Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-02-21
PITCAIRN'S ISLAND.

The Valparaiso NegL5or of September % contains a
highly interesting of visit made by the Comman-
der of the British manowar brig Cockae to Pitcairns
Island which it will be recollected is inhabited by de-
scendants of the mutneers Of the English ship Bounty
An abstract of the account Of this visit win be read with
much interest
The time at which this visit made in JUL last
When the Cockarce within about miles Of the city
boat manned by half dozen fine looking put off to
meet the brig and expressed the most unbounded delight
at the arrival of another At their request
party from the brig soon landed and rough
path and very steep level spot where the VII
lage is built Here found assembled all the nhabi
tants Of the island men, women and children with their
prsor Mr. hobbs, and all dressed in clean and becom
ing The declarations of delight at this visit
renewed, and oil united in saying that the few
visits from counymen form the happiest days of our
lives"
The yisiters were next conducted the schoohouse,
large substantial building fifty feet long by twenty feet
WIDE conveniently fitted up with desks, and well furnish
ed with States supply of moral and religious books and
other requisites for the instruction of youth AT end
there pulpit and small space allotted for the
of pastor-the house being used for chapel Sum
day. Here also kept the book containing the records
Of the island the births Deaths and marriages, and the
number and of the ships which have visited it
since its occupation The average number of vessels for
merly eight per but Of late years it has very
much increased In 1850 there forty-seven twen-
ty-eight Of which American whaers which put in
for supplies and Of the conduct Of whose the in
habitants speak in the highest terms of praise.
There then 160 souls residing on the island-84
males and 70 females The average number Of births
eight while but four deaths had occurred in six years. Of
which that of Susannah Young the last survivor
of the Bounty who died July 15 1850 aged 20 years
There are present males and nine females
riageable, who are unmarried. The whole community
consists Of twentythree families inhabtng seventeen
houses The diseases they suffer mostly from are rheu
matism asthma ague, and bilious attacks The small
box has never appeared amongst them neither has soul
on the island been vaccinaed In April, 1885, five pas
sengers left the island in very destitute cond
ton by captain of ship. The Record Book bears
very high testimonial to the kindness and christianke
treatment which these islanders bestowed upon them.
After the visit to the school finished the visitors
from the Cockatrice treated excellent dinner
very nicely cooked after the 0aheitan fashion Dinner
being finished they went out to take walk and here we
quote few paragraphs from the account before us:
Some of the accompanied US, and entertained
me very much by their lively and cheerful conversation
learnt from it that they do the most laborous work.
such as preparing the ground for planting digging po-
taoes and yams which they have to carry some distance
to their houses by rough and precpitous paths They
also thach the roofs cook wash and attend to Other do
nestle duties, whilst the employed building
houses and in other mechanical work, as well as fishing
and hunting goats. The children have not much atten-
ton paid to them after they able to about when
they years old they sent to school, and at
tend regularly until fourteen Consequently there is not
soul the island that cannot read and write Most of
them exceedingly intelligent and well informed indeed
much than 1t is possible to conceive from their
isolation and little intercourse with the world
@ But what strike strangers than any thing
else is the happy manner in which they live together
there does not appear to be jealousy bad thought
listing among them the in particular are very
fond Of each other such thing quarrel between them
occurs; and nothing happen to any the
island without its being Of grief to ALL they
so knit together by friendship and love.
GA magistrate is appointed yearly by majority Of
votes ALL both male and female above eighteen years Of
age voters He has the management of the affairs Of
the island and settles disputes with the assistance Of
jury if necessary Should any decision be deemed
satisfactory they do not quarrel it. but let the sub
ect drop and refer by mutual consent to the captain of
the first man-ofwar that visits them with the express
understanding that his decision is final The magistrate
takes charge Of any spuous liquors that may be given
them by ships visiting the island and issues small por
ton to any who wishes it holydays Of which they
have but two in the year. to celebrate the arrival of
the Bounty in January, the other the Queens birthday
by this means drunkenness is entirely avoided However
they not addicted to it, told by Arthur Quinta
that such crime had not taken place for thirteen years
During the entire stay Of the officers Of the Cockatrce
the utmost attention paid their wants end comfort
and every thing done render their visit agreeable
and pleasant The commander of the vessel speaks
inhabitants of this island as the happest most moral
and kindhearted people he had fallen in with during
long service in all parts of the habtabe gobe; ana
his account Of them is correct land agrees with pre-
vous narratives OF visits to the isand they certainly
deserve this high praise