If ever there had been a doubt of the truth of the proverb that example
is better than precept, the behaviour of the young men and maidens of
Pitcairn, after the wedding just described, would have cleared that
doubt away for ever.
The demands upon poor Adams's services became ridiculous, insomuch that
he began to make laws somewhat in the spirit of the Medo-Persic
lawmakers, and sternly refused to allow any man to marry under the age
of twenty years, or any woman under eighteen. Even with this drag on
the wheels, the evil--if evil it were--did not abate, but as time went
on, steadily increased. It seemed as if, the ice having been broken,
the entire population kept on tumbling into the water.
Among others, our once little friend Matthew Quintal married Bessy
Mills.
The cares of the little colony now began to tell heavily on John Adams,
for he was what is termed a willing horse, and would not turn over to
another the duties which he could perform with his own hands. Besides
acting the part of pastor, schoolmaster, law-maker, and law-enforcer, he
had to become the sympathetic counsellor of all who chose to call upon
him; also public registrar of events, baptiser of infants, and medical
practitioner. It is a question whether there ever was a man placed in
so difficult and arduous a position as this last mutineer of the
_Bounty_, and it is not a question at all, but an amazing and memorable
fact, that he filled his unique post with statesmanlike ability.
As time went on, he, of course, obtained help, sympathy, and counsel
from the men and women whom he had been training for God around him; but
he seems to have been loath formally to hand over the helm, either
wholly or in part, to any one else as long as he had strength to steer
the ship.
We have said that England was too much engaged with her European wars to
give much thought to this gem in her crown, which was thus gradually
being polished to such a dazzling brightness. She knew it was but a
little gem, if gem at all, and at such a distance did not see its
brilliant sheen. Amid the smoke and turmoil of war she forgot it; yet
the God of Battles and the Prince of Peace were winning a grand, moral,
bloodless victory in that lonely little island.
It was not till the year 1814, six years after the visit of the _Topaz_,
that the solitude of Pitcairn was again broken in upon by visitors from
the outside world.
In that year two frigates, H.M.S. _Britain_ and _Tagus_, commanded
respectively by Captain Sir F. Staines and Captain Pipon, came
unexpectedly on Pitcairn Island while in pursuit of an American ship,
the _Essex_, which had been doing mischief among the British whalers.
It was evening when the ships sighted Pitcairn, and were observed by one
of the almost innumerable youngsters with which the island had by that
time been peopled. With blazing eyes and labouring breath, the boy
rushed down the cliffs, bounded over the level ground, and burst into
the village, shouting, "Ships!"
No warwhoop of Red Indians ever created greater excitement. Pitcairn
swarmed at once to the cliffs with flushed faces, glittering eyes, and
hopeful looks. Yes, there they were, and no mistake,--two ships!
"They're men-o'-war, father," said Thursday October Christian, a little
anxiously.
"So I see, lad; but I won't hide _this_ time. I don't believe they'd
think it worth while hangin' me now. Anyhow, I'll risk it."
Many of the people spent the whole of that night on the cliffs, for, as
it was too late to attempt a landing, Captain Staines did not venture to
approach till the following morning.
Soon after daybreak the ships were seen to stand inshore, and a canoe
was launched through the surf to meet them. As on the occasion of the
visit of the _Topaz_, Thursday was deputed to represent the islanders.
He was accompanied by Edward Young, now a handsome youth of eighteen
years of age. As on the previous boarding of a ship, Toc amazed the
sailors by shouting in English to "throw him a rope." Being now
possessed of a wardrobe, he had in his heart resolved to appear in a
costume worthy of the great occasion. For this end he had put on a vest
without sleeves, trousers that had done duty in the _Topaz_, and were
much too short, and a beaver hat which he had jauntily ornamented with
cock-tail feathers, and wore very much on the back of his head.
Thursday met the eager inquiries of Sir F. Staines with his usual
good-humoured off-hand urbanity, and gave his name in full; but a sudden
change came over his face while he spoke--a look of amazement, mingled
with alarm.
"Look! look there, Ned," he said, in a low tone, laying his hand on his
comrade's shoulder and pointing towards a certain part of the ship.
"What is that?"
Ned looked with an expression of awe in the direction indicated.
"What is it that puzzles you?" asked the Captain, not a little amused by
their looks.
"The beast! the beast!" said Toc.
"What, d'you mean the cow?"
"Is it a cow?" asked Toc in wonder.
"Of course it is. Did you never see a cow before?"
"No, never. I thought it was a big goat, or a horned sow," returned the
young man, as he approached the quiet animal cautiously. "I say, Ned,
it's a _cow_! It don't look much like the things that father Adams used
to draw, do it?"
Ned agreed that Adams's representation fell far short of the original,
and for some time they stood cautiously examining the strange creature,
and gently touching its sides.
Just then a little black terrier came bounding forward and frisked round
the Captain.
"Ha!" exclaimed Edward Young, with an intelligent look, "I know that
beast, Toc; it's a dog! I'm sure it is, for I have read of such things
in Carteret, and father has described 'em often, so have the women.
They have dogs, you know, on some islands."
But the surprise and interest raised in them by two animals were nothing
to what they felt on being conducted over the ship and shown all the
details of stores and armament in a man-of-war. The surprise changed
sides, however, when, on being asked to partake of luncheon, these men
stood up, clasped their hands, shut their eyes, and asked a blessing
before commencing to eat, in the familiar phrase, "For what we are about
to receive," etcetera.
Of course Captains Staines and Pipon went on shore, where they were
received by Adams, hat in hand, and by the rest of the population down
to the minutest infant, for no one would consent to miss the sight, and
there was no sick person to be looked after. Up at the village the pigs
and poultry had it all their own way, and made the most of their
opportunity.
It was curious to mark the air of respect with which Adams regarded the
naval uniform which had once been so familiar. As he stood conversing
with the officers, he occasionally, in sailor-like fashion, smoothed
down his scanty locks, for although little more than fifty at that time,
care, sorrow, and anxiety had given his countenance an aged and worn
look, though his frame was still robust and healthy.
In the course of the interview, Captain Pipon offered to give him a
passage to England, with any of his family who chose to accompany him.
To his surprise Adams at once expressed a desire to go.
We know not whether this was a piece of pleasantry on Adams's part, but
when he sent for his old wife and daughters to tell them of it, the
scene of distress that ensued baffles description. The old woman was in
despair. Dinah Adams burst into tears, and entreated the officers not
to take her dear father away. Her sister Rachel flung her arms round
her father's neck and held on. Hannah Adams clasped her hands and wept
in silent despair, and even George, at that time about ten years of age,
and not at all given to the melting mood, felt a tear of sympathy
trickling down his nose. Of course, when the cause of the ebullition
became known, the whole Pitcairn colony was dissolved in tears or
lamentations, insomuch that Adams gave up all idea of leaving them. We
firmly believe that he never had any intention of doing so, but had
merely thrown out the hint to see what effect it would have.
Like Captain Folger of the _Topaz_, the captains of the _Britain_ and
_Tagus_ wrote eloquent and enthusiastic letters to the Admiralty about
their discovery, but the dogs of war were still loose in Europe. Their
Lordships at Whitehall had no time to devote to such matters, and once
again the lonely island was forgotten.
It is a curious coincidence that death came close on the heels of this
visit, as it had come on that of the _Topaz_. Scarcely had the two
frigates left when Matthew Quintal took a fit while out fishing in his
canoe and was drowned. About the same time Jack Mills was killed by
falling from the rocks when out after gulls' eggs. Thus poor Bessy
Quintal lost her husband and brother in the same year, but she was not
without comfort. She had been early taught to carry her cares to Jesus,
and found Him now a very present help. Besides, she had now two little
sons, John and Matthew, who were old enough to fondle her and sympathise
with her to some extent, though they scarce understood her sorrow; and
her fast friend and comforter, Sally Christian, did not fail her in the
hour of need. Indeed, that warm-hearted Otaheitan would have taken poor
Bessy into her house to live with her and Charlie, but for the
difficulty that six riotous little creatures of her own, named Fletcher,
Edward, Charles, Isaac, Sarah, and Maria, already filled it to
overflowing.
A little more than six years after this, there came a visitant of a rare
and heart-gladdening kind, namely, a parcel of _books_. Although the
Government of England was too busy to think of the far-off isle, there
were Englishmen who did not forget her. The _Society for Promoting
Christian Knowledge_, happening, in 1819, to hear of an opportunity of
communicating with Pitcairn, made up and despatched to it a parcel of
books, containing, besides Bibles and Prayer-books, "works of
instruction fitted for all ages." Who can imagine the delight produced
by this gift to minds which had been well educated and were thirsting
for more knowledge? It must have been as food to the starving; as water
to the dry ground.
Four years after that, a whale-ship from London, named the _Cyrus_,
touched in passing.
As this visit was a noteworthy epoch in the lonely island, we shall
devote a new chapter to it.