A Goodly Heritage
NORFOLK ISLAND, henceforth to become the home of the Pitcairn
islanders, possesses remarkable beauty. Having all their lives been
accustomed to wooden houses of the plainest description, roofed with
thatch, and standing here and there embosomed amid trees, the sight
of regularly laid out streets and stone-built houses was an entirely
new experience to the new settlers. When they took possession of their
present home, all the dwelling houses, as well as the government
buildings, were in a good state of preservation, and some of the latter
were splendid structures.
The government house occupied a conspicuous place on a slight eminence
nearly in the center of the town, and its spacious apartments, as well
as its exterior, were well kept. The large garden adjoining showed
signs of former care, but everything had been allowed to run wild,
and the grapevines mingled in happy confusion with the honeysuckle,
nasturtium, and other flowering creepers.
Inclosed within high stone walls were the buildings of the old and new
barracks, while near to the latter stood the ruins of what had been a
fine hospital, which a fire had destroyed. Next to this, but separated
by a wall, was the handsome commissariat store—now the church of the
present inhabitants.
The large, gloomy prison was the central figure in a group of buildings
that stood near the sea, having the Protestant church on one side,
and the Roman Catholic chapel on the other. This still retained many
signs of the outward services of the latter church, notably the gaudy
pictures that ornamented the walls, a large one being that of the
virgin and child.
Separated from these churches by a narrow, sunless passage, formed
by the surrounding walls, were the jail buildings, strongly built of
stone. Of special interest was the place where the gallows used to be
erected when death was the penalty for crime. Although the time had
gone by forever when such scenes could be witnessed, a feeling akin
to horror could not be suppressed when passing beneath the spot where
so many had taken their last farewell of life, and the silent, narrow
cells around seemed almost in the echo of one’s footfall to give forth
the sad sighs and groans of despair, as the condemned criminal awaited
the moment when he should be called forth to meet his doom.
Until a more settled state of things was reached, on their immediate
arrival the families were arranged into groups of two and three, and
messed together. Two women, whose respective families occupied the
same house, went out one day in search of green herbs for food. They
congratulated themselves on finding a good supply of onions, and
brought their treasures home, pleased at the thought of the relish they
would add to the evening meal. A hearty laugh greeted the discovery
that their precious onions were the bulbs of the narcissus, which in
their ignorance they had so naturally mistaken for onions.
The dwelling houses differed in every respect from, and were altogether
superior to, the thatched cottages that the people had so lately
occupied. These were built mostly of stone, the walls within being
neatly plastered, and they were roofed with shingles, supplied from the
Norfolk Island pine. The houses generally consisted of four large rooms
with chimneys attached. Each kitchen, which was a separate building,
was floored with stone, and had a spacious fireplace and a brick oven
on one side of the chimney. The interior was made light and clean by
being frequently whitewashed. Attached to each cottage was a garden;
and flowers fair and fragrant delighted the senses of both sight and
smell. Altogether the change was a decided gain, and everything bespoke
only prosperity and happiness in store for the people that had been so
highly favored.
[Illustration: THE “PITCAIRN” AND MAN-OF-WAR OFF PITCAIRN ISLAND]
To the Pitcairn islanders Norfolk Island was literally a land “flowing
with milk and honey.” Although the sight of a cow was a familiar one
to them, they were scarcely prepared for the large numbers of strong,
healthy cattle that they saw, which supplied the milk, while honey was
obtained from the hollow trees where the wild bees built their hives.
The island, too, supported some two or three thousand sheep, besides
cattle and horses; but the sheep were not entirely free from disease,
and many of them died. The grass that covered a large portion of the
island afforded abundant pasture for the flocks and herds that fed
there.
The soil and climate of the island were favorable for the cultivation
of various fruits, and lemons, guavas, peaches, figs, white and purple
grapes, loquats, quinces, mulberries, pomegranates, watermelons, etc.,
etc., were produced in great abundance.
The island was well wooded. Extensive groves of the Norfolk Island
pine lent their aid to delight the eye, while a variety of noble trees
beautified and enriched the land, their luxuriant foliage affording a
pleasing shade for the feathered songsters that awoke the echoes so
sweetly with their warbling notes.
Streams of water traverse the island in several directions, while not
infrequently the water is hid from view by the thick growth of flags
and reeds that cover their marshy banks, and the streams themselves
teem with eel life. The abundant supply of water was by no means the
least of the blessings that had been bestowed upon the people, for in
their old home they had known what it was to suffer for want of water.
But now “the lines were fallen unto them in pleasant places; yea,
they had a goodly heritage.” Indeed, so fair was that heritage that
it seemed impossible to realize that it was ever the abode of so much
misery and crime; and the words of the Christian poet could not have
been more aptly applied than to this lovely island,
“Where every prospect pleases,
And only _man_ is vile.”
Along the southern shore stretches a long line of coral reef, and this,
extending some distance into the sea, renders it unsafe for a ship to
approach too near the land. A little beyond this reef stands a rock
known as Nepean Island, only relieved from utter barrenness by one
or two pine trees. On this rock the whale birds congregate in great
numbers to deposit their eggs, which are eagerly sought for by the
people for food. While Nepean Island is covered with sea birds in their
laying season, Philip Island, which stands further seaward, is overrun
with wild rabbits, that make their home there and feed on the scanty
herbage that the poor soil produces. Excellent fish of many varieties
abound in the waters around the island. Surrounded with all that they
needed, and still living together in one unbroken circle, everything
seemed to promise contentment and happiness. But, as will be seen, it
was not long before the hearts of some pined for the old home, and
desired to return.
About two months after the new settlers had arrived, the bishop of New
Zealand visited Norfolk Island in his yacht _Southern Cross_, bringing
a large supply of flour and other necessary things for the people’s
immediate wants. He had come to the island a short time before, but as
the _Morayshire_ had not yet arrived, had returned to New Zealand. Now,
on this second trip, he had brought his lady with him, and also his
chaplain, the Rev. J. C. Patteson, who was destined to become a martyr
to the cause he loved.
Mrs. Selwyn remained on Norfolk Island, while the bishop went back
to his labors. She soon won the hearts of the people, and gave much
assistance in teaching in the day school as well as in the Sunday
school. She tried to impress upon the minds of the young women
and girls whom she taught, the importance of practicing habits of
cleanliness and industry while young, teaching them also how to cook.
This energetic lady was not satisfied with merely giving instruction,
but would frequently visit her scholars at their homes to see whether
those instructions had been followed or not. In this way more lasting
good was accomplished, and much real benefit resulted from her patient
and conscientious labors.
When the Pitcairn islanders first came into possession of Norfolk
Island, they understood that the island belonged to them, for so
had they interpreted the letter sent them before their removal, by
Sir William Denison, the governor at that time of New South Wales.
On arriving at their new home they found that two men were already
there to divide the land among the new arrivals. These latter
quietly informed them that their services were not needed, as the
islanders were able to manage for themselves. The two men left on
the _Morayshire_, and, having reported to the proper authorities,
two other surveyors were promptly dispatched to Norfolk Island with
orders to measure the entire island and divide it into fifty-acre
lots. Each family had fifty acres to a share, a rather smaller portion
than they had at first shared out among themselves. Subsequently,
when the governor himself visited the island, his letter was shown
him as sufficient authority to justify the people in the course they
had taken. This document he calmly got possession of, and remarked
something to the effect that matters were somewhat changed since the
letter was penned.[5]
[Footnote 5: The possession of Norfolk Island was a much-mooted
question. When Bishop Selwyn was in charge of New Zealand as his
diocese, it was his wish to remove the headquarters of the Melanesian
Mission to Norfolk Island, but neither the Pitcairn Island committee at
home, nor the governor of New South Wales, Sir W. Denison, deemed it
best that it should be so. Some few years later, when Bishop Patteson
was head of the mission, the matter was again brought up. While some of
the people were in favor of the movement, others strongly opposed it,
but the matter was finally settled by the bishop’s purchasing several
thousand acres of land, being granted permission to do so by Sir John
Young, governor of New South Wales, he having been so authorized by the
home government. Thus was the desire of Bishop Selwyn’s heart fulfilled
in the removal of the Melanesian Mission from New Zealand to Norfolk
Island.
When His Excellency Lord Augustus Loftus made an official visit to
Norfolk Island in 1884, he sought to remove the impression “tenaciously
held” by the people that the island was entirely theirs, and spoke very
plainly to them respecting the use and abuse of the island, dwelling
strongly on the fact that so many trees should be suffered to be cut
down without planting others in their stead.]
On Sir William’s next visit to Norfolk Island he informed the people
that a schoolmaster and a miller with their families were then on
their way from England to settle amongst them. There were, besides, a
shoemaker and a stone mason. “But,” added the governor, “I stopped the
shoemaker in Sydney, for I did not like the looks of the man.”
A letter had been written to the people about this time by their old
friend the Baron de Thierry, then residing in Auckland. It contained
such sound advice and good counsel to the people respecting their right
use of the many privileges accorded them, that Sir William declared it
“worthy a place in the archives of the island.” The governor himself
gave much wise counsel to the people, and encouraged them to exert
themselves to the best of their ability in the discharge of their
several duties in the untried life that lay before them, showing how
much depended upon their own efforts to insure success in the general
improvement of themselves and their surroundings.
In due time the expected party from England arrived. The school, which
was then kept by Simon Young, was immediately given into the hands of
Mr. Thomas Rossiter. He was an excellent disciplinarian, and proved
himself fully qualified to assume the task of managing and controlling
the children, who often tried his patience. One of the spacious rooms
on the second floor of the new barracks had been converted into a
schoolroom, and here, once every week, Mr. Nobbs, for several years,
was in the habit of visiting the children for the purpose of giving
some religious instruction. This consisted principally in thoroughly
grounding them in the teachings of the church catechism, and putting
the more advanced pupils through a series of questions and answers
preparatory to their becoming candidates for confirmation.
Mr. Rossiter, while engaged in his daily duties as schoolmaster, also
encouraged the people to apply themselves to the cultivation of the
land, and to raise field and garden products for the yearly show which
he instituted. Both by advice and example he won encouraging success.
Under his skillful hand the wild confusion of the neglected government
garden gave place to order and beauty, and the rich, ripe clusters of
luscious grapes bore witness to the careful attention that was bestowed
on them.
James Dawe, the miller, did not find his business a very lucrative
one. Almost the first effort was to repair the water mill and the
adjoining dam, which had suffered from long neglect. The mill was soon
put in working order, saving thereby a great deal of labor. But some
disagreement arose between the miller and the party of men who worked
with him, which resulted in his leaving the island, with his family,
after a stay of less than two years. As for the stone mason, there was
no employment for him on the island, so, after repairing a broken wall
or two, he left again for Sydney, where he found good employment and
wages.
A new enterprise was undertaken by the quondam Pitcairners. Observing
that a great number of whales frequented the waters around the island
at certain seasons of the year, they decided to purchase boats and
every necessary article needed for the capture of these monsters. They
showed ready skill in this new undertaking, and succeeded well from the
first. The oil obtained a ready market both in Sydney and in Auckland.
[Illustration]