The Sun.
London, England, 1822-09-20 00:00:00

but will pass through Brussels, and thence direct.
ly to Vienna.
Several Members of the Diplomatic Corps are
expected this week from the ilague.

COURT OF ASSIZES OF POITIERS.
SITTING OF THE 13th SEPTEMBER.
The Couit this day took into consideration the charge against
M. Drault.

M. Labadie, the Advocate-general, restated the circum-
stances which had occurred, and attributed to M. Drault the
design of bringing the Court into contempt. He referred to
the article of the decree of the 14th of December, 1814, which
declares that " the Advocate officially appointed to defend a
person accused cannot refuse his services, unless the reasons for
his being excused or prevented be approved." The excuses
assigned by M. Drault were, however, not only not approved,
but formally rejected by several decisions of the Court. Shall
it be•said that M. Drault did not wish to deprive Berton of a
pretended ground of nullity which in his opinion might be es-
tablished in •consequence of the refusal to allow him the assist-

ance of M. 3lenars, Advocate of Itochefort ? Suppose that such
a nullity exists, an advocate officially appointed, pleading
against the consent of the accused, and solely in submission to
the order of the Court, cannot make the accused lose the ad-
vantage of it. Were it not so, it would always be in the power
of the Court, in similar circumstances, to destiny, by insidious
means, the effect of an objection of nullity. The Advocate-
General concluded by moving, that the name of M. l)rault
should be trased from the list of Advocates.

::The-Court, after a long deleberation, pronounced a very de-
tailed judgMent, in which, among other grounds of decision,
it is stated that at the first audience M. Drault, after the re-
jection of the excuse which he alleged, had read the conclu-
sions relied on by Berton, and that in the course of the pro-
ceedings he had made observations on the depositions of the
witnesses, and thus formally announced the intention of obey-
ing the Court; that the conduct since held by M. Drault had
evidently, and still has no other object than that of occasion..
ing scandal ; that he had been wanting in that respect which
is due to the Judges, and had neglected the duties imposed on
him by his profession, and the oath he had sworn. The Court,
therefore, in pursuance of the application of the Advocate-
General, orders that the name of M. Drault be erased from the
list of the Advocates of the Royal Court of Poictiers, and con-
demns him to pay the expence of the citation issued against
him.

When the courier left Poictiers, the trial of Catineau, the
bookseller, for publishing a report of Berton's trial, ivals going
on. His defender was to argue against the, competency of the
Court of Assizes, that the publication was not in a journal,
but a work in numbers.

PITCAIRN'S ISLAND.

It is well known that an independent colony
has been formed in Pitcairn's Island, in the
Pacific Ocean, by the mutineers of the Bounty,
commanded by Captain BU GS!, and that the
only population of the island consists of the mu-
tineers, and their descendants by some Otaheitan
females they had married. 'rule following parti-
culars respecting this interesting colony are from
the private journal of the • American whale-ship
Russell, Captain ARTHUR, of New Bedford :
March 8, 1822.—Lat. 24. 30. S. Long. 129. 25. W. light
airs from S.E. steering S.W. by S. and S.S.W. at midnight
hove to ; at day light saw Pitcairn's Island, bearing S. by E.
seven or eight leagues off'; stood for it, and when we were with.
in about three or four miles of the shore, were boarded by the
most interesting crew of young men that we had ever seen ; at
noon we lay a-back near the land. From all I had otherwise
read and learned respecting the inhabitants of Pitcaim's Island,
induced me to have the following notice posted up in the fore-
part of our ship, before we had any communication with the
islanders :
" It is the impression of theyaissell's owners, that the most
part of her company were from respectable families, and it is
desirable that their conduct towards the islanders should verify
the opinion. As this island has been hitherto but little fre-
quented, they will be less susceptible of fraud, than a more
general intercourse with the world would justify. It is desired
that every officer and man will abstain from all licentiousness in
word or deed ; but will treat them kindly, courteously, and
with the strictest good faith. As profane swearing has become
an unfashionable thing even on board a man of war, it is quite
time it were laid aside by wltalemen, particularly at this time.
As, these islanders have been taught to adore their Maker, and
are not accustomed to hear his name blasphemed, they were
shocked with horror when they heard some of the crew of an
American ship swear, and said it was against the laws of their
God, their country, and their conscience."
Ship Russell, March 9.—Pleasant weather ; at 2 p. m.
went on shore accompanied by Captain Arey, in his boat ; as
the islanders' boat wanted repairing, we took her on deck, and
before the next morning had her done, to the grateful satisfac.
tion of our new friends. The islanders went on shore in one
of our boats ; Capt. Arey taking five, and we the other five,
our landing was effected much easier under the skilful direc-
tion of our new pilots than could otherwise have been done.
Previous to leaving the ship, bread and butter was put on
the table, and they were invited to eat, but they refused, al.
leging that it was their fast day : however, after some impor-
tunity and inquiry, whether I thought it would be any harm
to them, and being assured in the negative, they partook,
though slightly, and not till after they had implored a blessing.
And after their repast was finished, a hymn and prayer was
preferred with great devotional propriety.
On our landing, the Hill of Difficulty was to be ascended—a
job I could not myself have performed in less than two or three
hours : it was done in much less time with the assistance of a
steady young man named Robert Young, who helped me al.
most every step. When we arrived at the top, we appeared to
be at least 300 feet above the surface of the water ; having gone
up a zigzag path, the boat appeared almost directly under us.
We were then met by the venerable Governor, John Adams,
who was attended by most of the women and children of the
island, and were welcomed to their shores in the most artless
yet dignified manner. After resting awhile, we were then in-
vited to the village, about half a mile distant, through groves
of cocoa nuts and other trees of a large growth, which made an
excellent shade. Although we cane to the village, which was
situated on a gentle declivity, with a sufficient distance be.
tween the houses for the drying and bleaching of their cloth,
the beautiful prospect, regularity, and neatness of the houses,
with the joyous and double welcome of its truly hospitable in-
habitants, made the spot enchanting, Soon after our arrival a
dinner was served up, consisting of two roast pigs, fowls, yams,
and plantains ; but as they declined partaking with us, on ac-
count of its being their fast day, we concluded to wait till near
sundown, at which time they would be at liberty to join us ;
and when they thought it seasonable, we all sat down together,
but not till the chief of our kind entertainers had asked a bless-
ing in a very impressive manner. The return of thanks ap-
peared not less impressive on the. minds of the little community,
who were like olive branches around the family table.
After spending the evening—if not the feast of reason, at least
we had the flow of soul—beds were prepared for Captain Arey
and myself, and J. Adams, having taken a bed in the same
chamber, though it was not in his own house, we conversed till
midnight. Early in the morning, our kind female friends were
actively employed getting breakfast for us, which was ready
by seven o'clock, consisting of fowls boiled with yams, which
made an excellent soup ; it was good, and we ate heartily. For
our dinner we were treated with baked pigs and roasted goats,
with a large quantity of yams, plantains, &c. Our people were
equally well provided for. At three o'clock I returned to the
shore to go on board, receiving the same kind attention in de-
scending the mountain which was paid when going up it.—
We got into our boats with feelings of gratitude, which I
was unable to express, towards these good people, but not till
they made me promise to come on shore again before we left the
island.
10th, 11th, and 12th.—Still lying off and on, a part of the
crew on shore, relieving each other by turns. On the 12th I
again went on shore and was received and treated with every at-
tention. Before noon I returned on board, after taking a more
affectionate leave than I ever did any where except my home.
I was accompanied on board by John Adams, Dolly Young,
and Mary Ann Christian. Having received from them a sup-
ply of young cocoa-nuts and fowls, and made such presents as
they wished for and we could spare from the ship stores, we
gave them apart of a bolt of light duck, one axe, two hatchets,
four boat-knives, a bag of bread, a few bottles of wine, a roll of
old canvas, a little' grindstone, and a watch. Having now
accomplished the business for which we came, our friends,
after wishing us a good voyage and safe return home, went
on shore. Captain Arey not having finished watering, con-
cluded to stay another day or two, and was anxious for us to
stay till he was ready, but I was unwilling to lose more time.
Before we leave Pitcairn's Island it will not be improper to
make a few observations. The time and manner of its colo-
nization are to most general readers well known. John Adams
and six Otaheitan women are all that is left of the Bounty.
Forty-nine have been born on the island, two of whom are
dead, which leaves fifty-three persons on the island, now all
in good health without a single exception. There are about
eleven active young men, who are ready and willing at all times
to assist a ship's crew in procuring wood and water, or any thing
else the island affords. John Adams assures us, and from
what we ourselves saw, we have no reason to disbelieve him,
that the island was inhabited before themselves, but at what
period it is difficult to conjecture. They found, after their
urrival, many places where houses had stood, burying-places,
and images representing a human figure, with other indubi-
table marks that they were not the first possessors of Pitcairn's
Island. It is, however, certain that the Aborigines left it at
no recent period, as the trees growing on the house spots
could not have arrived to their present size in less than 100
years, perhaps 500. The land is high, and may be seen twelve
or fifteen leagues--its coast free of dangers—winds variable,
which makes it easy to lie off and on ; the town is situate on
the north side of the island, rather nearest the west end—the
houses may be seen three or four leagues off by a ship coming
from the north.

The different names of the islanders are—Adams, Christian,
sen., Christian, jun., Young, Quintrall, and Al‘Kay.
enderson's Island lies E.N.E. from Pitcairn's 100 miles.
Ducie's Island is rightly laid down in the Practical Naviga-
tor, and is low and very dangerous.
Pitcairn's lat. 25. 3. 8. by acct. 26. 41. ; long. 130. 22. W.
by acct. 128. 52.
Henderson's lat. 24. 26. ; long. 128. 30. W.

$1

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