The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-09-02
TITBR AIRY
From The Portsmouth Journal
PITCAlRN'S ISLAND AND LORD BY
RONsS POEM

4 TSFltW OF LOTu Byron new poem. III is emil
tied The Island, or Christiaa and his Com.
rddss, and comprises narrative in verse OF
the mutiny on board the Bounty in April 1889,
and of the adventures of the MutineeTs in the
| South Sea Islands The materials are drawn
from Capt Bligh's narrative, and from the
several accounts of the Tonga Islands. The
poem is said BY the Reviewer, to display nei-
Their the genius, nor the profigacy of the au-
thor, and to be " a piece, which, wanting the
vigour of his younger muse, and exhibiting
great carelessness in every page, will be read
with satisfaction as emanating from him,
though from any unknown band, it would hard
| iy have attracted any notice, far less have ex-
cited any sensation"
1t may not be recollected, perhaps. that the
descendants ofthese mutineers were first dis
covered in 1903, by Capt. FoIger, of the ship
| Topaz, of Boston. Upon landing on Pitcarn's
Island, be found an Englishman, named Alex
ander Smith, the only person remaining Of 8,
who went there in the Bounty, in 1890. Smith
informed him that after putting Capt. BIgh
and the officers of the Bounty in an open boat,
Christian, enc Of the mutineers, took command
ofthe ship and sailed In her to Otaheite, where
most ofthe crew left her. In the course Of the
| year, Christian, Smith and seven others mar
ried in Otaheite, and with their wives and six
Otaheitean men for servants, sailed ia the shin
for Pitcairn's island, where they run her on
shore and afterwards broke her up.
About four years after their arrival, the Ota-
heitean men conspired against their masters,
and in sudden attack, succeeded in putting
every one to death, except Smith, whom they
severely wounded. The same night, the Ota-
heltean women whose husbands had been MUIR
dered, arose, and put TO death all the murderers.
| leaving Smith the only man living on the ISL
and. He was thus placed at the head of a col
ony OF nine women and fifteen or sixteen
young children. His remarkable preservation.
as well as the strange circumstances in which
he was placed, produced salutary effect upon
his mind. He resolved to discharge the duties
OF his new station with all fidelity and zeal.
lie applied himself to tilling the ground, and
soon formed plantations of yams, cocoa nuts
and bananas. He opened school for the
children, and communicated TO them all the
knowledge which he possessed himself; and
ne succeeded in impressing upon them deep
reverence for the truths Of Christianity.
| ln 1914 the colony consisted of forty six
persons, the children born upon the island
having grown up, and intermarried. They
dwell in little village which is kept ex-
tremely neat; and the utmost harmony is said
to prevail among them. Pitcairn's island lies
10 Lat rs degrees 20 minutes South. and Lon.
1873 deg. 90 minutes west. 1t is six miles
long and three broad; has a fertile soil, and
fine climate but no river nor harbor.
This is fine subject for poetry; and we
regret that Lord Byron has failed 10 embel-
llsh 1t with the splendor of his earlier powers.
II IS vexation enough to have dull poem from
any one; but dull poem from Lord Byron
on such subject requires rather more than
an ordinary share of patience.
We extract the following paragraph on the
same subject from the New York Statesman.
and subjoin few extracts which we derive
from the same source, as specimens of the
poem.
We are happy that the muse of Byron has
at length made an excursion into the western
hemisphere. 1t is the first fight of the kind
she has ever taken. Her wanderinss have
hitherto been confined to the shores of the
Mediterranean. Ii is somewhat singular.
that his lordship, who processes to be 50 enam-
CURED of nature, and so fond of conyersing
with skies, and stars, and oceans, and noun
tains, and cataracts, and solitudes-with all
that IS sublime and picturesque and wild and
lonely 10 natural scenery-should not sooner
have bethought him of the world which re-
mains unsung on this side of the Atlantick.
The bard Of Gray must have taught him. that
poesy, like empire, is travelling west. and
pointed bis muse to 9 chimes beyond the solar
road"--to scenes upon which fancy has never
yet imprinted her footsteps, and whose naked
grandeur genius might people with beings OF
ITS own creation, and impart the charm of
moral association. We have long INDUCED
the hope, that Byron, forgetting the softness
of Grecian and Italian skies, the destinations
of eastern beauty, and the alIurements Of lux
ury and pleasure, would pursue the ruut OF
Humboldt, and add few Cantos TO the Pill.
grimages of Harold. He recognizes no at.
tachment TO his country or his kindred; and
is wasting life on foreign shore. As he has
several times intimated an intention of visi.
ting the western world, and as his muse has
now for the first time crossed the Andes II
search of a theme, we hope the attraction will
be sufficiently strong to allure him on and
lead him in person TO the wilds OF America. OF
If he prefers it to the hospitality of our OWL
country.
The following lines, particularly the las
eight, descriptive Of the Nautilus, are extreme
| ly beautiful
The Mutlneers stand for Otaheite--
fhe gentle island and the genial soil
The friendly hearts, the feasts without a toll.
| Inc courteous manners but from nature caught.
The wealth unhoarded, and the love unbouebt
Gould these have charms for rudest sea-bovs driven
Before the mast by every wind of heaven I
And now. even noN prepared with Others woes
TO earn mild virtues vain desire, repose
Alas such IS cur nature all but aim
AT the same end BY pathways not the same
Our means, orr birth, our nation, and our name.
Our fortune, temper, even our outward frame.
Are tar more potent Ger our yielding clay,
Than ought we know beyond our little day.
Yet still there whispers the small voice within,
Heard through Gains silence, and Ger Gorys din
Whatever creed be taught or land be trod,
Mans conscience is the oracle of God