The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-12-17
Intelligence from Piteairn's Island. South


We hgve letters from this colony, says the London
Tiwss Of the 10th ultimo, which contain some inter-
dants Of the unfortunate men ted with the
mutiny Of the Bounty, and from which we make the
following extracts
The number Of inhabit.nts fas4mslss' ~ females email
74-ot this number three are English, one Tshitian
Bounty aged So two men of the first gene alton one
Of them son Of John Adams county named Arthur,
.0 as ss9ss son Of Msts be runs oan
three daughters Of Adams, one Of Christian one Of
Young, one Of Mills one Of Mccoy, the remainder are
During the avs years one th Of the population
have been born, and only one has died natural DEATH
Inhabitants are occupied chiefly In sutivating the
ground end esrpenteting several OF the young men
are coed At cabinet work and as blacksuiths There
cent unmarried The soil f. very rich but porous q
great portion dscompssed lava, the other rich black
thermometer from SO to 50 in the shade The spring
COMMENCES In August, which is hsrvest tine. and
and potatoes there two crops oS p per- Sss1
which are planted in February and July, aud dug In
June ana November There are no regular trsds
winds In thu summer months the wind prev aus
mostly from T. s. E. to north Northsry winds are
generally light often accompanied with rain or fog
Westward from which quarter and r.. the strongest
gales prevail. With wind from s w. 1t isgenerxiy
clear westher with moderate breezes In winter pre-
Willing winds are S. w. TOE y e. The animal and
vegetable productions of the island goats hogs and
poultry, yams sweet and Irish potatoes the api root
and tsrro in small quantities Plantsns, pines. me-
Ions oranges, bread fruit, lines and the
vi or Brazilian plum. The only grain IL maize The
food Of the inhabitants Is chiefly ysms and potatoes
animal food two or three times a week Fish ,are
getting fearce. Bedclothes are generally manufac-
tured by the females, from the ante, or paper null
berry. Wearing apparel is obtained from whale ships
IN exchange for vegetables &c Cotton cloth Is much
wanted Blankets and woellen articles, and soap,
The average number Of ships touching at the island
annually is eight o. nine mostly Americana, and they
than in sa s .hss ,s seven ship;
there was English brig, from New Zealand, bound
to Caforns with emigrants there being eight English
On the first day OF each year a chief magistrate and
counc ilor are elected All persons mae and female
over le ears Of age voters The chief magistrate
then chooses his counsellor secretary The duty of
TIE magistrate is to convene meetings and hear cases.
1t then lsft to jury Of persons and II the deci
sion is not satisfactory to both they are so we'd
TO appeal TO the comnapder Of her MAesty ships Of
var Punishments are generally fines or labor, The
Inhabitants generally retire to early aud with
TIE sun, From August to November they have plenty
OF empioyment digging Jams also planting bananas,
not butily employed they generally in the morn
Ing and AZ the weather ia favorabie go fishing; II not
ne ON Ss rry p on tS s din
allowed to go board before the pilot who nj ways
takes charge Of the boats when landing and provides
Tor the captain when on shore each family In rotation
fu' hing pilot or providing substitute, who al.
ysys expects a small remuneration for his services
1he females generally assist In the cultivation of the
ground preparing tbstch for the houses SO, and in
fact, are more EN- p,oyed than the males. They are
generally very strong OF them being able to carry
barrel Of potatoes down to the plaza the path
TO which Is very rugged and steep. and in the rainy
season very difficult TO ascend descend Since 1881
there have been sixteen deaths -four Of them accident
al, four Of fever, one disease Of the the
heart one OF cancer one Of consumption tao OF
epys ne iu childbirth, and one in infancy The dis
cases noet prevalent astbma and cstarrh, which
prevfl mostly among ths females. Billions attacks
but ssa ,h spS eny s e
lss<~, and osxxed two d~sths. ai Gen - VI