanesians of either sex.
"A long drought has rendered food somewhat more
scarce than usual, but we have recently had a gracious
rain, and are able now to plant as much as is necessary.
Another difficulty of the past year is nearly, if not
quite, surmounted. The Governor offered all the sheep
and cattle termed public or Government property to
the community at a stated price per head, which was
agreed to, and with what little money they had on
hand, the wool of last shearing, and the oil taken
(140 barrels), the obligation is met or nearly so; and
now all the stock on the island, except what Bishop
Patteson may introduce, is communal property, and
will, I think, be of great benefit. Sir John Young's
reason for thus disposing of the sheep and cattle was
that he might form a permanent revenue, which is to
be applied to such purposes as shall from time to time
368
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
be considered beneficial to the community. In this
matter his Excellency has shown an earnest desire for
the general welfare.
"I should be most grateful for a few school maps for
the instruction of the elder classes; in short, for any-
thing available for school purposes. May I ask you,
my respected friend, to interest yourself in this, to
us a matter of primary importance. It is rarely I get
a letter from England; my respected friends of 1852
have nearly all passed away. Admiral Moresby, Sir
Thomas Acland, Mr. Mills, and yourself, are all that
remain of that goodly number.
"I have yet three unmarried children, and a widowed
daughter with one child dwelling with me, and twenty-
five grandchildren frequently, almost daily, visiting
me, so that there is little probability of my becoming
lonesome; besides, my dear old rib is as much
enamoured of a nursery now, as when our own little
ones were tumbling about beneath the banian trees at
Pitcairn. The worthy woman, with her daughters,
send their Christian regards to Mrs. Glennie, and your
household generally. That the Father of mercies, and
God of all grace, may have you in His holy keeping, is
the earnest prayer of
"Yours very sincerely,
"GEORGE H. NOBBS.
"Rev. J. David Glennie, M.A."
In the following extract from a letter to Admiral
Moresby, John Adams, an old and respected member
of the Pitcairn community, bears testimony to the
CHAP. IX.
369
LETTER OF JOHN ADAMS.
zeal of Mr. Nobbs in fulfilling his ministerial duties,
the writer seems, like most of the islanders, to have
felt an undue alarm at the establishment of the
Melanesian college.
The people happily found in Bishop Patteson the
high principles of a Christian and a gentleman, and
he has most strictly adhered to the condition that the
Pitcairn colony should in no way be interfered with
by the clergy of the missionary establishment or by
the pupils. At the same time, whenever they applied
for assistance or advice, the Bishop has promptly
afforded both with the utmost kindness and sympathy.
John Adams to Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby, K.C.B.
"Norfolk Island, September 28th, 1868.
"The fever has quite left us, not without laying
many of our friends and relatives in the grave. Many
of us have under God to thank that dear good old soul
Mr. Nobbs for the preservation of many of our lives.
Morning, night, and noon, sick and faint himself from
watchings and anxieties, he is to be seen now here,
now there, now commending a departing spirit into the
hands of a merciful God, and then again administering
medicines to some, cheering and comforting others by
lively conversation. In fact, like an angel of light, all
through the horrors of that terrible and fearful sick-
ness, he diffused light and comfort wherever he went.
The true friend and the true shepherd of the flock, he
cared not for himself, but went wherever and whenever
duty called him.
It may be added that the Pitcairn people found in
2 B
370
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
time that their retirement was not so much invaded as
they had apprehended. They became interested in the
scheme, and as the college was founded on St. Barnabas
Day, they named it "The College of St. Barnabas," and
the Bishop adopted the title.
The following letter records the grateful feelings of
the Pitcairn community for the exertions of their kind
friend, Sir Fairfax Moresby, on their behalf regarding
the college and the appropriation of land.
"Dear Admiral Moresby,
"Norfolk Island, October 20th, 1868.
"Your kind letter to Mr. Nobbs with extracts
of letters from Messrs. Glennie and White to yourself
under date of May 15th were publicly read a few days
after receipt, and it only serves to add in our estimation
one more to the already innumerable proofs of your
disinterested kindness to our community.
We cannot allow you to quit the 'scene of conflict'
where you have battled so long and so nobly for our
welfare, without tendering you our united thanks for
favours so generously and so unostentatiously bestowed
upon us by yourself and by others through you, com-
mencing from the first day of our acquaintance up to
the present time.
“Now that all is over, will you kindly tender to those
who have taken an interest in our cause, our sincerest
thanks, and assure them that we deeply appreciate
their kind intentions. Well do we know that our cause
was just, but perhaps we were in a measure to blame.
As you have said, the 'Die is cast,'-now let the past
be buried in oblivion.
CHAP. IX.
371
WHALING ADVENTURES.
CC
Again, dear, dear Admiral, accept our heartiest
thanks for all you have done for us, for, we assure you,
long will we cherish in our hearts the remembrance of
your kindness to us and ours.
"That heaven may shower its choicest blessings upon
you and yours will ever be the prayer of your grateful
friends,-
"JOHN BUFFETT, Chief Magistrate.
"JOHN ADAMS, Councillor.
"GEORGE. H. NOввS, Chaplain.
66
GEORGE ADAMS, aged 65 years.
1
"ARTHUR QUINTAL, aged 76 years."-
and last surviving children of the mutineers of the
'Bounty.' In the name and on the behalf of
the Pitcairn community now residing on Norfolk
Island."
The next extract of a letter from the Rev. G. Nobbs
is of the same date as the above :—
"We are slowly returning to our usual duties. The
whaling-season is drawing to a close-150 barrels have
only yet been taken. The whales are every year be-
coming more difficult to approach, and more danger-
ous. We have had one boat smashed, within fifteen
seconds of darting the harpoon. The whale went off
with 150 fathoms of line; the crew took to the oars
and pieces of the wreck. Signals were made from the
hills to another boat some three miles off, and in less
than half-an-hour they were providentially saved from
1 "The oldest man on the island, with something of the spirit of
the old Covenanters."-Note by Admiral Moresby.
2 B 2
372
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
a watery grave, or the more ravenous sharks. The
wreck was not worth picking up, and the whale never
seen again.
"October 16.-To-day I enter my seventieth year, and
'tis only sixteen years to-day since I arrived in England
with dispatches from the Commander-in-Chief in the
Pacific Ocean. What changes both in the great world
and our microcosm have taken place since the latter
period, but amid all the chances and changes of this tran-
sitory world Jehovah is unchangeable, and that Triune
God is our God, He will be our guide even unto
death.
Since the commencement of this letter we have
been more successful in whaling, we have now 350
barrels of oil, and probably might get a hundred
barrels more, but all our casks and other available
articles are full, and we cannot, like the Shunamite of
old, borrow from our neighbours, but I trust we are
imbued with similar feelings of gratitude.
"We have still a good deal of sickness amongst us of
a febrile type, but not alarming; whether ever I shall
get clear of medical responsibilities until I get into my
coffin, I have much doubt.
66
'I am, at this time, anxiously awaiting, either the
advent of Lord Belmore, or some ship of war from
Sydney, to bring me my annual supply of medicine, for
I am beginning to run short.
"October 22.-The vessel we are expecting from
Auckland has not yet arrived; but an opportunity offers
for forwarding this, and John Adams's letter in the
name of the community, signed by the chief magistrate
CHAP. IX.
373
WHALING ADVENTURES.
and myself in the name and by the request of all
hands.
"And now once more, God be with you, honoured
friend.
Gratefully yours,
"G. H. NOBBS."
The daring and hardihood of the islanders in steering
boats through the surf, and among the surf-beaten
rocks of Pitcairn, no less than their powers of swim-
ming long distances, and remaining for hours in the
water, were admirable qualifications for the whale-
fishery. A more remarkable story of adventure is
perhaps not recorded in the annals of whale-fishing
than that contained in Mr. Nobbs' letter to Admiral
Moresby, which we give at length :—
"Norfolk Island, December 11th, 1868.
"We have had an adventurous whaling-season. About
300 barrels (of oil) have been taken; or at least pre-
served; two boats destroyed entirely (one of these I
mentioned in my last letter), and one crew of six per-
sons were for three hours in the water, without the aid
or knowledge of the other boats. The boat in question,
Frederick Young's, was some three miles from the
shore, and having imprudently fastened to a cow whale,
no other boat being in sight, she very quietly turned
the boat bottom up without staving a plank, and then
went off some distance. The crew set about righting
the boat, but of course could not free her from water;
however, they got the oars lashed athwart, and, though
the gunwale was level with she sea, commenced paddling
(each boat always carrying a set of paddles besides the
371
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
oars) very comfortably towards the shore, as I said
about a league distant. The current was against them,
and they did not make much progress, still they were
gaining ground, when to their surprise they saw the
wounded whale coming towards the boat. As soon as
they were convinced the boat was the object which
engaged her attention—she either supposing it to be
her calf, which lay dead some two miles distant, or
actuated by a desire for vengeance-the crew leaped
overboard, and the irritated monster placed its head on
the boat and there remained motionless for some time.
Then she retired to a short distance, and the head man
swam back and got a lance ready, determined to use it
if the whale came again within reach. She did return,
and Young actually thrust the lance several times into.
her spout-hole.' Feeling the smart, the whale settled
down some fathoms, then came up swiftly and smashed
boats and oars into fragments.
"There was now no alternative but so strike out for
the land. One of the crew, an English sailor, could not
swim, but two of our people bid him put an arm on
each of their necks, and they would not leave him while
life remained. The last time they saw the whale she
was in a very weak state from loss of blood, but still
remaining by the debris of the boat. And now, for
three long weary hours, did they exert their energies
to the utmost; but the current setting off, they had not
gained more than a mile. The poor sailor was almost
exhausted, and most began to think their ultimate
safety doubtful. There was also a lad of sixteen, one
of our own people, who was beginning to weary, so that
CHAP. IX.
375
WHALING ADVENTURES.
the other two of the crew were obliged to keep by his
side to encourage him. That which seemed to alarm
the lad more was the presence of immense sharks, whose
fins were continually coming in contact with his legs.
At this time their perilous situation was unknown to
the other boats, or to us on shore.
6
"At length my son Fletcher seeing nothing of
Young's boat for several hours, left off chasing whales
and went in quest of him. After a search of some time
he concluded the boat must have landed, and began to
think of doing so himself, as what are technically
called the chances' of the day were over.
While
rowing leisurely along shore, about a mile from the
land, Fletcher, who was standing up steering, fancied he
heard something like a distant shouting or calling.
Having mentioned this to the boat's crew, they ceased
pulling, and surveyed the adjacent ridge, which came
down nearly to the water's edge, thinking it might be
some one desirous of telling them in what direction the
other boats were. But they could see no one. Pre-
sently they heard the same sounds again, and then after
a short interval a third time.
"Fletcher and his crew were now of opinion that
it was from seaward the voices proceeded. Having
come to this conclusion, the boat's head was turned in
that direction, and 'Spring boys, there's help needed
somewhere,' was the prompt conclusion, and they bent
to their oars with a good will. After pulling nearly a
mile, the steersman, who had perched himself on the
gunwale of the boat, fancied he saw three black spots
on the water, about the size and appearance of cocoa-
376
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
nuts, and quickly became assured they were human
heads.
CC
Thinking these were all that were left of the crew
of Young's boat, he became so affected that he sank
down in the stern-sheets, and could not utter a word.
This, of course, alarmed the boat's crew, but he speedily
recovered himself, and simply said, 'Pull, boys, there
they are, just ahead.' Soon they had the three on
board, but they were actually afraid to ask what had
become of the other three, fearing they were either
drowned or eaten by the sharks; but one of the escaped
men said, 'Pull on, the others can't be far off,' and
about half a mile further on the others were happily
met with, but in a most exhausted state: humanly
speaking, another half-hour would have sealed their
fate.
"And now for ourselves, who were on shore. Many
of us both male and female were assembled on the pier,
looking at a young whale which had been killed the
day before, when a boat appeared rounding the 'Wind-
mill-point.' All eyes were directed towards her, and
some one remarked, 'There are more than six people in
that boat; some accident has happened.' Our faces
blanched and our hearts beat quick on hearing these
remarks. After a few moments' silence, and as the
boat drew nearer we attempted to count the number on
board. Having no glass at hand, we could only per-
ceive nine. Three are gone, was the mournful conclu-
sion; but whose husband, son, or brother? I now
ventured to ask, but with bated breath, Who's steering
the boat?' 'Fletcher,' was the prompt reply—the
6
F
CHAP. IX.
377
WHALING ADVENTURES.
only son I had out that day. Did I feel a relief?
Wasn't it selfish? I can answer the first query, let
casuists decide the second.
"After a little further scrutiny of the quickly ap-
proaching boat, a tenth person was discovered, and then
the eleventh; they were seated among the rowers. At
last the twelfth was discerned seated low in the stern
with his head resting on the gunwale. Yes, they were
all there, but this last undoubtedly injured. Well, the
pier was soon rounded, and as soon as they came within
hail, ‘All right?' was our half fearful interrogatory.
'All right, thank God,' was the subdued but cheerful
response. No one was hurt, and the man leaning on
the side of the boat was the English sailor, still weak
and pallid; our people had stuck by him to the en-
dangering of their own lives. What a picturesque
appearance they exhibited; some with trousers and no
shirt, others with shirts and no trousers, for the swim-
ming party had divested themselves of all incumbrances,
even to nudity, and those in the boat had shared their
garments with them, which were not many as the
weather was intensely warm. However, here they were,
all mercifully preserved. And I am sure all hands
were unfeignedly thankful, for tears of joy plentifully
bedewed the faces of all present."
To this letter Mr. Nobbs added the following post-
script:-
"I have no knowledge of the Reuben Nobbs alluded
to in your letter. I saw the account in an Exeter paper,
and read it to my family. It is a curious coincidence,
378
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
t
>
and I can only account for it by supposing some one
named Nobbs may have read the Rev. T. B. Murray's
early edition of Pitcairn,' and so was induced to name.
his son Reuben. Nobbs is not, I believe, a common,
though undoubtedly a plebeian name, and I never met a
person of this patronymic in all my travels; but, strange
to say, a few months since a ship called the 'Esk
touched here on her way to China, commanded by Cap-
tain Charles Nobbs; of course, we knew nothing of each
other. The name was assumed by me as a matter of
convenience when I first went to sea, and beyond the
worthy couple bearing the name, with whom I dwelt
for some time previous, but who had no children of
their own, I never have been acquainted with a Nobbs,
male or female. You are acquainted with my mother's
reason for my assumption of this nom de guerre.”
To Mr. and Mrs. Robert White, son-in-law and
daughter of Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby, G.C.B.
66
My dear friends,
"Norfolk Island, February 19th, 1869.
"As your day is, so shall your strength be,' is
the promise of our covenant God, and I quote it, as
having indeed realized its fulfilment many times in my
threescore years and ten, but probably never more so,
than during our last providential visitation; and I
trust that you, too, in your present sunshine of domestic
felicity, may experience and gratefully acknowledge it.
Your honoured father's letter of the 30th September
with yours enclosed, I received yesterday, and though
in declining health, I must not let this opportunity of
answering it pass by. To Sir Fairfax I wrote last
CHAP. IX.
379
STATE OF THE PITCAIRN COLONY.
month, and more recently to Sir Thomas, so that I
shall wait for returning health ere I again write to
three of my best friends, or else employ one of my son's
as my amanuensis, or to announce my death. I am not
dangerously ill, but wearing away, I cannot go to visit
my distant patients on horseback, by reason of an
almost broken neck, a reminiscence of war, glorious
war-some fifty years since-and even walking quickly
wearies me. The Melanesian clergy very kindly take
the afternoon service on Sundays, and would do more
were I to resign, but I do not intend to do so, unless
my infirmities prove too great a hindrance.
"We have been called to mourning, Thirty of our
community have been taken away in little more than
a year. Verily the mourners went about the streets.
I have detailed the circumstances to the Admiral, and
he will, no doubt, send you his letter. I am too unwell
at this time to enter into more particulars; but blessed
be God it is not a painful subject to meditate upon.
Our dear departed ones knew in whom they trusted, and
did believe and realized that He was able to keep that
which they had committed unto Him. 'Death could
not make souls afraid,' for God was with them here.
"When you write to my best earthly friend tell him,
old and young, men, women, and children, unite with
me proffering our unqualified love to our dear old
Admiral.
"In verity yours, while to the windward side of the
grave-yard,
"G. H. NOBBS."
In a later letter addressed by Mr. Nobbs to his
380
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
friend, the Rev. G. D. Glennie, he gives a more cheerful
account of the state of the Pitcairn colony :-
"Norfolk Island, July 29th, 1869.
"The voice of health and gladness is again heard in
our dwellings, although the exhausting effects of the
typhoid fever have not entirely disappeared. Two
grown persons have died of phthisis, consequent upon
the debility caused by the epidemic last year.
"We are going on very comfortably, hoping and
expecting that American whale-ships will again visit
us- -now that their internecine war is ended-for vege-
table produce, beef, &c. Bishop Patteson left us a
month since for the Isles of Darkness, taking with him
some thirty neophytes, all of whom have been baptised,
and several are communicants. One Melanesian deacon
and three English clergymen, ordained since their
sojourn at this place, also accompany him. There
remain about thirty Melanesians and two clergymen.
One or other of these latter generally takes the after-
noon service in my church, and assist at the Holy
Communion on the first Sunday of each month. Our
people are frequently invited by the bishop and his
clergy to tea, &c., and accept similar friendly demon-
strations from us, but the scholars never come near
us, nor even into the town, unless there is timber or
stores from Auckland to be landed and transferred to
the mission, so that we are as much to ourselves as we
can desire; and were it not that so much land has been
alienated, we have no reason to regret the establishment
of 'St. Barnabas College.' I have recently written to
Mr. Mills, and shall, with this, forward letters to Sir
CHAP. IX.
381
MELANESIAN MISSION.
T. Acland and Admiral Moresby by the next convey-
ance, whenever it may occur.
"We are collecting materials for a new church, the
old one, built under the convict regime, being in a very
ruinous state. The pecuniary benevolence of Sir Thomas
and the Admiral have enabled us to procure from Sydney
and Auckland many requirements for the undertaking.
We were rapidly increasing, but the dreadful epidemic
of last year decimated us, and there has this year
hitherto been as many deaths as births; still I think
the latter will predominate before the close of December.
Two hundred and four births have taken place since
our exodus in 1856 (these are strictly of our Pitcairn
colony), and seventy-two deaths, thirty of which oc-
curred last year. Twelve of our young ones were
confirmed in May, and the communicants are one
hundred and three. I am still graciously permitted
to perform my usual duties, with the exception of
superintending the school, from which I am precluded
by deafness, which, though not total, has, I fear, become
chronic. We have recently obtained a certificated school-
master from Auckland, recommended by Bishop Patte-
son, so that I trust our children will not lack instruction.
"I shall be glad to hear that your young immortals.
are travelling with their faces Zionward, and that you
may be graciously enabled to say with joy, 'Here am
I, Lord, and the children thou hast given me.'
"Present my respects to Miss Glennie, to my cicerone,
and such others of your family as were pleased to give
me a well-remembered and kind reception some seven-
teen years since.
382
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE C
BOUNTY.'
With sentiments of grateful respect, believe me, my
dear Mr. Glennie,
66
Very sincerely yours,
“GEORGE H. NOBBS.
"P.S.-October 14th.-Bishop Patteson is still on his
Melanesian tour. His lordship is at present on the
island of Mota, placing in a safe position the first
ordained Melanesian teacher and his wife. The first
fruits of righteous years and strenuous exertion, but,
if it pleases God, they will now make rapid progress.
Respected friend, ever faithfully yours,
"G. H. NOBBS."
66
As the Melanesian mission and the college on Norfolk
Island has been so frequently mentioned in many fore-
going chapters, the reader will be interested in the
following account by Bishop Patteson of the prospects.
and position of the establishment :—
c
Soon, by God's blessing, I think we may hope to
reap a harvest among the many islands from whence
the youths come, for I do think there are some here in
whose hearts the spirit of God is working. They are
eager to be taught here, from small to great, and out of
school hours may be seen sitting about with their
books spelling the words for themselves. Our transla-
tions are yet, for the most part, in Mota, and that is
principally learnt and spoken by the boys. How many
languages are spoken here really I cannot say; certainly
a very great number, but they all soon get to know one
another, and converse in one language."1
1 Extract from the Australian Churchman.'
CHAP. IX.
383
COLLEGE ON NORFOLK ISLAND.
December 14th, 1868.-" No servants, white or black."
(This is a very noteworthy point in Bishop Patteson's
system of work). "No menial servants, no more paid
labourers. The idea that one volunteer is worth two
pressed men' has never been more thoroughly carried
out in principle and detail.
CC
6
Well, at 7 P.M. the bell rings for chapel for about
one minute, and all hands promptly repair thither.
In spite of the vast variety of languages and dialects,
spoken by the fifty or sixty human beings collected
from twenty or thirty islets of the Pacific main, no
practical difficulty has been found in using Mota'¹ as
the general language for chapel and school, so that
in a short time a congregation of twenty languages
are able to join in worship in the one Mota tongue,
more or less akin to all the rest, and a class of (say)
nine boys speaking by nature five different languages
peaceably agree and easily unite in the using of the one
Mota language; just as a Frenchman, and a German, a
Russian, an Italian, and an Englishman all meeting in
the same café or railway carriage, on the same glacier
or mountain-top, might harmoniously agree to use
French as their medium of communication. So the
service is conducted in Mota by the Bishop, and Rev.
Mr. Codrington, and by George Sarawaia, of Mota, who
1 "The island of Mota, or Sugar-Loaf Island, is one of the Banks
islands to the southward of the Santa Cruz group in the South
Pacific Ocean. The Eanks islands were (in 1856) scarcely marked
on the charts, although of considerable size. Mota is spoken of in
the 'Melanesian Mission' as one of its brightest spots in its
history, and the missionaries were possibly better acquainted with
that dialect than any other, the scholars from that island might also
be more numerous than from any other."
384
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
reads the lessons, and who (D.v.) will be ordained a
deacon of the Church of England next week. One
exception only is made the collect for the day is read
in English, as a brief allowable concession to the ears
and hearts of the English members of the mission.
The service consists of the greater part of the Church
of England service translated. Some modifications have
been made to suit the course of religious instruction.
The Psalms are chanted, and hymns sung in parts, and
always in admirable tune, by the congregation. Note-
worthy are the perfect attention, the reverent attitude,
the hearty singing and unison of this little congrega-
tion; a lesson (I felt with shame) to many of our white
congregations.
Now, as regards the manual work of the station,
this general principle is observed-women for washing
and housework, and men for planting and out-of-door
work, but no one, white or black, is to be too grand to
do his share.
"The Bishop's share, indeed, is to study and inves-
tigate and compare the languages and necessary trans-
lations, but no one is to be above manual labour, no
one quasi-white man is to say, as it were, 'Here, black
fellow, come and clean my boots. Here, black people,
believe that I have come to give you a treasure of
inestimable price; meantime work for me, am I not
your superior? Can I not give you money, calico,
what not?'
66
Well, this Christian democracy, if I may call it so,
has worked well in the long run. A little patience,
and boys who might have kicked if told to black boots
CHAP IX.
385
COLLEGE ON NORFOLK ISLAND.
for a white master, have gratefully volunteered to do it
for a well-beloved white brother, and girls have come
to feel hurt to see their white teacher-really loved and
received, really felt to be unspeakably their superior-
sweeping his own room, or dusting his own books, and
have humbly prayed to be allowed to relieve him of
that trouble."
In a letter written by Bishop Patteson to the author,
he thus speaks of the character and position of the
Pitcairn people on Norfolk Island:-
CC
"December 18th, 1869.
They are really a friendly, kindly, amiable people,
with a good deal to learn, and a good deal of room for
improvement, like most of us.
"So far from the Pitcairn seclusion being an advan-
tage, I believe that persons so circumstanced will be
found to illustrate the truth, that God trains his people
by the discipline that comes with the exposure to trials
and temptations. The absence of temptation results at
the least in nothing higher than a merely negative
goodness.
"The positive, manly, energetic, Christian character
is formed in the midst of trials and struggles."
In the justice and good sense of these remarks we
must all concur, and have little doubt but that members
of the Pitcairn colony, when tried and weighed in the
balance, will not be found wanting.
The following letter from the Rev. G. H. Nobbs
was commenced at the same date as the one from
the Bishop, and ended January 1st, 1870. It arrived by
the same post:
20
386
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.
"Norfolk Island, December 16th, 1869.
“MY DEAR LADY BELCHER,
""Ei ia outou te arotra mau e ta hau no o mai i
te atua i to tatou metua ra, e no o hoi i te Fatu ia Jesu
Mesia ra.'
66
A salutation your honoured father would have
responded to when in the flesh, with full purpose of
heart; and with which I will now greet you, in the
vernacular of another people, who are also blessed with
a translation of that BооK which maketh wise unto
salvation- Grace be unto you, and peace from God
our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
*
*
*
"We have been nearly fourteen years at this place,
and have much cause to be grateful for the removal.
Of course, here as everywhere else we have had our
fruitful seasons and those of scarcity; but these latter
have ever been the result of continued drought, and not
to indolence and negligence.
"Another drawback is, that the whaling-season is at
the very time when agriculture most needs attention,
and is in consequence neglected or postponed to a less
favourable opportunity. A whale within reasonable
distance from the shore receives immediate attention;
and I opine if these leviathans were to visit us through
the year, little else as a means of subsistence would be
attended to. There is a fascination in chasing and
capturing whales, to which our people yield most
implicitly, notwithstanding the danger manifestly im-
minent during the conflict. Hitherto no serious per-
sonal injury has been sustained, though many narrow
escapes are on record, and frequently narrated when
CHAP. IX.
387
LIFE ON NORFOLK ISLAND.
seated in the shadow of some umbrageous pine or
fluttering banana-tree, resting during the mid-day heat
from the monotonous but also more beneficial labour of
ploughing or hoeing their farm allotments. We have
recently heard from our relatives who returned to
Pitcairn's; the report is not favourable. A worm
infests their potatoes so badly that it is with difficulty
they procure sufficient for subsistence; and conse-
quently have no surplus for the supply of ships. The
only clothing they have for general use is manufactured
from the 'aute' or paper mulberry, and familiarly
known as 'tappa.'
tappa.' It is very inferior for wearing
apparel, although sufficient to subserve the purposes
of decency. We have none of the plant here, and
though we should last year have been glad of some
of the cloth for bed linen during the fever, still I think
we shall hardly again resume the manufacture; besides,
it is very doubtful if the plant would thrive here, from
the low temperature of the winter months-low in our
estimation, our zero being 45° Fahrenheit. Lord
Belmore has not yet visited us, there being no avail-
able ship of war; and to hire a vessel is attended with
too great an expense, therefore it is very uncertain
whether the Earl and Countess will honour us with
their presence. We are very desirous that his Excel-
lency should come, not that we have anything of a
serious nature to submit for adjudication, but there
are several moot points respecting land grants and
conveyances, and many minor questions which can be
solved so much better colloquially than by letter;
besides, personal acquaintance relieves epistolary cor-
2c2
388
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
respondence of much stiffness and formality. My wife,
as perhaps you remember, is a granddaughter of
Fletcher Christian. She continues to enjoy tolerable
health, though, like myself, gradually succumbing to
the infirmities of age. We have ten children living;
eight are married, with thirty-five children among
them; one daughter, a widow with one child before
she was twenty years old; and my female Benjamin
of thirteen years, who, in accordance with the times, is
actually taking lessons in music, with several more of
our young ladies, from a most competent teacher. Jane
has been married several years, and will very shortly
be the mother of five children; her eldest child was
unfortunately burnt so badly about five years since
that she survived but a few hours. Jane sends her
grateful respects. My dear old rib proffers you her
Christian regards, and the other members of the family
cordially unite. I shall be right glad of a copy of your
book, when published, for the 'Bounty,' and the im-
mediate results of the so called mutiny, are but dimly
shadowed forth among their younger descendants,
among whom there is a representative of the fifth
generation. There are still living one son of Matthew
Quintal and one son and daughter of John Adams,
and, by the last account of Pitcairn, one daughter of
Mills. These are all that remain of the first genera-
tion; of the second, thirty-two survive. The Tahitian
language is neither spoken nor understood; a few
words have become mingled with our not very classical
English, and it is beyond the power of Murray or
Walker to expel them.
CHAP. IX.
389
LIFE ON NORFOLK ISLAND.
66
Bishop Patteson returned from his Melanesian
diocese some three months since, bringing with him
sixty neophytes. There are now more than a hundred
under instruction, and are improving rapidly. It is
really astonishing to see how promptly they conform
to the judicious modes of instruction pursued by the
Bishop and his clergy, four of whom are in full orders,
and one a deacon. We are on excellent terms with our
friends at St. Barnabas, but have little intercourse
beyond an occasional invitation to dinner or tea. On
Sundays one or other of the clergy kindly assists me,
generally taking the entire afternoon service, and one
of them has a class in our Sunday School, the Bishop
himself coming down to Wednesday afternoon service,
for the purpose of meeting those preparing for con-
firmation.
December 24th.-We met this
morning according to our law, for the purpose of
electing magistrate and councillors for the coming
year. During this interregnum of perhaps an hour's
duration I am invested with the abdicated authority,
as 'President of the Electoral College.' The magistrate
was re-elected for the fourth consecutive year. The
chief councillor, not wishing to serve longer, was re-
placed; the second councillor was re-elected. Their
names as they stand in office are, John Buffett, junior,
Abraham Quintal, and John Adams. Before separating
it was put to the vote whether the old church should
be repaired or a new one built. A new one was decided
upon, nem. con., and then all hands commenced their
Christmas preparations."
January 1st, 1870.
"From our coral-fenced, austrine hacienda, of twenty
390
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
miles circumference, glowing beneath a midsummer
and nearly vertical sun, accept our New Year's saluta-
tion of grace, mercy, and peace. We have been engaged
this morning in laying the corner stone of our new
church (All Saints'), and humbly trust we shall be
permitted to finish it by the middle of this untried
year. With the exception of the foundation it is to be
of wood, 100 feet long, and 40 feet wide. Most of the
materials for the edifice are obtained, but we shall be
most grateful for some assistance in the shape of a
cover for the communion table, and material of which
to make cushions for the reading-desk and pulpit, and
for the communicants to kneel upon. The outer fabric
of these is all that is needed, with material for binding.
May I ask you to mention the circumstance to such of
your benevolent friends as may be disposed, from sheer
Christian philanthropy, to aid us in this matter. I
make no apology for preferring this request, feeling
sure you will either promulgate or repress it as may
seem most consistent with your ideas of conventional
propriety. Few of those friends who gave me so
cordial a welcome seventeen years since are now in the
flesh. Yourself, Admiral Moresby, Sir Thomas Acland,
and the reverend secretaries to the S. P. G. and
S. P. C. K., are all or nearly all; but from these
untiring benefactors we have received frequent and
most essential aid, and to whom on this day I should
be glad to proffer a vivá voce salutation of grateful
reminiscences. I am writing to Sir Fairfax and Sir
Thomas. I wrote to my well remembered friend,
Admiral Fanshawe, some few years since, and through
CHAP. IX.
391
THE COLONY ON NORFOLK ISLAND.
him to his brother-in-law Mr. Cardwell, but presume
those letters never reached their intended destination;
the subject to which they referred has since been finally
adjusted, and I trust we shall be enabled (D.v.) to hold
on the tenour of our way, with grateful acknowledg-
ments to the Father of mercies for inclining our beloved
Queen to bestow on us so eligible a place of abode.
"In consequence of increasing deafness (one of the
three warnings) I am constrained to relinquish my
superintendence of Sunday and day schools. The latter
I used to visit every Friday, to catechize the children
by classes, in a room set apart for that purpose, but I
can do so no longer. I am most grateful that for forty-
one years (since 1828) I have been enabled to do my
duty in that state of life in which I humbly trust it
was his good pleasure to place me; and now provi-
dentially there is other help at hand, that my people
will not be neglected, or sustain much loss whenever
my number is made. And now, my dear Lady, I must
conclude this very desultory epistle by bidding you
God speed, and that the descendants of the mutineers
of the Bounty' may have grateful cause to felicitate
themselves on your exposition of their fathers' derelic-
tions and provocations.
'
"Yours in verity,
"GEORGE H. NOBBS."
The foregoing letter, from the pen of Mr. Nobbs,
concluded on the 1st January, 1870, is the last com-
munication which has been received from the Pitcairn
Colony on Norfolk Island.
It is a satisfactory document, with which we may
392
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
for the present take our leave of our distant but
affectionate friends, in whose progress and welfare we
feel so deep an interest. All the discomforts and
disappointments which attended their removal from
Pitcairn, and their first arrival at Norfolk Island, seem
happily to have passed away; but not among the least
of these disappointments was the uncertainty of the posi-
tion in which they were to settle down in Norfolk Island.
It was most natural that they should desire to remain
isolated in their new island home, for their isolation at
Pitcairn had no doubt saved them from many evil
habits incident to contact with the world; but with
their increasing numbers such seclusion became as
impossible as it was unadvisable. The two settlements
of St. Barnabas and Pitcairn are as much separated as
if they were on different islands, and it is pleasing to
find that the admirable tact and kindness of Bishop
Patteson have won not only the confidence but the
regard of the Pitcairn people, who have the opportunity
of gaining much practical information as to farming,
and the management of stock, of which they were
totally ignorant. From this example of labour and
industry, so conspicuous in the missionary establish-
ment, they will learn to turn their attention to other
profitable means of employment than the whale-fishery,
which may every year become more precarious, and the
export of oil less remunerative.
Fifteen years have elapsed since the removal from
Pitcairn, and the colonists have during this period
evinced the same simplicity of manners and conduct,
the same honest adherence to truth and uprightness in
CHAP. IX.
393
FAMILIES RETURNED TO PITCAIRN.
their dealings, for which they were distinguished in
their own little island. Long may these principles
remain their characteristics!
It is due to our friend, the Rev. G. H. Nobbs, that
this narrative should not close without a tribute to his
valuable and excellent services. He has laboured
among the islanders for more than forty years as their
pastor, schoolmaster, and physician, and his efforts.
have been unceasing in his arduous and varied avoca-
tions. Although his declining years will not admit of
the continuance of all these duties, yet we hope he
may long be spared to them as their Christian guide
and minister, and the evening of his life be cheered by
the affectionate regard and esteem of his own numerous
family, and of many who have grown up under his eye,
and benefited by his instruction.
The few pages that remain relate to the families who
returned to Pitcairn, and have been visited by Captain
Montresor, R.N., and others; also by Sir Wentworth
Dilke.
6
Extract of a Letter from Captain Montresor, dated
H.M.S. Calypso,' at Sea, lat. 27° 13′ S., long.
130° 26' W., October 7th, 1860.
"We arrived at Pitcairn Island at 0·35 P.M. of the
5th instant, and shortening all sail from royals and
studding sails to topsails and jib, as we rounded the
point which brought us in sight of the landing-place,
we stood in under easy sail and hove to, for the purpose
of giving the islanders an opportunity of boarding us;
but it was not till 2.30 P.M. that two little canoes, each
394
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
paddled by one man only, came off. These two men
proved to be William Mayhew Young and Moses
Young, cousins, aged thirty-three and thirty, and from
them the following information was obtained.
"Of the original islanders who had returned, and
who, with one infant born since their return, form at
present the whole population of the island, there are
two families, a list of whose names is enclosed, the
heads of which are William and Moses Young. William
Young's wife, the oldest person on the island, being
thirty-nine years of age, was the widow of Philip
McCoy, and her family by her first husband now form
part of the family of William Young. All the rest of
the children, except the two eldest McCoys, are quite
young, and mostly females, the proportion of the
thirteen children being ten girls to three boys.
"I questioned the men upon their reasons for leaving
the island, and they both said it was principally on
account of the health of their wives, with whom the
climate of Norfolk Island did not agree, and also that
they felt a strong desire to revisit their native country.
These were the only reasons alleged to me; but to the
officers, with whom they were more confidential, they
admitted that they did not consider Norfolk Island as
their own, that no one could be kinder than the
Governor of New South Wales, of whom they spoke
with great respect, but that a schoolmaster and a
miller had been placed among them, who were not of
them, the schoolmaster having charge of the sheep on
the island, which they had been led to believe would
have been their own property; and that some sappers.
CHAP. IX.
395
FAMILIES RETURNED TO PITCAIRN.
and miners, with their wives and families, had also
been quartered on the island; that their own magis-
trates, formerly only responsible to the people them-
selves, were now held responsible by Government for
the performance of certain obligations by the people,
and that altogether they found it was so different
from the life of freedom and irresponsibility, to all but
themselves and their elected magistrates, they had led
at Pitcairn; that they had a longing to be back to the
island, where nobody could interfere with them, how-
ever good and kind the intention, and however neces-
sary perhaps the interference. All this was said not in
the tones of complaint against the authorities, but
rather in self-exculpation of what might be deemed
their fickleness of mind; and whatever justice there
may be in these arguments, the first and great reason
for their return, and which could not veil itself from
our observation, was evidently the longing for the
land of their birth, the land where their forefathers.
were buried. Moses Young exclaimed as we went on
shore, pointing to the English ensign they had hoisted,
'Ah! there's the flag I shall be buried under,' and
William Young told the senior lieutenant that no one
belonging to him should ever leave the island again if
he could help it.
"The present inhabitants of Pitcairn left Norfolk
Island on the 28th November, 1858, in the 'Mary
Ann' English trader, which they hired to take them
over. The Governor (Sir William Denison) was aware,
they said, of their intention, and had given his per-
mission; and Mr. Nobbs, though sorry to part with
396
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY,'
his relative, the wife of William Young, had also
sanctioned and advised their return.
"In the literally infant state of this colony they
have as yet no recognised laws and no magistrate; but
it is the intention of the heads of the two families, ast
their children grow up, to establish the same rules
which have been handed down to them from the time
of old John Adams. Mr. Arthy (the chaplain) ques-
tioned both the men and women as to their observance
of religious duties, and ascertained that the children had
been baptized when born, and that they had church
service morning and evening on Sundays, besides daily
morning and evening family prayer.
"The island had been perfectly healthy ever since
their return, one death only having occurred, that of
an infant seven days old, the child of William Young.
"Having ascertained that the landing was per-
fectly practicable, I landed in the cutter, accompanied
by the second lieutenant, the chaplain, and Moses
Young. We landed at high tide in Bounty Bay, and
though there was a good breeze from s.E., we had no
difficulty whatever in reaching shore quite dry. The
island has been so well described, and will be so
familiar to the mind, that it will be unnecessary to
repeat any description of its beauty.
"We found, after clambering up the ascent, that
the church and school-room were sadly dilapidated,
and the whole of the houses were unroofed, except
the two which the two families had taken possession
of. This had been done; and the material, planks and
nails, used for building a boat (which boat I saw at
CHAP. IX.
397
FAMILIES RETURNED TO PITCAIRN.
Tahiti), by some men who had been shipwrecked
at Pitcairn during the absence of its inhabitants.
"The houses we went into were neat and clean,
resembling in the interior the cabin of a merchant ship,
with a row of six bunks on one side.
"We found the farms well stocked with a quantity
of breeding sows and fattening hogs (all well-bred
animals), goats, and poultry, having the appearance
of the farm of a thriving tenant-farmer in England.
The island, moreover, we were told, abounded in wild
goats and poultry, and that wild cattle, from the origi-
nal stock presented by Admiral Moresby, had increased
so greatly and had become so fierce that they were
obliged to kill them off, and had shot six-and-twenty
since their return.
"One whaler had visited the island a few months
since, and had been supplied with stock and water. I
asked, in case of crops failing, what they would live on ?
They seemed to be amused at the question, and said
unless they chose there would be no absolute necessity
for their having crops at all; that bread-fruit, taro, and
peas grew wild and in abundance, and that, independent
of the cattle, there were wild goats and poultry enough
to supply them with flesh and fowl for years.
"In conclusion, I have to remark that the men
appeared to be sensible, hard-working, steady, good
men (neither of them when on board would touch any-
thing but water); the women modest, pleasing, and
homely in their manners; and the children neither
shy nor bold, and all appeared healthy. I have no
misgiving, but that, under God's providence, Pitcairn
398
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
with the nucleus of inhabitants it now possesses-fewer
far than those who first landed there from the 'Bounty'
—will in time have again to throw off its swarm; the
only fear which presents itself being as to what is to
become of these women and helpless children if any-
thing should happen to the two men.
And again, if,
when these ten girls are grown up, with only three
boys and perhaps two old men to protect them, what
might be the consequence of the godless crew of a
whaler landing on the island?
"We were told by both men and women that they
were in almost certain expectation of being joined by
five other families from Norfolk Island; and, for the
reasons given, and on account of the very great dis-
parity of numbers in the two sexes, it is to be hoped
more will return; and for my part, having now seen
their island home, I have no doubt in my own mind that
the love of the native soil will induce more to re-visit it.
"As I shook hands with the women in parting, I
asked if they were really glad they had returned, to
which they both replied 'Oh yes, indeed!' with an un-
mistakeable earnestness as to their happiness in being
again at home.
"The evening was now drawing in, and I was
anxious to get the Youngs on shore, and to take my
own departure before it was quite dark. I returned to
the ship, having previously deposited with our island
friends, who were gratefully anxious to make us some
return, sundry carpenter's tools, shot, powder, yards of
calico, needles, thread, locks, hinges, screws, &c., to-
gether with slates and pencils, writing paper, and a
CHAP. IX.
399
FAMILIES RETURNED TO PITCAIRN.
number of books, a large box of what were considered
necessaries having been made up between myself and
the officers. The cutter having been hoisted up, and the
canoes having taken their departure, sail was made on
the ship, and we stood off from the land and proceeded
in the prosecution of our voyage to Valparaiso."
Population of Pitcairn Island on the Calypso's' visit
in October, 1860.
William Mayhew Young
Margaret (late McCoy)
Years. Months.
aged 33
39
""
1 11
19
Elizabeth Maude
The following are Margaret's children by former husband.
Sarah McCoy
Years. Months.
aged 17
James Russell
Harriet Malicia
Alice Sophia
Mary Anne
··
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
15
13
""
""
Rebecca Holman
Moses Young (cousin to William Mayhew)
Albini
Elizabeth
Charles Vider
..
:
:
*
10
9
00
30
>>
31
12
10
Sarah Grace
Jane Unez
}
(twins).
Mercy Amelia
Mathew Richard
'
:
:
:
:
""
""
5
26
0 1
A later visit to Pitcairn Island is that recorded by
Sir Wentworth Dilke in Greater Britain,' published
1869:-
"After traversing lonely and hitherto unknown seas,
and looking in vain for a new guano island, on the
sixteenth day we worked out the ship's position at noon
with more than usual care, if that were possible, and
found that in four hours we ought to be at Pitcairn
400
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
Island. At half-past two o'clock land was sighted
right ahead, and by four o'clock we were in the bay,
such as it is, at Pitcairn. Although at sea, there was
a calm, the ground-swell beat heavily upon the shore,
and we were fain to content ourselves with the view of
the island from our decks. It consists of a single
volcanic peak, hung with an arras of green creeping
plants, passion flowers, and trumpet vines. As for the
people, they came off to us dancing over the seas in
their canoes, and bringing us green oranges and
bananas, while a huge Union Jack was run up on
their flag-staff by those who remained on shore.
"As the first man came on deck he rushed to the
captain, and shaking hands violently, cried in pure
English entirely free from accent, 'How do you do,
captain? How's Victoria?' There was no disrespect
in the omission of the title Queen;' the question
seemed to come from the heart. The bright-eyed
lads, Adams and Young, descendants of the 'Bounty
mutineers, who had been the first to climb our sides,
announced the coming of Moses Young, the 'magistrate'
of the isle, who presently boarded us in state. He was
a grave and gentlemanly man, English in appearance,
but somewhat slightly built, as were, indeed, the lads.
The magistrate came off to lay before the captain the
facts relating to a feud which exists between two parties
of the islanders, and upon which they require arbitra-
tion. A widow, who returned with the others, claims
a third of the whole island as having been the property
of her late husband, and is supported in her demand by
half the islanders, while Moses Young and the remainder
CHAP. IX. FAMILIES RETURNED TO PITCAIRN.
401
1
of the people admit the facts, but assert that the deser-
tion of the island was complete, and operated as an entire
abandonment of titles, which the re-occupation cannot
revive. The success of the woman's claim, they say,
would be the destruction of the prosperity of Pitcairn.
"When we had drawn up a case to be submitted to
Sir John Young, our captain made a commercial treaty
with the magistrate, who agreed to supply the ships of
the new line, whenever daylight allowed them to call at
Pitcairn, with oranges, bananas, ducks, and fowls, for
which he was to receive cloth and tobacco in exchange,
tobacco being the money of the Polynesian archipelago."
“Mr. Young told us that his people had thirty sheep,
which were owned by each of the families in turn, the
household taking care of them and receiving the profits
for one year. Water, he said, sometimes fell short in
the island, but they then make use of the juice of the
Their school is excellent; all the
green cocoa-nut.
children can read and write; and in the election of
magistrates they have female suffrage.
"When we went on deck again to talk to the young
men, Adams asked us a new question: Have you a
'Sunday at Home,' or a 'British Workman'?' What
was the answer? No!' Our books and papers having
been ransacked, Moses Young prepared to leave the
ship, taking with him presents from the stores. Besides
the cloth, tobacco, hats, and linen, there was a bottle of
brandy given for medicine, as the islanders are strict
teetotallers. While Young held the bottle in his hand,
afraid to trust the lads with it, Adams read the label
and cried out, Brandy! How much for a dose ?
C
2 D
402
PART II.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY."
Oh yes, all right; I know it's good for the women.
When they at last left the ship's side, one of the
canoes was filled with a crinoline and blue silk dress for
Mrs. Young, and another with a red and brown tartan
for Mrs. Adams, both given by Lady Massenger, while
the lads went ashore in dress-coats and smoking-caps.
66
Now that the French, with their singular habit of
everywhere annexing countries which other colonizing
nations have rejected, are rapidly occupying all the
Polynesian groups, except the only ones that are of
value, namely, the Sandwich Islands and New Zealand,
Pitcairn becomes of some importance as a solitary
British post on the very border of the French do-
minions; and it has for us the stronger claim to notice,
which is raised by the fact that it has figured for the
last few years on the wrong side of our British budget.
"As we stood out from the bay into the lonely seas,
the island peak showed a black outline against a pale-
green sky; but in the west the heavy clouds that in the
Pacific never fail to cumber the horizon, were glowing
with a crimson cast by the now set sun, and the dancing
wavelets were tinted with reflected hues."
The latest letter from Pitcairn is to Admiral Sir
Fairfax Moresby, G.C.B., from John Buffett. He went
to pay a visit to his daughter, Mrs. Young, who had
returned there with her husband and family, and
had been a year in Pitcairn, unable to find a ship to
convey him to Auckland in order to return to Norfolk
Island. This letter, which contains the following
extract, is dated Pitcairn Island, July 27th, 1869:-
"The last merchant-ship touched here last August,
CHAP. IX.
403
CLOSE OF THE NARRATIVE.
and a whaler last February, so that they are very short
of clothing, and will, I suppose, have to go back to native
cloth; in fact, several ladies wear the native skirt now.
Mr. Simon Young is schoolmaster and pastor, and
attends well to those duties. He also teaches singing
without any remuneration. We ought to be very thank-
ful that we are blessed with health, as we have no medi-
cine on the island; meat is scarce, so are fish. We
have some sheep and goats, no cattle; and the hogs are
diseased. There has been a failure with the yam crops,
so that our principal food is sweet potatoes and plan-
tains. Oranges are plentiful, and bananas, pine apples,
&c., so that we make out pretty well in the eating
line. Moses Young is magistrate this year, but there
are not many law cases. Most of them would rather
be on Norfolk Island than here."
With this notice of the re-colonization and present
state of Pitcairn Island our narrative ends.
We have traced the history of the little community
through a period of eighty-three years, from its first
origin in tyranny and crime, through a chain of strange
and tragical events, to its final settlement in peace and
prosperity. A few of the families who composed it
have separated from their brethren, and returned to
their "Rock in the West;" but the traditions of Pit-
cairn, and of the colony in Norfolk Island are the
same; and the early training of John Adams laid
the foundation of such Christian principles among
them, that the errors and crimes of "The Mutineers.
of the 'Bounty"" are forgotten in the exemplary con-
duct of their Descendants.
2 D 2
101 :
Arr. A.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
APPENDIX A.
E
We have already alluded to the following letter, written
at the request of Rear-Admiral Moresby, and relating the
sixteen years of Mr. Nobbs's history, previous to his arrival
at Pitcairn. Although very interesting, it has no bearing
on the affairs of the islanders, and is therefore placed in
the Appendix. The letter runs as follows:-
To Rear-Admiral Fairfax Moresby, G.C.B.
"H.M.S. 'Portland,' at Sea, May, 1853.
"MY HONOURABLE AND BENEVOLENT FRIEND,
In accordance with your expressed desire that I
should furnish you with the data of sixteen years of my
somewhat eventful life, I submit for your perusal the
following superficial, but as far as memory serves, correct
account of my whereabouts from 1812 to October, 1828.
November, 1811, I entered the Navy, by being placed
on the books of H.M.S. 'Roebuck,' through the interest of
Rear-Admiral Murray. Transferred first to the Chan-
ticleer,' then to the 'Snipe'-where I remained until the
news of the loss of the 'Hero' in the North Sea,--I was
then for certain reasons withdrawn from the service; but
in 1813 Admiral Murray placed me on board the 'Inde-
fatigable,' a naval storeship, commanded by a master in
the Navy named Bowles, and I went in her under the
convoy of the Duncan' to New South Wales and Van
Diemen's Land. From New South Wales we had orders
to proceed by Bass's Straits to the Cape of Good Hope,
but after a vain attempt to beat through the Straits we
took a fresh departure from New South Wales, shaped our
App. A.
405
REV. G. H. NOBBS.
course for Cape Horn, and from thence across to the Cape
of Good Hope, thence to St. Helena, and ultimately to
England. I now left the Navy, and after residing at
home a few months, received a letter from my old com-
mander, offering to procure me a berth on board a ship of
eighteen guns, designed for the use of the patriots in
South America. I accepted the offer, and left England
early in 1816 for Valparaiso; but we were prevented
entering, from the circumstance of the royalists having
regained possession of that place. We accordingly com-
menced cruising along the coast in search of prizes,
although I am not quite certain that our liberal commis-
sion had the signature of any patriot chieftain except
Artigos, a Buenos Ayrean leader of some note at that
period. Our cruise, which extended over sixteen months,
was very successful; but having no port to take our
prizes into, we were obliged to destroy them, so that our
emoluments were not great. During this cruise, while in
charge of a prize, I was captured by a Spanish Guarda
Costa, and carried into Callao. Oh, what rejoicing was
there! The insurgents, doubly ironed, and guarded by
nearly a hundred soldiers, were exposed to the gaze and
insult of some thousands, who kept holiday on the occa-
sion. Walking about Callao streets for months with fifty
pounds weight of iron attached to one's person, and a
spare diet of beans and Chili peppers, with a stone for a
pillow at night, was far from being an agreeable situation.
However, custom reconciled us in some degree, and after
losing some five or six of our party of seventeen, by fever
and exposure to the sun while carrying stones to repair
the forts, our guardians became more remiss, we got rid
of our irons by degrees, and ultimately were left to shift
for ourselves, procure food when and where we could,
and roam about the town almost unnoticed, sometimes
feasting, but more often fasting. Several weeks passed
away when a sailing vessel, called the 'Flying-fish,' of
New Bedford, anchored in Callao Bay. As I was under
406
ÅPP. A.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
no surveillance I introduced myself to Captain Fisk, her
commander, whom I had frequently fallen in with previous
to my capture. He immediately agreed to secrete me if I
could get on board his ship, and as many of my crew as
could make their escape; and moreover, as he was going
to the Gallapagos Islands, which was the appointed ren-
dezvous of our ship, he would convey us thither on
condition of receiving 100 dollars for each person taken
on board, to be paid on falling in with our ship. Eight
of us made our escape, and four days after we ran into
Tumbey, where our ship was lying. No doubt our
American benefactor was aware of this when he received
us on board. After cruising along the coast of Peru for
some months, with various success, we went off to the
Gallapagos Islands, where we remained seven or eight
weeks, and then resumed our cruising between those
islands and Panama.
In the latter part of 1817 we entered Valparaiso, and
were well received by the authorities, who professed
themselves staunch patriots. I had now an opportunity
of forwarding 700 dollars to my poor mother, who much
needed them. The name of our ship was now changed
by order of the Chilian Government, from 'Santa Rosa'
to 'El Libertador,' and fitted out for a two years' cruise
off Manilla, with very indifferent success, much sickness,
and more privation. We remained along the Eastern
Archipelago for eighteen months, and then returned
poorer than when we started. Being somewhat embar-
rassed in pecuniary matters, and times very dull in
Valparaiso, I united with thirty-five others in what
appeared a desperate and foolish undertaking,-no less
than going in an open launch to Arica, and attempt the
cutting out of a large merchant ship from Cadiz, named
'La Minerva.' Such a forlorn hope did the undertaking
appear, that the landlord of the house where I boarded,
and to whom I was indebted a considerable sum, offered
to board me for six months gratis if I abandoned the
Arr. A.
407
REV. G. H. NOBBS.
enterprise. But go I did, and this was the result of the
adventure. On Monday, but what day of the month of
August, 1818, I cannot remember, we left Valparaiso in
an open launch, commissioned by the supreme director of
Chili, commanded by Captain James, seconded by a Lieu-
tenant Mackay, the other thirty-three being of equal
rank as far as prize money was concerned. On the
following Monday at dusk we entered Arica, brought the
vessel out without much fighting, and the following
Monday, that is fifteen days from our departure from
Valparaiso, we returned to that port, to the surprise of
the Government and the joy of our creditors, having
honourably exchanged our launch for a fine ship of 700
tons, nearly full of valuable cargo intended for Callao.
My share of the prize was 2000 dollars, and many who
reprobated our undertaking at the commencement were
now loud in their commendation. Captain O'Brien, of
H.M. sloop-of-war Slaney,' kindly took charge of 1000.
dollars for my mother, which she received in due time
without any deduction (honour to his memory!).
"In February, 1819, I took the situation of prize-master
on board a forty-gun ship, under Buenos Ayrean colours,
named 'La Consequencia,' commanded by Captain Bou-
chard, a Frenchman. For English officers or seamen to be
under a French commander is a bad arrangement, and I
have no doubt several prizes were lost from this very cir-
cumstance. Our captain was a brave man, but no sailor,
and there was a want of confidence in him. We, however,
captured three or four valuable prizes, but I forfeited my
part by taking French leave at Tumbey, where I nearly lost
my life from hardships encountered in the woods while
attempting to discover a road to Guayaquil; fortunately,
I did not succeed, or in all probability I should have been
shot as an insurgent. I retraced my way back to the sea
coast, and got on board an English whaler, called the
'Sydney Packet.' Captain Emmert treated me with much
kindness, and after remaining some months on board I
108
APP. A.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
landed at Talcahuans, April 20th, 1820. May 7th, at
midnight, Talcahuans was attacked by Benevades and his
Indian troops. The Chilian garrison, fifteen in number,
were put to the sword, a number of the inhabitants killed
and wounded, the town sacked, and a large number of
prisoners, myself included, carried off. The next morning
the troops from Concepcion came in pursuit of us, and
overtook us as we were crossing a river; a few of Bene-
vedes' soldiers were killed, and the prisoners and much of
the plunder recaptured. Soon after this affair I returned
to Valparaiso, and engaged as first officer of the Minerva,'
the ship I had assisted in cutting out at Arica, she being
hired by the Chilian Government, as a transport for
carrying a part of San Martin's liberating army to Peru.
We left Valparaiso in August, 1820, and after some delays
ultimately landed our troops at Huatcho. On the 5th
of November I took a part in the cutting out of the Spanish
frigate Esmeraldas,' from under Callao batteries. This
gallant achievement was planned and headed by Lord
Cochrane, of whose valour and skill it is unnecessary for
me to say anything. On the return of the 'Minerva' to
Valparaiso I carried with me a letter of commendation
for my conduct in the Esmeraldas' affair, from Lord
Cochrane to General Cruy, the Governor of Valparaiso.
I was in consequence appointed to the Chilian sloop-of-
war, 'Chavabrios,' and in a short time received a lieu-
tenant's commission. In September, 1821, two launches,
one of which I commanded, were despatched from our
ship in the night to cut out an armed brig, and after a
severe conflict and the loss of several men we succeeded
in capturing her. This affair took place at the back of
the island of St. Mary. All I got for this affair, besides a
little praise, was a pair of epaulettes from a boxfull found
in the captain's cabin. Shortly after this I was ordered
up a river near the town of Arico, to endeavour to recover
a quantity of property belonging to British and American
merchants, and which, with the vessel containing it, had
App. A.
409
REV. G. H. NOBBS.
been most audaciously seized by the treacherous miscreant,
Benevedes. After ascending the river as far as I deemed
prudent, and finding nothing of consequence I gave orders
to turn round and pull back again. We had just com-
menced our retrograde movement, impelled by a strong
tide, and the boat's crew had just gone aft to splice the
mainbrace, when crash went half a hundred muskets; one
of our boat's crew was killed, and two or three wounded.
So long as we proceeded up the river we were unmolested,
but directly we attempted going back the enemy, from
behind the high banks of the river, commenced a mur-
derous fire. We had a twelve pound carronade in the
launch, but the enemy were enabled to screen themselves
so effectually behind the banks that neither gun nor
musket had any effect, there was nothing to do but to
pull for it, a strong tide being in our favour; but the
enemy, being on horseback, headed us, and kept constantly
pouring volleys of musketry into us, without the possi-
bility of return. At length, just before reaching the last
bend of the river, a dozen or two of the enemy showed
themselves on the bank, a short distance astern of us.
We gave them the big gun, and probably killed several
of them; but we found to our cost this was a stratageni
to induce us to discharge our carronade, for the moment
after, a large boat filled with soldiers, hitherto concealed
by the bend of the river, clapped alongside of us, and in
our wretched state-forty-eight killed and wounded out
of sixty-four-soon overpowered us. I received a blow on
the back of my neck from the butt end of a musket,
which sent me stumbling forward at a great rate, from
the effects of that blow I am suffering most severely at
times. All the dead bodies, and such as could not walk
from the severity of their wounds, were without hesitation
thrown into the river. The remainder were landed and
stripped of their clothing, and a rag of some sort or other
given in exchange. As for myself, I was quickly divested
of my uniform, and an old pair of trowsers cut off at the
410
APP. A.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
knees, with a worn out poncho and an old Spanish sombrero,
were given in return. We were then marched off to prison,
where we remained three weeks. Every Chilian of our
party was shot, and myself and three Europeans ex-
changed for four of Benevedes' officers, after much entreaty
on his part, one of them—a major-being his wife's
brother. Soon after this I returned to Valparaiso, and
found a letter from my mother urging my return home.
I consequently quitted the Chilian navy, and went home
a passenger in the 'Elizabeth,' of London. My mother's
death took place soon after.
In October, 1822, I was sent to Naples, and on my
passage from that city to Messina, in a Neapolitan vessel,
she foundered off the Lipari Islands, and with the loss of
everything, we proceeded to Messina in the boats. In
May, 1823, I returned to London in the 'Crescent,' com-
manded by William Pitt, a Navy lieutenant. In October
I went to Sierra Leone, as chief mate to a ship called the
'Gambia.' Of nineteen persons who went out in that
vessel, the captain, myself, and two coloured men lived to
return. In June, 1824, I went to Sierra Leone, com-
mander of the same ship, and was six weeks on shore
sick with the fever; however, it pleased God to restore
my health in time to return with my ship, but I resigned
my command on my return. I now collected what little
property I had, resolving to leave England for ever.
Pitcairn Island was the spot I had in view for my future
residence. The 'Circassian,' a country ship, was bound
for Calcutta; her captain, an old acquaintance, offered
me a passage. I went on board, and left England on the
12th November, 1825. After a tedious passage we arrived
at Diamond Harbour, in May, 1826. I remained in
Calcutta till August, 1827, when I took passage in a New
York ship, called the 'Ocean,' for Valparaiso, by way of
Singapore, Rio, and other places thereabout. In November
we arrived at Valparaiso, from thence to Callao, and after
much detention and expense I left Callao for Pitcairn
App. A.
411
SUSAN NOBBS.
Island, in a cutter of eighteen tons burden, with one
other person besides myself composing her crew. In six
weeks we arrived at Pitcairn, met with a good reception,
and up to the present day I have never regretted the
determination I formed on the demise of my beloved
parent.
With the details of the last twenty-five years you are
intimately acquainted, and to you, my honoured and
venerated benefactor, I owe my present enviable situation,
and from you and yours I have received more substantial
favours, pecuniary and influential, within the last twelve
months, than I ever received in all my life. That
Almighty God may return them to you a thousandfold is
the humble but sincere prayer of your grateful servant,
"GEORGE H. NOBBS,
66
Chaplain of Pitcairn."
The Pitcairn girls were in the habit of writing to their
naval friends in England as a proof that they did not
forget their kindness, nor the pleasure their visits had
afforded them. So little varied was the even tenour of
their lives, so few merchant vessels touched at Norfolk
Island, that they were not likely to forget the former
pleasant days spent at Pitcairn.
The following letter is selected as a good specimen of
their style of correspondence, and proves that Susan
Nobbs was satisfied with her new home in Norfolk
Island.
Susan Nobbs, daughter-in-law of the Pastor, to Vice-Admiral
Sir Fairfax Moresby, G.C.B.
"MY DEAR SIR,
"Norfolk Island, September 24th, 1857.
I cannot express my joy on receiving the kind
letter you sent me by the Iris,' and I heartily thank you
for the scolding you gave me, and I only wish it was
from your own dear lips. It gives us all great pleasure
to hear that you are quite well. God grant that you may
long continue to enjoy health and happiness. We are so
412
App. A.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
happy to hear that our old friend, Fortescue Moresby, is
on board the 'Iris,' and we are so anxious to see him;
the girls are almost wild with joy. As soon as the ship
was reported to be in sight, the girls said they hoped
Fortescue Moresby was on board, little thinking that
their wish would be realised. And now I must tell you
about our new home. You must have heard of our safe
arrival. When we first came on shore everything looked
so strange to us, but it did not last long. Some of our
people like Pitcairn best, but I think Norfolk Island is
much better. We have such beautiful houses and gardens,
which give lots of employment to keep them clean, and
we have milked the cows and make butter. Our men are
employed in the field, and I assure you they have enough
to do. Norfolk Island is a much healthier climate than
Pitcairn, although it is colder. We do not go so thinly
clad as formerly, and I believe we are improving in every
thing; in fact, we are having every thing after the
English fashion. It is a great advantage for us to be
so near the colonies, for we can easily get what we want.
I must not forget to tell you about my own family.
My first little baby survived but a few hours, and then
took its flight to a better world. And now I have two
dear little girls, one called Kathleen Laura, the other,
who was the firstborn on Norfolk Island, was called Eliza
Louisa, after Lady Moresby. Your friend Esther Quintall
is always talking about you; she is quite well. There
are lots of children born here. Please tell Mary White
that I am so thankful for her kind present, and I hope
Mr. and Mrs. White are quite well and happy. The
report you heard about our young men going to Sydney
for wives is false, for there are many already engaged,
and they are still preferring their countrywomen, and I
expect when next I write to you I shall have the pleasure
of saying that Ann Nobbs has changed her name to
Mrs. Quintal, for she is already engaged to my brother."
The next letter, written by Dorcas Young, is a valuable
App. A.
413
DORCAS YOUNG.
and affectionate tribute of respect to the character of their
pastor, some unworthy person in England having spoken
injuriously of him.
Dorcas Young to Vice-Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby, G.C.B.
"October 13th, 1857.
"MY VERY DEAR ADMIRAL,
Dear good little Fortey has again come to see us.
Glad, glad, truly glad to see him were all of our people,
not only for his own dear self, but for that of his (and
ours too) dear good father, Admiral Moresby.
Old times, and old associations and recollections came
vividly to my mind, and I did in a measure live over again
a few of those happy hours spent at dear little Pitcairn.
If you could only fancy to yourself a road some three and
a half miles in length, with only two solitary persons
upon it at first, and then one, and another and another,
and so on until half the population was hanging around,
kissing and shaking hands, and expressing their joy in a
thousand different ways; you may form some idea of
Fortey and his retinue, from his landing at the back of
the island to the settlement. The delight at meeting was
mutual. We were delighted and so was Fortey; but he
had the worst of it, he saw and can learn for himself
how all his Pitcairn friends are; but we, poor things,
had to press him with a thousand and one questions
concerning our very dear friends of the 'Portland.' He
was, I am sure, bewildered with the showers of anxious
questions heaped upon him, and by the time he went to
bed his patience must have been severely taxed.
"There was only one circumstance calculated to throw
a shade over this happy meeting, and that is the circula-
tion of certain scandalous and most unchristian reports
in England concerning our worthy pastor. There must
certainly be persons in existence of whose natures we have
never dreamt. Always uniformly kind, not only to our
people, but to all strangers visiting us-the meanest as
well as the greatest-he is willing and ready to give hist
advice whenever asked for, helping and endeavouring to
414
App. A.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
promote the welfare of the community in everything, and
doing all in his power to promote the happiness of all
around him. It does seem strange to us that such a person
should, above all others, be fixed upon for the dart
of slander. I have seen him leave his comfortable
bed in his own house, and through the rain and the mud
go to watch over the sick, to administer relief both bodily
and mentally night after night and day after day, until
their eyes are either closed in death or they are restored
to health.
"You must not understand me, my dear Admiral, to
mean that he is perfect in everything. No, we have all
our weak points in common with the rest of mankind.
The fruits of Adam's fall is here visible too. Natural
inborn sin is here as well as in other parts of this wide
world, too plainly developed; but I hope and pray that,
led on and favoured with so many of this world's goods,
we may strive more earnestly to walk in the ways of
Him from whom cometh all things.
Believe me, my dear Admiral, when I tell you that we
are alive to our faults; we know that we are far short
of what we ought to be; we know, too, that we must
be strengthened and renewed day by day with more light
and wisdom from on high, or else we must be and are
utterly undone.
We have been encouraged and cheered on in the path
of duty by the approving smiles of some few friends, who
have so very kindly interested themselves in our welfare
as to bring us from the threshhold of heathenism into the
broad beams of Gospel light. Foremost among these
never-to-be-forgotten friends stands Vice-Admiral Sir
Fairfax Moresby. Yes, my dear good Admiral, as long,
as the heart of a Pitcairner beats in his bosom you will
be remembered and cherished there.
"Fortey has been busy all day taking photographs of
our people. He will doubtless send you many, if not all
of them. I suppose you will recognise your old Pitcairn
f
%
App. B.
415
THE GAMBIER ISLANDS.
friends, all of whom still recollect the visit of the 'Port-
land,' as if it was a thing of yesterday's occurrence.
Happy times! we love to think and to speak of it. Do
you still think of us at times? Yes, I fancy you must
think of us, for I assure you we seldom find any amuse-
ment that will afford us so much solid gratification as
talking of the dear old 'Portland.'
"I hope, my dear Admiral, you will not suffer the
reports I allude to to disturb your peace of mind. I
know they must materially affect you, but allow me to
say that if you only knew how very little truth is con-
tained in them you would not for a moment heed them.
"Please to give my kindest love and regards to all
inquiring friends, and believe me, my dear Admiral,
"Yours ever truly and affectionately,
"DORCAS YOUNG."
APPENDIX B.
Mr. Nobbs, in a letter to Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby,
gives the following account of the Gambier Islands :—
"MY HONOURED FRIEND,
It was in the year 1834 that I first went to the
Gambier Islands, in the barque Pomarre,' of Tahiti,
Thomas Ebriell commander. The first thing you observe
in the distance is Mount Duff, situated on the principal
island (Mangariva), and which may be seen on a clear
day fifty miles distant. The next object most likely to
draw your attention is a long and dangerous reef at the
north end of the barrier. This long reef extends several
miles from the barrier, or circular reef, which surrounds
the islands, they consisting of four inhabited and several
other smaller ones. Their names in the order of size are
Mangariva, Akamarn, Terawai, and Arkana. The natives.
I found most hospitable and docile, myself and family
416
App B.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
dwelling among them for the space of nine months in
perfect peace and serenity. Animals fit for food they had
none. The bread-fruit in its natural state during the
season, and for the remainder of the year in an acetous
state, constitutes their daily food, with the addition of
fish occasionally, which they take in nets. The French
have nominal possession of these islands; here they first
commenced their insidious and unchristian usurpation in
these seas. A few months after my having taken up
my abode among these simple and singular people, an
American schooner, named 'Peruvian,' arrived there from
Valparaiso, having on board two French priests, and an
Irishman, named Murphy, who was the superintendent of
their secular affairs. The schooner was bound to Tahiti,
and her calling at the Gambier Islands was quite
accidental, but the captain, hearing I was living there
very comfortably, and, I suppose, wishing to get rid of
his passengers, persuaded them to take up their residence
there also. Accordingly, they came to my place of abode
to inquire if I had any objection to their remaining, our
mutual object, they were pleased to say,-being to hu-
manize the natives; and moreover, would I use my in-
fluence with the king, or some one of the chiefs, in order to
their obtaining a commodious dwelling. Not considering
myself justified in procuring their expulsion (which I
could easily have done), I told them the large island was
altogether under my care, and that they must not inter-
fere with my arrangements (I had then, by and with the
consent of the chiefs and people, commenced idol-burning);
but that, if they would be content to reside upon one of
the smaller islands I would see them properly cared for.
To this they readily acceded, and selected the island of
Arkana, where the natives provided them with a comfort-
able house.
"There they dwelt during the time I remained at
Mangariva, nor did they trouble or interfere with me in
any way, merely coming once a month, in full canonicals,
App. B.
417
GAMBIER ISLANDS.
to pay me a visit ostensibly, though from the circum-
stance of their always making a tour of the islands before
they returned home, I presume that to 'spy out the land'
was their chief object. However, they gave me no occa-
sion of offence, for they easily saw that my influence with
the chiefs was too firm for them to undermine; but the
moment I left for Pitcairn they wrote to Valparaiso for
a French ship-of-war to visit them, and on her arrival
declared the place a French colony, hoisted the tri-colour
flag, and commenced building a convent. I am not aware
the islands have ever been garrisoned or fortified by the
French.
"The natives, when I went among them twenty years
ago, though confirmed idolaters, were singularly tem-
perate, peaceable, and hospitable, which, if recent accounts
are true, is not the case at present. Another most honour-
able trait in their character, and one most worthy of
record, is that the women enjoyed equal rights with the
men; there is no distinction of inferiority. They take
their meals together, and in the evening may be seen
assembled on the stone platform in front of the houses,
father, mother, and children in one indiscriminate group.
Now this cannot be said of any other island in these seas,
while it remained in its primitive state. In my evening
walks I have often been reminded of more civilized
countries from the circumstance of hearing women soundly
rating their husbands; yet the females in general are
very unlovely in their appearance, and the men go without
a vestige of clothing.
"There is a small lagoon sandbank, called Crescent
Island, some forty or fifty miles from Gambier, which
I believe may be distinguished, by the help of a telescope,
from the summit of Mount Duff. At all events Mount
Duff is plainly discernible from this dangerous sandbank.
"Captain Ebriell, being desirous of ascertaining whether
pearl oysters might be obtained there, invited me to
accompany him in the search. We accordingly started,
2 E
418
App. B.
MUTINEERS OF THE 'BOUNTY.'
working the vessel out through the south-east passage.
On our arrival at the Crescent, it was with much difficulty
and danger we effected a landing, when to our surprise
we found about forty persons, meagre and wretched in
appearance, inhabiting it—not tattooed, as is the case
with the Gambier Islanders. The men approached us
fearlessly, but the women kept at some distance. By the
help of a Gambier islander, as interpreter, we learned
that fifty or sixty years previous, their progenitors were
forced to quit Mangariva on a raft, and that after having
been some time at sea they succeeded in landing here.
The refugees had all died long since, the people we found
there being their offspring. They seemed quite satisfied
with their lot, although the only articles of food they
could obtain were squid, and small fish taken in the holes
of the coral reef, and the kernels of the nut of the pan-
danus or screw-palm, which is the only tree or vegetable
growing on their sandbank. On our return to Mangariva
we related this to the chiefs and others, who came to the
determination to go and bring them to the land of their
fathers. Having no conveyance of their own, they hired
a large boat belonging to Captain Ebriell (who sent with
them his mate and some seamen to assist them). Accord-
ingly, they were all brought to Mangariva, and landed
close to my house, where nearly all the people of the
island assembled to welcome and visit them, and so plied
them with bread-fruit that one actually died from reple-
tion, and several others would have shared the same fate
if I had not dosed them with emetics and cathartics.
What became of them after I left I never heard, but was
told that most of them pined for their coral home.
"With sentiments of respect permit me to subscribe
myself,
Your much obliged and very humble servant,
"GEORGE H. NOBBS."
Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby, G.C.B."
Captain Morshead visited the Gambier Islands nearly
APP. B.
419
GAMBIER ISLANDS.
twenty years subsequent to the period of Mr. Nobbs's
residence there. He gives the following description of
them, and of the increase of French influence :--
"H.M.S. 'Dido,' Valparaiso, December 15th, 1853.
"Not having seen any notice of these islands since
1826, I do not consider they have any natural advantages
as a watering-place at present; but as water is abundant,
reservoirs and tanks might easily be constructed should
they ever become a rendezvous. I found the French
protectorate flag flying on shore, and five French families,
but no one in any official capacity. There are three
Romish priests on the island, Father Cyprian being at
their head, who holds the king and natives in the most
perfect subjection, both temporal and spiritual. There
are several stone built houses on the island, and a hand-
some Romish church 200 feet long, with a double row of
columns inside, and capable of containing a thousand
persons. The altar is chaste and beautiful, formed of
mother of peal. Upon the hill on the south side of Mount
Duff is a cemetery and a convent containing 100 nuns
and sixty children, whose interval between prayer and
penance is filled up by trundling a distaff, and spinning
native cotton to supply a factory with a dozen hand-
looms at work. With respect to supplies, mountain
sheep, goats, hogs, fowls, and fish can be procured. Most
of the tropical vegetables grow, tara and pumpkin being
principally cultivated; but onions, leeks, carrots, spinach,
lettuces and cabbages, with a few European potatoes, are
cultivated by the French families. Of fruits, cocoa-nuts,
bananas, bread-fruit and pine-apples are abundant, and
very fine oranges and limes are scarce; the paupau apple
and fig are also there. Wood for building and firing is
scarce and bad, the bread-fruit timber being principally
used.
The islands produce annually about 400 tons of pearl
shells, and pearls about equal in value to the shells.
Nearly every native had a few pearls concealed about his
2 E 2
420
App. B.
MUTINEERS OF THE BOUNTY.'
•
There were
person, and rather over-estimate their value.
several large collections in the islands, and some very
indifferent, but a few in the possession of the king were
magnificent. The population is now a little over 2000,
an epidemic having lately (according to Father Cyprian)
swept off several hundreds. The natives are rather a
good specimen of the Kanaka (Polynesian) race, tractable,
hardworking, and expert boatmen. They were all well
dressed, and clothes, cutlery, tobacco, and soap were
sought after, and readily taken in exchange for supplies.
The king having expressed a desire to see the ship, I
received him with manned yards and a salute, at which
he was delighted; but no flag was hoisted, not being
aware that the French protectorate is either claimed or
acknowledged. His majesty was accompanied by the priests,
and is a fine-looking man about the middle age, and was
dressed in plain European costume. He has a mild intel-
ligent countenance, and I have no doubt would govern
his subjects, and develope the resources of his islands
equally well without the assistance of the priests, but in
justice to those reverend gentlemen, I must avow I found
them exceedingly useful."
THE END.
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