PITCAIRN ISLAND
We left the Okhotsk in September, with twelve hundred and fifty
barrels of whale oil and thirteen thousand pounds of bone, besides
the sperm we had taken. When it was learned that we were bound home
and, presumably, were not to call anywhere, there was discontent and
grumbling among the men. The captain was condemned for two reasons.
We needed a supply of vegetables and meat, and the men were now so
weary of the sea that they wanted shore leave once more. Fancy,
then, our satisfaction when word was passed round that the captain
proposed to call at Pitcairn Island and remain there for several
days. This meant that we would take on board fruit, vegetables,
goats, fowl and so forth. When I was a little boy, my father told me
all about the mutineers of the _Bounty_, and their residence on
Pitcairn Island for nearly twenty years without the world knowing
anything about them or they knowing anything about the world. Later
I read the story of Fletcher Christian and his companions, and, in
my last year in High School, and not long before shipping on the
_Seabird_, I wrote a composition on the subject, which I now offer
as a schoolboy’s narrative:
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In the latter part of the eighteenth century, a vessel, named the
_Bounty_, was sent out from England to Tahiti to obtain young
breadfruit plants and carry them to the West Indies. It was thought
that their cultivation would produce an excellent article of food
for the negroes on the plantations. Of this vessel William Bligh was
captain and Fletcher Christian was mate. The voyage was not a
pleasant one, and there was great discontent because of the poor
food and the cruelty of the captain. The vessel arrived at Tahiti in
October, 1788, and remained there several months, while officers and
crew were engaged in gathering breadfruit plants and stowing them
away on the vessel. On April 4, the vessel set sail. There was no
abatement of Bligh’s tyranny, his treatment of Christian being
particularly harsh and abusive. The accusations of falsehood and
theft, and the recollection of the indignities he had been compelled
to bear with patience and forbearance during the voyage forced
Christian to mutiny, as he knew that it would be fruitless, as a
junior officer, to bring his superior to a court martial. Bligh and
eighteen others were put in a boat and cut adrift. A landing was
effected by them at an island about thirty miles distant, where one
of their number was killed by the natives. Thence they set out on
the open sea and, after a voyage of over thirty-six hundred miles,
and encountering all kinds of weather, and enduring great sufferings
from hunger and thirst, they reached a Dutch settlement on the
island of Timor. They eventually reached England.
Christian, having become captain of the _Bounty_, took the vessel to
the small island of Toubouai and then to Tahiti. There all the
mutineers preferred to remain except Christian, Alexander Smith and
seven others. These last took wives at Tahiti and six men as
servants, and embarked and set sail. When Bligh and his associates
reached England, much interest was manifested in his adventure, and
the British Government took steps to apprehend the members of the
_Bounty’s_ crew who had remained at Tahiti. A number of them were
brought back to England and tried, and three of them were found
guilty, and executed.
We now return to the _Bounty_. Fletcher Christian belonged to an
English family of repute and prominence. A brother was a learned man
and a college professor.
The design of Fletcher was to seek some island where he and his
companions would be safe from discovery. Captain Cartaret, in 1767,
discovered a solitary island in the Pacific Ocean between Australia
and South America and named it Pitcairn after a midshipman who was
the first to observe it. A copy of Captain Cartaret’s “Voyage to the
South Seas” was among the books left on board the _Bounty_, and its
description of this lovely island, it is thought, determined
Christian to seek it as a probably safe retreat for himself and
companions. Because of the want of correctness in the latitude and
longitude, laid down by Cartaret in the charts, the cruise lasted
several weeks. At last they sighted what was apparently a rock,
rising high in the ocean. It was a welcome sight, although there was
nothing to indicate that there was a beautiful interior with fertile
valleys and mountain sides clothed with palms. The _Bounty_ was
beached at a bend in the shore, which has ever since borne the name
of “Bounty Bay.”
On landing, Christian divided the island into nine portions, one for
himself and the remainder for his companions. Then everything was
removed from the vessel—planks from her sides, nails, bolts, masts,
spars, sails, and her cargo of provisions, tools, guns, ammunition,
implements, goats, pigs and hens. Then they set fire to the hull and
it was completely burned up.
Christian now became a changed man. He stocked a cave with water and
provisions and would spend whole days there, evidently intending to
make it his retreat in the event of pursuit and discovery, and, no
doubt, indulging in bitter reflections. For three years all went
well, and then trouble began when the whites endeavored to impose
upon their native servants. A plot to kill all the white men was
discovered by their wives, and thwarted. This plot was followed by
another, which partially succeeded. Christian was shot dead, while
cultivating his garden, and four of the other Englishmen were also
despatched. The survivors, feeling that they were not secure from
attacks, determined to destroy all the Tahitian men, and this
purpose was carried into effect.
If quiet and contentment followed these barbarities they were of
short duration, for tragedies were in store. One of the four, named
McCoy, made an ardent spirit from a root, and he and one Quintail
were constantly intoxicated. McCoy threw himself from some rocks,
and was killed, and Quintail became so threatening and dangerous
that Young and Smith, the last of the nine, destroyed him to
preserve their own lives. This was the last scene in the dreadful
drama.
Edward Young and Alexander Smith now experienced a complete change
of life. Resort was made to a Bible and prayer-book, which Christian
had brought with him, and which he himself had studied. Daily,
morning and evening prayer was established, as well as a system of
religious instruction. Young did not long survive, and in 1800
Alexander Smith was the sole surviving man on the island. In the
meantime children had been born, and the responsibility and the
direction of the affairs of the little colony rested on Smith.
Nearly twenty years passed without the world knowing what had become
of the _Bounty_, when information came in a curious and interesting
way. In September, 1808, the attention of Mayhew Folger, captain of
the American ship _Topaz_, was called to a rocky island rising
abruptly from the sea. Smoke was seen, and there were other signs of
habitation. A tremendous surf was beating on the shore, and the
captain was doubtful about a landing place, when a canoe was seen
approaching. The occupants hailed the new arrivals in good English,
and cordially invited them to land. The captain declined, but a
sailor volunteered to go in the canoe, provided the ship stood in
near to the land, so that he might swim back, if an attack was
attempted. On landing, the sailor was accosted by Smith, who told
him the whole tragic story of the _Bounty_, and informed him that
the birth of children had brought the population to thirty-five
persons, and that he was the sole guardian and instructor. This
intelligence was communicated to the captain, and he landed
forthwith. Smith was anxious, after the long exile, to learn the
world’s news. So the captain gave him an account of it, laying
emphasis on the fact that a little man named Napoleon Bonaparte had
come to the front, in France, had usurped the throne and had overrun
Europe with his armies, but that England had won great victories on
the sea—an announcement which was greeted by Smith with the
exclamation, “Old England forever!”
When Captain Folger gave his story to the world, the interest taken
in it soon subsided, and six years elapsed before the island was
again visited. In 1814 two British frigates—the _Briton_ and the
_Tagus_—appeared, but this was accidental, as the island was not
laid down on their charts. A canoe came out to the _Briton_ and
there was a request from one of the two occupants, “Won’t you heave
us a rope now?” When asked, “Who are you?” he replied, “I am
Thursday October Christian, son of Fletcher Christian, the mutineer,
by a Tahitian mother, and the first-born on the island.” His
companion was Edward Young, son of the midshipman of that name in
the _Bounty_. Thursday October Christian was so named for the day
and month of his birth. Every one was impressed by the courteous
deportment of the young men, and they were shown over the ship. They
were absorbed in everything, astonished when they saw a cow, which
they took to be a large goat, and greatly interested in a little,
black terrier. Edward Young observed, “I know that is a dog. I have
heard of such things.” Refreshments were offered them in the cabin.
Before partaking, and at the conclusion of the repast, they sought
the divine blessing.
When the captains went ashore, they were received by Smith, who had
changed his name to John Adams since the visit of Captain Folger, to
avoid recognition. He was hardly more than fifty and was hearty and
robust in appearance, but his countenance was that of one aged and
worn. He disclosed to his visitors the terrible events which had
occurred, but he stoutly maintained that he took no part in the
mutiny, and he expressed his disapproval of Captain Bligh’s
treatment of both officers and men. When asked if he would like to
return to England, he replied in the affirmative and expressed his
love for the land of his birth; but his family and friends would not
allow of his leaving the island.
The officers were not only impressed with the moral aspect of the
community, but were greatly interested in the natural beauty of the
island. Its mountains rose to a height of more than a thousand feet
above the sea, and about their summits circled countless sea-birds.
The slopes down to the water’s edge were covered with groves of palm
and coconut and breadfruit trees. In the valleys tropical fruits
were produced in abundance, and the visitors were particularly
interested in the Taroroot, from which bread was made. The only
songster was a small species of flycatcher, but, later, warblers
from Valparaiso were introduced.
On an elevated platform stood the little village of Pitcairn. The
houses surrounded a grassy square, protected by palisades to
preserve it from the depredations of goats, hogs, and poultry which
roamed about the island. The houses were built of boards, the sides
and ends planed and made to ship and unship on account of the warm
weather. The interior of the houses bespoke comfort and cleanliness,
and the beds and bedding were very neat. Each dwelling had a pen for
hogs, another for fowl and a building for manufacturing cloth. The
linen was made of the bark of the paper mulberry tree, steeped in
water, and then beaten out to the proper thickness by pieces of
wood. Varieties of cloth were also made from the breadfruit tree and
a kind of fig.
The visitors were assured that each person considered his possession
as held for the general good, so disputes were easily settled; and,
if hasty words were uttered, the offender was ever willing to make
amends. Adams deeply impressed the captains of the frigates. They
made a favorable report to the Admiralty, but little interest was
taken, and Pitcairn was neglected.
At length, John Buffett, one of the crew of a whale ship which
touched there, was so pleased with the place that he manifested a
desire to remain, and he was released from the ship. Not long after
another sailor, John Evans, joined the community. Both men married
Pitcairn girls. In 1825 the _Blossom_, Captain Beechy, a British
man-of-war, appeared off the island. During his stay of three weeks,
Captain Beechy gave close attention to conditions, customs and
proceedings. Sunday was strictly observed, and there were five
services in the day. Meals were prepared the day before, so that
there might be little work on the Sabbath. The fare consisted of
pork or fowl, which, according to the Tahitian method, was baked
between stones. There were vegetables, bread or pudding made of the
taroroot, and breadfruit. At this time there was enough water for
all wants, the supply coming from tanks cut in the rocks. There was
only a small natural stream. Captain Beechy touched upon the mutiny.
Adams talked freely, but affirmed that he had taken no part in it.
In 1828 a third seafaring man came to the island and became, like
Evans and Buffett, a permanent settler. His name was George Hunn
Nobbs. On March 29, 1829, John Adams, the beloved pastor and
teacher, passed away, and Nobbs succeeded him.
On his return, Captain Beechy memorialized the Admiralty, stating
that as the population increased there would be a scarcity of both
water and food.
In 1830 there were eighty-seven persons in the colony, which was
visited by a long drought; and fears of a famine were entertained.
On the Government’s proposal, they all removed to Tahiti, where
Thursday October Christian died. The lax morals of the inhabitants
were distasteful to the Pitcairners, and the Buffett family and a
few others returned to the island only to find their plantations
ruined by the animals which had run wild in their absence. Soon
after an American brig brought back the remaining families, and all
set to work to restore their ravaged houses and gardens.
Now all seemed favorable again, but a bitter experience was awaiting
them. Soon appeared a man named Joshua Hill, who announced that he
had been sent out by the Government to assume direction of the
affairs of the island. He assumed absolute authority and proved
himself as great a tyrant as he was imposter. Nobbs, Buffett and
Evans were compelled to leave the island. Fortunately in 1838 Hill
was taken away to Valparaiso, and the exiled men returned.
The island now was more frequently visited by ships, and Pitcairn
became better known to the world. In 1848 the surgeon of a vessel
named the _Colypso_ was conducted to the east end of the island and,
reaching a place, the approach to which was extremely dangerous, he
made drawings of figures on the face of the rocks which represented
the sun, moon, birds and even human beings. On his return the people
showed him ancient spear and arrowheads.
Captain James Wood of the _Pandora_, which arrived in July, 1849,
gave, in a letter, an interesting account of the settlement and
people. He described the young folks as good looking, having fine
teeth, pleasant faces and fine figures, generally clad in a long
white jacket with a dark-colored wrapper fastened around the waist
and hanging down to the ankles, wearing neither shoes nor stockings,
and having large and broad feet. He also said that their hair was
long, kept clean by the aid of coconut oil, and so turned up behind
as not to need a comb.
As the population increased, it was regarded as desirable for the
whole colony to be transported to Norfolk Island. This conclusion
was reached with profound regret. The total number thus conveyed was
one hundred and ninety-four. Elaborate preparations were made for
them, and their reception was a kind one.
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After writing my composition it appeared that, in 1858, two families
by the name of Young returned to Pitcairn and other families soon
followed. In October, 1860, the inhabitants numbered seventeen.